Female modesty in aspiration level.

Used responses on the College Student Questionnaire to analyze the educational and occupational aspirations of 290 male and 259 female college freshmen by sex and ability level. The sample was divided into "traditional" Ss who would have qualified for admission to the City University of New York prior to the open admissions policy, and "open admissions" Ss. No significant differences in educational or occupational aspirations were found between traditional and open admissions Ss. Significant sex differences existed in educational aspirations, with females desiring fewer years of higher education. Females also tended to aspire to careers traditionally acceptable for women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of objective evidence of expertness, nonverbal behavior, and subject sex on client-perceived expertness.

The effects of objective evidence of specialized training, expert nonverbal behaviors, and S sex were studied in a counseling analog setting. 80 undergraduates viewed videotapes of a standardized counseling interaction between a confederate counselor and client. Ss then rated the counselor on a credibility checklist. The results of a 2?×?2?×?2 ANOVA indicate that both objective evidence and nonverbal behaviors significantly affected perceived expertness and that there was no difference in the credibility ratings of the counselor between male and female Ss. There were mixed interactions from the data. Objective evidence and sex did interact significantly, as did objective evidence and nonverbal behavior. The interaction of sex and nonverbal behavior and of sex, objective evidence, and nonverbal behavior did not achieve significance. Implications for practice and research are discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental comparison of outcomes in insight- and non-insight-oriented therapy groups.

Compared the effectiveness of (a) group therapy stressing interpretive procedures intended to bring about client insight, and (b) a form of group therapy experience encouraging client * client interaction without the intentional development of insight. A total of 24 male psychiatric inpatients (20 diagnosed schizophrenic) were randomly assigned to insight, interaction, insight-interaction, or control groups. Ss were given behavioral, psychometric, and self-rating measures (e.g., the MMPI) before and after treatment. Although there were no significant differences between experimental conditions on any of the outcome measures, the insight-interaction group showed the most consistent indications of improvement on the 21 measures assumed to assess "personal functioning." None of the other group comparisons were statistically significant. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differences in stimulus generalization among psychiatric patients as a function of anxiety level-ego strength, sex, and time of testing.

80 nonorganic psychiatric Ss dichotomized on both manifest anxiety-ego strength level and sex were given a visual spatial stimulus generalization (SG) task within 4 days after admission and 9-15 days later. 2 SG measures and 2 measures of response latency were recorded at each time. Results showed that SG was not related to race, age, education, or admission status. Only time of testing was significantly related to SG and response latency, with all groups showing less generalization and shorter latencies from the 1st to the 2nd time. The 4 experimental groups did not differ significantly on number of Ss responding at least once to each peripheral light, relative SG improvement, SG gradients, or latency gradients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Determinants of chemical dependency treatment placement: Clinical, economic, and logistic factors.

Studied 319 adult alcoholics with or without concurrent drug use disorders to determine the relative efficacy of inpatient, outpatient, and inpatient-to-outpatient treatment and to identify patient characteristics associated with differential outcome by treatment type. Successful 6-mo follow-up of 73% of the Ss revealed a 67% abstinence rate, with no significant differences by treatment setting. The routine use of standardized instruments and procedures for diagnosis and assessment is recommended, along with changes in service delivery systems and insurance coverage, as steps toward optimal treatment placement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential expression of empathy in a counseling analogue.

Administered an incomplete sentences measure of conceptual functioning to 40 graduate counseling students. Ss then made written responses to 12 statements by each of 2 clients in a 2 * 2 factorial analysis of variance design (Counselor's Complexity * Analogue Complexity). Results indicate that (a) the more complex counselors expressed a significantly higher level of empathy, and (b) the level of empathy manifested was conditioned by a significant interaction effect between type of counselor and client. The implications for studying the phenomena of differential effects are discussed. (21 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autonomic arousal, interpersonal climate, and orality.

Electrodermal responses in 34 male undergraduates who gave at least 4 oral-dependent Rorschach responses or no more than 2 such responses were assessed both before and after Ss had either a warm, friendly interaction or a cold, unfriendly interaction with a confederate. Following a 10-min interaction, there was a significant 3-way interaction (Period?×?Condition?×?Orality) in tonic conductance. Analysis produced one simple effect: Highly oral Ss responded differentially to warm or cold treatment by the confederate. Three groups—nonorals in either condition and orals in the cold condition—increased in physiological arousal over time. Only the highly oral Ss interacting with the warm confederate showed no such increase in arousal, presumably because the presence of a friendly other person inhibits physiological activation. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Peer acceptance and school-related variables in an integrated junior high school.

