Effects of supervisor experience level on planning and in-session supervisor verbal behavior.

Examined the effects of supervisor experience level on presession planning and in-session supervisor verbal behavior. 30 supervisors representing no, low (1? to 3 yrs), and high (4 to 25 yrs) levels of experience (mean ages 27.3, 28.7, and 35.8 yrs, respectively) listened to a 30-min audiotaped counseling interaction and then recorded thoughts and strategies for supervision in a 30-min planning session. Ss then conducted a 30-min supervision session with the counselor. Analyses of audiotapes from the planning and supervision sessions revealed no significant differences between the 3 levels of supervisory experience in planning statements. However, significant differences were observed in the actual supervision session, with low- and high-experience Ss being similar to each other and different from the no-experience group on several dependent measures. Results also indicate that the counselor rated the low- and high-experience Ss more positively than the no-experience Ss. No relation was observed between statements generated during the planning session and those occurring during supervision. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Further data concerning the dimensionality of ratings of the therapist's verbal exploratory behavior.

An earlier experiment using repeated measures on the same Ss applied a semantic differential (SD) to 10 therapists' exploratory statements. It was shown that: (a) 3 orthogonal dimensions (Precision/Potency, Professional Evaluation, and Subjectivity-Objectivity) account for the ratings; (b) anxiety-Arousal is correlated only with the 1st factor. This study evaluates those findings by using 4 independent groups of Ss rating therapist's statements in 2 interviews along only 1 of the dimensions. Independence of the 3 dimensions is confirmed for 1 interview, but not quite so for the other. Anxiety-Arousal is under present conditions correlated with all 3 dimensions. Results derived from the SD model must therefore be treated with caution. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Crystallized verbal skills in schizophrenia: Relationship to neurocognition, symptoms, and functional status.

Objective: To study the relationship of superior (i.e., ≥ 90th percentile), average (11th?89th percentile) or extremely low (i.e., ≤ 10th percentile) crystallized verbal skills to neurocognitive profiles, symptoms and everyday life function in schizophrenia. Method: Crystallized verbal skill was derived from Vocabulary subtest scores from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). Out of a sample of 165 stable outpatients with schizophrenia we identified 25 participants with superior crystallized verbal skill, 104 participants with average verbal skill, and 36 participants with extremely low crystallized verbal skill. Each participant was administered measures of attention, working memory, verbal learning and memory, problem-solving and processing speed, as well as symptom and performance-based adaptive life skill assessments. Results: The magnitude of neuropsychological impairment across the three groups was different, after adjusting for group differences in education and duration of illness. Working memory, and verbal learning and memory skills were different across all three groups, while processing speed differentiated the extremely low verbal skill group from the other two groups and problem-solving differentiated the very low verbal skill group from the superior verbal skill group. There were no group differences in sustained attention. Capacity measures of everyday life skills were different across each of the three groups. Conclusion: Crystallized verbal skill in schizophrenia is related to the magnitude of impairment in neurocognitive function and performance-based skills in everyday life function. Patterns of neuropsychological impairment were similar across different levels of crystallized verbal skill. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving peer supervisor ratings of therapist performance in dialectical behavior therapy: An Internet-based training system.

The present study involved the development of an Internet-based training system (ITS) to help train peer supervisors. The system, which was piloted with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Linehan, 1993) using mock sessions, demonstrates how Internet-based technology can facilitate training protocols to support the ongoing training and supervision of therapists efficiently. Participant evaluation of the system was very positive, with over 90% of respondents reporting that they believed that the ITS was very useful or extremely useful for therapist training. Possible uses of the system include: (a) helping therapists to learn to discriminate more effective from less effective interventions to provide better feedback to supervisees and peers on their sessions, (b) helping therapists to improve their own ability to monitor and deliver a treatment effectively, and (c) helping to structure therapist training and supervision activities. The system could also be used to help with real-world supervision of therapists, assuming that legal and ethical issues associated with the use of the Internet for clinical supervision are addressed adequately. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coder gender and potential for hostility ratings.

This study examined the effects of coder gender on Potential for Hostility ratings. Six trained coders (3 men and 3 women) who were unaware of the coder gender effect hypothesis coded 30 male and 30 female undergraduates for Potential for Hostility. Although reliability estimates as calculated by Cronbach's alpha suggested that all coders were consistent, an analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect for coder gender, wherein female coders rated participants as displaying significantly less Potential for Hostility than did male coders. This significant difference was also meaningful, as coder gender accounted for 32% of the variance in Potential for Hostility scores. Thus, future Potential for Hostility investigations need to consider the gender of those coding, as this factor both significantly and substantially influences reported Potential for Hostility ratings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal attraction and direct–indirect supervisor influence as predictors of counselor trainee effectiveness.

