A pilot investigation of a behavioral weight control program with mentally retarded adolescents and adults: Effects on weight, fitness, and knowledge of nutritional and behavioral principles.

Examined the long- and short-term effects of a behavioral weight control program for 10 mentally retarded Ss (mean age 22.7 yrs, mean IQ 52.5) that incorporated teaching about diet, emphasizing exercise, using positive reinforcement, providing periodic weighings, involving parents and group home leaders, and teaching skills to encourage continuing or maintaining weight loss after the end of the program. Weight loss, changes in knowledge of behavioral and nutritional principles, and measures of aerobic fitness and body size were assessed using a nutrition and self-management test. Results indicate significant changes on all measures but arm girth for all Ss at the end of the program, but weight losses were no longer significant at 1-yr follow-up. Ss who were withdrawn from the program by their group home managers showed significant weight gains over the year. Ss' IQ scores were significantly correlated with posttest and follow-up weight losses, and those residing with parents rather than in group homes tended to remain in the program and to lose weight. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Three studies of personality: undergraduate students in physical education

In Study I, 85 male undergraduate physical education majors were compared to the norms on the 1962 16 PF test; Ss were higher in ego strength, dominant, enthusiastic, practical, naive, self-assured, and group-dependent. In Study II, 50 similar Ss took the 1967 test and were lower in intelligence, higher in superego strength, and were more practical and controlled. In Study III, 39 similar female Ss took the 1967 test and were lower in intelligence, reserved, practical, and conservative. Centiles calculated from the raw scores showed the groups deviated from the normative groups by 15 points or more on some of these traits. Findings generally agree with previous work using the same instrument and disagree with common conclusions regarding fitness for teaching by other investigators using different instruments.     

The relationship between theoretical values and the efficacy of a new self-counseling procedure.

Predicted that Ss possessing moderate theoretical values would do better using a new self-counseling procedure apparently emphasizing rational, logical processes than Ss possessing low or high theoretical values. Written personal problems of 125 college students were rated on the degree to which they represented "dilemmas." Ss with problems most closely resembling dilemmas were given "dilemma self-help counseling." To measure outcome, an evaluation questionnaire and a 1-wk follow-up were used. Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values scores were collected for 46 Ss and American College Testing Program (ACT) composite scores were available for 44. Results indicate both significant linear and curvilinear relationships between Theoretical scores and therapy outcome, as predicted. ACT scores showed significant positive relationships with several of the evaluation measures. Results indicate that particular client variables may be influential depending upon the particular type of counseling involved. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of alcoholics' moods at the beginning and end of a hospital treatment program

The Profile of Mood States was administered weekly to 122 completers and 91 noncompleters of a hospital alcohol rehabilitation program. Ss' initial mood scores were not significant predictors of whether they would complete the program or of whether they would attain abstinence or show improvement in drinking practices at 3-month follow-up. When Ss left the program their final mood scores indicated significant improvement in mood states compared to their initial scores. Completers who later were found to be abstinent showed a trend toward affective improvement on all 6 Profile scales. It is suggested that assessment of an alcoholic's mood can contribute to formulation of treatment plans.     

Validity of the MMPI Pd scale among black males.

Conducted 3 studies to investigate the validity of the MMPI Psychopathic Deviate (Pd) and Pd + .4K scales in discriminating levels of social deviance among young black men. Study 1 established that 102 black inmates at a federal correctional institution had significantly higher scores on both scales than 120 culturally deprived black male university students. Study 2, using Ss from Study 1, demonstrated that (a) among the inmates recidivists had significantly higher scores than first offenders, and (b) among the students there were significant differences in the expected directions among subgroups differing in self-reported delinquency. Study 3 showed that the black Ss from Study 1 had higher scores than comparable samples of 60 white male college students and 51 white male prison inmates. It is concluded that Pd and Pd + .4K both validly differentiate levels of social deviance among young black men but that the norms for the scales appear to show racial bias. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A program to increase happiness: Further studies.

Reports new studies (226 adult Ss) on increasing personal happiness. The studies are continuations of Studies 1, 2, and 3 reported in M. W. Fordyce (see record 1978-23415-001). The studies used a training program in happiness that centered on 14 fundamentals, including keeping busy, spending more time socializing, developing positive thinking, and working on a healthy personality. Adults at a community college participated in the programs. Measures of happiness included the Depression Adjective Check Lists and Happiness Measures. In Study 4, the complete program demonstrated significant happiness increases over a control group receiving summary instruction in the program. In Study 5, the complete program showed slight superiority over a control group receiving almost half the information. In Study 6, the full program was compared to groups receiving partial instruction from the program in their predetermined areas of "happiness weakness" and to a control receiving "placebo expectations" of greater happiness. All treatment groups demonstrated significant gains in happiness compared to controls, though no difference between the treatments was apparent. Study 7 involved a 9–28 mo follow-up of the program's effects on 69 past participants, with the vast majority of anonymous respondents reporting continued happiness increases. The collected findings indicate that the program had a long-lasting effect on happiness for most Ss and that this effect was due to the content of the information. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictive validity of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory.

200 predominantly female parents (average age 22.4 yrs) who were participants in an at-risk parent–child program were administered the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI) to determine the degree of correspondence between Ss' CAPI scores and subsequent confirmed reports of abuse, neglect, or failure to thrive. It was found that 42 parents were reported to a suspected child abuse and neglect team, confirmed for maltreatment, and referred to a human resources department; 11 Ss were reported for abuse, 15 for neglect, and 16 for failure to thrive. Although all abusive Ss earned scores above the CAPI cutoff score for abuse, the majority of Ss earning elevated scores did not abuse. A significant relationship was found between CAPI abuse scores and subsequent abuse and between abuse scores and later neglect. No relationship was found between abuse scores and subsequent failure to thrive. Findings support the predictive validity of the CAPI. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment and training of role-taking and referential communication skills in institutionalized emotionally disturbed children.

Evaluated 125 institutionalized emotionally disturbed 8-15-yr-old children in terms of their role-taking and referential communication skills. On the basis of this screening process, the 48 Ss who performed most poorly on these measures were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 experimental training programs intended to remediate deficits in either role-taking or referential communication skills. As a group these institutionalized Ss were significantly delayed in the acquisition of both role taking and referential communication when compared with samples of their normal age-mates. Pre- and postintervention comparisons indicated that Ss of both experimental groups improved significantly in their role-taking ability. Ss of the communication training program also demonstrated significant improvement in referential communication skills. A 12-mo follow-up showed a trend for improvements in both test measures to be associated with improvements in social adjustment as rated by institutional staff. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reading achievement and creativity as related to open classroom experience.

From 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-grade classes selected for their open characteristics, 49 children were matched on IQ, socioeconomic status, sex, age, and grade with 49 Ss from classrooms identified as traditional. Reading achievement and creativity were assessed with a 2 * 2 factorial analysis of variance, open and traditional * high and low IQ. All 98 Ss were administered the reading test, and 39 pairs were given the creativity measures. Both reading and figural creativity analyses showed significant main effects for IQ and significant interactions. Among low IQ groups, open and traditional Ss could not be distinguished on reading achievement or creativity. Among high IQ Ss, traditional Ss had significantly higher reading and figural creativity scores. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of rehabilitation outcomes from psychometric parameters in left hemiplegics.

To test the proposition that an intake, multivariate battery of 42 psychometric predictors can predict duration of stay in rehabilitation and competence in ambulation and self-care, multiple-regression equations were computed for 54 Ss with left hemiplegia, and their retrospective outcome scores were highly accurately predicted. To reduce administration cost, redundant information was deleted. A compact battery of 27 variables was thus obtained, and the program was repeated. Resulting multiple correlations and predictive accuracy were only slightly less than those arrived at with the full battery. A cross-validation study on 15 new Ss yielded essentially identical results. It is concluded that the prediction of outcomes from psychometric measures, taken at the initiation of the rehabilitation program is highly feasible. (24 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in scholastic achievement and intelligence of Indian children enrolled in a foster placement program.

