- Email: [email protected]
Rehabilitation of memory
BOOK REVIEWS
193
S. J. E. LINDSAY and G. E. POWELL (Eds): A Handbook of Clinical Adult Psychology. Gower. Aldershot xviii + 800. f65.00.
(1987). Pages
This substantial handbook covers the following topics: obsessions and compulsions. depression. fears and anxiety, sexual dysfunction, social behaviour, marital dysfunction, schizophrenia, sexual variation. addictions, the elderly. rehabilitation, personality, eating disorders, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, sleep difficulties, chronic pain. neurological problems, forensic psychology and experimental methodology. Two chapters are devoted to most of these topics, one on investigation and one on treatment. The editors lay the foundation of the book in two introductory chapters on assessment and treatment, respectively, from which they emerge as pragmatists and as strong proponents of single-case experimental methodology. These chapters, however, convey the impression of clinical psychology as a praxiology rather than a scientific discipline, an impression which is reinforced throughout the book by comments such as “Whatever method is used successfully to treat and manage fear there is much dispute about what contributes to that success.. but unfortunately an assessment of these issues is beyond the scope of this review. This discussion will be limited to the implementation of systematic desensitisation, flooding. graded in ciao exposure, modelling and factors which influence the success of those procedures” (Lindsay, p. 162). Notwithstanding this unnecessary and undesirable restriction on the scope of the book one is presented with a wealth of authoritative, up-to-date reviews which are likely to be of interest to both student and practitioner. A problem which I have great difficulty in answering is whether a book such as this is the best format for review articles. The book certainly scores on range of coverage, whereas the journal format may have the advantage in terms of being up to the minute. Perhaps you should pay your f65 and decide for yourself as long as you have no objection to the fact that the selection of authors by the editors suggests that psychological expertise, like wealth, is concentrated in the South East of England. Dot_or.~s
FRASER
G. C. DAVISON and J. M. NEALE: Abnormal Psychology: an E.rperimenral Clinical Approach, 4th edn. Wiley. Sew York (1986). Pages xxx + 699. f37.30. This is the fourth edition of this immensely readable and popular encyclopaedia of abnormal and applied clinical psychology. The authors have made a serious attempt to update and improve their work, inviting comments from all their past readership. It works. The biggest improvement has been the inclusion of the Diagnosric and SIatistical .Manuals of 1980 vs 1968 in the back endpapers of the book for easy and immediate reference. The first section of the book is devoted to the introduction of basic issues, paradigms. classifications etc. The second section covers emotional disorders and reactions to stress. The third deals with social problems. with a substantial emphasis on psychosexual disorders. The fourth covers the schizophrenias; the fifth. the developmental disorders; and the sixth, intervention. This layout gives the impression that therapeutic considerations are a small and late appendix to the text. In fact the entire book is written from a clinical,‘experimental perspective. Therapy models and perspectives are derived from p. I, and the symbiosis of experimental and clinical research yields a rich and thought-provoking text for all students. The behaviour therapies are dealt with historically and presented alongside other paradigms, and are all the more authentic because of it. But best of all, this book is written by people who know how to communicate all that is live and interesting about psychology. This is the sort of book 1 should love to give any aspirant graduate in clinical psychology, and then find myself plagiarizing great chunks of it for teaching and presentations across disciplines. The layout and visual materials are second to none, and I just w-ish we had had such an elegant starter text when I began my postgraduate training. Expensive. but recommended. PATRICIA D’ARDENNE
BARBARA A. WILSOH: Rehabilitation of Memory. Guilford
Press, London
(1987). Pages xii + 259. f 19.95.
