bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of New Legislation on School Psychology in the United Kingdom, Denmark and The Netherlands
Authors: Marsh Alan J. , Jacobsen Elisabeth , Kanen Laurence
Published: March 2007

This paper has considered the ways in which new educational legislation has affected the practice of educational/school psychology in three member states of the European Union. In the United Kingdom the influence of the New Right's market philosophy towards education has pushed educational psychology services (EPS) to redefine their role. In Denmark the traditional role of the school psychologist may be changing with the implementation of the 1994 Act of Folkeskolen which is set to facilitate the process towards inclusive education. In The Netherlands there is concern about the high numbers of children educated in special schools, and the role of the school psychologist has altered from individual pupil assessments to working more closely with teachers. The paper also discusses the broader contribution of educational/school psychologist to the education system in the European Union.
The Multimedia Industry: Networks and Regional Development in a Globalized Economy
Authors: Fuchs Gerhard
Published: March 2007

What are the effects of different types of networking of actors for regional economic outcomes? The article discusses the issue of the importance of different types of network ties for one specific sector of industry: multimedia. The article looks at the development of this sector from the perspective of economic regions. The research question is: What kind of interorganizational ties among multimedia firms are most likely to favour the development and growth of a multimedia cluster within a certain region? The study focuses on the difference between intra- and extraregional ties.
Power, Trust and Deliberation in Swedish Labour Market Politics
Authors: Öberg Perola , Svensson Torsten
Published: March 2007

The article focuses on the following aspects of labour market relations: To what extent do main actors share key opinions? Which actors are considered influential? Who is trusted by whom, and how much? Does communication take the character of deliberation? Since relational data in industrial relations are rare, 71 Swedish organizations involved in industrial relations were asked about each other (representing a total of 770 individuals in key positions in these organizations). Asserted changes as regards power in the Swedish industrial relations system seem overestimated. The state still holds the key positions. The principal labour relations organizations and the Social Democratic Party are also influential, although less than the ministries. All these powerful actors are trusted less over class borders, while the Labour Court and the Conciliators' Office are considered trustworthy, rational 'deliberators'. It is hypothesized that they produce 'the cement of society' that holds the system together.
Decollectivization and Recollectivization in the Workplace: The Impact of Technology on Informal Work Groups and Work Culture
Authors: Grzyb Gerard J.
Published: March 2007

Technological rationalization has been found to have a disintegrative effect on informal work groups. I offer a new explanation of this phenomenon of decollectivization by arguing that a rationalized work process, in calling for less worker skill, also provides less of a motive for workers to form such groups and to create work culture within them. I also assert that the impact on work culture is the most serious consequence of technological rationalization since it impairs workers' collective ability to respond to further rationalization. Contemporary 'job redesign' experiments are then interpreted as managerial attempts to recollectivize the workplace through the institution of rationalized work groups with rationalized cultures. Limitations on these attempts are also considered.
A Survey of Studies in the Japanese Style of Management
Authors: Ishikawa Akihiro
Published: March 2007

Recent studies have contained a number of references to the Japanese style of management, showing keen interest in the high development of Japanese economy and technology. Most studies seem to exaggerate the peculiarity of Japanese culture and the harmonious character of intra-company relations. This paper surveys the main works on Japanese management written by Japanese authors during the last thirty years, reflecting upon their methodologies. It shows that the recent discussions have largely neglected the historical and macrostructural viewpoint as well as the critical view of power and authority in industry developed in previous research.
Sex and Ethnic Segregation in the 1980 Swedish Labour Market
Authors: Leinio Taria-Liisa
Published: March 2007

This article addresses the issues of sex and ethnic segregation in the Swedish labour market, comparing native and all foreign-born women and men aged sixteen to sixty-four, with more detailed results for Finnish, Yugoslavian and Turkish immigrants. Occupational segregation in the 1980 Swedish census is measured by using a simple concentration index (Gibbs and Martin, 1962), sex and ethnic segregation in occupational distribution by Duncan and Duncan's (1955) index of dissimilarity. Overall, women are more concentrated to a few occupations compared to men. Occupational concentration is greater for immigrant than for native men. With the notable exception of Turkish women, who work in the smallest number of occupations, differences in concentration are much smaller between immigrant and Swedish women than between men. The most common occupation for immigrant women is charwork (domestic servants are non-existent in Sweden), while secretarial work is the top-most occupation for Swedish women. Manufacturing jobs dominate among men with two exceptions: Turkish men work to a great extent in service occupations and Yugoslavian women in manufacturing. The presence of foreign workers reduces sex segregation in the Swedish labour market, although this applies to the lowest levels of job-qualification only. The fact that Yugoslav and Turkish immigrants are the least sex-segregated is no indication of increasing gender equality, but reflects their relatively weak position in the Swedish labour market in general.
Democratizing Local Government: The Sheffield and Doncaster Experience
Authors: McLaverty Peter
Published: March 2007