Interracial peer acceptance at the junior high school level was related to 9 predictor variables: grade point average (GPA), IQ, attendance, self-concept of academic ability, sex, race, age, years in the school, and classroom racial composition. 322 7th- and 8th-grade students from predominantly lower-middle-class backgrounds were administered modified Syracuse Scales of Human Relations, measuring academic and social acceptance. Analysis of variance results show that White Ss slightly preferred Whites for the satisfaction of their academic and social needs. However, with stepwise multiple regression analysis, race was not a significant predictor variable for academic or social acceptance by White Ss. GPA and sex were the most prominent predictors of acceptance. Black Ss accepted both Black peers and White peers equally for academic interaction but preferred Blacks for social interaction. Race was a significant predictor variable for academic and social acceptance by Black Ss. However, race was secondary to GPA and/or sex for academic acceptance by Black females and Black males. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Outcomes of inpatients treated on a VA psychiatric unit and a substance abuse treatment unit

OBJECTIVE: The utility of the Treatment Outcome Profile (TOP) for measuring the effectiveness of acute inpatient psychiatric and substance abuse treatment was tested, including its internal reliability, validity, and sensitivity to treatment gains. The relationship between patients' satisfaction with services and treatment gains in quality of life, symptoms, and level of functioning was explored. METHODS: A pre-post research design was used with consecutive admissions to an inpatient psychiatric unit (N = 66) and a substance abuse treatment unit (N = 88) at a VA medical center. At admission and at discharge, the TOP, a self-report instrument assessing quality of life, symptoms, level of functioning, and patient satisfaction with services (at discharge only) was completed. Multivariate analysis of variance and univariate analysis of variance were used to test differences in scores between admission and discharge. RESULTS: Patients demonstrated significant treatment gains. Overall, compared with patients on the substance abuse unit, those receiving psychiatric treatment were more impaired at admission and had lower levels of self-reported therapeutic gain at discharge. Improvement for both groups occurred in quality of life, symptoms, and level of functioning. Both groups reported high levels of patient satisfaction, comparable with levels in other service industries. A high positive correlation (alpha = .61) was found between patient satisfaction and overall self-reported treatment gain. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that it is important to compare treatment effectiveness as well as costs when seeking less costly alternatives to inpatient care. The TOP is a valid and sensitive outcome measurement tool. Patient satisfaction is an important outcome variable and positively related to treatment gains in quality of life, symptoms, and level of functioning.     

Agreement on patient diagnosis, treatment, and referral across provider groups.

Presented a national sample of 581 psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and social workers with a questionnaire presenting 4 case vignettes taken almost verbatim from the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) Case Book, to examine whether there would be differences in diagnosis both among providers within disciplines and between provider groups. Each vignette was prepared in order to ensure that all available information relevant to making diagnoses was included; however, the diagnoses were not presented to the Ss. Ss wrote their statement of the presenting problem and its severity and selected the best treatment plan and referral and the experts' diagnosis from lists of alternatives. Results suggest that as diagnosticians, these provider groups are essentially equivalent but that diagnostic findings are more reliable for the more severe mental disorders. Providers appear to alter their treatment plans depending on diagnosis; but for a particular diagnosis, they differ little as to the interventions deserving emphasis. Each provider group referred to itself the patients with less severe mental and emotional conditions. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Verbal activity, sex, counselor experience, and success in counseling.

Examined the contribution made by client and counselor verbal activity, client and counselor sex, and counselor experience to satisfaction and symptom relief. Ss were 18 male and 5 female counselors employed at a university counseling service (9 of whom were experienced), 34 undergraduates, and 2 graduate students. 20 of the students were female and 16 were male. Counselor-offered facilitative conditions were held constant. Data were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis. Clients seeing experienced counselors reported better outcomes. Neither sex nor activity of the therapeutic participants contributed to therapeutic success. Explanations of findings and implications for counseling practice are discussed. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of counselor sex, race, and language style on black students in initial interviews.

Hypothesized that greater counselor-subject compatibility in race, sex, and language would result in greater client satisfaction and depth of exploration. Ss were 37 black students in a special program for the disadvantaged at a leading eastern state university and 3 black male, 2 black female, 6 white male, and 3 white female counselors. Data were analyzed using the multivariate analysis of covariance with counselor sex and race the independent variables and client depth of self-exploration and satisfaction the dependent variables. Covariates were counselor's level of facilitative conditions and comprehension of nonstandard English. Results indicate that Ss preferred black counselors to a significantly greater degree than white counselors and that they explored themselves in greater depth with female counselors (p     

A developmental investigation of sex differences in spatial (visual-analytic) and mathematical skills in three ethnic groups.