This excellent book reviews attempts to rehabilitate patients with mild-to-severe memory impairment in terms of the literature as well as the author’s own detailed studies. Following an introductory chapter, the book is divided into two main sections-the first discusses the theoretical foundations of rehabilitation studies, and the second considers the actual studies themselves. Wilson makes a powerful case that three branches of psychology provide fruitful starting points for rehabilitative studies-neuropsychology, cognitive psychology and behavioural psychology. Her review of the principal findings in neuropsychology and cognitive psychology steps through this minefield with balance and fairness, and is clearly and concisely written. Her discussion of behavioural psychology emphasizes assessment, treatment strategies and the value of single-case design. The review of rehabilitative studies begins with an account of the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test as an assessment procedure. It then proceeds to discuss, in turn, techniques employing imagery as a mnemonic device, various cueing and rehearsal procedures, the potential usefulness of phonetics in cases of dyslexia where the disorder is perceptually based, a PRQST (Preview Read Question State Test) procedure for recall of prose passages, and techniques which require making up stories or imagining objects in loci to recall lists of words. In addition, Wilson reports group studies looking at the effect of visual imagery in amnesic patients of differing severity, and comparing the effects of different strategies. This brief
BOOKREVIEWS
194
synopsis does scant justice to the descriptive richness of her account of her studies. Two points are to be particularly commended: first, Wilson is refreshingly willing to acknowledge the limitations and failures in her rehabilitative experiments; secondly, she draws attention to the very interesting theoretical questions which her successes pose (although I would quibble with a theoretical interpretation made on p. 146). It by no means undermines the theoretical rationale of the author’s strategies to point out that very evident in her case descriptions is the immensely patient and caring attention which her patients have obviously received, and which may have facilitated the success of some of the strategies. In her concluding chapter, Wilson emphasizes the importance of a cost-benefit analysis in reviewing the usefulness and best means of applying her techniques. An earlier book by Wilson and Moffat outlined the territory. but that edited venture was rather uneven and repetitive. This book is the definitive volume, immensely better written and much more detailed. Relative to the immense literature on theoretical aspecrs of amnesia. the literature on rehabj~itat~on. though growing, remains paltry. As a guide to present knowledge and a pointer to future directions for development, this book is highly recommended. MWDWEL KOPELMAX
T. CARNWATH and D. MILLER: Behaaioural Psychotherapy in Primary Care: a Practice Manual. Academic Press, London (1986). Pages xii + 403. f39.00; $69.95.
This book is intended as a manual for the variety of professionals now working in primary care. It aims to give them clear and practical guidiincs on the behavioural assessment and treatment of a common range of problems. The authors are positive about the relative utitity of bekavioural psychotherapy and wish to foster its application. The book consists of sections on ‘principles’ and ‘practice’ (10 chapters each). The former consists of a chapter on bekavioural analysis, followed by nine dealing with general therapeutic strategies (relaxation, problem-solving, social skills, exposure etc). Section 2 then applies these principles to the more common problems faced in primary care. These range from the traditional foci of anxiety, depression and sexual dysfunction, through to the more recent interests in behavioural medicine, illness bekaviour and the addictions. In general terms the book does indeed approximate to a viable manual. There are many flow-charts to clarify models and assist clinical decision-making. Guidelines and tables are provided to facilitate both assessment and treatment, while sample self-monitoring sheets and suggestions on a variety of relevant questionnaires are presented to aid assessment. The language is clear and the references are kept to a minimum, facilitating reading. In sum, the book is a rare and valuable resource, not just for the primary care team but also for trainee and practising clinical psychologists.
Swess Disorder, Rape Trauma, Delayed Stress and ReLred Conditions: a Bibliugraphy, with a Directory of Veterans Outreach Programs. McFarland, Jefferson, North Carolina (I 986). Pages iv + 204. D. c. PKQUETand R. A. BEST: Post-Trawnaric E29.95. Readers encountering individual victims or planning research into the effects of traumatic events might find this bibliography useful although a computerized literature search might serve these purposes equally well at less cost. Its scope is wide. entering into major topics such as anxiety and depression without being over-inclusive. It covers non-American literature although the great majority of the citations are American, many dealing with the problems of the post-Vietnam veterans. I found the Subject Index, vital in gaining access to a list of almost 2000 references, disappointing. There tend to be a few major subject caregories such as ‘treatment’ with about 200 citations, and minor subjects-especialfy the names of specific disasters-with very fewI. There is no ‘behaviour therapy’ or a ‘psychotherapy’ subject. Indeed f lost faith in the Index when within the ‘treatment’ beading I discovered two of the three American Diarrrsostica~~~~a~~r~ca~.Wam&s. s :iven this criticism, the bibliography would & less helpful to a reader with little previous knowledge.
ROBERT
J.
EDELMANN: The Psychology of _Embarrassment.
Wiley, Chichester (1987). Pages x f 224. f24.50.
‘“Blushing is the most peculiar and most human of human expressions”, wrote Darwin in 1873. And for Robert Melmann blushing also turns out to form the critical centrat concept for the modem anatomy of embarrassment. This clear and succinct research monograph is best considered an anatomy because, as Mebnann says, his aim is to ‘unpack’ ideas around embarrassment and by the process of dissection and fabehing to come to a useful understanding.
