Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S J Lopez.
This study investigated the differences between the Standard and Short forms of MicroCog by comparing Domain scores for a clinical sample of 351 substance abusers which gave a significant difference between scores on the Spatial Processing Domain. Implications for research and clinical use are discussed.
The associations of demographic variables with cognitive performance, as measured by the MicroCog ability domain scores, were assessed with 222 substance abusers who were patients in a VA medical center. Analysis indicated that age was negatively related to all five outcomes scores, and education was positively related to measures assessing Attention/Mental Control and Reasoning/Calculation. These findings are consistent with past theoretical and applied research. The demographic variables, as a group, accounted for a total of 17% to 37% of the variance in the five domain scores.
Placement outcomes of students who did not secure internship offers on Uniform Notification Day 1997 were examined. An initial survey of unplaced students (n = 168) suggested mixed outcomes for students in obtaining sites after notification day, including negative emotional effects as a result of nonplacement. A follow-up survey completed by 77 students (43 who had not been placed during the original survey and 34 who had) suggested generally high satisfaction and optimism with internship and employment outlook despite their experiences with the internship application process. Accreditation concerns, emotional, time, and financial expenditures, and potential courses of action are discussed. Concrete suggestions for improving the selection system are provided.
Past examinations of the order of item difficulty on the 10-item WAIS-R Picture Arrangement subtest indicated that the items had not been arranged in increasing order of difficulty. Examination of the clinical data for 50 consecutive assessment referrals [means for age, education, Full Scale IQ, and Picture Arrangement subtest scaled score were 46.4 (SD = 10.2), 12.6 (SD = 1.1), 96.7 (SD = 12.6), and 10.6 (SD = 3.3), respectively] on the 11-item WAIS-III subtest suggested that the current order of items may not be in order of increasing difficulty. Clinical relevance of these findings and research on the order of item difficulty are discussed.
Psychologists (44 men, 6 women) were identified as individuals who received both Fellow status from Division 17 of the APA and ABPP Diplomate status in Counseling Psychology. Years of postdoctoral experience acquired prior to gaining the credentials averaged 13.1 (SD = 6.1) for the Division 17 Fellow and 9.8 (SD = 4.7) for the ABPP Diplomate. 25 different degree-granting institutions provided training for the 50 whose careers exemplify the scientist-practitioner approach to their work. Columbia graduated 9 of these psychologists, whereas Ohio State and Minnesota graduated 5 each. In regard to degree specialty, 37 (74%) gained their degrees from counseling or counseling psychology programs, whereas 11 (22%) gained their degrees from other types of psychology programs. These psychologists tended to work in academic institutions and to publish an average of 57 journal articles per year.
We developed a Satz-Mogel short form of the WAIS-III and evaluated its accuracy for predicting IQs of 50 men with substance abuse disorders. Means for age, education, and Full Scale IQ were 44.20 years (SD = 7.23), 12.82years (SD = 1.53), and 98.06 (SD = 11.93). Correlations between the forms were significant for the 11 subtests (all rs> or =.79) and three IQs (all rs> or =.93). Short form estimated Verbal, Performance, and Full scale IQs were within +/-6 points of the WAIS-III 92% 80% and 90% of the time. The abbreviation may be used to estimate general intelligence, but interpretation of short-form-based IQ discrepancies should be avoided. The short form detected reliable WAIS-III Verbal-Performance IQ discrepancies only 67% of the time.
Research productivity of counseling psychologists with credentials in clinical neuropsychology were examined. Eighteen were ABPP/ABCN Diplomates. Division 40 Fellows, or both. They published an average of 3.06 (SD= 4.82; range = 0 to 20) neuropsychologically relevant, first-authored articles over the past 5 years. When counseling psychologists were compared to a random sample of ABPP/ABCN diplomates with doctoral degrees in other areas of psychology, no reliable differences emerged between the groups in age, research productivity, or number of years between graduation and receipt of the ABPP/ABCN diploma. Research contributions of neuropsychologists with degrees in counseling psychology are comparable to those of ABPP/ABCN diplomates who were trained in other areas of psychology (e.g., clinical, developmental, and physiological).
Diplomate and Fellow status in clinical neuropsychology reflect professional competency and a record of significant contributions to the field. This present study provides a snapshot of the pathways to these distinctions and focuses on the educational history and demographic description of ABPP Diplomates and APA Division 40 Fellows. Identification of degree-granting institutions of these psychologists provides distal outcome data for training programs. Both credentials were identified as midcareer markers, as attainment of either required over 12 years of postdoctoral experiences. The pool of Fellows is significantly older than the Diplomates, but these data are confounded as 53 individuals hold both a diploma and Fellow status. Women were underrepresented in both groups. In regard to degree specialty, clinical psychology was the most prevalent degree program represented; however, the groups appear to be permeable to psychologists who received formal training in other subspecialties.
As the internship marketplace becomes more competitive, doctoral students and faculty of professional psychology programs must become more knowledgeable of the selection criteria used by APA-accredited internship sites. Clinical experience was identified as one of the most important criteria used for selection by all respondents. However, criteria used by medical schools, university counseling centers, and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, the three largest suppliers of internships, and by sites reporting low, medium, or high competitiveness appeared to vary as a function of the unique characteristics of the sites.
Of 655 neuropsychological referrals who were asked to draw a clock and set the hands at "10 after 11," 9% set the hands at "10 to 11." This low base rate of occurrence suggests the error was not highly sensitive to neurological impairment or diagnostically specific.
Brain injury is associated with a reduced capcity to engage in effective cognitive estimation. The current study utilized two measures of this construct, the Cognitive Estimation Test (CET) and Luria Memory Test (Luria), to investigate the relationships between cognitive estimation and intelligence, memory, and affect in a sample of 30 traumatically brain-injured individuals. Results demonstrated significant correlations between cognitive estimation and tests of intelligence and memory. However, measures of depression and state anxiety were not meaningfully associated with cognitive estimation. The ability to recall stories accounted for the greatest portion of the variance for both the CET and Luria. Specifically, the 30-minute Logical Memory subtest from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised accounted for 38% of the variance in the CET, while the Logical Memory 30-minute savings score accounted for 47% of the variance in the Luria. Intellectual and affective variables explained only negligible amounts of variance on cognitive estimation tasks.