Behavior modification techniques were used in an attempt to raise secondary school students' performance in creative writing. Incentives involved points, appropriate levels of teacher comments, and promise of a letter to parents. Results showed a considerable increase in essay scores on all variables considered (fluency, elaboration, and…

A two-stage intervention successfully eliminated a 9-year-old boy's intensive fear in a new school setting. First, the child learned to identify a cue accompanying strong anxiety response; second, he learned to induce a competing cognitive coping response--blocking negative feelings with confidence--reinforcing song lyrics. Author/CMG)

Describes three cases of adult-onset primary anorexia nervosa in males. For each case, the history and diagnostic patterns are considered, followed by a discussion of the course of outpatient treatment. The therapy was multimodal and included elements of behavioral contingency management, cognitive therapy, and dynamic psychotherapy. (JAC)

This study was designed to examine the effectiveness of the "Fear and Loathing of Speaking Out in Public" program. The program, a personal initiative, adapts primary features of the treatment offered by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for clients suffering from fears and phobias. CBT strategies include progressive desensitization, identifying…

This is an investigation of the impact that a volunteer-based violence prevention program is having in a large urban school district located in the Midwest. The program addresses behavioral and violence prevention issues in the school setting with the hopes of reducing the factors that might put a student at-risk for school failure. The long-term…

Incidence of anxiety among musicians has been investigated mostly among classical players and music students. This paper determines that any intervention requires a comprehensive understanding of the primary problem. The presentation of music performance anxiety varies from individual to individual with many possible sources of origin as well as…

Traditional diagnosis procedures for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may lead to over-diagnosis and are fraught with complications because the target behavioral symptoms are found in a variety of other disorders. Traditional treatments consisting of powerful side effect laden psychostimulant drugs…

In 1956, Dr. Albert Ellis presented his seminal work on Rational Therapy, subsequently renamed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) in 1993. This paper explores the origins, theoretical foundations, applications, and implications of REBT and provides a look at the empirical research available in support of the approach's efficacy. REBT is…

The author discusses the scope of psychological problems which confront teenagers and describes methods employed within this therapeutic community to foster self-understanding and ease the transition from childhood to adulthood. (Editor)

The hypothesis was confirmed that behavioral counselors who were facilitative, that is, high in their offerings of warmth, empathy, and genuineness would be more effective than nonfacilitative behavioral counselors, that is, low in their offerings of warmth, empathy and genuineness. (Author/CG(

Examined whether obese subjects' causal attributions of their weight problems to ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck affect how much weight they lose as a function of treatment. Results indicated the most powerful predictor of positive weight status was subjects' perception that they had the ability to lose weight. (Author)

Used monetary contracts to evaluate artificial incentives in weight reduction. Overweight men (N=89) were assigned to weight reduction treatment groups which varied by amount of deposit and type of contract. Results showed group contracts produced more weight loss than individual contracts. Amount of deposit was only weakly related to outcomes.…

Study results indicate that providing simple nutrition information (nutrition-information sign and/or nutrient display cards) at the point-of-choice (where college students decide to obtain milk) in a college dormitory cafeteria was an effective method for influencing the students' dietary practices. (Authors/CJ)

Definite increases toward internal control were shown in an experimental group which experienced relaxation, suggestion, and imagery (RSI) procedures and a control group which discussed ways of modifying locus of control in a study of Rotter's concept. The experimental group's posttreatment scores on Rotter's internal-external scale were…