The Psychological Stress Evaluator as a clinical assessment instrument. Evaluation and implications.

Efficient clinical assessment of anxiety and hostility could be facilitated through the use of a mechanical measurement instrument with known validity and reliability. Preliminary evaluation of the Psychological Stress Evaluator (PSE) has indicated that it could be used for this purpose. The present study reports the results of a correlational analysis between a PSE generated stress indicator (blocking pattern mode III) and the Gottschalk-Gleser Free Association Test, a verbal content-analysis measure of anxiety and hostility in psychotherapy patients.

Marital role dynamics during brief group psychotherapy: assessment of verbal interactions.

Examined the impact of brief group psychotherapy on the marital and sex roles of five volunteer couples who participated in two, 15-session, model therapy groups conducted approximately 2 years apart. Assessments are based on Hill Interaction Matrix (HIM) analysis of the style and content of marital partners' verbal behavior during the assessions. Results show that interactional correlates of traditional marital and sex role variations are attenuated, that communication between spouses is improved, and that the therapeutic quality of verbal behavior is enhanced over the course of therapy.

Issues at the clinical-research interface: placebo effect control groups.

At the clinical-research interface, controls are a significant issue in group therapy evaluation. The authors describe and analyze their unique experience with placebo effect control groups conducted prior to brief, group psychotherapy for married couples. Procedures are outlined and participant reactions noted.

Changes in serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity during group psychotherapy.

This psychobiological study investigates married-coupled group psychotherapy from pre- and postsession serum dopamine dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) determinations, the Free Association Test (FAT), and a Postsession Questionnaire (PSQ). Experimental manipulations permit controls for the assessment of DBH variations. Group, gender, and individual linear regression analyses are interpreted by a stressor-destrssor typology.