Social skills and cognitive-relaxation approaches to general anger reduction.

Inductive social skills training (ISST), skill assembly social skills training (SASST), and cognitive relaxation coping skills (CRCS) training were compared with a no-treatment control condition for general anger reduction. At 4-wk follow-up, compared with the control group, all treatment groups showed equivalent reductions of the amount of anger experienced in a wide range of situations. ISST and CRCS Ss reported less anger in their worst ongoing provocation than did control Ss, whereas SASST Ss did not differ from Ss of other groups. Treatment groups enhanced anger control equally relative to the control group, but only the CRCS group significantly lowered outward, negative expression of anger, and only the ISST group reduced anger suppression, although active treatment groups did not differ from one another on these measures. The ISST group lowered day-to-day anger more than other groups. No treatment effects were found for nontargeted trait anxiety and assertiveness. Results are discussed in terms of prior findings and the efficacy and flexibility of ISST. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Auditory localization skills in mentally retarded children.

Measured the gross auditory and visual localization skills of 24 6–18 yr old mentally retarded Ss. Half of the Ss were selected randomly from a group of residents who had demonstrated visual discrimination skills and auditory speech discrimination skills. The other Ss were selected randomly from a group of residents who demonstrated visual discrimination skills but not auditory speech discrimination. Findings indicate that all Ss who previously demonstrated auditory speech discrimination passed the auditory localization task, and all Ss who previously failed to demonstrate auditory speech discrimination failed the auditory localization task. It is suggested that auditory localization skills may be used as an approximation to the development of auditory speech discrimination skills. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving the social skills of males in a maximum security psychiatric setting.

34 male patients (mean age 26 yrs) in a maximum security psychiatric hospital, selected on the basis of their low ratings on role-play situations, the Communication and Social Contact subscales of the MACC Behavior Adjustment Scale, and the Social Adjustment Rating Scale, were assigned to either social skills training (SST) or client-centered therapy (CCT) and were given either contingent or noncontingent reinforcement for social behavior. Ss in the SST condition received 10 wks of SST; Ss in the CCT condition participated in 2 90-min nondirective group psychotherapy sessions per week for 10 wks. Ss in all conditions showed dramatic improvements on the assessment battery when tested postintervention. Consistent with other studies of SST, Ss in the SST condition showed significant improvements in role-play measures of social skills during treatment, while Ss given CCT did not. However, there was no evidence of transfer of training onto the ward nor evidence that the effects persisted at 1-mo follow-up. Thus, the data question the application of SST in maximum security settings. (French abstract) (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training adolescents in self-disclosure and empathy skills.

Conducted a study to develop, implement, and evaluate a communication skills training program for adolescent high school students. 25 students were given 16 hrs of training in the skills of self-disclosure and empathy, and 23 other students served as a contact control group and received no formal skills training. Ss completed both a behavioral and paper-and-pencil assessment prior to and immediately following training. Ss who received training demonstrated significantly higher self-disclosure and empathy skill levels than did the untrained Ss. Results are discussed in terms of the high skill level attained by Ss and the implications for training adolescents or younger populations in communication skills. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Decreasing prejudice by increasing discrimination.

Assessed the effects of mindfulness (active distinction making) training on the perception of and reaction to handicapped children. In a 2?×?2 factorial design, 47 6th graders received either a high- or low-mindfulness treatment and viewed slides that were either all of nonhandicapped people or consisted primarily of handicapped individuals. Mindfulness was manipulated by asking questions of Ss concerning a handicapped or nonhandicapped target person and the target person's professional skills, situational skills, causation of events, and role of flexibility. The high-mindfulness treatment, especially when bolstered by explicit reference to the handicapped, revealed that teaching Ss to be more differentiated (i.e., more mindful) resulted in the view that handicaps are function-specific and not people-specific. Ss in this group were less likely to inappropriately discriminate for or against the handicapped target. Also noted was the finding that Ss in this group were less likely to avoid a handicapped other. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pretesting effects in the evaluation of social skills training.

Evaluated the effects of pretesting in conjunction with a group social skills training program, using a wide variety of outcome measures. Half of the 46 undergraduate Ss were self-referred, while the other half were volunteers from an introductory psychology class. A Solomon 4-groups design was used to evaluate the effects of pretesting, the skills training program, and their interaction. Strong evidence of pretesting effects was found for measures associated with a behavioral forced interaction task. Implications of the results for selection of outcome measures are discussed. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concomitants of social support: Social skills, physical attractiveness, and gender.

