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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
open access

The Effects of Cognitive Flexibility on Rorschach Interpretation

Description: Although the Rorschach is one of the most widely used psychological assessment techniques, its empirical support has been equivocal. One possible explanation for this lack of empirical support is the tendency for researchers to study only the assessment tool with little regard for the clinician using it. In order to examine the relationship between accurate Rorschach interpretation and attributes of the clinicians employing the technique, 46 psychology graduate students were tested in terms of … more
Date: August 1984
Creator: Walters, Terry L. (Terry Lynne)
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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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

Self-Directed Relaxation as a Treatment for Essential Hypertension

Description: Male (8) and female (22) Essential Hypertensives (130/85 mm Hg or above) were randomized into a nonspecific treatment or an experimental treatment utilizing eight relaxation strategies. Both groups had eight training sessions which consisted of baseline blood pressures (BP), 15 minute relaxation tapes, and post-relaxation BP's. Subjects were instructed to use their tapes three times between sessions. Five BP readings were taken at the one and two month follow-ups. It was hypothesized that the e… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Hafer, Donald G.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

A Comparison of Measures of Masculinity/Femininity in Predicting Instrumental Behaviors

Description: The development of measures of masculinity/femininity in psychology has reflected historical interest in categorizing gender differences. Recent measures have characterized masculinity as instrumental/agentic behavior. In this study, a traditional measure (the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Masculinity/femininity scale) was pitted against a more recent measure (the Personal Attributes Questionnaire) in predicting instrumental behavior of mixed sex dyads in laboratory sex stereotype… more
Date: August 1984
Creator: Roesel, Rosalyn
Partner: UNT Libraries
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A Comparison of Counterconditioning and Role-Playing Strategies in the Hypnotic Treatment for Cigarette Smoking

Description: This study compared the relative efficacy of two different theoretically-derived strategies in the hypnotic treatment for cigarette smoking. The use of counterconditioning suggestions (present or absent) was compared to the use of role-playing suggestions (present or absent) in a two-way factorial design. Also investigated was whether there were any pretreatment variables which could predict successful long-term smoking control. Fifty adult chronic smokers were matched on the dimensions of base… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Bowman, David Ross
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Relaxation Imagery to Facilitate Endogenous Control of Lymphocytic Function in Humans

Description: Whether an individual's state of mind can influence the body's immune system has been studied for several decades. Historical notions of a homeostatic, self-contained, and self-monitored system have been discarded. Studies have explored conditioning effects and cognitive behavioral methods to affect the immune response. This study is based on the assumption that relaxation imagery can be used as an endogenous means to produce specific physiological change in the immune function. Subjects were i… more
Date: August 1984
Creator: Myers, Carol Rae
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Processes of Relapse and Recovery in Alcoholics

Description: This study was designed to investigate risk factors for resumption of alcohol use during the early period following treatment. Specifically, the influence of cognitions, stressful life events, subjective appraisal of stress, expectancies about alcohol use, and personal coping responses was explored.
Date: August 1984
Creator: Floyd, Dorthy Rhea
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Accurate Empathy and Rorschach Interpretation

Description: Although the Rorschach is one of the most widely used psychological assessment techniques, its empirical support has been equivocal. One possible explanation for this lack of empirical support is the tendency for researchers to study only the assessment tool with little regard for the clinician using it. The current study examined one clinician variable (empathy) and its relationship to accuracy of interpretation of the Rorschach. The literature regarding Rorschach theory and research and empat… more
Date: August 1984
Creator: Freeze, Sandra Joanna Davis
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Religious Orientation, Death Anxiety, Locus of Control and Belief in Punishment After Death

Description: Evidence is cited in this paper which suggests religion is gaining in influence on American life. Although interest in religiosity is increasing, mental health research into the area is meager. As psychological researchers grow cognizant of the impact of social systems on the individual, it becomes important to examine the impact of religion and religious belief on the emotional health of the individual. The literature also suggests that attitudes toward death and the individual's perception of… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Lofton, Debra Ann
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Rorschach Interpreters: Relationship to Spatial Intelligence

Description: In an attempt to find meaningful predictors of the ability to interpret Rorschach protocols by clinicians, a paradigm change (Kuhn, 1962) was instigated by using as predictors the scores of the perceptual organizational abilities of 30 subjects, and their ratings of favorableness toward the Rorschach in terms of its usefulness as a clinical tool. The subjects were first year, graduate psychology students, and the Haptic Visual Discrimination Test (HVDT) was the instrument used to measure percep… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Laverty, Vivian D.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Helping Among Children

Description: This study investigated the effect of cost-of-escape on helping among children. Forty-four children between the approximate ages of six and twelve served as subjects. The experiment was performed in a natural setting using an ice cream truck. The driver (experimenter) manipulated the cost-of-escape and then had an "accident." The easy-to-escape group received their ice cream before the driver spilled 300 spoons on the ground. The difficult-to-escape group had paid for their ice cream but had no… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Russell, Sue Ann
Partner: UNT Libraries
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The Importance of Staff Cohesiveness in Treatment Effectiveness as Demonstrated by Client Self-Disclosure

Description: Much research has studied cohesiveness within client groups in terms of making therapeutic gains. These studies have defined cohesiveness in terms of a) attraction of the group as perceived by a group member, b) how clearly each member sees his/her role within the group, and c) the effectiveness of one's skills in attaining group goals. Little research has dealt with the role of staff cohesiveness in developing an effective treatment program. Effectiveness, in this study, is defined as the degr… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: MacMullan, Peter Alex
Partner: UNT Libraries
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A Comparison of Behavioral Therapy and Contextual Therapy for the Treatment of Overweight

