Proceeding from the belief that much human misery is self-inflicted as a result of negative self-statements (Ellis & Harper, 1962), it was felt that emphasis on positive self-thought would represent a significant therapeutic intervention. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of positive self-statements on self-concept. Since negative self-defeating statements are quite well ingrained, especially within Christian people (Reglin, 1976), it was decided to identify this as the target population. Furthermore, it was felt that cognitive restructuring would require considerable amounts of direction before it would be effective. To accomplish this goal, Frank (1961) and Breger and McGaugh (1967) suggest the need for therapists to consider such methods as hypnosis, suggestion, and relaxation. Therefore, within this study, these methods of restructuring were utilized in an effort to enhance self-concept.The sample consisted of 48 female Christian students enrolled Fall Quarter, 1983 at Ball State University. Twenty three and twenty five subjects were assigned to the experimental and control conditions, respectively. The experimental group was exposed to hypnotically induced positive self-statements. The subjects in the control group did not receive treatment. At the end of the treatment period, all subjects were administered the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. The Total Positive Score (P) was used as an index of self-concept.The initial hypnotic induction consisted of a procedure suggested by Wolberg (1964) and Barber (1975). The procedure involved (a) deep breathing, (b) progressive muscle relaxation, and (c) visualization of a relaxing scene. After a pause, deepening by means of mental imagery took place in which subjects imagined themselves descending a 10 step escalator. During subsequent sessions, an abbreviated induction procedure was used.The positive self-statements used in this study are those formulated by Barber (1979, 1981), Hartland (1965, 1971), Stanton (1975, 1977), and others (Coleman, 1971; Gorman, 1974;, Maltz, 1960; and Oakley, 1965). The content of these positive self-statements suggested that subjects would feel generally more relaxed and self-confident, more self-reliant and independent,physically stronger and healthier, calmer, more serene and unconcerned by situations. which used to bother them. It was hypothesized that hypnotically induced positive self-statements would have a significant facilitating effect on self-concept in Christian, female college students. The hypothesis was tested using a two-group design and the corresponding parametric "t" test. Analysis of the data clearly indicates the absence of any significant treatment effect.

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of counseling on the energy commitments of clients. Other purposes of the research were to examine the differences in energy commitment and its various components in relation to the success of counseling, to evaluate the feasibility of using energy commitment theory as a means for measuring change as a result of counseling, and to investigate factors which might produce change in man's energy commitments.The theoretical framework used to study the effect of counseling on clients' energy commitments was formulated by Hollis and Hollis. Energy commitment was defined as the condition of consigning energy to be used in facilitating action in the future. In this context, energy commitment possesses three major components--direction, thrust, and flexibility. Direction was divided into the three separate categories of people, objects, and ideas; while thrust was divided into the three separate categories of priority, force, and amount.The research design of the study required that the participating clients submit to specific measurements prior to counseling, undergo counseling, and submit to specific measurements after counseling. In all, twenty-one clients completed this sequence during the eight week time period. In terms of specific criteria for selection, two qualifications were established. All subjects were at least eighteen years of age and were willing to participate on a voluntary basis. In total, nine null hypotheses were investigated at the .05 level of significance. Six of the null hypotheses pertained to the effect of counseling on clients' energy commitments, while three of the null hypotheses pertained to the degree of association between various energy commitment measurements and various measurements of counseling success. The six hypotheses pertaining to the effect of counseling on clients' energy commitments were evaluated by three different statistical treatments: the Friedman two-way analysis of variance by ranks, the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test, and the Chi Square. The three remaining hypotheses were evaluated by Chi Square and contingency coefficients.The instruments used to determine change, if any, in clients' energy commitments were the Structured Interview Guide (SIG) and the Interview Rating Sheet (IRS). In terms of the degree of counseling success, three measurements were employed. First, the Personal Orientation Inventor, (POI) by Everett Shostrom was used to determine change, if any in the clients' level of self-actualization. Second, the Client Expectancy Inventory (CEI) and the Inventory of Fulfillment of Client's Expectancy (IFCE) were employed to measure counseling success in terms of counseling expectancy and fulfillment of counseling expectancy. The CEI and the IFCE were developed by the author and Joseph Hollis specifically for the present study. The theoretical framework for both instruments was developed after reviewing the literature pertaining to the goals of counseling and clients' expectations of counseling. Third, the researcher employed ratings of counseling success obtained from the participating counselors. In this respect, the researcher constructed the Counselor's Rating of Counseling, Success (CRCS) for this purpose.Two major conclusions were made from an analysis of the data. First, the counseling process produces significant change in the way an individual approaches his commitments, but the actual energy commitments remain essentially the same. Second, the findings concerned with the degree of association between energy commitment change and measurements of counseling success were not significantly related. Hence, the conclusion was made that energy commitment variables are not to any measureable degree assessing the same change criteria as those employed to measure counseling success.Additional data were analyzed pertaining to the correlation between client and counselor ratings of the counseling experience. The obtained Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was not significant at the .05 level of probability. However, the difference between the means of the two groups was significant at the .05 level. Based on the preceding data, the conclusion was made that clients tend to rate the counseling experience more successful than their respective counselors.

