Differences in attitudes toward patients among medical specialties.

In a prior study a questionnaire was developed which reliably measured a variety of physicians' attitudes toward patients. In the present study we have used this questionnaire to compare the attitudes of physicians specializing in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics and Psychiatry with one another and with a group of medical students. One way analyses of variance yielded highly significant differences (p less than .

Psychiatric treatment of chronic somitizing patients: a pilot study.

Somatization is a very common condition although these patients are usually seen by general medical practitioners rather than mental health professionals. In a pilot demonstration study, chronic somatizers were significantly improved in a group psychotherapy treatment modality. The somatization was ameliorated and their functioning was significantly improved.

Three types of paranoid processes.

In classical descriptive psychiatry the term 'paranoid' is often used ambiguously -- referring to a variety of clinical processes which should be more clearly differentiated. Specifically, in this paper, we have differentiated three distinct sets of clinical phenomena all usually lumped together as 'paranoid': 1. Paranoid from a Sense of Guilt, 2.

Psychotherapists' passivity--a major training problem.

A major problem encountered in the early psychotherapy training of psychiatric residents, psychologists, and social workers is the tendency for the student to take an inappropriately passive and silent role. Rather than actively engage patients in a therapeutic alliance, beginning students have the tendency to remain withdrawn and inarticulate. This often reaches extreme proportions and may later significantly block treatment progress.