Investigated the naturally occurring relations among self-reported social support and social skills, on the one hand, and behavioral measures and rated physical attractiveness on the other, using 84 male and 84 female undergraduates who were selected on the basis of high- and low-number scores on the Social Support Questionnaire. Ss were videotaped in 2 dyadic situations with a same-sex partner. Ss also completed the UCLA Loneliness Questionnaire, a social competence questionnaire, a story completion task, and self and partner evaluations. The videotaped behavior was rated qualitatively and quantitatively. Results show significant differences in the social skills of Ss who were high and low in social support; Ss high in social support were more favorably evaluated. Women also were found to be significantly more socially skilled and were rated as being more physically attractive than men. The various self-report and behavioral measures of social skills were significantly interrelated. Results indicate the dimensions of social support by demonstrating the relation between social support and social skills. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comprehension-monitoring skills in learning-disabled children.

Compared comprehension-monitoring skills of learning disabled (LD) and normal elementary school children. Comprehension monitoring, the ability to evaluate one's level of understanding incoming messages, was assessed in the context of a game-learning task. Ss were 12 younger LD boys (7–8 yrs old), 12 older LD boys (9–10 yrs old), and 12 younger and 10 older normal boys matched on age and IQ. No age effects were observed. The major finding was that relative to the matched normal Ss, LD Ss were deficient in comprehension-monitoring skills. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Covert and overt rehearsal and homework practice in developing assertiveness.

Evaluated the effects of overt rehearsal and homework practice on covert modeling treatment of social skills. 79 18–73 yr old nonassertive clients received 1 of 4 variations of covert modeling that resulted from a 2?×?2 combination of overt rehearsal and homework practice. Ss who received overt rehearsal engaged in overt enactments (role playing) within the treatment sessions; Ss who received homework practice engaged in extra treatment activities to develop their social skills. A delayed-treatment control group was also included to serve as a no-treatment condition before Ss were randomly assigned to 1 of the 4 treatments. Findings indicate that treatments led to significant improvements on self-report inventories, global ratings, and behavioral measures of assertiveness (the Conflict Resolution Inventory and the Wolpe-Lazarus Assertiveness Questionnaire). Ss who engaged in homework practice and/or overt rehearsal of assertive behavior within the treatment sessions made consistently greater improvements at posttreatment and at an 8-mo follow-up than Ss who did not receive the procedures. Treatment effects extended to novel assessment situations and brought Ss to the level of 45 16–41 yr olds who regarded themselves as adept in social situations. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reading, memory, and metacognition.

Investigated relations among reading skills, metareading (knowledge about reading), memory, and metamemory (knowledge about memory) as they relate to reading ability (good vs poor readers), operativity, and grade level. 40 2nd graders (aged 7.25–9.83 yrs) and 40 4th graders (aged 9.42–22.00 yrs) were interviewed to assess the reading–memory variables. Significant but low correlations were obtained between metareading and reading, metamemory and memory, metareading and metamemory, and reading and memory. Significant effects of operativity were revealed on all dependent measures. Operative Ss had higher scores on the metareading and metamemory tasks, read at higher levels, and remembered more items on the memory tasks than did nonoperative Ss. Effects of grade level were revealed on most dependent measures. Fourth-grade Ss received higher scores on the metareading and metamemory tasks and read at higher levels than did 2nd-grade Ss. An interaction between operativity and grade level revealed that operative 2nd-grade and both groups of 4th-grade Ss made fewer total reading errors than did nonoperative 2nd-grade Ss. The effects of operativity, experience, and metacognition on reading and memory skills are discussed. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Testwiseness as a factor in readiness test performance of young Mexican-American children.

Assessed the effects of training in test-taking skills on kindergarten children's performance on a school readiness test with a sample of 131 Spanish-speaking children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Half of the Ss were trained in content-free test-taking skills, and half were provided comparable time in nondirected paper/crayon activities. All Ss were tested in both Spanish and English, with order of administration balanced. Trained Ss performed better than untrained Ss in both languages. Males were more influenced by training than were females, but overall females outperformed males. Spanish administration scores were higher than English administration scores. Order of test administration was significant in that performance in English was improved when the test was taken first in Spanish; no influence of English on subsequent performance was found. Findings support the hypothesis that test-wiseness is an important influence on test performance of young children from nonmajority backgrounds and should be taken into account in readiness assessment programs. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Plans and the development of listener skills.

Research on children's referential communication has focused primarily on the role of the speaker; the listener's role has remained largely unexplored. The development of listener skills during childhood and the effects of introducing a brief plan for effective listening on children's listener performances were investigated in this study. 24 children at each of 4 ages (4, 6, 8, and 10 yrs) played the role of listener in a referential communication game. The speaker was an adult confederate, who produced messages of varying informational adequacy. After 12 pretest trials on the communication game to assess baseline listener performance, half of the Ss were given a plan for effective listening. All Ss then participated in 12 additional trials. Significant development of listener skills was observed; older Ss asked more questions and chose more correct referents than younger Ss. The plan facilitated the performances of all but the 4-yr-olds. These findings suggest both the importance of the listener within the referential communication situation and the relevance of plans for efforts to facilitate the development of communication skills. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

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)     

Phonemic analysis and synthesis as word attack skills: Revisited.

