The objective of this study was to investigate the conditions under which family counseling was terminated and the relationship of the type of termination to children's self-concepts and parents' attitudes. For the purposes of this study, family counseling was terminated by either mutual termination or by family termination. Mutual termination referred to the family and the counselor mutually agreeing that termination from counseling was appropriate. Family termination referred to the family deciding without counselor agreement that termination from counseling was appropriate. For the purposes of this study a family's degree of commitment to the counseling process was indicated by the type of termination the families chose, that is, mutual or family termination.

This study investigates the predictive value of the high-school-level battery of the Tests of General Educational Development (GED) for two-year college academic performance. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using a variety of statistical techniques including univariate and multivariate correlation methods, t-test, and analysis of variance. Of the thirteen hypotheses formulated and tested in the study, eleven were statistically significant at the .05 level. With the acceptance of the majority of the research hypotheses, it is concluded that the GED is a valid predictor of first semester, two-year college GPA. It is also concluded that the use of the standard scores of individual component subtests of the GED as predictors provides valid and slightly more efficient prediction of first semester, two-year college GPA than the use of only mean GED standard score as a predictor, and that GED Test 4, Interpretation of Literary Materials, is the single most effective GED subtest in predicting this criterion.

Counselor education programs are charged with the responsibility to train students to be effective counselors. Despite relative consistency in academic and clinical experiences, some students are less effective than others. It was the intent of this research to investigate possible relationships which may exist between students' background and experiences and their levels of demonstrated counselor effectiveness as measured by the Counselor Rating Form - Short Version (CRF-S) and the Supervisor Rated-Counselor Interaction Analysis (SR-CIA). It was hypothesized that counselor effectiveness would be negatively correlated with prior teaching experience and level of religious participation. Data was collected using a demographic survey from masters level counseling students participating in their practicum semester. Counseling tapes from each of the participants were collected towards the end of the semester. These tapes were then rated by doctoral students using the CRF-S and the SR-CIA. The total sample size was 28. Regression analysis was used to investigate the hypotheses. Three models were constructed. The dependent variables used were scores from the CRF-S, the SR-CIA and a third comprised of a normalized composite of CRF-S and SR-CIA termed COMPOSITE. Each model used, as the independent variables, years of teaching experience, and hours of religious participation. Results from …

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of individual child-centered play therapy in the elementary school in: 1) enhancing the self-concept of kindergarten children who are experiencing adjustment difficulties; 2) decreasing the overall behavioral problems of kindergarten children experiencing adjustment difficulties 3) decreasing externalizing behavior problems such as aggression and delinquency of kindergarten children experiencing adjustment difficulties; 4) decreasing the internalizing behavior problems such as withdrawal, somatic complaints, anxiety and depression of kindergarten children experiencing adjustment difficulties; 5) increasing parental perception of change in the problematic behaviors of kindergarten children experiencing adjustment difficulties; and 6) enhancing self-control in kindergarten children experiencing adjustment difficulties. A secondary objective was to compare the participants involved in individual child-centered play therapy with participants in a previous study who were involved in child-centered group play therapy on the above named dimensions. The experimental group, consisting of 14 kindergarten children experiencing adjustment difficulties, received 10-12, 30-minute individual play therapy sessions in a 12 week period in their elementary school. The comparison group, utilized from the 1999 McGuire study, consisted of 15 children with adjustment problems and received 12-14, 45-minute group play therapy sessions in 14 weeks in their elementary school. The control group, consisting of …

The focus of the present study was to test through SEM the relationships between family influences (FI) and school influences (SI) on factors hypothesized to be associated with adolescent social interest: school belonging (SB), extracurricular participation (EP), and peer/romantic involvement (PRI). The final model consisted of FI and SI that contributed to the expression of adolescent social interest. FI included parental communication and parental caring. SI consisted of teacher fairness. SB consisted of a child's self-reported feelings of belonging at school, EP included self-reported involvement in sports or academic clubs, and PRI consisted of self-reported desire for romantic involvement or desire for participation with others. The proposed model suggested that FI contributed significantly to self-reported SB, EP, and PRI. Additionally, it was hypothesized that SI would contribute significantly to SB and EP, but not to PRI. The data used in the current study were part of an existing data set collected as part of the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health. The total sample size for the present study was 2,561 male and female adolescents aged 12-19 years. The data consisted of adolescent and parent self-report information. Results suggested a significant relationship between FI and self-reported SB and PRI. As …

