EFFECTIVENESS OF BRIEF TIME-OUT WITH AND WITHOUT CONTINGENT DELAY: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

We evaluated a commonly used component of brief time-out, in which release from time-out is delayed contingent on the occurrence of disruption. Data were collected for one normal and two mentally retarded children on time-out-producing behaviors (aggression and disruption) as well as delay-producing behaviors during time-out (loud vocalizations, out-of-chair, aggression, and disruption). The results of a combination ABAC reversal and multiple-baseline design indicated that, under the conditions used in this investigation, both delay and no delay variations were effective in reducing the frequency of the target behaviors. Implications for the use of time-out to reduce aberrant behaviors are discussed.     

A device for the computer processed analysis of video frames

This article briefly describes a system of analyzing movement sequences extracted from video images. The system uses an IBM-PC or compatible computer, equipped with a CGA screen and a mouse, and a videotape recorder and monitor. The coordinates of the points selected from the images with the mouse are stored in an ASCII-format file by a computer program. The principle behind this system is that it projects video images on a computer screen through a one-way mirror while avoiding parallax effects.     

Hypnotic age regression and moral reasoning

Moral reasoning was assessed with two dilemmas from the Kohlberg Moral Judgment Interview (1976) in 7 adults who were hypnotically age regressed to four ages: 15, 12, 9, and 6 years. Seven adults in a control group under task-motivation instructions were age regressed to the same ages and administered the dilemmas. Age-regressed moral maturity scores for both groups were compared to pretest scores, to data for actual 15-, 12-, 9-, and 6-year-olds from other studies, and to each other. Both groups were able to lower their moral reasoning scores when given age-regression instructions; however, hypnosis subjects not only scored lower than task-motivation subjects but also more closely resembled the levels of reasoning used by children at these ages. The results provide some support for a distinction between age regression through hypnosis and age regression through task-motivation instructions.     

Role of the Leader in Therapy Groups Conducted With Illicit Drug Abusers: How Directive Does the Leader Have to Be?

A 17-hour marathon group was conducted in a residential treatment center established for inmates in a correctional setting in the southeastern United States. The Hill Interaction Matrix (HIM-G; Hill, 1965) was used to measure the types of leader activity and the types of member activity during portions of each hour of the group activity. It was found that when the group was most therapeutic, there was a relationship between the therapists' actions and behaviors and the types of issues that were discussed in the group. The results that were found do not agree with some of the established drug and alcohol abuse literature.     

Effects of anger management and goal setting group interventions on state-trait anger and self-efficacy beliefs among high risk adolescents

In this study we evaluated the effects of two psychoeducational groups (anger management and goal setting) on state and trait anger, anger expression, and on self-efficacy beliefs of high risk adolescents enrolled in an alternative high school. Participants (n = 57) were pre- and post-tested using the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) with subscales for (a) state anger, (b) trait anger, and (c) anger expression, and on a measure of self-efficacy related to (a) anger management, (b) goal setting, and (c) group behavior and interpersonal communication. We hypothesized that each treatment would favorably impact the self-efficacy items related to it, that participants in both treatment groups would show gains in self-efficacy for general group behavior and communication skills, and that the anger management treatment would decrease state anger and anger expression. Results of a series of Repeated Measures ANOVAS revealed no group effects or group by time interaction effects. Analysis of Cohen's d effect sizes for the treatment groups in comparison with the control condition indicated only small treatment effects for the goal setting group on the STAXI, and small, negative treatment effects for the anger management group on the STAXI and on state anger. Thus, results failed to support the hypotheses with the current data set. Limitations of this study and implications for future research and group practice within schools are discussed. The authors thank Ellen Hawley McWhirter, Greg Sandstrom, and the administration, faculty, and students of the participating “alternative high school” for their help and support.     

The suppression of exciting thoughts

We examined how the suppression of an exciting thought influences sympathetic arousal as indexed by skin conductance level (SCL). Subjects were asked to think aloud as they followed instructions to think about or not to think about various topics. Experiment 1 showed that trying not to think about sex, like thinking about sex, elevates SCL in comparison to thinking about or not thinking about less exciting topics (e.g., dancing). Experiment 2 revealed that the suppression of the thought of sex yielded SCL elevation whether or not subjects believed their think-aloud reports would be private or public, and it also revealed that the effect dissipated over the course of a few minutes. Experiment 3 found such dissipation again but showed that subsequent intrusions of the suppressed exciting thought are associated with further elevations in SCL over 30 min. Because such an association was not found when subjects were trying to think about the exciting thought, it was suggested that the suppression of exciting thoughts might be involved in the production of chronic emotional responses such as phobias and obsessive preoccupations.