Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Commons^™

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Student-Generated Versus Instructor-Generated Questions On The Comprehension Of Written Material, Helen Diann Pratt

Masters Theses

Twelve college students volunteered to participate in a special section of an introductory psychology course at Western Michigan University. A multiple baseline design across groups was used to assess differences in reading comprehension between students who received study objectives written by the instructor and students trained to write their own study objectives. Quizzes and examinations were used to assess students' reading comprehension of course materials. A comparison of pre- and post-test scores on the Nelson-Denny Reading Comprehension Test was used to determine whether students had acquired skills which aided their comprehension of other materials. Results indicated no statistically significant differences …

Improving Interpersonal Perceptual Accuracy And Psychological Adjustment Through Brief Perception Therapy With A Substance Abuse Population, B. Gerald Hartman

Dissertations

This study's purpose was to determine if a type of cognitive therapy, Brief Perception Therapy, (Bullmer, 1980) could improve interpersonal perceptual accuracy and psychological adjustment in a substance abuse population. Thirty-five patients seeking inpatient treatment were randomly assigned to a treatment and a comparison group. Twenty-five patients completed the three week program, 13 in the treatment group and 12 in the comparison group. The treatment group received Group Brief Perception Therapy (GBPT) and the comparison group received Regular Group Therapy (RP). Therapists were experienced master's level psychologists and social workers trained in group treatment. GBPT groups used a programmed text, …

The Relationship Between Thought Disorder And The Diagnosis Of Schizophrenia, David Frank Fatzinger

Dissertations

The diagnosis of schizophrenia has been considered unreliable, especially when derived by psychiatric interview. Thought disorder is one symptom that has been accepted by most clinicians as a major indicator of schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between thought disorder and the diagnosis of schizophrenia in a state hospital setting.

The sample consisted of 88 patients, 58 males (mean age = 32.0) and 30 females (mean age = 38.6) and was gathered from newly admitted patients in a large state hospital. Thought disorder was measured by the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking (WIST) Form A, …

The Use Of Alternative Behaviors, Covert Sensitization And A Package Intervention In Treatment Of Bulimia, Janice Marie Arone

Masters Theses

Bulimia is a complex eating disorder that involves bouts of binge eating which are usually followed by a purge to rid the individual of the unwanted food. This disorder occurs primarily in females and may lead to several medical and psychological complications. The efficacy of two single component treatments and a package intervention designed to decrease variables related to binge eating were investigated with three bulimic females. The results of the research indicated that individuals who were exposed to the package intervention experienced the largest decrements in the binge eating when compared to the single component procedures.

A Study Of The Validity Of The Global Assessment Scale, Daniel J. Dekker

Dissertations

The study evaluated the concurrent validity of the Global Assessment Scale (GAS), a rating scale which is used to measure overall severity of psychiatric disturbance in program evaluation systems and in research studies. Validity was evaluated by comparing GAS ratings of 60 community mental health outpatients to scores on the MMPI.

The literature review indicated that the GAS has been used in over 90 studies. Thirty-one inter-rater reliability coefficients cited indicated an acceptable median reliability of .80, but studies relevant to the GAS's validity were sparse and marginally supportive. The GAS was utilized primarily to evaluate change due to psychotherapy …

The Perceptual Effect Of Patients' First Name On The Clinical Judgment Of Psychopathology By Psychotherapists, Dennis G. Cowan

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a patient's first name (desirable versus undesirable) and the clinical judgment of psychopathology by mental health professionals. Specifically, this study examined how a patient's first name affected the diagnosis of maladjustment.

A total of 266 mental health professionals viewed a standardized video taped interview with a patient. Through the analysis of two surveys, the following first names were randomly presented with the viewed patient: Christopher, David, Mortimer and Junior. It was found, at the .00001 level of probability, that when the patient possessed the less desirable first name of …

Assertiveness Training For Black College Freshmen, Ollie G. Barnes

Masters Theses

This study was designed to train Black college freshman to be effectively assertive in their interactions with the University faculty and staff. Thirty freshman students were randomly assigned to two groups of fifteen each, the control group and the training group. Following the pretest, the training group took part in a 32-hour assertiveness training program. The program consisted of modeling, coaching, behavior rehearsal, peer and trainer feedback, homework, self-recording and instructional training. These techniques were used to train students to effectively use nonverbal skills, assertive content and select appropriate conflict management strategies. The control group received no formal training. Significant …

Identifying Jungial Personality Type By The Instrument Of Self-Report, Charles Clay Livingston

Masters Theses

This paper examines the instrument of self-report and its use in identifying and measuring the elements of the personality as defined by C. G. Jung. Jung's theory of personality is briefly explained, and self-report as a general instrument of personality assessment is critically examined. Selected research on the construction and use of self-report tests is reviewed and critically evaluated. The author asserts that the bipolar assumption that is often implicit in the construction of test items is not representative of the personality as Jung portrayed it. The author suggests revisions in the construction of test items and a scoring gradient …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Of Life Events And Self Concept To Depression In A Psychiatric Inpatient-Adolescent Population, David L. Harris

Dissertations

In the present investigation, a group of mildly depressed adolescent inpatients was compared with a moderately to severely depressed sample on measures of self-concept and life events. The expected differences between the groups were hypothesized on the basis of current theoretical and clinical considerations emphasized in the literature. Previous research has implicated the magnitude of readjustment required by significant life experiences and self concept with depression.