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of play therapy as a method of intervention for children with a variety of emotional and behavioral problems. Specifically, the study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of play therapy in: (a) improving self-concepts of children with adjustment difficulties; (b) reducing internalizing behavior problems, such as withdrawal, somatic complaints, anxiety, and depression; (c) reducing externalizing behavioral problems such as aggression and delinquent behaviors; (d) reducing overall behavior problems, social problems, thought problems, and attention problems of children with adjustment difficulties; and (e) reducing parenting stress of parents of children who were experiencing adjustment difficulties.The experimental group consisted of 15 children who were experiencing a variety of adjustment difficulties and received play therapy once per week for 7 to 10 weeks. The control group consisted of 14 children who were experiencing a variety of adjustment difficulties and who were on a waiting list to receive intervention, and therefore, did not receive any treatment during the time of data collection. Experimental and control group children were administered the Joseph Pre-School and Primary Self-Concept Screening Test and parents of all participants completed the Child Behavior Checklist and the Parenting Stress Index at pretest and posttest …

The primary purpose of this study was to use some of the action methods of playback theatre to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge through the experience of building community. The impact of action methods on group dynamics and the relationship among methods, individual perceptions, and the acquisition of knowledge were analyzed. The researcher suggested that playback theatre action methods provided a climate in which groups can improve the quality of their interactions. The Hill Interaction Matrix (HIM) formed the basis for the study's analysis of interactions. Since the researcher concluded there were significantly more interactions coded in the "power quadrant" after training, the researcher assumed that playback theatre action methods are a catalyst for keeping the focus on persons in the group, encouraging risk-taking behaviors, and producing constructive feedback between members. Based on session summaries, individual interviews, and an analysis of the Group Environment Scale (GES), the training group became more cohesive, became more expressive, promoted independence, encouraged self-discovery, and adapted in innovative ways. The experience of an interconnected community created a space where positive growth could occur. The researcher concluded that the process of community building is intricately connected with a person's ability to make meaning out of experiences. …

This experimental research study investigated the effectiveness of the application of Child-Teacher Relationship training, adapted from child-centered play therapy procedures and skills training (filial therapy), with undergraduate teacher trainees. Specifically, this research determined if Child-Teacher Relationship training facilitated change in teacher trainees' interactions with children, parenting attitudes, and play therapy attitude knowledge and skills. The experimental group of teacher trainees (n=18) received 10 weekly ninety minute training sessions in child-centered play therapy skills and procedures and conducted 7 weekly special play times with children. The comparison group (n=20) received supplemental training in child guidance during the ten weeks that included parent training and alternatives to corporal punishment. Experimental and comparison group participants completed pre-test and post-test measures, consisting of the Adolescent and Adult Parenting Attitudes Inventory (AAPI-2), the Play Therapy Attitudes, Knowledge, and Skills Survey (PTAKSS), and a videotaped special play time with a child which was rated using the Measurement of Empathy in Adult and Child Interactions (MEACI). Analysis of covariance on adjusted post test means revealed that the teacher trainees in the experimental group demonstrated statistically significant ("<.05) increases in empathy towards children, allowing the child self direction, communication of acceptance, and involvement as measured by the MEACI. …

