Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Ethical Dilemmas Faced By Independent Practitioners As A Result Of Managed Care, Caren Renee Debernardo

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study surveyed licensed psychologists in private practice regarding their perceptions of ethical issues associated with managed care. Surveys addressing ethical issues were mailed to 1,000 members of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Division oflndependent Practice (Division 42). Forty-two percent of the surveys were returned. The responses were summarized using descriptive statistics and analyzed to compare opinions of psychologists as a function of theoretical orientation, geographical location, specialty, population of location area, years in practice, and level of state and national organizational involvement. The results of the study identified a number of ethical concerns including compromised confidentiality, inadequate diagnosis and …

The Influence Of Parental Attitudes On Childhood Perceptions Of Control Over Chronic Illnesses: Comparison Of Urban And Rural Populations, Lesley A. Epperly

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The influence of parental attitudes on a child’s extent of control over chronic illness was studied across both urban and rural populations. It was hypothesized that a child would perceive an internal locus of control if the parental attitude promoted self-efficacy and independence. Secondly, it was hypothesized that a child would utilize an external locus of control if the parental attitude promoted dependence on the environment. Finally, it was hypothesized that a comparison between rural and urban population perceptions of treatment and care for chronic illnesses would yield a greater internal locus of control for both parent and child within …

Criteria Used In Assigning A Diagnosis Of Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder, Laura J. Hunsucker

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Passive-aggressive personality disorder has a long history in the literature and has been present in all versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. However, there have been many different conceptualizations of the disorder over time, and there is not a clear consensus concerning what symptoms constitute the disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine the criteria that clinicians consider most representative of a prototypic patient with passive-aggressive personality disorder. This research also examined differences in symptom presentation of male versus female passive-aggressive individuals. Finally, this study examined symptom overlap with other personality disorders. A list …

Relation Of Negative Affectivity To Self-Reports Of Job Stressors And Psychological Outcomes, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

A total of 250 new women teachers participated in a longitudinal study of the influence of negative affectivity (NA) on the relation of self-report work-environment measures to psychological outcomes. Three "neutrally worded" work-environment measures were specially constructed to minimize confounding with NA. The work-environment measures were moderately related to postemployment depressive symptoms, job satisfaction, and, among Whites but not among a principally Black and Hispanic subsample, motivation. Correlation and regression coefficients were largely unchanged when the preemployment psychophysiologic symptoms scale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (L. S. Radloff, 1977), factors that tap NA, were controlled. Findings suggest NA …

The Practicality Of Pre-Doctoral Prescription Training For Psychologists: A Survey Of Directors Of Clinical Training, Garret D. Evans

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Directors of Clinical Training (DCTs) at the nation's 164 APA-accredited clinical psychology programs iii were surveyed regarding their attitudes toward the hypothetical implementation of a sample pre-doctoral prescription training model created by the Ad Hoc Task Force on Psychopharmacology of the APA (1992). A 60% return rate (99 questionnaires) was achieved. Results suggest that the majority of DCTs (62%) remain equivocal regarding the implementation of such training at their program. A majority (62%) identify post-doctoral specialization as the preferred method of prescription training. DCTs' perceptions of benefits stemming from pre-doctoral prescription training served as the most potent predictor of …

Personality Variables In Weeping Propensity, Michelle C. Lamb

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Until recently, few empirical studies have explored crying reactivity in normal adults. The present study investigated adult weeping by first developing the Weeping Propensity Scale (WPS) and then by comparing scores on that scale to traits which had been hypothesized to be related to weeping propensity. The WPS is a self-report, 22 item, Likert-type scale designed to measure an individual's tendency to react to emotional stimuli with tears. Factor analysis results and internal consistency are reported for the WPS. In order to investigate traits hypothesized to be related to the WPS, 173 university students completed the WPS, the Questionnaire Measure …

Sex Differences In Coping, Judy L. Johnson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nolen-Hoeksema (1987, 1991) has suggested that males engage in more problem-focused, distractive, coping strategies, whereas females engage in more emotion-focused, ruminative, coping strategies. This study tested NolenHoeksema's response styles theory, which suggests that using a ruminative response style may predispose women to depression more than men. It also examined perceptions of effective coping and utilization of social support. One hundred and twenty subjects completed the Ways of Coping Checklist, a coping questionnaire, the Perceptions of Coping Questionnaire, the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25, the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behavior, and the Personality Attributes Questionnaire. Results provide evidence for sex differences in the …

Gender And Age Differences In Self-Generated Coping Strategies For Depression, Joan R. Hudson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined coping strategies generated by a community sample of 527 adult men and women in response to three vignettes that described various presentations of depression. Analyses revealed quantitative differences by vignette and by subject variables. Results indicated that women gave more coping strategies than men. Social support was the most frequently suggested method of coping, and younger subjects mentioned it significantly more than older adults. Younger subjects also suggested ~ore inactive coping strategies in general. situational context was a strong determinant of type of strategy suggested, although beliefs about depression also influenced coping strategies. Results of multiple regression …

Assessing Stress In Teachers: Depressive Symptoms Scales And Neutral Self-Reports Of The Work Environment, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

The focal interest of this chapter on teacher stress is methodologic. The chapter enumerates a number of defects in existing measures of job stress in teachers and, concomitantly, other helping professionals. Alternative ways of measuring stress in teachers are suggested and evaluated. The use of depressive symptom scales in concert with more 'objective' measures of the work environment is discussed. An application of the proposed alternative measurement strategy is described. The wider utility of the measurement strategy is briefly described.

