The relationship between clients’ conformity to masculine norms and their perceptions of helpful therapist actions.

T. J. G. Tracey et al.’s (2003) common factors model derived from therapists and psychotherapy researchers has provided a parsimonious structure to inform research and practice. Accordingly, the current authors used the 14 common factor categories identified in Tracey et al.’s model as a guide to code clients’ perceptions of helpful therapist actions (e.g., intervention, way of being) in short-term psychotherapy. Next, they conducted a cluster analysis to establish meaningful subgroups of clients based on clients’ perceptions of helpful therapist actions. Finally, they explored if clients in these subgroups differed in their report of conformity to masculine norms. Clients (N = 161) from a university counseling center were recruited for the current study. Results revealed 3 clusters of clients based on their perceptions of helpful therapist actions: Insight (44%), Relationship (30%), and Information (26%). In contrast, Tracey et al. found 3 clusters: Bond (which includes Insight and Relationship), Information, and Structure of therapy (not found in the current study). Clients in the Insight and Relationship clusters reported more conformity to masculine norms as compared with clients in the Information cluster. There were no sex differences across clusters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counseling psychologists' perceptions of the occurrence and effects of unrealistic expectations about counseling and psychotherapy among their clients.

Surveyed counseling psychologists working in practice settings regarding their perceptions of the occurrence and effects of their clients' unrealistic expectations about counseling. A majority perceived some of their clients as having unrealistically high expectations about the need for concreteness; the likelihood of counselor nurturance, directiveness, and empathy; and the probability of a beneficial outcome. Most responded that some of their clients have unrealistically low expectations about the need for immediacy, motivation, openness, and responsibility, and the likelihood of confrontation. Psychologists view most unrealistic expectations as having a detrimental effect on counseling. Exceptions that can have a facilitative effect on counseling are unrealistically high client expectations about the needs to be motivated and open and to assume personal responsibility and unrealistically low expectations for counselor directiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical psychologists' perceptions of persons with mental illness.

Clinical psychologists have an ethical responsibility to monitor the nature and appropriateness of their attitudes toward persons with mental illness. This article presents the results of a survey of randomly selected clinical psychologists who were asked to rate the effectiveness, understandability, safety, worthiness, desirability, and similarity (to the rater) of persons with moderate depression, borderline features, and schizophrenia. The results show that psychologists perceive these individuals differently with respect to these characteristics. The results also suggest that psychologists disidentify or distance themselves from persons with personality and psychotic conditions. Implications for quality improvement and stigma reduction in the field of professional psychology are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between parental controlling behavior and perceptions of control of preadolescent children and adolescents

Previous research has suggested that a noncontrolling, independence-encouraging parenting style is correlated with children's having an internal locus of control. In the present study, children's and adolescents' reports of parent behaviors were used. Parental acceptance and child-centeredness were found to be related to more internal control beliefs in both preadolescent children and adolescents. Parental controlling behavior, however, was related to more internal control beliefs in preadolescent children and more external control beliefs in adolescents. The relationships among structure, parent controlling behavior, and the age and developmental level of children are discussed.     

The relationship between research productivity and perceptions of doctoral program quality.

Research productivity in the Journal of Applied Psychology (JAP) was assessed for 39 universities offering a doctoral program in industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology. Productivity ratings were subsequently compared with perceptions of I/O program quality obtained by Greenberg et al. in 1978. The results indicate that there is a very strong relation between such subjective opinions of program quality and the number of articles that a university had published in JAP before 1978. The results also reveal some changes in productivity ratings during the past 8 yrs (i.e., 1978–1985), suggesting that concurrent changes in perceptions of I/O program quality might likewise have occurred in recent times. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Historical and developmental roots of female dependency.

Analyzes the nexus of female care and dependency from the theoretical perspective developed by K. Horney between 1937 and 1980. It is asserted that the caring and nurturing characteristics often associated with female personality are frequently compounded with dependency and repressed anger. Based on Horney's theory, these traits are linked to a developmental response to historically rooted family relations in which females are devalued and expected to care for others, leading to a conflict between compliant nurturance and underlying self-hatred and rage. It is argued that to create a new ethos of care that is universal and free of female dependency requires at least 3 fundamental changes, including (a) expanding the realm of giving and receiving beyond the private realm of families, (b) actively challenging the assumption of male entitlement to unconditional and unilateral nurturance from females, and (c) working through and overcoming the consequences of the nurturing imperative in women's lives. It is concluded that, to learn to give themselves, women must risk being considered selfish by others and their own inner, critical voices and work through the fear and rage to the felt discovery that they themselves are worth caring for. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between personality psychopathology and aggressive behavior in research volunteers.

