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Biomedical subjects

H R Conte

Publications and source records attributed to H R Conte.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Development and use of self-report techniques for assessing sexual functioning: a review and critique.

This is a review and chronological perspective on the development of self-report measures designed to describe an individual's sexual functioning. It includes scales that provide data on both heterosexual and homosexual behavior. Attitude scales are also included, but only those that reflect an individual's attitudes toward his own or his partner's behavior. Two classes of self-report measures are evaluated: (1) unidimensional scales that are relatively short and restricted in the information they supply; and (2) multidimensional inventories or questionnaires that elicit a wider variety of information. Available psychometric data are provided, and the measures are critically examined from both a research and a clinical point of view. It was concluded that unidimensional scales are probably more useful for research settings, while multidimensional inventories appear to have greater potential in clinical settings. All the test instruments reviewed would benefit from refinements, and recommendations are made that additional validity studies be conducted and more normative data be provided.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Measuring death anxiety: conceptual, psychometric, and factor-analytic aspects.

This study was undertaken to construct a brief, reliable, and valid questionnaire for measuring attitudes toward death and dying. In Stage 1, four groups of individuals ranging in age from 30 to 82 years completed the Death Anxiety Questionnaire (DAQ), a brief anxiety scale (MAS), and a depression scale (DP). During Stage 2, results on these scales were cross-validated on a new sample of subjects, and the Templer and Dickstein measures of death anxiety were also completed. Internal consistency of the DAQ as determined by coefficient alpha was .83 (n = 230) and test-retest reliability was .87 (n = 30). No significant sex or age differences were found for any of the groups tested. Results provided evidence for both construct and concurrent validity of the DAQ and for discriminant validity of the items. A principal-components factor analysis suggested four independent dimensions of death anxiety: Fear of the Unknown; Fear of Suffering; Fear of Loneliness; and Fear of Personal Extinction. Recommendations for future research include an investigation of the degree to which scores on these four dimensions might differentiate among different sex, age, personality, affective, and diagnostic groupings.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Learning dynamic psychotherapy: a longitudinal study.

The authors investigated the evolution of psychotherapeutic skills over time in a group of psychiatric residents in their third year of training. A 29-item Supervisors Evaluation Scale measuring psychotherapy skills was developed. Each resident who began his or her clinical experience in conducting individual analytically oriented psychotherapy was rated by his or her supervisors on this scale toward the beginning of training and again 8 months later. Statistically significant changes were found for 7 of the skills measured. The authors feel that these may reflect those aspects of psychotherapy which the beginning therapist can readily learn with supervision and experience.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1981

Psychotherapy skill profiles of psychiatric residents.

A survey of experienced clinicians has suggested that negative outcomes of psychotherapy may be related to misapplications or deficiencies of technique. The present study was, therefore, concerned with two questions: a) does the more competent psychiatric resident have a different profile of therapeutic skills from the less competent resident; and b) are the more competent residents more aware of their own behavior with patients than less competent residents? To answer these questions, a Supervisors' Evaluation Scale and a parallel Psychotherapy Self-Evaluation Scale were developed, and their reliability, content, and discriminant validities were established on the basis of their use with a group of psychiatric residents being supervised in an outpatient clinic. Results demonstrated that the more and less competent trainees, selected on the basis of global ratings, differed significantly on almost every item of the Supervisors' Evaluation Scale, but did not differ on most of the items of the Psychotherapy Self-Evaluation Scale. Residents reported it to be particularly difficult to deal with patients' aggression and acting out behavior, fee setting and collecting, and understanding the patients' defensive structures. The rating scales can be used to assist in supervision by assessing the level of acquired skills in psychotherapy, and can also be used to help identify special areas of strengths and weaknesses.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1979

Measurement of thinking dysfunction. An empirical study.

This investigation is concerned with the development of a practical method for assessment of thought disorders. A review of eight major textbooks and four review articles revealed 37 different terms used to describe the components of thought disorders. Because of overlap of meanings or ambiguous usage, these terms were reduced to 17 discrete terms that could be operationally defined. Twenty-five psychiatrist were surveyed on the appropriateness of the definitions and their relevance to the concept of thought disorder. An average of 83 per cent agreement was obtained, and some of the definitions were modified as a result of the survey. Eight psychiatrists then applied this scale, titled the Thinking Dysfunction Rating Scale, to the evaluation of five videotaped patient interviews. Based on observation of all five patients, interjudge agreement was over 90 per cent for all items of the scale. Analysis of variance showed that the scale significantly discriminated among schizophrenics, patients with organic brain syndromes, psychotic depressives, geriatric depressives, and outpatients. The patterns of scores were found to vary among these five groups. The scale should be helpful for teaching purposes and as a checklist for routine clinical diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Thought disorder in alcoholics.

