A challenge design was employed to investigate the effect of sucrose consumption on the behavior of 12 preschool children. On separate experimental days, subjects were tested individually with either a challenge sucrose drink (2 g/kg) or a placebo drink sweetened with aspartame. Observation of the child during free play was made at three timed intervals after ingestion of the drink. Assessment with a paired-associate learning task was made before ingestion and at three timed intervals after ingestion. On measures of movement, attention, and learning, the study failed to obtain significant differences in behavior under the two conditions. The results do not support the hypothesis that sucrose has a negative effect upon the behavior of young children. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-02, Section: B, page: 0803. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

From a systems perspective, this study explores the relationship system formed by the marriage and family therapist and his/her clients. Specifically, the study explored the relationship between marriage and family therapists' personal authority in their families and credibility with their clients. Secondarily, it investigated this relationship as it applied to individual client spouses perceptions of their mutual therapist. Finally, the study investigated how accurately therapists could predict clients' perceptions of them. No significant (p < .05) relationships were established between marriage and family therapists (N = 33) and (a) clients perceptions of their credibility (N = 116); (b) differences between spouses ratings (N = 55 paired spouses); or (c) differences between clients actual ratings and the therapists' predictions of those ratings (N = 116). Potential problems with the measure (PAFS) for this therapist population are discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-05, Section: B, page: 2176. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of abbreviated progressive relaxation on the enhancement of group cohesion during an initial group meeting. In addition, this study investigated the extent to which members reported an increase in perceived counselor social power following abbreviated progressive relaxation. / The subjects consisted of 21 male and 40 female undergraduate students. The subjects were distributed into six groups. Two of these groups received the first experimental intervention consisting of an abbreviated progressive relaxation cassette. Two groups received the second experimental intervention which consisted of an autobiographical icebreaker exercise. Two groups partook in the control condition. / Two leaders conducted three groups (one from each of the three conditions). The Sociometric Cohesion Grid was administered to all groups as a pre-test inventory. Following the completion of the groups, an inventory package was completed. This consisted of the post-test of the Sociometric Cohesion Grid, the Counselor Rating Form, and the Group Rating Form. / The probability level established for this study was p $<$.05. Results from this study indicated that the abbreviated relaxation condition significantly enhanced group cohesion compared to the control condition. The autobiographical icebreaker exercise also significantly enhanced group cohesion compared to the control condition, however, there was no significant difference between the progressive relaxation condition and the autobiographical exercise. The results also indicated that there was no significant change in perceived counselor social power across the three conditions. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-10, Section: B, page: 3120. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

The effect of methylphenidate in a sample of hyperactive and hyperactive-aggressive elementary-school age boys (N = 26) on social information processing patterns and on level of aggression in response to provocation was investigated. Social information processing measures included: assessment of inferences about intent of a peer whose actions hypothetically produced a negative outcome for the subject; recall of interviews consisting of hostile, prosocial, and neutral statements; and presentation of stories in which the subject imagined experiencing a negative outcome due a peer's actions, and could listen to clues before deciding peer guilt or innocence. In the provocation task, subjects believed they were competing in a reaction game with an opponent. Before each trial, subjects determined a level of aversive white noise the bogus opponent would hear if the opponent should lose that trial. When subjects lost a trial, they heard a burst of white noise having an intensity allegedly determined by the opponent. Low, medium, and high levels of provocation were presented. For two of the thirteen social information processing variables, significant findings were obtained: more positive statements were recalled in the drug than in the placebo condition; and on one recall task more statements were recalled in the drug condition. Methylphenidate differentially effected hyperactive and hyperactive-aggressive boys on the provocation task. A significant three-way interaction of Aggression level (low or high) by Medication (drug or placebo) by Level of Provocation (low, medium, or high) indicated that medicated hyperactive-aggressive boys responded with lower levels of aggression in response to all levels of provocation than did medicated hyperactive boys. The mean response of the hyperactives in the high level of provocation was significantly higher in the drug / condition than in the placebo condition, a result not found for the hyperactive-aggressives. There appears to be a beneficial medication effect for the hyperactive-aggressive boys, and perhaps a detrimental effect for the hyperactive boys. The importance of subgrouping hyperactive children by aggression level for accurate evaluation of drug effects was supported. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-03, Section: B, page: 0883. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