This study investigated the effectiveness of a child-centered self-reflective play therapy supervision model with master's level counselor education graduate students. Specifically, this research determined if the self-reflective play therapy supervision model facilitated significant change in the master's level play therapists': (a) child-centered attitude; (b) knowledge of child-centered play therapy; and (c) confidence in applying play therapy skills. This study also measured change in the skills of: (d) tracking behavior, (e) reflecting content, (f) reflecting feelings, (g) facilitating decision-making and self-responsibility, (h) facilitating esteem-building and encouragement, (i) encouraging the child to lead, (j) setting limits, (k) ability to be congruent, (l) quality of non-verbal responses and (m) quality of verbal responses. The experimental group students (N=15) utilized a 15 week self-reflective play therapy supervision model. This model consisted of a manual that reviewed the rationale and utilization of six therapeutic responses of child-centered play therapy, self-assessment forms that were completed after reviewing weekly play therapy session videos and weekly group supervision. The control group (N=15) received supervision during the 15 weeks but did not use the manual or the self-assessment forms. Prior to working with their first client and again at the end of the semester practicum, the play therapy supervisees …

This study was an investigation of the different effects of three procedures of human relations training in changing the personality characteristics and attitudes of preservice teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference between a structured group laboratory experience, a non-structured group counseling experience, and a regular classroom lecture experience on the development of interpersonal attitudes of preservice teachers, and to ascertain the extent to which attitudinal and personality changes take place.

This study investigates the relationship between romantic love and marital adjustment in a sample of middle class couples. Romantic love is defined as a general disposition an individual has toward love, marriage, the family, and relationships involving male-female interaction in which the affective component is regarded as primary and all other considerations are excluded from conscious reflection. Marital adjustment is defined as the positive accomodation of husband and wife interacting within the framework of a legally established marital relationship. Middle socioeconomic class is operationally defined as a specific quantitative range on the Warner Index of Social Characteristics. This study examines the nature of any quantifiable relationship between romantic love and marital adjustment, current or future. Three views of this relationship are investigated. The first view contends that romanticism is functional, contributing to positive marital adjustment. The second is characterized by the belief that romantic love has a negative impact upon marital adjustment and is dysfunctional. A third view of the relationship between romantic love and marital adjustment suggests that the critical element determining dysfunctionality is the isparity between partners, rather than the individual level of romanticism. No author has heretofore considered this alternative.

An increasing number of empirical investigations have demonstrated that a wide variety of extra-legal factors are influential in the jury deliberation process and in the verdicts rendered. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if mock jurors possessing high levels of self-actualization would be more resistant to the biasing effects of the courtroom. One hundred eighty subjects were selected on the basis of their scores on the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI). Subjects were divided into two groups, those scoring within the high self-actualized range, and those scoring within the low self-actualized range. From this subject pool, thirty six-person juries were selected; ten high self-actualized simulated juries (HSA), ten mixed self-actualized simulated juries (MSA), composed of fifty percent high and fifty percent low self-actualized subjects, and ten low self-actualized simulated juries (LSA). Statistical analyses of the five hypotheses produced the following results. Hypothesis 1, HSA juries make more pertinent legal evidence remarks than LSA juries, was not supported. Hypothesis 2, HSA juries make more accurate legal evidence statements than LSA juries, was not supported. Hypothesis 3, HSA juries would render more relevant punishment than the LSA juries, was not supported. Hypothesis 4, HSA juries would require less deliberation time than …

The problem of this study was to determine whether using radio communication can facilitate learning in counseling practicums. This study had four purposes: 1. To determine whether the use of radio communication would be effective in providing positive reinforcement to the counselor during counseling sessions. 2. To determine whether the use of radio communication would be effective in enhancing the learning of facilitative responses by counselors in practicum situations. 3. To determine the effect of positive reinforcement on the student counselors' performance. 4. To provide information that might be beneficial with regard to future research involving the use of radio communication in counselor training.

This study was an investigation of teaching strategies and student outcomes of the drug education program in five pilot schools in Oklahoma as these programs relate to the "ideal" program recommended by drug education experts. This study had a twofold purpose. The first was to determine the differences of the perceptions of students, teachers and administrator toward the drug education program in their own school. The second was to compare this perceived "actual" program with the "ideal" program as described by selected drug education experts. The study centers on five exploratory questions. With the completion of the five exploratory questions, it was concluded that the factors that are descriptive of the "ideal" and "actual" drug education programs can be identified from opinions of persons who have an interest in or responsibility for effective information concerning the drug scene.

