The potential roles of perceived danger, responsibility, thought-action fusion, confidence in memory, intolerance of uncertainty and need to control one's thoughts in mediating compulsive checking were examined. Belief ratings were obtained from 21 individuals with compulsive checking concerns and 21 nonclinical controls about the most prominent checking concern of each individual with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), with controls being yoked to individuals with OCD on the basis of gender and age. If control participants and individuals with OCD have some similar beliefs regarding, for example, locking their front door, then it follows that those beliefs are unlikely to be mediating or driving the disorder. Large and significant differences were found between sufferers of OCD and nonclinical controls on ratings of beliefs concerning the probability and severity of harm, intolerance of uncertainty and the need to control thoughts. However, no differences were found between individuals with OCD checking concerns and nonclinical controls in ratings of beliefs concerning perceived personal responsibility, thought-action fusion (TAF) and confidence in memory. The findings concerning personal responsibility are of particular interest and suggest that perceptions of harm or a negative outcome may be a necessary precursor to perceptions of responsibility and the decision to act.

The aim of this study was to examine whether a low cost self-generated feedback procedure was sufficient for generalising and maintaining staff performance. Two staff members were trained to implement a communication skills program with a client with severe closed head injuries. Staff were first trained to perform competently via written instructions, videotaped models, discussion, and on-the-job supervisory feedback. Posttraining conditions consisted of staff continuing with recording and graphing gains in client skills, or rating their own performance (i.e., they continued with self-generated feedback). A multiple baseline design across client skills and staff was used to observe generalised effects on staff performance (prompts and positive consequences) and client skills. Results show that after staff attained competency, and without further supervisory feedback, their performance generalised to topographically similar performance, and the staff member who consistently participated in the study maintained her performance for 16 weeks.

The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) is a 47-item self-report measure intended to assess children's symptoms corresponding to selected DSM-IV anxiety and major depressive disorders. The scale comprises six subscales (e.g., Separation Anxiety Disorder; Social Phobia; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Panic Disorder; Generalised Anxiety Disorder; and Major Depressive Disorder). To date, only one normative study of youth has been published with results providing strong initial support for the reliability and validity of this new measure (Chorpita, Yim, Moffitt, Umemoto, & Francis, 2000). The present investigation provides additional psychometric data derived from an Australian sample comprising 405 youth aged 8 to 18 years. In general, the data were found to be consistent with those reported in the initial normative study. Internal consistency for the overall scale and its subscales was found to be adequate. Good convergent validity was demonstrated through moderate to strong correlations between the subscales of the RCADS with scores on the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS) and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Confirmatory factor analysis suggested reasonable fit for the six-factor model by Chorpita et al. (2000). Notwithstanding the need for additional validation, it is concluded that the RCADS is a promising instrument for use in both clinical and research settings.

The aim of this study was to determine the degree to which fearful and catastrophic cognitions, and self-efficacy for managing panic predicted various panic attack characteristics in panic disorder. The cognitive variables consisted of anxiety sensitivity, the frequency of fearful agoraphobic cognitions and measures of catastrophic misinterpretation of symptoms. The panic parameters were number and severity of panic symptoms, distress associated with panic attacks, worry about future panics, duration of panic disorder, and life interference due to panic disorder. These variables were measured in 40 people with panic disorder, 31 of whom also had significant agoraphobia. The frequency of fearful agoraphobic cognitions was the strongest predictor of panic attack symptomatology, predicting number of symptoms, symptom severity and degree of anticipatory fear of panic. Catastrophic misinterpretation of symptoms and anxiety sensitivity did not independently predict any panic parameters. Only self-efficacy for managing the rapid build-up of panic symptoms was specifically related to panic severity. The results therefore suggest that cognitive behaviour therapy for panic symptoms in panic disorder should reduce fearful cognitions rather than focus on panic coping strategies. The results offer little support for the contribution of the expectancy or catastrophic misinterpretation theories to the maintenance of panic disorder.

The Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Group Program at Central Coast Mental Health Specialty Clinics includes treatments for generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder and depression. This study provides empirical validation for hypotheses developed in clinical controlled studies; that is, that cognitive-behaviour therapy provided benefits in the treatment of anxiety and depression in a service setting. This would be reflected in decreases in the symptoms of anxiety and depression and increased self-esteem. Participants (N = 139) were referred to Specialty Clinics, Central Coast Mental Health Services for treatment for depression and/or anxiety in CBT groups. They were tested on the BDI, STAI and the SERS at three time points, prior to entering the group, at termination of the group and at 3-month follow-up. Depression and anxiety symptoms decreased and self-esteem increased between pre- and post-group and the trends continued to 3-month follow-up.

This study evaluated the reliability and factor structure of the NEO Five-factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) among a sample of Australian adolescents (N = 459). With the exception of openness, the factors had good internal consistency. Item-level factor analyses using varimax and oblique rotation were used to examine the factor structure of the NEO-FFI. Visual inspection of the factor structures revealed a pattern that gave preliminary support for the five-factor model. However, statistical indices for factor structure did not support a five-factor model. Items for Conscientiousness and Neuroticism had the highest factor loadings and the fewest conflicting cross-loadings on the other factors. The discussion focuses on the importance of external validation of the traits from the five-factor model with other behavioural indicators.