Stress and coping among university counselors: A minority perspective.

78 university and college ethnic minority counselors identified on a questionnaire the types of on-the-job stress they encounter and the availability of self-help networks and/or other mechanisms used to cope with such stressors. The responses from Ss who indicated they had an adequate self-help network were compared with responses from Ss who felt that their self-help network was inadequate. Ss with inadequate self-help networks indicated they were experiencing more on-the-job stress, perceived the university as less supportive of their role as a "minority" counselor, and identified more conflict of role definition between themselves and their supervisors than Ss with adequate self-help networks. Both groups of Ss indicated that they preferred to rely primarily on themselves for support when experiencing stress but that they would also turn to a professional associate, family member, or work associate to help them cope with job-related stress. Implications for the training of minority persons as counselors are discussed, and strategies are suggested for facilitating the development of viable self-help networks. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Bulimia: A guide to recovery.

Reviews the book, Bulimia: A guide to recovery by Lindsey Hall and Leigh Cohn (1986). This self-help book is presented in three parts. The opening section includes two chapters. The first consists of answers to common questions about bulimia such as: What is bulimia? Is it dangerous? Why do people become bulimic? Why are bulimics mainly women? What does it feel like to binge-vomit? The answers to these questions are accurate, informative, and concise. The second chapter is the personal story of Lindsey Hall's nine-year history of binging and purging. The second section of the book, entitled "Overcoming Bulimia" and addressed to individuals coping with bulimia, includes a systematic approach to dealing with the disorder. Logical, practical ways to undertake the self-change process are presented. The final section of the book contains a variety of appendices including a 2-week program to stop binging and a guide for developing a bulimia support group. This brief book is an excellent adjunct to therapy for bulimia. In describing her struggle to overcome a serious eating disorder, Lindsey Hall serves as an appropriate coping model for others dealing with bulimia. Her honest account of repeated efforts at self-change are instructive and inspirational. I suspect that many clients will be able to identify with her and her struggle to change and will be positively motivated by this book. I am less optimistic about the value of the book without some form of treatment by a professional or recognized self-help organization. As is often the case with self-help books, it is questionable whether clients can successfully apply the recommended treatment strategies on their own. Nonetheless, I found the book to be informative, interesting, and well written. I recommend it highly as an adjunct to treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The development and assessment of valid measures of service delivery to enhance inference in outcome-based research: Measuring attendance at self-help group meetings.

Focuses on the validity of measures of service delivery; any attempt to establish a linkage between service and outcomes follows the assumption that services have been given and received. Claims relating to the benefits of attending self-help groups on the mental health functioning of individuals with depression or manic depression were examined in the context of a well-controlled study and a validated measure of individual attendance. A test was conducted to probe the conjecture that the greater the degree of involvement in self-help groups, the greater the improvement in functioning. Additional questions related to individual patterns of attendance, generalization of the intervention's effects, and migration from "home" to other meeting sites. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of a self-control manual, rapid smoking, and amount of therapist contact on smoking reduction.

Evaluated a self-help treatment manual consisting of stimulus control, rapid smoking, and coping relaxation techniques. 69 Ss, average age 32.6 yrs, who smoked at least 20 cigarettes/day were randomly assigned to (a) a self-help manual with minimal (2 sessions) therapist contact, (b) a self-help manual with high (7 sessions) therapist contact, (c) a high-therapist-contact rapid smoking condition, or to (d) a high-therapist-contact normal-paced smoking condition. Results indicate that while the overall program was moderately effective, groups did not differ on percentage of baseline smoking or on number of Ss abstinent at posttreatment or 3-mo or 6-mo follow-up. Informant reports of Ss' smoking behavior and carbon monoxide analyses of expired air samples confirmed these findings. Ss in the minimal contact condition generally followed through on their programs, required less therapist time, and were at least as successful as those in other groups in terms of long-term results. Implications for self-help manuals for smoking reduction are discussed. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using the media to foster self-help groups.