Theorists and clinicians have long believed that personality psychopathology is a risk factor for aggressive behavior. Previous investigations in this area, however, have provided mixed results. In this study, the relationship between personality psychopathology and aggressive behavior was examined in 137 research volunteers. The influences of gender and coexisting major mental disorders were statistically controlled. Aggressive behavior was associated with criteria for 7 of the I I personality disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Except for schizoid criteria, all relationships with aggressive behavior were in the positive direction. When all personality disorders were considered simultaneously, paranoid and passive-aggressive criteria were significant predictors of aggressive behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The complex relationship between dependency and domestic violence: Converging psychological factors and social forces.

Research indicates that economic dependency in women and emotional dependency in men independently contribute to domestic-partner abuse risk and that high levels of emotional dependency in an abused partner may reduce the likelihood that the victimized person will terminate the relationship. An analysis of psychological factors and social forces that contribute to domestic violence suggests that multimodal intervention strategies are needed to combat this complex problem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A survey of psychologists' education, knowledge, and experience treating clients with HIV/AIDS.

Practicing psychologists are providing services to persons with HIV infection and those at-risk for AIDS. However, most practitioners have not received formal training about HIV/AIDS. In this study, the majority of psychologists surveyed had treated persons at-risk for the virus but had not received HIV/AIDS information in formal educational programs. Most respondents obtained knowledge through popular media. There is a growing body of specialized knowledge about HIV/AIDS for mental health professionals. In addition to better serving HIV-infected clients, psychologists with current multidisciplinary HIV/AIDS knowledge will be valuable members of health care teams. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between parental anger and behavior problems in children and adolescents.

Two studies examined the relationship between parental trait anger, parental symptomatology, and children's and adolescents' emotional/behavioral problems. Results of Study 1 suggested that parental trait anger did not serve as a mediator between parental symptoms and children's emotional/behavioral problems. Study 2, however, suggested that parental trait anger did serve as a mediator between parental depression and adolescents' emotional/behavioral problems. For internalizing behaviors, inward anger expression and trait anger were mediators in father–son dyads, and outward anger expression was a mediator in mother–daughter dyads. For externalizing behavior, inward anger expression was a mediator in father–son dyads, and outward anger expression was a mediator in mother–son dyads. These results suggest the importance of examining parental dispositions toward anger in relation to the psychological symptoms family members may experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A-B therapist perceptions and preferences for schizophrenic and psychoneurotic clients.

Administered an extended version of the a-b scale to 141 experienced, practicing psychotherapists. Ss also completed scales designed to assess therapist attitudes toward working with schizophrenic and psychoneurotic clients, personal liking for specific schizophrenic and psychoneutrotic clients, and orientation toward interpersonal relationships. Analysis of variance results revealed no evidence suggesting that a and b therapists differentially perceive or prefer schizophrenic or psychoneurotic clients. There was evidence suggesting that a therapists initially like both schizophrenic and psychoneurotic clients as individuals more than b therapists. By the time therapy had ended, these differences between a and b therapists tended to dissipate with schizophrenic clients. However, b therapists' personal liking of their psychoneurotic clients actually declined during therapy. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On integrating variables and separating facts in the complex relationship between dependency and domestic violence.

Presents a reply by Robert Bornstein to comments from Chronister (see record 2007-14606-021) and Dutton (see record 2007-14606-022) regarding his article, "The complex relationship between dependency and domestic violence: Converging psychological factors and social forces," (see record 2006-11202-003). In addition to raising some important issues regarding the link between dependency and domestic violence, the comments by Chronister and Dutton illustrate the importance of integrating variables and separating facts. Chronister's call for scrutiny of the bidirectional influence between emotional and economic dependency not only enhances our understanding of the dependency-abuse relationship but also points to useful interventions that may reduce the incidence and severity of domestic violence among married and cohabiting couples. Dutton's conflation of gender differences in abuse perpetration rates with the underlying causes of domestic violence tells us little about the state of the discipline but illustrates the importance of separating facts-in this case distinguishing epidemiological data from data that assess directly the intra- and interpersonal dynamics of abuse perpetration and victimization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between coping and avoiding behavior and response to fear-arousing propaganda.

"Avoiders are unable to recognize tension-producing stimuli and relate them to themselves, while copers show the capacity to recognize such stimuli and relate them to themselves… . The results support the hypothesis that a strong fear appeal receives greater acceptance among copers than among avoiders… . The obtained pattern of acceptance is largely due to the marked differential effectiveness of the two appeals on the avoider group, and not as was originally predicted, to any differential acceptance by copers." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between oral contraceptives and adolescent sexual behavior

The AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale, Public School Revision, was administered to 2,618 elementary-school children from 7 to 13 years of age. The sample of children included White, Black, and Spanish-surname groups from regular and special-education classes. Factor analyses of domain scores indicated four dimensions of adaptive behavior: Functional Autonomy, Interpersonal Adjustment, Social Responsibility, and Intrapersonal Adjustment. Comparison of factor structure across school classification and age groups revealed the same four dimensions for all groups. Implications for the assessment of adaptive behavior were discussed.     

