Criterion-related validity in a sample of migraine outpatients: the diagnostic criteria for psychosomatic research.

OBJECTIVE: The Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) are those of psychosomatic syndromes that did not find room in the classical taxonomy. More recently, the DCPR were updated, called DCPR-revised (DCPR-R). The present study was conducted to test the criterion-related validity of the DCPR-R. METHODS: Two hundred consecutive subjects were enrolled at the Headache Center of Careggi University Hospital (Italy): 100 subjects had a diagnosis of chronic migraine (CM) and 100 had a diagnosis of episodic migraine (EM). Participants received a clinical assessment, which included the DCPR-revised Semi-Structured Interview (DCPR-R SSI), the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5), and the psychosocial index (PSI). RESULTS: Forty-seven subjects (23.5%) had at least one DSM-5 diagnosis: major depressive disorder (8.5%; n = 17) and agoraphobia (7.5%; n = 15) were the most frequent. One hundred and ten subjects (55%) reported a DCPR-R diagnosis: allostatic overload (29%; n = 58) and type A behavior (10.5%; n = 21) were the most frequent. When the incremental validity of the DCPR system over the DSM system was tested using PSI subscales as the criterion variable, the DCPR-R increased up to 0.11-0.24 the amount of explained variance. Subjects with at least one DCPR-R diagnosis showed lower PSI well-being scores (p = .001), higher PSI stress scores (p < .001), and higher PSI psychological distress scores (p = .008) than subjects without a DCPR-R diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The DCPR-R showed a good criterion-related validity in migraine outpatients. Thus, they might be implemented, together with the DSM-5, in the assessment of migraine subjects.

Prediction of Psychiatric Hospitalization, Diagnoses, Arrests, and Violent Behavior Through Scored Drawings and Associations.

The article presents a completely empirical approach to using drawings and associations as a supplemental tool in forensic psychological assessment. The present system represents a modern alternative to prior theory-driven "projective technique" approaches that have failed to pass scientific scrutiny. Using an archival sample of 252 forensic cases, House-Tree-Person drawing protocols were scored according to preliminary test items developed from published handbooks, academic courses, and workshops on the use of drawings and related associations for assessment. Intermediate test items were selected according to their being significantly correlated with at least one external psychometric, behavioral, or clinical variable. Psychometric and editorial considerations guided the development of a final set of 66 test items. A "flagged for pathology" approach demonstrated modest convergent and discriminant validity for the final set of test items against clinical criteria on an independent sample of 150 cases of the same type used in the preliminary item development phase. Included are sample items and discussion of psychometric issues in working with this class of data.

Assessing Psychodynamic Conflict.

Psychodynamic psychotherapies suggest that symptomatic relief is provided, in part, with the resolution of psychic conflicts. Clinical researchers have used innovative methods to investigate such phenomenon. This article aims to review the literature on quantitative psychodynamic conflict rating scales. An electronic search of the literature was conducted to retrieve quantitative observer-rated scales used to assess conflict noting each measure's theoretical model, information source, and training and clinical experience required. Scales were also examined for levels of reliability and validity. Five quantitative observer-rated conflict scales were identified. Reliability varied from poor to excellent with each measure demonstrating good validity. However a small number of studies and limited links to current conflict theory suggest further clinical research is needed.

Construct and incremental validity of the Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank in adult psychiatric outpatients.

The expression of positive vs negative attitudes in response to the 40 stems of the Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (RISB) can be scored and summed to an Overall Adjustment Score (OAS). By extending the validation of the OAS to adult psychiatric outpatients, this study demonstrates for the first time the incremental validity of a personality test over a simple self-rating. The RISB and six tests of adjustment were administered to 41 recent admissions to psychotherapy in two rural clinics. The tests of adjustment were selected to cover the two domains of symptoms vs function and the three methods of interview schedule vs objective inventory vs therapist ratings. Their scores were combined into an adjustment composite. The OAS related strongly to the composite in univariate regression, and moderately in hierarchical regression after covarying demographics, intelligence, social desirability, and self-ratings of adjustment. Construct validity was good, and incremental validity at least fair.

Differences of prefrontal cortex activity between picture-based personality tests: a near-infrared spectroscopy study.