Occupational Stress And Preemployment Measures: The Case Of Teachers, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Danqing Ruan

Publications and Research

This paper describes difficulties involved in conducting cross-sectional and longitudinal research on the effects of occupational stressors on the mental and physical health of veteran workers. The difficulties include (1) the disappearance, prior to the beginning of the investigation, of the casualties of job stress (Kasl, 1983) and (2) selection bias. The paper advances the view that an alternative design, one that (1) follows new workers longitudinally, (2) includes preemployment measures of mental and/or physical health, and (3) controls for nonoccupational stressors is warranted. The alternative design allows for (a) the assessment of the extent to which the findings are …

Dimensions Of Functional Social Support And Psychological Symptoms, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

In the summer following graduation a sample of 125 female college graduates (mean age = 28) completed Cohen & Wills' ISEL (1985) which includes scales measuring four social support functions: belonging (social companionship), appraisal (availability of confidants), tangible (instrumental), and self-esteem support. In the summer and fall subject status on two outcome scales was ascertained: the Psychophysiologic Symptom Scale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Reliability of the difference scores suggested that the ISEL scales do not measure entirely different constructs and the ISEL Self-esteem Scale is operationally redundant with the Rosenberg Self-esteem scale and the CES-D. …

Effects Of Age On Motor Preparation And Restructuring, Paul Amrhein, Noreen Goggin, George Stelmach

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Age-related decrements in motor plan restructuring were investigated. In this experiment, older and younger adults performed a discrete aiming task that involved responses that were precued and responses that were modified at the time of an imperative signal. On 75% of the trials, the precue specified the response-stimulus (valid trials) with respect to the movement parameters of the arm (left or right) and direction (toward or away). On the remaining 25% of the trials, the response-stimulus was different from the precue (invalid trials) in that the subject was required to modify a planned movement by changing the arm to be …

Introducing The Living With Illness Group: A Specialized Treatment For Patients With Chronic Schizophrenic Conditions, Thomas G. Plante, Stephanie L. Pinder, David Howe

Psychology

This paper introduces a specialized psychotherapy/psychoeducational group treatment for patients with chronic psychotic symptoms who receive only partial benefit from psychotropic medications, psychotherapy, and milieu/activities therapy. The goal of the group is to assist patients to accurately identify the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that are dysfunctional symptoms of their disability and then use the functional aspects of their brain as well as learned coping strategies to compensate for their disability. The group format, philosophy, procedures, and typical topics of discussion are detailed.

Adjustment To Psycho-Social Stress, John William Carnes

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between adjustment to life-event stressors and selected psycho-social variables. Recent research has consistently identified an etiological link between stressful life-events and physical and/or emotional disorders. It has often been noted, however, that exposure to seemingly identical stressors results in varying levels of adjustment among individuals. Lazarus (1966, 1967, 1971, 1974) has proposed that variations in stress responses are attributable to differences relative to the implicated individual's appraised threat from the stressor. Based on this conceptualization, adjustment to stressful life-events was selected as the dependent variable for the study. Five independent …

Prediction Of Premature Termination Of Psychotherapy In A Community Mental Health Center, Jane Hoppin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if prediction of premature termination of psychotherapy through the use of the Barrett-Lennard Inventory. The Study was conducted at health center and involved the clients could be attained Relationship a community mental of five therapists. The Relationship Inventory which assesses the relationship between client and therapist was mailed to clients who had terminated therapy against the advice of their therapists, and to clients who were still in therapy. The clients were asked to fill out the questionnaire anonymously, and send it back to the Center. Demographic data, such as age, sex, marital …

Alcohol Addiction & The Rat As A Possible Animal For The Study Of Alcoholism, John Graham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An attempt was made to produce an animal model for the study of alcoholism. It was hypothesized that the laboratory rat could be brought to physical dependency and maintained in that state under a free-choice circumstance. Two groups of 60-day-old Max hooded rats, consisting of 8 males and 8 females per group, were established to serve as experimental and control subjects. Two experiments were conducted. The intention of the first experiment was to install physical alcohol dependency in the experimental subjects with the use of a totally liquid diet. After the first experiment a 6-hr. period of total abstinence was …

Psychological Components In Chronic Urticaria, David L. Blumenthal

Graduate Thesis Collection

There has been wide recognition for a number of years that psychological components played a part in the etiology and treatment of some cases of chronic urticaria. Divergent opinion has been expressed regarding the importance of these components and their specific indentification. Most contentions in this area are supported by meager experimental evidence and the formulations are too often based on the superficial observation of a large number of cases or on the intensive study of the individual case.

The hypothesis of this research is that siqnificant psvchological components exist in patients with chronic urticaria and that these components are …