Summarizes recent developments in assessment and treatment of obesity. Reviews studies on genetics and weight cycling, which demonstrate the heterogeneous etiology of obesity and help explain difficulty in losing weight or maintaining weight loss. Describes the newer treatment programs which emphasize the development of exercise behaviors,…

Unassertive women (n=36) assessed as high or low on conceptual level (CL) were randomly assigned to high-structure-behavioral or low-structure-cognitive forms of assertion training (AT). Low-CL clients in the matched condition improved most in verbal assertiveness. No matching effects were found with high-CL clients. (Author/KS)

Examines literature on cognitive behavior therapies with children and evaluates the implicit assumptions of these techniques regarding enhanced generalization of effects over time and across settings. Focuses on methodology and experiment design, client utilization of training procedures, long-term follow-up, and diagnosis. (KH)

Explains that criminal justice agencies have acknowledged that imaginative and engaging styles of education are crucial to rehabilitative work with offenders. Investigates the ways in which a drama-based cognitive-behavioral program in the United Kingdom for violent offenders can construct and review its theoretical approach through practice.…

Describes aspects of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). REBT shows how people can both create and uncreate many of their emotional disturbances. It is a theory of personality which avoids devotion to any kind of magic and supernaturalism and emphasizes unconditional self-acceptance, antiabsolutism, uncertainty, and human fallibility. (RJM)

Discusses different views of autonomy and suggests cognitive behavioral approaches to help women raise their self-esteem and overcome dependency. Suggests methods for strengthening female autonomy without giving up caring and compassion attributes. (Author/CM)

Examined effectiveness of cognitive intervention to help adolescents cope with stress and negative emotional arousal. Compared youth receiving training (N=9) with waiting list control group (N=12) in hypothetical stress situations. Results showed significant reductions in levels of anxiety and anger, improvement in self-esteem, and increase in…

Results are reported from a study in which Cognitive Behavior Modification (CBM) was used successfully to modify the behavior of students (N=55) with mild behavior problems. This method teaches individuals to reinforce or rebuke themselves for their own behavior. Also outlined are steps in implementing a CBM program. (IAH)

Findings from 84 interns from 32 nationwide training sites revealed that cognitive-behavioral supervisors were perceived to be in consultant role and to focus on skills and strategies more than were humanistic, psychodynamic, and existential supervisors, who were perceived more as using relationship model, playing therapist role, and focusing on…

Evaluated prevention approaches for young adults (n=36) at risk for alcohol problems. Subjects were randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral alcohol skills training, didactic alcohol information program, or assessment only. Found significant reduction over one year in alcohol consumption for total sample; directional findings consistently favored…

Assigned 45 rape victims with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to stress inoculation training (SIT), prolonged exposure (PE), supportive counseling, or wait-list. All conditions produced improvements on PTSD symptoms, rape-related distress, general anxiety, and depression. SIT produced significantly more improvement on PTSD symptoms than did…

Examines whether cognitive restructuring (CR) contributes to treatment efficacy and investigates its mode of action for therapeutic effects. Results, based on 60 persons with generalized social phobia, indicate that CR reduced social phobia and negative social cognitions and increased positive cognitions. CR did not enhance the effects of…

Describes a treatment package for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The components of the Kit, which uses whole-classroom reinforcement, are categorized into three areas and the empirical rationale for each component is discussed. Presents a case study of a six-year-old girl with reported disruptive behavior problems. (RJM)

Meta-analyses were performed on 12 studies of treatment with sex offenders (n=1,313). A small, but robust, overall effect size was found for treatment versus comparison conditions. Cognitive-behavioral and hormonal treatments were significantly more effective than behavioral treatments but were not significantly different from each other. (JPS)

Examines the therapeutic and cultural factors related to effective substance-abuse treatment for Asian-American adolescents. Discusses recommendations for developing effective and culturally competent treatment service for minority populations. Presents three effective and culturally appropriate treatment models: Psychosocial, Community Treatment,…