Discrimination learning of delinquent boys as a function of reinforcement contingency and delinquent subtype

Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of contingency management as a means of behavioral resocialization with delinquent boys on an individual basis. The present study was designed to examine and clarify systematically the reinforcement parameters that underlie the male delinquent's response to verbal and token reward and/or punishment. The principal findings of the study were: (1) Neurotic subjects performed at the highest level for punishment, at the lowest level for reward, and at an intermediate level for a combination of reward and punishment, regardless of verbal or token contingency modality. (2) Psychopathic subjects performed best for the joint verbal reward and punishment contingency, but they did not learn over trials for the joint token reward and punishment contingency. Their performance was undifferentiated at asymptote under the separate verbal and token reward or punishment contingencies. (3) Neurotic subjects performed at a significantly higher level than did psychopathic subjects for verbal and token punishment, while psychopathic subjects performed at a significantly higher level than neutric subjects for verbal and token reward.The authors wish to thank the staff and students of the Lookout Mountain School for Boys and the Golden Gate Youth Camp at Golden, Colorado, for their cooperation in this study. Special thanks are due to Mr. Loren Adlfinger, director, and Mr. George Taylor of the Lookout Mountain School for Boys, and to Mr. John P. McIlwee of the Golden Gate Youth Camp. The study was submitted in 1974 by the first author to the Graduate School of the University of Colorado in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy in clinical psychology.     

Meaningful and Psychologically Rewarding Occupations: Characteristics and Implications for Occupational Therapy Practice

The differences between meaningful and psychologically rewarding occupations were investigated. Fifty-two individuals from the United States and South Africa participated in the research, which was conducted using the Experience Sampling Method. Participants were cued at random, five times per day for 7?days. Each time when cued, they documented the types of occupations in which they were participating, associated mood, and perceived meaning of the occupations. Meaningful and psychologically rewarding occupations were similar: Both were physically stimulating and connected participants with other people. There were differences between U.S. and South African participants regarding perceived meaning of occupations and associated mood.     

‘I’ve got to prioritise’: being a parent with cystic fibrosis

Due to advances in earlier diagnosis and treatment, the life expectancy of a person born with cystic fibrosis (CF) has increased. Therefore, more people with CF are becoming parents but the psychological understanding of CF has lagged behind advances in medical treatment; there is very limited applied psychological research on which parents and professionals can draw when considering issues of parenting in this context. This qualitative research explored how mothers and fathers with CF experience and manage the dual roles of being a parent and living with CF. The aim was to facilitate development of an understanding of experience rather than test existing theory. A qualitative methodology was chosen as it allowed participants to reflect openly on their individual experiences. Nine participants completed semi-structured interviews either in their own homes or a clinic base which examined parenting, CF and the interaction between the two roles. Four participants were male and five were female with an age range of 21–50. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used to interpret the participants’ accounts and generate super-ordinate and master themes. ‘Being a parent on compressed time’ was the super-ordinate theme which reflected the challenge of parenting within both a limited life trajectory and a complex treatment regime with daily adherence and time pressures. The findings have implications for parents with CF, those considering parenting and for health professionals working in CF services whose guidance needs to be grounded in an evidence-base. Further research is needed to explore the experiences of parents within different family structures, parents who have had a transplant and the perspectives of others in the wider system in which parents with CF are located.     

Testing the Efficacy of the FEAR—Model of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Treating Test Anxiety in Chemistry Students

Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy - Globally, considerable number of students experienced test anxiety. This study tested the efficacy of the FEAR—model of...     

The New Occupational Therapy Paradigm: Implications for Integration of the Psychosocial Core of Occupational Therapy in All Clinical Specialties

In this paper, it is argued that the new occupational therapy paradigm includes a core of psychosocial skills, consistent with the profession's historical roots in mental health. It is proposed that contrary to the declining presence of occupational therapy in mental health, psychosocial interventions should be explicitly integrated in all professional practice, such that occupational therapy will become the profession of choice in addressing psychosocial issues of all clients irrespective of clinical specialty. A case study is presented as an example to demonstrate how this explicit integration may be achieved in physical rehabilitation.     

The relationships between perfectionism,religious motivation,and mental health utilisation among latter-day saint students

The present study examined the influence of perfectionism and religious motivation on help-seeking and attitudes towards mental health services (ATMHS) in a Latter-Day Saint sample of 119 undergraduates. Increased levels of perfectionism significantly predicted more negative ATMHS. Higher intrinsic religious motivation was significantly and positively related to help-seeking from religious sources, but not from mental health professionals. Intrinsic religious motivation was also related to perfectionism, but only for adaptive subscales. The implications for focusing utilisation interventions towards religious populations are discussed.     

Helping parents of premature babies: A cognitive-behavioral approach

Having an infant in an intensive care setting is highly stressful for parents and may disrupt the bonding process. This article presents a cognitive-behavioral framework as a useful way of understanding and intervening with parents of normal, healthy, premature babies. Differences are shown between stimulus events experienced by parents of term and premature babies and the consequent differences in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are discussed. Suggestions are made for helping parents of premature babies replace dysfunctional irrational cognitions with more appropriate and rational beliefs.     

Taken by surprise: The paradox of the surprise test revisited

A teacher announced to his pupils that on exactly one of the days of the following school week (Monday through Friday) he would give them a test. But it would be a surprise test; on the evening before the test they would not know that the test would take place the next day. One of the brighter students in the class then argued that the teacher could never give them the test. It can't be Friday, she said, since in that case we'll expect it on Thurday evening. But then it can't be Thursday, since having already eliminated Friday we'll know Wednesday evening that it has to be Thursday. And by similar reasoning we can also eliminate Wednesday, Tuesday, and Monday. So there can't be a test!The students were somewhat baffled by the situation. The teacher was well-known to be truthful, so if he said there would be a test, then it was safe to assume that there would be one. On the other hand, he also said that the test would be a surprise. But it seemed that whenever he gave the test, it wouldn't be a surprise.Well, the teacher gave the test on Tuesday, and, sure enough, the students were surprised.