193
S. J. E. LINDSAY and G. E. POWELL (Eds): A Handbook of Clinical Adult Psychology. Gower. Aldershot xviii + 800. f65.00.
(1987). Pages
This substantial handbook covers the following topics: obsessions and compulsions. depression. fears and anxiety, sexual dysfunction, social behaviour, marital dysfunction, schizophrenia, sexual variation. addictions, the elderly. rehabilitation, personality, eating disorders, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, sleep difficulties, chronic pain. neurological problems, forensic psychology and experimental methodology. Two chapters are devoted to most of these topics, one on investigation and one on treatment. The editors lay the foundation of the book in two introductory chapters on assessment and treatment, respectively, from which they emerge as pragmatists and as strong proponents of single-case experimental methodology. These chapters, however, convey the impression of clinical psychology as a praxiology rather than a scientific discipline, an impression which is reinforced throughout the book by comments such as “Whatever method is used successfully to treat and manage fear there is much dispute about what contributes to that success.. but unfortunately an assessment of these issues is beyond the scope of this review. This discussion will be limited to the implementation of systematic desensitisation, flooding. graded in ciao exposure, modelling and factors which influence the success of those procedures” (Lindsay, p. 162). Notwithstanding this unnecessary and undesirable restriction on the scope of the book one is presented with a wealth of authoritative, up-to-date reviews which are likely to be of interest to both student and practitioner. A problem which I have great difficulty in answering is whether a book such as this is the best format for review articles. The book certainly scores on range of coverage, whereas the journal format may have the advantage in terms of being up to the minute. Perhaps you should pay your f65 and decide for yourself as long as you have no objection to the fact that the selection of authors by the editors suggests that psychological expertise, like wealth, is concentrated in the South East of England. Dot_or.~s
FRASER
G. C. DAVISON and J. M. NEALE: Abnormal Psychology: an E.rperimenral Clinical Approach, 4th edn. Wiley. Sew York (1986). Pages xxx + 699. f37.30. This is the fourth edition of this immensely readable and popular encyclopaedia of abnormal and applied clinical psychology. The authors have made a serious attempt to update and improve their work, inviting comments from all their past readership. It works. The biggest improvement has been the inclusion of the Diagnosric and SIatistical .Manuals of 1980 vs 1968 in the back endpapers of the book for easy and immediate reference. The first section of the book is devoted to the introduction of basic issues, paradigms. classifications etc. The second section covers emotional disorders and reactions to stress. The third deals with social problems. with a substantial emphasis on psychosexual disorders. The fourth covers the schizophrenias; the fifth. the developmental disorders; and the sixth, intervention. This layout gives the impression that therapeutic considerations are a small and late appendix to the text. In fact the entire book is written from a clinical,‘experimental perspective. Therapy models and perspectives are derived from p. I, and the symbiosis of experimental and clinical research yields a rich and thought-provoking text for all students. The behaviour therapies are dealt with historically and presented alongside other paradigms, and are all the more authentic because of it. But best of all, this book is written by people who know how to communicate all that is live and interesting about psychology. This is the sort of book 1 should love to give any aspirant graduate in clinical psychology, and then find myself plagiarizing great chunks of it for teaching and presentations across disciplines. The layout and visual materials are second to none, and I just w-ish we had had such an elegant starter text when I began my postgraduate training. Expensive. but recommended. PATRICIA D’ARDENNE
BARBARA A. WILSOH: Rehabilitation of Memory. Guilford
Press, London
(1987). Pages xii + 259. f 19.95.
