No description available.

Bibliography: leaves 84-99.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-69).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-92).

Research on psychopathology in children and adolescents has focused on studying the major vulnerability factors for depression and anxiety. Most previous studies have focused exclusively on single domain of the vulnerability factors, such as psychosocial, personality, or cognitive variables. Very few studies have attempted to study the various domains of vulnerability factors in combination. Thus, research data available to date have failed to address the interplay of their roles in anxiety and depression. The present study used a psychometric approach to investigate the roles of major psychosocial, personality, and cognitive vulnerability factors in anxiety and depression, with a particular emphasis on their interrelationships, as well as their primary effects and mediating roles. The psychosocial factors examined in the present study included parenting styles (permissiveness, authoritarianism, and authoritativeness), peer relations (bullying, victimization, and prosocial behaviour), and school climate (teacher support, consistency and clarity of rules and expectations, disciplinary harshness, and safety problems). The personality trait variables included neuroticism and optimism. The cognitive variables included negative automatic thoughts related to anxiety and depression, which is commonly reported by children and adolescents. A battery of self-report measures in Chinese was administered to a sample of 1,164 Hong Kong secondary school students aged 11 to 17. The measures showed good internal consistency, and the factor structures of the translated measures were comparable to the original Western measures. Among the vulnerability factors studied, psychosocial factors including parenting style (authoritarian), peer relations (bullying and victimization), and school climate (teacher support, disciplinary harshness, and safety problems at school) were found to be significant predictors for children’s negative automatic thoughts and negative emotions. As predicted, the personality traits of neuroticism and optimism mediated the effects of the psychosocial factors on negative automatic thoughts. In addition, the results showed that neuroticism was a significant predictor for both depression and anxiety, and that the respective effects were significantly mediated by negative automatic thoughts. Optimism was also a significant predictor of depression and was significantly mediated by negative automatic thoughts. In contrast, optimism did not have a direct effect on anxiety, and its effect was completely mediated by negative automatic thoughts. Structural equation modelling showed that, of the three psychosocial vulnerability factors, parenting styles and school climate had greater effects on depression and anxiety than peer relations. The results from structural equation modelling confirmed the working model, which argues that neuroticism and optimism mediate the effects of psychosocial factors and that neuroticism and optimism are in turn mediated by the negative cognitions associated with depression and anxiety. Overall, the present results suggest the need for future research to examine major domains of vulnerability factors in combination in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of their interplay in anxiety and depression. The present study provides preliminary results that can help to guide future vulnerability research and preventive interventions. / published_or_final_version / Clinical Psychology / Doctoral / Doctor of Psychology

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of two teaching methods, based on diverse principles of psychotherapy, with groups of children manifesting disturbed behavioral patterns. One of the methods was based on principles of behavior modification and the other on high levels of facilitative conditions, or relationship therapy. The variables of experimental interest were arithmetic achievement, adaptive overt behavior and personality adjustment as indicated on several indices. The study attempted to elicit inferences regarding the teaching of adaptive behaviors and cognitive skills to a population of withdrawn children. The comparative effects of the two distinct sets of psychotherapeutic principles were of special interest in this study.The research was conducted in the Marion, Indiana Public Schools. A total of 20 children, 10 in each group, participated in this study. These children were all fourth-graders, selected from the regular classroom. Behaviors of the subjects qualified for the label "emotionally disturbed."They all displayed withdrawn behavior.Careful control was exercised in selecting the teachers for the two experimental groups. A teacher preferring structure and order assumed the instructional responsibility for the behavior modification group. The teacher selected for the relationship group was characterized as a highly sensitive, warm individual. Intermittent consultation was provided each teacher throughout the experiment.The subjects in the experimental groups were compared, on pre and post measures, on the basis of group means and standard deviations, as to IQ, achievement level, grade level, and degree of personality adjustment. Personality adjustment was contingent upon three measures; teacher ratings, peer perceptions, and performance on selective factors on a standardized inventory. The experiment continued for thirteen weeks.In testing for significant differences on educational achievement, the analysis of covariance was used. The Mann-Whitney U was used to test for significant differences on all indices of personality adjustment. Overt adaptive responses during the experimental period were presented graphically. Assessments for variables within each group were also treated graphically.Findings1. The behavioristic educative method was superior to the relationship educative method in enhancing educational achievement. The significance level was established at the .05 level.2. There were no significant differences between the two groups based on teacher perceptions.3. There were no significant differences between the two groups based on peer perceptions.4. In regard to the six factors from the standardized instruments significant differences were found in two instances, at the .05 and .01 levels, both favoring the relationship approach.5. The relationship approach was better than the behavioristic approach in fostering overt, adaptive behavior in the experimental setting.6. In regards to arithmetic achievement within each group, the behavioristic group made an average gain of 1.2 years and the relationship group 0.8 years in grade levels.7. With respect to peer perceptions in each group, the change from pre-test to post-test was very marginal for both groups.8. On all six factors studied on the standardized inventory, pre-test performance of the behavioristic and relationship groups were below average. On the post-test the behavioristic groupperformed average or better on 3 of the 6 factors. The relationship group performed average or better on 4 of the 6 factors.The findings suggest a behavioristic approach is better in fostering arithmetic achievement in withdrawn children. In regard to personality adjustment and overt, adaptive behavior a relationship approach was suggested as being superior by the study.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Regis University, Denver, Colo., 2007. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Jan 17, 2008). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. App. Psych.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1998? / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-99).

No description available.