Although the Rorschach is one of the most widely used psychological assessment techniques, its empirical support has been equivocal. One possible explanation for this lack of empirical support is the tendency for researchers to study only the assessment tool with little regard for the clinician using it. In order to examine the relationship between accurate Rorschach interpretation and attributes of the clinicians employing the technique, 46 psychology graduate students were tested in terms of cognitive flexibility. Torrance's Thinking Creatively with Pictures and Cattell's 16-Personality Factor Questionnaire were used to derive various measures of cognitive flexibility. A two-stage multiple linear regression analysis was done. The most statistically reliable result was that flexibility of thought was found to be the single best mediator of accuracy of Rorschach interpretation. Other individual findings were noted and interpreted.

Although gambling is a common recreational activity, it results in harm for as many as 6% of individuals in the United States. The harm may be in the form of financial, social, or psychological. A variety of assessments are used to diagnose gambling-related harm and facilitate treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) incorporating motivational enhancement techniques and goal setting are used to treat gambling harms. The components of CBT generally include identifying triggers and high-risk situations, coping with internal and external triggers, increasing other pleasurable activities, cognitive restructuring, and relapse prevention.

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Due to the increasing demands of third-party payers to show measurable results in a decreased amount of time, mental health practitioners need new tools and techniques to quickly and efficiently assess their client's current status and progress in treatment. The goal of this study was to develop and validate a brief computerized measure of emotional states and personality traits for use as an assessment tool in a clinical setting. Adapted from the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI; Spielberger, 1998), the computerized instrument measured state and trait anxiety, anger, depression, and curiosity. The computerized STPI was examined for equivalence with the traditional STPI and compared with therapists' ratings of their clients' emotional states and personality traits. Forty individuals (24 women, 16 men) in psychotherapy were administered either a computerized version of the STPI or the original, paper version. Each client's therapist was asked to rate him or her on the same 4 states and 4 traits measured by the STPI. In addition, clients and therapists answered short questionnaires regarding their reactions to the STPI and the client report generated by the STPI, respectively. A comparison of mean STPI scale scores between the computerized and paper administration groups showed slightly higher levels of reported state emotion for the computerized administration. There was no other evidence of differences between the two experimental groups. Therapists who had previously conducted assessment with their client demonstrated a significantly higher correlation of their ratings with the corresponding client STPI self-reported scores. Feedback from the client and therapist exit questionnaires suggested that their reactions to the procedure and the usefulness of the STPI were quite favorable. Implications of increasing the use of computers in clinical assessment are discussed.

Title: Psychological Factors of Weight Loss in Patients after Bariatric Surgery Author: PhDr. Markéta Zajícová Department: Department of Psychology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Arts Supervisor: PhDr. Tamara Hrachovinová, PhD. Abstract: Obesity with its comorbidities has enormous impacts on the life of the individual as well as the whole society. Therefore, the attention is paid to the treatment of obesity, where bariatric surgery appears to be one of the most effective. The surgical solution offers excellent results in terms of weight reduction in the short- and medium-term period, but the increased number of weigh gain cases appears in long-term perspective. The aim of this thesis is to find out whether any of the psychological factors that are included in the psychological assessment prior to the bariatric surgery, can predict the development of weight after the surgical procedure. The research is retrospective and quantitative; it focuses on monitoring variables from psychological assessment as well as weight development from the time of the surgery to 4 years after the surgery with intervals of 3, 6, 9 months and 1, 2, 3, 4 years. Attention is focused not only on the weight itself, but also on the weight change (compared to the initial weight and the comparison between consecutive...

