542 BOOK REVIEWS

social-cognitive or ‘theory of mind’ explanation. This represents another plausible approach which has emerged in the last 5 years, and it has a place in a book of this kind. Other chapters in Section One review contemporary research in genetics and neuroscience.

The second part includes two chapters about enhancing communication in autism. Barry Pritzant and Amy Waterhouse underline the importance of tying practice to theory, and demonstrate this using current theories of autism and of normal language development. Robert Koegal and Jean Johnson describe a means of enhancing the use of language-the ‘natural language-teaching program’. Although behaviourally-based, the emphasis is on increasing moriunrion to communicate verbally. The authors suggest that its principles could be taught to parents, to involve them in language-teaching and increasing greatly the opportunities for learning and the likelihood of generalisation. A chapter by Gregory Olley and Susan Stevenson on the needs of pre-school children with autism is nicely complemented by one on autism in adolescence and adulthood, by Mary Van Bourgondien and Gary Mesibov.

Overall. this is a useful book. illustrating the diversity of approaches to understanding autism. It should be of interest to researchers, clinicians and educators.

WENDY PHILLIPS

L. ELLIS: Theories of Rape-Inquiries Into the Causes of Sexual Aggression. Hemisphere. New York (1989). xiv + 185 pp.

This theoretically stimulating book reviews the empirical evidence for and against three contemporary theories of rape, referred to as the ‘feminist theory’ the ‘social learning theory’ and the ‘evolutionary theory’. Each theory is clearly described and the specific hypotheses derived from it are listed. The empirical evidence for and against each hypothesis is elegantly and succinctly discussed. The author has been particularly successful in outlining the main strengths and limitations of each theory in terms of how well the hypotheses derived from each theory are supported by empirical research findings. After reviewing the three theories the author proposes a new theory, the ‘Synthesised Theory of Rape’, which incorporates the strengths of the other three theories. The new theory agrees that rape is motivated by two related drives-the sex drive and the drive to possess and control.

This is an excellent book which gives thought-provoking ideas into the causes of crime. The limitation of the book, which is recognised by the author, is that it gives no tangible ideas about the prevention of rape.

G. H. GUDJONSSX

A. T. BECK: Lore Is Nerer Enough. Penguin, London (1989). xii + 323 pp. f4.99.

This is a book which must not escape any professional’s attention when dealing with couples who present with marital problems. Indeed, it is a book which not only offers a coherent and rich contribution to any psychologist’s library, it also has the rare gift of being an excellent self-help assessment and therapy instrument, for either the patients themselves or any individuals who are experiencing marital, co-habitation or friendship problems.

The book is well organised and easy to follow. In addition, prior knowledge of the specific processes of cognitive therapy, although an advantage, is not essential in order to derive full use of the strategies described in the book, or the self-administered questionnaires. There is a good introduction at the start of the book, in which Beck gives a brief definition of cognitive therapy and explains how he uses it to help couples improve their thinking processes, in terms of each individual partner’s self-defeating misunderstandings, misconceptions and miscommunications.

The introduction also includes a good summary of the book’s plan, with a brief discussion on how the chapters are organised.

There are eighteen chapters in all, with the first nine aimed at helping couples pinpoint the specific problems that they are experiencing in their relationship. Based on his own clinical cases, Beck describes nine problems he has most commonly encountered. Examples of these are: the power of negative thinking, the clash of differing perspectives, static communication and rigid expectations. In chapters ten to eighteen, a variety of cognitive therapy strategies are described, which partners can choose from and follow in order to deal with their own personal problems or needs. More specifically. these chapters offer a rich mixture of both cogmtive as well as behavioural problem-solving strategies, which together with the self-administered questionnaires (in most chapters) provide the clinician. or reader, with a systematic means of asssessing and dealing with relationship problems.

Finally, as a psychologist who sees a large number of couples who have marital problems, I consider that this book has succeeded in meeting a long-felt need.

TINA BAKER

C. GIBB and P. RAWALL: Professionals and Parents-Managing Children’s Behaoiour. Macmillan, London (1989). viii + 126 pp. f8.95.

This book takes the form of a course aimed at providing practical knowledge of behaviour management methods to a wide range of professionals (e.g. health visitors. nursery nurses) who work with young children. The text is divided into five parts the first four of which represent the goals of the course with the fifth comprising a practical exercise. This final part enables students to try out what has been learned in the previous sections. There are also practical tasks interspersed throughout the rest of the book.

The early part of the course focuses on problem definition and analysis within a learning theory framework. The emphasis then moves on to methods of intervention including specific techniques and methods of recording. Implementation of the above within a family setting is then covered, followed by a section on parent training. The information in this book is clearly provided and the tasks and tests in each section give an opportunity for students to consolidate this information and to identify any misunderstandings or problem areas.

This book could save the time and trouble of developing a course yourself providing it covers the relevant areas in the manner in which it is required. Having said this, it does concern me that the level of knowledge provided is fairly basic