The present investigation evaluated the efficacy of a Cognitive-Behavioural Therapeutic Approach for the anger management of three adolescent males. The study is noteworthy because it utilised essential features of Beck's Cognitive Therapy in the cognitive restructuring phase of treatment. Previous studies have commonly employed Rational Emotive Therapy's disputation of irrational beliefs for this phase. For this reason it is considered to be an original contribution to the literature. A multiple (three) single-case study research design was employed. The three adolescents, aged 13 to 17 years, attended seven to nine one-hour counselling sessions over a two to three month period. Pre-, post-treatment and long-term followup psychometric measures of aggression and anecdotal reports of anger-control were obtained from parents and teachers. Self-reports in the affective and cognitive domain, progress in therapy, psychometric measures (aggressive behaviour subscale of the Child Behaviour Checklist, Adapted Novaco Anger Inventory and Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale) and continuous (including pre-, post-treatment and long-term follow-up) assessments of the frequency of angry outbursts were obtained. Counsellor assessments of cognitive homework and behaviour in therapy were also made. Results reveal marked reductions in the average daily frequencies of angry outbursts in all cases by post-treatment and treatment effects were maintained throughout the three-month follow-up period. It was concluded that the cognitive-behavioural therapeutic approach warrants further investigation as it is proposed that it is a comprehensive and efficacious treatment for male adolescent anger problems.

本文試圖將日程紀錄法的研究典範應用於憂鬱的心理病理研究，聚焦於兩研究問題：（一）探討個體的憂鬱症狀與其日常生活正/負向情感傾向的關係，以及該正/負向情感傾向如何影響其每日的正/負向想法；（二）根據「素質-壓力模式」的觀點，探討個體於日常生活中展現的情感傾向與認知特性，在控制住基準點的憂鬱症狀後，是否仍可顯著預測個體處於壓力狀態的憂鬱症狀。93名大學生完整參與本研究，問卷評估包括基準點的憂鬱症狀、日程紀錄期間的每日正/負向情感與正/負向想法、以及其期中考期間的憂鬱症狀。研究顯示憂鬱個體展現較低的正向情感傾向與較強的負向情感傾向，而個體的正/負向情感傾向與狀態可顯著預測其正/負向想法，且情感傾向與狀態對想法存在顯著的交互作用；另外，個體於日常生活展現的平均負向想法與正向情感傾向，在控制住基準點的症狀後，仍可顯著預測其處於壓力的憂鬱症狀。最後，我們則探討本研究對心理病理與治療的意涵。 / The authors attempted using diary method paradigm to study psychopathology of depression. The study focused on two questions: (1) explore the relationship between individuals’ depressive symptoms and their tendency of positive/ negative affect, and how the tendency of affect impact their daily positive/ negative thoughts; (2) according to the view of diathesis-stress model, explore how the affective tendency and cognitive characteristics exhibited in daily life could predict their depressive symptoms under stress after the initial symptoms are controlled. 93 participants finished all questionnaires, including initial depressive symptoms, daily positive/ negative affect, positive/ negative thoughts, and depressive symptoms under midterm examination. The results showed that depression is related to low positive affect and high negative affect. Individuals’ tendency and state of positive/ negative affect could predict their daily positive/ negative thoughts, and there exist a significant interaction effect between tendency and state to thoughts. Further, individuals’ tendency of positive affect and average negative could predict their depressive symptoms under stress after the initial symptoms are controlled. Finally, the implications for psychopathology and therapy are discussed.

Text in Afrikaans / Uit 'n literatuurstudie en empiriese ondersoek wat onderneem is, blyk dit dat 15-40% van alle adolessente subkliniese depressie ervaar. Veranderinge en toenemende druk en eise eie aan die adolessente-fase, bring by baie adolessente depressiewe gevoelens mee. Ten spyte van hierdie omstandighede is daar egter ook baie adolessente wat hierdie fase van ontwikkeling sonder enige noemenswaardige probleme deurloop. Aaron Beck is van mening dat dit nie die omstandighede opsigself is wat tot depressie aanleiding gee nie, maar wel die betekenis wat individue aan omstandighede gee. Beck noem dat depressiewe persone tot irrasionele oortuigings, foutiewe inligting-prosessering en disfunksionele outomatiese gedagtes geneig is. Om hierdie probleem aan te spreek is ses adolessente, wat subkliniese depressie ervaar, aan Beck se kognitiewe terapie onderwerp. Die primere doel van Beck se terapie is die regstelling van bogenoemde disfunksionele kognisies. Die gevolgtrekking is dat wanneer adolessente wat subkliniese depressie ervaar, se disfunksionele kognisies reggestel word, hulle depressiewe gevoelens opgehef word. / From a literature study and empirical research which was undertaken, it seems that 15-40% of all adolescents experience subclinical depression. Changes and increasing pressure and demands, typical of the adolescent phase, causes many adolescents to experience depressing emotions. In spite of these circumstances there are also many adolescents who go through this phase in development without any significant problems. Aaron Beck is of opinion that it is not the circumstances in and of itself that lead to depression but rather the meaning that individuals attached to these circumstances. Beck mentions that depressive people are inclined to irrational beliefs, erroneous information-processing and dysfunctional automatic thoughts. To address this problem, six adolescents who experience subclinical depression, were subjected to Beck's cognitive therapy. The primary target of Beck's therapy is the correction of above mentioned dysfunctional cognitions. The conclusion is that when the dysfunctional cognitions of adolescents who experience subclinical depression can be corrected, their depressive feelings will diminish. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

Text in Afrikaans / Uit 'n literatuurstudie en empiriese ondersoek wat onderneem is, blyk dit dat 15-40% van alle adolessente subkliniese depressie ervaar. Veranderinge en toenemende druk en eise eie aan die adolessente-fase, bring by baie adolessente depressiewe gevoelens mee. Ten spyte van hierdie omstandighede is daar egter ook baie adolessente wat hierdie fase van ontwikkeling sonder enige noemenswaardige probleme deurloop. Aaron Beck is van mening dat dit nie die omstandighede opsigself is wat tot depressie aanleiding gee nie, maar wel die betekenis wat individue aan omstandighede gee. Beck noem dat depressiewe persone tot irrasionele oortuigings, foutiewe inligting-prosessering en disfunksionele outomatiese gedagtes geneig is. Om hierdie probleem aan te spreek is ses adolessente, wat subkliniese depressie ervaar, aan Beck se kognitiewe terapie onderwerp. Die primere doel van Beck se terapie is die regstelling van bogenoemde disfunksionele kognisies. Die gevolgtrekking is dat wanneer adolessente wat subkliniese depressie ervaar, se disfunksionele kognisies reggestel word, hulle depressiewe gevoelens opgehef word. / From a literature study and empirical research which was undertaken, it seems that 15-40% of all adolescents experience subclinical depression. Changes and increasing pressure and demands, typical of the adolescent phase, causes many adolescents to experience depressing emotions. In spite of these circumstances there are also many adolescents who go through this phase in development without any significant problems. Aaron Beck is of opinion that it is not the circumstances in and of itself that lead to depression but rather the meaning that individuals attached to these circumstances. Beck mentions that depressive people are inclined to irrational beliefs, erroneous information-processing and dysfunctional automatic thoughts. To address this problem, six adolescents who experience subclinical depression, were subjected to Beck's cognitive therapy. The primary target of Beck's therapy is the correction of above mentioned dysfunctional cognitions. The conclusion is that when the dysfunctional cognitions of adolescents who experience subclinical depression can be corrected, their depressive feelings will diminish. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Voorligting)