Gerald Bennett - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Gerald Bennett
The results of 105 studies of self-control behavioral treatments of obesity were analyzed to exam... more The results of 105 studies of self-control behavioral treatments of obesity were analyzed to examine the effects of treatment characteristics onoutcome. The mean posttreatment weight loss of the 6,121 subjects was 5.64 kg, and the mean follow-up loss of 5,453 subjects was 5.38 kg. Posttreatment losses were positively as-sociated with treatment duration, hours of treatment contact, herapist experience, following a rigorous diet, practicing physical exercise during treatment sessions, involving the dieter's family, and providing anorectic drugs. Follow-up losses were associated inthe same way with the first five of these factors, but maintenance was adversely affected by anorectic drugs. The results highlight he role of treat-ment duration and contact hours, variables which have been neglected by exper-imental studies. It was argued that taking these factors into account could help to reconcile inconsistent research findings. Quant i tat ive reviews of the efficacy of behav ior t...
Previous published fieldwork at High Lea Farm, Hinton Martell, Dorset, found an unusual spatial a... more Previous published fieldwork at High Lea Farm, Hinton Martell, Dorset, found an unusual spatial arrangement of a Bronze Age cemetery in which seventeen ring ditches lay in three lines, converging on a large, elaborated barrow, which lay on the near horizon, as seen upwards from the others. This arrangement was investigated since it may indicate an astronomical alignment to the Winter Solstice sunset, a possibility that has rarely been considered in British Bronze Age barrow cemeteries. Two possible explanations were explored. First, a suggestion that the large barrow ‘pointed’ towards a prominent hill, because that hill was an especially significant place to the constructors of the cemetery, was tested by collecting data about the locations of monuments and find spots in the 400km2 around the cemetery, and then examining these in a GIS to see whether they clustered by the hill. The second explanation, that the arrangement was aligned to the Winter Solstice sunset, was tested using c...
Page 1. Letters behaviour therapy and also working with ancillary staff, such as receptionists. R... more Page 1. Letters behaviour therapy and also working with ancillary staff, such as receptionists. Robson and colleagues' study of a behavioural orien-tated clinical psychology service2 used different criteria to assess outcome, that ...
Addictive Behaviors, 1986
The effects of a cognitive (cognitive rehearsal) in the treatment of obesity were evaluated in a ... more The effects of a cognitive (cognitive rehearsal) in the treatment of obesity were evaluated in a 16-week weight reduction programme by comparison against two other treatments, cue avoidance, and social pressure. Fifty-three obese females, categorised (on the basis of their weight loss after 3 weeks of dieting) as either high losers or low losers, were randomly assigned to one of these three treatments. Posttreatment weight losses were significantly greater for high losers than low losers, and for subjects in cue avoidance than those in social pressure. Those in cue avoidance went over their diet less often than others, and reported greater changes in eating habits, and in the cognitive domain. Neither subject type nor treatment type has a significant effect on weight change during the follow-up year. High losers adhered to the diet more initially, but also, throughout treatment, lost more weight for the same degree of dietary adherence. Behavioural and physiological characteristics underlying this important dimension of individual differences were discussed.
Behavioural …, 1985
Forty primary nocturnally enuretic children were randomly assigned to one of four experimental co... more Forty primary nocturnally enuretic children were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions over a ten week period. These were (a) standard Pad-and-Buzzer Training (PBT), (b) Stop—Start Training (SST), involving practice in interrupting the flow of urine during micturition, (c) Dry Bed Training (DBT) and (d) Waiting List Control (WLC). Numbers of dry nights were assessed during a 14 days pre-treatment baseline period, and again during 14 days at the end of treatment and at 12 weeks follow-up. At the end of treatment the proportions of subjects in each condition achieving 14 consecutive dry nights were: PBT 44.4%, SST 16.6%, DBT 50% and WLC 0%. Each of the three treatments produced more dry nights than the WLC, but did not significantly differ from one another. The results were discussed in terms of their generalizability and in the context of superior results previously reported for DBT.
Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1986
This study compared the pre-treatment characteristics of participants in three weight reduction p... more This study compared the pre-treatment characteristics of participants in three weight reduction programmes who either completed treatment or dropped out. The three programmes each lasted for 16 weeks, selected subjects on the same criteria, and offered the same dietary advice. The first two programmes were run by the same psychologist in the same community setting. In each study a different set of characteristics significantly separated completers from dropouts, and discriminant function analysis assessed how well this separation was achieved. The discriminant function from the first study correctly identified 75% of the subjects on which it was based. When applied to the second study it correctly identified 64% of subjects, showing limited generalisability. There were also significant differences between early dropouts and late drop-outs, but the nature of these varied between studies. In discussing the implications of these results it was argued that further research might more fruitfully focus on psychological processes involved in drop-out rather than continue to search for correlates of drop-out.
Previous published fieldwork at High Lea Farm, Hinton Martell, Dorset, found an unusual spatial a... more Previous published fieldwork at High Lea Farm, Hinton Martell, Dorset, found an unusual spatial arrangement of a Bronze Age cemetery in which seventeen ring ditches lay in three lines, converging on a large, elaborated barrow, which lay on the near horizon, as seen upwards from the others. This arrangement was investigated since it may indicate an astronomical alignment to the Winter Solstice sunset, a possibility that has rarely been considered in British Bronze Age barrow cemeteries.
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2013
Previous investigations of attentional bias for alcohol cues in abstinent alcoholics indicate enh... more Previous investigations of attentional bias for alcohol cues in abstinent alcoholics indicate enhanced processing of alcohol cues on the modified Stroop task, and a more complicated "vigilance-avoidance" pattern of attentional bias on the visual probe task. Given that, in general, subjective craving is positively associated with attentional bias, we predicted that attentional biases in abstinent alcoholics would depend on their level of alcohol craving. In the present study 28 alcoholic patients, who had recently commenced a day treatment program, and 26 social drinking controls completed an alcohol Stroop task, a visual probe task with three stimulus durations (200, 500, and 2,000 ms), and self-report assessments of craving and alcohol dependence. On the alcohol Stroop task, abstinent alcoholics showed a greater interference effect for alcohol-related than neutral words, relative to social drinkers. On the visual probe task, alcoholic patients who reported a high level of craving exhibited a greater attentional bias toward alcohol cues, relative to both patients reporting a low level of craving, and social drinker controls. Alcoholics who reported low levels of craving showed avoidance of alcohol cues at 500 ms, relative to social drinkers. Among alcoholics, early dropout from treatment was associated with the severity of alcohol dependence and the strength of subjective craving, but it was not associated with measures of attentional bias. These results clarify the importance of subjective craving as a correlate of attentional biases in abstinent alcoholics.
British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1986
The initial efficacy expectations and outcome expectations held by 147 women participating in two... more The initial efficacy expectations and outcome expectations held by 147 women participating in two weight reduction programmes were assessed and found to be partially related to drop-out and the weight loss attained. Expectations were revised as treatment progressed, but changes were not closely correlated with changes in weight over the same period. Initial outcome expectations were associated with higher weight, and lower social class and verbal ability, but not the number of previous attempts to lose weight.
Addictive Behaviors, 1986
An experimental evaluation of a cognitive self-instructional procedure for increasing self-contro... more An experimental evaluation of a cognitive self-instructional procedure for increasing self-control of eating was carried out in a weight reduction programme for obese women. All subjects received a 'core', 16 week long treatment programme of nutritional advice and encouragement provided by five group meetings and one individual session. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive only the core programme, or the core programme plus seven individual sessions of one of three types of treatment. Thus there were four treatment conditions: (a) Cognitive Rehearsal (Self-instructional training attempting to teach subjects to resist temptation through the self-directing power of inner speech), (b) Insight Control (teaching subjects to become aware of, but not to change, unhelpful cognitions), (c) Individual Contact Control (encouragement and nondirective discussion of dieting) and (d) Group Contact Control (core programme only). Of the 94 subjects entering'the programme 74 completed the 16 weeks of treatment and 69 were followed up a year later. There were no significant differences between treatments in obesity reduction either at the end of treatment or at followup. There were significant reductions in anxiety and depression and in initially unrealistically high outcome expectations. Initial weight loss, an apparently important variable, predicted subsequent losses.
