Dr. DeLisi Replies

To the Editor: I read Dr. Lieberman’s response to my review and respect his opinion as one coming from a different perspective in psychiatry. However, my main criticisms of the book stand. Although Dr. Lieberman says that “terror management theory has come of age,” this volume is unconvincing that it clearly has. I question how relevant the experiences of psychology students in a laboratory situation are to today’s reality and whether this book is a useful volume for psychiatrists and others in helping individuals deal with terrorism and the abuse of fear of it by politicians and others in our society today. The book is redundant in many parts, not clearly written for psychiatrists, and does not help those specifically familiar with this field of work. Nor do I think it will help the victims of these attacks.