OCR Text |
Show THE SALT LAKE TIMES Combined wuh The Salt Late Mining 6 Legal News Published Every Friday at Salt Lake City, Utah Second Class Postage paid at Salt Lake City, Utah 711 South West Temple Telephone Salt Lake Gty, Utah 84101 64-846- 4 GLENN BJORNN, Pubiiahef "This publication is wot owned or controlled by any party, clan, clique, faction or corporation Volume 55 THE SALT LAKE TIMES FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1975 Page Two Number 33 Can They Tell the Sane from the Insane? (continued from page 1) Dr. Rosenhan questioned the validity and usefulness of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM II) of the American Psychiatric Association. According to Rosenhan, the DSM II erroneously assumes that patients present symptoms which can be categorized, then diagnosed or labeled, and subsequently treated. To test his hypothesis that the sane cannot be distinguished from the insane in psychiatric hospitals, Rosenhan had sane pseudopatients voluntarily seek admittance to 12 psychiatric hospitals by simulating a single symptom auditory hallucinations of a special character. The pseudopatients presented no other symptoms beyond the hallucinations, a normal amount of nervous behavior for individuals engaged in such a deception, and the fact that they sought admittance to a hospital. Despite the absence of other abnormal indications, 11 of the pseudopatients were initially diagnosed and treated for paranoid schizophrenia and the 12th for manic depressive psychosis. All 12 were discharged, after an average hospitalization of 19 days, with the initial diagnoses qualified as in remission. Rosenhan concluded that clinicians should avoid psychiatric syndrome labels and focus, instead, on specific problems and behaviors. They should also be more aware of the effects of the clinical environment on patients depersonalization, powerlessness, selflabeling, etc. and on the staff misperceptions, callous treatment of patients, etc. Rosenhan claims that the pseudopatients should have been initially observed as simply suffering from auditory hallucinations with diagnosis deferred and, finally released with no discharge diagnosis. There is agreement among the authors in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology that a psychodiagnostic classification system is needed for communications purposes and to facilitate comprehension of pathological processes underlying observed symptoms. However, Rosenhans critics doubt that the reliability or validity of any diagnostic method can be extablished by showing that pathological symptoms can be faked. They further take issue with Rosenhan's conclusion that a greater recognition of the role of contextual factors is what is needed to improve the state of our understanding of psychological processes. The critics charge that Rosenhan's study was pseudoscience presented as science. Rosenhan is faulted for a flawed experiment, a weak study design, failure to conduct a properly controlled test of the major hypothesis, and for a philosophically naive and misguiding conclusion that syndromeclassification labeling be abandoned in favor of labeling specific behaviors. While there is general agreement that the diagnoses for the pseudopatients were incorrect, Rosenhan's conclusion that incorrect diagnoses are a general rule is called a scandal of induction. The controversy about mental states apparently stems from different persepetives concerning the nature and function of useful concepts in psychology. Therefore, the reliability of any classification system is limited by our knowledge of the laws of behavior and the training of clinicians. The authors predict that all Utah Retail Grocers Voice Objection to Bill Requiring Item Unit Pricing Strong objections have been voiced to a Senate subcommittee UPC is one of the food industrys attempts to lessen food prices," Mr. over proposed legislation that Johnson said, adding that the would require price marking on proposed legislation would require each packaged item and also retail increased prices because of item unit pricing. pricing even though alternative The objections were made by pricing systems may have proven Robert V. Johnson, Salt Lake City acceptable. independent retail grocer and presAs for mandatory retail unit ident of the Utah Retail Grocers subAssociation. He spoke for both the pricing, Mr. Johnson told the state group and the National Asso- committee that the Utah associaciation of Retail Grocers when he tion and NARGUS are concerned because consumers will lose their appeared before the Subcommittee freedom to accept or reject the on Consumer, Senate Committee bill is passed. He if the concept, onCommerce, in Washington D.C. stressed the point that a store-wid- e recently. Mr. Johnsons statement was in unit pricing system is a tremendous involving thousands objection to S.997, which proposes undertaking, a Federal law requiring retailers to of figures, and noted the bill for a maximum possible fine per day for each missing, misplaced, or incorrect unit price tag or label. The contingent liability involved for a small retailer could easily exceed his entire assets," he stated. Referring to the exemption provided in the bill, Mr. Johnson said a large percentage of independent retail grocers could not qualify. He said virtually all independent grocers affiliated with a wholesaler-sponsore- d voluntary group, or operating as a member of a retailer-owcooperative, receive a make the Federal government ned substantial" part of their merchanlarger. It is a fact of life that big dise from a firm with