Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Maher, Brendan A.

doi: 10.1037/h0020001pmid: N/A

In this editorial, the author notes that rejection rates in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology have been high for some time and provides a commentary on some specific problems of authorship and editorship in the hope that it may be of value to reader and writer alike. The topics include piecemeal publication, single correlations, negative results, overspecific conclusions, and faddism and one-shot papers.

Langer, Ellen J.; Abelson, Robert P.

doi: 10.1037/h0036054pmid: 4814097

Assessed the effect of labels on clinicians' judgments in a 2 * 2 design. Clinicians (N = 40) representing behavioral and analytic schools of thought viewed a single videotaped interview between a man who had recently applied for a new job and one of the authors. One-half of each group was told that the interviewee was a "job applicant," while the remaining 1/2 was told that he was a "patient." At the end of the videotape, all clinicians were asked to complete a questionnaire evaluating the interviewee. The interviewee was described as fairly well adjusted by the behavioral therapists regardless of the label supplied. This was not the case, however, for the more traditional therapists. When the interviewee was labeled "patient," he was described as significantly more disturbed than he was when he was labeled "job applicant."

Seidman, Edward; Golding, Stephen L.; Hogan, Terrence P.; LeBow, Michael D.

doi: 10.1037/h0036042pmid: 4814081

Notes that despite a rapidly expanding literature on the A-B therapist-type variable, an adequate conceptual and empirical understanding has not been forthcoming. The present study endeavored to increase the limited understanding of the A-B dimension as well as to compare 3 different versions of the A-B scale. A battery of interest, personality, and aptitude tests (e.g., the SVIB) was completed by 231 undergraduate males. This battery was subjected to a 2-step principal components analysis in order to minimize the effects of method-specific sources of variance. Each of the 3 A-B scales was then regressed against component scores, followed by multiple discriminant-function analyses. Results indicate that 2 of the 3 A-B scales seem to be tapping a dimension tentatively labeled as a "social interpersonal orientation vs an impersonal cognitively complex orientation toward concepts and things." Explanations for some inconsistencies in the literature, for the nature of the Therapist * Patient Type interaction effect, and for possible strategies for future research are discussed. (42 ref)

Paul, Gordon L.; McInnis, Titus L.

doi: 10.1037/h0036041pmid: 4814094

Gave 2 groups of nonprofessional trainees (n = 21) from a high-unemployment area specific job-related training in behavioral principles and procedures of both milieu and social-learning treatment programs for chronic mental patients. Group 1 received sequential training with professional staff 1st conducting classroom instruction, followed by on-the-job training. Group 2 received abbreviated classroom instruction by professional staff, integrated with clinical observation with experienced technicians. Demographic and personality assessment occurred before training, attitudinal assessment on modified versions of the Opinions about Mental Illness Scale and Paul's Therapist Orientation Sheet was obtained before and after the academic portion of training, and an academic test was obtained after academic training. The sequential-professional mode of training resulted in better academic performance. Attitudinal changes were associated with behavior-specific training, and differential patterns of change were found for the 2 approaches. Trainee attitudes tended toward those of instructors, and attitudinal similarity was related to academic performance. Comparisons with attitudes of other occupational groups indicated that the present nonprofessional trainees after training were unique but more similar to professionals than to nonprofessionals studied elsewhere. (22 ref)

Maletzky, Barry M.

doi: 10.1037/h0036060pmid: 4855979

Describes a modification of covert sensitization wherein a malodorous substance, valeric acid, is presented at critical points during scene presentations. This "assisted" technique was applied to 10 successive exhibitionist patients with excellent results. Not only was overt exposing behavior eliminated, but exhibitionist fantasies, urges, and dreams ceased as well. The data presented were collected from Ss' and Os' reports. Follow-up evaluations carried out at 3-, 6-, and 12-mo intervals revealed continuing absence of exhibitionist behavior. (23 ref)

Silver, Maurice J.

doi: 10.1037/h0036032pmid: 4814095

40 male undergraduates individually participated in a personality assessment session and hypnotic susceptibility session (using the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale). Scales derived from the Rorschach test were used to measure the personality traits of repressive style and adaptive regression. The transitory variable, mood just prior to hypnosis, was assessed by a mood index derived from the Nowlis Mood Adjective Check List (MACL). Results show that hypnotizability was a significant interactive function of repressive style and mood (Ss high in repressive style and in bright moods tended to be hypnotizable) but not of adaptive regression and mood. Mood as a main variable was significantly related to hypnotizability. The MACL Surgency scale (which contains the adjectives carefree, playful, and witty) was the best single predictor of hypnotizability, accounting for 25% of the variance. Neither personality trait as a main variable was related to hypnotizability. (33 ref)

Wexler, David A.

doi: 10.1037/h0036034pmid: 4814096

Investigated the hypotheses that (a) the creation of new experience in cognitive functioning involves increased differentiation and integration of meaning and (b) self-actualization involves the tendency to engage in a mode of cognitive processing that creates new experience. Using protocols of 61 undergraduates describing their experiencing of emotions, it was found that differentiation and integration of meaning were related to the degree that vocal style indicated the creation of new experience. Also as predicted, both meaning and stylistic perspectives for assessing the creation of new experience were related to a separate measure of self-actualization (the Personal Orientation Inventory). Discussion includes possible implications for conceiving of client participation in psychotherapy in terms of the differentiation and integration of meaning and for understanding self-actualization in terms of differences in cognitive functioning. (27 ref)

Gootnick, Andrew T.

doi: 10.1037/h0035997pmid: 4814098

Compared 2 research instruments concerned with the "locus of control" variable-Rotter's Internal-External Control (I-E) Scale and Coan's Personal Opinion Survey-to see how each could predict political participation of newly enfranchised college freshmen (N = 102) in a presidential election year. The Personal Opinion Survey yielded significant correlations (p < .001) between its measure of locus of control and registration to vote, while the I-E scale did not predict this relationship in a statistically significant way (p > .05). Discussion of the different theoretical approaches of the scales includes (a) an evaluation in light of the present data of the arguments against the usefulness of the I-E scale; and (b) the need for a change in research orientation to a multidimensional approach, which the Personal Opinion Survey utilizes. (20 ref)

Christensen, Larry

doi: 10.1037/h0036028pmid: 4814099

Investigated the generality of perceptual accuracy across persons and responses and examined the reliability of accuracy scores. 84 undergraduates predicted either the "self-description" or the "real self" of 16 target-persons' responses on a bipolar rating scale following each of 2 information conditions. Product-moment correlations computed on the 2 types of accuracy scores attained for persons and responses support the concept of a global ability to perceive others. The reliability index revealed that the accuracy scores were consistent across time.

D'Augelli, Anthony R.; Chinsky, Jack M.

doi: 10.1037/h0036004pmid: 4814100

Used a behavioral assessment procedure to rate 138 undergraduates as high or low in interpersonal skills. After receiving practice, cognitive, or no pretraining in group procedures Ss participated in discussion groups. Groups composed of members who were rated high in interpersonal skills were found to engage in significantly more personal discussion and feedback and less impersonal discussion than groups composed of members rated low in these skills. Groups receiving pretraining showed similar significant differences on these dimensions when compared to no-pretraining controls. Of the 2 types of pretraining investigated, the cognitive approach with no practice trials appeared most effective. Group composition and pretraining interacted such that groups composed of high-skill participants were affected by specific pretraining conditions, whereas low-skill groups were generally not differentially responsive. Implications of these findings for the most efficient use of group procedures and selection of nonprofessionals are discussed. (26 ref)