The purposes of the study were: (1) to determine whether the experience of attending a human relations workshop produces a change in anxiety levels as measured by two instruments, the Janet Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale and the Anxiety Scale (Omnibus Personality Inventory); (2) to compare the mean anxiety scores of the experimental treatment group and the control group using the variables of sex, teaching level, and years of experience in public school teaching; and (3) to determine the retention effect on anxiety over an intervening time span of four months for the experimental treatment group. The following are conclusions derived from this study: 1. Whatever effect the experience of attending a human relations workshop had, it cannot be measured by the Anxiety Scale (OPI) or the TMAS. 2. No segment of a school population will experience increased anxiety as a result of attending a Thiokol human relations workshop (1). 3. No significant changes in levels of teacher anxiety can be expected from attending a one-week human relations workshop with the possible exception of individuals with six or more years’ experience who did report lowered anxiety. 4. There is no longitudinal effect on levels of anxiety for teachers as a result of a human relations workshop experience.

This study compared the effects of three treatment approaches to training married couples in communication skills on the dependent variables of marital communication, marital adjustment, and the personality characteristics of extraversion/introversion and stability/instability. The initial focus of the study was to determine whether any of the treatment programs--a highly structured (T3), a partially structured (T1 ) or a non-structured (T 2) program -- were superior to any other or to the control group in affecting change in the participants level of communication or in their marital or personal adjustment. The structured programs were derived from the human relations training programs of Carkhuff as well as Rappaport and Harrell's Behavior Exchange Model of conjoint marriage counseling, and adapted for use in a short-term group training procedure. The unstructured training utilized the client-centered approach to couple counseling as developed by Rogers. The number of activities and amount of time spent on each exercise was more rigidly set in the highly structured training than in the partially structured approach. The twenty-four training programs were conducted by two doctoral students in counseling over a seven-week period. A pretest/ post-test, control group experimental design was employed in the research; the data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance statistic, with pre-test scores as the covariate. It was concluded that, although the present study did not produce evidence for the efficacy of one treatment modality over another, some support for the efficacy of the newly designed treatment T2 was provided with suggestions for further research. Recommendations include the matching of couples on age, level of education, and length of marriage when treatments are being compared. Other suggestions include the consideration, in short-term marriage counseling, of pre-therapy selection variables such as level of motivation for change, preparation for the group experience, level of maladjustment, and length of marriage.

This study was conducted to investigate whether cognitive variables (as measured by six self-report inventories) covaried with changes in behavior following group assertiveness training as postulated by several assertiveness training theorists and practitioners. Statistical analysis of the data did not support any of the hypotheses. No significant differences were found between the groups on any of the self-report measures or the behavioral ratings, although experimental group subjects consistently scored higher (in the predicted direction) on all self-report measures or were rated higher than placebo group subjects. The hypotheses that experimental group subjects would exhibit significantly higher levels of self-reported assertiveness, self-acceptance, self-esteem, and self-confidence than placebo group subjects were rejected. The hypothesis that the experimental group would exhibit a significantly greater shift toward self-reported internal locus of control than the placebo group was rejected. The hypothesis that the experimental group would exhibit significantly larger decreases in levels of self-reported anxiety than the placebo group was also rejected. Furthermore, no support was found for the hypothesis that experimental group subjects would exhibit significantly higher levels of objectively-rated assertive behavior than placebo group subjects. An examination of the data revealed substantial improvements on each of the six self-report measures for subjects in both groups. These data were treated statistically with a one-tailed t-test for correlated means. The t-test data indicated that both groups improved significantly on all cognitive variable measures from pretest to posttest.

South Africa is a melting pot and a meeting place for a multitude of "races", representing an optimal arena for understanding the psychology of contact and desegregation. This study focuses on the spatial arrangement of minority identities, through continued informal segregation, among the Indian minority of Mokopane. Drawing on 28 open-ended interviews, segregation is explored in everyday interactions and spaces. Working within a spatial-discursive framework, critical discourse analysis is employed, paired with a basic observational and descriptive analysis. Participants' discursive constructions overwhelmingly demonstrate patterns of informal segregation among the Indian minority community, within the micro-ecology of contact. Caught within a sandwiched or "buffer" identity, issues of space constantly inform negotiating conceptions of "Indianness". In mapping the dialogue of the Indian community, a story of the evolution of segregation emerges, creating a replication of internal divisions. This study ultimately demonstrates the need for a spatial-discursive orientation and a more "embodied" turn in our understanding of segregation.