gross annual government and extensive controls sales of more than $500,000, and so are a special threat to small concerns." He went on to say that the would not be exempt. Mr. Johnson said most independproposed legislation would have a ent retailers cannot afford the negative impact on productivity in expense of having a computer in retail grocery distribution. After making general statements their stores, and there are serious about the bill, Mr. Johnson then doubts about every wholesale grovoiced specific objections to retail cer in the country being in a item pricing and then retail unit position to take care of such needs for all retailers. There have been pricing. He pointed out that many no studies on the feasibility of food retailers do not item price wholesale grocers meeting such some products gum, candy, and are no cost figures there needs, tobacco products, fresh produce, for wholesalers either or retailers. milk, eggs, baby food, sale items,, his In conclusion, Mr. Johnson film and others. Thus, additional costs would be imposed when every urged support of two basic princiitem had to be price marked. Also, ples: 1. Let the market system in he said that food retailers operating grocery distribution work by offerwarehouse-typ- e stores with posted ing as many choices to the consumer as possible; 2. Do not legislate prices but not individually priced items would be hit extremely hard. impediments or penalties against improvements in retailers capacity According to Mr. Johnson, the to produce and distribute goods and g issue is heart of the services more efficiently. the effect of the Universal Product Code and scanning checkout counters on store-pricin- g practices. Inmembers hoped that UPC dustry will scanning strengthen inventory control, improve labor productivity, reduce misrings and shrink, and produce greater sales information. However, he added that S.997 would prohibit retailers from taking full advantage of the equipment available. He said the law could inhibit and restrict the number of companies willing to risk implementation of the UPC equipment because some potential benefits A Puttc Service d Tlw Newspxw would be eliminated at the outset. I The Admtamg CountJ price mark each packaged item sold in stores and to display each retail unit price (price per ounce, per pint, etc.). However, he told the subcommittee members, It is not correct to say we oppose item price marking or unit pricing as a service to our customers. What we oppose is a Federal law requiring that stores provide such services regardless of customers preferences and individual store capabilities." The proposed legislation is a step in the wrong direction, Mr. Johnson said, because it is a move to provides $10,000 item-pricin- Red badge of courage. the problems which plague the current psychodiagnos- tic classes, which encompass overlapping and vague criteria based on flimsy behavioral data, will also plague any new mode. the LEASED GRUPEVIIUE The proposed Kaiparowits power project will be discussed at a meeting of the Womens State Legislative Council of Utah Dec. 4 at 9:30 a.m. at the Utah State Office Building Auditorium. Kaiparowits speakers scheduled include Robert Currie and Lee Kapoloski. Other topics scheduled include public utility rate increases, justice of the peace salaries and compensation standards, pedestrian safety and Social Security Health Planning Act. According to Rep. Allan T. National Park SerHowe, vice Director Gary Everhardt said that a final decision on possible retention of lodging facilities at Utah's Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks will not be made for some time. Rep. Howe said that he had talked to Mr. Everhardt and that the dirctor will meet with Utahs congressional delegation before a final decision is reached and made public. There has been speculation that D-Uta- h, Service National Park staff members have recommended keeping the overnight facilities in the two Utah parks. Jail trustees working in the Salt Lake County Jail commisary arent all that trustworthy according to an audit released this past week. The audit conducted by employees of County Auditor Gerald Hansen noted the disappearance in June of $537.00 from the commissary. The facility provides inmates with cigarettes, candy, toilet articles and other sundries. The thousands of tiny Christmas lights strung over Main Street trees are perfectly safe, the lighting supplier said this week after a city inspector claimed that the lights were a hazard to the public. Responding to the fears that the lights on the trees are for indoor use only only Bill Vriens of Modern Display said he was positive there won't be any problems with these lights. The same type lights have been used on temple square for over eight years now without any problems. Former Utahn Brent Scrowcroft has officially assumed the role of national security affairs advisor to President Ford. Scowcroft, whose retirement from the Air Force as a lieutenant general will be effective Dec. 1, succeeds Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in his new post. President Ezra Taft Benson, president of the Council of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daSaints met with President Ford this week. The nature of their talk was not disclosed but White House sources described the talk as personal. President Benson served as secretary of agriculture during the y Where thousands of listeners enjoy concert music and news every day! Eisenhower administration. Highway construction costs during 1974 rose to approximately 210 percent of the 1967 average. |