A cumulative study of the effectiveness of managerial training.

Meta-analysis procedures were applied to the results of 70 managerial training (MT) studies. The meta-analysis results for 34 distributions of MT effects representing 6 training-content areas, 7 training methods, and 4 types of criteria (subjective learning, objective learning, subjective behavior, and objective results) indicated that MT was moderately effective. For 12 of the 17 MT method distributions, the 90% lower-bound credibility values were positive, and thus the effectiveness of these training methods, at least minimally, can be generalized to new situations. A list of the 70 MT studies is included. (97 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of the effects of undergraduate training on reasoning.

The effects of undergraduate training in the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences on inductive reasoning requiring the use of statistical and methodological principles and on reasoning about problems in conditional logic were examined. Social science training produced large effects on statistical and methodological reasoning, whereas natural sciences and humanities training produced smaller, but still marginally significant, effects. Natural science and humanities training produced large effects on ability to reason about problems in conditional logic, whereas social science training did not. The improvement in conditional reasoning among natural science students appears to be due, in large part, to knowledge gained in mathematics courses. The results indicate that inferential rule systems, as taught by various fields, can affect reasoning about a wide range of problems. The findings lend support to a version of the premodern formal discipline hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Microcounseling versus human relations training: Relative effectiveness with undergraduate trainees.

Randomly assigned 24 undergraduates to 1 of 2 counselor training systems. 12 human relations training Ss received training in R. R. Carkhuff's 7 core counselor conditions. 12 microcounseling Ss were trained in the use of attending behavior, minimal activity responses, verbal following behavior, open inquiry, and reflection of feeling. Pre- and posttraining interviews with standard clients were audiotaped for each S. Trainees were assessed on empathy and on 3 categories of counselor communication derived from the microcounseling training content. Compared to no-training control groups, all experimental Ss significantly improved on both sets of training criteria. However, the microcounseling Ss gained significantly more on empathy than did the human relations training Ss. Differences in the instructional techniques of the 2 systems are discussed. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preventive effects of Lamaze training for first-time parents: A short-term longitudinal study.

Evaluated whether Lamaze Childbirth Preparation prevents negative effects on the marital relationship typically experienced by 1st-time parents. 39 couples who participated in Lamaze training and 37 couples who did not completed questionnaires 3 mo before birth, 1 wk after birth, and 9–20 wks after birth. Results indicate that the Lamaze group reported approximately the same levels of marital satisfaction, state anxiety, and birth-related problems, whereas the non-Lamaze couples showed sharp decreases in marital satisfaction and increases in anxiety and postbirth problems. The potential preventive value of Lamaze training for couples is discussed. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structured and nonstructured human relations training.

Investigated participant perceptions following structured and nonstructured human relations training. The design included 3 structured and 3 nonstructured groups and 3 leader teams with each team conducting 1 group under each of the 2 formats. 21 male and 21 female graduate students were Ss. The Group Opinion Questionnaire was administered to participants at the 12th (final) session. Participants in structured groups reported greater ego involvement in their groups, more self-perceived personality change since joining the group, and greater group unity than did participants in nonstructured groups. Evidence suggests that greater leader experience is associated with more favorable participant perceptions. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of training in verbal self-guidance on performance effectiveness in a MBA program.

The present field experiment examined the effects of training in verbal self-guidance (VSG) and a motivational intervention, goal setting, on the performance effectiveness of students in a MBA program. Performance effectiveness was assessed in terms of outcome (i.e., GPA) and behavioural (i.e., interpersonal skills) measures as well as a composite criterion (performance effectiveness). MBA students (n = 126) were randomly assigned to a 2 (VSG training/control) × 2 (goal setting/do your best) factorial design. The results revealed a main effect for VSG on performance effectiveness. There was an interaction effect such that participants who were trained in VSG and set goals had the highest level of performance effectiveness. A subsequent analysis revealed that the main effect for VSG on performance was spurious due to an ordinal interaction effect. Hence, VSG may be most effective when combined with goal setting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A study of the effects of group family play on family relations.

