Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Commons^™

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 …

The Effect Of Feedback Given To Nurse Aides On Response Latency To Patient Call Lights In A Geriatric Nursing Home, Patricia L. Matuszak

Masters Theses

Feedback has been used in staff performance and management systems in various human service settings. It was applied to four female nurse aides in a geriatric nursing home to decrease response latency to patient call lights. A multiple-baseline-across-subjects design was used with each aide receiving feedback on her mean response time to assigned patients' call lights. Two of the four subjects demonstrated a decrease in mean response times, while two showed little effect after feedback.

Effects Of Seating Arrangement On Affective Meanings And Group Interaction In Healthy Senior Citizens, Judith Ann Boughton

Masters Theses

Occupational therapists state that environmental factors (seating arrangements) influence behavior. This ex post facto study examined the effect of peripheral versus central seating arrangement on interaction (verbalizing and looking), affect, and group climate in 41 healthy senior citizens. Nine men and 32 women aged 62 to 83 participated in two collage activities (creative and imitative) in either a parallel/nonsharing group or a project/ sharing group. Seating arrangement was added to an earlier study's independent variables (creative and imitative activities, and sharing and nonsharing groups). Dependent variables consisted of three factors of affective meaning from the Osgood Semantic Differential, evaluation, power, …

The Effects Of Two Contracting Methods On Altering The Eating And Exercise Behavior Of Seven Obese Adolescents: An In-Home Weight Treatment Study, Donald Edward Montgomery

Masters Theses

Seven obese males and females, ages ranging 12-15 years, served as participants in an eight-week in-home treatment program. The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of two contracting methods to influence eating and exercise patterns. Individualized exercise and nutrition programs were designed for each participant based on their health and behavior patterns at the time of the study. Four subjects were assigned to Group A (Self-Management) where contracting was established with each adolescent and based their compliance with the program. In Group B (Parental Modeling) contracting was established with the mothers of three subjects who participated along …

The Effects Of Methylphenidate On The Learning And Performance Of A Child Diagnosed Addh, Kendra Leigh Heath

Masters Theses

The effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin) on the learning and performance of a child diagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADDH) was evaluated using a repeated acquisition apparatus. A placebo and three dosages of methylphenidate were evaluated in both the learning and performance components of the experiment. Dosages tested included the subject's therapeutic dosage, a dosage 5 mg higher, and a dosage 5 mg lower. Methylphenidate produced no effect of consequence on the number of errors per session, suggesting that the medication neither impaired nor facilitated learning or performance at the range of dosages investigated. Data were also collected on social …

Comparing Three Ways Of Obtaining Exercise Adherence, Maria Sonia Acosta

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of various incentives, including course bonus points, social reinforcement, and partner assignment to encourage exercise among college students. Participants were assigned to one of three groups. Members of the structured group exercised at a specific time and location, members of the partner group exercised with a companion determined to be their best match, and members of the individual group exercised on their own. In addition to a maximum of five bonus points, members of the structured group received social praise in terms of verbal statements such as "I'm glad …

Comparison Of Individual Vs. Group Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training On State And Trait Anxiety, Janet L. Niefert

Masters Theses

This study investigated the relative effects of group and individually administered progressive muscle relaxation on the reduction of state and trait anxiety. A six-week training program was conducted for 12 graduate and undergraduate volunteers. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Relaxation State Behavioral Checklist were administered prior to and immediately following training. A Subjective Stress Record was maintained daily for two weeks prior to training and for the s ix weeks of training. No decrease was found in trait anxiety scores after training. A significant decrease in state anxiety scores was found in both individually trained and group trained subjects. …

The Effects Of Reinforcement Magnitude On The Transfer Of Stimulus Control, L. Martin Grabijas

Masters Theses

Communication training for the developmentally disabled is becoming a vital component among residential training facilities. Such education necessarily entails the transfer of stimulus control from a prompt stimulus to a stimulus inherent in the task. The current study investigated the effects which different values of a reinforcer may have on the transfer of stimulus control. Three severely, mentally retarded adults were taught manual sign language, while two values of the reinforcer were varied according to two classes of response: preprompt and postprompt responding. A within subjects design was incorporated with a delayed prompting procedure in identifying the precise moment of …

Inhibition Of Transfer Between The Cerebral Hemispheres: A Possible Neuropsychological Mechanism For Some Instances Of Perceptual Defense, Sean R. Wierenga

Masters Theses

The present study investigated the role of inhibition of transfer between the cerebral hemispheres in the manifestation of perceptual defense. Paired contributions of affectively positive and negative pictures were tachistoscopically presented to 25 subjects who were asked to verbally rate the overall affective value of each presentation. Perceptual defense would be indicated if the presentation was rated as being significantly more positive when the left hemisphere viewed a negative picture than the reverse condition. This situation would indicate the inhibition of transfer of negative information from the right hemisphere to the left where the input could be vocalized. Rather than …

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Three Behavioral Treatments On Intermittent And Terminal Insomnia, Ellen Chatham Tripp

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of stimulus control, paradoxical intention, and progressive relaxation on intermittent and terminal insomnia. Their effect on sleep onset latency was also analyzed. Each treatment was given alone initially. Subsequently progressive relaxation was added to stimulus control and paradoxical intention.

