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Over the last several decades single session psychotherapy has become a mainstream psychotherapeutic approach. A steadily increasing demand for psychotherapeutic services and a continuous reduction in mental health care resources worldwide are both largely responsible for this development. This paper describes single session psychotherapy and provides a brief review of the relevant literature. Single session psychotherapy delivered in walk-in settings is also discussed. Therapists who are unfamiliar with single session psychotherapy will find that this paper provides a concise introduction to the essential processes and outcomes of this psychotherapeutic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seldom is the work of philosophers invoked by health professionals when examining aspects of care from a philosophical perspective. Instead, students of health care, especially nurses, have been introduced to ‘philosophies’ which are often superficially examined and poorly understood. This practice fails to develop in students an appreciation of the work of philosophers or to acquire the art of critical thinking. The introduction of models and theories of nursing in the past three decades has alerted nurses to the importance of possessing critical skills in order to identify sound theory and implement good practice. This paper goes beyond mere philosophising and examines aspects of mental health care from the perspectives of one of nineteenth century Europe’s most notable philosophers, Friedrich Nietzsche. It argues that understanding his work can enhance one’s ability to reflect on nursing practice, as well as bringing a new dimension to how we analyse ‘mental health’ problems. His work provides many insights into how we can improve our understanding of the effect of mental illness and mental health care on the individual, and how we conceptualise the process of care. This paper provides an overview of his life’s work, his impact on the history of ideas and develops some of the more provocative implications of his work for mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Three variations of the multiple baseline design (MBD) have been identified in the behavioral literature: MBD across behaviors, subjects and situations. This anaylsis proposes an important variant of the MBD across behaviors, namely the MBD across exemplars. In this variant, two or more components (exemplars) of the behavior class form the baselines of the design. The implicit rule of the MBD across exemplars can be seen in several published papers in the behavioral literature. The value of recognizing this variant of the MBD across behaviors is its usefulness as an alternative experimental intervention in clinical settings where the possibility of a convincing research design might not otherwise be seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aims are to consider whether a range of paternalistic medical interventions can be justified in the treatment of factitious disorder ( FD) and to show that the particularities of FD and its management make it an ideal phenomenon to highlight the difficulties of balancing respect for self-determination, responsibility and duty of care in psychiatry. FD is usually classified as a mental disorder involving deliberate and hidden feigning or inducement of illness, in order to achieve patient status. Both the nature of the disorder and the approach to treatment are controversial and under-researched. It is argued that FD should be classified as a mental disorder; may well expose the patient to extreme risk; can warrant paternalistic interventions, in order to fulfil duty of care. Moreover, treatment of FD is inherently paternalistic and therefore raises interesting questions about justifications and type of paternalistic interventions in psychiatry both for FD and in general. A brief account of key questions concerning psychiatry and paternalism is followed by some case histories of FD, the clinical dilemmas posed and the question of how this disorder might warrant paternalistic interventions. In order to answer this question, two things are considered: the legitimacy and character of FD as a mental disorder; possible frameworks for and types of paternalistic interventions. To conclude, it is argued that there are no compelling reasons for rejecting the use of paternalistic interventions for FD, but that further investigation of FD and type and frameworks for psychiatric paternalism, in relation to FD and other mental disorders, are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author examines the unique ability of mental health providers to offer humanistic services in a highly competitive atmosphere by using a wellness approach. J. E. Myers and T. J. Sweeney's (2005) 5 second-order factors are offered as a conceptual model. Therapeutic techniques and humanizing benefits for individuals, families, and communities are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of objective personality testing prior and subsequent to therapeutic intervention in order to gauge treatment effectiveness. Subjects in this present study include 12 female anorexic inpatients hospitalized at the Henry Phipps Psychiatric Clinic, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, between the years 1976 and 1979. It is the task of future research to resolve questions that relate to a common profile. Moreover, further study is needed to evaluate the stability of the personality change found in this study, over a period of years after discharge from inpatient hospitalization.

The article proposes to take ELIZA, a computer simulation of psychotherapy, seriously in order to see whether any therapeutic movement can be achieved by interaction with ELIZA. With or without the covariance correction, there remain a surprising number of significant differences. Quite frankly, the writers expected very few differences other than chance, given the normal subjects, highly artificial setting, and the most peculiar method of therapy. ELIZA does seem to have an effect upon subjects. It is fascinating to note that references to family and friends, and references to dreams, are among the least frequent responses on the part of the subjects.

Ninety-one of 100 patients who had participated in a structured outpatient intensive group psychotherapy program for bulimia were contacted and successfully interviewed by phone 2-S years after treatment, Seventy-nine (87%) had completed therapy. Overall, 60 (66%) were doing well at follow-up, although some had required additional treatment, 8 (9%) were improved albeit still symptomatic, and 23 (25%) were classified as treatment failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief report presents preliminary findings regarding the use of short-term group treatment for bulimia. Ten patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III (DSM-III) criteria for bulimia were treated in a 12-session psycho-educational format. Results indicated that all patients reduced the frequency of their bulimic behavior and showed change in attitudes related to pathological eating behavior. The preliminary results surest that short-term group treatment may be a moderately effective treatment intervention for bulimia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the abstracts of various articles related to psychiatry. One article is "Informant Disagreement for Separation Anxiety Disorder," by Debra Foley, Michael Rutter, Andrew Pickles, Adrian Angold, Hermine Maes, Judy Silberg, and Lindon Eaves. This is an important study since it brings into focus the differences in the way in which children and parents conceptualise Separation Anxiety Disorder. Another article is "Stimulant Treatment Over Five Years: Adherence, Effectiveness, and Adverse Effects," by Alice Charach, Abel Ickowicz and Russell Schachar. The aim of the study was to see how the use of stimulants over a long period affected effectiveness and the occurrence of side-effects.

Discusses the effects of stress on man. Influence of stress-induced illnesses on many physical disorders; Role of stress in many organic and psychiatric disorders; Characteristics of stress in the laboratory.