Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Commons^™

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 …

Community Mental Health Attitudes, Fenimore William Johnson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare community mental health attitudes of the past and the present, and between mental health workers and the public. The results indicate that the public is better informed and more favorably disposed toward the mentally ill today than was true several decades ago. Some stereotypes persist, however, and the mentally ill are still regarded less favorably than are other disability groups. Mental health workers and the public appear to be similar in their endorsement of a medical approach to treatment, although the former endorse more strongly a community-based treatment orientation. There was no …

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.

The Psychological Intervention Of Group Therapy For Women Coping With Genital Herpes, Susan D. Ferguson

Dissertations and Theses

Three groups of women who had been diagnosed as having genital herpes completed a series of psychological assessments over the course of the four-month research period. One group received two-hour weekly group psychotherapy sessions for eight consecutive weeks as a mode of treatment intervention. Two control groups were used for efficacy of treatment comparison. One control group consisted of regular members of a local self-help chapter for herpes victims. The second control group was formed from those volunteers willing to participate, but who did not choose, or desire, any form of treatment, Outcome measures reflected a greater improvement in psychological …

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 …

Assertiveness Training With Mildly Mentally Retarded Institutionalized Persons, David Larry Bokor

Masters Theses

Assertiveness training is a psychological intervention strategy designed to develop the skills of individuals who fail to defend and express their rights, feelings, or beliefs in a straightfoward manner.

Currently there is no set procedure regarding the composition of assertiveness training when modified to suit the needs of various populations. However a vast majority of professionals do employ effective basic techniques, i.e. behavior rehearsal, coaching, feedback, and social reinforcement to shape assertive request and refusal behavior.

Low intelligence limits the mentally retarded person's ability to cope with emotional difficulties. Individuals that recognize their limitations often experience feelings of inadequacy, frustration, …

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, …

Attitudes Of Mental Health Professional Groups Toward Mental Health Treatment Modalities As Measured By The Semantic Differential Technique, Gene Stanley Morrill

Dissertations and Theses

The present research was conducted in order to ascertain whether differences in attitudes exist between the three main professional groups which are presently the major providers of mental health care -- psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and social workers -- with respect to six treatment modalities: Individual Psychotherapy, Individual Counseling, Family Therapy, Group Therapy, Psychiatric Medication and Psychiatric Hospitalization. Modalities evaluated include treatments appropriate to a variety of individual, social and biological concepts of mental health/pathology. It was assumed that any such attitudinal differences might reflect biases in the provision of mental health treatment and therefore be an important concern for consumers …

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. …