Each of the eleven subjects served as his or her control by the use of baseline data taken at the beginning of the study. Data consisted of self-report sleep questionnaires which the subjects mailed in daily. Stimulus control was the most effective treatment on intermittent insomnia and sleep onset latency. No …

The Effects Of A Contingency Contract On Bulimic Behavior, Tim Lee Vander Molen

Masters Theses

In dealing with a 22 year old university student suffering from bulimia, two factors of the subject's behavior must be corrected. First, the subject must regain control over eating. This was done by having the subject regulate the type and amount of.food consumed and the time of day in which food was consumed. Second, the subject must correct the misconceptions about body weight, body image, and means of weight control. This was done by having the subject read and discuss relevant literature which force the subject to reevaluate the concepts of body weight and weight control. To clarify the treatment, …

Factors Related To Perceptions Of Ethicalness In Behavior Modification, John C. Guthman

Masters Theses

This study examined perceptions of behavior modification held by undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory psychology course and editorial board members for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and for the journal Behavior Modification.

Editor reactions to several terms suggest that ambiguity with respect to the questionable behavior status of several techniques exists within the field. The results show that a large proportion of students, as compared with editors, are unclear as to which techniques constitute behavior modification. In this study, the accuracy of student identification of behavior modification techniques did not significantly relate to perceptions of ethicalness of behavior …

Pedometer Recorded Activity And Self-Report As Measures Of Treatment Outcome In Primary Dysmenorrhea: Relationship To Premenstrual Syndrome, Vicki Link Trejbal

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was threefold: first, to determine if a pedometer measure of motor activity could be used as one indicator of the degree of dysmenorrhea present in an individual; second, to determine the degree, if any, of the relationship present between the measure and self-report measures of symptomatology used in a modified Daily Symptom Rating Scale; and third, to assess the effects of naproxen sodium and a placebo on the self-report measures and the behavioral measure of symptomatology. Three subjects wore pedometers and completed modified Daily Symptom Rating Scale forms throughout the study. Each subject showed treatment …

Teaching Mentally Retarded Adults How To Shop For Personal Care Items On A Budget, Daniel Lee Cole

Masters Theses

Three ambulatory mildly mentally retarded adults (2 males, 1 female) were trained to independently shop for personal care items needed and to determine and select items within a $2.00 budget. A task analysis yielded 30 target behaviors. In training correct responses received descriptive praise and smiles, while incorrect responses received corrective feedback, prompts, and/or modeling. A laminated card was used which had typed on it the prices $1.00 to $1.89. Subjects were taught they could afford items whose prices could be matched to one on the card. A multiple baseline across subjects research design was employed. Subjects improved to performing …

The Effects Of A Performance-Management Procedure On High School Students With Poor Academic Achievement, Thomas R. Harwood

Masters Theses

This study evaluated the effectiveness of contracting for all classes and the contigent presentation of incentives for school work completed. fifteen high school students who earned a grade point average below 1.5 (on a 4.0 scale) volunteered for the contracting classroom. The subjects were ranked and randomly assigned to the first experimental group, the second experimental group, or the control group. The first experimental group had incentives contingent upon contracts completed, the second experimental group received the incentive noncontigent upon contract completion, and the control group did not attend the contract completion, and the control group did not attend the …

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 …

Behavioral Interventions For The Cessation Of Cigarette Smoking Behavior: A Literature Review, Russell David Matthews

Masters Theses

The negative impact of cigarette smoking on health has been medical knowledge for many years. This provides the behavioral investigator with a large population of subjects engaging in a maladaptive behavior which is easily defined and measured and highly resistant to extinction. This study critically reviews published accounts of behavioral interventions for cessation of cigarette smoking, which were listed in the Psychological Abstracts, and other published bibliographies, 1964-1984. Despite the volume of studies reviewed, very few demonstrated effectiveness over time. The author concludes while several techniques proved to be effective initially, their effectiveness diminished within months after application. However, several …

Acute Effects Of Phenytoin And Thioridazine, Alone And Combination, Upon Water Intake And Body Weight Changes In Rats, Miriana Witzig-Krstic

Masters Theses

Concommitant medication of anticonvulsants and psychotropics appears to be predominant among mentally retarded, geriatric, and psychiatric in- and out-patient populations. Despite suggested interaction and toxicity resulting from such combination treatment, substantial data remains unavailable. This study was designed to explore effects of dual treatment of thioridazine

A Modification Of The Dry-Bed Training For The Treatment Of Nocturnal Enuresis, Abubaker Muftah Abdurrazek

Masters Theses

The present study explored the effectiveness of the Dry-Bed Training (DBT) method without positive practice (20 trips to the toilet) and urine alarm. It also compares the efficacy of the DBT with and without the urine alarm. Eight nocturnally enuretics, aged 6 to 12 years, were assigned to two groups, experimental and control; each consisted of three boys and one girl. During the first phase of treatment, the experimental group underwent the DBT without positive practice and urine alarm, whereas the control group underwent the DBT with positive practice but no alarm. Subsequently, the urine alarm was introduced to both …

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 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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …