Abstracts in English

S D Rose: Assertive Training in Groups: Research in Clinical Setting. Soand J Behav Thev, 6S 61-86, 1977. Under auspices of the Interpersonal Skill Training and Research Program a series of seven research projects have recently been completed in which the effectiveness of assertive training in groups with various clinical and professional populations has been evaluated. These populations included young adults, women, social workers and the elderly. The programs for assertive training included a variety of procedures such as modeling, coaching, overt behaviour rehearsal, covert rehearsal, group feedback, buddy contacts, selected readings, homework assignments, and contingency contracts. Data were collected on outcome by means of assertion inventories and audiotaped role play tests, and on process by means of observation of interaction, attendance, completion rate of assignments, and self report at the end of each meeting. Results on the role play tests tended to support the efficacy of assertive training for all the populations, however, strongest results were obtained for the women and young adults and the weakest for the elderly. Evidence also supported the use of contingecy contracts as a means of increasing the rate of assignment completion.

O Hordlund, S Ronnberg & Gohlsson: The Functional Importance of "Showing Responses" in the Creative Activity in Children. Soand J Behav Ther, 6, 87-93, 1977. A child's creative activity is often terminated by the child showing the accomplished product to a parent or a teacher. This "showing response" was hypothezised to be of central importance in maintaining creative behaviour, as it "mediates" social reinforcement for this activity. The hypothesis was tested on four children, two of which followed an A-B-A design and two a B-A design, where in the A condition the child was not given the opportunity to show his drawings. In the B condition this opportunity was provided. During the A condition the number of accomplished drawings rapidly dropped to zero. It is pointed out that the showing response seems to be a natural instance of "self-reinforcement".