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Adults with serious mental illness have high rates of obesity, with associated negative impacts on health-related quality of life. The present study utilized data from a randomized controlled trial (N = 276) to examine the effectiveness of in-person and online-delivered weight management interventions, compared to usual care, for improving health-related quality of life in this population. Participants completed quality of life assessments at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Mixed effects models examined group by time interactions. Compared to usual care, in-person MOVE was associated with improvements in loneliness (t = - 2.76, p = .006) and mental health related quality of life (t = 1.99, p = 0.048) at 6 months, and webMOVE was associated with improvements in weight-related self-esteem at 6 months (t = 2.23, p = .026) and mental health-related quality of life at 3 months (t = 2.17, p = 0.031) and 6 months (t = 2.38, p = .018). Web-based and in-person weight management led to improvements in health-related quality of life for adults with serious mental illness. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00983476., Author(s): Anjana Muralidharan [sup.1] [sup.2] , Clayton H. Brown [sup.1] [sup.3] , Yilin Zhang [sup.2] , Noosha Niv [sup.4] [sup.5] , Amy N. Cohen [sup.5] [sup.6] , Julie Kreyenbuhl [sup.1] [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.03.023 Byline: Melanie E. Bennett, Alan S. Bellack, Clayton H. Brown, Carlo DiClemente Keywords: Drug dependence; Schizophrenia; Remission; Comorbidity; Serious mental illness Abstract: The present study examined psychiatric functioning, substance use and consequences, and motivation to change in people with schizophrenia and affective disorders and current or remitted cocaine dependence. Data were collected as part of a naturalistic, longitudinal study examining substance use, motivation to change, and the process of change in people with schizophrenia and affective disorders who were currently dependent or in remission from cocaine dependence. We examined the following questions: (1) Do those in remission show better psychiatric functioning than those who are currently dependent? (2) How do people with schizophrenia and current cocaine dependence differ in terms of substance use and consequences from people with schizophrenia in remission and people with affective disorders and current drug dependence? (3) What internal factors and external factors are associated with changes in substance use in schizophrenia and how do these compare to those in nonpsychotic affective disorders? Results indicated that people with schizophrenia and current dependence reported higher levels of positive and negative symptoms than those in remission. Remission status was related to less use of other drugs, fewer days of drug problems, less distress from drug problems, and more lifetime drug-related consequences. Those with current dependence reported more days of drinking and drinking to intoxication, as well as higher rates of current alcohol use disorders than the remitted group. When compared to those with affective disorders and cocaine dependence, those with schizophrenia and current dependence reported fewer days of problems associated with their drug use, less distress from drug problems, and fewer recent and lifetime consequences associated with their drug use. The schizophrenia dependent group generally showed the lowest readiness to change, fewest efforts being made to change, and lowest confidence in the ability to change. Implications of these findings are discussed. Author Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States VA Capital Network Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Baltimore, Maryland, United States University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2006.12.010 Byline: Joanna E. Strong Kinnaman, Alan S. Bellack, Clayton H. Brown, Ye Yang Keywords: Motivation to change; Schizophrenia; Cocaine Abstract: Assessment of motivation to change substance use can be helpful in evaluating treatment readiness and outcome. However, the utility of self-report measures of motivation with schizophrenia patients is questionable. In the current study patients with schizophrenia and either concurrent cocaine dependence or remitted dependence completed the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment-Maryland (URICA-M), a self-report inventory that assesses motivation, and an analogous cartoon instrument at baseline and 6-months follow-up. Results demonstrate that the cartoon readiness to change score was related to increased treatment utilization and decreased substance use; results were not as favorable for the URICA-M. Findings suggest that the cartoon measure may be a suitable alternative to assess motivation to change substance use with cognitively impaired patients. Author Affiliation: VA Capital Health Care Network Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States Article Note: (footnote) [star] This research was supported by NIH grant DA09406 from the National Institute of Drug Abuse to Alan S. Bellack, and by the VA Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC; A.S. Bellack, Ph.D. Director). Portions of this paper were presented at the meeting of the International Congress of Schizophrenia Research, Savannah, April, 2005 and the National MIRECC Conference, New Orleans, June, 2005.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2006.01.005 Byline: Alan S. Bellack, Clayton H. Brown, Shannon Thomas-Lohrman Abstract: There is an extensive literature documenting that people with schizophrenia have marked impairments in social role functioning and social skill. One of the most widely employed strategies for assessing social skill has been role-play tests: simulated social interactions that are videotaped for subsequent behavioral coding. There has been considerable discussion of the validity of the approach in the literature, but there has not been adequate consideration of other psychometric characteristics of role-play tests. This paper examines the psychometric characteristics of a representative role-play measure: the Maryland Assessment of Social Competence (MASC). Data from 5 large schizophrenia studies that included the MASC were examined: a study of victimization in women who abuse drugs, a study of health care among people with diabetes, a study of vocational outcomes, a study of social skill among drug abusers, and a clinical trial comparing two antipsychotic medications. Data were examined in terms of five questions: (1) Can role-play scenes be rated reliably? (2) How are role-play ratings distributed across populations? (3) How many and which behaviors should be rated? (4) How many role-play scenes are required? (5) Is role-play behavior temporally stable? Overall, the data suggest that the MASC, and by implication other similar role-play procedures, does have good psychometric properties. However, several things often taken for granted in the literature warrant careful consideration in the design of research using role-play. Implications of the results for design of research are discussed. Author Affiliation: University of Maryland School of Medicine and VA Capitol Health Care Network MIRECC Article History: Received 24 February 2005; Accepted 27 January 2006 Article Note: (footnote) [star] The authors wish to thank the principal investigators of each of the NIH grants that provided data for this manuscript: Lisa Dixon (Diabetes), Jean Gearon (DA11199-01; Women), James Gold (Vocational), and John Kane (MH466613), Nina Schooler (MH46673), and Steven Marder (MH46484) (CARS). Appreciation is also expressed to Ye Yang for her work on the data analysis and to the multiple research staff who worked on the coding of videotapes. Preparation of this manuscript was supported by the VISN 5 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (Alan S. Bellack, Director), and NIH grants DA09406 and DA11753 to Alan S. Bellack.

There is an extensive literature documenting that people with schizophrenia have marked impairments in social role functioning and social skill. One of the most widely employed strategies for assessing social skill has been role-play tests: simulated social interactions that are videotaped for subsequent behavioral coding. There has been considerable discussion of the validity of the approach in the literature, but there has not been adequate consideration of other psychometric characteristics of role-play tests. This paper examines the psychometric characteristics of a representative role-play measure: the Maryland Assessment of Social Competence (MASC). Data from 5 large schizophrenia studies that included the MASC were examined: a study of victimization in women who abuse drugs, a study of health care among people with diabetes, a study of vocational outcomes, a study of social skill among drug abusers, and a clinical trial comparing two antipsychotic medications. Data were examined in terms of five questions: (1) Can role-play scenes be rated reliably? (2) How are role-play ratings distributed across populations? (3) How many and which behaviors should be rated? (4) How many role-play scenes are required? (5) Is role-play behavior temporally stable? Overall, the data suggest that the MASC, and by implication other similar role-play procedures, does have good psychometric properties. However, several things often taken for granted in the literature warrant careful consideration in the design of research using role-play. Implications of the results for design of research are discussed.

A study of problem drinkers with depressive symptoms during the previous year did not show a statistically significant increase in drinking over those without depression. While depressed men showed a slight increase in alcohol consumption, depressed women with drinking problems were less likely to increase alcohol consumption.