Investigated sex differences in mathematical and spatial (visual-analytic) skills in 3 ethnic groups (Black, Hispanic, and White) prior to and during adolescence. Ss were 240 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 9th graders, and instruments included the Children's Embedded Figures Test and the Modern Mathematics Supplement to the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Significant interaction effects were demonstrated between ethnic group membership and sex for both mathematical and spatial skills. In Hispanic adolescent groups, significant sex differences were found in scores on both skills in favor of the female. A similar but not significant trend was seen in the scores of Black adolescent groups. In contrast, White adolescent males scored higher than White adolescent females, but not significantly so. No prior study has reported the observed pattern of sex differences in Hispanic Ss, one that differs from that usually found in White Ss. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The action-thought dimension, social competence, and defense effectiveness.

Assigned 60 male psychiatric patients to 4 groups matched for diagnosis and length of hospitalization. The 4 groups represented thought and action symptom groupings and high and low social competence (SC). Ss' responses to the Rorschach were scored for defense demand (DD) and defense effectiveness (DE). Better DE was associated with thought symptom Ss at the high SC level, than with symptom Ss at the lower SC level. Other differences were not significant. Results "suggest that greater maturity may require a thought-oriented behavior style to successfully serve adaptation, while a thought-oriented behavior style may not only be unnecessary, but perhaps detrimental to the adaptive success of individuals of less maturity." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Length of stay, neuropsychological performance, and aftercare: Influences on alcohol-treatment outcome.

Hypothesized that 245 alcohol-abusing male veterans, grouped according to levels of neuropsychological functioning, would have differential outcome following random assignment to 2- or 7-wk hospitalization in a milieu-oriented treatment program. Over the 9 mo of posthospitalization follow-up, there was significant improvement for the sample as a whole. However, outcome following 2- and 7-wk programs did not differ significantly. Neuropsychological performance was significantly but modestly related to some outcome criteria (e.g., abstinence rates and employment status), but no consistent interaction with length of stay was found. The most salient finding was the strong relationship of aftercare involvement (which was analyzed as a covariate) to most outcome criteria. Ss who attended weekly aftercare groups for 9 mo following hospitalization were 3 times more likely to remain abstinent than Ss who dropped out of aftercare (70.2 vs 23.4% abstinence, respectively). Implications for individualizing alcohol treatment and conducting future research on patient–treatment matching are discussed. (59 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adult performance as a function of sex of experimenter and sex of subject.

8 male and 8 female Es each tested 8 male and 8 female Ss in a simple sorting task. During an initial 1.5 min. each S's base rate of response was ascertained; following this, the E delivered a supportive statement every 30 sec. for the next 5.5 min. Performance did not increase as a function of the introduction of the supportive statements. Significant differences in base rate and in performance after the base rate period were found as a function of sex of E and of the interaction between sex of E and sex of S. Highly reliable differences appeared in the performance of Ss tested by different Es. The rank-order correlations of men and women tested by men and by women were significant, indicating a similar hierarchy in level of performance of male and female Ss tested by the male Es and a similar hierarchy for Ss tested by female Es. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons of bipolar and unipolar depressed groups on the MMPI.

Compared MMPI admission and remission profiles in 34 patients (17 bipolar and 17 unipolar) hospitalized for depression. There were no significant demographic differences or difference in behaviorally rated depression between the bipolar and unipolar groups. Relatively normal profiles for the bipolar group and abnormal profiles for the unipolar group significantly differentiated the 2 groups at admission, but, with 1 exception, the differences dissipated at recovery. Thus, greater changes over time were found in the self-reported personality characteristics of unipolar Ss than in bipolar Ss. After recovery from the depressive episode, there was a significant shift within unipolar Ss from withdrawal and lack of interest in others to a greater concern for socially approved behavior. The implications of change in the unipolar group and stability in the bipolar group and the more enduring personality characteristics of the 2 groups are discussed. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social reinforcement with children as a function of CA, sex of E, and sex of S.

The interactive effect of sex on the performance of Ss at varying ages was investigated. The performance (in a game) of Ss at 3 age levels (3-4, 6-7, 9-10) was reviewed after exposure to male or female E. Sex of E had a statistically significant effect at the 3-4 level only, women being more effective in stimulating performance than men. From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4FC47S. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)