ABSTRACT We employed the Teacher Behavior Checklist (TBC) to investigate Chinese college students... more ABSTRACT We employed the Teacher Behavior Checklist (TBC) to investigate Chinese college students' perceptions of excellent teachers' qualities and then compared the results to those from previously collected data from American and Japanese students. Chinese students tended to favor additional structure both in the classroom and in teachers' roles than either Japanese or American students. Teachers wishing to use the TBC to improve teaching quality should carefully consider subtle cultural differences that influence students' perceptions of their teachers.
Comorbidity in psychopathology is the norm. Despite some initial evidence, few studies have exami... more Comorbidity in psychopathology is the norm. Despite some initial evidence, few studies have examined if the presence of comorbid conditions changes the expression of the pathology, either through increased severity of the syndrome(s) or by expanding to symptoms beyond the syndrome(s) (i.e., symptom overextension). The following report provides an illustration of interactive effects and overextension in comorbid pathology. A large pool of patients from a university hospital were assessed using SCID-I/P interviews. Of these, 230 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder, social phobia, or both were included in the study. Symptoms not belonging to either index condition (major depressive disorder or social phobia) reliably overextended in comorbid cases (odds ratios between 2.82 and 15.75). Current research methodologies (e.g., structured interviews) do not allow for the examination of overextended symptoms. The authors make a call for future psychopathological research to search systematically for interactive effects by adopting more inclusive or flexible assessments.
Abstract Objective: Canceled or unattended psychotherapy sessions are a source of concern for pat... more Abstract Objective: Canceled or unattended psychotherapy sessions are a source of concern for patients, providers, and health-care systems. Veterans are particularly likely to experience mental health problems, and yet they are also especially susceptible to variables leading to premature termination of services. Method: This study examined a large (n = 2285) sample of veterans receiving psychotherapy services to determine if mental health diagnosis had an impact upon missed psychotherapy opportunities. Results: There were differential cancelation rates for individuals with different classes of disorder, and the total number of appointments a person scheduled changed the nature of the effect. Conclusions: Health-care administrators and treatment providers should consider the specific effects of individuals with differing diagnoses when planning courses of treatment and coordinating care.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was created in 1952 by the Americ... more The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was created in 1952 by the American Psychiatric Association so that mental health professionals in the United States would have a common language to use when diagnosing individuals with mental disorders. Since the initial publication of the DSM, there have been five subsequent editions of this manual published (including the DSM-III-R). This review discusses the structural changes in the six editions and the research that influenced those changes. Research is classified into three domains: (a) issues related to the DSMs as measurement systems, (b) studies of clinicians and how clinicians form diagnoses, and (c) taxonomic issues involving the philosophy of science and metatheoretical ideas about how classification systems function. The review ends with recommendations about future efforts to revise the DSMs.
Page 1. FACULTY FORUM Rapport: Its Relation to Student Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Teachers an... more Page 1. FACULTY FORUM Rapport: Its Relation to Student Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Teachers and Classes Trisha A. Benson, Andrew L. Cohen, and William Buskist Auburn University We surveyed undergraduates to ...
A year after receiving his PhD in psychology from the Uni-versity of Rochester, Tim Kasser accept... more A year after receiving his PhD in psychology from the Uni-versity of Rochester, Tim Kasser accepted a position at Knox College, in Galesburg, Illinois, where he is currently professor of psychology. He regularly teaches psychology classes on personality, clinical and ...
The DSM-5 has included for further research a new dimensional measure of personality disorder, op... more The DSM-5 has included for further research a new dimensional measure of personality disorder, operationalized in the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID5). It is important to investigate if extreme variants of these traits are associated with functional impairment, because functional impairment is a key aspect of the definition of personality disorder. The current study investigated this relationship in 989 college students and 91 clinical patients. The PID5 facets were meaningfully associated with measures of functional impairment in both samples, although the clinical sample evidenced more pathological levels of most traits, as might be expected. Overall, the PID5 appears to be a useful measure for the new DSM-5 system of personality disorder diagnosis.
Comorbidity in psychopathology is a common phenomenon. However, little is known about the way in ... more Comorbidity in psychopathology is a common phenomenon. However, little is known about the way in which clinicians think about comorbid cases. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) implies an additive model of concept combination, but studies of human cognition find that individuals often combine concepts in nonadditive ways. In this study, 70 clinicians listed symptoms for three disorders and their combinations. Participants produced nonadditive descriptions, termed overextensions, at significant rates. These results challenge the utility of the implicit additive model of the current DSM.
