Review of Language functions and brain organization.

Reviews the book, Language functions and brain organization edited by Sidney J. Segalowitz (1983). This volume attempts an up-to-date summary of our knowledge of brain/language relationships by 24 distinguished researchers in the field (six of them Canadian). The four parts deal with "the general concept of language as a mental organ or a mental complex," "the brain base for language," developmental aspects, and hemispheric lateralization. For each part, the editor has written a brief introduction, which is followed by three or four chapters. The book as a whole presents a delightful though somewhat idiosyncratic selection of topics, loosely focused on the general theme of brain and language. Systematic coverage is not attempted, nor is it likely to be gained from an edited book with its inevitable problems of unevenness in style, differences in approach, and overlap in content. The editor seems to have given at least some of his authors free rein to write about their topic of specialization, and they do it well. It is fun to pick and choose chapters of interest, but I would not recommend front-to-back reading in the expectation of a textbook introduction to the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Reading research: Advances in theory and practice, Vol. 5.

Reviews the book, Reading research: Advances in theory and practice, Vol. 5 by D. Besner, T. G. Waller, and G. E. MacKinnon (1985). This book consists of a Preface and seven independent chapters, all well-written and highly intelligible despite the technical complexity of the material under discussion. Several of the authors present experimental results not previously published. In contrast to many such volumes, the Preface itself is well worth reading, and its integrative skill almost qualifies it as a chapter in itself. In it, the editors discuss the objectives of each chapter, pointing out areas of agreement and disagreement among the chapters and providing a useful introduction. The book as a whole pays little attention to work done in Canada outside Waterloo. Apart from its omission of Canadian work, this book is a very good compendium of the state of understanding of lexical decision, naming, and priming effects as of 1983. Does it have anything to say about reading? That depends on your idea of what reading is. If reading is word identification, then yes; but if it is the process of gathering ideas from writers long ago and far away, then the book has little to do with reading. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Current topics in rehabilitation psychology.

Reviews the book, Current topics in rehabilitation psychology edited by Charles J. Golden (1984). Every few years an edited volume of chapters on rehabilitation psychology is published. The latest contribution, Current Topics in Rehabilitation Psychology, edited by Charles Golden, is written for students, professionals, and educated lay people who want to learn about some of the recent advances in the field. Golden makes clear, and quite correctly so, that the volume is not a comprehensive coverage of all the areas of research, training, and service that are in the domain of rehabilitation psychology. Instead, after two chapters giving an overview of the field, several specific areas are addressed. They include management of chronic pain, cognitive retraining in brain damaged patients, rehabilitation and aging, adjustment of people with spinal cord injury, vocational training of people with severe developmental disabilities, biofeedback, and the role of personality in attitudes toward those with physical disabilities. The book would have profited greatly from more careful editing. Although the quality of writing varies from author to author, the grammatical errors, misspellings, and garbled sentences are uniformly so numerous that they sometimes distract the reader from the valuable content of the chapters. Nevertheless, the book is worthwhile as one that gives an overview of several specific topics and supplies rich bibliographies to those wishing to learn more. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of Moral Development.

Reviews the book, Handbook of Moral Development edited by Melanie Killen and Judith G. Smetana (see record 2005-11748-000). This is a big book on a big topic. Editors Melanie Killen and Judith Smetana have solicited 26 chapters on the topic of moral development, including many of the key authors and researchers currently working in the field. While the editors themselves share the perspective of "social domain" theory, the breadth of the current volume is much wider. Indeed it provides a representative overview of work ranging across the entire landscape of moral development research today. The 26 chapters are organized into six sections: structuralism and moral stages, social domain theory, conscience development and internalization, social interactional and comparative approaches, emotions and empathy, and moral education. In general, each chapter reviews recent work on a particular topic within these six areas, provides a theoretical context and overview of the research and typically discusses the author(s)' own research program in detail. Many of the chapters also consider, if only briefly, ideas and prospects for future research as well. The chapters are thus up-to-date, generally well-written, and approachable for advanced students and scholars within the field. This is as good an overview as we are likely to get from our current vantage point. It can be highly recommended for advanced-level students and scholars in the field alike. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Cognitive psychology.

