The Council on Research and Development

Abstract

meeting, February 8-9, 1973. Two task force reports were approved by the Council with the recommendation that these be published as task force monographs. These recommendations were submitted to the Reference Committee. The first report, entitled “ Behavior Therapy in Psychiatry,” was completed by the Task Force on Behavioral Therapy, Carl Lee Birk, M.D., chairman. This task force was established to study the historical development of behavior therapy, its efficacy for the treatment of psychiatric problems, its current forms and uses as well as potential abuses, and its relationship to dynamic psychiatry. The Council felt that this would be an invaluable introductory monograph for psychiatrists, psychiatnc educators, psychiatric residents, and medical students. It is hoped that the report will provide an impetus for mutually beneficial interactions between dynamic psychiatrists and behavioral therapists. The second report, also recommended for publication as a monograph, was that of the Task Force on Vitamin Therapy in Psychiatry, Morris A. Lipton, M.D., chairman. This was a scholarly review of the 20-year history of Vitamin B3 therapy (nicotinic acid or nicotinamide) for the treatment of schizophnenia. The report also included an up-to-date summary of attempts to replicate the claims of proponents of this treatment method. It is hoped that with the publication of this report an APA position statement on megavitamin therapy can be issued. In collaboration with the Commission on Drug Abuse, Danid X. Freedman, M.D., chairman, a position statement on the value of amphetamines in the pharmacologic anmamentanium of the psychiatrist will be presented to the Reference Committee, the Board of Trustees, and the Assembly of District Branches for their consideration. On recommendation of the Council, the Reference Committee approved the discontinuation of the Task Force on Systems Theory in Community Mental Health and of the Task Force on Current Problems in Research Support. However, the Reference Committee suggested that the Council might consider a task force that would develop general guidelines for nesearch support. Membership was approved for the revived Task Force on Lithium, Irvin M. Cohen, M.D., chairman. This task force will investigate the status of lithium therapy in other than the manic phase of manic-depressive psychosis. Four new task forces were recommended by the Council and approved by the Reference Committee. These include: 1) a Task Force on Psychiatric Aspects of Aerospace Program, 2) a Task Force on Biofeedback, 3) a Task Force on Meditation, and 4) a Task Force on Research Aspects of Psychosurgery. The Task Force on Research Aspects of Psychosurgery will work in liaison with a similar task force under the Council on Emerging Issues evaluating the social impact of psychosurgery. The task force under the Council on Research and Development will focus on a critical evaluation of follow-up studies and on the scientific merits ofcurrent research in psychosurgery. The Task Force on Evaluation Research in Community Mental Health Centers, Gerald L. Klerman, M.D., chairman, completed a report in 1971; 2,000 copies were printed and distnibuted to mental health centers throughout the United States. This task force was continued at the request of government agencies and now functions as a consultant to them. The task force has been in consultation with NIMH and HEW regarding a program for evaluation research. It is now preparing for consideration by the Council a brief paper defining the issues, including the priorities, scope, and administrative mechanisms of evaluation research.