Behavioral measures of assertiveness: A comparison of audio and audiovisual coding of structured interactions

This study assessed the relative utility of audio and audiovisually recorded versions of structured interactions from the Behavioral Assertiveness Test-Revised. The subjects were 28 adult male psychiatric patients who participated in an assertion training program. The systems were evaluated on a number of dimensions including reliability, comparability, sensitivity to change, concurrent and discriminant validity, and cost. The two systems were found to be approximately equally reliable, to produce comparable results on measures that were assessed by both systems, and to be approximately equally sensitive to change. The main advantage of the audiovisual system was the inclusion of a measure of eye contact — which proved to be one of the most valid component behaviors assessed. Potential users need to weigh the additional information obtained from this measure against the substantially greater cost of the audiovisual system. It was concluded that both systems could be simplified, and limitations of the study were noted.     

Intimate partner aggression reporting concordance and correlates of agreement among men with alcohol use disorders and their female partners

This study examined relationship aggression reporting concordance among 303 men with alcohol use disorders and their female partners enrolled in couples-based alcohol abuse treatment. Agreement for physical and psychological aggression was generally consistent with, or higher than, concordance rates reported among other populations. Men's antisocial personality disorder characteristics were the strongest predictor of higher concordance for male- and female-perpetrated aggression. Higher alcohol problem severity, poorer relationship adjustment, and higher psychopathic personality features were associated with better concordance in some analyses. Women reported experiencing more physical aggression than men reported perpetrating, and women reported perpetrating more psychological aggression than men reported experiencing. Findings highlight the importance of obtaining aggression reports from both partners and the need for research investigating methods for improving concordance.     

Vocal indicators of facilitative interpersonal skills

The facilitative interpersonal skills (FIS) method uses simulations of difficult client moments as a test of helpers' ability to remain therapeutic in therapeutically stressful situations. A total of 135 participants completed the FIS task as part of a training in helping skills and provided verbal responses that were assessed by trained raters for interpersonal skills. Audio recordings of these verbal responses were then analysed acoustically for fundamental frequency (F0), spectral slope and F0 range. Mean F0 and F0 range were more highly associated with trained raters' ratings of FIS for female participants than for male participants, although F0 range was associated with FIS of both males and females. The results suggest that F0 is associated with FIS for females, especially the FIS items that are indicative of emotional expression and verbal fluency. Findings are discussed as possibly indicating that some expression of higher F0 in response to distressed client situations may be part of interpersonal skills, such that more skilled therapists respond to stressful client situations with a higher F0.     

Personal models of diabetes and their relations to self-care activities

Investigated the personal models of diabetes held by 46 female outpatients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The subjects' mean age was 64 years (range = 46 to 79 years), and 24 subjects were taking insulin. Their personal models were explored by using a comprehensive interview including questions on beliefs and emotions about cause, symptoms, course, treatment, and consequences of their diabetes. Two weeks after their interview, patients provided information about their levels of self-care activities, including exercise, diet, and glucose testing. The interview provided multiple indicators of the personal-model constructs from which four composites were formed assessing cause, symptoms, treatment, and seriousness (a combination of course and consequences). In hierarchical multiple-regression analyses, these dimensions significantly improved the prediction of diet level and marginally improved the prediction of exercise after accounting for the effects of age and insulin taking. The results are discussed in terms of variations in personal models across different patient groups and diseases and the role of personal models in determining self-care behaviors.     

Conservatism,sensation-seeking and music preferences

Wilson-Patterson Conservatism (C) and Zuckerman's Sensation-seeking (SS) scores were investigated in relation to music preferences in a group of 43 students. High C scorers preferred familiar pieces of music relative to low C scorers (r = 0.30, P < 0.05). A tendency for conservatives to prefer simple music just failed to reach significance. Relationships between SS scores and music preferences were non-significant with the present sample, though SS scores were inversely related to C scores (r = –0.48, P < 0.01).