Reviews the book, Cognitive Psychology by Guy Claxton (1980). This is a bold attempt to provide a well-integrated review of the problems and prospects of modern cognitive psychology. In general, the book succeeds although one may disagree with the directions that are foreseen. The book consists of nine papers by eight authors. Six chapters plus an overview cover traditional topics within cognition while two excellent chapters extend the discussion to motor control and cross-cultural perspectives. Together the chapters are '... meant to be a guidebook to organizing one's thoughts, and a life-raft to cling on to when in danger of drowning in the sea of detail'. This is an excellent overview for graduate students or scientists in related fields; it will prove difficult for all but the brighter undergraduates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Rational emotive behavior therapy: A therapist’s guide.

Reviews the book, Rational emotive behavior therapy: A therapist’s guide by Albert Ellis and Catharine MacLaren (see record 1998-06395-000). In this book, the authors first provide an overview of the history and theory of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). They review the philosophical and personality theory foundations of REBT and outline the theory's explanations of personality disturbance and change. Next, the authors turn to the specific intervention techniques used as part of REBT treatment. They present cognitive, experiential, and behavioral techniques, and include specific case examples of each. Finally, the authors discuss the integration of REBT with other systems of therapy and include an Appendix regarding maintaining and enhancing therapy gains. The strength of the book is in the second set of chapters, which provide an overview of specific therapeutic techniques. These chapters were clear and engaging and offer the therapist-reader concrete strategies which can be easily implemented. The earlier chapters, which provide an overview of the theory of REBT, do not work quite as well as those on treatment techniques. The organization is somewhat confusing and there appears to be some redundancy to the material presented. However, this volume would likely work well as either an introduction to REBT or as a quick, easily readable review for those familiar with the approach. It would also be appropriate for students in clinical training, who will find the hands-on techniques particularly useful. Those who use this book as an introduction to REBT, and who find the approach fits their style and philosophy, will likely want to do more in-depth reading on the subject. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of From research to clinical practice.

Reviews the book, From research to clinical practice, edited by George Stricker and Robert H. Keisner (1985). The intended audience for this edited volume "will probably be practicing psychotherapists...[with] a minimum knowledge of the research area but a ready familiarity with clinical concepts" (p. xv). In addition, the editors suggest to the chapter authors that a successful chapter should provide new meaning for the term "scientist professional" by providing a feedback loop between research and practice. The authors also state that the theoretical focus of this volume is psychodynamic. The book is divided into four areas each preceded by a brief overview. The following areas are covered: Basic issues, social psychology, developmental psychology, and special topics. Overall, I found the chapters to be informative and well written. I think some practitioners may find this book overly academic in tone and may question whether enough of the chapters are sufficiently relevant to busy, practicing clinicians. This is not a book on spotting golden research nuggets between the covers of the volume. Instead, this book requires careful mining of considerable content in order to find sparkling applications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of play therapy, volume 2: Advances and innovations.

Reviews the book, Handbook of play therapy, volume 2: Advances and innovations by Kevin J. O'Connor and Charles E. Schaefer (1994). This book offers a collection of chapters written by leading experts which addresses the developments in play therapy since 1983. In completing the volume, Editors Kevin J. O'Connor and Charles E. Schaefer sought to offer a multi-disciplinary approach to play therapy. Additionally, the editors stated in their preface that they worked to make this new volume "informative, thought provoking, and clinically useful." Indeed, the editors have succeeded admirably in achieving their stated objectives. The book's organization and emphasis on clinical relevance make it a fit companion to their earlier classic (Schaefer & O'Connor, 1983). The Handbook is very well-organized with an excellent selection of chapter topics. The chapters follow essentially the same format and are integrated well within the book. The editors deserve credit for synthesizing diverse theoretical approaches and techniques into a coherent whole. The individual chapters are clearly written and quite readable. The figures and tables are readily understandable and augment the chapters' content. Clinicians and researchers interested in play therapy and child psychotherapy will enjoy this volume. Although the majority of chapters discuss play therapy with children, two chapters discuss play therapy applications with adults. Accordingly, therapists interested in these approaches will profit from this work. The volume certainly appeals to multi-disciplinary audiences such as psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, pastoral counselors, and educators. The text is extremely appropriate for a graduate course in play therapy. Finally, the book can be read from beginning to end or the reader can select particular chapters in the handbook and sample various clinical approaches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychotherapy Relationships That Work: Therapist Contributions and Responsiveness to Patients.

