This study examined the relative effectiveness of two variations of an elective course on self-control and study behavior in modifying academic performance of freshmen undergraduate students enrolled in the independent studies program of the Universidad Simon Bolivar, in Venezuela. Of the 29 freshmen students selected to participate in this study,…

This paper discusses three functional classes of assessment of depression: (1) global measures for comparability; (2) specific measures of depression components; and (3) measures of model-related dimensions. Attempts at assessing depression in two psychotherapy studies are presented. This research has been organized around a model which assumes…

This study assumes that all suicidal and self-destructive behavior can be placed on a continuum from hopeful (H) to hopeless (S). The author attempts to show that there is an underlying continuum of hope corresponding to what we know about the statistics of suicidal behavior. He employs two operational hypotheses as tests of his ideas: (1) a group…

Peer modeling as a non-punitive disciplinary technique was examined in two studies assessing its effectiveness in increasing self-control of young children in the absence of an authority figure. The first study investigated the effect of observing the rule-following behavior of a peer model on the observing child's subsequent self-control.…

The purpose of this manual is to provide clients of community mental health facilities with techniques and skills to bring about changes in their own behavior and that of others in their environment. The manual has been used for two years as a textbook for a program of self-control skills training offered in San Mateo County, California, community…

Research suggests that individuals who were never heavy, were once heavy but lost weight, or who are currently obese can be differentiated by physical self concept, number of hours spent in various activities, and the hierarchial reinforcement value of different behaviors. Subjects (N=99) completed the Tennessee Self-Concept Test, the Self-Control…

The relationship between self-control and role-taking deficits as exhibited by 37 female institutionalized juvenile delinquents was assessed by Chandler's measure of social egocentrism. Subjects, matched on the basis of their scores on the Matching Familiar Figures (MFF) Test, were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. The treatment…

Cheating behavior has been found to relate to emotion-attribution explanations. Prior research with second-grade children has indicated that increased self-control occurs in a watching task when the child's emotional response is attributed to internal rather than external actions. In the present study, freshman women (N=221) took a reading…

Cognitive self-instructional (CSI) programs have been successful in improving problem-solving skills in many, but not all, children. The importance of understanding the influence of subject characteristics in self-control studies, while often ignored in actual research, has been repeatedly advocated verbally. This paper presents a study designed…

For many years researchers have investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and human aggression. A "policy-capturing" methodology was used to determine how judgments of responsibility for aggressive behavior are influenced by information about a person's alcohol consumption, sex, and degree of injury to a victim. Male subjects (N=8)…

Some of the unique characteristics of the drug abuse field which distinguish it from the other varieties of substance abuse and research methodologies for studying determinants of drug self-administration behavior which have been developed in response to these characteristics were investigated. Data suggest that residential drug…

This newsletter, focusing on literature and research on cognitive behavior modification (CBM), reviews articles and research on CBM with children. Works on retarded children, deaf children and children with learning disabilities are presented, with critical analyses. A parallel section on CBM with adults follows. Problem areas of phobias, anxiety,…

This Child Development Associate (CDA) module focuses on child guidance strategies that promote children's self control and positive social behavior. Objectives are stipulated, activities for achieving each objective are suggested, and an assessment checklist is provided. A study guide emphasizes (1) teacher qualities which lead to close, warm,…

The central and most common element in existing conceptualizations of communication competency is the concept of control, which suggests that competency is a function of the communicator's ability to exert influence over physical and social surroundings. This paper identifies six phases of the control process: goal specification, information…

Two experiments related to the development of verbal self-control in children were conducted. In the first experiment, 36 adults and 36 four year olds were administered a vocal alone, a motor alone, and a combined-reaction-time task. In the second experiment, 54 kindergarten subjects and 60 fifth-grade subjects were each administered a double…