[Vienna version for clinical application of the Multiple Choice Vocabulary Intelligence Test]. / Wiener Versionen zur klinischen Applikation des Mehrfachwahl-Wortschatz-Intelligenztests (MWT-A, MWT-B).

A deterministic reliability analysis of the Mehrfachwahl-Wortschatz-Intelligenztest, Lehrl (MWT-A, MWT-B), a very economical device for the assessment of crystallized intelligence and the most frequently administered intelligence test by physicians in Germany, was performed on the test data of n = 300 in- and outpatients (University Clinic for Psychiatry, Vienna). Numerical outcomes showed a substantial lack of satisfying test properties, which are further also discussed under non-numerical aspects. For the clinical application of the MWT in Eastern Austria three alternative versions of the MWT (each consisting of 37 items and having better scale characteristics in the analysed sample than the original scales) were developed from the original item pool and presented as MWT-PIRIT, MWT-RIT, and MWT-PI. All five MWT scales were standardized for the present with the patient sample for clinical application. Correlational analyses with a measure for fluid intelligence (Standard Progressive Matrices) suggested only moderate associations between crystallized and fluid intelligence, as well as a differential validity for the MWT in our sample.

Assessment of saccadic eye movements as an instrument of differential diagnostic screening.

Fast conjugate (saccadic) eye movements tested for stimuli between 5 and 30 degrees to the left or the right are characterized by three parameters: latency, maximum velocity, and accuracy. The recordings of 152 patients, diagnosed by the psychiatrist for depressive and/or organic symptoms, demonstrate different sensitivity of saccadic parameters to instruction, medication, and psychopathology. The parameter maximal velocity appears to be a parameter of psychopathology, but above all also of medication, while the parameter latency appears to be primarily a parameter of psychopathology. Accuracy is the more 'psychological' or 'volitional' parameter.

Psychometric assessment of DSM-III personality disorders: another facet of the problem.

An empirical study with the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire, which in substance follows exactly the criteria of personality disorders described in the DSM-III, is used to highlight a number of problems connected with the DSM-III. Criticisms of the DSM-III previously expressed by other authors, e.g. concerning multiple choice between characteristics and equal weighting of different symptoms, are supported by this empirical study.

Why is it that dysphoric patients do not realize their dysphoric mood?

In contrast to the clinical psychopathological approach to emotion, we used aspects of the cognitive emotion theories formulated by Lazarus [1966] and Folkman and Lazarus [1985]. According to these theories, emotion is a product of cognitive appraisal and coping a mechanism regulating emotion. We put into operation four coping types in a two-dimensional way (using the amount of anxiety and social desirability and the repressor-sensitizer concept of Byrne [1961] in the extended version of Krohne [1974]) in order to differentiate 30 patients labeled as 'dysphoric' (n = 15) or 'depressed' (n = 15) from a clinical point of view. It was possible to distinguish subpopulations of dysphoric patients as well as depressed patients (discriminant analysis, analysis of variance), which served as a basis for answering our questions to the effect that a clearly defined group of dysphoric patients - all diagnosed as bipolar manic depressives - predominantly employs rigid repressive coping strategies, i.e. defensively denying anxiety. Thus, rigid defensive reactions (i.e. perceptual defense) prevent a change in the direction of distressing emotions but leave the person in a state of high arousal. This psychological theory of coping disposition agrees very well with the clinical view of dysphoric state.

Contralateral eye movements and alpha reactivity of lithium patients in recognition tasks.

For the purpose of analyzing memory deficits in patients on lithium therapy the Psychological Labor (E. Opgenoorth et al.) and Lithium Department (R. Wolf et al.) studied not only psychological performance but also biosignals of elementary complexity (characteristic values of eye movements as a reaction to simple light stimuli) and of higher complexity, i.e. those which accompany the cognitive processing of information. Recall and recognition performance for incidentally learned word and picture items was tested in 14 patients receiving lithium treatment. Simultaneously registered EEG (O1-Cz and O2-Cz) and lateral eye movements (LEM) were analyzed with reference to different stimuli. Absolute alpha power and relative event-related desynchronization (ERD) show differences in EEG reactivity between healthy individuals and lithium patients demonstrated by differences in the amplitudes. LEM are characterized by a slight delay of the peaks.

Controlled encoding strategies in memory tests in lithium patients.