Addictive Behaviors, 2007
In this evaluation of a method of assessing competence in Motivational Interviewing (MI), partici... more In this evaluation of a method of assessing competence in Motivational Interviewing (MI), participants were asked to interview an actor simulating a substance abuser who was ambivalent about an important issue. The interviews were videotaped and subsequently rated for competence in MI using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code (MITI). Ratings of 43 interviews made independently by trained judges found high levels of inter-rater agreement. Ratings of 11 pairs of interviews carried out by the same interviewer with different simulated patients, a mean of 26 days apart, resembled each other closely. Participants who had been trained in MI were significantly more competent than others. There was a significant association between researchers' and patients' ratings of the extent to which the interviewer demonstrated the spirit of MI. These findings imply that the assessment method produces reasonably reliable and valid ratings of competence in MI and can be used for both clinical and research purposes. D
Addictive Behaviors, Jan 31, 2007
In this evaluation of a method of assessing competence in Motivational Interviewing (MI), partici... more In this evaluation of a method of assessing competence in Motivational Interviewing (MI), participants were asked to interview an actor simulating a substance abuser who was ambivalent about an important issue. The interviews were videotaped and subsequently rated for competence in MI using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code (MITI). Ratings of 43 interviews made independently by trained judges found high levels of inter-rater agreement. Ratings of 11 pairs of interviews carried out by the same interviewer with different simulated patients, a mean of 26 days apart, resembled each other closely. Participants who had been trained in MI were significantly more competent than others. There was a significant association between researchers' and patients' ratings of the extent to which the interviewer demonstrated the spirit of MI. These findings imply that the assessment method produces reasonably reliable and valid ratings of competence in MI and can be used for both clinical and research purposes. D
Addiction Research and Theory, Jul 10, 2009
Page 1. Addiction Rcsemd~. 2wO. Vol. 8. No. 1. pp. 81-93 Reprints available directly hum the publ... more Page 1. Addiction Rcsemd~. 2wO. Vol. 8. No. 1. pp. 81-93 Reprints available directly hum the publisher Photocopying pemned by hcense only Q UMO OPA (Overseas Pubhshen Association) N V Pubhshed by hcense under ...
Behavioural Psychotherapy, 1985
In order to test its effect on compliance with recommended practice of relaxation training, patie... more In order to test its effect on compliance with recommended practice of relaxation training, patients in anxiety management training groups were provided with additional information about the procedure and its ration-ale. After an introductory training session all subjects were provided with ...
Journal of Substance Use, 2002
... Correspondence: Gerald A Bennett BSc MPhil PhD CPsychol, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Pa... more ... Correspondence: Gerald A Bennett BSc MPhil PhD CPsychol, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Park Lodge, Gloucester Road, Bournemouth BH7 6JF, UK. Tel: z44 (0)1202 397003; fax: z44 (0)1202 399649; email: gerald.bennett@dorsethc-tr.swest.nhs.uk ...
Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1988
The effects of the original behavioural treatment have been studied exhaustively and the limits o... more The effects of the original behavioural treatment have been studied exhaustively and the limits of this very useful approach have been delineated. Further developments have largely come from combining it with other modes of treatment or from delivering it in more intensive ways. The knowledge base has been limited to operant psychology, despite the fact that study of the psychology of appetite has developed extensively in the two decades since Stuart's original paper of 1967 (Stuart RB. Behavioral control of overeating. Behav Res Ther 1967; 5: 357-365). Many fundamental processes such as the role of conditioning in the development of satiety, and the effects of monotony and variety, have important implications for the treatment of obesity which have yet to be explored.
Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 1992
Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 2,163-183 (1992) ... Ways ... more Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 2,163-183 (1992) ... Ways of coping with excessive drug use in the family: ... A provisional typology based on the accounts of 50 ... JIM ORFORD', KATE RIGBY', TONY MILLER3, ANNE TOD4, GERALD BENNETT and ...