A two-step program designed to enhance generalization of treatment was implemented with four dually diagnosed autistic/severely or profoundly retarded subjects. The first step involved training the subjects to associate treatment with a discriminative stimulus (S$\sp{\rm D}$). The second step involved systematically introducing the S$\sp{\rm D}$ into the generalization settings. / A multiple baseline design across settings was used. For each subject, one setting served as the treatment setting; two others served as generalization settings. A one-month follow-up was also conducted. / In Setting One, 8 days of baseline data were collected followed by treatment. Training was conducted during four ten-minute blocks of time. During discrimination training, the first 10 minutes, the subjects wore an S$\sp{\rm D}$ (e.g., a ribbon) and treatment was instituted (e.g., time-out) contingent on self-injurious behavior (SIB). During S$\sp{\Delta}$ training, the next 10 minutes, the S$\sp{\rm D}$ was removed and no treatment for SIB was in effect. Treatment continued daily until SIB was reduced to 0 during S$\sp{\rm D}$ conditions and SIB continued during S$\sp{\Delta}$ conditions. / The S$\sp{\rm D}$ was then taken into the generalization settings. Baseline was continued in each generalization setting until that setting was incorporated for generalization. / Results from all four subjects show that the presence of the S$\sp{\rm D}$ in the generalization settings suppressed self-injury in those settings. In all cases, there was an immediate drop in SIB when the S$\sp{\rm D}$ was introduced. Furthermore, by the end of treatment, the SIB behaviors were eliminated in the generalization settings for three of the subjects. For the remaining subject, the behavior was substantially reduced by the end of treatment, and SIB was eliminated at follow-up. / This procedure has several practical advantages over current generalization strategies, namely, ease of application and use of a systematic analysis of the treatment effect through S$\sp{\rm D}$ - S$\sp{\Delta}$ comparisons. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-09, Section: B, page: 2785. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

Little empirical research has been carried out on the Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) theoretical model to date. No research has investigated strategies: conglomerations of representational systems emitted by individuals. To facilitate therapy, the client must perceive the therapist as credible (that is, expert, attractive, and trustworthy) and having utility. According to NLP theory, the client can best perceive the therapist as credible and having utility when the therapist uses the NLP model to match the client's strategies. / Four hypotheses were tested in the post-group only control group design. The treatment factor consisted of two levels, representing the matched strategies and the non-matched strategies techniques. The non-matched strategies technique served as the "control group" randomly assigned to one of the two class groups. Though all students in the two groups were invited to participate as subjects and to control for the Hawthorne effect, the sample used consisted of 60 white female students who observed, along with the rest of the classes, one 15 minute treatment film randomly assigned to them. Thirty subjects were in each of two groups. After observing the film, the subjects filled out the Counselor Effectiveness Rating Scale (CERS; Atkinson & Carskaddon, 1975). / A multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and t-tests were used to assess the data. The MANOVA was significant at the p < .10 level and each of the four t-tests were significant at the p < .025 level. Each of the four hypotheses were supported. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-04, Section: B, page: 1333. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

This exploratory study of pain reactions examined the effects of cognitive coping style, repeated trials, and cognitive strategy in addition to examining two cognitive assessment devices, an open-ended questionnaire and a think-aloud technique. College students (N = 80) were administered two pain trials of a cold pressor. Expected differences between Control, Distraction, Think-Silently, and Think-Aloud groups were not found. Almost all subjects attempted to cope regardless of instructed coping strategy. Copers and catastrophizers responded differently to self-efficacy level and strength, pain tolerance, and perceived pain. Changes in dependent measures due to a repeated cold pressor trial were found with increased anxiety, changes in self-efficacy, decreased heart rates, and increased perceived pain. Differences in high and low tolerance groups were found with associations of high tolerance with a coping cognitive style, low anxiety for catastrophizers, high anxiety for copers, consistent high self-efficacy level and strength for copers, no heart rate or perceived pain differences, an increased number of calculations for the Distraction group, and fewer statements for the Think-Aloud group. Sex differences were found with males demonstrating higher self-efficacy strength and pain tolerance levels than females. Within group differences were reviewed briefly as were unexpected results. The open-ended questionnaire was administered immediately following the second cold pressor trial and yielded information on cognitive coping style. The Think-Aloud assessment yielded considerably less information on cognitive activity but the content was generally supportive of the content of the open-ended questionnaire. The use of the think-aloud technique as a valid assessment device was questionable without training. Implications for future studies of pain examining / cognitive activity, with or without pretests, and possible mediating and accompanying variables were discussed. In addition, limitations in generalizability to chronic and clinical pain were reviewed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-10, Section: B, page: 3109. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