Research on cognitive impairment in chronic alcoholics has generally focused on pathology associated with organic brain damage. On the other hand, deficits more typical of the functional psychoses have been less explored, due to the absence of appropriate tests. By using the Thought Disorder Rating Scale (TDRS) recently developed at our Center, however, we have tested chronic alcoholics for the presence of classical symptoms of thought disorder. This test is based on the assessment of the patient's verbal behavior by an experienced clinician. Twenty subjects free of psychosis, severe withdrawal symptoms, and medical illness were, after detoxification, administered a test battery which included the TDRS, the Bender-Gestalt Test, and the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Five scored pathologically for thought disorder and of them four had abnormal Benders; whereas only two of 15 of those without thought disorder had abnormal Benders (t = 2.84, p < .01). Although SDS scores for both groups were in the depressed range, there was no significant difference between SDS means for the two groups. TDRS scores for these alcoholics are compared with those for other diagnosed groups, and implications for future investigation are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Studies of body image. IV. Figure drawings in normal and abnormal geriatric and nongeriatric groups.

Figure drawings were obtained from 72 normal adults, 48 adult psychiatric inpatients, 30 senior citizens, and 33 elderly inpatients in a mental hospital. Blind analyses were carried out for "emotional indicators" and other characteristics such as body image disturbance and intellectual impairment. Significant differences were found on almost all measures between the normal elderly and the normal adult. They were also found to discriminate between the normal adult group and the adult psychiatric patients. Very few differences were found between the normal elderly and elderly psychiatric patients, or between normal elderly and adult psychiatric patients. These results imply that norms based upon figure drawings of children or adults may not apply to the elderly and that, therefore, figure drawings may be a less useful diagnostic tool for elderly people than they are for children or adults.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Toward a rationale for the seclusion process.

The present paper summarizes three studies focusing on different aspects of seclusion room practices. The first study involved chart review to collect empirical data on reasons for seclusion, length of seclusion, and characteristics of secluded patients. The second study focused on staff attitudes toward seclusion; the third dealt with the attitudes of both secluded and nonsecluded patients. The average time of seclusion was approximately 4 hours and in most cases aggressive behaviors of various types were cited as the precipitating event. In addition, patient and staff attitudes implied that a major function of the seclusion process was to isolate patients from disturbing interactions and to maintain the smooth functioning of the ward minisociety. Two models of seclusion, an ethological model and a behavioristic "time out" model, were developed in order to integrate the results of these studies. Implications of the findings and models are presented for changes in seclusion room procedures.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Clinical utility of a rapid diagnostic test series for elderly psychiatric outpatients.

Psychiatric evaluation of the elderly is especially difficult for several reasons, e.g., the presence of organic impairment, the effects of multiple drug therapy, and the tendency to confuse the normal concomitants of aging with neurotic symptoms. The authors have developed and evaluated a brief series of self-report assessment tests (GRDB) designed to assist the psychiatrist in the process of diagnosis. Coefficients of the internal consistency of the seven scales are presented. A comparison was make between 28 psychiatric patients attending a geriatric clinic and 48 well-functioning elderly persons matched for age and sex, and living in the same community. Results showed that the geriatric outpatients functioned at a lower level of adaptation than did the control group, on all seven scales - depression, daily living skills, social interaction, cognitive skills, number of illnesses, number of life problems, and the use of drugs and alcohol. These findings provide a measure of discriminant validity. The advantages of this brief assessment instrument are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

"No-commitment week": a feasibility study.

To determine the extent to which involuntary hospitalization is overused, a "No-Commitment Week" was set aside, during which emergency room psychiatrists committed only patients in absolute need of hospitalization. Compared with the week before and the week after, there was no significant difference in the number of patients committed during No-Commitment Week. The authors propose replication of the study on a larger scale but suggest that decisions about involuntary hospitalization in public mental hospitals are the result of societal attitudes, which will be subject to change as long as society itself continues to change.

Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders↗
PubMed1977

Compliance with psychiatric emergency room referrals.

An attempt was made to identify some of the major variables, such as age, sex, ethnicity, and diagnosis, that might be determinants of compliance with psychiatrists' recommendations to enter outpatient treatment after emergency room visits. In general, it was found that older Puerto Rican and white women, usually those diagnosed as having some kind of depression, had the highest rate of compliance. Black patients, as well as all patients diagnosed as schizophrenic, had the lowest probability of outpatient follow-up. A telephone survey of those patients who did not go for outpatient treatment within six months after referral was conducted to elicit their reasons for not going. Several hypotheses were developed concerning reasons for lack of compliance with recommendations for outpatient follow-up, and a number of suggestions were made about possible methods for increasing the compliance rate.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed1977

The therapeutic community in theory and practice.

To obtain an operational description of the therapeutic community, the authors reviewed recent literature and composed a 40-item questionnaire describing aspects of the therapeutic community. The questionnaire was mailed to authors of recently published articles or books on the subject, 27 of whom responded with ratings of the degree to which each item was characteristic of a therapeutic community. The validated questionnaire was then completed by 22 staff members on four psychiatric wards of a university-affiliated municipal hospital, who rated the items in terms of real and ideal conditions on the ward. Comparisons of the real and ideal ratings are discussed.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1976

The role of the chief resident: expectations and reality.

The job expectations of 35 incoming chief residents were tested by questionnaire when they attended a weekend workshop on leadership and were reexamined after they has had six months' experience on their jobs. Such personal qualities as a sense of humor and persistence and such administrative skills as the ability to exercise authority and set objectives significantly increased in importance six months after these residents began work. The authors recommend educational programs in administration for chief residents.

Humans↗