The Personality Assessment Inventory In The Evaluation Of Multiple Channel Exposure Therapy

The National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) determined that the comorbidity rate of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with panic disorder is 7.3% for males and 12.6% for females. A 21-year-old female\u27s presenting symptoms corresponded to this dual diagnosis, with the addition of comorbid major depressive disorder. The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) was used as part of an initial comprehensive assessment battery. Treatment was provided over a period of 6 months, and multiple channel exposure therapy (MCET) was chosen as the primary treatment, as it has been shown to be a promising treatment for the comorbid presentation of PTSD with panic disorder. Upon completion of the MCET, the PAI was readministered as a posttreatment evaluation. The posttreatment PAI results indicated clinical improvement across all indices that initially suggested clinical problems. Results of this case study suggest that the PAI is sensitive to treatment gains from the MCET for the comorbid conditions of PTSD, panic disorder, and major depressive disorder

Chronic Self-Perceived Stress And Set-Shifting Performance In Undergraduate Students

Given recent findings on the potential for detrimental effects of chronic stress on the prefrontal cortex, additional research on the relationship between chronic stress and performance on executive functioning tasks (dependent on prefrontal functioning) is needed. Eighty-one undergraduate students completed a self-report measure of stress over the previous month (perceived stress scale - PSS) and the comprehensive trail-making test (CTMT, Trials 3 and 5). Results revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between PSS score and time needed to complete Trial 5 of the CTMT, which places demands on the set-shifting component of executive functioning. This finding adds to a growing body of work that suggests a relationship between chronic stress and executive functioning, and extends these findings to include set-shifting performance. © 2008 Informa UK Ltd