Relationships among maternal characteristics, ratings of child behavior, and observed mother-child interactions were examined in a sample of 43 children with externalizing disorders. Mothers and children were observed in a structured task situation and mothers completed questionnaires concerning depressed mood, parenting sense of competence, marital satisfaction, social support, and life stress. Ratings of child behavior problems were obtained from both mothers and teachers. Several significant correlations were found between observed rates of maternal and child behavior, suggesting reciprocity in the mother-child interactions. Significant correlations among maternal self-reports were also found. For example, depressed mood was negatively correlated with marital satisfaction, sense of parenting competence, and social support, and positively correlated with life stress. Similarly, marital satisfaction and social support were inversely related to life stress. Few significant relationships were found between maternal characteristics and observed behavior. Surprisingly, maternal depressed mood was related to increased child compliance and decreased child independent activity. However, maternal depressed mood was positively related to mother ratings of internalizing child behavior problems. Mother and teacher ratings of child behavior showed few significant correlations with maternal self-reports or observed behavior. Multiple regression analyses revealed the importance of child age in predicting observed maternal and child behavior and confirmed the general lack of associations between maternal characteristics and observed behavior. Comparisons with previous research suggested the importance of sample characteristics in determining relationships between maternal characteristics and child behavior. Implications of the findings for the application of family systems models to the understanding of externalizing child disorders are discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-11, Section: B, page: 3417. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

The delusion intervention literature indicates that belief modification procedures have been effective means of decreasing and, in some cases, eliminating delusional beliefs. Such procedures generally have emphasized a non-confrontational, collaborative approach containing some type of reality testing procedure and generation of alternative explanations to delusional statements. The present study utilized a belief modification procedure with four chronically mentally ill adult in-patients. Delusional belief statements were treated as hypotheses and were tested against data gathered during intervention sessions. Participants were encouraged to evaluate the data to determine whether it supported their reported delusional beliefs. Dependent measures were the number of delusional responses to individualized interviews targeting delusional ideation, and self-reported strength of belief in delusional statements. Additional generalization measures also were taken. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated using a multiple baseline across subjects design. Results indicated no change in the number of delusional interview responses given for any of the four subjects. Three of four subjects reported no changes in strength of belief in delusional statements. Chronicity of the participants and multiple problem issues were addressed as factors limiting their response to intervention. Continuing interventions and suggestions for increasing participants' level of responsivity to treatment through socialization procedures were discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-08, Section: B, page: 4478. / Major Professor: Joyce L. Carbonell. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

The effectiveness of two procedures for promoting the generalization of adaptive skills across settings by mentally retarded subjects was evaluated. Ten adult severely, moderately, and mildly mentally retarded clients of a community day training center served as subjects. Subjects had completed training at the center in self-care and domestic skills, using task analysis and sequential prompting procedures. Observations were then conducted at home on the percentage of steps of each task analysis completed correctly by the subjects. Parents of one group of subjects were provided with written instructions describing how to work with their offspring at home while practicing self-care and domestic skills. A second group of subjects were provided with remediation training at home by center staff. A multiple baseline design across subjects and behaviors was used to evaluate the effectiveness of each procedure. In addition, a cost-benefit analysis of each procedure was conducted. Results indicated that the parent report and home remediation procedures were both effective in increasing the percentage of steps of the skills completed correctly. On the other hand, the home remediation procedures cost more than the parent report procedure, with increased costs attributed to additional travel and training time. Therefore, the parent report procedure was the preferred procedure. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-02, Section: B, page: 0599. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.