No abstract

The importance of continuing and updated training for professional psychologists in essential areas of practice and career development-that is, advocacy, ethical business practices, understanding of legislative and regulatory issues, leadership, and culturally informed policies and practices-has spawned the development and implementation of multiple mentoring programs within organized professional psychology. Four such programs are discussed that have been developed through or supported by the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice within the American Psychological Association (APA). These programs provide mentoring for graduate students, early career psychologists, and experienced practicing psychologists in the areas of effective and ethical business practices, legislative and regulatory advocacy, and ethnic minority leadership development. Included are descriptions of mentoring programs developed and implemented by the Massachusetts Psychological Association, the Texas Psychological Association, the APA Practice Federal Advocacy Coordinator network, and the APA State Leadership Conference Diversity Initiative.

Treated a sample of 77 distressed middle‐ and lower‐class couples by 19 therapists using conjoint therapy. Batteries of tests that assessed marital satisfaction and communications skills were given pre‐and posttherapy plus 3 and 6 months later. Couple and therapist therapy behavior were assessed using audio tapes of interview sessions. A variety of sex and social class differences were found that correlated with therapy outcome. The overall thrust of the findings suggests that no one marital therapy technique will be appropriate for the different sexes and with those of different SES backgrounds.

The present research examined marital therapy outcome, in a sample of 88 couples and 22 therapists, through the use of multidimensional criteria from multiple perspectives. Three paper-and-pencil patient self-report instruments were used to measure different aspects of the couple relationship. In addition, therapist post-therapy ratings and objective observer ratings of the couple behavior during therapy were obtained. Past debates about what the "right" criteria might be for measuring therapeutic change prompted our strategy. Special attention was focused on those criteria that could be classified as "inside" or "outside" of the couple relationship. Data analysis revealed a significant relationship between the couples' and therapists' ratings of improvement in therapy. Additionally, husband and wife negative acts (behaviors) in therapy were also significantly correlated with therapists' ratings of improvement. Both statistically significant and clinically significant criteria were employed to evaluate the therapy outcome. Improvement due to therapy as measured by the three self-report instruments varied from 38% to 58%. These differences appeared to stem from the different kinds of information yielded by the specific tests.