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A Comparative Analysis Of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome Among Individuals Exposed To Different Stressor Events, John P. Wilson, W. Ken Smith, Suzanne K. Johnson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The purpose of the present study was to compare post-traumatic stress syndrome among persons involved in nine different stressor events: combat in the Vietnam War; rape; serious life-threatening events; divorce; the death of a significant other; critical, near fatal illness of a significant other; family trauma; multiple traumatic events; and no stressful event. To assess the severity of the symptoms which define post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the Impact of Event Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Stress Assessment Scale for PTSD from the Vietnam Era Stress Inventory (Wilson & Krauss, 1980) and the Sensation Seeking Scale were administered to the …

Post-Traumatic Stress And Life-Destructive Behavior, Dennis L. Peck

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Results of content analysis of investigative reports and suicide notes illustrating the association between traumatic stress and life-destructive behavior are reported. A breakdown of interpersonal relationships and the inability to adapt to situational arrangements over which they lack control are shown to be factors critical to understanding committers' motivations to suicide.

Speech Results Following Modified Pharyngeal Flap Surgery, Karen S. Zalewski

Masters Theses

It is the purpose of this study to provide a descriptive analysis of 13 patients who have undergone a modified pharyngeal flap surgery completed by one plastic surgeon. Variables associated with the speech of these individuals were based on four measures, including a questionnaire, the Iowa Pressure Articulation Test, the screening portion of the Templin-Darley Test of Articulation, and listener ratings of audio-taped post-surgical speech samples.

Of the eight subject variables studied, two variables were found to be closely associated with speech results. These variables included number of surgeries performed on subjects and number of years in speech therapy. The …

Process Theory: A Reliability And Validity Study, Barbara Pritchard Nash

Dissertations

Process Theory is a new personality/diagnostic system designed by Dr. Taibi Kahler. It is described in detail and compared to other such systems in the psychological literature. A study was conducted to determine the system's interdiagnostician reliability, inter-measure reliability, external validity, and convergent validity with Millon's Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI). Forty subjects, 20 normal and 20 clinical, were interviewed on tape. The tapes were assessed by three expert diagnosticians. The normal subjects were given the Personality Pattern Inventory (PPI), which is the Process Theory personality test. The clinical subjects were given the MCMI. Interdiagnostician reliability was assessed among the three …

The Use Of Guided Imagery In The Control Of Food And Liquid Intake Of Hemodialysis Patients, Thomas E. Higgins

Dissertations

This research was undertaken in order to clarify the relationship between guided imagery and the control of food and liquid intake by hemodialysis patients. There have been a number of studies dealing with the negative psychological states experienced by hemodialysis patients. A behavioral manifestation of these psychological states is the problem of maintaining proper food and liquid intake and this is a major problem for most patients.

One technique used by individuals to cope with negative psychological states and to learn healthy behaviors is guided imagery. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relaxation technique coupled with …

Using Group Psychotherapy For Enhancing Late Adolescent Selfconcept: Comparing The Effects Of Hypnosis And Rational-Emotive Therapy, James J. Buldas

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether university students, classified as late adolescents, could enhance their self-concept as measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) Total Positive Score. Seven hypotheses which stated the null relationship between self-concept enhancement and the treatment modalities of hypnosis and rational-emotive therapy, when compared over an eight week period of time were derived. A review of the literature showed that the belief that low self-concept is etiologic in psychopathology is widespread in the clinical literature.

A sample of university students enrolled in Psychology 100 (N = 54) were pre, post and follow-up tested …

Adolescent Eating Attitudes And Behaviors, Linda Kron Brundage

Dissertations

This study sought to establish a baseline of eating attitudes and behaviors among a non-clinical population of adolescents. Three major questions were addressed: Does a spectrum of weight and diet concern exist among adolescent girls which ranges from dieting for cosmetic reasons to anorexia and bulimia? What is the relationship between attitudes and behaviors at a young age and eating disorders at a later age? What are some of the ways boys and girls differ regarding eating attitudes and behaviors? In addition to these major questions an attempt was made to quantify the incidence anorexia and bulimia.

The Eating Disorder …

The Therapeutic Use Of Hope, Bonnie Lee Timmer Aardema

Dissertations

Hope is a fundamental element of human behavior which activates, shapes, and sustains psychological development. The literature presents hope as a significant nonspecific factor in psychotherapy; however, the specific use of hope is not examined. There has been little exploration or specification of the characteristics, dynamics, and effects of hoping on individual psychology. The author examines hope as a psychological construct and presents a theory of hope development, loss, and distortion, and a model is presented for the therapeutic use of hope in counseling and psychotherapy.

