The New Directions in the Study of Alcohol group is a multi-disciplinary forum established in the mid-seventies for people interested in swapping ideas on all aspects of alcohol use and problem drinking. It organises an annual conference...
moreThe New Directions in the Study of Alcohol group is a multi-disciplinary forum established in the mid-seventies for people interested in swapping ideas on all aspects of alcohol use and problem drinking. It organises an annual conference and produces an annual publication: the journal. Members are encouraged to contribute to this journal! The content of contributions can be wide-ranging and could include for example early research findings, short case discussions, practical problems relating to treatment, prevention and training, news of local initiatives, letters, book reviews as well as conference papers. In short, any-thing which may be of interest to members and others in the field. As ever the success of the booklet depends on continuing support from members. SUBMISSIONS to the journal should be sent to the Editor: Dr Robin Davidson, Northern Ireland Centre for Clinical Oncology,
In this short study the relationship between recency discrimination ability and a measure of alcohol intake was examined using a series of regression analyses. Semi-partial correlations were extracted in order to evaluate which variables...
moreIn this short study the relationship between recency discrimination ability and a measure of alcohol intake was examined using a series of regression analyses. Semi-partial correlations were extracted in order to evaluate which variables (level of alcohol consumption, age and IQ) best predicted recency discrimination performance on both verbal and non-verbal tasks. Results showed that while IQ best predicted performance on the verbal task both IQ and alcohol intake were significant predictors on the non-verbal task. The results are discussed in relation to current findings and the continuity hypothesis.
This literature review will examine some of the recent work on addiction counselling and psychotherapy with the aim of informing decision-making about optimum deployment of counselling resources. It summarises the current literature on...
moreThis literature review will examine some of the recent work on addiction counselling and psychotherapy with the aim of informing decision-making about optimum deployment of counselling resources. It summarises the current literature on the efficacy of counselling in general mental health settings. Initially, however, it acknowledges some of the key issues which must be addressed in any counselling review
... Stockwell (1992) noted that perhaps the precise details of the model do not really matter much. ... London: Arnold. Davidson, R.(1991). Facilitating change in problem drinkers. In R. Davidson, S. Rollnick, & I. Mac-Ewan,...
more... Stockwell (1992) noted that perhaps the precise details of the model do not really matter much. ... London: Arnold. Davidson, R.(1991). Facilitating change in problem drinkers. In R. Davidson, S. Rollnick, & I. Mac-Ewan, I.(Eds.) Counselling problem drinkers. London: Routledge. ...
Many patients suffering from cancer make use of complementary therapies, with aromatherapy being a popular choice. Quantitative studies, using questionnaire data, have shown that aromatherapy may reduce psychological distress and enhance...
moreMany patients suffering from cancer make use of complementary therapies, with aromatherapy being a popular choice. Quantitative studies, using questionnaire data, have shown that aromatherapy may reduce psychological distress and enhance symptom control in cancer patients. However, little is known about the personal meanings patients associate with the therapy. This study explored the patients' experiences of aromatherapy using of a focus group interview. Eight themes emerged from the analysis, six of which have been acknowledged to some extent by previous authors: de-stressing effects of aromatherapy, the counselling role of the aromatherapist, aromatherapy as a reward, patient empowerment, communication through touch, and negative aspects of the service. Two apparently new themes emerged concerned with security of context (where the aromatherapy took place) and preconceived perceptions of the value of aromatherapy as a treatment of cancer patients. The implications of the find...
There has been considerable research on the prevalence and demographic profile of cancer patients who opt to supplement conventional therapies with the use of complementary therapy. There is rather less information on the personality and...
moreThere has been considerable research on the prevalence and demographic profile of cancer patients who opt to supplement conventional therapies with the use of complementary therapy. There is rather less information on the personality and adjustment variables associated with the decision to use complementary therapy. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the use of complementary therapies by cancer patients and their mental adjustment to cancer, recovery locus of control, life orientation and psychopathology. Two groups were drawn from a regional centre which provides both conventional and complementary cancer treatments. Participants in Group 1 (n = 61) opted for complementary therapies in addition to conventional treatments for cancer, while participants in Group 2 (n = 56), chose conventional treatment only. All participants completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (MAC), the Recovery Locus of Control Scale (RLOC), the life orientation test (LOT), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Information regarding demographic details and patients' motivation for the use of complementary therapy was also collected. Those people who chose complementary therapy demonstrated a mental adjustment to cancer which is characterised by significantly higher levels of fighting spirit and anxious preoccupation. This group had also a higher internal recovery locus of control than those receiving conventional treatment alone. There were no significant differences between the groups on life orientation or psychopathology. The findings of this study do not support the argument that the use of complementary therapy is associated with higher levels of psychopathology and distress. However, the data do indicate that for some patients the use of complementary therapy fulfils an important psychological need. The finding that psychosocial variables like fighting spirit and locus of control may impact on an individual's therapeutic choice can assist clinicians in tailoring interventions to personality and adjustment characteristics.
