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The Effects of the Type A Behavior Pattern and Aerobic Exercise on the Allocation of Attention

Description: This investigation examined the effects of aerobic fitness and the Type A behavior pattern on cognitive functioning in the split-attention (dual task) paradigm. Sixty-four adults were classified as Type A or B by means of the Jenkins Activity Survey, and as Runner or Sedentary using self-reports of physical activity. Under challenging instructions, subjects performed a primary task (Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices) and secondary task (Backward Digit Span) alternatively under single and dual… more
Date: December 1986
Creator: Morton, Anne Aldredge
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Training and Practice Effects on Performance Attributions Among Non-Depressed and Depressed Older Persons

Description: Previous research examining the impact of training and practice effects on modifying performance of fluid intelligence tasks (Gf) and crystallized intelligence tasks (Gc) were extended to include self-rated performance attributions among non-depressed and depressed older persons. The following general questions were addressed. How does level of depression affect performance on Gf and Gc measures and performance attributions? How does level of depression and degree of benefit from either trainin… more
Date: December 1987
Creator: Segal, Carolyn
Partner: UNT Libraries
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The Effect of Hypnotically-Induced Mood Elevation as an Adjunct to Cognitive Treatment of Depression

Description: Cognitive therapy for the treatment of depression has generated substantial research indicating its effectiveness and it is currently considered among the most viable conceptualizations of depression. However, it has remained controversial because its methods do not directly address emotional symptoms in depressed persons. Treatment of depressed emotions is a primary focus of hypnotic mood elevating techniques. These techniques enable depressed persons to experience positive emotions during hyp… more
Date: December 1985
Creator: Lucas, Scott Gordon
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Factors of Depression in the Elderly: Assessment and Implications for Diagnosis

Description: The problem of assessment and diagnosis of depression in the elderly begins with the definition of depression being indefinite. In this study, the theory of learned helplessness was chosen because of its value in organizing research within a learning theory framework. The Beck Depression Inventory, measures of fluid and crystallized intellectual ability, locus of control, and attribution of success and failure were chosen as variables for an exploratory factor analysis. The purpose of selecting… more
Date: December 1987
Creator: Kunsak, Nancy Elizabeth
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Self Cognitions of Depressed Adolescents: a Personal Construct Approach

Description: The primary purpose of the study was to quantify the characteristics of certain self cognitions that occur in depressed adolescents. A secondary purpose was to assess the change that occurs in these self cognitions during a depressive episode. The intervention, in the form of guided imagery about a previous drug-using episode, was used to induce a mood change. The REP, a Personal Construct Theory measure, and the Beck Depression Inventory were used in a repeated measures design.
Date: December 1989
Creator: Rasile, Karen D.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Family Environment, Affect, Ambivalence and Decisions About Unplanned Adolescent Pregnancy

Description: This study investigated the relationships among family environment, demographic measures, the decisions made by unintentionally pregnant adolescents regarding post-delivery plans (stay single, get married, adoption), and the certainty with which these decisions were made. The Information Sheet, Family Environment Scale (Moos & Moos, 1981), and Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (Zuckerman & Lubin, 1965a) were administered to 17 5 pregnant adolescents, ages 14 through 22, who intended to carry… more
Date: December 1985
Creator: Warren, Keith Clements
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Primary Care Screening for Psychological Factors

Description: The Behavioral Medicine Questionnare (BMQ) is a 44- item instrument administered via a computer CRT display or pencil and paper. The BMQ was designed to help primary care physicians treating spinal disorders to screen for emotional factors which warrant further psychological evaluation. The test is composed of three scales: Anxiety, Depression, and Somatization. Concurrent validity for each scale was determined through comparisons with subject (n = 133) scores on clinician judgement ratings, pa… more
Date: December 1986
Creator: Marerro, Magaly V. (Magaly Victoria)
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Imagery/Mental Practice: A Cognitive Technique for Teaching Adaptive Movement to Postoperative Spinal Patients

Description: Postoperative spinal patients were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions and were taught five adaptive movements by occupational therapists. The Control group received routine hospital occupational therapy; the Placebo group participated in an imagery relaxation task unrelated to the mental practice task of the Imagery group, which was shown line drawings of the adaptive movements under study, provided movement instructions, and asked to mentally practice each movement in a fam… more
Date: December 1986
Creator: Ransom, Kay Johnson
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Facilitative Effectiveness of Elderly and Adolescent Volunteer Counselors in a Nursing Home Setting