The "levels of processing" theory (Craik and Lockhart) and "dual coding" theory (Paivio) provide new aspects for clinical memory research work. Therefore, an incidental learning paradigm on the basis of these two theoretical approaches was chosen to test aspects of memory performances with lithium therapy. Results of two experiments, with controlled non-semantic processing (rating experiment "comparison of size") and additive semantic processing (rating "living--non-living") indicate a slight reduction in recall (Fig. 1) and recognition performance (Fig. 2) in lithium patients. Effects on encoding strategies are of equal quality in patients and healthy subjects (Tab. 1, 2) but performance differs between both groups: poorer systematic benefit from within code repetitions ("word-word" items, "picture-picture" items) and dual coding (repeated variable item presentation "picture-word") is obtained. The less efficient encoding strategies in the speeded task are discussed with respect to cognitive rigidity and slowing of performance by emotional states. This investigation of so-called "memory deficits" with lithium is an attempt to explore impairments at an early stage of processing; the characterization of the perceptual cognitive analysis seems useful for further clinical research work on this topic.

Mood-dependent learning. I. Endogenomorphic and psychoreactive depressions--influence of positive and negative feedback on expectancy shifts.

Influenced by Seligman's definition of 'learned helplessness' we studied the change of expectancy after positive and negative reinforcement before the onset and in the course of treatment of endogenomorphic and psychoreactive depressions. Before the onset of treatment patients do not exhibit any systematic change of expectancy after positive or negative reinforcement, in the course of treatment reaction to reinforcement is demonstrable, the type of treatment administered during the observation period causes differences in behavior.

Mood-dependent learning. II. Healthy subjects--influence of positive and negative feedback on expectancy shifts.

Changes of success expectancy in healthy test persons are investigated in this study. An experimental mood manipulation with the help of mood statements by Velten [1968] was performed. Changes of success expectancy were rather attributable to the present mood than to the trait-component 'depression'.

Results of learning experiments in the course of treatment of endogenomorphic depression. A comparison of electroconvulsive and pharmacological treatment.

In this study we attempted to break down short-term effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on memory into anterograde and retrograde amnesia, and for the latter we again separated short-term store performances from those connected with the long-term store of memory. Our experiments included complicated learning tasks. Although impairment caused by ECT was demonstrable in all three test fields, complicated conditioning experiments stored in the long-term store proved to be most sensitive to the disturbing effect of ECT.

Visually stimulated saccadic eye movements in patients treated with lithium.

Saccadic eye movements were stimulated with the aid of 11 light spot stimuli, 10 of which were arranged at 3 degrees, 6 degrees, 9 degrees, 12 degrees, and 15 degrees to the left and right of the central stimulus. The parameters average and maximal eye movement velocity and latency were precisely investigated. 19 patients averaging 6.6 years on lithium prophylaxis were compared with 23 healthy controls. Significant differences between the two groups could not be found at this level of function.

Quantification of 'regressive thinking' by use of the Rorschach test. Leading symptom of the borderline syndrome?

In this study we have attempted to objectify the diagnosis of the borderline syndrome by the use of formal Rorschach testing criteria. The randomly selected protocols of 140 subjects between the ages of 17 and 25 were subjected to cluster analysis of currently accepted scoring criteria for such phenomena as prevalence of primary process thinking and disturbance of reality testing. We were unable to demonstrate a cluster of scored responses supposedly typical for the borderline syndrome. Conversely, however, the protocols of patients clinically diagnosed as borderline did show some 'typical' Rorschach signs.

Development of a new shortened version of Raven's matrices test for application and rough assessment of present intellectual capacity within psychopathological investigation.

Based on a sample of 300 psychiatric patients the items of the Standard Progressive Matrices test are analyzed in terms of classical and probabilistic methods, and a version shortened to 30 items is developed. This new version of the test is then standardized from a new sample of 1,200 patients. A table of selected percentiles is computed. Validation with respect to rough classification of intelligence is proved by comparison with results of the WIP .

[Spatial orientation capability in the elderly]. / Rümliche Orientierungsleistung bei älteren Menschen.

A labyrinth-learning experiment was conducted with 83 elderly subjects (median 53 years), which was validated against the architectural "reality" of the clinic in which the test was conducted. The orientation capability of psychologically normal subjects was compared with the performance of patients with a depressive syndrome and/or with an organic mental syndrome. Factor Analysis revealed the independent influence of component functions, the most important being spatial imaging, memory, goal-seeking orientation, labyrinth learning and right-left coordination. Orientation in reality is not accurately predicted by performance on the labyrinth test model. Contrary to our expectation, the presence of OMS alone did not decrease performance; however the presence of a depressive syndrome, both alone as well as in conjunction with OMS did. Diagnostic and therapeutic implications are discussed.

[Maximal motor nerve conduction rate with lithium]. / Maximale motorische Nervenleitgeschwindigkeit unter Lithium.

We examined the nerve conduction velocity (NCV) of 10 patients under long-term lithium therapy and 10 patients after a 3-month lithium therapy. In accordance with the literature concerning patients and normals under experimental treatment with lithium, we also found reduced NCV values. There were no significant changes in NCV during the first 3 months of lithium treatment. This could be due to the relative low lithium levels as well as to symptoms of manic-depressive Illness and the nerve examined.

