Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: To investigate differences in team functioning between the multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary models when treating children with disabilities. DESIGN: A crossover trial. SETTING: An outpatient educational and rehabilitation program in a rehabilitation institute based at a university medical center. PARTICIPANTS: A population-based sample of 19 rehabilitation specialists and educators. INTERVENTION: Participants attended four team meetings using the multidisciplinary approach and then attended four team meetings using the transdisciplinary approach. OUTCOME MEASURES: Behavioral ratings of team participation (Transdisciplinary Team Rating Scale) and self-report instruments of team development (Team Assessment Questionnaire) and treatment planning and goal development (Staff Perception Questionnaire). RESULTS: Results of t tests confirmed the hypothesis that there was more team member participation during transdisciplinary meetings than during multidisciplinary meetings (p=.027). There were no differences in levels of team development (p=.329); however, staff members favored the transdisciplinary model for treatment planning and goal development (p < .001). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence of the effectiveness of the transdisciplinary model. Further research is now needed to investigate outcome variables such as rate of success in attaining treatment goals when using this model

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how object relations theory can be used to understand and regulate interpersonal conflict in group psychotherapy. Such concepts as projective identification, intersubjectivity and the analytic third are used to describe how conflict emerges in group psychotherapy and how it can be worked through. Case material is also provided to illustrate concepts and techniques in promoting a group's transition from a paranoid/schizoid to a depressive position. Positive aspects of the concept of projective identification are discussed including its use as a form of communication, a method of reducing anxiety and reintegrating previously dangerous and threatening aspects of the self

The cognitive-behavioral model of stress and coping provided the framework for this study of mothers of physically disabled children (n = 69) and mothers of nondisabled children (n = 63). The first aim was to test for differences between groups in responses to stressful parenting events. As hypothesized, mothers of disabled children reported higher levels of depressive symptomatology. Differences in psychological distress and health status approached significance. The second aim was to explore the mediating influences of coping strategies and cognitive appraisals. As predicted, emotion-focused coping was related to increased psychological distress in mothers of disabled children whereas problem-focused coping was associated with decreased distress. Both relationships were significant even after controlling for differences in type of parenting stressor. Hierarchical regressions showed that 58 and 25% of the variance in psychological distress was explained by the independent variables; however, the predictors were different for the two groups of mothers. Factors that may explain the differential effectiveness of coping and appraisal, and clinical implications of this study are discussed