This research study was developed to investigate whether a structured discussion group on feelings)in combination with play group counseling can be effective as an intervention approach in working with disadvantaged primary grade children who are exhibiting disruptive classroom behavior. The general nature of the research hypotheses was that developmental play group counseling would not only reduce disruptive behavior of disadvantaged second grade students, but would also help to enhance these students' self concepts and attitudes toward school. None of the six hypotheses were confirmed. Developmental play group counseling did not significantly reduce "classroom disturbance" behavior, improve perceived self image, or improve attitude toward school over periods of time. The data indicated that play group counseling did significantly reduce "classroom disturbance" behavior after seven weeks of treatment, and maintained that general level of improvement eight weeks after the end of the study. The above finding suggested that play group counseling be utilized with disadvantaged early primary grade children who present behavior problems in school.

This investigation examined the effect of a modeling/role playing counseling technique upon the social adjustment of second-grade socially withdrawn children. The specific hypotheses investigated dealt with changes in the socially withdrawn child's social adjustment as measured by a peer sociometric instrument, teacher rating, trained observer rating, and self-rating which were administered one week prior to the initial session. A one-way analysis of covariance was employed to test the hypotheses. The following conclusions are presented as a result of these findings: 1. The symbolic modeling/role playing procedure as utilized in this study is effective in increasing the frequency of social interaction of socially withdrawn children. 2. The symbolic modeling/role playing -procedure as utilized in this investigation is effective in increasing the sociometric status of socially withdrawn children. 3. The symbolic modeling/role playing counseling procedure as utilized in this study appears to be ineffective with respect to changing children's self-perception.

The problem of this study is to investigate the differences in perceived parental behavior patterns, child rearing attitudes, and learning disabilities in natural and adoptive families. The purposes of this study are to compare the child rearing attitudes of adoptive and natural parents, to compare the child's perception of parental behavior in adoptive and natural families, to discover if the two groups differ in their ability to predict their children's perceptions of parental behavior, and to investigate the incidence of learning disabilities among adoptive children. Findings indicate that significant differences exist between natural and adoptive parents as measured by the PAS and the CRPBI-R. Adoptive fathers are not as likely as natural fathers to feel it is impossible to change a child from his already determined way of behaving and believe parental or environmental influences to be more important than natural or inherent causations. The younger the child was at the time of adoption, the better the adoptive parents were able to predict what the child would report about parental discipline. Adoptive parents are also found to be more accepting of childhood behaviors and feelings and have more mutual trust and understanding of their children than are natural parents. There …

The problem of this study was the reduction of a hypothesized fear of intimate interpersonal interaction among counselor trainees. This study had three purposes: 1. To determine whether implosive therapy is effective in reducing conditioned fear of close interpersonal interaction. 2. To determine whether the use of implosive therapy is effective in enhancing the counseling effectiveness of counselor trainees. 3. To provide information that may be beneficial for future research involving the use of implosive techniques in counselor training. Six hypotheses were formulated for the study. The .10 level of significance was chosen as the level at which the hypotheses would be accepted or rejected. Hypotheses I, II, and III were not supported. Hypotheses IV, V, and VI were accepted; however, no conclusions could be drawn without prior acceptance of at least one of the three hypotheses: I, II, or III. It was concluded that: 1. Group implosive therapy, as utilized in this study, was not effective in reducing conditioned fear of close interpersonal interaction. 2. The underlying assumption of the present study that the counselor trainees are as likely as clients to have developed a fear of close interpersonal interaction is seriously questioned. 3. Group implosive therapy as applied …

This exploratory study drew from research in family art therapy assessment by Kwiatkowska (1978), Landgarten (1987), Kurinsky (1986), and Wilson (1988). The objectives of this study were to develop a theoretically consistent art therapy assessment tool for Adlerians to use in initial family therapy interviews and to evaluate its effectiveness in a field test with families of adolescents. Accounts of the families' perceptions of their AFAAT experience and the researcher's and three trained family therapists' interpretation of the six families were provided. An overview of the six families' perceptions of their AFAAT experience, their interactions, their art works, and hypotheses about indicators of adolescence as seen in their art works were also described. Although compelling anecdotal information about families of adolescents and their art work was obtained from the study, the validity and reliability of the AFAAT, as established in this study, is insufficient. Recommendations for improvements to the AFAAT and ideas for future studies to refine and utilize it more effectively concluded the study.