The new urban left in local government in Britain aimed to change the way in which local councils operate so that the users and providers of council services, along with the local community, could gain greater control over the development and provision of council services. This paper considers why the new urban left grew in local government in Britain. Drawing on a comparative case study of two Labour local authorities, one -Sheffield a new urban left council, the other Doncaster a traditional or right-wing Labour council, a number of explanations are advanced for the lack of progress in 'demo- cratization' in Sheffield City Council.
Workplace Politicization and its Political Spillovers: A Research Note
Authors: Peterson Steven A.
Published: March 2007

It has often been hypothesized that workplace politicization has a spillover effect onto people's participation in the larger political world. This article examines the relationship between workplace politicization and political orientations and behavior in one small city in upstate New York. Results indicate that what happens in the workplace affects the extent of individuals' political participation. Implications for the study of political socialization are discussed.
Enterprise Unionism from a Korean Perspective
Authors: Jeong Jooyeon
Published: March 2007

This study examines the structural and functional features and institutional stability of enterprise unions in the Korean manufacturing sector in the late 1980s. Both the positive relationship between the proportion of unionized firms and firm size, and the distinct function of enterprise unions are identified and explained. The dramatic rise of the labor movement since mid-1987 undermined the institutional stability of Korean enterprise unions. Finally, a broad comparison of enterprise unions between Korea and Japan helps to clarify the distinct characteristics of Korean enterprise unions. The findings of this study call for further research in order to investigate diverse forms of enterprise unionism within and across Asian nations.
The Relationship of Employee Ownership and Participation to Workplace Safety
Authors: Grunberg Leon , Moore Sarah , Greenberg Edward
Published: March 2007

This article investigates whether enterprises with high levels of worker control are safer places to work in than matched conventional firms in the same industry. The results, based on comparisons of self-reports from 1285 workers in four different kinds of enterprises in the wood products industry (producer coops, ESOPs, union and non-union), are disappointing for advocates of employee ownership. The coops and the ESOPs either did no better than the conventional enterprises on various safety indicators or actually had worse safety performances. Reasons for these results are discussed, particularly in the context of the precarious economic conditions these employee-owned firms find themselves in. We conclude that employee ownership of vulnerable enterprises may be hazardous for worker morale and worker safety.
The Father of the Swedish Model in Memory of Gosta Rehn (1913-96)
Authors: Erixon Lennart
Published: March 2007

Gosta Rehn is often called 'the father of the Swedish Model'. As a source of ideas, a debater and creator of opinion, Rehn contributed to the development and application in Sweden of a unique model for economic policy in the years following the Second World War. The fact that Sweden had a Social Democratic government at the time, combined with the part played by the LO (the Swedish Trades Union Congress) in promoting and shaping a policy of stabilization and welfare, helped to ensure widespread acceptance of Rehn's ideas in the early postwar years.
Globalization and Employment Relations in Asia and the Pacific: Some Emerging Issues Editorial Introduction
Authors: Lansbury Russell D. , Yun Hing Ai , Jamieson Suzanne
Published: March 2007

While countries in the Asia and Pacific region have not adopted a uniform approach to employment relations, increased economic development appears to be facilitating a higher degree of labour market institutionalization, as evidenced by the emergence of minimum wage laws, health and safety regulations and independent dispute-settling mechanisms. Although industrial relations institutions are generally rather weak, emerging democratization is resulting in legislative provisions to strengthen the rights of labour, particularly at the enterprise level. In many rapidly industrializing economies of Asia, governments are seeking to accommodate demands by employees and their unions for a more significant voice, and former systems of state suppression are being modified. However, while some degree of convergence can be seen in the goals of employment relations policies of many newly industrializing economies in Asia and the Pacific, this convergence is often being achieved through divergent means.
Facilitating Tolerance of Delayed Reinforcement During Functional Communication Training
Authors: Fisher Wayne W. , Thompson Rachel H. , Hagopian Louis P. , Bowman Lynn G. , Krug Amy
Published: March 2007

Fewclinical investigations have addressed the problem of delayed reinforcement. In this investigation, three individuals whose destructive behavior was maintained by positive reinforcement were treated using functional communication training (FCT) with extinction (EXT). Next, procedures used in the basic literature on delayed reinforcement and self-control (reinforcer delay fading, punishment of impulsive responding, and provision of an alternative activity during reinforcer delay) were used to teach participants to tolerate delayed reinforcement. With the first case, reinforcer delay fading alonewas effective at maintaining lowrates of destructive behavior while introducing delayed reinforcement. In the second case, the addition of a punishment component reduced destructive behavior to near-zero levels and facilitated reinforcer delay fading. With the third case, reinforcer delay fading was associated with increases in masturbation and head rolling, but prompting and praising the individual for completing work during the delay interval reduced all problem behaviors and facilitated reinforcer delay fading.
Predictors of Treatment Dropout from a Spouse Abuse Abatement Program
Authors: Hamberger L. Kevin , Lohr Jeffrey M. , Gottlieb Mark
Published: March 2007

This study evaluated predictors of dropout among men who began and attended at least 1 session of a cognitive-behavioral, skills training oriented spouse abuse abatement counseling program. Based on prior research, a number of demographic, criminal justice, partner violence pattern, and personality characteristics were studied. Dropout prediction was assessed at 2 phases of program participation, during assessment (early drop) and during intervention (late drop). Overall, few of the variables studied predicted dropout. Early dropout was predicted by high rates of police contact for violent crimes, failure to self-report an alcohol problem, and paranoid personality characteristics. Late dropout was predicted by both high and moderate levels of police contact for violent crimes, and borderline personality characteristics. An Age X Violent Crime interaction suggested that young violent offenders are more likely to complete treatment. The overall model accounted for only 7.15% of the variance. Clinical and research implications are discussed.
The Influence of a Token Economy and Methylphenidate on Attentive and Disruptive Behavior during Sports with Adhd-Diagnosed Children
Authors: Reitman David , Hupp Stephen D. A. , O’Callaghan Patrick M. , Gulley Veronica , Northup John
Published: March 2007

Three children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) participated in a summer program designed to evaluate the influence of stimulant medication and a token economy on attentive and disruptive behavior during kickball games. Attentive and disruptive behavior were assessed using an interval coding system, and daily ratings on the ADHD Index of the Conners Teacher Rating Scale-Revised were also obtained.Amultielement reversal designwas used, and the results indicated that both interventions independently improved attentive behavior and decreased disruptive behavior for the participants. Contrary to other research, when the token economy and medication were compared in isolation, the token system appeared more effective in reducing disruptive behavior for 2 of the 3 participants. In addition, the token system generally enhanced the effects of stimulant medication.
Sense of Timing
Authors: Fischetti M. , Curran James P. , Wessberg H. W.
Published: March 2007

Groups of high socially anxious, low socially skilled (socially incompetent), and low socially anxious, high socially skilled (socially competent) under-graduate males were selected using both a self-report measure of social anxiety and behavioral ratings of both skill and anxiety in a simulated role-play of a dating situation. Selected subjects were then requested to (1) listen to a ten-minute videotape of a female speaker discussing her life and (2) press a switch whenever they felt a response would communicate understanding or rapport. The hypothesis that socially incompetent and competent individuals would respond with the same frequency but would differ in the timing or distribution of their responses was affirmed. The results suggested timing of responses to be an important component of social skill and called into question the adequacy of using frequency counts of behaviors to investigate the specific nature of social skill. Implications for both assessment and treatment of social skill deficits are offered.
Specificity of Fear Survey Schedule Items and the Prediction of Avoidance Behavior
Authors: Lick John R. , Sushinsky Leonard W. , Malow Robert
Published: March 2007

Previous research has generally found low correlations between verbally reported fear and avoidance behavior. The present investigation indicated, however, that the level of descriptive detail of self-report measures can be varied so as to increase the strength of the relation between these two fear indices. This suggests that lack of concordance between behavioral and self-report measures of fear generally found in previous research is partly a function of methodological inadequacies associated with self-report measurement.
An Evaluation of Daily Report Cards with Minimal Teacher and Parent Contacts as an Efficient Method of Classroom Intervention
Authors: Lahey Benjamin B. , Gendrich John G. , Gendrich Susan I. , Schnelle John F. , Gant Dan S. , McNees M. Patrick
Published: March 2007

Difficulties inherent in teaching teachers new methods of dealing with classroom behavior problems have focused research on alternate methods of intervention for outside consultants. Methods are needed that require minimal changes in the teacher's established procedures and brief durations of consultation with the teacher and children. In the present study, the use of daily report cards is evaluated as a cost-efficient method of classroom intervention. Marked changes in the classroom behavior of two classes of disruptive kindergarten children were produced when teachers sent daily report cards home to parents. No special training or assistance was given to either parents or teachers.
Home-Based Treatment of Thumbsucking
Authors: Hughes Howard , Hughes Anita , Dial Hardy
Published: March 2007

A home-based behavioral treatment program, utilizing simple edible reinforcers, was employed in a reversal design to modify a child's thumbsucking. Observation of thumbsucking was facilitated by use of a "behavioral seal." At 15-minute intervals during the two hours immediately prior to bedtime, the child's parent recorded the occurrence or nonoccurrence of thumbsucking and, during intervention, also reinforced its absence with candy and verbal praise. Prebedtime sucking decreased markedly during both intervention phases. These effects generalized to postbedtime sucking as well. Implications for application and future research are discussed, and the advantages and possible uses of the behavioral seal are delineated.
Preventing Home Accidents
Authors: Matson Johnny L.
Published: March 2007

Five retarded adults (moderate to severe) were trained in skills necessary for handling emergencies via classroom training and participant modeling. Training consisted of instructions, modeling, feedback, rehearsal, and social reinforcement. Skills for handling emergency situations were quickly trained and maintained during follow-up. Classroom training did not generalize to in vivo performance of target behaviors, although role-played training in combination with classroom training did. Determining if participant modeling is the only necessary component and analyzing other methods of modeling with various behaviors and populations are questions for further study.
Rapid Eating in the Retarded
Authors: Favell Judith E. , McGimsey James F. , Jones Michael L.
Published: March 2007

Excessively rapid eating is a prevalent and serious, yet neglected problem with the severely and profoundly retarded. In the present study, four profoundly retarded rapid eaters were taught to spoon dip at normal rates by a nonaversive treatment package which included two major components: praise and food reinforcement for successively longer independent pauses between bites (up to five seconds), and steadily diminishing physical prompts for pausing when subjects attempted to eat rapidly. A multiple baseline experimental analysis documented that this treatment package was responsible for a reduction in rate from an average of 10.5 bites per 30 seconds during baseline to three bites per 30 seconds following treatment. This improvement persisted under a maintenance regime conducted by regular cottage staff in which one-to-one attention was gradually withdrawn, subjects were intermittently reinforced for pausing, and prompts for pausing were successfully eliminated.
Monocular Fading and Feedback
Authors: Epstein Leonard H. , Greenwald David J. , Hennon Deidre , Hiedorn Bryan
Published: March 2007

Four subjects with a comparable degree of vision impairment in both eyes were trained, using a fading procedure, to increase the distance they could discriminate stimulus details in one eye. Subjects were provided training each day for a month, and discrimination testing was performed for each eye every other day. Changes in discrimination performance were analyzed according to a multiple baseline design across stimulus distances for the trained eye. Results suggested that changes in vision in the trained eye were related to implementation of the fading procedure across the testing distances. Correlations between discrimination changes in the trained and untrained eyes for the distances trained were uniformly high. This concurrent change in both eyes suggests that a central process responsible for regulating vision in both eyes, possibly accommodation, was being modified, rather than the fading technique operating only on the trained eye.
Combining Behavioral Treatments to Reduce Blood Pressure
Authors: Jacob Rolf G. , Fortmann Stephen P. , Kraemer Helena C. , Farquhar John W. , Agras W. Stewart
Published: March 2007

A six-month multifocal behavioral treatment program was compared to clinic blood pressure monitoring only. Subjects were 50 men and women with blood pressures in the borderline hypertensive or upper normotensive range. The behavioral treatment combined relaxation therapy, reduction of salt intake, and weight reduction. After six months, both groups showed a significant decline of systolic pressure (5.7 and 6.1 mm Hg, respectively), but there was no difference between the groups. There was no significant change in diastolic pressure in either group. There was a significantly larger decline of weight in the behavioral group. At the one-year follow-up, there was a significant decline of diastolic pressure in both groups, and systolic pressures remained significantly below baseline levels. Again, the changes were equivalent in both groups. Thus both interventions were associated with decrease of blood pressure, but there was no advantage of the behavioral treatment over clinic blood pressure monitoring.
Avoidant Paruresis
Authors: Malouff John Michael , Lanyon Richard I.
Published: March 2007

Information was gathered on the prevalence, correlates, and development of avoidant paruresis in males, the inability to urinate in the presence of others. Prevalence was found to be 6.8% based on a double screening starting with 381 college males. A reliable hierarchy of environmental cues related to avoidance was demonstrated. Avoiders differed from normals on self-reported interpersonal and performance anxiety, but not on sex-related items, introversion, or childhood family size. The most common age of onset was 12-15, and subjects viewed their problem as caused by anxiety and self-esteem factors. The findings thus suggest that this is a relatively common disorder, that it is anxiety based, and that specific treatment technologies relevant to anxiety should be explored.
Legitimacy of Request and Social Problem Solving
Authors: Chiauzzi Emil , Heimberg Richard G.
Published: March 2007