The results of 105 studies of self-control behavioral treatments of obesity were analyzed to exam... more The results of 105 studies of self-control behavioral treatments of obesity were analyzed to examine the effects of treatment characteristics onoutcome. The mean posttreatment weight loss of the 6,121 subjects was 5.64 kg, and the mean follow-up loss of 5,453 subjects was 5.38 kg. Posttreatment losses were positively as-sociated with treatment duration, hours of treatment contact, herapist experience, following a rigorous diet, practicing physical exercise during treatment sessions, involving the dieter's family, and providing anorectic drugs. Follow-up losses were associated inthe same way with the first five of these factors, but maintenance was adversely affected by anorectic drugs. The results highlight he role of treat-ment duration and contact hours, variables which have been neglected by exper-imental studies. It was argued that taking these factors into account could help to reconcile inconsistent research findings. Quant i tat ive reviews of the efficacy of behav ior t...
Previous published fieldwork at High Lea Farm, Hinton Martell, Dorset, found an unusual spatial a... more Previous published fieldwork at High Lea Farm, Hinton Martell, Dorset, found an unusual spatial arrangement of a Bronze Age cemetery in which seventeen ring ditches lay in three lines, converging on a large, elaborated barrow, which lay on the near horizon, as seen upwards from the others. This arrangement was investigated since it may indicate an astronomical alignment to the Winter Solstice sunset, a possibility that has rarely been considered in British Bronze Age barrow cemeteries. Two possible explanations were explored. First, a suggestion that the large barrow ‘pointed’ towards a prominent hill, because that hill was an especially significant place to the constructors of the cemetery, was tested by collecting data about the locations of monuments and find spots in the 400km2 around the cemetery, and then examining these in a GIS to see whether they clustered by the hill. The second explanation, that the arrangement was aligned to the Winter Solstice sunset, was tested using c...
Page 1. Letters behaviour therapy and also working with ancillary staff, such as receptionists. R... more Page 1. Letters behaviour therapy and also working with ancillary staff, such as receptionists. Robson and colleagues' study of a behavioural orien-tated clinical psychology service2 used different criteria to assess outcome, that ...
Addictive Behaviors, 1986
The effects of a cognitive (cognitive rehearsal) in the treatment of obesity were evaluated in a ... more The effects of a cognitive (cognitive rehearsal) in the treatment of obesity were evaluated in a 16-week weight reduction programme by comparison against two other treatments, cue avoidance, and social pressure. Fifty-three obese females, categorised (on the basis of their weight loss after 3 weeks of dieting) as either high losers or low losers, were randomly assigned to one of these three treatments. Posttreatment weight losses were significantly greater for high losers than low losers, and for subjects in cue avoidance than those in social pressure. Those in cue avoidance went over their diet less often than others, and reported greater changes in eating habits, and in the cognitive domain. Neither subject type nor treatment type has a significant effect on weight change during the follow-up year. High losers adhered to the diet more initially, but also, throughout treatment, lost more weight for the same degree of dietary adherence. Behavioural and physiological characteristics underlying this important dimension of individual differences were discussed.
Behavioural …, 1985
Forty primary nocturnally enuretic children were randomly assigned to one of four experimental co... more Forty primary nocturnally enuretic children were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions over a ten week period. These were (a) standard Pad-and-Buzzer Training (PBT), (b) Stop—Start Training (SST), involving practice in interrupting the flow of urine during micturition, (c) Dry Bed Training (DBT) and (d) Waiting List Control (WLC). Numbers of dry nights were assessed during a 14 days pre-treatment baseline period, and again during 14 days at the end of treatment and at 12 weeks follow-up. At the end of treatment the proportions of subjects in each condition achieving 14 consecutive dry nights were: PBT 44.4%, SST 16.6%, DBT 50% and WLC 0%. Each of the three treatments produced more dry nights than the WLC, but did not significantly differ from one another. The results were discussed in terms of their generalizability and in the context of superior results previously reported for DBT.
Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1986
This study compared the pre-treatment characteristics of participants in three weight reduction p... more This study compared the pre-treatment characteristics of participants in three weight reduction programmes who either completed treatment or dropped out. The three programmes each lasted for 16 weeks, selected subjects on the same criteria, and offered the same dietary advice. The first two programmes were run by the same psychologist in the same community setting. In each study a different set of characteristics significantly separated completers from dropouts, and discriminant function analysis assessed how well this separation was achieved. The discriminant function from the first study correctly identified 75% of the subjects on which it was based. When applied to the second study it correctly identified 64% of subjects, showing limited generalisability. There were also significant differences between early dropouts and late drop-outs, but the nature of these varied between studies. In discussing the implications of these results it was argued that further research might more fruitfully focus on psychological processes involved in drop-out rather than continue to search for correlates of drop-out.
Previous published fieldwork at High Lea Farm, Hinton Martell, Dorset, found an unusual spatial a... more Previous published fieldwork at High Lea Farm, Hinton Martell, Dorset, found an unusual spatial arrangement of a Bronze Age cemetery in which seventeen ring ditches lay in three lines, converging on a large, elaborated barrow, which lay on the near horizon, as seen upwards from the others. This arrangement was investigated since it may indicate an astronomical alignment to the Winter Solstice sunset, a possibility that has rarely been considered in British Bronze Age barrow cemeteries.
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2013
Previous investigations of attentional bias for alcohol cues in abstinent alcoholics indicate enh... more Previous investigations of attentional bias for alcohol cues in abstinent alcoholics indicate enhanced processing of alcohol cues on the modified Stroop task, and a more complicated "vigilance-avoidance" pattern of attentional bias on the visual probe task. Given that, in general, subjective craving is positively associated with attentional bias, we predicted that attentional biases in abstinent alcoholics would depend on their level of alcohol craving. In the present study 28 alcoholic patients, who had recently commenced a day treatment program, and 26 social drinking controls completed an alcohol Stroop task, a visual probe task with three stimulus durations (200, 500, and 2,000 ms), and self-report assessments of craving and alcohol dependence. On the alcohol Stroop task, abstinent alcoholics showed a greater interference effect for alcohol-related than neutral words, relative to social drinkers. On the visual probe task, alcoholic patients who reported a high level of craving exhibited a greater attentional bias toward alcohol cues, relative to both patients reporting a low level of craving, and social drinker controls. Alcoholics who reported low levels of craving showed avoidance of alcohol cues at 500 ms, relative to social drinkers. Among alcoholics, early dropout from treatment was associated with the severity of alcohol dependence and the strength of subjective craving, but it was not associated with measures of attentional bias. These results clarify the importance of subjective craving as a correlate of attentional biases in abstinent alcoholics.
British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1986
The initial efficacy expectations and outcome expectations held by 147 women participating in two... more The initial efficacy expectations and outcome expectations held by 147 women participating in two weight reduction programmes were assessed and found to be partially related to drop-out and the weight loss attained. Expectations were revised as treatment progressed, but changes were not closely correlated with changes in weight over the same period. Initial outcome expectations were associated with higher weight, and lower social class and verbal ability, but not the number of previous attempts to lose weight.
Addictive Behaviors, 1986
An experimental evaluation of a cognitive self-instructional procedure for increasing self-contro... more An experimental evaluation of a cognitive self-instructional procedure for increasing self-control of eating was carried out in a weight reduction programme for obese women. All subjects received a 'core', 16 week long treatment programme of nutritional advice and encouragement provided by five group meetings and one individual session. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive only the core programme, or the core programme plus seven individual sessions of one of three types of treatment. Thus there were four treatment conditions: (a) Cognitive Rehearsal (Self-instructional training attempting to teach subjects to resist temptation through the self-directing power of inner speech), (b) Insight Control (teaching subjects to become aware of, but not to change, unhelpful cognitions), (c) Individual Contact Control (encouragement and nondirective discussion of dieting) and (d) Group Contact Control (core programme only). Of the 94 subjects entering'the programme 74 completed the 16 weeks of treatment and 69 were followed up a year later. There were no significant differences between treatments in obesity reduction either at the end of treatment or at followup. There were significant reductions in anxiety and depression and in initially unrealistically high outcome expectations. Initial weight loss, an apparently important variable, predicted subsequent losses.