This study investigated leader presence effect by dividing a sample of 127 volunteer undergraudate students into 15 small groups of 5-10 members. The students were arbitarily placed into groups with an attempt to balance each group in regard to age, sex, and availability. Eight of the small groups had a leader present and 7 of the groups had no leader present. All 15 groups met for 2 consecutive hours for 5 consecutive weeks. All 15 groups received the same instructions. The 8 leader-present groups were instructed by the leader reading a typed script taken from the tape recordings which were used to instruct the no-leader-present groups. The leaders were graduate students in the Guidance and Counseling Department at Ball State University. The tape recorded instructions were selected from the Encountertapes for Personal Growth Groups designed by Betty Berzon.The Personal Orientation Inventory and the Interpersonal Check List were administered to each of the subjects prior to their group experience and immediately following the final session. An analysis of covariance was computed for these data.. The subjects completed a self report scale at the conclusion of each session. Chi squares were computed for these data. The .05 level of confidence was established for rejection of the null hypotheses. At the conclusion of the final session each subject also completed an open ended questionnaire on which they reacted to the five week group experience. The questionnaire data were reported descriptively.An analysis of the data indicated that there was no significant differences between participants in the leader-present groups and in the no-leader-present groups. All of the null hypotheses were accepted.Discussion of the findings and recommendations for further study pertaining to leader presence effect on personal growth groups were made.

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in energy commitments between a group of more actualized individuals and a group of less actualized individuals. Level of self-actualization was determined by means of the Personal Orientation Inventory by Everett Shostrum and energy commitment level was assessed by means of an individual interview developed by Hollis and Hollis. The study was an investigation along lines of theory in energy commitment by Hollis and Hollis.Energy commitment as defined in this study is the planned use of time and energy directed toward the maintenance or accomplishment of some level of desired action or feeling. Energy commitment is divided into three general categories: direction, strength (thrust), and flexibility. The direction category was subdivided into three subcategories: people, objects, and ideas. Further subdivision of the major category of thrust yields the categories of priority of commitment, force of commitment, and amount of energy necessary for maintenance of commitment.The population selected to be inventoried by the Personal Orientation Inventory was required to be female, thirty years old or less, a senior at Ball State University, caucasian, unmarried, Indiana resident, and not engaged in student teaching or internship during the quarter of the study. One hundred fifty students who met the criteria were inventoried to establish a range of actualization scores. The actualization score was a combination of inner directed scale and time competence scale raw scores from the POI. The students with the highest twenty-five scores were known as the more actualized group and students with the lowest twenty-five scores were known as the less actualized group. Each of the fifty individuals was assessed by means of a standardized individual interview to determine her energy commitments.Eight hypotheses were proposed relating to the difference between groups based upon direction of the commitments, force of the commitments, amount of energy required to maintain the commitments, flexibility of the commitments, and hypothetical energy commitments.The treatment of the data included use of t-Tests to compare the mean values of each group on sub-categories, chi square in assessing significance of differences in frequencies, and subjective observation of differences in summaries of results.No differences which could be labeled significant were found when the direction, force, amount, and flexibility categories of the two groups were compared. The two groups differed in the events which could hypothetically interfere with energy commitments. No significant difference was found in the conditions which kept each individual from committing hypothetical energies. Both groups saw the antecedents which brought about their energy commitments similarly. When boundaries and restrictions were removed which would limit the individual, the groups were very dissimilar in the hypothetical energy commitments identified.None of the t-Test and chi square results were statistically significant at the .05 level. However, a thread of similarity was maintained in all categories in the difference between the two groups and their commitments to objects when the means of groups were compared on commitment priority, force, amount of energy required to maintain the commitment, and flexibility. This was a finding which was neither hypothesized nor expected in the comparatively large amount observed. This finding led the investigator to indicate the need for a measure of energy commitment of greater refinement with which the nature of the observed differences could be subjected to closer scrutiny.

The purpose of the study was to prepare a confluent curriculum to be used in conjunction with seminars which were held during the Spring Semester of 1974 for twenty-four student teachers enrolled at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.

The connection between intrinsic motives and positive psychological outcomes has been widely demonstrated, and has been extended to Self-Determination Theory concepts of the self-determination continuum and the three basic needs. However, only a small amount of literature has looked at this connection in relationships, especially with friends. Therefore, this study sought to investigate Self-Determination Theory in relationships with friends and partners. The main hypothesis was that selfdetermination and the three basic psychological needs' fulfillment in relationships, would be positively correlated with relationship satisfaction. / Thesis (MPsy(Specialisation)--University of South Australia, 2003.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--School of Education. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2007. / "A dissertation in counseling psychology." Advisor: Johanna E. Nilsson. Typescript. Vita. Title from "catalog record" of the print edition Description based on contents viewed Jan. 24, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-113 ). Online version of the print edition.

Thesis (M. Div.)--International Christian Graduate University, School of Theology, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-60).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Antioch University, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Oct. 24, 2008). Advisor: Carolyn Kenny, Ph.D.. "A dissertation submitted to the Ph.D. in Leadership and Change Program of Antioch University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy September, 2008."--from the title page. Includes bibliographical references (p.145-156).

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 50-58). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.