Directive (Dir) and nondirective (NDir) verbal behavior of 16 therapists during initial psychotherapy interviews were studied in relation to therapist dominance (Dom). It was hypothesized that, irrespective of client sex, therapist Dom would be related (a) positively to Dir therapist verbalizations, and (b) negatively to NDir therapist verbalizations. Data from 32 psychotherapy sessions supported both predictions. Moreover, Dir and NDir verbalizations were found to be reliably related to client sex, with therapists giving higher proportions of NDir responses to female clients than to male clients, and higher proportions of NDir than Dir responses to female clients. Implications for selection and training of therapists, predictions of therapy progress from therapist personality dimensions and verbal behavior, and further research were discussed.

Findings from 2 pivotal government-funded studies of comparative antipsychotic effectiveness undermine assumptions about the marked superiority of the more expensive second-generation "atypical" medications in comparison to the less expensive first-generation "typical" drugs. Because this assumption was the basis for the almost universal recommendation that these newer antipsychotics be used preferentially resulting in a 10-fold increase in state governmental expenditures on this class of medications over the past decade, a reassessment of policy is called for. To address the issue, the Medical Directors Council of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors critically reviewed findings of these studies in the context of other data and considered policy implications in the light of the obligations of state government to make available best possible and individually optimized treatment that is cost-effective. The Medical Directors Council unanimously adopted a set of recommendations to promote appropriate access, efficient utilization, and best practice use. We present our policy statement, in which we provide a succinct background, articulate general principles, and describe a set of 4 broad recommendations. We then summarize our understanding of the current state of knowledge about comparative antipsychotic effectiveness, best antipsychotic practice, and considerations for state policy that represent the basis of our position statement.

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This therapy analogue study dealt with the interaction of client personality (dominance-Dom) and therapist directive versus nondirective techniques in producing client resistance. Forty High-Dom and 40 Low-Dom undergraduate male 5s, while role-playing client problems, were required to make choices between 32 pairs of high-and low-resistant client responses following therapist statements. Results showed that nondirective techniques elicited most client resistance, Low-Dom 5s tended to give more resistant responses, and both effects were most pronounced when Ss assumed hostile roles. The S anxiety was also found indirectly to be related to resistance.