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BASTOS-FORMIGHIERI, M. S. Afetividade e funções executivas em idosos: estudo normativo com Wisconsin Card Sorting Test e Pfister. 2007. 143 f. Dissertação (Mestrado). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, 2007. A avaliação psicológica no Brasil tem recebido grandes estímulos para seu desenvolvimento, advindos das necessidades práticas, bem como das diretrizes atuais do Conselho Federal de Psicologia, buscando-se parâmetros técnicos adequados às características da população brasileira. Paralelamente, o significativo crescimento dos idosos no mundo e também no Brasil tem justificado investimentos científicos voltados à investigação das características psicológicas do envelhecimento, muitas vezes recorrendo aos recursos da avaliação psicológica como estratégia de acesso informativo. Dentro desta realidade, o presente estudo objetivou desenvolver padrões normativos do desempenho de idosos para o Teste de Pirâmides Coloridas de Pfister e para o Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), almejando também conhecer características da afetividade e das funções executivas na velhice. Foram estudados 100 voluntários de 60 a 75 anos de idade, distribuídos entre os sexos, com bom estado geral de saúde e ausência de comprometimentos físicos e psíquicos severos, avaliados por triagem médica prévia, bem como por entrevista inicial sobre histórico de vida. Os instrumentos psicológicos foram aplicados individualmente, conforme seus respectivos padrões técnicos, e na seguinte sequência: entrevista, Teste de Pfister e WCST, respeitando-se os cuidados éticos devidos nesses processos de avaliação psicológica. Os resultados foram estruturados de modo a caracterizar os padrões de desempenho (normas) dos idosos avaliados, pretendendo-se ainda conhecer marcas do processo do envelhecimento (cognitivas e afetivas) por meio das técnicas de avaliação psicológica presentemente utilizadas. Buscou-se também avaliar possível influência da variável sexo sobre os resultados nas técnicas psicológicas aplicadas, bem como comparar estes dados com as normas para adultos, no caso do Teste de Pfister, e para idosos norte-americanos, no caso do WCST, até o momento disponíveis para estas técnicas, não específicas para idosos brasileiros. Para tanto, foram realizadas análises estatísticas apropriadas aos dados (paramétricas e não paramétricas), utilizando-se nível de significância menor ou igual a 0,05. Por fim, procurou-se estudar eventual relação entre indicadores técnicos do Teste de Pfister e resultados no WCST dos idosos, almejando-se identificar possibilidades informativas sobre o funcionamento executivo nestas duas estratégias avaliativas. Foram encontradas algumas correlações entre Pfister e WCST, especialmente nas seguintes variáveis do Teste de Pfister: modos de execução e de colocação, aspecto formal, frequência e síndrome cromáticas. Os resultados foram interpretados à luz de pressupostos trazidos pela literatura científica da área, procurando-se contemplar peculiaridades do contexto sócio-cultural brasileiro na busca de compreensão sobre a dinâmica psíquica das vivências afetivas e do funcionamento executivo na velhice. Pode-se concluir pela preservação da dinâmica afetiva dos idosos avaliados, bem como por especificidades em seu padrão de funcionamento executivo, caracterizando peculiaridades de desempenho destes indivíduos nas técnicas psicológicas utilizadas, justificando a elaboração de seus atuais padrões normativos. / BASTOS-FORMIGHIERI, M. S. Affectivity and executive functions in elderly: estudo normativo com Wisconsin Card Sorting Test e Pfister. 2007. 143 f. Dissertação (Mestrado). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, 2007. The development of psychological assessment has been greatly stimulated in Brazil in view of practical requirements and of the current guidelines of the Federal Council of Psychology, with a search for appropriate technical parameters for the Brazilian population. In parallel, the significant increase in the number of elderly individuals in the world and also in Brazil has justified scientific investments aiming at the investigation of the psychological characteristics of aging, often based on the resources of psychological assessment as a strategy of informative access. Within this reality, the objective of the present study was to develop normative standards regarding the performance of elderly persons in the Pfister Color Pyramid Test and in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), also in order to determine the characteristics of affectivity and of executive functions during old age. The study was conducted on 100 volunteers of both sexes aged 60 to 75 years, in good general condition and free of severe physical and psychic impairment. The subjects were first submitted to medical screening and to an initial interview about their life history. The psychological instruments were applied individually according to their respective technical standards and in the following sequence: interview, Pfister Test and WCST, following the ethical principles related to these processes of psychological evaluation. The results were structured in such a way as to characterize the performance patterns (norms) of the elderly subjects evaluated and to determine cognitive and affective aspects of the aging process by means of currently used techniques of psychological evaluation. The possible influence of the sex variable on the results of the psychological techniques applied was also determined and the data were compared to the norms for adults in the case of the Pfister Test and to the norms for North American elderly subjects in the case of the WCST, which are available thus far for these techniques, that are not specific for the Brazilian elderly population. Data were analyzed statistically by parametric and non-parametric tests, as appropriate, with the level of significance set at < 0.05. Finally a possible relationship between the technical indicators of the Pfister test and the results of the WCST for this elderly population was studied, especially regarding the following variables of the Pfister Test: modes of execution and placement, formal aspect, frequency, and chromatic syndrome. The results were interpreted in the light of the assumptions proposed by the scientific literature in the area, with an attempt to contemplate the peculiarities of the Brazilian sociocultural context in order to understand the psychic dynamics of affective experience and of executive functioning in old age. We may conclude that the affective dynamics of the elderly persons evaluated is preserved and that their pattern of executive functioning has specific characteristics, characterizing peculiarities of the performance of these idnividuals in the psychological techniques used, justifying the elaboration of their current normative standards.

