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F Leavitt

Publications and source records attributed to F Leavitt.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

MMPI profile characteristics of women with varying levels of normal dissociation.

MMPI-2 correlates of normal dissociation as measured by the absorption subscale items of the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) were examined in patients with diagnoses in the dissociative spectrum (n = 119) and not in the dissociative spectrum (n = 97). All patients completed the MMPI-2 and DES and were assigned to subgroups based on a cut-off score of 30 on normal dissociation. Results indicated that normal dissociation was unusually prominent among patients with mental disorders. The MMPI profiles of those with high imbalances of normal dissociation were skewed in the direction of more pathology across a broad range of mental symptoms. This was true for both dissociative and nondissociative patients. These findings provide preliminary evidence that high imbalances in normal dissociation may be related to psychopathology of a general nature.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Texture response patterns associated with sexual trauma of childhood and adult onset: developmental and recovered memory implications.

OBJECTIVE: Reduce texture sensitivity on the Rorschach is proposed as a sequela of early sexual abuse that is unlikely to be contaminated by situational variables. If this conceptualization has merit, texture attributes offer a roadmap for studying vying claims in the recovered memory debate. To explore this possibility, we examined the extent to which intense preoccupation with sexual trauma of childhood and of adult onset was related to reduced texture productivity. METHOD: Texture productivity was measured in 4 groups comprised of 108 patients using the Rorschach. Twenty-seven patients with recovered memory were compared with 27 patients with continuous memory of childhood sexual trauma, 27 post trauma stress patients with sexual trauma of adult onset, and 27 non-abused patients. RESULTS: The study replicated previous findings of reduced texture productivity among patients who always remembered sexual trauma of childhood-onset. The same texture deficiency pattern was observed among patients who recovered memory of childhood sexual abuse. This pattern was not observed in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patients intensely preoccupied with sexual trauma of adult onset despite the fact that they mimicked the recovered memory group in respect to enduring preoccupation with distressing thoughts of sexual abuse. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that intrusive memories of sexual trauma do not shape patients' response to textural cues on the Rorschach. Variations in texture productivity are primarily moderated by age of trauma onset. Dismissal of claims of recovered memories on the basis of intense sexual preoccupation is not warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Surviving roots of trauma: prevalence of silent signs of sex abuse in patients who recover memories of childhood sex abuse as adults.

Recent research suggests that victimization imagery is chronically accessible in sex-abused populations, which is helpful in distinguishing them from nonabused populations. Eight categories of victimization imagery were selectively activated by Rorschach stimuli. These 8 sex-abuse signs were replicated in a new sample of 36 patients with continuous memory of sex abuse. Classification accuracy was 83%. By contrast, these signs were present in only 4% (5 of 115) of the protocols of nonabused patients. Taken together, the 2 studies confirm reasonably high sensitivity of the 8 signs for sex-abused populations and high specificity for nonabused populations. The 8 signs were also differentially salient for patients who recovered memory of childhood sexual trauma as adults. The Rorschach protocols of 59 of 114 patients with delayed recall of sexual abuse possessed signs of sex abuse. There was no linkage between therapy and recovered-memory cases with and without sex-abuse signs. Emergence of trauma memories was not uniquely traceable to treatment. Memories arose outside of the context of therapy in over 56% of the cases. Implications for the false-memory debate are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Rorschach indicators of dissociative identity disorders: clinical utility and theoretical implications.

The purpose of the present study was to replicate Rorschach signs of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) using DSM-IV criteria of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Women admitted to either an inpatient dissociative disorder's unit (n = 27) or a general psychiatric unit (n = 72) were given the Rorschach, which was scored for the Labott, Barach, and Wagner Rorschach markers of MPD. Results indicated that Rorschach signs of the three different systems were significantly better than chance at classifying patients as DID or as non-DID. The Labott system, which performed the best, was able to accurately classify 92% of the sample. These results argue for the validity of the DID diagnosis. The Rorschach signs operate independent of external bias, yet correspond to the diagnoses obtained through psychiatric evaluation in an inpatient setting. The fact that two relatively rare sets of signs (DID and Rorschach) converge in the same small sector of the psychiatric population represents evidence of linkage that is clinically meaningful and not explainable on the basis of artificial creation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Revision of the Word Association Test for assessing associations of patients reporting satanic ritual abuse in childhood.

A growing number of psychiatric patients report satanic ritual abuse, prompting research into this controversial area. In the current study, the Word Association Test (WAT) was modified to assess experience with satanic abuse. Pilot work resulted in norms for two domains: normative and satanic. Female psychiatric patients were compared on their associations in two studies. Based on a sexual history, they were grouped into those reporting sexual abuse, those reporting satanic ritual abuse (SRA), and those without a history of sexual abuse (controls). In both studies, SRA patients gave significantly more total associations, significantly fewer normative associations, and significantly more satanic associations than did the other two groups. These results suggest that an experience base is shared by individuals reporting SRA that is not found in individuals who do not report satanic abuse (even if they do report sexual abuse). The implications of these findings are discussed from the perspective of arguments advanced by advocates and critics of SRA.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

False attribution of suggestibility to explain recovered memory of childhood sexual abuse following extended amnesia.