The author draws from the philosophical, eschatological, and psychological literature concepts regarding the characteristics …

The Relationships Between Family Communication, Self-Concept, And Academic Achievement Of Adolescents In Some Schools Of Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, Aizan Mohd Yusof

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the parent-adolescent communication, adolescents' self-concept, and academic achievement.

The sample consisted of 341 Form II (8th Grade) students from seven secondary schools in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, and their parents. The instruments utilized in this study were Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory and Academic Self-Concept Scales as the measure for adolescents' self-concept. The 1984 mid-year examination results were used as the measure of academic achievement. The Parent-Adolescent Communication Inventory (Form A) was used as the measure of students' perceptions of their communication with their parents, and Parent-Adolescent Communication Inventory (Form P) was …

Effect Of Father-Presence And Father-Absence On The Self-Concept Of Black Males In Special Education And Regular Education Classes, Queen Esther Woodard

Dissertations

This study compared the self-concept of Black males residing in father-present and father-absent low socioeconomic status homes, who were between the ages of 8-12, and who were enrolled in emotionally impaired, or regular education classes. Literature indicated that since 1970, the number of children reared in one-parent homes has increased by over 60%, with over 90% of these children living with their mothers. This changing lifestyle has prompted researchers to investigate the effects of father-absence on children; especially on boys.

It was hypothesized that self-concept would be influenced by father status, chronological age, and class placement. These three independent variables …

Hydrogeologic And Geochemical Factors Influencing The Impact Of A Chromium-Arsenic-Copper Wastewater Discharge On A Glacial Outwash Aquifer, Michael J. Gallagher

Masters Theses

A discharge of chromium-arsenic-copper laden wastewater occurred periodically from 1970 to 1980 at a wood preserving company located in southwestern Kalamazoo County, Michigan. As a result of this discharge, soils at the company site became contaminated with chromium, arsenic, and copper, and a local glacial outwash aquifer became contaminated with hexavalent chromium.

Soil samples collected from the discharge site were analyzed for clay-silt-sand-gravel content, organic matter, pH, clay mineralogy, and chromium, arsenic, copper, iron, and manganese content. Background soil samples were analyzed for most of the above catagories. Pearson r coefficients of correlation were calculated to determine the correlation of …

Grief Adjustment In The Compulsive Personality, James Lewis Young

Dissertations

Researchers in the field of grief (Parkes 1972, Bowlby 1980) theorized that personality is probably the major factor in determining how well one recovers from grief. Since Lindemann's (1944) study of surviving loved ones who died in a night club fire in Boston, most researchers have worked under the assumption that a survivor must go through the grief process in order to recover adequately, and that those who do not grieve will have poor recovery. Since the compulsive personality style has difficulty expressing emotions, it was hypothesized by this researcher that compulsives would recover more poorly than others in the …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 11, No. 4 (December 1984)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Editor ‘s Introduction to the Special Issue “A Sociology of Survivors: Post-Traumatic Shock Syndrome” - DENNIS L. PECK
• Toward An Understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: An Historical and Contemporary Perspective - SANGEETA SINGG
• Grief and the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders - CHARLES P. FLYNN, ALEXANDRA TEGUTS
• A Comparative Analysis of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome Among Individuals Exposed to Different Stressor Events - JOHN P. WILSON, W. KEN SMITH, SUZANNE K. JOHNSON
• Occupational Stress and Depression Among Vietnam Veterans - CHRISTIAN RITTER
• Post-Traumatic Stress and Attributions Among Incest Family Members - INGER J. SAGATUN
• Post-Traumatic Stress and Life …

Research Issues Surrounding Holocaust Survivors: Adaptability And Aging, Benjamin J. Hodgkins, Richard L. Douglass

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The thesis of this article is that, in spite of a large body of literature on the subject, a significant need exists for sociological research on the long-term consequences of the trauma experienced by survivors of Nazi concentration camps. Most of what is known about the adjustment of Holocaust survivors is based upon limited case histories of survivors who sought psychiatric aid, or requested assistance in qualifying for indemnification payments from the German government. The social and psychological dynamics of successful adjustment to life after the traumatic Holocaust experience by the majority of survivors has largely been ignored. Reasons for …