Attempted to determine whether Indian students participating in a foster home placement program would show educational gains greater than those previously found with other Indian education programs. 84 children who had been enrolled for 5 or more yrs were selected as Ss and their standardized testing records obtained from the schools. The tests, administered when the Ss were 8-14 yrs old, included the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and California Test of Mental Maturity. Although testing records were incomplete, it was found that compared to national norms, the mean achievement score for this group declined with successive yrs of participation in the program and total IQ scores showed no significant changes. It is concluded that results are similar in this respect to those obtained on Indian students who remain at home and are educated in public schools. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal competence among college males hypothesized to be at risk for schizophrenia.

Compared the interpersonal competence of undergraduate males hypothesized on the basis of scores on 4 scales designed to identify schizophrenia-prone individuals to be at elevated risk for schizophrenia with male control undergraduates in 2 studies. In Study 1, 96 high-risk Ss were compared with 60 controls on a behavioral measure requiring them to role play responses to problem situations. Results show that responses of anhedonic Ss were significantly less competent and more terse than were those of controls. Responses of impulsive, nonconforming Ss were significantly more hostile and more odd than controls' responses. In Study 2, 78 high-risk Ss and 33 controls used a multiple-choice version of the problem inventory. Results show that nonconforming Ss were significantly less able than controls to recognize competent responses and were significantly more likely than controls to select hostile response alternatives. It is suggested that the interpersonal behaviors of anhedonic and nonconforming Ss were consistent with their designation as high-risk individuals and potentially important to their later adjustment. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Increased cardiac awareness in panic disorder.

Investigated cardiac perception in panic disorder with both self-report and objective measures. In Study 1, 120 patients with panic disorder, 86 infrequent panickers, and 38 patients with other anxiety disorders reported greater cardiac and gastrointestinal awareness than 62 normal control Ss. Ss with panic attacks reported greater cardiac awareness, but not gastrointestinal awareness, than those with other anxiety disorders. Studies 2 and 3 included a test of heart rate perception in which Ss silently counted their heartbeats without taking their pulse. In Study 2, 65 panic disorder patients showed better performance than 50 infrequent panickers, 27 patients with simple phobias, and 46 normal control Ss. No group differences were found in ability to estimate time intervals. In Study 3, 13 patients with panic disorder and 15 with generalized anxiety disorder showed better heart rate perception than 16 depressed patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive processing and expectancy behavior in hypnosis

Two independent studies, each with 60 undergraduates, were conducted to examine the expectancy behavior of unselected hypnotic, task-motivated, and control-imagination Ss on a slide task requiring response to ambiguous visual information. Study 1 tested Ss within 2 positively motivating contexts, which differed in the ease with which they confirmed the hypnotist's expectancy. Study 2 required Ss to shift from reporting one response to reporting an altogether different one when the same stimulus information was presented on successive testing occasions. Results from the program of work show that hypnotic Ss consistently demonstrated expectancy behavior, whereas nonhypnotic Ss did not. Analysis of stimulus matching data and time taken for response further indicated that substantially different cognitive routes were taken by hypnotic Ss in their acquiescence to the hypnotist's demands. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lateral preference patterns as a discriminator of learning difficulties.

In Study 1, the lateral preference patterns for 246 normal and 108 learning-disabled (LD) children (8.3–12.7 yrs) were compared using factors of the Dean Laterality Preference Schedule. Results indicate that although Ss did not differ in their patterns for peripheral activities across factors, LD Ss were significantly more bilateral on factors involving visually guided fine motor activity, listening, and fine motor foot preference. Further analysis showed that one significant discriminant function correctly predicted the group placement of some 71% of the Ss. Findings are interpreted as supporting a hypothesis of less coherent lateralized cerebral systems for many LD children. Study 2 examined the verbal—spatial abilities of 78 LD 5th graders classified as normal or mixed in their preference patterns using the discriminant function derived in Study 1. Results indicate that whereas Ss of mixed dominance for peripheral activities were deficient in spatial abilities, they were verbally more adept than normally lateralized LD Ss. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of fantasy contexts on children's learning and motivation: Making learning more fun.

