Canadian Psychology

Les fonctions exécutives chez l'enfant: Concepts et développement. / Executive functions of infants: Developmental concepts.
While executive functions were long considered a mysterious entity, manifested only from adolescence, it has now been well established that these functions involve a multitude of processes and that the first forms of thought and action control appear at a very early stage of development. Paradoxically, the large number of studies on development of executive functions make it difficult to draw a coherent picture. The author closely examines these studies in pursuit of two principal objectives. First, he seeks to set out the different concepts that appear within the studies, especially by positioning executive functions in relation to working memory and attention. Then he sets out to reveal the main lines of the development of inhibition, the maintenance and updating of working memory and of cognitive flexibility. Some of the factors that promote or restrict this development are also underlined. At the end of this analysis, some new paths for research are suggested in the quest for better understanding of the nature of the links between the different executive functions and their development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Assessing the research activity of Canadian psychology departments with graduate programmes.
The present study sought to provide a comprehensive assessment of the recent research activities within and across all Canadian psychology departments with graduate programmes. The quantity and quality of each department's research activity were measured by peer-reviewed article publication count and citation indexing of those publications, respectively. Each institution's h-factor was provided as a supplementary index of research industriousness. An additional index of change in research activity over time—the slope—was also provided. Data were assessed from 1900–2008 as well as for 5-year time spans from 1994–1998, 1999–2003, and 2004–2008. Overall, results indicated that the most recent 5 years have seen a significant increase in article publications across departments. More comprehensive results of the relative comparability of departments are included. Implications for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Psychology graduate student training in developmental disability: A Canadian survey.
Psychology graduate student training in developmental disability has received very little attention in North America, and no study has examined the state of training for clinical and counselling psychologists in Canada, despite their involvement in the controlled act of diagnosis and their use of standardised instruments used regularly with this population. This study sought to examine psychology graduate student training in the area of developmental disability across Canada. We invited students from every Canadian Psychological Association accredited Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Counselling Psychology program to participate in an online survey, distributed through university email lists. Three hundred and three students reported on the developmental disability content within their training and coursework, their perception of the adequacy of that content, and their ideas for program improvement. Results indicated that the majority of students believed it important to have training in developmental disability, yet struggled to obtain adequate didactic and experiential opportunities. The lack of sufficient training was most pronounced for students whose training was adult-focused, but was also high for students with a life span or child focus. We discuss different possibilities for increasing developmental disability training opportunities, including integrating its content within courses on assessment and diagnosis, psychotherapy, and ethics, and providing students with supervision from psychologists who work with this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Intellectual disabilities and depression: How to adapt psychological assessment and intervention.
Persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at higher risk of developing a depressive disorder than are members of the general population. This article attempts to answer the question of how best to adapt psychological assessment and intervention for depressive disorder to the needs of adults with ID. Current knowledge suggests that a diagnostic assessment conducted by a multidisciplinary team is the best way to evaluate the influence of biological and psychosocial factors that may contribute to the development of depressive symptoms, and identify potential differential diagnoses. The greater the person's communication and cognitive deficits are, the greater the clinician's difficulties are in assessing and treating depressive disorder in persons with ID. Family and caregivers of such persons are therefore essential partners in assessment and therapeutic process. The recommended interventions are education, skill development, environment modification, and cognitive and behavioural therapy. All of these must, however, be adapted to the person's level of functioning. While the use of antidepressants may prove necessary, side effects must be carefully monitored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
La consultation: Un rôle professionnel à mieux définir. / Consultation: The role of the professional better defined.
There are currently increasing requests for psychologists to provide “consultation” services to their peers, other professionals (ex., physicians, social workers, school teachers) or community services (ex., school, community agencies, mental health services, mass-medias). However, so far, there are few empirical works systematically aiming at defining the character of that professional activity and consultation may still be confused with the competency of intervention in the field of clinical psychology. This article aims at defining “consultation” as a specific professional activity, presenting the models of consultation and exploring clinical examples of consultation. Then, practical, ethical and training considerations related to “consultation” activities are discussed and some recommendations are provided, based on available literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Training graduate students to be clinical supervisors: A survey of Canadian professional psychology programmes.