Trained clients as reinforcers of counselor behavior.

Trained undergraduates to discriminate understanding statements from nonunderstanding statements. These ss met with 5 male and 5 female beginning counselors for a series of 3 or 4 interviews. During the interview, clients verbally reinforced each statement they judged to be understanding, while 2 raters judged understanding by electrically marking tape recordings of the interviews. Based on the independent observations of client and 2 raters, beginning counselors were judged as having increased their understanding statements. The experiment indicates that understanding statements made by counselors can be made a function of the number of reinforcing statements emitted by trained clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cultural differences in the relationship between parenting and children's behavior.

Parent and teacher data for 14,990 children from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth were used in multilevel analyses to examine the relationship between ethnicity, children's aggression and emotional problems, and parenting. Using parent and teacher report, relationships between ethnicity and child behavior were present but modest. The association between parental harshness and child aggression differed between ethnic groups and across informants. Using teacher report of outcomes, parental harshness was positively related to child aggression in European Canadian families but negatively related in South Asian Canadian families. For all ethnic groups, parental harshness was positively related to children's aggression when parent report of outcomes was used, but relationships varied in strength across ethnic groups. The relationship of parental harshness with child emotional problems did not differ across groups, irrespective of informant. The results are discussed within the context of an ecological model of parenting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The structural relationship between attitude and behavior statements from the unfolding perspective.

Empirical correlations between attitudes and behaviors toward a common construct are generally poor. This suggests that attitudes and behaviors do not reflect the same dimension. An alternative hypothesis proposes that these are on the same continuum but reflect different levels of intensity. In this article, a recently developed single peaked response model, consistent with Thurstone's original methods for measuring attitudes, was used to analyze the responses of young adolescents to statements concerning attitude and behavior toward the environment. It was found that the behavior statements were at systematically different locations from the attitude statements on the same continuum and that their relationship was easily understood as consistent even though they implied a low correlation between attitude and behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health providers' perceptions of cultural variables in evaluating ethnically diverse clients.

The study assessed anonymously the perceptions of 107 mental health providers concerning the importance of considering cultural variables in the assessment of mental disorders in ethnic minority individuals. Although the providers overwhelmingly reported a belief in the importance of cultural variables, a relatively small percentage considered themselves highly successful in assessing the degree of the clients' assimilation and acculturation. Additionally, 73% of the respondents reported a high degree of need for more culturally focused training. The results indicate the need to increase such training in order to better serve minority individuals and the possible need to increase the numbers of mental health providers serving minority clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A closer look at the relationship between justice perceptions and union participation.

In this study, a series of nested models was tested to assess the extent to which the relationship between process-related justice and union participation is mediated by perceived union support and union commitment. Members of a steelworkers' local (N=615) participated in the study. Fit indices most strongly supported a fully mediated model. Unlike previous research, process-related justice was operationalized as 2 distinct variables: procedural and interactional justice. Interactional justice was found to have a substantially stronger relationship with support perceptions than procedural justice. Results also indicated union support accounted for a greater amount of unique variance in union commitment than perceived union instrumentality. The results are discussed in relation to trust theory and the generalization of organization science across different types of organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between discontinuous yielding and cyclic behavior in polycrystalline molybdenum

The fatigue properties of polycrystalline molybdenum at room temperature have been determined by axial tension-compression tests in both stress and strain control modes to give lives of up to 10⁶ cycles. Under the appropriate conditions, the endurance limit can be considerably reduced,e.g., the stress to cause failure in 10⁶ cycles decreases from ～42,000 psi at 5 cps to ～28,000 psi at 0.5 cps. The fatigue resistance as assessed by either strain control or by stress control is discussed in relation to the tensile and creep behavior, and it is concluded that the reduction in the long life fatigue resistance with decrease in the cyclic frequency is due to the time dependent generation of a mobile dislocation population. The previously accepted value of 0.6 for the ratioFL/UTS for bcc metals can be attributed to this frequency effect. A lower value for this ratio, 0.4, can be derived from the high frequency data by the use of an extrapolation technique. This lower value is confirmed by long life, low frequency tests, in agreement with the value for fcc metals. The importance of obtaining fatigue data under comparable states of mobile dislocation density is emphasized, particularly for materials exhibiting pronounced tensile yield points, in order that meaningful comparisons can be made between different materials.