Examined the differences in family relations, as measured by Beaver's Self-Report Family Inventory (W. R. Beavers and R. B. Hampston, 1990), between families participating in specified group family play and those not participating. Ss in this study included 52 families consisting of 134 family members. The researcher used random sampling to assign the families to 4 groups according to the Solomon Four Group Design. Ss participating in group family play attended 7 session, 6 sessions included an interaction game. Findings show that family play can be effective in improving family relations and that problem skills can be practiced and developed in a non-threatening, engaging intervention such as family play. Experimental groups showed significant improvement in family relations, differences could not have been due to testing effects or maturation. The findings support the use of family play in group settings in both prevention and therapeutic milieus. Implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rethinking the effects of stressors: A longitudinal study on personal initiative.

This study examined the relationship between stressors at work and personal initiative (PI), one proactive concept of extra-role performance. Using a control theory framework to describe the stress process, the authors hypothesized that stressors should be positively related to PI. This departs from findings of negative relationships between stressors and other types of performance. Furthermore, curvilinear relationships were tested. The analyses, based on 4 measurement waves of a longitudinal field study with 172 to 193 participants, showed that stressors were positively related to subsequent changes in PI; there was no support for a curvilinear relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of emotion expression and personality relations in early development.

To investigate emotion expression and personality relations, the authors coded infants' full-face and component positive and negative expressions during Episodes 4 through 8 of the strange situation procedure at age 18 months and obtained maternal ratings of the 5-factor model of personality when children were 3.5 years old. Full-face negative expression was directly related to Neuroticism and inversely related to Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. By contrast, component positive expression showed the exact opposite pattern of relations. Full-face positive expression was positively correlated with Extraversion and Openness to Experience. These findings indicate that full-face and component expressions may index different intensities of emotions. Emotion expression and personality relations were not mediated by the security of attachment continuum or the emotional reactivity dichotomy derived from the attachment subclassifications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A practicum training program.

"It is the purpose of this paper to describe the development of a state hospital practicum program." "The Southeast Louisiana Hospital from its inception was planned as a facility which would offer unique opportunities in training and research for its professional personnel… . The present census of the hospital is about 360 patients." Fellows in clinical psychology have opportunities for training in diagnostic services, in psychotherapy, and in research. The nature of opportunities for experience in each of these areas is briefly outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal communication in parent-adolescent dyads: A brief report on the effects of a social skills training program.

Hypothesized that social skills training could improve communications between adolescents and parents while enhancing improvement in perceived communication and problem-solving behaviors. 25 parent–adolescent dyads (all members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints) participated in a pre- and posttest experimental and control group design. The 18 experimental dyads completed a social skills program. Analyses revealed significant training effects on all social skills in the program, but perceived improvement was slightly higher for parents than for adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of form–function relations in a mother's questions and her child's responses.

The relationship between semantic and syntactic aspects of linguistic form and conversational meaning was assessed in a longitudinal study of a mother's questions to her daughter from age 6 mo to 2? yrs. The number of questions accounted for by statistically reliable form–function pairings was significantly greater in the early stages of the child's language acquisition (through R. Brown's, 1973, Stage I) than in later stages (Stages III–V). During the 1-word stage and early Stage I the child was more likely to produce a correct verbal response to questions within semantic form–function pairings than to questions of the same form or function outside the pairings. Heightened incidence of correct response to questions in syntactic form–function pairings appeared to be largely due to the frequency of correctly answered requests for labels. After early Stage I, form–function relations did not affect the probability of the child's correct verbal responses. Implications of the role of the linguistic environment in early language acquisition are discussed in terms of various ways of characterizing form–function relations. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implementing a time-limited therapy program: Differential effects of training and experience.

Assessed the relationship between level of clinical experience, training format (no training, self-instructional, or intensive training), and therapeutic outcome in time-limited therapy (TLT). Six experienced therapists (aged 40–55 yrs) and 6 therapists-in-training (aged 25–31 yrs) underwent 1 of the 3 training formats prior to conducting 8 TLT sessions with a prescreened homogeneous group of 57 clients at a university counseling center. Clients of experienced therapists had consistently superior outcomes when compared with clients of their less experienced counterparts, with the exception of intake officers' outcome ratings. The more intensely trained therapists realized better outcomes, irrespective of therapist experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Academia and the training of human service delivery program evaluators.