Used the segmenting task developed by B. Fox and D. K. Routh (see record 1976-08022-001) to select 31 nonsegmenting kindergartners. Ss were randomly assigned to a control (11 Ss), a segmenting-training (10 Ss), or a segmenting- and blending-training (10 Ss) group. Results show that both types of training had an immediate effect in improving segmenting skills. On a subsequent reading analogy task (involving paired-associate learning of letterlike forms and words), the segmenting- and blending-training group approximated the performance of a comparison group of 10 kindergartners who could segment from the outset. The Ss in this training group also learned significantly better than those in the other training group or the control group. These findings and results of previous research support the view that phonemic awareness skills such as segmenting and blending are causally related to learning to read and are not just a by-product of reading instruction. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of relaxation as self-control and systematic desensitization in the treatment of test anxiety.

Relaxation as self-control and desensitization were compared to a waiting-list control in the reduction of test and other anxieties in 43 undergraduates. Neither active treatment differed significantly from the other, but they did differ significantly from the control treatment on several variables. Ss in both treatments reported less debilitating test anxiety, whereas desensitization Ss showed greater facilitating test anxiety. Under stressful conditions, treated Ss were less worried and anxious, found the situation less aversive, and perceived themselves and their abilities more favorably than controls. Significant reductions in nontargeted anxieties suggested transfer of anxiety-management skills to areas other than test anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relocation of institutionalized elderly.

20 low- and 20 high-functioning nursing home residents (aged 37–88 yrs) were assessed prior to, immediately after, and 3 mo following relocation. Measures included the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale, and Face Hand Test. Half of the low-functioning Ss participated in a behavioral skills program, which consisted of graduated exposure to postmove stimuli and behavioral response training. Half of the high-functioning Ss participated in a cognitive skills program, which consisted of coping skills and problem-solving skills training. The influence of relocation proved to be less dramatic than indicated by several earlier investigations. As hypothesized, low-functioning Ss exhibited an increase in passive-withdrawn behaviors following relocation. High-functioning Ss, however, unexpectedly tended to exhibit an increase in active-outgoing behavior following relocation. Although the behavioral skills program overall led to favorable postrelocation changes, the cognitive skills program did not. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential attitude change in nonprofessional experience: An experimental comparison.

Manipulated 3 components of training and supervision of undergraduate nonprofessionals working with youthful offenders: specific intervention skills vs natural helping styles, frequency of training/supervision meetings, and size of training/supervision groups. Effects of varying these components were then observed on the nonprofessionals' attitudes toward themselves, the target population, and other relevant areas. 134 undergraduates served as Ss, 49 of whom were controls. Ss using their natural helping styles of intervention were significantly more disillusioned about themselves and the juvenile justice system across time; those receiving training in specific intervention skills felt more positive. Comparisons of these results with those found in other nonprofessional programs, as well as implications for professionals in helping careers, are discussed. (11 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)     

Relative benefits of assertion or cognitive self-control treatment for depression as a function of proficiency in each domain.

Compared responses to an assertion training and a cognitive self-control treatment as a function of 28 depressed females' (mean age 40 yrs) initial assertion and cognitive self-control skills. 16 other Ss served as waiting list controls. All Ss were assessed on measures including the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), Beck Depression Inventory, and Rathus Assertiveness Schedule. It was predicted that (a) reductions in depression would be greater for treated as compared to waiting-list control conditions and (b) Ss low in a skill (cognitive or assertion) would benefit most from treatment addressing that skill. Only the 1st prediction was supported; treated Ss obtained greater depression reduction than controls. Neither cognitive nor assertion skill level significantly predicted response to the treatments. Effects of the treatments were not specific to targeted skills, and treatment had a significant impact only on cognitive self-control skill. Implications for skills-deficit models of depression therapy are discussed. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of age, task competence, and responsibility focus on children's altruism.

Competence or ability to help typically increases with age, as does internalization of prosocial values concerning the merit of helping. This experiment assessed the effects of competence and responsibility independently from the effects of age. 16 preschoolers (mean age 3.7 yrs) and 1st and 6th graders were exposed to 4 opportunities to help, each of which necessitated certain skills to help successfully. On 2 of the tasks, this competency was expected to be a function of training, and on these tasks there were no age-related increases of altruism found, whereas there were training-group-related increases. On the other 2 tasks, competency to help was untrained and was predicted to accrue with age. More traditional increases in altruism with age were noted on these tasks, with no effects for training group. Ss with responsibility focus tended to help more readily than Ss without responsibility focus on the trained help-giving tasks. Results suggest that in some cases, age-related increases in altruism may be due to increased feelings of competence and responsibility. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)