Three experiments examining assertive and nonassertive subjects' evaluation of the reasonableness of requests, their perceived ability to respond to requests, and the factors influencing response selection are reported. In each study, subjects viewed videotapes of requests of empirically determined legitimacy. Relative to assertive subjects, nonassertive subjects evaluated requests as more reasonable, rated themselves as less able to handle requests, and expected poorer outcomes from assertive responses. Legitimacy of request had strong effects on several variables, frequently as part of an interaction with subjects' assertiveness classification. Results are discussed in terms of a problem-solving model of assertive behavior and the need to consider the interplay between cognitions and behavior in the further study of self-assertion.
Covert Conditioning and the Control of Pain
Authors: Cautela Joseph R.
Published: March 2007

A rationale for the covert conditioning (CC) approach to pain is given. The general procedure for behavioral analysis, selection and evaluation of CC procedures is presented. Application of the various CC procedures to the modification of pain behavior is described. Case studies are presented. Experimental results, thus far, warrant further research.
A Device for Unobtrusive Surveillance of Home Relaxation Practice
Authors: Lichstein Kenneth L. , Hoelscher Timothy J.
Published: March 2007

We introduce a relaxation assessment device (RAD) to monitor clients' home relaxation practice unobtrusively. The RAD is a conventional, portable tape recorder with a relaxation tape sealed in the tape compartment and a cumulative stopwatch with associated electronics sealed in the battery compartment. The stopwatch is activated only when the PLAY button is depressed, thereby logging cumulative relaxation practice time. Details on the instrument's electronics are presented, as well as data documenting its functional reliability. Preliminary data on the clinical application of the RAD with samples of anxious and hypertensive individuals suggest that self-reported frequency of relaxation practice is spurious, and compliance to home practice instructions is variable but skewed in the direction of low compliance.
Overcorrection of Spelling Defilcits in Moderately Mentally Retarded Children
Authors: Stewart Claire A. , Singh Nirbhay N.
Published: March 2007

The present study focused on the acquisition and retention of spelling by moderately mentally retarded children who had not been taught any spelling skills as a part of their academic curriculum. Overcorrection plus positive reinforcement was used as the teaching technique with four children in a multiple baseline design. During training the teacher pronounced the target word and the child wrote the word, saying aloud each letter as it was written. If the word was spelled incorrectly, the following procedure was undertaken: The teacher pronounced the word again, the subject pronounced the word, the teacher said aloud each letter of the word, and the subject said aloud each letter of the word as he or she wrote the word correctly. This sequence was repeated five times following a misspelled word. The results showed that all four children rapidly learned to spell the target words and maintained correct spelling of the words during the six-month follow-up period.
Behavioral Contracting to Increase Chest Physiotherapy
Authors: Stark Lori J. , Miller Suzanne T. , Plienes Anthony J. , Drabman Ronald S.
Published: March 2007

Chest physiotherapy (CPT) is the least complied with aspect of cystic fibrosis (CF) treatment and 90% to 95% of CF patients die as a result of chronic pulmonary disease. Behavioral contracting was introduced to increase the compliance of an 11-year-old CF girl to her CPT treatment. Positive changes were reported in her compliance, physiological measures, and family functioning during contracting and follow-up.
Relative Efficacy of Intensive and Spaced Behavioral Treatment of Stuttering
Authors: James Jack E. , Ricciardelli Lina A. , Hunter Christine E. , Rogers Peter
Published: March 2007

Twenty adult and adolescent stutterers were randomly assigned to two treatment formats consisting of either 16 two-hour sessions of fluency training administered within a concentrated period of four consecutive days (intensive treatment), or two two-hour sessions per week for eight weeks (spaced treatment). Frequency of stuttering and rate of speaking were repeatedly assessed from speech samples obtained in six different clinic and extra-clinic speech settings. The efficiency of treatment, subject compliance, and communication "attitudes" were also measured. Fluency training produced significant reductions in stuttering frequency, and significant improvements in speaking rate and communication attitudes for both treatment formats. Both formats were found equivalent on all measures. In addition, generalization of treatment effects was observed in all settings. However, maintenance of generalization effects was uneven across settings, suggesting the possible need for differential levels of training for different speaking situations.
Behavioral Treatment of Multiple Childhood Sleep Disorders
Authors: Durand V. Niark , Mindell Jodi A.
Published: March 2007

Sleep disorders are highlv prevalent among otherwise healthy young children and can be extremelY disruptive to familv life. Treatment was initiated in a multiple baseline fashion for the chronic night waking and nighttime di;t rbance exhibited by a 14-month-old girl. We found that “graduated extinction (gradually increasing the time before attending to the child's crying) resulted in rapid reductions in these sleep disorders. Additionally, data on parental depression and marital satisfaction showed general improvement as a function of improved child sleep patterns. These results are discussed as they relate to the treatment of common childhood behavior disorders and their role in family satisfaction.
Habits with Potential as Disorders
Authors: Hansen David J. , Tishelmian Amy C. , Hawkins Robert P. , Doepke Karla J.
Published: March 2007