This study reports on brain activity induced by picture-based personality tests. Near-infrared spectroscopy is a newly developed, noninvasive technology in neuroimaging that can measure brain activity through blood volume changes. We measure the prefrontal cortex (Brodmann Area 10 [BA10]) activities of adolescents during the Rorschach (1921), the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Study (PFS; Hayashi, 1964), and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; Murray, 1943). BA10 showed that the PFS was left-hemisphere dominant and significantly different from the Rorschach and TAT, which showed a tendency to be right-hemisphere dominant. We believe that this tendency reflects emotion and sociality.

Evolución en las teorías del dolor / Evolution in the pain theories

La teoría cartesiana del dolor debía explicar los reflejos nerviosos, aunque fue usada para explicar la fisiología del dolor hasta el siglo XX, momento en el cuál el auge en las investigaciones posibilitó un enorme avance en el conocimiento del sistema nervioso, permitiendo un correcto entendimiento de los fenómenos dolorosos. La teoría de la compuerta inició la revolución al cambiar el concepto de cerebro y médula de meros receptores de impulsos a estructuras activas que además de recibir los impulsos los procesaban y modulaban; la posterior publicación de la teoría de la neuromatriz permitió conocer la importancia de los procesos bioquímicos y factores psicológicos o emocionales en el procesamiento de los estímulos, aclarando el por qué un estímulo indoloro puede percibirse como doloroso debido a un estado de ánimo o a la influencia de experiencias pasadas, e incluso explicando el fenómeno de los miembros fantasma (AU)

The Cartesian theory of pain had to explain the nervous reflexes, though it was used to explain the physiology of pain up to 20th century, moment in which the increase in research made possible and enormous advance in nervous system knowledge, allowing an appropriate understanding of the painful phenomena. The gate control theory initiated the revolution changing the concept of brain and medulla of mere receptors of impulses to active structures that besides receiving the impulses could process and modulate the; the posterior publication of the neuromatrix theory allowed to know the importance of the biochemical processes and psychological or emotional factors in the stimuli processing, clarifying why a painless stimulus can be perceived as painfully due to a state of mind or the influence of past experiences, and even explaining the phenomenon of the phantom limb (AU)

Estimating the prevalence of negative attitudes towards people with disability: a comparison of direct questioning, projective questioning and randomised response.

PURPOSE: Despite being susceptible to social desirability bias, attitudes towards people with disabilities are traditionally assessed via self-report. We investigated two methods presumably providing more valid prevalence estimates of sensitive attitudes than direct questioning (DQ). Most people projective questioning (MPPQ) attempts to reduce bias by asking interviewees to estimate the number of other people holding a sensitive attribute, rather than confirming or denying the attribute for themselves. The randomised-response technique (RRT) tries to reduce bias by assuring confidentiality through a random scrambling of the respondent's answers. METHOD: We assessed negative attitudes towards people with physical and mental disability via MPPQ, RRT and DQ to compare the resulting estimates. RESULTS: The MPPQ estimates exceeded the DQ estimates. Employing a cheating-detection extension of the RRT, we determined the proportion of respondents disregarding the RRT instructions and computed an upper bound for the prevalence of negative attitudes. MPPQ estimates exceeded this upper bound and were thus shown to overestimate the prevalence. Furthermore, we found more negative attitudes towards people with mental disabilities than those with physical disabilities in all three questioning conditions. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend employing the cheating-detection variant of the RRT to gain additional insight in future studies on attitudes towards people with disabilities.

Impacto del paso de los huracanes Gustav e Ike en la salud psicológica de un grupo de escolares afectados / Impact of Gustav and Ike hurricanes crossing on the psychological health of a group of affected schoolchildren

OBJETIVOS: evaluar el impacto de los huracanes Gustav e Ike en la salud psicológica de un grupo de escolares. Caracterizar la representación psicológica que de los huracanes tuvieron estos, e identificar la presencia de síntomas psicológicos durante y posterior al paso de los meteoros por la localidad afectada. MÉTODOS: se realizó un estudio de casos clínicos 3 meses después de haber pasado los eventos meteorológicos (noviembre 2008). Se seleccionaron 10 niños con edades entre 7 y 10 años, y se recogió el antecedente de daño parcial o total en sus viviendas. La comunidad escogida para el estudio fue Bacunagua, perteneciente al municipio de Los Palacios, el más afectado en la provincia de Pinar del Río. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron el dibujo libre, la composición con el tema El ciclón y la entrevista, además se realizó una entrevista a los padres, para recoger el comportamiento de los niños durante y después del paso del ciclón. RESULTADOS: se consideraron 3 categorías como representación psicológica, las cuales fueron destrucción, afección emocional y recuperación; y los síntomas identificados fueron la ansiedad y la tristeza, en 2 niños los síntomas fueron suficientes para considerar la posibilidad Trastorno de Adaptación con Sntoma Ansioso-depresivo. CONCLUSIONES: el trabajo nos permitió acercarnos a los efectos psicológicos de los desastres desde técnicas psicológicas proyectivas, y nos mostró las características en tanto representación y sintomatología psicológica que poseían los escolares del meteoro que los afectó, lo cual permitió acercarse al tratamiento pos desastre existente y proponer recomendaciones