Appropriate information, offered at the right time, has been recognised as a key factor in enabling patients to cope with a diagnosis of cancer. This paper describes the sources of information that are currently being utilised by patients...
moreAppropriate information, offered at the right time, has been recognised as a key factor in enabling patients to cope with a diagnosis of cancer. This paper describes the sources of information that are currently being utilised by patients and the perceived quality of these sources. A sample of 430 patients were asked to indicate on a series of Likert scales their views of 19 commonly available sources of information. The most frequently cited sources of information were the hospital consultant, General Practitioner, chemotherapy/radiotherapy staff, ward staff and family/friends. It is of interest that the internet was only used by under 10% of patients. The source that scored the highest in terms of quality of information was the specialist/Macmillan nurses. GPs and written material scored poorly in terms of quality of information. The relationship between information and sources, gender, age and diagnosis was also examined. Age was found to have the greatest influence on the perceived quality of information and the frequency of its use. The paper concludes that there is a need for improvement in the provision of information by the primary health care team. The issue of the quality of written information available for patients requires further investigation to identify the type of written material used. Furthermore, family/friends should be recognised as important sources of information to many patients. Finally, there is a need for more specialist nurses, as they are clearly the preferred source of information for the majority of cancer patients.
The development of the alcohol dependence syndrome and its inclusion in the International Classification of Diseases in January 1979 led to a demand for brief, easy-to-administer screening questionnaires explicitly based on the syndrome....
moreThe development of the alcohol dependence syndrome and its inclusion in the International Classification of Diseases in January 1979 led to a demand for brief, easy-to-administer screening questionnaires explicitly based on the syndrome. The present review considers some of the conceptual, methodological and psychometric problems faced by the authors of such questionnaires. The five major self-report scales which have been published since 1979 are critically appraised and the usefulness of each scale for different populations and contexts is noted.
The Editors would like to thank the following panel of Reviewers for their help in assessing articles submitted during 1987. ... Steve Baldwin Ian Bennun Max Birchwood Ivy Blackburn Roger Blunden Judy Burgess Janet Carr David Clarke John...
moreThe Editors would like to thank the following panel of Reviewers for their help in assessing articles submitted during 1987. ... Steve Baldwin Ian Bennun Max Birchwood Ivy Blackburn Roger Blunden Judy Burgess Janet Carr David Clarke John Clements Mandy Cole Margaret Cormack Chris Cullen Robin Davidson James Dent Pat Dignam Patricia Donnelly Jonquil Drinkwater Colin Elliott Nick Ellis David Felce Julian Fuller Rod Gentry Mike Glossop Chris Gathercole Dick Hallam Steve Hobbs Ray Hodgson James Hogg Clive Hollin ... Jack James Chris Kiernan ...
In this short study the relationship between recency discrimination ability and a measure of alcohol intake was examined using a series of regression analyses. Semi-partial correlations were extracted in order to evaluate which variables...
moreIn this short study the relationship between recency discrimination ability and a measure of alcohol intake was examined using a series of regression analyses. Semi-partial correlations were extracted in order to evaluate which variables (level of alcohol consumption, age and IQ) best predicted recency discrimination performance on both verbal and non-verbal tasks. Results showed that while IQ best predicted performance on the verbal task both IQ and alcohol intake were significant predictors on the non-verbal task. The results are discussed in relation to current findings and the continuity hypothesis.
SELECTING AND PLANNING INTERVENTIONS Substance Abuse Treatment and the Stages of Change GERARD J, CONNORS DENNIS M, DONOVAN CARLO C, DiCLEMENTE ... SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AND THE STAGES OF CHANGE This One SGLL-OQR-8ROS