Little is known about the prevalence of the various habit disorders such as pulling out one's hair. biting fingernails. or grinding teeth and even less is known about the prevalence of lesser habits which. if exacerbated. mav be costly enough to an individual to be labeled a disorder. Such superficially "purposeless" behaviors provided the focus of the present investigation. An initial group of 142 college students completed a pilot questionnaire to identify habits to be included in a survey. The final questionnaire was then administered to 286 college students. It asked about “purposeless habits.” defined as those “repeated actions that appear to serve no useful purpose but that we continue to engage in anyway.” Behaviors included habits involving the mouth. face, neck, fingers. hands, legs, hair, body, clothing, and objects. In addition to assessing the nature and severitN of problems caused bv each habit, the stimulus conditions influencing its probabilitv, related behaviors, and attempts to stop the habit were assessed. The kinds of behaviors that could become habit disorders were found to be quite common. Clinical and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.
Etiological Models of Child Maltreatment
Authors: Ammerman Robert T.
Published: March 2007

Child abuse and neglect are complex phenomena that require a multidisciplinary perspective. This article describes current etiological formulations of child maltreatment. Three models (ecological, transactional, and transitional) are described that delineate the multiple pathways leading to abuse and neglect. These approaches emphasize the interaction of causative factors in bringing about maltreatment and the importance of high and low-risk characteristics that differentially influence the development of maltreatment. Behavioral explanations of child maltreatment are also discussed. Particularly relevant here are observational learning, anger control, and coercive family processes. Finally, the implications of our understanding of etiology to assessment, treatment, and prevention are outlined and considered.
Toward Empirically Valid Target Selection
Authors: Weist Mark D. , Ollendick Thomas H.
Published: March 2007

The present investigation empirically evaluated whether self-reported assertiveness and role-play assertiveness were associated with interpersonal success in a group of 30 boys. Using a known-groups methodology, 15 popular boys and 15 rejected boys completed self-report and role-play measures of assertiveness. Behaviors traditionally associated with assertiveness, as well as new inductively determined behaviors, were observed and coded. Popular boys demonstrated significantly higher levels of both traditional and inductive behaviors. Moreover, total scores on the inductive behavioral code correlated significantly with self-reported assertiveness, whereas total scores on the traditional code did not. An initial approach to the empirical validation of treatment targets is provided, and the importance of this process for clinical assessment is underscored.
Body-Image Marking
Authors: Thomas Cheryl D. , Freeman Richard J.
Published: March 2007

The relation of image-marking estimates of body width (IM) to actual widths, to other indices of body-size perception, and to measures of body satisfaction were examined using data obtained in a nonclinical sample of 200 women. The results of regression and correlational analyses were as follows: (a) actual widths accounted for only a small proportion of the variance in TM estimates, (b) the variance in IM estimates remaining after actual width was accounted for was not meaningfully related to other body-image indices, and (c) actual widths were more highly correlated with other body-image indices than were differences between estimated and actual widths (IM estimate-actual width). The current results suggest that most of the variance in IM estimates is error variance. Possible methodological confounds, which may bias women's estimates of body widths in the direction of overestimation, are discussed.
Acceptability of Interventions for Childhood Depression
Authors: Tarnowski Kenneth J. , Simonian Susan J. , Bekeny Paula , Park Angela
Published: March 2007

Using a case description methodology, this study examined the effects of behavior problem severity, intervention type. and subject race on mothers' acceptability ratings of five interventions used to treat childhood depression. Results indicated that (a) all psychological (behavioral or cognitive-behavioral) interventions were rated more acceptable than pharmacological treatment; (b) among the psychological interventions, the social skills intervention was the least preferred; (c) acceptability of treatments varied as a function of subject race; and (d) severity of depressive symptoms failed to influence acceptability ratings significantly. Psychometric support was found for a revised measure of acceptability (Abbreviated Acceptability Rating Profile; AARP) developed in the context of the present study. Implications of the findings for consultation are discussed.
The Effect of a Self-Management Training Package on the Transfer of Aggression Control Procedures in the Absence of Supervision
Authors: Ninness H. A. Chris , Ellis Janet , Miller W. Brian , Baker Dennis , Rutherford Roger
Published: March 2007

