Behavioral marriage therapy: I. A psychodynamic-systems analysis and critique

After briefly summarizing the major theoretical premises and treatment strategies of Behavioral Marriage Therapy (BMT), five major clusters of implicit assumptions in BMT are identified and critically examined: I. "The Rational Observing Ego Shall Conquer All"; II. "Behavior Should Not Mean, But Be"; III. "What's Sauce for the Goose is Sauce for the Gander"; IV. "Repression Is Good for Your Marital Mental Health"; V. "The Folly of the Therapist as Technician." Throughout this analysis, the conceptual and clinical limitations of a strictly or predominantly behavioral approach to couples therapy are described, and BMT is reconsidered in the light of object relations theory and communication theory perspectives on marital dysfunction and its treatment.     

Use of the survey of elementary education students' reading instructional beliefs

29 undergraduate majors in elementary education reading instructional beliefs were measured at the beginning and the conclusion of a 15-wk. course on reading methods. Analysis indicated a positive change in the students' beliefs.     

Toward Relationship‐Directed Parenting: An Example of North American Born Second‐Generation Korean‐American Mothers and their Partners

Historically, parenting has been constructed hierarchically; however, contemporary parenting models frequently emphasize parenting as relationship (Siegel & Hartzell [2004] Parenting from the inside out: How a deeper self‐understanding can help you raise children who thrive; Tuttle, Knudson‐Martin, & Kim [2012] Family Process, 51, 73–89). Drawing on interviews with 20 North American born second‐generation Korean–American mothers and their partners, and sensitized by TP‐CRO, a social constructionist framework for conceptualizing parent–child relational orientations, this grounded theory analysis identified three main processes that facilitate relational connection as a parenting orientation rather than the rule‐directed approach historically associated with first‐generation immigrant Asian families. These include: (a) emphasizing dominant culture values; (b) inviting open communication; and (c) promoting mutuality. Results also show how parents integrate collectivist cultural values of their first generation immigrant parents' traditional culture into North American parenting ideals with which they primarily identify. The study demonstrates the usefulness of the TP‐CRO for understanding parent–child relationships within multicultural parenting contexts and offers suggestions for working with second‐generation Korean families.     

Peer tutoring to prevent firearm play acquisition, generalization, and long-term maintenance of safety skills

Hundreds of accidental injuries and deaths to children occur annually in the United States as a result of firearm play. Behavioral skills training (BST) and in situ training have been found to be effective in teaching children the skills to use if they find a firearm, but training requires substantial time and effort. The current study examined the use of peers as tutors as a potential way to decrease the time and resources needed to teach these safety skills to youngsters. Peer trainers conducted BST and in situ training with other children. Children taught by the peer trainers acquired the safety skills and demonstrated them in naturalistic situations in which the skills were needed. Furthermore, all of the peer trainers acquired and maintained the skills. These results support the use of peer tutoring for teaching safety skills to other children.     

An evaluation of in situ training to teach sexual abuse prevention skills to women with mental retardation

The current study evaluated a behavioral skills training (BST) program in combination with in situ training to teach sexual abuse prevention skills to five women with mild to moderate mental retardation. In situ assessments were conducted following BST and in situ training sessions were conducted for those who were unable to demonstrate the skills in the natural setting. The results showed that generalization of the safety skills to the natural setting occurred for three of the five participants following one to two in situ training sessions. One participant required 12 in situ training sessions and three booster training sessions to reach criterion level. Three of four participants assessed 1 month following training maintained the skills. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preliminary evaluation of a parent training program to prevent gun play

Recent research has shown that behavioral skills training with in situ training is an effective strategy to teach children the safety skills needed if they ever encounter an unattended firearm. The current study evaluated the use of parents as trainers to increase the efficiency of training. The success of parent training on their children's safety skills was evaluated in a multiple baseline across participants design. The results showed that the training was effective for 3 of the 4 children.     

Validity and reliability of visual ratings of the vertical jump

The validity and reliability of visual estimates of the kinematics of the vertical jump as would be common in qualitative analysis of human movement was studied. Sagittal plane videotapes of 12 females performing vertical jumps were rated on two occasions by three samples of subjects: 6 basketball coaches, 10 kinesiology students, and 5 kinesiology professors. Visual ratings were compared to values quantified by biomechanical analysis using the Peak Performance Technologies system. Assistant collegiate basketball coaches were unable to rate discrete body angles in the vertical jump accurately or consistently. Six of 10 college student raters could accurately and consistently rate over-all range of motion. Since only one of the kinesiology professors could accurately and consistently rate range of motion compared to the majority of the students, professional experience did not affect the ability to rate range of motion in the vertical jump in these subjects.     

Biomechanics Concept Inventory

A third version of a biomechanics concept inventory was developed and administered to 41 kinesiology majors before and after an introductory biomechanics class to build a larger pool of questions for course evaluation. The test measured understanding of four prerequisite and eight competencies based on national standards. Mean and standard deviation normalized gain was 29% (21) of maximum possible improvement and was similar to previous versions of the test given to students at the same university. Biomechanics instructors can use questions from all versions of the Biomechanics Concept Inventory to customize tests for evaluating instructional techniques in biomechanics.