Reviews the book, Psychotherapy Relationships That Work: Therapist Contributions and Responsiveness to Patients edited by John C. Norcross (see record 2003-02805-000). As quoted from the fly leaf, "the work represents the culmination of three years of systematic analysis by the APA's Division of Psychotherapy (29) Task Force on Empirically Supported Therapy Relationships." Clearly, the task force was appointed in part--and acknowledged in the Introduction--as a response to the Society of Clinical Psychology's (12) Task Force on Empirically Validated Therapies (see Chambless & Hollon, 1998), which emphasized techniques in therapy. Norcross, the chair of the Division 29 Task Force and editor of this volume, discusses the inevitable questions regarding the differences between the goals of the two task forces. He views the current work as an extension and enlargement of the "attempt to apply psychological science to the identification and promulgation of effective psychotherapy." The 21 substantive chapters of the book are written by distinguished researchers of the therapeutic process. Fifty-five authors contributed to the volume. The chapters cover a wide-ranging and diverse field of topics including empathy, resistance, feedback, repairing alliance ruptures, countertransference, self-disclosure, religion and spirituality, and cultural diversity. The organization of the contents is of interest, as they are divided into General Elements of the Relationship and Customizing the Relationship to the Individual Patient. The choice of which chapters fit the categories appears somewhat arbitrary and perhaps forced. But the import of the volume is the thoroughness that the authors have brought to their particular topics. The book contains a number of resource gems, such as tables of references on outcome as related to resistance, interpretation, and therapist positive regard. That said, the book is not without some weaknesses. There is a dearth of reports of case studies, and cases that are presented are scattered sparsely throughout the text. The research must necessarily continue in order to provide a better understanding of interpersonal relationships within the context of psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The complexity of learning disabilities.

Reviews the book, Learning about learning disabilities (2nd ed.) by B. Wong (1998). This book is a reasonably comprehensive survey of the state of the art. The book has many worthwhile chapters and will be of interest to advanced-level students, investigators, and clinicians in the field. This book is intended for advanced undergraduate or graduate students. It is a collection of chapters; the individual chapters are quite good but the authors of these individual chapters appear not to have read the other chapters. The student using this book and even the more seasoned investigator or clinician familiar with the field will find it very frustrating that there is no synthesis across chapters. Students reading this book will not have the background knowledge and sophistication of the authors of these chapters. Although it is suggested that this be used as a textbook, it is missing some very important information, and there is not much synthesis. I think that some students may become frustrated at the lack of both integration and consistency among the diverse chapters. There is a technical problem in that a significant number of bibliographic entries are incorrect. Compiling a reference list is tedious but not to have an accurate one is frustrating to the reader who may want to consult some of the references. No book is perfect. However, this book is an interesting balance of many positive and some troublesome features. It is comprehensive and provides a view of a fascinating field. The authors and editor are to be congratulated for their efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Rehabilitation psychology: A comprehensive textbook.

Reviews the book, Rehabilitation psychology: A comprehensive textbook by David W. Krueger (1983). In this volume, David W. Krueger has developed a new blueprint for constructing an edited volume in rehabilitation. Unique in the present design is the attempt, within a single volume of reasonable size, to cover the rehabilitation field from both a type-of-disability approach and an issue-oriented approach. To achieve this objective, the editor has recruited well-known and highly respected authors to write short chapters in their areas of expertise. In all, there are 42 chapters, which range in length between 4 and 14 pages. Each chapter is written by a different author, with the exception of two chapters written by the editor. No uniformity of style or standard outline for presentation has been followed. Instead, each chapter stands on its own. As a result, the effect is more that of a carefully selected book of readings than that of an integrated textbook. This book stands as an impressive attempt to provide the reader with a broad overview of the field of rehabilitation. As such, it serves as a fine introduction to the field of rehabilitation by providing a good sampling of the diversity of issues that surround rehabilitation and having these issues discussed by recognized experts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Left and right tracks in reading.

Reviews the book, The Psychology of Reading by I. Taylor and M. M. Taylor (1983). The reviewer provides an overview of the authors' Bilateral Cooperative Model of Reading (BLC), which is an attempt to integrate the divergent perspectives of wholistic and analytic theory. The BLC model serves as a framework for the 16 chapters of the book. The reviewer commends the authors for their detailed discussion of orthographies, perceptual and cognitive processes in reading, higher-order language processing, and developmental dyslexia. While the reviewer warns that the authors need to clarify the relevance of data from studies not specifically concerned with hemispheric differences, he believes that the book is worth reading because it develops the perspectives on reading within the context of cognitive psychology--an important step in the construction of a comprehensive theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Learning About Learning Disabilities, Third Edition.