An aggression replacement and self-management training package reduced the frequency of aggressive behavior among four junior high adolescents identified as seriously emotionally disturbed (SED). During baseline sessions, the students were covertly filmed as they stood unsupervised in front of the school cafeteria. The four subjects engaged in aggressive behavior during 50% of the filmed intervals. These episodes involved provocation by other students, self-initiated provocation, or continuing interaction between students once an aggressive episode had begun. Treatment procedures included instruction, modeling, and role playing of aggression replacement skills. Self-management training included self-assessment, self-recording, and self-reinforcement. Following an 8-week period, subjects demonstrated substantial improvement in prosocial skills without supervision. During reversal-to-baseline conditions, aggressive behavior increased; however, reinstating treatment conditions brought a return to prosocial behavior. Outcomes suggest that aggressive replacement skills may transfer and sustain more adequately using self-management.
Functional Assessment and Binge Eating
Authors: Lee Marcella I. , Miltenberger Raymond G.
Published: March 2007

This article briefly discusses the process of conducting a functional assessment of a problem behavior. Current research on the assessment of antecedents and consequences of binge eating behavior is then reviewed. The article concludes with suggestions for future research in the functional assessment and classification of binge eating.
Worry Versus Anxiety
Authors: Zebb Barbara J. , Beck J. Gayle
Published: March 2007

The similarities and distinctions between the constructs of worry and anxiety were examined in a sample of 189 university students. Three worry scales and four measures of anxiety were compared in relation to measures of negative affect, personal control, and problem-solving style. Although measures of worry and anxiety were highly correlated, negative affect (e.g., depression, confusion) tended to be more closely related to anxiety than to worny, whereas problem-solving style tended to be more closely related to worry than to anxiety. Personal control did not show a differential relationship to anxiety or worry. When the definition of anxiety was restricted to somatic anxiety, however, negative affect, perceived problem-solving abilities, and personal control were more strongly related to worry than to anxiety. Implications of these results are discussed in light of current definitions and measurement of these constructs.
Decoding of Facially Expressed Emotions in Patients with Psychosomatic Gastrointestinal Disorders
Authors: Gerhards Friedemann
Published: March 2007

The hypothesis that individuals with psychosomatic conditions are lacking in empathy was tested by investigating decoding abilities of facially expressed emotions. Fourteen subjects with psychosomatic gastrointestinal disorders and 14 matched controls participated. Slides of one male and one female model's facial expressions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise, and a neutral face, were presented to subjects, with exposure durations of 1/6o, 1A15, and 4 seconds. Subjects had to decide whether the face presented was neutral or expressed one of the basic emotions. There were no significant group differences in decoding neutral expressions, but significant differences resulted in decoding emotional expressions. This was mainly due to the significantly poorer performance of the psychosomatic group in decoding disgust. Subjects' responding was found to be reliable. The findings show that at least certain subgroups of psychosomatic patients tend to misinterpret another person's facial expressions that signal unpleasantness or interpersonal conflict.
Teaching Study Skills and Test-Taking Strategies to Elementary School Students
Authors: Beidel Deborah C. , Turner Samuel M. , Taylor-Ferreira Jill C.
Published: March 2007

A pilot program to reduce test anxiety and related social-evaluative concerns is presented. Testbusters is a program designed specifically for elementary and middle school children in grades 4 through 7 that teaches effective study habits, study skills, and test-taking strategies and includes a behavioral contract to ensure consistent study behavior. The assessment strategy includes selfreport instruments, a behavioral assessment, and children’s grade point averages. After a 6-month waiting period, eight children with moderate to severe test anxiety participated in the 11-week program. The results indicated that Testbusters decreased general levels of test anxiety and self-ratings of distress when taking a test. Overall grade point average improved significantly and grades in the majority of the subjects showed positive improvement. There was no change in overall self-esteem or judgments of cognitive competence. The results are discussed in terms of the use of a skills strategy to decrease anxiety and improve academic achievement.
Reliability of the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills in Individuals with Severe Retardation (MESSIER)
Authors: Matson Johnny L. , Leblanc Linda A. , Weinheimer Bruce
Published: March 2007

Recently, the concepts of social competence and social skills have become important aspects of the evolving definitions of mental retardation. However, no psychometrically sound instruments exist for assessing social skills in lower functioning developmentally disabled people. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Individuals with Severe Retardation (MESSIER)—a new scale designed to measure social skills in adults with severe developmental disabilities. The authors conducted a preliminary evaluation of the test-retest and interrater reliability of the MESSIER. It was determined that the MESSIER has high stability across raters and good stability over time. In addition, good internal consistency was established with coefficient alpha. Potential uses for the scale and directions for future research are discussed.
The Experiencing and Remembering of Well-Being: A Cross-Cultural Analysis
Authors: Oishi Shigehiro
Published: March 2007

