A new interview based clinical rating scale for use with eating disordered patients is described. Two preliminary studies of interrater reliability gave satisfactory results. The Clinical Eating Disorders Rating Instrument (CEDRI) is offered as a possible tool for both clinical and research use.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological methods on the group treatment of insomnia. Assessments were administered on measures of general and physical health, symptoms associated with anxiety and benzodiazepine usage and specific measures related to sleep pre-and posttreatment, and at a one year follow up. Fifteen patients were referred from GPs in one practice, and were sequentially assigned into three groups. Treatment took the form of 11 to 13 sessions of weekly group therapy. The group treatment consisted of (1) cognitive-behavioural strategies, including sleep monitoring, stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, problem solving, anxiety management and progressive relaxation; (2) sleep education; (3) gradual drug withdrawal. The results indicated that immediate post-treatment improvements on measures of general health, symptom reduction, reduction of hypnotic-sedative medication, and on the quantity and quality of sleep were maintained after an interval of one year after treatment. Insomnia was less severe, less frequent, of shorter duration and more easily managed. However, there were no improvements on measures aimed to assess general coping strategies nor on measures of sleep maintenance insomnia between the three periods. The findings and implications for future research in this area are discussed.

No abstract

The effect of sex-typed labelling of a task on the performance of 11-, 13-and 16-year-old children was studied. To investigate whether labelling had a direct influence on performance a perceptual-motor task was labelled as either needlework (female-appropriate) or electronics (male-appropriate). The results indicated that children perform better at tasks labelled as sex-appropriate than those labelled as sex-inappropriate.Considerable research has been carried out on gender differences in various achievement areas, [see, for example, Maccoby's (1966) review]. Both cognitive developmental theorists, such as Kagan (1964). and schema theorists, e.g. Bern (1981). focus on active constructive cognitive processes in explaining gender differences in areas of achievement. Bem (1981) described a gender schema as being a cognitive structure consisting of a set of sex-role expectations that direct and organize perception. According to this theory information is more readily selected and received if it is gender-role consistent. Further, children should be more highly motivated to master tasks perceived as gender-appropriate than those viewed as representative of the opposite sex. Several studies, e.g. Stein er al. (1971). Helper & Quinlivan (1973) and Montemayor (1974). demonstrate that gender role influences children's attraction to and preference for tasks, their self-perceived confidence at tasks, and their concern to try hard and do well at tasks stereotypically associated with their own sex. Journal of Social Psychology, 24. 153-155. Psychology, 8. 142. preferences. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 119, 133-136. Differences. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Child Development, 45. 152-156. achievement behaviour, expectancies of success, and attainment values. Child Development, 42, 195-207. Child Development. 49. 126&1269.

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a multiple treatment approach to the group treatment of hypnotic and non-hypnotic taking insomniacs. Twenty subjects sequentially assigned into four groups attended weekly group therapy over a period of 11-13 weeks. Pre-and post-treatment comparisons indicated an overall improvement of the total sample on measures of general health, benzodiazepine related symptom reduction, reduction from hypnotic sedative medication as well as on measures of the quality and quantity of sleep. Overall there was a marked similarity between hypnotic and non-hypnotic users on the measures both before and after treatment. Psychological approaches are suggested as an effective alternative to the prescription of sedative-hypnotics to both recent and chronic insomnia sufferers. The implications of the findings are discussed.Acknowledgements: I would like to thank the staff and patients at Countesthorpe Health Centre, Leicester for their involvement and co-operation in this study. I am also grateful to Mrs Barbara Johnson who typed this article.