People who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder believe that their body is defected and that this defect makes them ugly. Their distorted body image can be precipitated by many internal and external factors and as a result of their imagined defect, these normal-appearing individuals exhibit self-defeating behaviors. The disorder can lead to the…

The purpose of the Time-Out Parent Inventory (TOPI) is to provide an objective and quantitative assessment of a parent's self-reported use of time-out procedures to manage a child's behavior. The TOPI is intended to be a tool for researchers as well as professionals who help parents and children. The professional asks the parent a series of 12…

This study examined expenses associated with providing the Lovaas behavioral therapy for children with autism as well as the amount and type of stress parents perceive in raising an autistic child. Parents (12 mothers and 10 fathers) of autistic children (mean age 56 months) completed a self-report questionnaire. Expenses associated with the…

This paper focuses on the development of a counseling intervention for use with youth in managing their anger. The anger-management materials described combine elements of a cognitive-behavioral approach with a process orientation to help at-risk youth maintain a career. It is noted that students are taught a strategy for dealing with anger and…

This study sought to examine the structure and consistency of perceptions of behavior deceleration procedures within populations, provide a preliminary "index" of acceptability, determine if these procedures can be categorized into meaningful groups, and examine the consistency of perceptions across populations. Subjects were 20…

Today, counseling in an elementary school setting is both exciting and extremely challenging. Never before has there been such a high need for counselors to work with such a young and large portion of the population. The Person-Centered Approach to groups in the school setting works well in counseling because of the high level of empathy and…

This study examined Toughlove, the controversial self-help organization for parents and out-of-control adolescents. Six small group Toughlove meetings containing an average of 8 members for each were observed, and questionnaires were completed by 75 Toughlove parents from 8 states. Variables examined include the roles of empathy, assertiveness…

When the amount of available information exceeds the ability of the user to process it, "information overload" is created. In an attempt to maintain some control over the quantity of arguments they may face, debaters have developed adaptive behavior, primarily through the generic argument--any argument within a "deliverative"…

In contrast with earlier findings indicating that public information campaigns produce little change in public attitudes and behaviors, current research suggests that the Advertising Council's "Take a Bite Out of Crime" campaign, initiated in 1979, has had a substantive impact on the public's response to crime prevention. Data from a…

This paper, written for counselors, psychologists, and educators, presents an integrative review of family therapy and parent training literature. Following the introduction, section 2 reviews family systems theory and family therapy; a definition of family therapy, a historical perspective, and theories of family systems, including the…

A program of sex education for adults using behavior rehearsal techniques has been developed which focuses initially on eliminating the fear and anxiety adults experience when discussing sex. In addition, the program gives adults practice in answering questions similar to those children might ask them. (Author)

A description of a behavioral intervention using token rewards that facilitated talking with deviant adolescent boys about their feelings in group therapy and produced dramatic short-term improvement in school adjustment but ultimately failed because of lack of institutional support. Implications for behavioral treatment programs are discussed in…

The treatment of a 10-year-old elective mute boy is reported in detail. A learning principles based approach was used in a one-to-one therapeutic setting. Relatively normal speaking patterns were established after 15 months of treatment. (Author)

This examination of the use of aversive techniques as a form of "therapy" for people with mental handicaps includes 12 articles by specialists who argue that the use of aversive procedures is socially, ethically, legally, and scientifically untenable as well as 3 ancedotal case studies by a patient advocate and 2 personal accounts by…

The Positive Adolescents Choices Training (PACT) program is a culturally sensitive social skills training program developed specifically for African American youth to reduce their disproportionate risk for becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. The cognitive-behavioral group training approach equips students with specific social skills to…