The body weight of former participants to control long-term efficiency of behavior-oriented weight reduction programs was rechecked. Only 4 of the 21 available subjects regained weight over the three-year period. On an average, subjects lost 4.4 kilograms over the follow-up period. (Author)

Findings indicated that expert therapists were similar in their communication of empathy, the basis for their therapeutic relationships. Theoretical orientation, however, differentially influenced use of direct guidance and facilitative techniques, interview content, therapist self-disclosure, therapist initiative, and supportive therapy climate.…

Smokers were assigned to a smoking abstinence program, a smoking abstinence program plus social support, a smoking abstinence program plus social support and paraprofessional training, or a control group. Results revealed incremental improvement in treatment outcome due to social support and paraprofessional training manipulations. (Author/BEF)

Historical events in the development of cognitive-behavior therapy with children are reviewed. Suggestions are offered for areas which might be valuable for therapists to consider in the 1980s. (Author/GK)

An ecological and transactional approach based on Project Re-Ed, liaison psychology makes use of tensions which arise from differing points of view and seeks to facilitate growth of effective relationships. A discussion of strategies which can be used by the practicing school psychologist is presented. (Author/RL)

Subjects monitored either a target behavior or a competing response, namely, its nonoccurrence. Predicted interaction between style of monitoring and deficit or excess status of target behavior did not occur. Monitoring target behavior was the most effective tactic, producing lowest drop-out rate and greatest maintenance of self-monitoring.…

Demonstrated the effect of a contingency contracting treatment package for treating a distressed couple. A multi-method assessment package was used. The treatment package was responsible for producing behavior change and changes in levels of satisfaction. Multi-assessments provided the therapist with concrete data on a couple's progress in…

Obese women were treated in behavior modification programs for overeating. Behavior programs were accompanied by subliminal stimulation and by symbiotic and control messages. The symbiotic condition gave evidence of enhancing weight loss. This finding supports the proposition that subliminal stimulation of symbiotic fantasies can enhance the…

Obese females were assigned to a standard behavioral treatment (SBT) group, a group receiving weight control manuals via mail (MMC), or a waiting list control condition. Results revealed superiority of both treatments over control condition. SBT subjects did better than MMC subjects. Weight loss for MMC subjects was minimal. (Author/BEF)

Students with examination anxiety took part in study of effectiveness of two kinds of treatment, structured psychodrama and systematic desensitization, in reducing test anxiety. Results showed that subjects in both treatment groups significantly reduced test-anxiety scores. Structured psychodrama is as effective as systematic desensitization in…

Evaluated therapeutic effectiveness of setting goals in behavioral terms while monitoring subject's progress in attaining these goals. Greater beneficial changes in patient attainment of goals were effected using a structured patient-therapist collaboration on weekly goals. Results indicate the goal attainment model with periodic monitoring is…

Examined efficacy of cue-controlled relaxation in reducing anxiety of two elementary school teachers. Both teachers exhibited significant reductions in motoric manifestations of anxiety. Both showed increases in rewarding behavior. They reduced disapproving behavior to zero on most days. Training in self-management of stress significantly affected…

Adapting the cognitive behavior modification work of Bandura and Mahoney, the author suggests a "mediational approach" to teaching creativity in the art classroom; here the desired behavior is modeled, guided experience is offered for practice, then reward in the form of approval is given for successful completion of the event. (Editor/SJL)

The study evaluated the training progress of 38 institutionalized severely or profoundly retarded adults who received either paired social praise and edible reinforcement or social praise only. Results stressed the need for reinforcer sampling before initiating skill training. (DB)

Consistent, unemotional use of timeout, without ancillary punishers, is shown to result in typical extinction curves (rather than the steeper gradient of punishment curves) for both autistic and mentally impaired children with widely different abrasive behaviors. Dangers of punishment and the therapeutic value of reduced environmental stimulation…