OBJECTIVES: to assess the impact of hurricanes Gustav and Ike on the psychological health of a group of schoolchildren. To characterize the psychological representation that hurricanes had on they and to identify the presence of psychological symptoms during and after the passing of meteors by the affected place. METHODS: a study of three clinical cases was conducted three months after the passing of these metereological events (November, 2008). Ten children were selected aged between 7 and 10 and collecting the background of partial damage in their houses. Community selected for study was Bacunagua from the Los Palacios municipality because of this was the more affected one in the Pinar del Río province. The tools used were the free drawing, a composition called The Cyclone and an interview with the children as well as with parents to know the behavior of children during the cyclone passing. RESULTS: authors took into account three categories as psychological representation, which included destruction, emotional affection and recovery and the identified symptoms were enough to consider the possibility of Adaptation Disorder with Impatient-Depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: present paper allowed us an approach to psychological effects of disasters using projective psychological techniques showing the representation features and the psychological symptoms of schoolchildren due to the meteor affecting them and it was possible to come closer to existing post-disaster treatment and to propose the appropriate recommendations

Impacto del paso de los huracanes Gustav e Ike en la salud psicológica de un grupo de escolares afectados / Impact of Gustav and Ike hurricanes crossing on the psychological health of a group of affected schoolchildren

OBJETIVOS: evaluar el impacto de los huracanes Gustav e Ike en la salud psicológica de un grupo de escolares. Caracterizar la representación psicológica que de los huracanes tuvieron estos, e identificar la presencia de síntomas psicológicos durante y posterior al paso de los meteoros por la localidad afectada. MÉTODOS: se realizó un estudio de casos clínicos 3 meses después de haber pasado los eventos meteorológicos (noviembre 2008). Se seleccionaron 10 niños con edades entre 7 y 10 años, y se recogió el antecedente de daño parcial o total en sus viviendas. La comunidad escogida para el estudio fue Bacunagua, perteneciente al municipio de Los Palacios, el más afectado en la provincia de Pinar del Río. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron el dibujo libre, la composición con el tema El ciclón y la entrevista, además se realizó una entrevista a los padres, para recoger el comportamiento de los niños durante y después del paso del ciclón. RESULTADOS: se consideraron 3 categorías como representación psicológica, las cuales fueron destrucción, afección emocional y recuperación; y los síntomas identificados fueron la ansiedad y la tristeza, en 2 niños los síntomas fueron suficientes para considerar la posibilidad Trastorno de Adaptación con Sntoma Ansioso-depresivo. CONCLUSIONES: el trabajo nos permitió acercarnos a los efectos psicológicos de los desastres desde técnicas psicológicas proyectivas, y nos mostró las características en tanto representación y sintomatología psicológica que poseían los escolares del meteoro que los afectó, lo cual permitió acercarse al tratamiento pos desastre existente y proponer recomendaciones(AU)

OBJECTIVES: to assess the impact of hurricanes Gustav and Ike on the psychological health of a group of schoolchildren. To characterize the psychological representation that hurricanes had on they and to identify the presence of psychological symptoms during and after the passing of meteors by the affected place. METHODS: a study of three clinical cases was conducted three months after the passing of these metereological events (November, 2008). Ten children were selected aged between 7 and 10 and collecting the background of partial damage in their houses. Community selected for study was Bacunagua from the Los Palacios municipality because of this was the more affected one in the Pinar del Río province. The tools used were the free drawing, a composition called The Cyclone and an interview with the children as well as with parents to know the behavior of children during the cyclone passing. RESULTS: authors took into account three categories as psychological representation, which included destruction, emotional affection and recovery and the identified symptoms were enough to consider the possibility of Adaptation Disorder with Impatient-Depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: present paper allowed us an approach to psychological effects of disasters using projective psychological techniques showing the representation features and the psychological symptoms of schoolchildren due to the meteor affecting them and it was possible to come closer to existing post-disaster treatment and to propose the appropriate recommendations(AU)

The Computerised Manchester Child Attachment Story Task: a novel medium for assessing attachment patterns.

The Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST) is a representational technique for assessing attachment patterns of young school-age children. We have developed a computerised version (the CMCAST) in which story stems are represented on the computer by the movement of simple screen 'dolls'. This paper reports on a preliminary validation study of the CMCAST method against the MCAST. Fifty-five children completed the MCAST and CMCAST six weeks apart in random order. It proved possible to rate the CMCAST if a simplified form of the MCAST coding system was used. Inter-rater reliability was achieved for both versions (kappa = 0.93 for MCAST and kappa = 0.91 for CMCAST). Agreement between the MCAST and CMCAST ratings of attachment security was kappa = 0.67. Costs for the MCAST and CMCAST were comparable. A school-based feasibility study of 86 children suggested that the CMCAST was acceptable and could be administered with up to five children simultaneously. This preliminary study suggests that the CMCAST can reliably reproduce a simplified form of MCAST coding. The computer format may be well adapted to some uses such as screening for large-scale epidemiological research.

Are large drawings signs of psychological expansion or effects of drawing skills? A critical evaluation of Wartegg drawing size categories in a Finnish sample.

In the Wartegg Drawing Completion Test, drawings which are larger than the norm size are interpreted as signs of the personality trait of expansion. The popular handbook by Wass and Mattlar (2000) includes a graphic presentation of the size norms. We scored 351 test blankets into the size categories small, normal and large following these norms. Only 14% of the drawings fitted into the category of normal size, while 13% were small and 73% were large. We also evaluated the test blankets according to drawing ability into five categories and found a high correlation between large size and drawing ability. The results show a need to re-evaluate the direct link between large size and expansion, as well as a need to modify the size norms.

Brazilian norms for the International Affective Picture System (IAPS): comparison of the affective ratings for new stimuli between Brazilian and North-American subjects / Normas Brasileiras para o International Affective Picture System (IAPS) – estudo comparativo dos novos estímulos para avaliações afetivas entre sujeitos brasileiros e norte-americanos

OBJECTIVE: The study presents the Brazilian norms for 240 new stimuli from International Affective Picture System (IAPS), a database of affective images widely used in research, compared to the North-American normative ratings. METHODS: The participants were 448 Brazilian university students from several courses (269 women and 179 men) with mean age of 24.2 (SD = 7.8), that evaluated the IAPS pictures in the valence, arousal and dominance dimensions by the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) scales. Data were compared across the populations by Pearson linear correlation and Student's t-tests. RESULTS: Correlations were highly significant for all dimensions; however, Brazilians' averages for arousal were higher than North-Americans'. CONCLUSIONS: The results show stability in relation to the first part of the Brazilian standardization and they are also consistent with the North-American standards, despite minor differences relating to interpretation of the arousal dimension, demonstrating that IAPS is a reliable instrument for experimental studies in the Brazilian population.

OBJETIVO: Este trabalho apresenta as normas brasileiras de 240 novos estímulos do International Affective Picture System (IAPS), instrumento de imagens afetivas amplamente utilizado em pesquisas, e estabelece comparações com os valores da normatização americana. MÉTODOS: Participaram voluntariamente 448 estudantes universitários brasileiros (269 mulheres e 179 homens), com idade média de 24,2 anos (DP = 7,8), que avaliaram as fotografias do IAPS pelas dimensões prazer, alerta e dominância por intermédio das escalas do Self Assessment Manikin (SAM). Os dados foram comparados entre as populações por correlações lineares de Pearson e testes t de Student. RESULTADOS: As correlações foram altamente significativas para todas as dimensões, porém as médias de alerta dos brasileiros foram mais elevadas do que as dos norte-americanos. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados mostram estabilidade com a primeira parte da normatização brasileira e boa consistência com os valores da normatização norte-americana, a despeito de pequenas diferenças concernentes à interpretação da dimensão alerta. Fica demonstrado que o IAPS é instrumento confiável para estudos experimentais na população brasileira.

Toward a process-based framework for classifying personality tests: comment on Meyer and Kurtz (2006).

Meyer and Kurtz (2006) argued that the longstanding psychological test labels "objective" and "projective" have outlived their usefulness, and invited further work focusing on alternative terms for these measures. This Comment describes a framework for classifying personality tests based on the psychological processes that occur as people respond to test stimuli. Because an attribution process is involved in responding to both types of measures, those instruments formerly called "objective" tests are labeled self-attribution tests, and those formerly classified as "projective" tests are labeled stimulus-attribution tests. The possibility of extending the process-based framework beyond personality, to psychological tests in general, is also discussed. Clinical and empirical implications of a process-based framework are considered.