A Quantitative Study Of The Distinctive Proteins Of The Eosinophil: A Comparison Of Normals And Eosinophilic Patients, James M. Olson

Honors Theses

Eosinophils have long been associated with parasitic and allergic diseases. Methods of procurement and purification of eosinophils in the last ten years have allowed intensive investigation into their components, properties, functions, and mechanisms (Gleich et al, 1982). The goals of this project are to separate eosinophils in blood samples taken from patients with eosinophilia and from normals based on density over distontinuous Metrizamide gradients; to determine quantitatively the levels of the three distinctive proteins of the eosinophil, specifically MBP, EDN, and ECP; and to compare the levels of these proteins found in eosinophils of patients with eosinophilia to the amounts …

The Relationship Between Conflict-Communication Values And The Relationship Between Principals' Conflict Management Effectiveness And Involvement Of Teachers In Decision Making In Small High Schools In Michigan, Michael Kenneth Ryan

Dissertations

Due to the ever-increasing complexity of the social, financial, technical, and political environment in which schools must function, teachers have become more and more involved in the decision-making process in many schools. As teachers participate more in decision making, conflicts may arise. As these conflicts are managed, conflict-communication values may be an integral part of such management.

The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship between principals' effectiveness when dealing with conflicts and the principals' willingness to involve teaching staff in decision making. Investigations regarding the relationships between opposing communication values were also conducted.

The methodology used …

The Evaluation Of A School-Court Program That Deals With Chronic Absenteeism Of Middle School Students, Robert A. Duell

Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to examine the perceptions of middle school administrators, probation officers, and judges regarding chronic absenteeism of rural middle school students and to evaluate a school-court pilot program designed to deal with chronic attendance problems.

Four major research questions were examined in this paper. First, do rural middle schools have chronically absent students? Second, if there are such students, is their chronic absenteeism symptomatic of other serious problems? Third, if there are such students, do the school administrators, probation officers, and judges want to cooperate to deal with those students? Finally, do these three groups …

Attendant Care And Occupational Therapy, Barbara Barrett Lucas

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the current status and future potential of the relationship between attendant care and occupational therapy. Survey results showed that a large number of occupational therapists and in independent living centers, and that there is potential for an increase of occupational therapy involvement in attendant care.

The Effect Of Discrimination Training On Salt And Sugar Taste Thresholds Of Preschool Children, Susan M. Castine

Masters Theses

Using a single-subject A-B-C-D design, this study examined NaCl and sucrose taste thresholds in water, tomato juice, and milk with four 4-year-old children. Taste thresholds were determined by presenting several concentrations of an adulterant (i.e. NaCl, sucrose) in each vehicle, in blocks of ten trials. Subjects evaluated each taste sample by pressing one of two levers (Yes/No response). Detection threshold was defined as the level at which there was 50% correct responding. During Baseline, subjects received no feedback regarding the accuracy of their response. During the differential reinforcement phase, subjects received reinforcement following each correct response. Results suggested that detection …

A Comparative Study Of The Members Of Citizen Advisory Committees In Two Cities, Maryam Hasan

Masters Theses

This research describes and compares locally initiated citizen advisory committees in two Michigan cities, Kalamazoo and Portage. The goal of the description and comparison was to assess the differences, if any, in advisory members' definitions and perceptions of advisory committee purposes, membership characteristics, activities, organization, and members' satisfaction with advisory committee's recommendations and other activities. The study has revealed that there is no significant differences statistically or analytically between the two cities in the area of locally initiated advisory committees even though Kalamazoo is a central city of a metropolitan area with a more heterogeneous population than Portage, a suburban …

A Study Of Treatment Effects Of Short-Term Hospitalization, Sherwin R. Van Klompenberg

Masters Theses

This research addressed the effects of short-term multifaceted inpatient treatment programs upon the severity of depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory.

The study was designed as a pre-post test using the Correlated t Test to analyze the results. The descriptive analysis describes what is presently taking place in a short-term hospital facility. The treatment staff indicated which treatment modalities should impact specific items on the Beck Depression Inventory. The data analysis supports the hypothesis that short-term multifaceted inpatient treatment will have a positive treatment effect upon depression. Statistical analyses were also conducted upon various population subgroups.

