The three axis V scales can be scored reliably. The Global Assessment of Relational Functioning Scale and the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale evaluate different constructs. These findings support the validity of the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale as a scale of global psychopathology; the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale as a measure of problems in social, occupational, and interpersonal functioning; and the Global Assessment of Relational Functioning Scale as an index of personality pathology. The authors discuss further refinement and use of the three axis V measures in treatment research.

This study investigates the relationship between therapy attendance with DSM-IV criteria for the cluster B personality disorders (antisocial [ANPD]; borderline [BPD]; histrionic [HPD]; and narcissistic [NPD]). Ninety patients who were found to meet DSM-IV criteria for an Axis II disorder (clusterA personality disorders = 10; ANPD = 20, BPD = 25, HPD = 5, NPD = 14; cluster C personality disorders = 16).

This article provides an overview of the major mental health issues involved in the debate over rational suicide and other forms of hastened death. In doing so, it covers the arguments for including counseling psychologists and other mental health professionals in discussions about hastened death; highlights the relevant empirical research associated with the topic, with special attention given to the studies involving psychologists and areas needing more investigation; and reviews the implications for practice and training and provides direction for those counseling psychologists who are working with persons who may be rational in their decisions to hasten death.

The present study investigated the relationship between mood and attentional testing in 80 college students. Participants were randomly assigned to a sad, anxious, or positive mood induction procedure, or to a neutral procedure. Following mood induction, sad and anxious groups reported significantly more negative affect than the positive and neutral groups. Following completion of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT), no group differences were found. Sad and anxious groups retained their elevated negative mood states, whereas positive and neutral mood groups showed significant increases in negative mood states. These results are consistent with clinical reports that the PASAT is a stressful test. PASAT performance was essentially similar across groups, with the only significant difference found between the sad and control conditions at the 1.2-sec rate of presentation. Results raise the question to what extent participants' subjective experience of the PASAT may interfere with their performance on the task.

In this article we examine the relation between the Rorschach Comprehensive System's Suicide Constellation (S-CON;Exner, 1993;Exner & Wiley, 1977) and lethality of suicide attempts during the course of patients' hospitalization at the Austen Riggs Center (Stockbridge, MA). Patient records were rated as nonsuicidal (n = 37), parasuicidal (n = 37), or near-lethal (n = 30) based on the presence and lethality of self-destructive acts. Diagnostic efficiency statistics utilizing a cutoff score of 7 or more positive indicators successfully predicted which patients would engage in nearlethal suicidal activity relative to parasuicidal patients (overall correct classification rate [OCC] = .79), nonsuicidal inpatients (OCC = .79), and college students (OCC = .89). Although these predictions were influenced by relatively high base rates in the hospital population (14.5%), base rate estimates were calculated for other hypothetical populations revealing different prediction estimates that should be considered when judging the relative efficacy of the S-CON. Logistic regression analysis revealed that an S-CON score of 7 or more was the sole predictor of near-lethal suicide attempts among 9 psychiatric and demographic variables.