Describes a project that consisted of putting ongoing self-help groups on the radio for 1 hr a week. The 1st half hour each week involved an actual session of a self-help group; during the 2nd half hour, calls from the audience were taken and answered by members of the group. The groups were directed at helping women cope wth motherhood, at men who abused their wives or children, and at parents of children with behavior problems. Increases in referral calls to each group were found after the self-help groups went on the air. Process recordings of the shows were useful in documenting the communication patterns employed during the shows. A panel of 12 mental health professionals judged that the programs did not provide unethical, harmful, or inaccurate information. The present project provided a demonstration of how researchers can work collaboratively with media and self-help groups in monitoring change in community-level types of interventions. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Should patients' religiosity influence clinicians' referral to 12-step self-help groups? Evidence from a study of 3,018 male substance abuse patients.

Twelve-step self-help organizations maintain that anyone, regardless of his or her religious beliefs, can benefit from participation in their groups. Yet many addiction professionals have reservations about referring nonreligious patients to 12-step groups. The present study examined the influence of patients' religiosity on whether they were referred to and benefited from 12-step groups. Participants were 3,018 male substance abuse inpatients. Individuals who engaged in fewer religious behaviors in the past year were referred to 12-step groups less frequently by clinicians. However, referrals to 12-step groups were effective at increasing meeting attendance, irrespective of patients' religious background, and all experienced significantly better substance abuse outcomes when they participated in 12-step groups. The viewpoint that less religious patients are unlikely to attend or benefit from 12-step groups may therefore be overstated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Brief Motivational Treatment for Problem Gambling: A 24-Month Follow-Up.

A 24-month follow-up of a randomized clinical trial of 2 brief treatments for problem gambling (N = 67) revealed an advantage for participants who received a motivational telephone intervention plus a self-help workbook compared with participants who received only the workbook. Although the 2 groups did not differ in the number of participants reporting 6 months of abstinence, the motivational intervention group gambled fewer days, lost less money, and had lower South Oaks Gambling Screen scores. They were more likely to be categorized as improved compared with the self-help workbook only group. Overall, the results support the effectiveness of a brief telephone- and mail-based treatment for problem gamblers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Authoritative guide to self-help resources in mental health.

Reviews the book, Authoritative guide to self-help resources in mental health by John C. Norcross, John W. Santrock, Linda F. Campbell, Thomas P. Smith, Robert Sommer, and Edward L. Zuckerman. The title says it all; it is indeed an authoritative guide based on five national studies, with over 2,500 practicing psychologists contributing their collective wisdom regarding commonly used types of self-help resources. The authors have compiled ratings in five categories of self-help materials: self-help books, autobiographies, movies, Internet resources and self-help/support groups. In addition, the authors analyzed their data from the five national studies on how often self-help resources were rated and how high or low the ratings were. The book is organized into chapters, in alphabetical order, for 28 self-help categories. The book is well researched, well documented, and exhaustive in scale. It is easy to use and should be in your office bookcase. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The alcoholic psychologist: Issues, problems, and implications for the profession.

Alcoholism, a major health problem currently being addressed by other professions, has unique features, manifestations, and ramifications for psychologists. Salient aspects of alcoholism in psychology include etiological and motivational factors, characteristic behaviors, and specific risk factors in the work environment of psychologists. Alcoholism, conceptualized as a deeply embedded permanent addiction not resolvable by conscious, planned effort, constitutes a special dilemma for psychologists who hold a strong belief in the powers of the mind and in the capacity to comprehend and alter behavior. Current efforts to effectively and humanely deal with alcoholism within the professions, modeled on self-help principles of Alcoholics Anonymous in combination with professional treatment, are examined, including the present efforts in psychology to deal with distressed psychologists. An advocacy role for the American Psychological Association to assist in the development of a peer-collaborative network for psychologists in recovery is suggested. (58 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Telephone counseling for smoking cessation: Effects of single-session and multiple-session interventions.

Smokers (N?=?3,030) were randomized to receive 1 of 3 interventions: (a) a self-help quit kit, (b) a quit kit plus 1 telephone counseling session, or (c) a quit kit plus up to 6 telephone counseling sessions, scheduled according to relapse probability. Both counseling groups achieved significantly higher abstinence rates than the self-help group. The rates for having quit for at least 12 months by intention to treat were 5.4% for self-help, 7.5% for single counseling, and 9.9% for multiple counseling. The 12-month continuous abstinence rates for those who made a quit attempt were 14.7% for self-help, 19.8% for single counseling, and 26.7% for multiple counseling. A dose–response relation was observed, as multiple sessions produced significantly higher abstinence rates than a single session. The first week after quitting seems to be the critical period for intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Self-help therapies" revisited.

