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Biomedical subjects

M H Spero

Publications and source records attributed to M H Spero.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Modern psychotherapy and Halakhic values: an approach toward consensus in values and practice.

In this paper, I have examined in some detail a number of examples of actual and potential consensus between Jewish ethics and the practice of modern psychotherapy, psychology, and psychiatry. Moreover, I have posited specific halakhic models which represent analogies to modern psychotherapeutic principles and practices, which through analogy lend specific halakhic guidelines to modern practice. The unitary halakhic approach presented here is thus both heuristic--in that it seeks to demonstrate the ways in which psychotherapeutic processes are essentially halakhic ones--as well as practical. Through this approach, psychological theory and practice have been brought into intimate contact with the ethical requirements of the halakhically committed mental health practitioner and his or her patient, filling an inexcusable void in halakhic application to modern technology, and setting a direction for future work in this area.

Ethics, Medical↗

Psychotherapeutic procedure with religious cult devotees.

The literature dealing with the cult devotee has been primarily descriptive, offering phenomenological reports of psychological characteristics and symptomatology but few reports of specific assessment and psychotherapeutic procedures for management of this unique patient population. The present paper offers a brief review of previous literature and describes specific assessment and interventive procedures which have been successfully applied to an outpatient clinic population of 65 cult devotees. Diagnostic impressions based on psychological testing are reported. Discussion focuses on the contribution of diagnostic and clinical findings to the conceptualization of cultic religiosity as a regressive phenomenon.

Adolescent↗

Thoughts on computerized psychotherapy.

This essay looks at the eventuality of computerized psychotherapy and attempts a philosophical analysis of the value, limitations, and efficacy of such hypothetical computerized psychotherapy devices (CPDs). The essential thesis is that while computers may be 'intellectually' capable of performing certain skills that have up until now been associated wholly with the human mind, still other, affective responses, such as empathy, sympathy and compathy, are not within the CPD's ken. Thus, in cases where such affective potential is believed to be a therapeutic necessity, the possibility of the CPD as an effective therapeutic agent may be undesirable.

Affect↗