Effects of self-monitoring on normal smoking behavior.

16 Os unobtrusively monitored 16 undergraduates' smoking frequency and duration throughout base-rate, experimental, and return-to-base periods. In the experimental period, Ss self-monitored either their frequency of smoking or not smoking. Smoking frequency and duration were significantly affected by such self monitoring, indicating that self-monitoring is a reactive data-gathering procedure. (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of continuous and intermittent self-monitoring on academic behavior.

Conducted a project with 27 undergraduate Ss dealing with review preparation for the general aptitude portions of the Graduate Record Examination. A linear teaching machine programed with quantitative and verbal problems was employed. The Ss were randomly assigned to 4 conditions: (a) continuous self-monitoring, (b) intermittent self-monitoring, (c) performance feedback, and (d) control. Self-monitoring Ss were instructed to record their progress by pressing a counter on either a continuous or intermittent schedule following correct answers. Performance-feedback Ss received information on the accuracy of their responding but were not given the opportunity to self-monitor. Control Ss received neither self-monitoring instructions nor performance feedback. Results show that self-monitoring Ss remained for significantly longer review sessions and that this effect was more pronounced under the continuous rather than the intermittent schedule. Self-monitoring Ss also displayed significantly better accuracy on quantitative problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of information feedback and self-administered consequences on self-monitoring study behavior.

Self-monitoring involves systematic self-observation followed by self-recording. Three hypotheses were tested in this experiment: (a) the previous finding that that self-monitoring changes study behavior would be replicated; (b) information feedback accounts for some of this behavior change; and (c) this behavior change can be enhanced by manipulating the quantity and quality of information feedback and self-administered consequences associated with self-monitoring. 87 volunteer college students concerned about their study habits were randomly assigned to a no-treatment control group, a study skills advice group, or 1 of 6 self-monitoring plus study skills advice groups. The design included a no-contact control group of 9 nonvolunteers. Grade, questionnaire, and self-monitoring data clearly support the 1st 2 hypotheses, but not the 3rd. The 2nd hypothesis was supported by the finding that students lacking accurate information about the extent (i.e., amount) of their study behavior benefited more from self-monitoring than those who were already knowledgeable about their study behavior. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Type A behavior, age, and psychological well-being.

Investigated psychological well-being among Type A (coronary prone) and Type B (noncoronary prone) individuals across the age span. It was hypothesized that the hard-driving, achievement-oriented lifestyle exhibited by Type A's would be adaptive in younger age groups but would lead to lower well-being in later life because of increased limitations on the range and level of activities. By contrast, the more relaxed, easygoing style of Type B's would match better the slower pace of old age but would not be as conducive to success in younger age groups. 319 adults (aged 18–89 yrs) completed a battery of instruments that included the Jenkins Activity Survey and scales of life changes and psychopathology. Results confirm the hypotheses but indicate that psychological differences may be mediated in part by differences in physical well-being. Experience with life events and the structure and function of social networks may contribute to the differences in well-being. (59 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral treatments in reducing Type A behavior among university faculty.

Investigated the effects of 2 treatments, cognitive-behavioral modification (CBM) and cognitive-behavioral modification plus assertiveness training (CBM/AT), in reducing Type A (coronary prone) behavior and related characteristics among 51 female and male 31–64 yr old faculty members. Ss had scored at or above the 60th percentile on the Jenkins Activity Survey. Ss were also given the State-Trait Anger Scale, the Rational Behavior Inventory, and the Manifest Hostility Content Scale. Findings indicate that both treatments were significantly more effective than a minimal treatment control in reducing self-reported Type A behavior, hostility, and irrational beliefs. However, the addition of assertiveness training in the CBM/AT treatment did not significantly increase its effectiveness in reducing the dependent variables, compared with the CBM treatment. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Discredited psychological treatments and tests: A Delphi poll.

In the context of intense interest in evidence-based practice (EBP), the authors sought to establish consensus on discredited psychological treatments and assessments using Delphi methodology. A panel of 101 experts participated in a 2-stage survey, reporting familiarity with 59 treatments and 30 assessment techniques and rating these on a continuum from not at all discredited to certainly discredited. The authors report their composite findings as well as significant differences that occurred as a function of the experts' gender and theoretical orientation. The results should be interpreted carefully and humbly, but they do offer a cogent first step in consensually identifying a continuum of discredited procedures in modern mental health practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Negative effects from psychological treatments: A perspective.