Description: This study examined the effects of volunteer counselor training (empathy training versus information only) and age of volunteer (senior citizens versus adolescents) upon depression level of nursing home residents. Results showed that residents who received a volunteer counselor significantly improved (p < .01) in level of depression compared to the no volunteer control group. The empathy trained counselors were not significantly more effective than the information only group. The age of the. vo… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Nagel, Joseph
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Ecological Treatment and Fasting Effects on Psychological Measures

Description: The purpose of the present study was to objectively verify psychological and behavioral changes in a group of identifiably susceptible patients who were treated for environmental sensitivities in a highly controlled environment. The subjects were 71 Environmental Control Unit (ECU) patient volunteers and 16 nonpatient volunteers for a total of 87. The patients were divided into a short-treatment (fasting 3-4 days) group (n = 35) and a long-treatment (fasting 5-7 days) group (n = 36). A third gr… more
Date: December 1983
Creator: Bridges, Charles Frederick
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Imagery as a Skills Training Technique for Alcoholics

Description: Alcoholism is a major health problem, and current methods of treatment have been only partially successful. One treatment approach is to teach coping skills for dealing with problematic situations. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of imagery techniques in teaching coping skills. There were two major objectives of this study. The first objective was to determine whether covert skills training would produce positive changes in alcoholics in terms of their effectiveness in … more
Date: December 1980
Creator: Chadwell, Carrell Morgan
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Parkinsonian Personality: Psychometric Description of Intellectual-Motor Functioning

Description: In an attempt to determine the normative levels in health attribution and emotional, intellectual, and neuromuscular functioning in the parkinsonian population, 31 diagnosed parkinsonian volunteers recruited from exercise classes and/or organizations were tested. Health attribution was measured by the Health Attribution Test (HAT), personality factors by the Clinical Analysis Questionnaire (CAQ), general intellectual level by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test- Revised (PPVT-R) and the Intelle… more
Date: December 1985
Creator: Laverty, Vivian D.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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A Multi-Element Psychological Management Program for Chronic Low Back Pain

Description: This investigation utilized a novel, self-help, multi-element psychological program to manage chronic low back pain. A literature review indicated that this disorder was costly and prevalent, yet a large percentage of chronic low back pain patients did not respond to traditional treatment. Recent research has demonstrated that numerous psychological difficulties have been associated with this disorder, including depression and anxiety. It was hypothesized that these psychological concomitants o… more
Date: December 1980
Creator: Goldsmith, David A.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Life Stress and Incidence of Pediatric Sickle Cell Anemia Pain Crises

Description: This study investigated the relationship between stress and pain crisis incidence in pediatric Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA). It was hypothesized that SCA children were exposed to higher levels of stress than healthy children. It was also hypothesized that a significant positive correlation existed between level of stress and pain crisis incidence both within and between years. The sample consisted of 20 Black elementary school children with SCA. There were 12 female and 8 male children. The period … more
Date: December 1985
Creator: Norsworthy, William Ludy, 1948-
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Temperature Biofeedback and Visual Imagery in the Treatment of Migraine Headaches

Description: After an initial four week baseline period, during which headache activity and medication consumption were monitored, 28 migraineurs were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: (a) the biofeedback temperature warming group, (b) the visual imagery group, (c) the combined treatment group, or (d) the comparison group. All four groups continued to monitor their headache activity and medication consumption during the eight week treatment period and the eight week follow-up period. A two w… more
Date: December 1985
Creator: Clark, Susan Matthews
Partner: UNT Libraries
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The Psychiatric Rating Scale for Diagnostic Classification of Children and Adolescents Interrater Reliability

Description: This study was designed to assess the reliability of "The Psychiatric Rating Scale for Diagnostic Classification of Children and Adolescents" as an instrument for determining diagnoses congruent with DSM-III criteria. In Phase I graduate students from a University doctoral program in psychology independently rated case vignettes and completed the 64-item rating scale to arrive at Axis I or II diagnoses consistent with DSM-III classifications for Disorders Usually First Evident in Infancy, Child… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Henning, E. Glenn (Elbert Glenn)
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Biofeedback-Assisted Relaxation: Effects on Phagocytic Immune Functioning