An attempt is made to present a model of group therapy for Lower-Socio-Economic-Status (LSES) clients. The theoretical issues include a definition of traditional group therapy along with a brief description of the more recent sensitivity training approaches. A rationale for combining these two different group approaches is presented to form the model for action-oriented group therapy (ACT groups) which utilizes both the traditional approach and action techniques of the sensitivity group. It is proposed that this hybrid, the AOT group, is more appropriate for treating the LSES client. The needs and expectations of the LSES client are discussed. The goals of the ACT group are to increase coping ability through increased awareness of self and others, and finding alternative behaviors to problems. A methodology tor AOT groups is presented and includes planned action techniques which are used in combination with discussion. The methodology of ACT is described in detail from the initial planning stages to the three major phases of treatment, i.e. beginning, middle, and termination. The specific techniques are listed and described along with a rating scale for the leader to evaluate techniques. Specific ideas for research are suggested.

This study explores the development of teacher professionalism as it is reflected both historically and philosophically in the educational reform movements of the 1830's and 1980's. Within this framework the study argues that interpersonal communication and group dynamics skills training is now a necessary component for the development of professionalism in teacher education programs. The study reviews the Carnegie (1986), Holmes (1986) and Nation At Risk (1983) reports on education, focusing on the issue of the professionalization of teaching. The study evaluates the potential impact of the notion of "critical democracy" (Giroux and Mclaren, 1986) on the preparation of pre-service teachers in the 1990’s. The study reviews the following elements: (1) the educational reform movement of the 1980's, specifically focusing on the issues of teacher professionalism, collaboration in educational settings, shared decision making, and critical literacy, (2) the historical foundations of teacher education in America, specifically focusing on the development of the First Normal School at Lexington, Massachusetts (1839), and the professionalization of teaching in the reform movement of the 1830's, and (3) the theoretical development and the practical application of interpersonal communication and group dynamics skills training in the development of professionalism, specifically exploring the utilization of such training in the curricula of pre-service teacher education programs. The study sets forth a normative philosophical framework for professional development which is grounded in the models of interpersonal communication and group dynamics developed by Jack Gibb (1970) and Gerrard Egan (1976). Specific practical applications are explored and the primary elements of the theory are illustrated in the form of possible curricular elements. These practical applications address the issues of: (1) Team Building and Group Contract Development, (2) Interpersonal Communication and Group Dynamics Skills Training, and (3) Collaborative Decision Making/Empowerment. The study also critiques the possible benefits associated with the proposed theoretical framework and its practical applications for use in pre-service teacher education programs. Finally, the study makes recommendations for utilization of the theory in various' educational settings and explores the possibility of further research and publication. / Ed. D.

Group relations events are intended to enable transformation through learning, but such collective experiential events are not explicitly focused on enabling individual group members to derive meaning from them. This research aims to explicate individual learning from the experiences of a group relations event, in order to formulate a process for meaning-making post an intensive experiential event. Literature reviewed provides construct definitions of systems psychodynamic aspects, as well as insight, meaning-making, coaching methods and other approaches to facilitating meaning-making. Systems psychodynamics is the theoretical paradigm that informs a qualitative phenomenological research approach. Data analysis adopted hermeneutic phenomenology to allow for the interpretation of the rich data collected. Multiple case studies were adopted using multi-pronged data collection methods, including semi-structured interviews conducted before the event, as well as both a focus group and Free Association Narrative Interviews (FANI) conducted after the event. The results are reported by case, and this is followed with an interpretation of results by various systems psychodynamic themes. Furthermore, the relationship between personality types and defences mechanisms, with the associative techniques to use for each, have been set forth as additional findings in the thesis. The research hypothesis produced by the study is a meaning-making model to facilitate post-group relations event reflections and debriefing, with the aim of enabling insight formation, learning and adaption by individuals who have participated in such events. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Boston University, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 560-575).

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, 2003. / "A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney School of Social Ecology and Lifelong Learning in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy" "March 2003" Bibliography: 238 - 249.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Santa Cruz, 1987. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 266-300).