Description: The purpose of the present study is to compare a "traditional" behavioral therapy approach (based on selfcontrol techniques) with a previously unresearched "contextual therapy" for the treatment of overweight. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to a discussion of a variety of relevant behavioral techniques, an evaluation of them, and a discussion of a contextual model for the treatment of overweight.
Date: May 1984
Creator: Mathews, Matt
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

A Study of Premenstrual Syndrome in Teachers and Reported Classroom Misbehavior

Description: Periodic fluctuations in women's emotions during the menstrual cycle have been a continuing topic of research and discussion. The current study was designed to determine if premenstrual syndrome conditions in female teachers have any effect on reported classroom misbehavior and infractions. Subjects were twenty-one faculty members presently employed in the capacity of teachers in a public middle school. By utilizing a teacher's daily behavioral checklist, along with student misconduct reports, … more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Kerr, Jacqueline Marie
Partner: UNT Libraries
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The Effects of School Performance on the Self-Concept and Locus of Control of Learning Disabled and Emotionally Disturbed Elementary Students

Description: A number of authors have suggested recently that the behavioral characteristics and self-perceptions of learning disabled and emotionally disturbed children are so similar as to negate the fruitfulness of trying to differentiate between these two groups. These characteristics are quite similar for the two special education groups when they have been compared independently of each other to regular education students. In order to provide support for these prior studies, the self-concepts and locu… more
Date: May 1984
Creator: Ronalder, Ronnie Lee
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Relationship Between Reported Exposure to Racial Discrimination and Level of Self-Esteem and Trust of Whites

Description: This study investigated the level of trust of whites and self-esteem as a function of reported exposure to racial discrimination. It was hypothesized that participants reporting high levels of racial discrimination would be less trusting of whites and have lower self concepts than those reporting low levels of exposure to racism. A total of 84 undergraduates were administered three measures designed to assess the amount of exposure to racial discrimination, self-esteem and cultural mistrust. No… more
Date: May 1984
Creator: Robinson, Deborah L.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Dependency in the Clinical Ecology Patient

Description: Dependency is defined as authentic or pathological and is seen as a component important to the treatment of patients with chronic illness. It is hypothesized that a significant portion of ecology patients will meet the criteria for pathological dependence and differ on psychological and physiological parameters from those who do not. This study strongly supports the first two hypotheses but does not find that the two groups differ physiologically. One hundred eleven variables are surveyed. Fift… more
Date: August 1984
Creator: Jones, Frances McManemin
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Initial Interview: Impact of Gender and Sex-Role Orientation

Description: The present study examined the impact of gender and sex-role orientation on therapy effectiveness. Previous research suggested that same-sex pairings and androgynous therapists would be most desirable. Interviewers (therapists) were 25 male and 15 female third-year doctoral psychology students, each interviewing a male and a female undergraduate student (client). Results did not support the hypothesis that gender and sex role were powerful predictors of therapy effectiveness. However, this stud… more
Date: December 1984
Creator: Tang, So-kum Catherine
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Standardization of a Memory Test with an Elderly Population

Description: The Aronson Shopping List is a short-term memory test which integrates current knowledge of brain-behavior relationships in assessment. The test was designed to detect deficiency in fluid intelligence. The goal of this study was to standardize the test on an elderly population. The sample was composed of 67 males and females whose ages ranged from 62 to 89 years. It was found that recent stressful events did not account for variation of performance on the ASL. The reliability of the test, estab… more
Date: August 1984
Creator: Tsang, Michael Hing-pui
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Highway Abuse and Violence: Motorists' Experiences as Victims

Description: Only circumscribed aspects of highway aggression have been investigated. The upsurge of abuse and violence transpiring between motorists necessitated a more definitive depiction of the actual events, participants, and relevant contextual features. A questionnaire administered to 120 motorists, aged 18 to 68, solicited a recountal of incidents occurring within 12 months and a description of their most recent encounter. Based on severity of experience, subjects were relegated to distal threat, di… more
Date: May 1984
Creator: McAlhany, Deborah A.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Learned Helplessness: Effect on Working Memory and Fluid Intelligence

Description: To determine if learned helplessness treatment debilitates human working memory and fluid intelligence, 60 university students, classified as high or low self-monitors, were assigned to one of three treatments: intermittent (50%) controllable positive feedback, uncontrollable (yoked) negative feedback, and no treatment. Test tasks included backward digit and backward spatial span (representing working memory), matrices (representing fluid intelligence), vocabulary (representing crystallized int… more
Date: August 1984
Creator: Fernandez, Peter, 1961-
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Accuracy of Eyewitness Memory Under Leading Questioning: The Effects of Hypnosis and Anxiety

Description: Hypnosis has gained substantial support in the psychological community, as well as related health professions. The intense renewal of interest in hypnosis has also affected our legal-judicial system. Many police investigators trained in hypnosis operate from an exactcopy memory theory. They claim eyewitness eyewitness retrieve veridically stored memory traces from long-term memory, if questioned under hypnosis. Conversely, other researchers ascribe to a reconstructive memory theory. They believ… more
Date: August 1984
Creator: Atkins, Loy Keith, 1955-
Partner: UNT Libraries
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