Effects of a 52-lesson, class-taught, social-problem-solving training program for third-grade children were assessed. Program children improved more than controls on several cognitive skills, including problem identification, alternative-solution thinking, and consequential thinking as well as on behavioral problem-solving performance.…

Evaluated the Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP), a school-based mental health program for the early detection and prevention of school-adjustment problems. Assessed the PMHP's effectiveness by evaluating seven consecutive annual cohorts of children. Results strongly and consistently showed that children seen through the PMHP were judged to have…

Describes problems in implementing placebo controls in psychotherapy including the difficulty of ensuring that therapists and their patients will view both the experimental and placebo treatments as comparably credible. Considers six research issues stemming from the definitional requirement that the placebo control for the critical and specific…

An examination of the scientific basis of both control group designs and comparative designs in outcome research reveals that comparative designs generally have fewer threats to validity and provide a more efficient means of control for nonspecific treatment factors suggesting that comparative studies warrant a larger role in the study of…

Intervention effectively ameliorated some of the psychosocial problems reported by patients. Patients evidenced a more rapid decline of negative affect (anxiety, hostility, depression), a more realistic outlook on life, a greater proportion of return to previous vocational status, and a more active pattern of time usage. (Author)

This study was a randomized control trial (RCT) of Parent Management Training--The Oregon Model (PMTO) in Norway. A sample representing all health regions of Norway and consisting of 112 children with conduct problems and their families participated in the study. Families were randomly assigned to either PMTO or a regular services comparison…

Examined impact, on couples planning marriage, of a cognitive-behavioral marital distress prevention program emphasizing communication and problem-solving skills, clarifying and sharing expectations, and sensual/sexual enhancement. Compared to controls, participants showed higher levels of relationship quality at the 18-month and three-year…

Evaluated efficacy of parental problem-solving training in a behavioral weight-reduction program for obese children. Assigned children and their parents to problem-solving, behavioral, and instruction-only weight-loss groups. Children in the problem-solving group lost significantly more weight and maintained the weight loss better. Child weight…

Administered neuropsychological tests to alcoholic subjects before and after their participation in two weeks of memory training, training in problem-solving techniques, or no training. The problem-solving group showed greater improvement on problem-solving tests but not on memory or perceptual-motor tests. Younger subjects in the memory training…