Addictive Behaviors, 2007
In this evaluation of a method of assessing competence in Motivational Interviewing (MI), partici... more In this evaluation of a method of assessing competence in Motivational Interviewing (MI), participants were asked to interview an actor simulating a substance abuser who was ambivalent about an important issue. The interviews were videotaped and subsequently rated for competence in MI using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code (MITI). Ratings of 43 interviews made independently by trained judges found high levels of inter-rater agreement. Ratings of 11 pairs of interviews carried out by the same interviewer with different simulated patients, a mean of 26 days apart, resembled each other closely. Participants who had been trained in MI were significantly more competent than others. There was a significant association between researchers' and patients' ratings of the extent to which the interviewer demonstrated the spirit of MI. These findings imply that the assessment method produces reasonably reliable and valid ratings of competence in MI and can be used for both clinical and research purposes. D
Addictive Behaviors, Jan 31, 2007
In this evaluation of a method of assessing competence in Motivational Interviewing (MI), partici... more In this evaluation of a method of assessing competence in Motivational Interviewing (MI), participants were asked to interview an actor simulating a substance abuser who was ambivalent about an important issue. The interviews were videotaped and subsequently rated for competence in MI using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code (MITI). Ratings of 43 interviews made independently by trained judges found high levels of inter-rater agreement. Ratings of 11 pairs of interviews carried out by the same interviewer with different simulated patients, a mean of 26 days apart, resembled each other closely. Participants who had been trained in MI were significantly more competent than others. There was a significant association between researchers' and patients' ratings of the extent to which the interviewer demonstrated the spirit of MI. These findings imply that the assessment method produces reasonably reliable and valid ratings of competence in MI and can be used for both clinical and research purposes. D
Addiction Research and Theory, Jul 10, 2009
Page 1. Addiction Rcsemd~. 2wO. Vol. 8. No. 1. pp. 81-93 Reprints available directly hum the publ... more Page 1. Addiction Rcsemd~. 2wO. Vol. 8. No. 1. pp. 81-93 Reprints available directly hum the publisher Photocopying pemned by hcense only Q UMO OPA (Overseas Pubhshen Association) N V Pubhshed by hcense under ...
Behavioural Psychotherapy, 1985
In order to test its effect on compliance with recommended practice of relaxation training, patie... more In order to test its effect on compliance with recommended practice of relaxation training, patients in anxiety management training groups were provided with additional information about the procedure and its ration-ale. After an introductory training session all subjects were provided with ...
Journal of Substance Use, 2002
... Correspondence: Gerald A Bennett BSc MPhil PhD CPsychol, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Pa... more ... Correspondence: Gerald A Bennett BSc MPhil PhD CPsychol, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Park Lodge, Gloucester Road, Bournemouth BH7 6JF, UK. Tel: z44 (0)1202 397003; fax: z44 (0)1202 399649; email: gerald.bennett@dorsethc-tr.swest.nhs.uk ...
Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1988
The effects of the original behavioural treatment have been studied exhaustively and the limits o... more The effects of the original behavioural treatment have been studied exhaustively and the limits of this very useful approach have been delineated. Further developments have largely come from combining it with other modes of treatment or from delivering it in more intensive ways. The knowledge base has been limited to operant psychology, despite the fact that study of the psychology of appetite has developed extensively in the two decades since Stuart's original paper of 1967 (Stuart RB. Behavioral control of overeating. Behav Res Ther 1967; 5: 357-365). Many fundamental processes such as the role of conditioning in the development of satiety, and the effects of monotony and variety, have important implications for the treatment of obesity which have yet to be explored.
Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 1992
Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 2,163-183 (1992) ... Ways ... more Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 2,163-183 (1992) ... Ways of coping with excessive drug use in the family: ... A provisional typology based on the accounts of 50 ... JIM ORFORD', KATE RIGBY', TONY MILLER3, ANNE TOD4, GERALD BENNETT and ...