Seventy-four subjects participated and were assigned to one of two groups by dichotomizing scores on the Beck Depression Inventory. The relationships of scores on the Tennessee Self Concept Scale, Life Event History, and Minnesota …

A Reliability Study Of The Peer Nomination Inventory Of Depression When Used By Adults In Determining The Psychological Condition Of Depression In Children, Jeffrey R. Glindmeyer

Dissertations

In the present investigation, the reliability of a modified version of an inventory developed to assess the psychological condition of depression in children was undertaken. The Peer Nomination Inventory of Depression (PNID), an instrument designed to assess depression in children through having peers rate each other on a number of items, was modified to be used by adult raters for this same purpose. Staff members, including therapists, educators, and direct care professionals at the RiverView Hospital for Children, a psychiatric hospital in Middletown, Connecticut, completed ratings on eight boys ranging in age from seven to thirteen years of age. The …

Gender Difference As A Factor In Psychological Crisis, Paula Laufer

Dissertations

The study's purpose was to examine possible gender differences in problem perception and desired treatment outcome of 311 persons (135 males and 176 females) selected from a pool of 1500 clients seeking treatment at an outpatient mental health clinic in a medium-sized midwestern city. One hundred males and one hundred females were randomly selected for inclusion.

Literature related to crisis theory, research in linguistics, and gender role indicated evidence supporting gender role differences in a variety of interpersonal situations. Clients' verbatim written statements and their reactions to a standard problem checklist at the time of intake provided the data base …

The Relationship Between Methylphenidate (Ritalin) And Growth Patterns In Children Diagnosed As Hyperactive, Teri Mitchel Hibbard

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the administration of methylphenidate hydrochloride had an effect on normal growth patterns in children diagnosed as hyperactive. Subjects were assigned to one of three methylphenidate treatment groups by the amount of time (in years) they received medication. Length of treatment ranged from up to one year through three years. Using NCHS growth charts, measurement percentiles (height and weight) were compared to pre-treatment percentiles to determine effect of medication. Results indicated that the administration of methylphenidate had a significant growth suppressing effect on children, the effect was proportional across measurements i.e., height …

Generalization Of Self-Control For Disruptive Behavior In The Classroom, Darline Haley

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to produce and evaluate a self-control procedure for disruptive behavior in the classroom which encouraged the generalization of behavior changes to other school settings. The self-control training components of self-recording, self-evaluation, criterion setting, and problem solving were all incorporated into the self-control procedures. This study also controlled for self-recording reactive effects prior to the initiation of the self-control training.

The findings of this study indicate that self-control training may be an effective method for decreasing disruptive behavior in the classroom.

Teaching Change Computation To The Developmentally Disabled, Nancy Daeschlein

Masters Theses

This study evaluated a procedure for teaching three developmentally disabled adults to compute monetary change combinations. Also, the procedure assessed generalization to the skills of computing change with bills, verifying the correctness of change received, and computing change with both coins and bills. Subjects were first trained to make change using pennies and then were trained to use each successive denomination in combination with those previously trained. A multipleprobe design was used, including generalization probes of the above-cited skills. Results indicated that each subject acquired the behavior of change computation with coins as a function of the training procedure. Also, …

Medical Oncologists' Self-Reported Practices And Opinions Regarding Cancer Chemotherapy Informed Consent Procedures, George Walter Rakowsky

Masters Theses

This study gathered descriptive data on the parameters of informed consent with cancer chemotherapy patients from the medical oncologists' point of view. A review of the literature suggested that no such research has previously been attempted. A description of disclosure practices would clarify current procedures and would also serve as a guide for further research in the area.

Six hundred questionnaires were mailed to medical oncologists, and thirty percent of these were returned. Data were analyzed primarily using descriptive statistics. Additionally, relationships between demographic variables and different disclosure practices were investigated.

