Interpersonal problems and outcome in outpatient psychotherapy: findings from a long-term longitudinal study in Germany

We used a comprehensive longitudinal data set from Germany to examine trajectories of symptom distress depending on interpersonal problems at study intake measured via the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-64 (IIP-64; Horowitz, Strau, & Kordy, 1994). Participants (N=622) underwent mid- or long-term outpatient psychotherapy (either psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or analytic psychotherapy). Data comprises up to 5 assessments during a 2-year period and was analyzed via hierarchical linear modeling. In the analytic psychotherapy subgroup, initial symptom level was higher in submissive patients. Initial interpersonal problems were not predictive of the rate of symptom change during therapy. Only in psychodynamic treatments, low affiliation positively affected treatment outcome. Interpersonal problems at intake were not related to the number of utilized sessions and utilization rate across treatment subgroups. We discuss the findings and outline future research topics.     

The impact of informative tutoring feedback and self-efficacy on motivation and achievement in concept learning

Informative tutoring feedback (ITF) provides assisted multiple response tries by offering strategically useful information for task completion as opposed to simply offering the solution. Previous studies on ITF focused on its effects on achievement. The present studies examine the assumption that ITF affects not only achievement, but also motivational variables such as task engagement, effort, persistence, and satisfaction with performance. In two experiments, students differing in self efficacy (SE) for identifying concepts worked on concept identification tasks. In cases of incorrect hypothesis about the concept, they received either outcome feedback or ITF. Results reveal that motivation and achievement depend on both SE and type of feedback. Future research should examine in more detail how ITF affects the self-enhancing processes between on-task motivation, achievement, and self-evaluation.     

ANTECEDENT FACTORS DIFFERENTIATING WOMEN AND MEN IN SCIENCE/ NONSCIENCE CAREERS

Factors that differentiate women and men who choose a science career from those who do not were investigated using longitudinal data from 1980 and 1990. The participants (N = 459) were ninth or twelfth graders at six midwestern high schools in 1980. Women in science compared to women in other careers were significantly more likely to value math and science for their future career goals, whereas men in science compared to men in other careers had significantly higher high school grade point averages in natural science and higher career aspirations. Not unexpectedly, both women and men in science careers compared to those in nonscience careers took more high school elective science courses because they wanted to, aspired to higher prestige careers as young adults, and attributed their math successes more to their ability. The male model accounted for more than twice the variance accounted for by the female model, and context variables were not predictive for either model. Suggestions for revising the model and improving the assessment of context influences are made. Implications for research and practice include designing and evaluating programs to increase the number of intellectually able girls valuing math and science as these relate to their future goals.     

The Association of Group Self-Identification and Adolescent Drug Use in Three Samples Varying in Risk1

This study provides a cross-sectional analysis of the relations between group self-identification and adolescent drug use in 3 samples of youth: comprehensive high-school, continuation high-school, and runaway/street youth. Youth identified with discrete groups in all 3 samples, and similar general groups were formed. In most comparisons, a high-risk group showed greater levels of drug use than did other groups. This is the first study to demonstrate that group self-identification (a) is a generalizable construct across different types of adolescent samples, (b) is related to use of drugs other than tobacco, and (c) remains a significant correlate of drug use controlling for its relations with demographic variables and several other psychosocial variables.     

Parent Participation Within Community Center or In-Home Outreach Delivery Models of the Early Risers Conduct Problems Prevention Program

A variety of predictors of parent participation in prevention programming have been identified in past research, but few studies have investigated how those predictors may vary by implementation context. Patterns of parent participation were examined in the Early Risers Conduct Problems Prevention Program using two family-focused service delivery models: a community center model (Center) and an in-home outreach-based model (Outreach). An ethnically diverse sample of Kindergarten through second grade students (n = 246) displaying elevated levels of aggression were recruited for the study and randomly assigned to either the Center (n = 121) or Outreach (n = 125) models. In both delivery models, participants and their families completed an assortment of baseline measures and received family skills and child skills intervention components and family- and school-based case management. Parents in the Center model demonstrated greater overall participation in family-focused components of the intervention. Parent motivation with parent-focused expectancies for the intervention represented the strongest predictor of parent participation across both delivery models. Family income differentially predicted parent participation across the two models, with low income predicting greater participation in the Center model and lower participation in the Outreach model. A qualitative finding emerged showing that parents receiving parent skills in the Center model via groups preferred to learn skills related to facilitating overall family relationships, whereas parents receiving parent skills via individual Outreach meetings preferred to improve a child’s behavior and emotion skills. Implications are discussed for the design of prevention programming in order to maximize parent participation in high risk populations.     

The Development of Internal State Language during the Third Year of Life: A Longitudinal Parent Report Study

Children's talk about the mind has been scarcely studied in non‐English speakers. For this reason, this longitudinal study documents age‐related changes in German‐speaking children's internal state language. At 24, 30 and 36 months, children were administered general language tests and their internal state vocabulary levels were obtained via parental report. The developmental transition from a vocabulary rich in physiological, perceptual and desire terms to a vocabulary rich in a wider range of mental concepts confirmed previous research with French‐speaking and English‐speaking children and research in children's internal state comprehension. Further, children's category scores proved to be developmentally stable. Finally, with increasing age, children's category scores became more specifically related to each other, independent of general language skills. The results are discussed in regard to the universality of children's talk about the mind. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.