The study compared an experimental group (n=26) who participated in weekly SIS sessions as an adjunct to existing treatment protocols for a period of 6-8 weeks, to a control group (n=14) who matriculated in treatment without the addition of SIS training for a period of 6-8 weeks. Subjects completed a battery of questionnaires at the beginning of the measurement period and at the end of the measurement period. The SASSI-2, The McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD), and the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale were used to measure groups on recovery related variables at Pre-Test and Post-Test. Results demonstrated a consistent pattern of improvement over the time measure. The results of the interaction of group and time demonstrated a pattern of gains which did not reach statistical significance, partially as an artifact of the small sample size. An investigation of effect sizes was conducted to detect the effect of SIS training. The training was found to have a moderate effect size, which was consistent with other research using SIS training. Some areas for possible future research were addressed.

This research study investigated the effectiveness of the application of child-centered play therapy procedures and skills by trained fifth grade students in play sessions with kindergarten children who had adjustment difficulties. Specifically, this research determined if play sessions with trained fifth grade students facilitated change in kindergarten children's self concept, internalizing behavior, and externalizing behavior and their parents' stress level.

Extensive documentation exists which firmly establishes the high use rates and disastrous consequences of alcohol consumption by university students. Use rates for this population have been linked to attitudes toward alcohol consumption, especially alcohol expectancies. Research to date on alcohol expectancies has shown differences in expectancies among various groups. However much of this research has been conducted without a theoretical basis, accomplishing little in explaining how beliefs and drinking behavior are related. The investigation was designed to explore the relationships among and between early recollections and alcohol expectancies and to explore how the contents of early recollections function in relation to expectancies in terms of alcohol consumption patterns among three groups of college males (student-athletes, fraternity men, and independents). The content of individuals' early recollections was analyzed and compared to expectancies and consumption rates for each of the three groups. The study addressed seven hypotheses regarding alcohol consumption rate comparisons, comparisons of consequences experienced as a result of alcohol consumption, comparisons of alcohol expectancies, and comparisons of reported content of early recollections. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to test the extent to which select early recollections and alcohol expectancy scores contributed to the explained variance in alcohol consumption patterns.

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of filial therapy with incarcerated mothers as a method of increasing empathic behaviors with their children, increasing attitudes of acceptance toward their children, and reducing stress related to parenting. Filial therapy, a method of training parents to respond and interact therapeutically with their children, focuses on enhancing the parent-child relationship. The sample population of 22 volunteer subjects was drawn from a pool of incarcerated mothers in the Denton County Jail who had children between three and ten years of age. The experimental group parents, consisting of 12 incarcerated mothers, received 2-hour filial therapy training sessions biweekly for five weeks and participated in biweekly 30-minute play sessions with one of their children. The control group parents, consisting of 10 incarcerated mothers, received no treatment during the five weeks. The three written self-report instruments completed for pretesting and posttesting purposes by both groups were The Porter Parental Acceptance Scale, The Parenting Stress Index, and The Filial Problem Checklist. The parents were also videotaped in play sessions with their child before and after training as a means of measuring change in empathic behavior. Analysis of Covariance revealed that incarcerated mothers in the experimental group had …

This study investigated relationships among and between psychological hardiness, coping style, and burnout in 101 female hospital nurses. The third generation (50-item) hardiness scale, scored by the revised scoring procedure, was used to measure hardiness and its components. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used as the measurement for burnout. Coping style was assessed by the COPE Inventory. The components of hardiness, commitment, control, and challenge, were hypothesized to be negative predictors of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and positive predictors of personal accomplishment. In addition, hardiness and its components were postulated to be positively related to adaptive coping styles and negatively related to maladaptive coping styles. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were thought to be related positively to maladaptive coping styles and negatively related to adaptive coping styles. Personal accomplishment was thought to be positively related to adaptive coping style and negatively related to maladaptive coping style. Simple and multiple regressions were used.