The authors studied 21 psychiatric outpatients who were granted a change in therapist at their request. The study sample did not differ significantly from other outpatients in demographic characteristics or diagnosis. Results indicated that the great majority of requests for a change in therapists resulted from patient-therapist mismatch, and the majority of patients who changed therapists remained in treatment with the new therapist and reported being satisfied with the change. The authors believe that a flexible policy regarding changes in therapists will enhance treatment effectiveness, and they offer suggestions on how to manage transfers.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

The MCMI and DSM-III: a brief rejoinder to Million (1985).

Millon (1985) presented eight criticisms of the article by Widiger, Williams, Spitzer, and Frances (1985) on the MCMI as a measure of DSM-III. This article is a brief rejoinder. The major point we wish to make is that one should be cautious in interpreting the MCMI as a measure of DSM-III disorders because there has not yet been any research published on the relationship between the MCMI and DSM-III. We believe this position has not been refuted by Millon's critique.

Comment↗

PubMed1986

Chronic depression: demographic and clinical characteristics.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

The DSM-III personality disorders. Perspectives from psychology.

Although psychiatry and psychology have shared an interest in the classification of personality throughout the history of both professions, the efforts of each have largely been independent, with little collaboration or communication. We attempt to bridge this gap by describing a number of research programs in psychology that have implications for the psychiatric diagnosis of personality disorders. We discuss in particular the prototypal model of categorization, the use of behavioral indicators, the identification of prototypic acts, the aggregation of behavior across time and situations, the dimensional model of classification, and the interpersonal circumplex.

Humans↗

PubMed1985

Validating schizotypal personality disorders: problems with the schizophrenia connection.

The author questions the assumption that family relationship should be given primacy as the validating criterion in establishing diagnostic items for the DSM-III definition of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD). The presenting characteristics of clinically defined patients may be quite different from those that best describe the nonpatient relatives of schizophrenic patients encountered in genetic or high-risk studies. Since the DSM-III nomenclature is meant primarily for use in clinical settings, it must be based on symptom characteristics found in patients, not in nonpatient relatives. If the DSM-III SPD definitions are not optimal for genetic and high-risk studies, special criteria sets will be necessary for such research.

Humans↗