ABSTRACT Many measurement biases affect student evaluations of instruction (SEIs). However, two h... more ABSTRACT Many measurement biases affect student evaluations of instruction (SEIs). However, two have been relatively understudied: halo effects and ceiling/floor effects. This study examined these effects in two ways. To examine the halo effect, using a videotaped lecture, we manipulated specific teacher behaviors to be “good” or “bad” based on specific items on the evaluation form (the Teacher Behavior Checklist). To examine ceiling/floor effects, we expanded the standard 5-point rating to either 7 or 9 points. Across three universities, 537 students watched and rated the videotaped lecture. Both biases were robust and remained despite characteristics of the measure designed to combat them. Instead, direct instruction regarding how to use the evaluation forms seems to be necessary to limit these biases on ratings.
To examine the conceptualizations held by psychiatrists and psychologists around the
world of the... more To examine the conceptualizations held by psychiatrists and psychologists around the world of the relationships among mental disorders in order to inform decisions about the structure of the classification of mental and behavioral disorders in World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 11th Revision (ICD-11). Method: 517 mental health professionals in 8 countries sorted 60 cards containing the names of mental disorders into groups of similar disorders, and then formed a hierarchical structure by aggregating and disaggregating these groupings. Distance matrices were created from the sorting data and used in cluster and correlation analyses. Results: Clinicians’ taxonomies were rational, interpretable, and extremely stable across countries, diagnostic system used, and profession. Clinicians’ consensus classification structure was different from ICD-10 and the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV), but in many respects consistent with ICD-11 proposals. Conclusions: The clinical utility of the ICD-11 may be improved by making its structure more compatible with the common conceptual organization of mental disorders observed across diverse global clinicians.
ABSTRACT We employed the Teacher Behavior Checklist (TBC) to investigate Chinese college students... more ABSTRACT We employed the Teacher Behavior Checklist (TBC) to investigate Chinese college students' perceptions of excellent teachers' qualities and then compared the results to those from previously collected data from American and Japanese students. Chinese students tended to favor additional structure both in the classroom and in teachers' roles than either Japanese or American students. Teachers wishing to use the TBC to improve teaching quality should carefully consider subtle cultural differences that influence students' perceptions of their teachers.
Comorbidity in psychopathology is the norm. Despite some initial evidence, few studies have exami... more Comorbidity in psychopathology is the norm. Despite some initial evidence, few studies have examined if the presence of comorbid conditions changes the expression of the pathology, either through increased severity of the syndrome(s) or by expanding to symptoms beyond the syndrome(s) (i.e., symptom overextension). The following report provides an illustration of interactive effects and overextension in comorbid pathology. A large pool of patients from a university hospital were assessed using SCID-I/P interviews. Of these, 230 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder, social phobia, or both were included in the study. Symptoms not belonging to either index condition (major depressive disorder or social phobia) reliably overextended in comorbid cases (odds ratios between 2.82 and 15.75). Current research methodologies (e.g., structured interviews) do not allow for the examination of overextended symptoms. The authors make a call for future psychopathological research to search systematically for interactive effects by adopting more inclusive or flexible assessments.
Abstract Objective: Canceled or unattended psychotherapy sessions are a source of concern for pat... more Abstract Objective: Canceled or unattended psychotherapy sessions are a source of concern for patients, providers, and health-care systems. Veterans are particularly likely to experience mental health problems, and yet they are also especially susceptible to variables leading to premature termination of services. Method: This study examined a large (n = 2285) sample of veterans receiving psychotherapy services to determine if mental health diagnosis had an impact upon missed psychotherapy opportunities. Results: There were differential cancelation rates for individuals with different classes of disorder, and the total number of appointments a person scheduled changed the nature of the effect. Conclusions: Health-care administrators and treatment providers should consider the specific effects of individuals with differing diagnoses when planning courses of treatment and coordinating care.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was created in 1952 by the Americ... more The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was created in 1952 by the American Psychiatric Association so that mental health professionals in the United States would have a common language to use when diagnosing individuals with mental disorders. Since the initial publication of the DSM, there have been five subsequent editions of this manual published (including the DSM-III-R). This review discusses the structural changes in the six editions and the research that influenced those changes. Research is classified into three domains: (a) issues related to the DSMs as measurement systems, (b) studies of clinicians and how clinicians form diagnoses, and (c) taxonomic issues involving the philosophy of science and metatheoretical ideas about how classification systems function. The review ends with recommendations about future efforts to revise the DSMs.
Page 1. FACULTY FORUM Rapport: Its Relation to Student Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Teachers an... more Page 1. FACULTY FORUM Rapport: Its Relation to Student Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Teachers and Classes Trisha A. Benson, Andrew L. Cohen, and William Buskist Auburn University We surveyed undergraduates to ...