This article reviews the book, "Learning about Learning Disabilities, Third Edition" (see record 2004-21912-000), edited by Bernice Wong. This book is comprised of a selection of chapters authored by well-known authors in the field of learning disabilities. The book was developed for use with advanced undergraduate and graduate students with the intent to provide current information soundly based in research in the field. The chapters in the book are organized into three thematic sections. The first section deals with conceptual, historical, and research aspects of learning disabilities. The second section comprises chapters on reading comprehension, writing, math, social competence, strategy instruction, working with adolescents, issues in service delivery, and developing communities of practice. The third section focuses on a life span approach to learning disabilities. This book does what it purports to do. This is a well put together selection of readings. It may not be appropriate for advanced undergraduate students with no previous background knowledge or experience with learning disabilities due to the level of the book. The information provided in each chapter is current and soundly based in research. In addition to the research presented, the majority of the chapters also include practical implications of the research to teaching settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Law and mental health: International perspectives. Volume 1.

Reviews the book, Law and mental health: International perspectives. Volume 1 by David N. Weisstub (1984). This is the first volume in a series designed to provide an international perspective on central issues in law and mental health. The editor, David N. Weisstub, is a professor of law at Osgoode Hall and was the founding editor of the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. He is well qualified to accomplish his stated goal of establishing an international network of scholars and increase communication between countries. The first volume, however, focuses primarily on American jurisprudence. Weisstub argues that this is appropriate because the United States "has been a forerunner and, indeed, has functioned as a testing ground in the field." Subsequent volumes will include research reviews and examinations of legislative and judicial trends in other countries, focusing on topics such as malpractice, deinstitutionalization, guardianship, and competency. The present volume is comprised of six chapters, each on a different topic with the exception of two chapters on criminal responsibility. Few readers will be interested in all the chapters, but anyone interested in mental health law will find something of interest. The chapters are of uniformly high quality and the book is an excellent reference work. Since there are only six chapters, it may be of use to potential readers to have a brief overview of each. This volume (and the ones to follow) should prove to be a valuable reference for psychologists interested in legal issues. It may also be put to good use in graduate seminars in law and psychology because of the breadth of issues covered in the volume. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of psychopathy.

Reviews the book, Handbook of psychopathy edited by Christopher J. Patrick (2007). This book aims to address these new developments. The book includes 31 chapters from leading researchers in the field. Chapters are organised into six sections, although the final one consists solely of a summary commentary by Patrick. Overall, this book provides a comprehensive review of the divergent research areas that have surfaced in the decades following the advent of the PCL-R and, as such, it promises to be an important reference for years to come. Some chapters are well suited for graduate courses in psychology (e.g., those reviewing theoretical perspectives and applied topics), criminology (e.g., Farrington's chapter), psychiatry (e.g., Minzenberg and Siever's chapter), and neuroscience (i.e., those reviewing neurobiological findings), and some will undoubtedly serve as important starting points for future research (e.g., chapters on etiological mechanisms), both in terms of delineating potentially fruitful lines of enquiry and important methodological limitations to overcome. However, this text is primarily of academic interest, with chapters mainly authored by researchers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Memory, consciousness, and the brain: The Tallinn conference; and The Oxford handbook of memory.

Reviews the books, Memory, consciousness, and the brain: The Tallinn conference edited by Endel Tulving (see record 2000-07362-000) and The Oxford handbook of memory edited by Endel Tulving and Fergus M. Craik (see record 2000-00111-000). Memory, consciousness, and the brain (MCB) is an outgrowth of a conference organized by the editor and his wife, and held in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The organization of the book, accurately described by the editor as "largely illusory" (p. xv), blocks the 25 topic chapters into sections labeled Memory (11 chapters), Consciousness (7 chapters), and The Brain (7 chapters). The editor's hope is that the book will be useful as an introduction to representative research currently being conducted at the boundaries of memory, consciousness, and the brain. To what extent has this objective been achieved? The book certainly serves up a broad menu of topics. The reader looking for something intriguing in the way of research on memory and consciousness in the brain is likely to find it in this volume. What are MCB's weaknesses? The main sin is something that comes with the territory of all conference volumes: uneveness in quality, readability, and organizations, and uncertainty about the audience to be reached by each of the chapters. Regarding The Oxford handbook of memory (OHM), this book describes the growth of memory research from its nadir in the 1950s to the present, and presents summaries of contemporary scientific knowledge about a variety of memory topics. The focus is human memory (although the discussion of brain-memory relations is sometimes based on research with nonhuman primates) as studied from the perspectives of experimental cognitive psychology, cognitive neuropsychology, neuroscience, developmental psychology, theory and modeling, and the ecology of memory. Within this compass, the editors have attempted to ensure coverage of the current major theories, findings, and methods of memory. In the editors' words, the volume is intended to be "a major reference source for people who want to get started in the field, or who wish to check things outside their own regional area" (p. vii). Not only does the book hit its target, we expect that even specialists will benefit from the coverage of subjects in which they have expertise. For now, the OHM is the gold standard and all memory professionals are in the debt of the editors and authors for its existence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The social psychology of reading.

