The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the Ridley and colleagues Mutual Problem Solving Program on assessments of relationship satisfaction and perceptions of equity in remarital couples. It was predicted that since the program imposed by its processes and its content, an equitable system by which couples could resolve conflicts, that equity perceptions should improve; and, according to the theoretical propositions of equity theory, it was expected that as equity improved, so should overall relationship satisfaction. Ten couples completed the eight week training program, completing a packet of thirteen questionnaires and one audio-taped discussion of a couple problem, once at pre-test and again at post-test. Using a case study format four couples' results were discussed regarding predictions established by equity theory. It was concluded that at a descriptive level, equity was able to predict the responses of low/no distress remarital couples to the program, but that individual or couple factors were more explanatory than equity propositions when distress was high. Implications for future empirical research was discussed.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Texas Christian University, 2006. / Title from dissertation title page (viewed Aug. 31, 2006). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Older adults are faced with many complex and critical decisions regarding retirement, health care, finances, and living situation, and their ability to make such decisions successfully has a profound impact on the individual and society as a whole. Numerous neurologically and psychiatrically healthy older adults do not make advantageous decisions: they get swindled and make poor financial choices. The vulnerability of such older adults has been postulated to be the result of disproportionate aging of the frontal lobes. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether decision-making performance among older adults can be improved as a result of pharmacological and/or psychoeducational intervention. Healthy community-dwelling persons were recruited to participate in four conditions: Lexapro, placebo, psychoeducational condition (Problem Solving Therapy [PST]), and waitlist control. Twenty-six elderly persons participated. Only six seniors participated in the pharmacological conditions due to unanticipated challenges with recruitment (e.g., lack of interest in drug studies, contraindications to study drug). Statistical comparisons were conducted to compare performance on several laboratory tasks of decision-making under conditions of ambiguity, risk, and deceptive advertising, between the PST group and Control group. The findings suggest that a psychosocial intervention can be effective in the enhancement of decision-making ability under ambiguity among healthy community-dwelling older adults and as such can provide a foundation for future investigations.

This study investigated problem solving performance in Parkinson's disease (PD) individuals, PD individuals in collaboration with their caregiving spouses, as well as in healthy older adult individuals and collaborating couples. Problem solving abilities represent executive functions mediated by frontal cortex. Given frontal lobe involvement in PD, the supporting neuropsychological evidence indicates problem solving deficits in this patient population. The extent to which these individual-level deficits could be overcome (or compensated) through collaboration was explored. Two groups of elderly married couples participated in the study. The control group consisted of 20 healthy couples with neither partner having a medical diagnosis of PD. The experimental group comprised 17 couples in which the male spouse had received a diagnosis of PD from a qualified neurologist. All participants met several selection criteria: (a) aged 55 years or older, (b) relatively well-educated for their age cohort, (c) above a criterion in mental status, and (d) below a clinical criteria of depression. They performed three problem solving tasks: verbal fluency, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and the 20 Questions task. These tasks were performed twice—once individually and once collaboratively with their spouse. This within-subjects group size variable was counterbalanced so that half of the subjects were tested first as individuals and then as dyads and vice versa. The collaborative part of each testing session was videotaped. The results indicated: (a) poorer performance by the experimental couples and Parkinsonian men relative to the other participants on qualitative indices of the verbal fluency task, (b) a detrimental effect of collaboration on the speeded verbal fluency task (c) group level benefit of collaboration and inferred individual-level benefit to the Parkinsonian men for some measures on the card sorting task, (d) a benefit of collaboration for the experimental group on the 20 Questions task, (e) greater verbal input to the process of solving the 20 Questions task by the experimental females apparently to compensate for their Parkinsonian husbands, and (f) differences between the control and experimental groups in the process variables that were related to efficient questioning strategies on the 20 Questions task. Theoretical and clinical implications of this research are discussed. Limitations and possible directions for future investigation are noted. / Graduate

It is hypothesized that group treatment may be more effective than an individual treatment format. The purpose of this study was to address several deficiencies of previous research in contrasting group and individual treatment delivery formats and to assess the differential effectiveness of these two formats. The treatment area chosen was that of early problem drinker treatment as it was relatively easy to control treatment content across treatment formats since detailed content manuals and theory have been well developed in this area. Subjects were selected from those respondents to a media advertisement who passed several screening criteria and were alternately assigned to a group or individual format. A lack of the requisite number of subjects required some specific design changes. Each treatment condition was given a structured eight-week treatment program of once per week meetings of seventy-five minutes each or a wait-list control condition. Statistical contrasts were then performed on the following variables: total drink units per week, maximum drink units per day, Profile of Mood States -a measure of current affective state, Weissman Social Adjustment Scale - a measure of social functioning level, and a general problem checklist. Data units were gathered pre-treatment, weekly during treatment for drink units, at post-treatment follow-up, and at six months following the end of treatment. The other data were gathered pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at the six-month follow-up. Results of the data manipulations indicated that the treatment intervention was associated with greater improvement on alcohol consumptions than a wait-list control group, but that group treatment was not associated with greater treatment gains than the individual format on any measures. These results are given to be tentative given several major limitations of this study which are discussed. The research was found to be relevant in the area of treatment planning, and is interpreted as providing a more theoretically meaningful contrast of the two formats than previously achieved due to greater experimental control of possibly confounding variables. A useful initial test was performed of a treatment program developed for this study which shows promise for helping problem drinkers. It is also suggested that this research provides some important conclusions for the contrast of group and individual formats in psychological interventions generally. Future directions are suggested. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is a known epidemic that is increasing throughout the United States and if current trends continue, it is estimated that as many as one in three U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050. Considerable evidence has been found to link the presence of depression and or Diabetes Distress Syndrome with type two diabetes mellitus. Current studies demonstrate that lack of treatment of Diabetes Distress Syndrome may result in a decrease in medication adherence, participation in diabetic group meetings, and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to examine nurse practitioners (NPs') knowledge, perceptions and attitudes in utilizing behavioral therapy in TTDM management. Research Design and Methods: A total of 20 NPs completed the survey using Qualtrics. Results: suggest that there is a lack of knowledge in regards to Diabetes Distress Syndrome. Current practice for behavioral services in TTDM treatment is also deficient, however, NPs' are willing to learn more and use it as a treatment modality in their practice.

M.Cur.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-151).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1998. / This is an electronic reproduction of TREN, #090-0205. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-151).

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