Four studies were conducted to examine cultural differences in specific and global reports of well-being. The first two studies were designed to determine whether cultural differences in emotional experiences would emerge at the time of actual experience or at the time of retrospective judgments, using a daily diary and an experience sampling method. Using more controlled methods, Studies 3 and 4 examined the memory, conscious weighting, and nonconscious weighting hypotheses. The results indicate that although there were no cultural differences in online experiences of well-being, European Americans reported a higher degree of well-being than did Asians in retrospective reports. Studies 3 and 4 also indicate that these cultural differences were not due to explicit memory for emotional events or conscious weighting of positive versus negative information. Rather, the cultural difference in retrospective reports of well-being appears to be due to nonconscious weighting of positive versus negative information.
Social Influence in Computer-Mediated Communication: The Effects of Anonymity on Group Behavior
Authors: Postmes Tom , Spears Russell , Sakhel Khaled , de Groot Daphne
Published: March 2007

Two studies examined hypotheses derived from a Social Identity model of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE) as applied to social influence in computer-mediated communication (CMC) in groups. This model predicts that anonymity can increase social influence if a common group identity is salient. In a first study, group members were primed with a certain type of social behavior (efficiency vs. prosocial norms). Consistent with the model, anonymous groups displayed prime-consistent behavior in their task solutions, whereas identifiable groups did not. This suggests that the primed norm took root in anonymous groups to a greater extent than in identifiable groups. A second study replicated this effect and showed that nonprimed group members conformed to the behavior of primed members, but only when anonymous, suggesting that the primed norm was socially transmitted within the group. Implications for social influence in small groups are discussed.
Multiple Motives and Persuasive Communication: Creative Elaboration as a Result of Impression Motivation and Accuracy Motivation
Authors: Nienhuis Annet E. , Manstead Antony S. R. , Spears Russell
Published: March 2007

The authors examined the influence of impression motivation (Experiments 1 and 2) and the combined effects of accuracy motivation and impression motivation (Experiment 3) on the elaboration of persuasive messages as reflected in attitude change and cognitive responses. Intermediate levels of impression motivation led to elaboration of message arguments but high levels of impression motivation did not. The authors argue that the latter finding reflects the operation of creative processing of messages, whereby receivers draw on their own arguments. However, this pattern of results only occurred when individuals also were motivated to hold valid attitudes. When accuracy concerns were lower, high impression motivation was necessary to motivate elaboration of message content. Thus, it was the combined impact of accuracy motivation and high impression motivation that stimulated participants to go beyond the information provided. Implications of these findings are discussed.
The Link between Leadership and Followership: How Affirming Social Identity Translates Vision into Action
Authors: Haslam S. Alexander , Platow Michael J.
Published: March 2007

Two experiments test the hypothesis that support for leaders is enhanced when their decisions affirm a distinct social identity that is shared with followers. In Experiment 1, participants showed less support for a leader who favored ingroup members who were relatively sympathetic to an outgroup position than for one who favored ingroup members who opposed an outgroup position. This finding was replicated in Experiment 2, which also showed that this pattern extended to support for the leader’s novel plans. Although participants indicated that they supported a leader who behaved evenhandedly toward all ingroup members as much as one whose behavior was identity-affirming, they were unwilling to back up the evenhanded leader with written comments and arguments. These data suggest that leaders’ capacity to engender active followership is contingent on their ability to promote collective interests associated with a shared ingroup identity.
Social Anxiety and the Cued Activation of Relational Knowledge
Authors: Baldwin Mark W. , Main Kelley J.
Published: March 2007

A cued activation procedure was used to examine the hypothesis that social anxiety involves an expectation of being rejected or evaluated negatively by others, combined with a concern about impression management. Participants underwent a conditioning procedure in which distinctive computer tones were paired with thoughts of social rejection and acceptance, respectively. In a pilot study, a lexical decision task established that when these tone cues were played later, they differentially activated expectations of rejection. In the main study, female participants interacted with a male confederate while one of the tones, or a control tone, sounded repeatedly in the background. Several indicators of social anxiety showed an interaction between level of public self-consciousness and the nature of the tone played. High-self-conscious individuals tended to be affected by the cues, whereas low-self-conscious people were not affected.
Outgroup Accountability in the Minimal Group Paradigm: Implications for Aversive Discrimination and Social Identity Theory
Authors: Dobbs Michael , Crano William D.
Published: March 2007

The minimal group paradigm (MGP) is a popular method of testing intergroup phenomena. Originally created to facilitate discovery of conditions necessary and sufficient to produce ingroup favoritism, early MGP results suggested that simply grouping people was sufficient to cause discrimination. More recent research has uncovered factors that cause MGP-based discrimination to disappear. The present experiment examined outgroup accountability as explicatory of these variations. It was found that requiring justification for allocations attenuated discrimination. Outgroup accountability-based attenuation was especially evident when the allocator was of majority (vs. minority) status, as expected on the basis of aversive racism considerations. Allocators of minority status tended to discriminate more when made accountable to the outgroup. Implications of these results for theories of social identity and aversive racism are discussed.