Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Comparison Of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Relaxation Therapy And Cognitive Restructuring On State And Trait Anxiety In Speech Anxious Adults, Bernard C. Sefchick

Masters Theses

This study tested the following hypotheses: (a) Cognitive-Behavior Therapy would be more effective than either Relaxation Therapy in reducing speech A-state anxiety or Cognitive Restructuring in reducing speech A-trait anxiety; (b) Relaxation Therapy would be more effective than Cognitive Restructuring in reducing speech A-state anxiety; and (c) Cognitive Restructuring would be more effective than Relaxation Therapy in reducing speech A-trait anxiety.

Fifteen volunteers from a speakers organization were screened and randomly assigned to one of three treatments. The Speech Anxiety Inventory was administered before and after treatments to assess subjects' levels of speech A-state and A-trait anxiety.

Results indicated that …

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of An Infant-Care Skills Training Program On Fathering Behaviors, G. Joseph Vrazo

Masters Theses

This study replicated the findings and expanded the assessment procedures of a previous study that had established the effectiveness of a multi-component infant-care skills training program for first-time fathers. A multiple probe design was used in this study to demonstrate that the training program produced criterion performance of the infant-care skills by four experimental fathers; also, an increase in the frequency of infant stimulation activities initiated by these fathers was observed. A pre/post training evaluation of the effects of the training program on the fathers' performance of play and affectional behaviors and daily infant-care activities yielded negative results. Four control …

A Comparison Of Awareness Training And Competing Response Training In The Treatment Of Muscle Tics And Nervous Habits, Gregory A. Wright

Masters Theses

This study examines two components of Azrin and Nunn's (1973) habit reversal procedure in an attempt to separate the effects of awareness training from the effects of competing response training. Research (Miltenberger, Fuqua, & McKinley, 1985) has indicated that an intervention combining awareness training and competing response practice is as effective as the entire habit reversal package in suppressing muscle tics. However, because the competing response component is always administered in conjunction with awareness training, the effects of each component are obscured. Four subjects, two with muscle tics and two with nervous habits, received an intervention of either awareness training …

The Effects Of Activity Group Structure On Cohesion, Engagement, And Affective Meanings In Acute-Care Psychiatric Patients, Hope L. Brucki

Masters Theses

Through activity analysis, occupational therapists identify various components of group structure and group processes for use in therapeutic activities. This study compared the effects of individual activity group structure (members engage in individual projects) and common activity group structure (members share a common project) in a sample of 38 acute-care psychiatric patients. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of eight theme-oriented poster-making groups, four for each experimental condition. Cohesion among group members was measured by the Group Environment Scale (GES), engagement was assessed by the Group Climate Questionnaire-Short Form (GCQ-S), and affective meanings were evaluated by Osgood's short-form semantic differential …

Effects Of Assertiveness Training And Cue Controlled Relaxation Training On Cardiovascular Reactivity To Social Stressors, Bernardine M. Pinto

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of two interventions (assertiveness training and cue controlled relaxation training) on cardiovascular reactivity to role play simulations of social stressors. For this purpose, a single subject multiple-baseline experimental design was employed. Four subjects (three female and one male) received assertiveness training (which focused on behavioral components of assertiveness) and cue controlled relaxation training. Following assertiveness training, subjects responded assertively to the role plays but their blood pressure reactivity was not reduced. Cue controlled relaxation appeared to reduce blood pressure reactivity to a limited extent. Factors associated with the effects of …

The Effect Of Assertiveness Training On Assertive Behavior And Corresponding Self-Descriptive Statements, James Scott Boland

Masters Theses

This study examines the changes in subjects' assertive behavior and corresponding changes in self-perceptions/-cognitions after assertiveness training. Based on the findings from cognitive dissonance studies, it is suggested that nonassertive subjects would begin to evidence assertive self-perceptions/cognitions if they learned to behave assertively via behavioral skill training methods. Three males and five females volunteered to undergo one session of baseline measures and four training sessions. Pre-treatment RAS, EIBS, and Baseline measures of behavior and cognitions as measured by changes in behavioral ratings and post-trial form responses. Post-training RAS and EIBS responses were similar to those found in assertive subjects. Results …

Effectiveness Of A Video Recorded Ocean Scene Technique As A Relaxation Therapy, David M. Ford

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a video recorded ocean scene as a relaxation technique by comparing it with an established method, progressive relaxation training (Jacobson, 1938) on their ability to affect the following physiological measurements: systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse, and respiration.

Thirty female elementary school teachers participated in this study and were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: Video Recorded Ocean Scene Group, Progressive Relaxation Training Group, and Self Directed Relaxation Group (used as control). The general protocol for each treatment group consisted of a forty minute session with …