The Board of Professional Affairs (BPA) of the American Psychological Association (APA) clarifies certain potentially misleading remarks and implications in an article on self-help therapies by G. M. Rosen (see record 1993-42527-001). A review of all pertinent APA governance documents reveals that the task force that Rosen discussed was an informal, unfunded work group that produced only 1 formal document in 1978. This document expressed some concerns regarding self-help therapies and offered general recommendations, including suggested changes to APA's ethics code. The BPA reviewed this document and raised a number of questions for the work group, but no clarifications or revisions of the document were ever forthcoming from the work groups. The original work group's document has not been endorsed by the BPA because it has not been through any formal APA governance review. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of self-help materials for anxiety and depression in mental health services: A national survey of psychologists in Norway.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 42(3) of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (see record 2011-11548-002). The author's affiliations were listed incorrectly. The correct affiliations are in the correction.] How do psychologists in clinical practice perceive and use self-help materials for clients with anxiety and depression? The use of self-help materials with guidance from a therapist has been suggested as a way of meeting the increasing need for mental health services. The present study investigated factors relevant to the use of self-help materials for the treatment of anxiety and depression among psychologists employed in mental health services. Among 1863 eligible clinical psychologists in Norway, 815 (43.7%) participated in a national survey. A total of 93.5% of the participants had recommended self-help materials to clients, and approximately half (55.1%) had received requests from their clients regarding self-help materials. Self-help materials were recommended as an adjunct and not as an alternative to therapist contact by 73.0% of respondents, by 16.6% for relapse prevention, and by 1.2% to clients on a waiting list. Internet/computer-based programs were recommended by 2.2% of the participants. The practitioner's previous use of self-help materials to enhance his or her therapy skills and knowledge of self-help materials was related to use of self-help materials with clients. Psychologists working in child mental health services recommended self-help less often than those working in adult services. These results have implications for future efforts to disseminate effective self-help materials through increased attention toward self-help interventions in training and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Recovery, Inc., as an adjunct to treatment in an era of managed care

As capitation increasingly limits professional mental health services, self-help organizations may play an expanding role. Recovery, Incorporated, is an internationally active mental health self-help organization developed in the late 1930s by Abraham A. Low, M.D. The author reviews concepts about mental illness and health developed since Low's time, such as locus of control, learned helplessness, defense theory, and Antonovsky's salutogenic model. He describes how these concepts support many of the principles developed by Low, in particular the idea that optimal health is achieved when a person assumes responsibility for his or her failure or success. In the structured format that Low designed for Recovery, Inc., meetings, members learn to identify self-defeating and illness-promoting thoughts and impulses and counter them with self-endorsing thoughts and wellness-promoting actions. The author suggests that professionals should become familiar with self-help organizations in their communities, promote relevant research, and facilitate referral to these groups.     

A randomized controlled trial of the effects of group psychological therapy on survival in women with metastatic breast cancer

In order to test the effect of a psychological intervention on survival from cancer, 66 women with metastatic breast cancer, all receiving standard medical care, were randomly assigned into two groups; one group (n = 30) attended the psychological intervention, consisting of 35 weekly, 2 h sessions of supportive plus cognitive behavioral therapy; the control group (n = 36) received only a home study cognitive behavioral package. No significant difference was found in survival post-randomization between the groups as assessed by a log rank test 5 years after the commencement of the study. As expected, several prognostic factors were significant predictors of survival: metastatic site, hormonal receptor status, and chemotherapy prior to randomization. While many personal and demographic variables did not influence survival, there was a significant effect of self-reported exercise (possibly due to better health). A small subgroup of intervention subjects who attended outside support groups also survived significantly longer than those who did not. The strengths and limitations of the present study are discussed, and the results contrasted with those of a well known study by Spiegel et al. (Spiegel, D., Bloom, J.R., Kraemer, H.C. and Gottheil, E. (1989) Lancet ii, 888-891). We propose that a different experimental design (correlative) may be needed to show any effect of self-help behaviors and psychological attributes in a small minority of patients.     