Suggestibility is central to arguments proffered by critics of recovered memory of childhood sexual abuse who believe that memories involving amnesia are false creations of treatment. The present study represents the first direct investigation of suggestibility among patients who report recovered memory. Suggestibility was measured in 44 patients who recovered memories and in a 31 patient comparison group without a history of sexual trauma using the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale. Results indicated that patients who recover memories were remarkably less suggestible than the clinical field has been led to believe by advocates of false memory. As a group, they scored low on suggestibility. Recovered Memory patients yielded to suggested prompts an average of 6.7 times per case. This compares to an average of 10.6 in the Psychiatric comparison group. Paradoxically, patients without a history of sex abuse were more at risk for altering memory to suggestive prompts. These findings appreciably challenge advocated theories of suggested memory.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Authenticity of recovered sexual abuse memories: a Rorschach study.

Distinguishing authentic abuse from false memory among adults who recover memories of childhood sexual trauma has far-reaching significance. This study initially examined 13 previously reported Rorschach signs of sexual abuse in women not abused, and women sexually abused (and not amnestic). The abuse signs were more prevalent in the abused group. A sexual abuse index composed of 8 signs correctly classified 93% of the abused, and 98% of the nonabused group. The index was then applied to women who recovered memories of abuse; some had analogues of dissociation in their protocols and others did not. Those exhibiting dissociative signs produced more signs of sexual abuse. The index classified 88% of the dissociative group as abused, but only 24% of the nondissociative group. The relevance of these findings for assessing authenticity of recovered memories is explored.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Development of the Hispanic Low Back Pain Symptom Check List.

STUDY DESIGN: The Low Back Pain Symptom Check List identifies psychological disturbance in patients with low back pain. This report traces the development of a translation for Hispanic populations. OBJECTIVE: The study explores the reliability and assesses the equivalence of the translation in providing pain and psychological information. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A number of psychometric measures appear suitable for routinely assessing psychological disturbance among back injured patients. Unfortunately, there are few measures with language translations that can be applied to Hispanic populations. METHODS: In study 1, the English form was translated by two bilingual physicians. In study 2, reliability was examined using Cronbach's measure of internal consistency. In study 3, the equivalence of the Hispanic and English forms in predicting treatment outcome was examined. RESULTS: Coefficient alphas and mean pain scores were similar for the English and Hispanic forms. Overall agreement between the two forms in tracking psychological disturbance was 91%. The Hispanic form was equally accurate in predicting treatment outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The Hispanic form is reliable and provides pain and psychological information much like the English form.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Clinical correlates of alleged satanic abuse and less controversial sexual molestation.

Despite growing public interest and debate concerning satanic ritual abuse, few objective studies examine this controversial subject matter. To address this issue, measures of general psychopathology and dissociation were administered to patients alleging satanic ritual abuse and to patients alleging less controversial forms of sexual trauma. The subjects were women alleging a history of sexual abuse starting prior to the age of 12, involving penetration, and lasting for a period of at least 12 months. High but nondiscriminating levels of psychiatric pathology characterized both patient groups. Key differences were limited to dissociative symptomatology. Patients alleging satanic ritual abuse reported higher levels of dissociation, in the range often exhibited by patients with multiple personality disorders. The implications of the findings for SRA credibility are addressed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Sexual free behavior in male rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Male rats (Rattus norvegicus) were given continuous access to estrous female rats for 24 hr each day for 10 days. During the first 12 hr, the rats achieved an average of 10 ejaculations, followed by a 1- to 2-day recovery period with little sexual activity. During the last 7 days, the rats maintained a reasonably stable equilibrium level of 3 ejaculations per day. These occurred predominantly during the dark phase of the diurnal cycle, they frequently occurred in a cluster, and they usually occurred shortly after the introduction of a novel estrous female. Except for quantitative differences, these results are generally consistent with conventional research but systematically extend the generality of the results to the context of the free behavior situation. The availability of sexual activity had no appreciable effect on food and water intake, but it did decrease the amount of running activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The physical exertion factor in compensable work injuries. A hidden flaw in previous research.

Studies of the industrially injured worker invariably suggest that compensation reinforces pain and prolongs disability. These claims may be spurious. Researchers have historically failed to take into account the fact that return to work is partly contingent on the amount of physical labor involved in the job, and that compensation and noncompensation groups differ on this variable in important ways. Patients on compensation are more likely involved in heavy physical exertion on their jobs. In this study, 1,191 workers with low-back pain who were injured on the job were compared with 389 workers who were injured away from work on variables of disability time and pain intensity. To disentangle the effects of physical exertion, four levels ranging from none to heavy were examined. The results suggest that injury on the job operates both independent of level of physical exertion, as well as in interaction with it, to extend the period of disability. Injury on the job is associated with prolonged disability time, irrespective of the type of job performed.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Rorschach indicators of Multiple Personality Disorder.