Recognising the need for training in clinical supervision, the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) requires that accredited professional psychology programmes offer graduate students training in supervision. To fill a gap in the existing supervision literature, we surveyed training directors (or designates) of CPA accredited clinical and counselling programmes to understand how this training standard is currently being met in the area of clinical supervision. Responses were obtained from 20 of 28 programmes (71.4% response rate). Approximately 50% of respondents indicated that their programmes required some coursework related to clinical supervision, with wide variability, however, in the number of hours of coursework provided to students (range 3 to 39). Most courses included lectures and group discussion, but also often provided students with practical experience in clinical supervision provision. Only 25% of programmes required a practicum in which students gained experience in clinically supervising other students, although an additional 40% of programmes offered an elective practicum in which students gained some training in clinical supervision. Most programmes (~71%) identified strategies for improving training in clinical supervision (e.g., improving course work, requiring practical experience), but also identified challenges to offering clinical supervision training (e.g., availability of skilled supervisors, insufficient time to devote to supervision, student competency). Based on the findings, we offer some recommendations for how training in clinical supervision could be improved in Canadian professional psychology programmes as well as describe some important directions for future research in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of Performance psychology in action: A casebook for working with athletes, performing artists, business leaders, and professionals in high-risk occupations.
Reviews the book, Performance psychology in action: A casebook for working with athletes, performing artists, business leaders, and professionals in high-risk occupations edited by Kate F. Hays (see record 2009-05799-000). Kate Hays has accomplished an admirable task in bringing together a collective of prominent performance practitioners to illustrate the diverse applications of performance psychology. Drawing on specific client examples from across a variety of performance domains, the authors use a case study approach to illustrate the process of helping clients work through a range of performance issues. In doing so, the book offers its readers the privileged opportunity of being a fly on the wall, placing them in the room with the performance practitioners and their clients. In addition, readers also benefit from the running commentary offered by each of the authors as they elaborate on their client assessments and chosen courses of action. In terms of scope, the book explores four performance domains: sports, performing arts, business, and high-risk occupations. The book is practical in nature, providing a snapshot of the practise of performance psychology. I would not, however, call this a “how-to” book. Rather, it is an illustration of how one can apply the principles of performance psychology when working with a varied clientele. Regarding its place in an academic setting, I would recommend that the book be used as a companion to texts that are more heavily weighted in theory and research. Paired with such texts, this book could serve to bridge the science–practise gap and also to demystify the intervention process for psychology students. Because the book presumes prior knowledge of therapeutic principles, it may be more suited to practitioners who are curious about performance psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Revue de L’évaluation des psychothérapies et de la psychanalyse: fondements et enjeux. / Review of The evaluation of psychotherapies and psychoanalysis: Foundations and issues.
Reviews the book, L’évaluation des psychothérapies et de la psychanalyse: fondements et enjeux (The evaluation of psychotherapies and psychoanalysis: Foundations and issues) by Georges Fischman (2009). This collective book was written following an epistemology seminar directed by Dr. Fischman. This seminar, held at the Sainte-Anne hospital in Paris, gathered a group of experts in order to discuss the issue of psychotherapy assessment, with a particular focus on psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of Psychology: Pythagoras to present.
Reviews the book, Psychology: Pythagoras to present by John C. Malone (see record 2009-06783-000). This book has a very ambitious agenda, announced in its title: to trace the history of psychology from Pythagoras to the present. The book is thus a good introduction to the standard history of psychology for those new to the discipline. Overall, the book provides an interesting overview of the standard history of psychology, with many nuances not found in basic history of psychology textbooks. It must be said, however, that the specialist will find that the book lacks fine-grained detail in some chapters. Although some key debates in the history of science are discussed in the opening chapter, the author could have draw more extensively on that literature. Despite this complaint, one of the strengths of the book is that Malone makes a serious effort to dispel misconceptions about founding figures in psychology. The strength of this book is clearly as a history written for young scholars entering the discipline today. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of Suicidal behavior.