Examined the process of supervision as a sample of the social influence model by assessing the effect of counselor trainees' (CTs) interpersonal attraction to their supervisors (SUs) and the SU's style of influence as determinants of CT effectiveness. An experimental design was used, with 3 measures of the dependent variable CT effectiveness: clients' and SUs' perceptions of client outcome and SUs' perceptions of CT effectiveness on the Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale. Results of statistical analyses show that CTs who were attracted to their SUs were rated as more effective by SUs on 2 measures, although attraction was not related to clients' perceptions of outcome. A direct style of supervision was related to CT effectiveness, but on only 1 of 3 measures of the dependent variable. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training group members to set session agendas: Effects on in-session behavior and member outcome.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 40(3) of Journal of Counseling Psychology (see record 2008-10480-001). In Table 4 (p. 186) the values for the means and standard deviations in the second, third, and fourth rows of the "Agenda setting" column were transposed with those in the "No contact" column. The corrected table is presented in this erratum.] Addressed I. D. Yalom's (1983) hypothesis that group members who set session agendas would participate more effectively in group sessions and have enhanced outcomes. The independent variable, agenda, was manipulated by assigning the 24 members of established personal growth groups to 1 of 3 conditions: (1) training in agenda setting, (2) stabilizing interviews, and (3) no-contact control. Group members filled out pre- and posttest measures of enactments of intimate behaviors and attitudes toward these enactments. They also filled out self- and other ratings of in-group enactments of intimate behaviors, and group leaders rated group members' intimate behavior at the end of each group session. Group members who set here-and-now session agendas enacted more in-group intimate behaviors and had better outcomes. Implications of these results and suggestions for group counseling are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of ratee task performance and interpersonal factors on supervisor and peer performance ratings.

The study examines the effects of a wide array of rater–ratee relationship and ratee-characteristic variables on supervisor and peer job-performance ratings. Interpersonal ratings, job performance ratings, and ratee scores on ability, job knowledge, and technical proficiency were available for 493 to 631 first-tour US Army soldiers. Results of supervisor and peer ratings-path models showed ratee ability, knowledge, and proficiency accounted for 13% of the variance in supervisor performance ratings and 7% for the peer ratings. Among the interpersonal variables, ratee dependability had the strongest effect for both models. Ratee friendliness and likability had little effect on the performance ratings. Inclusion of the interpersonal factors increased the variance accounted for in the ratings to 28% and 19%, respectively. Discussion focuses on the relative contribution of ratee technical and contextual performance to raters' judgments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of reading achievement to verbal processing abilities.

Examined the relationship between reading achievement and ability to process verbal information in 67 achieving and 67 nonachieving readers drawn from 4th-grade classes. Verbal processing abilities were evaluated with 10 instruments, which included measures of memory span, associative learning, semantic association, automatic word processing, and time taken to name pictures, read words, and recode (pronounce) pseudowords. Achieving readers performed better on all measures except automatic word processing. Factor analysis yielded 3 factors, labeled Verbal Coding Speed, Memory Span, and Verbal Operations. Reading comprehension had high loadings on the 1st and 3rd factors but had a low loading on Memory Span. Results suggest that 1 primary component of the reading achievement of 4th-grade children is the ability to perform operations or manipulations on verbal material. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of negative verbal cues upon verbal behavior.

Research which investigated the capacity to modify behavior, starting from the framework of Skinner's operant conditioning paradigm and utilizing verbal behavior, was found to have primarily explored the effect of positive secondary reinforcement. The present investigation explored the effect of a negative verbal cue presented under different schedules of reinforcement upon verbal behavior. Ss (male VA psychiatric patients) responded to projective techniques. The E varied the frequency of negative verbal reinforcement defined as "unh unh." The hypothesis that such a negative reinforcement would depress verbal behavior was substantiated, with a periodic schedule of reinforcement being more effective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapist, trainee, and child verbal response modes in child group therapy.

The Hill Verbal Response Mode System was adapted to examine the verbal responses of a therapist, trainees, and participants in child group therapy, as well as to identify the verbal responses most effective in producing self-disclosure. Results indicated participant differences in most verbal responses, no time effect, and several Time?*?Participant interactions. Boys and girls were similar to each other but different from the therapist and trainees, and trainees were different from the therapist, during the stages of group development. However, there was movement in different directions during the group process: Children increased most verbal responses and trainees increased some, but the therapist decreased her use of most verbal responses. Self-disclosure was the dominating behavior in these groups throughout the group process. Other frequent responses were feedback and questions. The verbal responses that most affected self-disclosure were structured activities and questions. Implications are discussed for training child group therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anxiety and the conditioning of verbal behavior.

Ninety hospitalized psychiatric patients were administered the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale. The S's were then required to make up sentences in response to a stimulus card on which were printed a verb and one of six pronouns. E reinforced any sentence starting with I or WE by saying "good" or flashing a light. Scores on the Taylor scale showed a relationship to the amount of conditioning produced by "good." Light, as applied in this study, does not function as a reinforcer in a verbal situation. Implications for further research are described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of role and gender mix on verbal communication modes.