Reviews the book, The Social Psychology of Reading by John Edwards (Ed.) (1981). This volume, unlike many edited books, consists of original papers. Unlike many current volumes in reading, this one addresses broad socio- and psychological correlates of reading achievement. This book is a unique collection of data-based chapters, surveys and reviews. If the aim of the volume was to provide a perspective within which reading can be better understood, the authors have achieved success. It is an excellent reference and has good potential for senior undergraduate or early graduate required reading. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Research with the locus of control construct, vol. 3: Extensions and limitations.

Reviews the book, Research with the locus of control construct, vol. 3: Extensions and limitations edited by Herbert M. Lefcourt (1984). Herbert Lefcourt's third edited volume on the topic of research with the locus of control construct is directed to discussions of extensions and limitations of the construct. It is a very timely book, and therefore of interest to researchers on the locus of control (LOC). In Part I, comprehensive reviews are presented in three areas: work and retirement, psychophysiology, and cross-cultural researches. In Part II, two chapters describe the limitations and suggest alternatives. The five chapters are extensive and critical, as well as constructive in presenting ideas and models for future research. The editor and the authors have done an excellent job. As a reference source the book eminently meets the needs of researchers in the area. The editor has provided a succinct introduction and epilogue, which are very helpful in orienting the reader and maintaining a balanced view of the appropriate uses of the concept. The editor and authors of the book are to be congratulated for a thorough, provocative, and balanced outlook presented in this volume. I recommend the book highly. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of emotion regulation.

Reviews the book, Handbook of emotion regulation edited by James J. Gross (see record 2007-01392-000). The purpose of this edited volume is to bring the reader and the scientific community up-to-date on the burgeoning field of emotion and particularly how it is regulated. The book comprises 30 chapters divided amongst seven traditional sections within psychology: foundations, biological bases, cognitive foundations, developmental approaches, personality process and individual differences, social approaches, and clinical outcomes. Gross very nicely captures the range of topics and issues surrounding the topic of emotion and emotion regulation in this edited volume. Gross is to be congratulated for taking on the task of editing such a timely and important volume for the field. Given the scope of the volume, it should have wide appeal to researchers as well as graduate and advanced undergraduate students in the areas of personality and social psychology, human development, child clinical psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive and affective neuroscience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Pain in children and adolescents.

Reviews the book, Pain in children and adolescents by P. J. McGrath and A. M. Unruh (1987). This book is an extremely comprehensive work, dealing not only with specific clinical problems but also with such broader and complex issues as ethics and service delivery in pediatric pain. McGrath and Unruh go a long way to unravel the 'mystery' of pain in children by discussing clearly and concisely the literature on the assessment and measurement of pain in children. Clinical problems such as post-operative pain, abdominal pain, headache, muskuloskeletal pain, colic, injuries, psychogenic pain, and chronic intractable pain are all dealt with in individual chapters divided into clearly labelled sections, making it very easy for busy clinicians to locate their particular area of interest. One of the strengths of this book is the methodological expertise of the authors, which is evident in their evaluations of the research cited in the text. Novice researchers reading this book will be reminded of the many pitfalls to be avoided in research design, and postgraduate students seeking topics for research will find numerous suggestions in the 'future directions' sections of the book. The publishers are to be congratulated on their attractive presentation of the book. The type is large and very easy to read, the text is well spaced, and considering the amount of material in the book, it is remarkably compact in size and very reasonably priced. Providing as it does a comprehensive summary and analysis of the literature to date on pain in children, it is essential reading for all clinicians, paramedics, and researchers concerned with this important and long neglected area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)