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The chapters are introduced and briefly discussed in Beck’s foreword in which he points out the importance of subjecting any new treatment approach to single case study. This, he argues, is a first essential step preceding any wide scale investigative work relating to outcome. Beck, in addition, states the success of cognitive therapy (CT) in the treatment of depressive disorders, a result which he believes has encouraged its application to a wide range of other clinical problems.

Each of the individual chapters offers a clear account of its author’s application of CT, illustrated by single case presentation and backed up by theoretical argument. The clinical problems addressed in this book include: severely depressed inpatients; panic disorder and agoraphobia; obsessions and compulsions; hypochondriasis; cancer patients; eating disorders; drug abuse; offenders; and suicidal patients.

Whilst not wishing to undermine the excellence of any of the contributions, I personally consider that the chapters by Blackburn, Salkovskis, Warwick and Salkovskis, and Williams and Wells, stand out in terms of their succinct theoretical and clinical content. Blackburn’s chapter discusses the application of CT in a severely depressed in-patient. This is an important as well as innovative contribution which follows on from Blackburn’s well known outcome studies which have demonstrated the efficacy of CT with mild to moderately depressed patients. Blackburn describes the gradual improvement of a female patient who would have ordinarily been excluded from outcome studies because of the presence of psychotic symptoms. Clearly, this contribution offers greater scope when treating other similar patients. It also offers great impetus for further research in this area. Similarly, the chapter by Warwick and Salkovskis generates new found enthusiasm in tackling the well known difficulties in the treatment of hypochondriacal patients.

Obvious space restrictions do not allow for individual chapter summaries. However, I have extracted a list of features which should facilitate the reader’s appreciation as to the most pertinent aspects of the book. (a) It has an excellent reference potential as each chapter represents a coherent, independent unit. (b) Chapters 1-9 incorporate both cognitive and behavioural techniques in their individual clinical interventions. In addition, an appreciation of the basic tenets of CT should be sufficient for deriving maximum benefit from each contribution since each one offers its own theoretical rationale. (c) Chapter 10 concludes this volume and draws together the major themes emerging from the case materials. The authors (Williams and Moorey) offer a thought provoking contribution in their informed and clear discussion of the wider application of CT (namely. in learning disabilities) as well as suggestions for future strategies for research.

The above points suggest that this book should make an invaluable and very practical item for any clinician, trainee, or busy professional when treating general adult psychological problems.

TINA BAKER

F. COSTIN and J. G. DRAGUNS: Abnormal Psychology-Patterns, Issues and Inrerventions. Wiley, New York (1989). xxxiv + 616 pp. f18.95.

This is an excellent and inexpensive reference text for the student of abnormal psychology as well as any worker in the mental health field or interested lay reader. I regret that this heavy and almost square volume has not been given a more sturdy cover and I warn you that it is impossible to read it in bed although it is so well written that one might want to. I hope that the future editions will deal with this problem!

The volume is divided into three parts. The first is devoted to the defining of abnormality and an overview of mental disorders, assessment methods and different theoretical viewpoints. In the second there is a more detailed discussion of disorders, following the DSM-III-R classification system, including the theoretical explanations of their origins and modes of treatment. Part three deals with different forms of therapies, the biomedical, the psychodynamic and the behavioural and their variants and derivatives. It also contains a most interesting chapter on legal issues, e.g. the insanity plea vs criminal responsibility and involuntary hospitalisation, as well as the discussion of the community mental health provision. A summary at the end of each chapter, the glossary, author index, subject index and 51 pages of references should keep every student happy. The reader will also be pleased by a judicious choice, in quality as well as in amount, of photographs, figures and tables. Of particular value and attraction is the historical information, skilfully interwoven into the text, which serves to broaden the reader’s perspective. My only reservation is the apparent bias the authors show towards the psychodynamic schools of thought throughout the book. They state in the Preface that they strive to maintain a neutral position and to present evidence and arguments for and against different interpretations. In practice the critical evaluation is present in some discussions but not others. The psychodynamic explanations are given prominence and space far surpassing any others, Psychodynamic authors’ views, often unsupported by any evidence, are liberally quoted and well referenced and thereby inadvertently lifted to a scientific status. This is particularly irritating when juxtaposed with the often briefer descriptions of behavioural perspectives and a scanty reference to their research data base and scientific methodology. It lacked altogether a discussion of the quality of evidence and research methodology. Bearing that in mind, it is a very attractive and useful textbook which I recommend to anyone interested.

JOLANTA O~~ETIN

R. J. STERNBERG: Melaphors of Mind-Conceptions qf the Nature of In~eNigence. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1990). xvi + 344 pp. f30.00.

R. J. Sternberg believes that lots of factors (at least 16 ‘components’, plus apparently 4 different types of interaction between any two of them) contribute to individual differences in intelligence. Fortunately-unlike the first serious ‘cognitive psychologist’, J. P. Guilford, who claimed merely to identify 150 distinct mental abilities-Sternberg does not want to fuss

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about how to measure all his faintly postulated mental components and processes, or to trouble his readers with the correlations discovered between them by the empirical method. Sternberg only wants to suggest that there are lots of complexities and much need for open-minded deference to yet further cognitive possibilities.

This attitude is well suited to his latest book, which classes as ‘metaphors’ what would once have been called ‘theories’ of intelligence. Metaphors are not true or false, of course: they are just helpful or unhelpful in winning access to the taxpayer’s pocket at any given time, as the Zeitgeist will determine. Factorial, biological, epistemological, computational, sociological and anthropological ‘metaphors’ of intelligence all have their good points which Sternberg tries briefly to recall and (even more briefly) to criticise. Being neither true nor false, however, what they require is ennobling integration into Sternberg’s own ‘componential’ scheme-or, Sternberg magnanimously allows, into Howard Gardner’s simpler but equally undemonstrated seven-factor list.

Most of the big names in intelligence research are given a brief innings in what will serve as a happily unthoughtful textbook on intelligence for the universities of today. There are some conspicuous omissions, however. Ted Nettelbeck, Mike Anderson and Patrick Rabbitt (the London School’s most recent convert) receive no mention. For the high reported correlations between average evoked potential (AEP) indices, inspection time (IT-an index of perceptual intake speed) and IQ prove too distressing to the higher sensibility: “the size of (the Hendricksons’) correlation (between AEP and IQ, published in Name) is enough to scare some people away”; it is “troubling to some, myself included”. By such an extraordinary, unexplained and almost libellous dismissal of what happened in the 198Os, Sternberg demonstrates his magisterial command of what today’s psychologists want to hear: lots of metaphors and happy, unresolved uncertainties, all uncontaminated by brute correlation coefficients.

CHRIS BRAND