This excellent book reviews attempts to rehabilitate patients with mild-to-severe memory impairment in terms of the literature as well as the author’s own detailed studies. Following an introductory chapter, the book is divided into two main sections-the first discusses the theoretical foundations of rehabilitation studies, and the second considers the actual studies themselves. Wilson makes a powerful case that three branches of psychology provide fruitful starting points for rehabilitative studies-neuropsychology, cognitive psychology and behavioural psychology. Her review of the principal findings in neuropsychology and cognitive psychology steps through this minefield with balance and fairness, and is clearly and concisely written. Her discussion of behavioural psychology emphasizes assessment, treatment strategies and the value of single-case design. The review of rehabilitative studies begins with an account of the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test as an assessment procedure. It then proceeds to discuss, in turn, techniques employing imagery as a mnemonic device, various cueing and rehearsal procedures, the potential usefulness of phonetics in cases of dyslexia where the disorder is perceptually based, a PRQST (Preview Read Question State Test) procedure for recall of prose passages, and techniques which require making up stories or imagining objects in loci to recall lists of words. In addition, Wilson reports group studies looking at the effect of visual imagery in amnesic patients of differing severity, and comparing the effects of different strategies. This brief
BOOKREVIEWS
194
synopsis does scant justice to the descriptive richness of her account of her studies. Two points are to be particularly commended: first, Wilson is refreshingly willing to acknowledge the limitations and failures in her rehabilitative experiments; secondly, she draws attention to the very interesting theoretical questions which her successes pose (although I would quibble with a theoretical interpretation made on p. 146). It by no means undermines the theoretical rationale of the author’s strategies to point out that very evident in her case descriptions is the immensely patient and caring attention which her patients have obviously received, and which may have facilitated the success of some of the strategies. In her concluding chapter, Wilson emphasizes the importance of a cost-benefit analysis in reviewing the usefulness and best means of applying her techniques. An earlier book by Wilson and Moffat outlined the territory. but that edited venture was rather uneven and repetitive. This book is the definitive volume, immensely better written and much more detailed. Relative to the immense literature on theoretical aspecrs of amnesia. the literature on rehabj~itat~on. though growing, remains paltry. As a guide to present knowledge and a pointer to future directions for development, this book is highly recommended. MWDWEL KOPELMAX
T. CARNWATH and D. MILLER: Behaaioural Psychotherapy in Primary Care: a Practice Manual. Academic Press, London (1986). Pages xii + 403. f39.00; $69.95.
This book is intended as a manual for the variety of professionals now working in primary care. It aims to give them clear and practical guidiincs on the behavioural assessment and treatment of a common range of problems. The authors are positive about the relative utitity of bekavioural psychotherapy and wish to foster its application. The book consists of sections on ‘principles’ and ‘practice’ (10 chapters each). The former consists of a chapter on bekavioural analysis, followed by nine dealing with general therapeutic strategies (relaxation, problem-solving, social skills, exposure etc). Section 2 then applies these principles to the more common problems faced in primary care. These range from the traditional foci of anxiety, depression and sexual dysfunction, through to the more recent interests in behavioural medicine, illness bekaviour and the addictions. In general terms the book does indeed approximate to a viable manual. There are many flow-charts to clarify models and assist clinical decision-making. Guidelines and tables are provided to facilitate both assessment and treatment, while sample self-monitoring sheets and suggestions on a variety of relevant questionnaires are presented to aid assessment. The language is clear and the references are kept to a minimum, facilitating reading. In sum, the book is a rare and valuable resource, not just for the primary care team but also for trainee and practising clinical psychologists.
Swess Disorder, Rape Trauma, Delayed Stress and ReLred Conditions: a Bibliugraphy, with a Directory of Veterans Outreach Programs. McFarland, Jefferson, North Carolina (I 986). Pages iv + 204. D. c. PKQUETand R. A. BEST: Post-Trawnaric E29.95. Readers encountering individual victims or planning research into the effects of traumatic events might find this bibliography useful although a computerized literature search might serve these purposes equally well at less cost. Its scope is wide. entering into major topics such as anxiety and depression without being over-inclusive. It covers non-American literature although the great majority of the citations are American, many dealing with the problems of the post-Vietnam veterans. I found the Subject Index, vital in gaining access to a list of almost 2000 references, disappointing. There tend to be a few major subject caregories such as ‘treatment’ with about 200 citations, and minor subjects-especialfy the names of specific disasters-with very fewI. There is no ‘behaviour therapy’ or a ‘psychotherapy’ subject. Indeed f lost faith in the Index when within the ‘treatment’ beading I discovered two of the three American Diarrrsostica~~~~a~~r~ca~.Wam&s. s :iven this criticism, the bibliography would & less helpful to a reader with little previous knowledge.
ROBERT
J.
EDELMANN: The Psychology of _Embarrassment.
Wiley, Chichester (1987). Pages x f 224. f24.50.
‘“Blushing is the most peculiar and most human of human expressions”, wrote Darwin in 1873. And for Robert Melmann blushing also turns out to form the critical centrat concept for the modem anatomy of embarrassment. This clear and succinct research monograph is best considered an anatomy because, as Mebnann says, his aim is to ‘unpack’ ideas around embarrassment and by the process of dissection and fabehing to come to a useful understanding.