A year after receiving his PhD in psychology from the Uni-versity of Rochester, Tim Kasser accept... more A year after receiving his PhD in psychology from the Uni-versity of Rochester, Tim Kasser accepted a position at Knox College, in Galesburg, Illinois, where he is currently professor of psychology. He regularly teaches psychology classes on personality, clinical and ...
The DSM-5 has included for further research a new dimensional measure of personality disorder, op... more The DSM-5 has included for further research a new dimensional measure of personality disorder, operationalized in the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID5). It is important to investigate if extreme variants of these traits are associated with functional impairment, because functional impairment is a key aspect of the definition of personality disorder. The current study investigated this relationship in 989 college students and 91 clinical patients. The PID5 facets were meaningfully associated with measures of functional impairment in both samples, although the clinical sample evidenced more pathological levels of most traits, as might be expected. Overall, the PID5 appears to be a useful measure for the new DSM-5 system of personality disorder diagnosis.
Comorbidity in psychopathology is a common phenomenon. However, little is known about the way in ... more Comorbidity in psychopathology is a common phenomenon. However, little is known about the way in which clinicians think about comorbid cases. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) implies an additive model of concept combination, but studies of human cognition find that individuals often combine concepts in nonadditive ways. In this study, 70 clinicians listed symptoms for three disorders and their combinations. Participants produced nonadditive descriptions, termed overextensions, at significant rates. These results challenge the utility of the implicit additive model of the current DSM.
ABSTRACT Many measurement biases affect student evaluations of instruction (SEIs). However, two h... more ABSTRACT Many measurement biases affect student evaluations of instruction (SEIs). However, two have been relatively understudied: halo effects and ceiling/floor effects. This study examined these effects in two ways. To examine the halo effect, using a videotaped lecture, we manipulated specific teacher behaviors to be “good” or “bad” based on specific items on the evaluation form (the Teacher Behavior Checklist). To examine ceiling/floor effects, we expanded the standard 5-point rating to either 7 or 9 points. Across three universities, 537 students watched and rated the videotaped lecture. Both biases were robust and remained despite characteristics of the measure designed to combat them. Instead, direct instruction regarding how to use the evaluation forms seems to be necessary to limit these biases on ratings.
To examine the conceptualizations held by psychiatrists and psychologists around the
world of the... more To examine the conceptualizations held by psychiatrists and psychologists around the world of the relationships among mental disorders in order to inform decisions about the structure of the classification of mental and behavioral disorders in World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 11th Revision (ICD-11). Method: 517 mental health professionals in 8 countries sorted 60 cards containing the names of mental disorders into groups of similar disorders, and then formed a hierarchical structure by aggregating and disaggregating these groupings. Distance matrices were created from the sorting data and used in cluster and correlation analyses. Results: Clinicians’ taxonomies were rational, interpretable, and extremely stable across countries, diagnostic system used, and profession. Clinicians’ consensus classification structure was different from ICD-10 and the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV), but in many respects consistent with ICD-11 proposals. Conclusions: The clinical utility of the ICD-11 may be improved by making its structure more compatible with the common conceptual organization of mental disorders observed across diverse global clinicians.
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world of the relationships among mental disorders in order to inform decisions about the structure
of the classification of mental and behavioral disorders in World Health Organization’s International
Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 11th Revision (ICD-11). Method: 517
mental health professionals in 8 countries sorted 60 cards containing the names of mental disorders
into groups of similar disorders, and then formed a hierarchical structure by aggregating and disaggregating
these groupings. Distance matrices were created from the sorting data and used in cluster and correlation analyses. Results: Clinicians’ taxonomies were rational, interpretable, and extremely
stable across countries, diagnostic system used, and profession. Clinicians’ consensus classification
structure was different from ICD-10 and the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV), but in many respects consistent with ICD-11
proposals. Conclusions: The clinical utility of the ICD-11 may be improved by making its structure
more compatible with the common conceptual organization of mental disorders observed across
diverse global clinicians.
world of the relationships among mental disorders in order to inform decisions about the structure
of the classification of mental and behavioral disorders in World Health Organization’s International
Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 11th Revision (ICD-11). Method: 517
mental health professionals in 8 countries sorted 60 cards containing the names of mental disorders
into groups of similar disorders, and then formed a hierarchical structure by aggregating and disaggregating
these groupings. Distance matrices were created from the sorting data and used in cluster and correlation analyses. Results: Clinicians’ taxonomies were rational, interpretable, and extremely
stable across countries, diagnostic system used, and profession. Clinicians’ consensus classification
structure was different from ICD-10 and the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV), but in many respects consistent with ICD-11
proposals. Conclusions: The clinical utility of the ICD-11 may be improved by making its structure
more compatible with the common conceptual organization of mental disorders observed across
diverse global clinicians.