The author offers a 40-year perspective on the observation and study of negative effects from psychotherapy or psychological treatments. This perspective is placed in the context of the enormous progress in refining methodologies for psychotherapy research over that period of time, resulting in the clear demonstration of positive effects from psychological treatments for many disorders and problems. The study of negative effects—whether due to techniques, client variables, therapist variables, or some combination of these—has not been accorded the same degree of attention. Indeed, methodologies suitable for ascertaining positive effects often obscure negative effects in the absence of specific strategies for explicating these outcomes. Greater emphasis on more individual idiographic approaches to studying the effects of psychological interventions would seem necessary if psychologists are to avoid harming their patients and if they are to better understand the causes of negative or iatrogenic effects from their treatment efforts. This would be best carried out in the context of a strong collaboration among frontline clinicians and clinical scientists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of thermomechanical treatments on the mechanical behavior of eutectoid steel

High strength, good ductility, and superior fatigue behavior were produced in fully pearlitic steel by thermomechanical treatments (TMT) in which heavy amounts of cold rolling were followed by rapid annealing above theA ₁ temperature. Alignment of the cementite fibers in a soft ferrite matrix by TMT gives a number of beneficial effects on mechanical behavior without the brittleness inherent to cold rolling alone. A linear regression equation was developed to quantitatively relate prior austenite grain size and interlamellar spacing with the yield strength. TMT involving lower annealing temperatures for short times resulted in optimal fatigue behavior relative to both random coarse pearlite and 75 pct cold rolled pearlite. This superiority was manifested by higher fatigue ratios (stress at 10⁷ cycles/UTS) and higherS/N curves normalized with respect to either UTS or hardness. Transverse samples showed better fatigue strength than longitudinal ones because of anisotropy in both mechanical fibering of the microstructure and in the crystallographic texture of the ferrite matrix.     

Identifying effective psychological treatments for insomnia: A meta-analysis.

Insomnia is a debilitating and widespread complaint. Concern over the iatrogenic effects of pharmacological therapies has led to the development of several psychological treatments for insomnia. To clarify the effects of these treatments, 66 outcome studies representing 139 treatment groups were included in a meta-analysis. The results indicated that psychological treatments produce considerable enhancement of both sleep patterns and the subjective experience of sleep. In terms of enhancing sleep onset, active treatments were all superior to placebo therapies but did not differ greatly in efficacy. Greater therapeutic gains were available for participants who were clinically referred and who were not regular users of sedative hypnotics. Future research directions are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological perspectives on the Type A behavior pattern.

Although the Type A behavior pattern is firmly established as a risk factor for coronary heart disease, it is not well understood from a psychological perspective. The present article (a) summarizes the behavior that empirical data indicate characterizes persons who score high and low on measures of Type A, (b) evaluates existing efforts to specify psychological dimensions underlying Type A in light of these verified behavioral characteristics, and (c) discusses some potential difficulties inherent in doing Type A research. Gaps in knowledge are made apparent, thereby suggesting some directions for future psychological research. (5 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Commentary on evidence-based psychological treatments for older adults.

This article comments on the articles in the Special Section on Evidence-Based Psychological Treatments for Older Adults (see records 2007-03358-002, 2007-03358-003, 2007-03358-004, 2007-03358-005, and 2007-03358-006). The articles apply criteria developed by the Society of Clinical Psychology to evaluate treatments for late-life anxiety, insomnia, behavior disturbances in dementia, and caregiver distress. The articles document that there are evidence-based psychological treatments that can help older adults. However, there are 2 substantial hurdles: evidence and access. Gaps in the evidence, as mentioned by the authors of the articles in the special section, result from disproportionate research attention to some psychotherapies and some mental disorders, with corresponding lack of research about other treatments and disorders. The challenge for access is to ensure that older adults with treatable mental disorders will get connected to psychologists trained in these evidence-based therapies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of reciprocity and self-monitoring on self-disclosure with a new acquaintance.

48 high- and 48 low-self-monitoring undergraduates, selected on the basis of their scores on the Self-Monitoring Scale, interacted with a confederate who self-disclosed at either a high or low level. These interactions were audio recorded in a setting lacking experimental demand to allow Ss to get acquainted. The effects of reciprocity and self-monitoring on self-disclosure were measured by ratings of audiotapes. Results show that, overall, the reciprocity phenomenon was operative, but in contrast to previous research, lower self-monitors reciprocated at the same level as their partner under conditions of both low and high disclosure, whereas high self-monitors self-disclosed at a high level regardless of their partner's disclosing behavior. This is explained by the tendency of high self-monitors to exhibit their consistent background self-presentation behavior of appearing outgoing, friendly, and extraverted in a natural acquaintance process. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relinquishment of control and the Type A behavior pattern.

Past research suggests that Type A (coronary prone) Ss have a higher need for control than Type B (noncoronary prone) Ss, and empirical evidence documents their greater reactivity to control loss. The present study investigated the case of control decisions and examined the hypothesis that Type A's would be less willing than Type B's to relinquish control to another person. On an initial 20-trial RT task, 160 male undergraduates (typed on the basis of the Jenkins Activity Survey, Form T) received feedback about their own performance and about that of a partner. The feedback indicated equal or superior performance by the partner. On a subsequent replication of the task in which only 1 S could work on any 1 trial, Type A's relinquished fewer trials to their partners than did Type B's, particularly when the partner had exhibited a superior initial performance. Attribution data indicated that Type A's were less convinced of their partners' ability, thus justifying lower relinquishment. Implications for job stress and management decision making are discussed. (60 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Type A behavior pattern and the judgment of control.

