Empirical comparison of two psychological therapies. Self psychology and cognitive orientation in the treatment of anorexia and bulimia.
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The authors investigated the applicability of self psychological treatment (SPT) and cognitive orientation treatment (COT) to the treatment of anorexia and bulimia. Thirty-three patients participated in this study. The bulimic patients (n = 25) were randomly assigned either to SPT, COT, or control/nutritional counseling only (C/NC). The anorexic patients (n = 8) were randomly assigned to either SPT or COT. Patients were administered a battery of outcome measures assessing eating disorders symptomatology, attitudes toward food, self structure, and general psychiatric symptoms. After SPT, significant improvement was observed. After COT, slight but nonsignificant improvement was observed. After C/NC, almost no changes could be detected. (+info)
The broken mirror. A self psychological treatment perspective for relationship violence.
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Clinicians face formidable challenges in working with male perpetrators of domestic violence. Many treatment programs use a confrontational approach that emphasizes male entitlement and patriarchal societal attitudes, without honoring the genuine psychological pain of the abusive male. Although some men with strong psychopathic tendencies are almost impossible to treat, the majority of spouse-abusing males respond best to an empathic, client-centered, self psychological approach that also includes education about sociocultural issues and specific skill building. Understanding the deprivations in mirroring selfobject functions from which these men typically suffer facilitates clinical treatment response. While insisting that men take full responsibility for their abusive behavior, treatment approaches can still be most effective by addressing inherent psychological issues. Group leaders who can offer respect for perpetrators' history, their experience of powerlessness, and their emotional injuries in primary relationships are more likely to make an impact. (+info)
Medial prefrontal cortex and self-referential mental activity: relation to a default mode of brain function.
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Medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) is among those brain regions having the highest baseline metabolic activity at rest and one that exhibits decreases from this baseline across a wide variety of goal-directed behaviors in functional imaging studies. This high metabolic rate and this behavior suggest the existence of an organized mode of default brain function, elements of which may be either attenuated or enhanced. Extant data suggest that these MPFC regions may contribute to the neural instantiation of aspects of the multifaceted "self." We explore this important concept by targeting and manipulating elements of MPFC default state activity. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, subjects made two judgments, one self-referential, the other not, in response to affectively normed pictures: pleasant vs. unpleasant (an internally cued condition, ICC) and indoors vs. outdoors (an externally cued condition, ECC). The ICC was preferentially associated with activity increases along the dorsal MPFC. These increases were accompanied by decreases in both active task conditions in ventral MPFC. These results support the view that dorsal and ventral MPFC are differentially influenced by attentiondemanding tasks and explicitly self-referential tasks. The presence of self-referential mental activity appears to be associated with increases from the baseline in dorsal MPFC. Reductions in ventral MPFC occurred consistent with the fact that attention-demanding tasks attenuate emotional processing. We posit that both self-referential mental activity and emotional processing represent elements of the default state as represented by activity in MPFC. We suggest that a useful way to explore the neurobiology of the self is to explore the nature of default state activity. (+info)
A controlled pilot study of the utility of mirror visual feedback in the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome (type 1).
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BACKGROUND: We assessed mirror visual feedback (MVF) to test the hypothesis that incongruence between motor output and sensory input produces complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) (type 1) pain. METHODS: Eight subjects (disease duration > or =3 weeks to < or =3 yr) were studied over 6 weeks with assessments including two controls (no device and viewing a non-reflective surface) and the intervention (MVF). Pain severity and vasomotor changes were recorded. RESULTS: The control stages had no analgesic effect. MVF in early CRPS (< or =8 weeks) had an immediate analgesic effect and in intermediate disease (< or =1 yr) led to a reduction in stiffness. At 6 weeks, normalization of function and thermal differences had occurred (early and intermediate disease). No change was found in chronic CRPS. CONCLUSIONS: In early CRPS (type 1), visual input from a moving, unaffected limb re-establishes the pain-free relationship between sensory feedback and motor execution. Trophic changes and a less plastic neural pathway preclude this in chronic disease. (+info)
On blending practice and research: the search for commonalities in substance abuse treatment.
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There has been a growing interest in the substance abuse treatment field in bringing together the treatment and research communities. While dialogues about logistical and philosophical issues are important, the development of shared core concepts could potentially be quite helpful in facilitating communication and creating common treatment and research goals. It is the contention of this paper that all psychosocial and, potentially, pharmacological treatments ideally address, in part or in full, three aspects of the self--the capacity to regulate emotional and behavioral expression, the ability to engage in future-oriented, goal-directed behavior, and the development of nonaddict and/or recovery-oriented identities. Examples from the research and treatment literature are provided. (+info)
Integrating self-help materials into mental health practice.
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PROBLEM ADDRESSED: Patients' mental health issues have become an increasing focus of Canadian family physicians' practices. A self-help approach can help meet this demand, but there are few guidelines for professionals about how to use mental health self-help resources effectively. OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAM: To aid health professionals in integrating self-help materials into their mental health practices. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: A resource library of print, audiotape, and videotape self-help materials about common mental health issues was developed for a rural community. The materials were prescreened in order to ensure high quality, and health professionals were given training on how to integrate self-help into their practices. The library was actively used by both health professionals and community members, and most resources were borrowed, particularly the nonprint materials. Health professionals viewed the resources as a way to supplement their mental health practice and reduce demands on their time, as patients generally worked through the resources independently. Some improvements are planned for future implementations of the program, such as providing health professionals with a "prescription pad" of resources and implementing Stages of Change and stepped-care models to maximize the program's effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Although more evidence is needed regarding the effectiveness of self-help within a family practice context, this program offers a promising way for family physicians to address mild to moderate mental health problems. (+info)
Effects of analytical and experiential self-focus on stress-induced cognitive reactivity in eating disorder psychopathology.
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