The Effects of Obesity on the Clinical Judgments of Mental Health Professionals

1985 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura M. Young ◽  
Brian Powell
1969 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 915-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne R. Bartz

20 volunteers from each of the 3 major mental health professions made clinical judgments of the presence or absence of “rigidity” in 16 case histories. The histories contained all possible combinations of 4 literature-identified aspects of rigidity. The results indicate that rigidity is considered present when an individual shows 2 or more of the following: failure to adapt to changing situations, involuntary repetition of responses, emotional-intellectual suppression. If he experiences stress, anxiety, or insecurity, rigidity is contra-indicated. Considering the differences between such clinical views of rigidity and those incorporated in most laboratory research, it is suggested that attempts be made to demonstrate predictive validity of the clinical concept.


2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane R. Follingstad ◽  
Dana D. DeHart ◽  
Eric P. Green

Research literature suggests that clinical judgments of men’s versus women’s behavior and symptoms typically rate the men as more pathological and dangerous. To determine whether this view would extend to assessments of psychologically aggressive actions, two separate versions of a survey listing potentially psychologically abusive behaviors perpetrated by either a wife toward her husband or the identical actions perpetrated by a husband toward his wife were sent to a nationwide sampling of practicing psychologists. Results indicated that psychologists, irrespective of demographics, rated the husband’s behavior as more likely to be psychologically abusive and more severe in nature than the wife’s use of the same actions. Psychologists did not differentially rely on any of the three contextual factors (i.e., frequency/duration, intent of the perpetrator, and perception of the recipient) to influence their determination that a behavior was “psychological abuse” dependent upon whether the initiator of the psychological actions was the husband or the wife. Future research could assess more directly the rationale for the psychologists’ differing views of male versus female behavior. In addition, more normative information is needed to inform mental health professionals as to the prevalence and severity of psychologically aggressive actions in the general population.


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