Description: Life events and one's ability to adapt to these events has significant effects on immune functioning. Immunosuppression has been related to a high magnitude of life stress and low adaptive ability. While studies have explored immune response in stressed individuals, no study has approached the area of prevention with low-immunity individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether subjects who self-report stressful lives have lower immunity, and whether "low" immunity subjects und… more
Date: December 1982
Creator: Peavey, Barbara Suzanne
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Psychological Stress: Effect on Humoral Immune Functioning as Measured by Immunoglobulin Levels

Description: The purpose of the present study was to determine if psychological stress, defined as academic examination stress, would systematically produce changes in immune parameters (immunoglobulin concentration) and psychological functioning. It was hypothesized that as examination stress occurred there would be an effect on immunological function consistent with heightened psychological activity/stress. Subjects were 23 master's and doctoral students in psychology who volunteered for the research proj… more
Date: December 1986
Creator: Didriksen, Nancy A. (Nancy Andrews)
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Client-Therapist Interaction and Perceived Therapeutic Outcome

Description: This study sought to determine the therapeutic effectiveness of client-therapist dyads in a residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed adolescents. The theories of George Kelly's personal construct psychology were utilized in assessing the dyadic relationship. The four elements investigated were organizational similarity, understanding, organizational congruency and predominant selves. The sample consisted of 140 dyads comprised of 10 adolescent boys and girls and 14 therapeutic sta… more
Date: December 1988
Creator: Fogle, Joseph Edwin
Partner: UNT Libraries
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A Measure of Dependency in Patients with Chronic Illness: Clinical Ecology

Description: This study briefly reviews both historical and recent conceptualizations of dependency. In particular, it focuses on this concept's applicability to patients with chronic illnesses, especially those with allergies. Type and degree of dependency were seen as an important factor in the approach to the medical and psychological treatment of clinical ecology patients. The purpose of the study was to develop an objective measure of dependency which could quickly identify patients whose dependency c… more
Date: December 1985
Creator: Jones, Frances McManemin
Partner: UNT Libraries
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The Control of Surface Skin Temperature Through Hypnosis and Hypnotic Age Regression

Description: A total of 60 male and female subjects scoring between 0-5 and 8-12 on the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility: Form A underwent hypnosis procedures, hypnosis and age regression procedures to age 10, or were read an article about hypnosis. All subjects then listened to 20 minutes of directed imagery for warming and cooling the hands. Skin temperature was monitored on both index fingers. Dependent measures were the difference between each subject's highest temperature and baseline tem… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Neuger, Gary Jay
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Effects of Imaging Ability, Guided Imagery, and Source of Themes on Interview Verbal Behavior

Description: Eighty four female undergraduate students participated in a psychotherapy analog study to determine the effects of imagery ability, guided imagery therapy treatments, and personal versus supplied constructs upon self-disclosure variables in a 2 x 3 x 2 Anova design, with repeated measures on the final factor. Dependent variables were measured by reaction time, total talk time, speech duration, silence quotient, and Doster's (1971) Self-Disclosure Rating Scale. Subjects were divided into two ima… more
Date: December 1985
Creator: Wixson, Sandra Werre
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Cognitive Coping Strategies with Chronic Back Pain Patients

Description: Low back pain has long been estimated to be the most prevalent and debilitating source of chronic pain. The present study first reviews the literature addressing the various theories of pain, the physiological and psychological variables important in pain research, and the psychotherapeutic approaches that have been used to date to reduce pain. Thirty-seven hospitalized chronic back pain patients were administered the cold-pressor test and a medical pain stimulus procedure which was medically r… more
Date: December 1985
Creator: Hinnant, Donald Wayne
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Self-Perception of Health: A Proposed Explanatory Model and a Test of its Clinical Significance

Description: A multivariate model of health self-perceptions was postulated based upon a comprehensive set of health related variables suggested by previous bivariate research. Components of the model included measures of health attitudes, health practices, health locus of control, a measure of stress/ coping, and a physical health measure. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 10 8 subjects based upon the external measure of physical health which included categories ranging from disabi… more
Date: December 1985
Creator: Scherzer, Charles E.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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