Behau. Res. Ther. Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 449-453, 1990 Printed in Great Britain

000%7967/90 53.00 + 0.00 Pcrgamon Press plc

BOOK REVIEWS

GRAHAM TURPIN (Ed.): Handbook of Clinical Psychophysiology. Wiley, Chichester (1989). xvi + 633 pp. f59.95.

Among the many positive features of this book are the informative and helpful structure of the chapters and the authors’ willingness to confront and (almost) remain undaunted by the challenging array of methodological, measurement, conceptual and clinical problems which confronts the researcher into the psychophysiology of psychopathology. Graham Turpin sets an uncompromising high standard in his Introduction to Section 1 (General Applications: Methodological and Theoretical Issues), providing a statement of his definition of clinical psychophysiology and the requirements of a rationale to direct research. Guidelines to authors are clear and have evidently been observed.

Of Section 1, I particularly enjoyed the chapter by Stemmler and Fahrenberg for the air of problematic wisdom it exudes. It deals with the broad assessment of psychophysiological variables, with validity and psychometric issues and multivariate statistical analysis strategies, and ponders how researchers can cope with so many measurement issues. Also enjoyable is that by Cuthbert and Lang on Imagery, Memory and Emotion, for the effortless way it links cognitive processes, emotional reactivity and psychophysiological responses within a network of response information. It breathes an air of exuberant optimism. All the chapters, however, are high in quality and clearsighted on such matters as psychophysiological markers, brain mechanisms, psychophysiological assessment in behaviour therapy, bchavioural medicine and stress.

The chapters of Section 1 are so good that one fears that Section 2 (Applications to Specific Disorders) will become mired in the conceptual complexities and indetetminables of clinical problems. Happily, contributors face these problems, discussing with honesty the multiple factors encountered when embarking upon the fearsomely difficult path of clinical psychophysiological research.

Diagnosis is one obvious problem, recognised by all as inadequate because it may fail to recognisc subgroups or other sets of criteria (e.g. Dawson, Nuechterlein and Adams on schizophrenic disorders, and Goldstein on heterogeneity among hypertensives). Another is the diffuse symptomatology frequently observed (e.g. in the hyperventilation syndrome), and the absence of longitudinal research, necessary to test hypotheses about the development of psychophysiological disorders, and to follow psychophysiological changes in patients while symptomatic and while remitted.

The chapters in Section 2 deal with specific disorders (phobias, panic, obsessional-compulsive disorder, Raynaud’s disease, hypertension, affective, schizophrenic, sexual, gastrointestinal, respiratory and motor disorders) and authors highlight the specific problems in their own areas which at present impede progress as well as common diagnostic and conceptual matters. Many conclude with the sober assessment that the contribution of psychophysiology to understanding disorder is a promise rather than a reality.

Perhaps most intractable and important is the lack of relationship between subjective reports, symptoms, and psychophysiolo&al measurement; a close runner up is the need for more specific and integrative theoretical constructs. What this book makes clear is that psychophysiology is not an isolated discipline concerned with measurement techniques, but that its integration with and contribution to allied disciplines is growing steadily.

K. HURREL.W.NN: Human Development and Health. Springer, Berlin (1989). 137 pp.

This book aims to review investigations into the interrelations between stressful living conditions, individual coping strategies, and social support networks, on the one hand, and physiological, psychological, and social health on the other. The topic is an interesting and important one, but the treatment is curiously selective. For instance, the author discusses risk factors in delinquency, but entirely fails to discuss a very large body of literature dealing with personality, physique, and other important factors relevant to this thesis. There is no mention of the work of Friedman and Rosenman on Type A, or that of Grossarth-Maticek on cancer and coronary heart disease, in relation to psychosocial factors. There is no mention of cortisol, linked on the one hand to depression, and on the other to immuno-destruction. Perhaps it is the shortness of the book that causes these omissions; 120 pages are hardly enough to cover such a broad topic. Whatever the reason, the selection of topics and references is too idiosyncratic to make it possible to recommend the book, although teachers with a wide knowledge in the topic may find certain parts of it interesting.

H. J. EYSENCK

L. M. HORIWAK and E. K. BAKER (Eds): Experiential Therapies for Earing Disorders. Guilford Press, New York (1989). 339 pp. S35.00.

Whereas medical and cognitivtbehavioural treatments are the current norm for anorexia nervosa and bulimia newosa. this collection confines itself to experiential and expressive approaches to treatment, either as alternatives to the better-known treatments or as procedures that may be incorporated into multi-faceted treatments. Included are art, dance, and music therapies, psychodrama, hypnosis, guided imagery, and structured eating procedures. There are abundant case illustrations, but virtually no data on treatment efficacy. Nonetheless, procedural therapeutic hints may be gleaned even by practitioners of other theoretical persuasions and even in instances where the theoretical rationale may be greeted by

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