Significant relationships were observed between variables reflecting the size …

Long Slow Distance Running As A Treatment For Moderate Depression Of Outpatients, Dalene Degraaf Vandenhoek

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of "long slow distance" (LSD) running as a treatment for moderate depression. Clients diagnosed with "moderate primary depression" were randomly assigned to one of two treatments. Individuals receiving the running treatment walked and ran slowly for forty minutes three times a week for ten weeks. Those receiving psychotherapy participated in behavior therapy one hour a week for ten weeks. According to biweekly scores on the Symptom Checklist-90 and Beck Depression Inventory, the anxiety and depression of the clients who ran improved as much as those receiving behavior therapy.

Cerebrovascular Lesions, Emotional Behavior And Changes In Reinforcement Density, George Kahle Henry

Masters Theses

Two adult stroke patients, one left hemisphere and one right hemisphere, reported weekly levels of depression, anxiety, and hostility following discharge to the home environment. Spouses reported weekly levels of perceived changes in emotional behavior. Data on changes in emotional behavior were recorded using the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist. Weekly rates of positive reinforcement were recorded throughout the study for both patients. Following an eight week baseline period the rate of positive reinforcement was increased via manipulation of homework assignments to involve the patients in previously enjoyed activities. Results revealed a moderately high negative correlation between patient*s reported level of …

An Evaluation Of The Regulated Breathing Method In Treatment Of Stuttering, Paul B. Greilick

Masters Theses

The effects of the regulated breathing method on several characteristics of the speech of four stutterers were assessed in a multiple baseline across subjects design. Repeated measures of stuttering frequency, speech rate , and fluency rate were obtained in multiple settings before, at termination, and through six months post-treatment Subjects' estimates of stuttering frequency were compared with objective measures of stuttering across phases. At post-treatment and follow-up, although stuttering frequency had decreased and speech rate increased substantially compared to baseline, subjects continued to stutter frequently. Additionally, subjects consistently underestimated frequency of stutters as measured by the experimenter. The efficacy of …

The Validation Of A Behavioral Programmed Text For Increasing Self-Control Attitudes, Douglas Howard Ruben

Masters Theses

Applied behavior analysis programs designed to reduce attitudes about addictive behavior have been weak as far as overall training results. This research was an alternative training model in that it contained (a) a programmed instructional manual and self-paced homework assignments, and (b) lecture sessions. Selection of subjects from a local prison and private industry was based on indicated needs for substance abuse rehabilitation. Subjects went through a series of 9 programmed instructional units on developing self-control, and met for one weekly session for 9 consecutive weeks. Each instructional unit taught within a cognitive-behavioral model introduced concepts and techniques related to …

Teaching General Behavior Modification Performance Skills With Written Instructions, James D. Cowart

Dissertations

Two experiments examined the effects of training with written instructions on trainees' use of general behavior modification performance skills. In Experiment I, the behavior modification skills of two groups of trainees were assessed in scripted roleplay sessions. Each group participated in differing numbers of baseline sessions before training was presented. Training consisted of studying a set of written rules and examples. Only after training did the trainees demonstrate improved skills. Since the "child" behaviors which were presented during roleplay sessions were all different from one another, the trainees' performance demonstrated generality of the effects of training across "child" behaviors. The …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Training, Internships, And Job Opportunities For Clinical And Counseling Psychologists, Mary Theresa Zirpoli

Masters Theses

Recent literature indicates that clinical and counseling psychologists are trained in very different ways, work with very different populations, and perform different skills. The literature also shows this traditional exclusivity to be vanishing. Three studies were conducted to determine similarities and differences in the training, internships, and types of jobs that clinical and counseling psychologists obtain. Data for the three studies were obtained from the curricula of 7k American Psychological Association approved graduate programs, six job opening lists from the American Psychological Association Monitor, and the American Psychological Internship Centers Manual. Variables included specific types of coursework, settings, patient population, …

A Model For A Self-Contained Videotape Training Program, Theodore D. Apking

Dissertations

Many organizations have a frequent need for employee training, and thus spend substantial sums of money on training. In an attempt to develop a model training program for use in such organizations, a self-contained videotape program was tested for its cost-effectiveness. It included rules describing the tasks, prerecorded videotapes showing correct and incorrect performance of those tasks, and score sheets for use by trainees while scoring the appropriateness of those performances.

The program produced significantly more task improvement than did lecture and discussion. The written and videotape components improved performance regardless of which was presented first. Once the skills were …

A Study Of Hypnotic Age Regression Using The Rorschach Scored By The Exner Comprehensive System, Scott William Trylch

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to compare Rorschach results of hypnotically age regressed subjects with three groups of controls: deeply hypnotized, hypnotizable simulators, and minimally susceptible simulators. The study tested the null hypothesis that hypnotically age regressed subjects differ significantly from subjects in deep hypnosis, hypnotizable simulators, and minimally susceptible simulators on Rorschach scores when scored by the Exner Comprehensive System. A second null hypothesis was that there would be no difference between the age regressed subjects and the three control groups in correspondence to the Exner age norms.