Avanços tecnológicos e sociais elevaram acentuadamente a expectativa de vida dos indivíduos, favorecendo considerável envelhecimento populacional e aumento de instituições de longa permanência para idosos (ILPI). O impacto da institucionalização no funcionamento psicológico dessa faixa etária ainda é pouco investigado no Brasil. Nesse estudo, objetivou-se caracterizar e comparar vivências afetivas em idosos institucionalizados e não institucionalizados, a partir de instrumentos padronizados de avaliação psicológica. Participaram do estudo idosos com mais de 60 anos, de ambos os sexos, compondo dois grupos: a) Grupo 1 (G1, n=25): residentes em ILPIs há pelo menos seis meses; b) Grupo 2 (G2, n=25): residentes em seus lares. Os grupos foram balanceados em termos de sexo, faixa etária e escolaridade, embora não tenham sido selecionados por essas variáveis, compondo amostra de conveniência. Foram individualmente avaliados por questionário sociodemográfico e Critério de Classificação Econômica Brasil, Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg (EAR), Escala de Afetos (EA), Escala de Afetos Positivos e Negativos (PANAS) e Teste das Pirâmides Coloridas de Pfister (TPC). Os dados foram sistematizados conforme respectivos manuais técnicos e normativos, analisados de modo descritivo e inferencial, comparando-se médias de G1 e G2 (teste t de Student, p0,05) e tamanho do efeito (d de Cohen) nas variáveis numéricas, ou análise comparativa da distribuição dos casos (qui-quadrado, p0,05), com tamanho do efeito (V de Cramer) nas variáveis categóricas. Houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre G1 e G2 na autoestima (EAR), nos afetos negativos (EA) e indicadores do funcionamento lógico (TPC). Na PANAS não houve indicadores específicos para os grupos avaliados. Os idosos institucionalizados sinalizaram menor autoestima (média EAR menor), mais afetos negativos (somatória maior nos afetos negativos EA) e maior amplitude emocional (fórmula cromática ampla em todos os casos), sugerindo marcadores específicos em sua dinâmica afetiva. Em termos lógicos evidenciaram maior necessidade de tempo de trabalho para atividades (maior média no tempo total TPC) e menor elaboração abstrata dos estímulos (mais tapetes no TPC). A comparação dos atuais achados com expectativas normativas para idosos da comunidade mostrou que idosos de G1 e G2 tiveram resultados inferiores em termos de autoestima e similares nos afetos positivos e negativos, predominando afetividade positiva. No TPC os idosos de G2 acompanharam os referenciais normativos, mas G1 evidenciou diferenças em cinco das 10 cores (azul, violeta, amarelo, marrom e cinza) e síndromes cromáticas (estímulo e incolor), sinalizando maior retraimento e ansiedade. Esses achados apontaram especificidades no funcionamento cognitivo e emocional de idosos institucionalizados, atestando empiricamente a relevância das condições de moradia e suporte social na organização psíquica nessa fase do desenvolvimento. Investigações adicionais sobre a complexa rede de variáveis associadas a essas particularidades fazem-se necessárias diante do crescente aumento de idosos na população e em ILPIs / Technological and social advances have markedly lifted the life expectancy of individuals, favoring considerable population aging and an increase in long-stay institutions for the elderly. The impact of institutionalization on the psychological functioning of this age group is still little investigated in Brazil. In this study, the objective was to characterize and compare affective experiences in institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly, using standardized psychological assessment instruments. Indicators from the use of psychological assessment tools were sought in elderly people over 60 years of age. Participants were sought in two housing conditions: a) Residents in Long-Term Institutions for the Elderly; b) residents in their homes. The institutionalized formed Group 1 (G1, n = 25), while elderly people living in their homes (G2, n = 25) formed Group 2 (comparison group), assessed by the following materials: sociodemographic questionnaire and Brazil\'s Economic Classification Criteria, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSS), Affect Scale (AS), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and Pfister\'s Colored Pyramids Test (PCPT). The instrument data were systematized according to the respective technical manuals. Descriptive and inferential analyzes were performed, comparing the means and effect size calculation (Student\'s t test, p0.05; Cohen\'s d) of G1 and G2 in numerical variables, or comparative analysis of the distribution of cases (chi-square, p0.05) and effect size (Cramers V). There were statistically significant differences between G1 and G2 in self-esteem (RSS), negative affects (affect scale) and indicators of logical functioning (PCPT). At PANAS there were no specific indicators for the groups evaluated. The institutionalized elderly showed lower self-esteem (mean RSS less), more negative affections (greater sum in negative emotions on affect scale) and greater emotional amplitude (wide chromatic formula in all cases on PCPT), suggesting specific markers in their affective dynamics. In logical terms, G1 needed more working time for activities (higher mean in total PCPT) and less abstract elaboration of stimuli (more carpets in PCPT). The comparison of the current findings with normative expectations for the elderly in the community showed that G1 and G2 elderly had lower results in terms of self-esteem and similar in positive and negative affections, predominating positive affectivity. In the PCPT the G2 elderly followed the normative references, but G1 showed differences in five of the 10 colors (blue, violet, yellow, brown and gray) and chromatic syndromes (stimulus and colorless), signaling greater withdrawal and anxiety. These findings pointed out specificities in the cognitive and emotional functioning of institutionalized elders, empirically attesting the relevance of housing conditions and social support in psychic organization at this stage of development. Further research on the complex network of variables associated with these particularities is necessary in the face of increasing numbers of elderly people in the population and in institutionalization