Investigated the control judgments of Type A (coronary-prone) and Type B (noncoronary-prone) actors and observers after 5 tasks in which actual response–outcome contingency and success were varied systematically. 40 male and 40 female undergraduates, classified as Type A or B on the Jenkins Activity Survey, performed the control task or served as observers in same-sex pairs. Overall, actors provided higher control judgments than did observers, and both actual contingency and success influenced judged control. Type A and B actors did not differ in their self-perceptions of control, but observers judged the Type A actors to have exerted more control than the Type B actors, primarily on positive contingency tasks. Findings suggest that Type A's, because of their more dynamic style, may be credited by observers with more control or competence than is warranted. By contrast, the more relaxed style of the Type B may lead to lower than warranted evaluations of control or competence. Type A's were found to learn the contingencies better than Type B's, which has important implications for the actual exercise of control. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A quantitative Review.

Quantitative review of the controlled treatment outcome literature for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) showed that exposure with response prevention was highly effective in reducing OCD symptoms. Cognitive approaches were also found to be at least as effective as exposure procedures. It appears that both cognitive and exposure interventions involve some overlapping procedures and capitalize on similar mechanisms of change. Serotonergic medication, particularly clomipramine, also substantially reduced OCD symptoms. However, clomipramine may not be particularly superior to other serotonergic medication. The relationship between side effects and effect size in medication trials was explored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological treatments for nocturnal enuresis.

Provides a quantitative integration of research on the effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological treatments for nocturnal enuresis. With the use of experiments that compared treatments with either no treatment or another form of treatment, this article assesses (1) the overall effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological treatments, (2) the relative effectiveness of specific types of treatments, and (3) moderators of treatment effectiveness including investigator allegiance. Findings from the review confirm that enuretic children benefit substantially from treatment. However, more children improve from psychological than from pharmacological interventions. Moreover, psychological treatments involving a urine alarm are most likely to yield benefits that are maintained once treatment has ended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modifying the Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern.

Compared 3 treatments for modifying the Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern (TABP). Comprehensive behavior therapy (CBT), emphasizing self-control procedures, and group support (GS), encouraging change in TABP targets but without behavioral techniques, were contrasted to brief information (BI), a minimal treatment control simulating "usual care." At posttreatment, results with 38 26–50 yr old healthy male executives showed many TABP components (e.g., Jenkins Activity Survey) were significantly reduced by CBT and GS. Generally, these groups exceeded BI. Ratings of self-reported change in stress reactions showed a similar pattern of reduction, as did free fatty acids reactivity assessed as a response to an experimental stressor task. No changes were found on other characteristics thought to be associated with TABP (e.g., trait anxiety, life satisfaction), or on condition-related differences in heart rate and blood pressure. Unexpectedly, serum cholesterol increased significantly across all conditions, though CBT showed significant reduction in triglyceride. Results show that TABP components, especially specific reactions of anger and impatience are useful treatment targets and that change in them may not require more generalized personality modification. Comparable effects of CBT and GS are discussed in terms of sample characteristics and shared treatment elements. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training implications of harmful effects of psychological treatments.

The goal of this article is to delineate training implications regarding harmful effects associated with psychotherapy. The authors strongly recommend that trainees be made aware of (and encouraged to examine carefully) the potentially harmful treatments that have been recently identified (Lilienfeld, 2007). Consistent with a broad perspective on evidence-based practice, it is also argued that additional guidelines for the prevention and repair of harmful impacts can be derived from psychotherapy research on process (technique and relationship) and participant (client and therapist) variables. For example, rigid adherence to the application of psychotherapy techniques can be a potentially harmful therapist behavior that necessitates careful training on the nature and flexible use of interventions. Furthermore, the authors suggest that trainers and supervisors tentatively consider training implications linked to clinical observations and theoretical assertions, such as the premature use of clinical interpretations, with the assumption that more confidence in such therapeutic guidelines can be gained when they are supported by multiple knowledge sources (empirical, clinical, conceptual). Finally, training implications related to the monitoring of harmful effects in terms of treatment outcome and process are demarcated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychobiological substrates of the Type A behavior pattern.

Argues that Type A (coronary prone) behavior may reflect excessive sympathetic responsiveness to environmental stressors rather than just person–situation interactions, and that an underlying biological or psychobiological factor might affect the expression of Type A behavior. Data consistent with a psychobiological view are provided by studies of (1) patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery and (2) the effects of beta-adrenergic blocking drugs in decreasing Type A behavior. A somatopsychic model of Type A behavior is formulated that considers the role of sympathetic nervous system responses and the processing of information about these responses in contributing to emotional behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)