The 24 volunteer subjects were screened for psychological problems, then …

A Component Analysis Of Behavioral Procedures For Increasing Work Rate In Mentally Retarded Adults, Stephen Emory Wong

Dissertations

This study was a component analysis of several procedures commonly employed in behavioral vocational rehabilitation programs. The work rate of retarded subjects was assessed under four conditions: (1) baseline; (2) verbal prompts; (3) verbal prompts and social reinforcement; and (4) verbal prompts, social reinforcement, and monetary reinforcement. Subjects were four, moderately retarded, male clients of a sheltered workshop. The experimental task involved assembly of a metal knife composed of four separate pieces. Treatment effects were analyzed within a mixed multielement reversal design where each subject served as his own control. Results showed that baseline sessions, all started with the simple …

Acquisition And Transfer Of Behavior Management Skills: An Empirical Functional Analysis Of Staff And Client Gains, Elaine Bellis

Masters Theses

A multiple baseline design across instructional conditions was used to assess the effects of a s ta ff training package consisting of written rules, daily monitoring, public posting of performance data, and allotments of contingent break-time privileges on the behavior management skills of tutors in suppressing the stereotypic behavior of retarded individuals. The intervention package was sequentially introduced in three different instructional conditions in the following order: a group session, a one-to-one session, and a transition period. Following baseline, three tutors were trained to apply consistent and accurate consequences to varying rates of self-stimulatory behavior exhibited by three impaired subjects. …

The Hyperactive Child And The Family: A Procedural Approach To Evaluation And Treatment, Marian Maria Sofia Van Dooijeweert

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present thesis is to evaluate the hyperactive child in a manner that true hyperactivity will not be confused with hyperactive behaviors which are caused by illnesses, stress at school, stress at home, and with normal childhood energy.

No two hyperactive children are alike. They vary in personality, problems, strengths, weaknesses, and environment. In general, hyperactive children are said to have several common characteristics such as poor performance in school, short attention spans, impulsiveness, poor motor control, low frustration levels, and an inability to delay gratification of needs and demands.

Clinical experience reveals that most hyperactive children …

Counseling And Support Program For Retarded Adults: A Grant Proposal, Claudia Jo Unruh-Degood

Masters Theses

A grant is proposed to develop a consumer based counseling and support program to provide rehabilitation/ rehabilitation services in the areas of emotional, interpersonal and behavioral functioning for mentally retarded adults. A variety of therapeutic groups and a peer counseling program will be designed to utilize known principles of behavior. Provisions will be made for maximum client-consumer participation in all decision making processes of the program. Pre and post-treatment assessment measures will be employed to evaluate individual progress. It is expected that this treatment program will reduce emotional disturbance and maladaptive behaviors in the target population of mentally retarded adults. …

Enuresis: A Case Study, Elaine Lee Phillips

Masters Theses

A 15-year-old male with a history of high rates of nocturnal enuresis was trained using the method of Azrin and Thienes (1978) and Azrin, Thienes, Hontos, and Besatel (1979). The method consisted of a 1 and 1/2-hour in-office training of the child and parents. The parents then conducted an intensive training day and subsequent procedures in the home. The procedures included reinforcement for increased urine retention and dryness, training for increased alertness to bladder cues and sensations of dryness, an over-correction procedure for wetness, and behavior rehearsals of correct toileting sequences. Using this method, the child ceased bedwetting. The Azrin …

The Management Of Blood Pressure Using Progressive Muscle Relaxation Under Nonstressful And Stressful Conditions, A. Janelle Maldonado

Masters Theses

Progressive muscle relaxation was assessed as a method, for controlling "blood pressure under stressful and nonstressful conditions using a multiple Baseline across subjects design* Three borderline hypertensive subjects were trained in two experimental conditions, progressive muscle relaxation under resting conditions (PMR) and progressive muscle relaxation while performing time-limited tasks known to produce temporary increments in blood pressure (PMR + Math). Generalization of training effects to nontraining conditions was assess ed in post-training, task only, sessions and in the home environment. Measures of changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as frontalis EMG were recorded once per minute for …

Training Self-Control In Food Selection Through Verbal Self-Instruction, Thomas Vincent O'Melia

Masters Theses

This project was designed to teach children self-control through verbal self-instruction and self-reinforcement procedures prior to snack time in order to determine if they would learn to choose more nutritious foods during that period. Food facts and related health information were taught by the use of fictitious stories. In the experimental classroom the children heard stories, approximately 3 to 5 minutes long, that emphasized food facts and related health effects. After the stories, the children were allowed to go to a snack bar to select from "good and bad" foods. A set of questions and information was rehearsed prior to …