[Enduring structure of the "depressive personality" in lithium prophylaxis. With special reference to the social partners]. / Phasenüberdauernde Strukturen der "depressiven Persönlichkeit" bei Lithiumprophylaxe. Unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Sozialpartners.

A group of patients with endogenous depressive disorders at the beginning of a lithium treatment (Li group I) is compared with a second group of patients with the same diagnosis, who can be called lithium responders (Li group II). These two groups are compared in regard to their relationship to their relevant social partner, based on the 'self-concept' and 'ideal self-concept' obtained by means of the Giessen test. Li group II shows significant deviations only in scale 4 of the Giessen test, while the partner group II does not differ essentially in its profile from the partner group I. These findings will be used as a working hypothesis.

[Reactivity of patients under lithium-therapy/assessment of multivariate relationships (author's transl)]. / Multivariate Zusammenhänge im Leistungsverhalten von Lithium-Patienten.

A representative sample of patients under long-term lithium therapy was examined with respect to performance in reaction task, mood, and attitude toward lithium therapy. Reaction time to simple acoustic or visual stimuli as well as reactivity in complex settings under power- and speed-conditions requiring psychomotoric response represent the bulk of the data. Significant effects of additional medication, sex and duration of lithium therapy are assessed by univariate and multivariate data analysis. A hierarchic cluster analysis results in 5 well interpretable clusters. The clusters, furthermore, demonstrate the importance of attitude and other psychological variable, e.g. morning-/evening-type.

[Statistical data analysis of physiologic parameters in patients with endomorphic-depressive phases. An attempt to explore the changeable effects between physiologic parameters, examination times during the phase and various experimental conditions]. / Statistische Analysen physiologischen Datenmaterials von Patientinnen mit endomorph-depressiven Phasenverläufen. Ein Versuch, Wechselwirkungen zwischen physiologischen Parametern, Untersuchungszeitpunkten im Verlauf der Phase und verschiedenen experimentellen Bedingungen zu objektivieren.

Range-corrected (according to Lykken) physiological data from the parameters of heart rate (HF), respiratory rate (AF), skin potential (skin potential level; SPL; skin potential response, SPR) and skin resistance level, SRL; skin resistance response, SRR) were obtained under an acoustic activation paradigm in the course of a longitudinal investigation on 7 women with endomorph depression treated with thymoleptic medication. These data form the matrix for two- and threefold analyses of variance as well as for concordance analyses according to Kendall. During six measurements (three each taken in the morning and evening) one finds differing levels of activation: relatively low ones at the beginning and at the end, high ones during the 'labilization phase' of the treatment. The varying 'reactivity' to the diverse examination sequences of an acoustic activation program is little affected by the degree of these changes; patient-specific 'characteristics' of the course of the activation are just as recognizable throughout the course of the investigation as are 'stimulus-specific' reactions. Each of the parameters is appropriate for the estimation of different physiological variables; SPR seems rather to be a situation-specific variable, HF and AF are probably suitable for establishing the level of activation, while changes in SPL seem to represent patient-specific characteristics.

[Relations between subjective-psychological, physiological and behavioral levels in endogenous depressions]. / Zur Frage kongruenter Beziehungen zwischen Befindens-, physiologischen und psychopathologischen Daten im Verlauf endogen depressiver Phasen.

In a longitudinal study of depressed episodes, changes in patients' state were examined by variables on the subjective-psychological, physiological and behavioral levels, respectively. Starting from the hypothesis of a systematic connection of these variables changes in patients' condition were defined from merely one of the above-mentioned levels, i.e. the test-psychological criteria relating to the subjective-psychological level ('Polaritätsprofil'). Results based on the rank analysis of covariance are presented which show the complex multivariate correlations between the three levels.

[Changes of heart rate in relation to diurnal variations in endogenic depression in women]. / Veränderungen der Herzfrequenz im Zusammenhang mit Tagesschwankungen bei endogen-depressiven Frauen.

Heart rate data as produced by the subjects under investigation both in resting conditions and taken as total means per trial initially showed a trend towards ergotropic, clearly tachycardiac behavior; with the onset of thymoleptic drug therapy, there followed a further increase in heart rate, frequencies remaining more or less stationary on this level during the 26-day period observed by us. We found differences between morning and evening data of session A with 50% of subjects, 25% showing higher frequencies in their morning data, the reverse applying to a further 25%. The remaining 50% did not show any differences worth mentioning. At the end of the investigation period, the relation changed in favor of an increase in heart rate in the evening with 50% of subjects, whereas only 12.5% showed increased heart rate in the morning; 37.5% did not show significant differences. We could not demonstrate these results to be related to diurnal variation, degree of depression or course of the disease.