51 undergraduates viewed a videotape of role-played problem vignettes and responded as though they were in face-to-face contact with the speakers. Half of the Ss took the role of counselor and half the role of friend. Written responses were coded using a system that included most of the response modes emphasized in contemporary models of counseling. Analyses of covariance indicated that Ss serving as friends made fewer reflections and gave more advice than those serving as counselors. Female stimuli elicited more advice and information-seeking questions than male stimuli, while male stimuli elicited more positive feedback than female stimuli. Compared to males, females used more interrogative interpretations. Same-sex pairings elicited more interpretation than opposite-sex pairings, and more negative feedback was given to same-sex stimuli under friend conditions and to opposite-sex stimuli under counselor conditions. Discussion focused on natural verbal helping repertoires, responsivity to situational cues, and pervasiveness of sex role stereotypes. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of supervisor and supervisee degree level and gender on the supervisory relationship.

86 graduate counseling students and 92 supervisors rated their relationships 3 times during a semester. At the semester's end, supervisees decribed the perceived frequency of performance of supervisor behaviors. Supervisors and supervisees differed in their perceptions of the relationship and how it developed. Supervisees, in contrast to supervisors, saw improvement in their relationships over time. Male supervisees and supervisors both rated their relationships as better than females. Gender matching affected supervisees' perceptions of their relationships but not supervisors' perceptions. Semester-end ratings showed that supervisees discriminated between the quality of the relationship, which was affected by gender matching, supervisor gender, and supervisor behavior, and supervisor competence, which was affected only by supervisor behavior. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counselor trainee achievement goal orientation and the acquisition of time-limited dynamic psychotherapy skills.

The relationship between trainee achievement goal orientation and acquisition of time-limited dynamic psychotherapy (TLDP; H. H. Strupp & J. L. Binder, 1984) skills was examined. Counselor trainees (n?=?28) completed the Achievement Goal Tendencies Scale (T. Hayamizu & B. Weiner, see record 1991-34655-001) and saw a recruited client for 4 counseling sessions. The sessions were rated for trainee adherence to TLDP. Growth-curve analyses revealed a significant relationship between trainee learning goal orientation and pattern of TLDP skill acquisition. A relatively higher trainee learning goal orientation was related to a linear increase in use of TLDP specific strategies and to less midtraining decline in trainees' adherence to the psychodynamic interviewing style aspects of the TLDP model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of student verbal behavior on classroom teacher behavior.

Investigated the functional relationship between individual student rates of volunteering in the classroom and (a) the differential rates of teacher questions directed to the individual students and (b) the percentage of student volunterring approved by the teacher in 12 high school classrooms ( N = 90) during the 1st and 3rd mo of the term. Teachers did not differentially approve different rates of volunteering; however, those students who volunteered more were more likely to receive a directed question. During the 3rd mo, the rate of directed questions correlated with student volunteering for those who did volunteers. Results imply that students control whether they receive a directed question and, as the term progresses, how frequently the teacher addresses them. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Associative intrusions in schizophrenic verbal behavior.

Developed 2 multiple-choice vocabulary subtests in which the items of 1 subtest contained associates to the stimulus word as incorrect alternatives, while the items of the other subtest contained no associative distractors. Using a standardization sample of normal Ss (65 firemen with average IQ and 27 prison inmates with below-average IQ), the subtests were matched on coefficient alpha, mean, variance of item difficulty, and shape of the distribution of item difficulty. The subtests were then given to 42 chronic schizophrenics. Results reveal that schizophrenics, unlike normal Ss, showed a significantly greater deficit on the with-associates subtest than on the no-associates subtest. This finding demonstrates heightened susceptibility to associative distraction in schizophrenia, without the possible artifact of generalized deficit coupled with differential discriminating power of tests. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of reinforcement and imitation to reinstate verbal behavior in mute psychotics.

Verbal behavior was reinstated in 3 long-term, mute psychotics using reinforcement procedures. For 2 Ss, shaping and fading techniques were used to establish limited verbal repertoires. Wtih a 3rd S, the shaping technique was ineffective; however, a reinforced imtiation technique succeeded in developing imitative vocalizations which were then established as verbal responses. For all Ss, the functional role of contingent reinforcement in maintaining the recently developed verbal behavior was demonstrated: when Ss received reinforcement only when they were not responding verbally, their rates of verbal responding showed marked decreases, but recovered when contingent reinforcement for verbal behavior was resumed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of comparative performance information on the accuracy of self-ratings and agreement between self- and supervisor ratings.

The manner in which social comparison performance information affects the accuracy of self-ratings and the agreement between self- and supervisor ratings was investigated in a laboratory experiment using 163 undergraduates. Ss proofread a series of articles for 30 min and then made self-ratings of work performance. Half of the subjects received social comparison information prior to making self-ratings. Correlations between self- and supervisor evaluations and between self-evaluations and objective performance indicators were significantly larger when self-raters were presented with the same comparative performance information that was available to supervisors. Implications of the findings for future research on self- and supervisor evaluations are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)