Two studies examined the effects of embedding instructional materials in relevant fantasy contexts on children's motivation and learning. In Study 1, Ss showed marked preferences for computer-based educational programs that involved fantasy elements. In Study 2, Ss worked with these programs for 5 hrs. One program presented purely abstract problems. Others presented identical problems within fantasy contexts. Some Ss chose among 3 fantasies; others were assigned identical fantasies. Tests on the material occurred before, immediately after, and 2 wks after the experimental sessions. Ss showed significantly greater learning and transfer in the fantasy than in the no-fantasy conditions. Having a choice of fantasies made no difference. Motivational and individualization strategies for enhancing interest and promoting learning are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of spatial organization in prose learning.

In Exp I, 40 undergraduates either did or did not create a map-like representation while learning a passage. Learners who generated a map exhibited significantly greater retention than did control Ss. In Exp II, 120 undergraduates were either forced to study the map, instructed to study, or given no map prior to reading. Learners who were forced to process performed significantly better than other groups on retention measures. Ss not forced to study performed no better than the control group who received no map. Free-recall data showed that forced map study benefited learners with low vocabulary scores more than Ss with higher vocabulary scores. This was not true for multiple-choice or constructed response measures. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Accelerating entry into transitional employment in a psychosocial rehabilitation agency.

Hypothesized that the process of vocational rehabilitation could be accelerated by artificially limiting the length of time members were assigned to prevocational crews. 107 clients admitted to a psychosocial rehabilitation program classified according to prior work experience, were assigned to either the standard gradual vocational program or an accelerated program requiring their early involvement in transitional employment. After 15 mo, 20% of the accelerated Ss were in competitive employment, compared with 7% of gradual Ss. 15% of accelerated Ss were in prevocational crews, compared with 35% of gradual Ss. All 7 of the members working full-time at 15 mo were in the accelerated group. Work-experienced Ss benefited from the accelerated approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's recognition of rights violations in counseling.

Evaluated the capacity of children and adolescents to comprehend and protect their rights in a mental health setting in 60 male Ss. 20 Ss at each of 3 age levels (8.2–9.7 yrs, 15.2–16.0 yrs, and 20.4–23.1 yrs) were explained 6 rights—refusal of treatment, knowing the reason for refusal, withholding information from counselors, refusal to allow videotaping of a treatment session, confidentiality, and the right of access to records—and then asked to view videotapes in which these rights were violated. Results show that, for 9-yr-old Ss, the experimental effect of providing information about rights was minimal; both experimental Ss and noninformed controls demonstrated low scores on measures of recognition of rights violation and protection of rights. At ages 15 and 21, experimental Ss demonstrated significantly higher scores on both measures than did control Ss. There was no significant difference in the experimental effect between the 15- and 21-yr-old Ss, which suggests that by age 15, the average adolescent is fully capable of comprehending and exercising his or her rights. Guidelines are proposed regarding the provision of information about rights to minors who receive mental health services. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Protecting the self from the negative consequences of risky decisions.

Three experiments tested the idea that a motive to protect self-esteem (SE) from the threat of regret can influence decision making. Threat to SE was manipulated by varying whether people expected to know the outcome of their decisions. Study 1 showed that when Ss expected feedback about their decisions, only Ss low in SE made regret-minimizing choices. Study 2 showed that when Ss did not expect to know the outcome of their decisions, SE differences in choice strategies disappeared. Study 3 manipulated expectations about feedback on chosen and unchosen alternatives and showed that the more feedback that was expected, the more likely low but not high SE Ss were to make regret-minimizing choices. These studies suggest that people base decisions not only on objective attributes of choice alternatives, but also on the damage to SE that is perceived to result from a poor-decision outcome. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)