Using projective techniques in the evaluation of groups for children of rehabilitating drug addicts.

Evaluators and researchers often have to deal with situations in which conventional research tools are impossible to use, either because of the characteristics of a population or unclear research variables. This paper presents a technique that succeeds in overcoming this kind of problem--a projective technique, but one that differs from the usual approach to projective techniques. The approach presented here is a hermeneutic one that assumes an interpretive process. By means of an example, this paper presents the process of working with projective techniques and concludes with a discussion of this approach.

A critique of Lilienfeld et al.'s (2000) "The scientific status of projective techniques".

Lilienfeld, Wood, and Garb (2000) published a largely negative critique of the validity and reliability of projective methods, concentrating on the Comprehensive System for the Rorschach (Exner, 1993), 3 systems for coding the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; Murray, 1943) cards, and human figure drawings. This article is an effort to document and correct what I perceive as errors of omission and commission in the Lilienfeld et al. article. When projective measures are viewed in the light of these corrections, the evidence for the validity and clinical usefulness of the Rorschach and TAT methods is more robust than Lilienfeld et al. represented.

Ethical issues in psychological assessment in school settings.

It is especially important for psychologists providing assessment and testing services in schools to be able to recognize and negotiate the ethical challenges specific to academic settings. In this article I address ethical issues in the areas of informed consent, nondiscriminatory assessment, projective personality assessment, and computerized psychological testing. One of the most frequent ethical issues that confronts psychologists in the schools is the process of parental consent and involvement. Psychologists are also obligated to select nonbiased test instruments and use them in a way that is not racially or culturally biased. There are several factors to consider when using projective testing in a school setting, and the use of computerized psychological assessment measures raises significant ethical issues. Although concrete solutions are not always available for these complex situations, a basis for ethical decision making is presented.

[Using projective tests in forensic psychiatry may lead to wrong conclusions. Only empirically tested tests should be used]. / Projektiva test inom rättspsykiatrin medför risker för rättssäkerheten. Endast metoder med god empirisk förankring bör användas.

The use of projective and psychometric psychological tests at the Department of Forensic Psychiatry in Stockholm (Huddinge), Sweden, was studied for a population of 60 men, including many patients with neuropsychological disabilities and multiple psychiatric disorders. The results showed that the use of projective tests like Rorschach, Object Relations Test, and House-Tree-Person was more frequent than the use of objective psychometric tests. Neuropsychological test batteries like the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery or Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery were not used. The majority of patients were, however, assessed by intelligence scales like the WAIS-R. The questionable reliability and validity of the projective tests, and the risk of subjective interpretations, raise a problem when used in a forensic setting, since the courts' decisions about a sentence to prison or psychiatric care is based on the forensic psychiatric assessment. The use of objective psychometric neuropsychological tests and personality tests is recommended.

Reflexiones acerca del Borrador de Anteproyecto de Ley Reguladora de las Bases de ADN / Reflections on the draft of the Law regulating DNA bases

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Assessing achievement, affiliation, and power motives all at once: the Multi-Motive Grid (MMG).

In this article, we introduce the Multi-Motive Grid (MMG), a new diagnostic tool to measure motives with respect to their hope and fear components. The MMG combines features of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) with features of self-report questionnaires. Similar to the TAT, a set of 14 pictures representing a balanced set of achievement-arousing, affiliation-arousing, and power-arousing situations is presented together with a set of statements representing important motivational states. Six motive scores can be calculated: hope of success (HS) and fear of failure (FF) for the achievement motive, hope of affiliation (HA) and fear of rejection (FR) for the affiliation motive, and hope of power (HP) and fear of power (FP) for the power motive. Results of factor analyses suggest a 3-factor solution, with a general fear factor (FF, FR, FP), a factor combining the hope components of achievement and power (HS and HP), and a third factor representing HA, but the 6 a priori factors also reflect a sound structural model. Reliability data show that the internal consistency and retest reliability of the MMG scales satisfy traditional standards. External validity of the MMG has been established in all 3 motive domains. Three separate studies document that (a) individuals high in resultant achievement motivation perform better and report more flow experience, (b) individuals high in resultant power motivation profit more from a leadership training program, and (c) individuals high in resultant affiliation motivation recollect more highly memorable affiliative themes.