Make today count: A collaborative model for professionals and self-help groups.

Presents a narrative report of a field study in which members of a self-help research team provided services of significant, positive impact to one chapter of Make Today Count, a self-help group composed of cancer patients, their spouses, and health care professionals. A collaborative model is formulated. Important elements of this model include adequate knowledge of self-help processes, enhancement of rapport through acceptance of the group, and adoption of a consultive approach. Nonproductive modes on interaction observed between other professionals and chapter members are discussed. The present results are contrasted with negative results reported previously by professionals who attempted to collaborate with a similar self-help population, but who applied a different model. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Use of self-help materials for anxiety and depression in mental health services: A national survey of psychologists in Norway": Correction to Nordgreen and Havik (2011).

Reports an error in "Use of self-help materials for anxiety and depression in mental health services: A national survey of psychologists in Norway" by Tine Nordgreen and Odd E. Havik (Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2011[Apr], Vol 42[2], 185-191). The authors' affiliations were listed incorrectly. The correct affiliations are provided in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2011-08009-010.) How do psychologists in clinical practice perceive and use self-help materials for clients with anxiety and depression? The use of self-help materials with guidance from a therapist has been suggested as a way of meeting the increasing need for mental health services. The present study investigated factors relevant to the use of self-help materials for the treatment of anxiety and depression among psychologists employed in mental health services. Among 1863 eligible clinical psychologists in Norway, 815 (43.7%) participated in a national survey. A total of 93.5% of the participants had recommended self-help materials to clients, and approximately half (55.1%) had received requests from their clients regarding self-help materials. Self-help materials were recommended as an adjunct and not as an alternative to therapist contact by 73.0% of respondents, by 16.6% for relapse prevention, and by 1.2% to clients on a waiting list. Internet/computer-based programs were recommended by 2.2% of the participants. The practitioner's previous use of self-help materials to enhance his or her therapy skills and knowledge of self-help materials was related to use of self-help materials with clients. Psychologists working in child mental health services recommended self-help less often than those working in adult services. These results have implications for future efforts to disseminate effective self-help materials through increased attention toward self-help interventions in training and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Making self-help more helpful: A randomized controlled trial of the impact of augmenting self-help materials with implementation intentions on promoting the effective self-management of anxiety symptoms.

Objective: The effectiveness of self-help materials may be constrained by failures to undertake recommended exercises or to deploy the techniques that one has learned at the critical moment. The present randomized controlled trial investigated whether augmenting self-help materials with if–then plans (or implementation intentions) could overcome these problems and enhance the self-management of anxiety symptoms. Method: At baseline, participants who reported anxiety symptoms completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the state version of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Participants were then randomized via a computer program to standard self-help (n = 86), augmented self-help (n = 90), or no-intervention (n = 86) conditions. Eight weeks later, 95% (n = 249) of the participants completed the HADS and STAI again. Results: Findings showed a significant reduction in anxiety in the augmented self-help condition compared with both the standard self-help and no-intervention conditions (caseness rates on the HADS at follow-up were 21%, 49%, and 44%, respectively). Mediation analyses indicated that the benefits of augmented self-help materials were explained by improved detection of anxiety-related triggers and greater experienced benefits of the self-help techniques. Conclusions: These findings suggest that implementation intentions offer a valuable supplement to self-help materials that can enhance their impact on outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Participant reactions to a cognitive-behavioral guided self-help program for binge eating: developing criteria for program evaluation

This article evaluates the effectiveness of a telephone-based guided self-help program for women who binge eat. We report how key program components (e.g., phone sessions, the self-help book) contribute to the four self-help goals identified in the clinical literature: (1) decrease isolation/increase support; (2) increase knowledge of the problem; (3) broaden coping skills; and (4) improve self-esteem. Using the example of our feasibility study, we illustrate that even minimal interventions create a relational context which can promote entry into and engagement with treatment. We conclude that program evaluation should include not only traditional measures of outcome (e.g., reduction in symptomatology), but utilize outcome measures related to the specific goals of minimal interventions (e.g., changes in help-seeking behavior).