Many think the demand for high-quality evaluation personnel has reached the point where universities should consider the development of program evaluation curricula. Although much of this article focuses on the training of evaluators for the mental health service delivery system, the suggestions made are applicable to the training of evaluation specialists who will function in a variety of public and private human service settings. Among the several issues considered are the body of knowledge to be taught in program evaluation curricula, the specific concepts and skills needed by the evaluator to function effectively, and whether training should be structured as an interdepartmental or intradepartmental specialty. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological consequences of an exercise training program for a paraplegic man: A case study.

Examined the effects of a 12-wk exercise training program on the mood states (assessed via the Profile of Mood States [POMS]) of a 27-yr-old spinal-cord-injured male in a rehabilitation hospital. S was administered the POMS immediately before and after the program and once each week during the program. S demonstrated major mood changes following exercise training, indicating a significant decrease in tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion and a significant increase in vigor. Findings support the hypothesis that vigorous physical exercise can be a useful therapeutic strategy with the disabled. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Moving up the corporate ladder: A longitudinal study of the leadership motive pattern and managerial success in women and men.

Using TAT data collected prior to entering management positions, sex differences in motive patterns related to leadership were examined in a 12-yr longitudinal study of 211 men and 180 women (aged 21–43 yrs at initial assessment) who entered a large utility corporation between 1977 and 1982. Ss were followed up in 1990 and recorded as to how far they had advanced in management level. While the results showed no sex differences in motivational predictors of attained management level, the content analysis revealed 2 distinct styles of power-related themes that distinguished the successful men from the successful women. The successful male managers were more likely to use reactive power themes while the successful female managers were more likely to use resourceful power themes. Differences between the sexes in the power themes were less pronounced among the managers who had remained in lower levels of management. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bidirectional relations of religious orientation and depressive symptoms in adolescents: A short-term longitudinal study.

Religious orientation can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic: intrinsically oriented individuals “live their religion,” whereas extrinsically oriented individuals practice religion mainly to gain external benefits. In adults, depression has been found to correlate negatively with intrinsic religious orientation and positively with extrinsic orientation. Studies of the relation between religiosity and depression typically have not been longitudinal, conducted with adolescents, controlled for the influence of other factors associated with depression (i.e., negative cognitions), or examined the reverse relation of depression predicting religious orientation. Our 4-month longitudinal study of 273 ninth-grade students addressed these issues. Results showed that higher intrinsic religious orientation measured at baseline significantly predicted lower self-reported depressive symptoms 4 months later, controlling for initial level of depressive symptoms and cognitive style; in contrast, extrinsic orientation and the interaction between religious orientation and life events did not significantly predict later depressive symptoms. Self-reported depressive symptoms, however, did not predict either intrinsic or extrinsic religious orientation 4 months later. Factors contributing to different findings for adolescents versus adults in the relation between extrinsic religious orientation and depression are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Tacit knowledge as a predictor of managerial success: A field study.

Tested R. K. Wagner's (1985) tacit knowledge model regarding managerial success. Male volunteers from a large Canadian organization participated in an in-house assessment center as prospective 1st-level supervisors. Ss were from 2 functional areas within the organization: 96 Ss were in engineering and 55 were in equipment. The groups were comparable in age and work experience. Data were collected using performance in a management simulation (MS) and Wagner's Business Management Tacit Knowledge Measure. Tacit knowledge scores were related to performance in the MS, but no evidence was found in support of the proposed substructure of the model. The level and significance of the intercorrelations between actual and ideal scores indicate Ss did not clearly distinguish between these 2 orientations despite the fact that the mean scores on these scales were significantly different for both groups. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Studies in management training evaluation: I. Scaling responses to human relations training cases.

Dimensions of employee-orientation and sensitivity are used in this study of methodology in human relations training. "… is the purpose… to describe a scaling procedure by means of which open-end responses to stimulus films can be reliably scored." After showing 3 films "several groups of academic and industrial Ss" wrote responses to questions relevant to the 2 dimensions of supervisory behavior. 6 sets of responses were scaled by 16 judges, using a forced-distribution scheme. An abbreviated procedure was worked out and scale values obtained "indicate that the master scale method can be utilized with confidence." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)