The increase in reported cases of Multiple Personality Disorder underscores a great need to differentiate clearly this from other psychiatric disorders and from simulation of Multiple Personality Disorder. Two sets of Rorschach signs have been advanced as clinical markers by their developers, namely Barach and also Wagner, Allison, and Wagner. As the Wagner signs are prevalent in much of the research on Rorschach responses in Multiple Personality Disorder, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate these signs using Wagner's administration and the resulting Rorschach protocols of 16 Multiple Personality Disorder patients and 16 psychiatric controls. Analysis indicated that this system was deficient in correctly classifying these 32 protocols. A new marker, the Splitting Response, emerged, however, which was more useful. This response, in combination with at least one Dissociative response, produced an accuracy rate of 94%. These new criteria may be useful aids in the detection of Multiple Personality Disorder from Rorschach protocols. Replication is urged.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Predicting disability time using formal low back pain measurement: the Low Back Pain Simulation Scale.

Objective evaluation of simulation in low back pain is currently not possible. A new simulation scale based on subject response to 103 pain words has shown promise in discriminating patients with low back pain from those simulating low back pain. Administration of this scale to 1679 individuals who were injured at work produced a 10.4% sample with scores in the simulation range. This subsample projected more intense pain and were disabled longer. These findings were replicated in a second study in which treating physicians rated the degree of physical pathology and symptom exaggeration blind to patient classification by the Low Back Pain Simulation Scale. Medical assessment indicated less organic pathology and greater symptom exaggeration among patients classified as simulators providing a measure of support for the validity of the simulation scale.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Historical reliability: a key to differentiating populations among patients presenting signs of multiple personality disorder.

The clinical value of inconsistencies in the historical data of patients presenting with signs of multiple personality disorder was assessed. Three major inconsistencies in historical data were identified in 23 patients who were admitted to a Dissociative Disorders Program with a diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder. This group showed psychological disturbance that was quite different from 23 patients with a similar discharge diagnosis but who did not exhibit inconsistencies in history. The former group reported less psychological disturbance and fewer dissociative experiences. Patients who are less credible by virtue of inconsistencies in their historical reports may belong to a different diagnostic group. The findings point to the need to chart history carefully in authenticating genuine cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Clinical patterns among male transsexual candidates with erotic interest in males.

Male-to-female transsexuals who reported an erotic interest in males showed different patterns of sexual activity. Sexual history was used to categorize a transsexual sample into three groups: 44% abstained from sexual activity (Inactive group), 19% were sexually active but avoided using their penis in sexual activity (Avoidant group), and 37% were sexually active and derived pleasure from their penis (Pleasure group). The groups were compared for differences in gender identification, developmental patterns, and personality. Transsexuals in the Avoidant group showed patterns of traits and experiences that generally conformed to characteristics of the nuclear transsexual. They were dissimilar from the other two groups on measures of feminine functioning, heterosexual history, and fetishism. Transsexuals who interact with males in ways that are viewed as more classically homosexual shared more in common with the transsexual group which abstained from sexual activity with males. Both groups displayed more masculinity in development and more evidence of emotional disturbance. The implications of these findings for diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The role of psychological disturbance in extending disability time among compensable back injured industrial workers.

Work-related injuries are invariably related to protracted disability; however, confusion abounds concerning the genesis of this phenomenon. The present study examined the linkage between psychological disturbance and protracted disability in patients with work-related and non work-related injuries. A comparison was made between 1373 patients injured at work and 417 patients injured away from work on the variables of psychological disturbance and disability time. High but comparable levels of psychological disturbance were identified for both groups. People injured on the job were disabled longer, independent of psychological status.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1989

Is the MMPI invalid for assessing psychological disturbance in pain related organic conditions?

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was analyzed in 30 patients with fibromyalgia and 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Eighteen statements on the hypochondriasis, depression and hysteria scales and 14 statements on the schizophrenia scale differentiated patients with fibromyalgia and RA. Patients with fibromyalgia had higher scores on 29 of the 32 statements. Patients with RA seemed appropriately concerned about health and the possibility of additional illness. By contrast, patients with fibromyalgia were more symptomatic and presented a more unusual and complex syndrome, raising the possibility of a somatoform disorder and also greater personal distress in these patients. On the basis of analyzing the scores of patients with RA, one can also conclude that physical illness alone is not sufficient to drive MMPI profiles into the abnormal range. Patients with fibromyalgia who have a similar degree of pain intensity compared with patients with RA (61.3 vs 60 on a scale of 100) have significantly more abnormal MMPI, and analysis of their MMPI suggest a more complex somatic syndrome and greater psychological disturbance.

Adult↗