Reviews the book, Suicidal behavior by Richard McKeon (see record 2009-04175-000). In Suicidal behavior, clinical psychologist and suicidologist Richard McKeon addresses the issue of suicide and its prevention and provides relevant pragmatic clinical assessment and treatment recommendations. This text comprises nine sections, including an introduction to the topic of suicidal behavior, brief overviews of relevant selected theories, risk assessment and treatment planning, description of treatment issues, case information, and clinical resources. Also included are useful figures and tables, “clinical vignettes,” and helpful “clinical pearls” summarizing key information for clinicians working with suicidal individuals. Although this text could be useful to all clinicians, those who are more experienced in working with suicidal clients, or whose psychotherapy practices tend toward the more interpersonal, psychodynamic, experiential, or humanistic-existential, might find it less helpful than would more cognitively oriented therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, sixth edition.
Reviews the book, Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, sixth edition (see record 2009-16118-000). The question for all of the likely buyers really boils down to, “Is it worth the money to buy the manual or the time to learn the new publication style?” Generally speaking, I think that the answer is “Yes.” Overall, the changes are definitely for the better, and should provide a much smoother introduction to the process of research writing for students and others new to publishing in psychology and other behavioural sciences. There are also web-based resources, both for neophytes and for seasoned veterans, to learn the current APA publication style. These resources can be used without purchasing the publication manual, but they are not a substitute for having the manual available as a guide. For anyone familiar with previous editions of the publication manual, there are at least four changes in the new edition that will be immediately evident. First, it is half the size of the fifth edition. This is due to streamlining the content and use of web pages for some content that is likely to be frequently updated. Second, the content of the manual has been reorganized to better reflect the process of manuscript creation, submission, and publication. The manual starts with material on how to present scientific information, the ethical and legal aspects of research and publication, and standards for reporting information. Subsequent chapters deal, sequentially, with writing a manuscript, presenting results, referencing, and the process of publication. Third, the popular feature of sample types of articles now appears very early in the book, with details on how to format each type of article appearing in subsequent chapters. Fourth, there is a greater integration of material on a given topic than was previously the case. Unlike previous editions, everything you need to know about producing tables, for example, is now found in one (and only one) place. There are a number of other changes that will be appreciated by many readers. For example, in recognition of the fact that the publication guide is used by disciplines in the behavioural sciences other than psychology (including business and education), there is a deliberate effort to include details and examples that go beyond the scope of psychology. All in all, then, this is a valuable and timely updating of the guide to APA style. For those entering the realms of reading, writing, and publishing behavioural science research, it is a clear guide that is organised in a useful and logical manner. For those already well versed in APA style, the modifications should make life (at least publication-related aspects of life) somewhat simpler because of improved organisation and coverage of key style elements such as abbreviations and references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Review of Aging and cognition: Research methodologies and empirical advances.
Reviews the book, Aging and cognition: Research methodologies and empirical advances edited by Hayden B. Bosworth and Christopher Hertzog (see record 2009-08050-000). This book selectively summarises the latest methodological developments, broadly reviews recent empirical findings, and briefly describes the implications and challenges in the application of research findings in the area of adult development and aging. The first part of the book covers some methodological issues in research of human development and aging. The second part of the book reviews the empirical advances in cognitive, social, and psychological development across adulthood. The third part discusses the possible application of research findings to everyday cognition in an applied setting, taking medication use as an example. Although the book tries to present an integrated view, the breadth and diversity of the coverage make it a difficult and almost impossible task. As a result, the chapters are organised in such a framework that they look more like presentations in a conference proceeding. The positive side of this approach is that each chapter could stand alone as a complete review or research article; therefore, each specifically benefits those with the same research interests. Readers could easily get a quick update on the findings and developments in a specific area by selectively focusing on relevant chapters. However, this approach also has limitations. The coherence and integrity of the whole book are certainly compromised. The chapters may look disconnected from each other. Nevertheless, despite the limitations noted above, the book reports some cutting-edge methodological and empirical issues in the research of aging and cognition. The new and inspiring perspectives provided make it an informative guide for well-trained graduate students and established researchers in related research areas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne - Vol 51, Iss 3