Traditionally, research regarding social skills training has emphasized deficits in specific skill components, rather than process skills, such as being sensitive to another's behaviour. In the present study, Human Relations Training (HRT) was adapted to the treatment of socially avoidant members of the community. Training in HRT consisted of defining, modeling and practising skills of attending, empathy, self-disclosure and respect. It was expected that training in these process-like skills would encourage a focus of attention away from the self and towards the other, which in turn, may abate anxiety and foster social effectiveness. Following a stringent screening process, 52 persons (26 male, 26 female) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Graduated exposure plus progressive relaxation (Condition I); Graduated exposure plus progressive relaxation plus HRT (Condition II); or a Waiting list condition. Subjects in the two treatment conditions received eight weekly, two-hour training sessions in groups. The results indicated that subjects in both treatment conditions improved in the predicted direction more than those in the waiting list condition, as assessed by twenty of twenty-one dependent measures. Subjects in both treatment conditions improved significantly more than those in the waiting list condition on self-reported well-being, global skill and comfort, and functional impairment. This difference was not corroborated by objective raters. Those in the HRT condition improved significantly more than those in Condition I on several self-report measures. This improvement of HRT subjects could not be clearly attributed to an other-directed focus of attention. There was no evidence of gender differences. After three months, participants had maintained positive changes made at post assessment, but had not improved significantly since then. However, those in the HRT condition reported that they were engaging in a broader range of social activities and with greater frequency than those in Condition I. It was concluded that both treatment conditions evidenced greater improvement than those who received no treatment, as assessed by self-report measures. Further, the addition of an HRT component to a behavioural strategy proved somewhat beneficial to the well- being and social effectiveness of subjects. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a disorder characterized by morbid impulsivity, lack of emotional control, disturbed interpersonal relationship and frequent self injurious suicidal behaviours. It is associated with high socioeconomic burden and high morbidity and mortality. An etiological factor believed to be responsible for development of BPD is childhood maltreatment (Perroud, 2013). BPD is a complex disorder that is difficult to treat. However dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) developed by Dr Marsha Linehan in early 1990s has emerged as a promising treatment option for those diagnosed with BPD. DBT is a multi-pronged approach delivered originally in outpatient setting over 12 months and requires highly skilled trained therapist. Many trials have provided evidence to support use of DBT in the treatment of BPD (O’Connell, 2013). The purpose of this study was to determine whether discharged patients are able to use the skills learned in a modified in-patient DBT programme after discharge at a academic psychiatric hospital in South Africa and whether they consider these effective in managing their thoughts, feelings, behaviour and interpersonal relationships. The study also aims to assess the relationship between demographic factors in the study and the use of DBT skills. A prospective, quantitative, descriptive approach was used. A Likert style questionnaire, the dialectical ways of coping checklist, was distributed to ex in-patients who have participated in the modified DBT programme to elicit their rating of the effective use of DBT skills post discharge. A total sample number of 46 participants responded to the questionnaires. The prevalence of the DBT skills among the discharged patients was 33% of the sample regularly used the DBT skills post discharge effectively and 17% did not engage with the DBT skills. Fifty percentage of the sample population had mixed responses to the questionnaire. The study also highlighted that females used substance more than males. Females also attended more support groups than males. DBT skills were used more by those who did not attend follow up. Female population made more use of the dysfunctional coping skills than males.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1989. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

This research was a controlled group outcome study to determine the effectiveness of a multisystem therapeutic intervention for hyperarousal to stress. It was assumed that the hyperarousal syndrome is a generalized and undifferentiated response which involves multisystems of the organism, including physiological-autonomic aspects, cognitive appraisals and imagery, affective components, and an array of overt and covert behavioral responses. If the hyperarousal syndrome persists over a period of time, a psychophysiological disorder may occur in the response system that has been repeatedly stimulated. It was postulated that learning to maintain the arousal state within a normal range of functioning may prevent the occurrence of psychophysiological diseases. Verbal reports of the experimental group indicate a beginning ability to transfer the learned low-arousal response to real-life situations. The results of this study suggest that learning a low-arousal adaptation to stress may have important implications for prevention or attenuation of psychophysiological and psychiatric disorders.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title from title page (viewed Apr. 23, 2007) Includes bibliographical references (p. 27-30).

<p>För att undersöka vad medveten närvaro kan betyda i dialektisk beteendeterapi (DBT) meningskoncentrerades nio intervjuer. Medveten närvaro hade en positiv betydelse för samtliga deltagare. Det centrala för deltagarna var färdigheterna observera och en sak i taget. Färdigheterna hjälpte patienterna att stanna upp i ett negativt händelseförlopp. Behandlarna menade att medveten närvaro hjälpte vid stressrelaterade situationer. Samtliga deltagare underströk betydelsen av färdighetsträningen i grupp och praktiska övningar. Det fanns ett tydligt behov av att förenkla teorin kring medveten närvaro i DBT samt att medveten närvaro behövde få ett större utrymme. Om medveten närvaro kan hjälpa patienter i DBT att stanna upp i ett destruktivt händelseförlopp så är det en verkan av stor betydelse för patienterna såväl som för anhöriga och sjukvården.</p>