The treatment …

Toward An Understanding Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: An Historical And Contemporary Perspective, Sangeeta Singg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article traces the historical views that led to development of current scientific perspectives of the diagnostical concept post-traumatic stress disorder. Examples of the catastrophic precipitants of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as war, natural and man-made disasters, and rape are presented, and a description of the current clinical perspective is provided. Because post-traumatic stress disorder often involves all aspects of a person's life, the use of multimodal therapy soon after the trauma is experienced is recommended to prevent the symptoms from occurring.

Occupational Stress And Depression Among Vietnam Veterans, Christian Ritter

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

An exploratory analysis was conducted to assess the effect of exposure to a distal source of extreme trauma on current levels of depression. The purpose of this study was to assess the nature of the relationships among: (1) exposure to the extreme stressor of combat in Vietnam; (2) persistently difficult life conditions; and (3) psychological distress. The impact of various stressors on current psychological distress is evaluated in light of the mediating influence of personal coping resources. Findings suggest that exposure to combat has neither a direct nor an indirect effect on current levels of depression. Exposure to combat was …

The Effects Of The Holocaust: Psychiatric, Behavioral, And Survivor Perspectives, Zev Harel, Boaz Kahana, Eva Kahana

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this paper the authors review perspectives related to Holocaust victims, limitations of Holocaust studies are discussed, and suggestions for viewing the long-range post-traumatic effects of the Holocaust upon its victims from social and behavioral science perspectives are advanced. The views of survivors toward post-war adjustment, drawn from interviews with Holocaust victims, are also presented.

Holocaust Survivors And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: The Need For Conceptual Reassessment And Development, Jerome Rosenberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The recent interest in various aspects of the Holocaust focus on survivors and their children. One major part of this research has focused on the medical and psychological sequels of the concentration camp and other Holocaust related experiences for which Eitinger (1981) identified seven distinct areas of inquiry. The literature in each of these areas is extensive; however, this work is fraught with problems both at the conceptual and at the treatment levels. This paper is specifically concerned with reviewing research and treatment programs, identifying the major problem areas, and concludes with a suggested conceptual alternative to the prevailing clinical …

Coping Strategies Of Female Holocaust Survivors, Marlene Sway

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper describes how Holocaust survivors learned to help themselves and to reestablish their sense of community and self-worth. Sixteen female survivors were interviewed regarding their post-war adjustment. Data from the interviews revealed three themes which the women employed to cope with their post-war stress. These important factors in the adaptation process include establishing a family, building a community, and using work as therapy.

Adjustment Problems Of Malaysian Students At Western Michigan University, Suradi Salim

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine the adjustment problems encountered by Malaysian students enrolled at Western Michigan University. The study also attempted to determine if there were significant differences in the adjustment problems among respondents in the various variables and sub-groups identified.

The following demographic and personal data, and patterns of social integration were treated as independent variables: Age; Sex; Marital status; Academic classification; Setting of home residence; Duration of stay in the U.S.; Major field of study; Financial sponsorship; Entry qualification; Work experience; English language proficiency; Frequency of interaction with American students, non-Malaysian foreign students …

The Differential Effects Of Biobehavioral Feedback On Physiological Reactivity In Type A Coronary-Prone Males, Gary Michael Chavoya

Dissertations

The concept of Type A coronary-prone behavior underscores the unique relationship between a specific constellation of biobehavioral events and the pathogenesis of coronary illness. The principle purpose of the present investigation was to determine whether exaggerated arousal in Type As could be successfully modified as a function of biobehavioral feedback. Twenty-seven males with minimum JAS A-B total scores of 75% were initially exposed to two conditions of behavioral challenge emphasizing time pressure and competition stress. Results indicated that both types of challenge were associated with significant increases in multiple indices of autonomic arousal (multi-site EMG, skin temperature, pulse rate, systolic …

Western News, November 29,1984, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Kemp to be recipient of Distinguished Service Award, 'Fiesta de Navidad' to be presented Nov. 30-Dec. 1, Parking permit expiration date extended, 22 to be inducted into 25 Year Club, Henderson named director of undergraduate admissions, Steps to be closed for snow season

Wmu Board Of Trustees Regular Meeting November 16, 1984, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Minutes
• Correspondence
• President's Remarks
• Academic Personnel Report
• Non-Academic Personnel Report
• Gift and Grant Report
• Recommendation re Land Option
• Recommendation re Program Revision Requests
• Recommendation re Authorization to Confer Degrees
• Recommendation re Board of Trustees Distinguished Service Award
• Board Committee Reports
• Department of Dance Report
• Public Comments
• Executive Session
• Adjournment