Bernard Guerney

Automated group desensitization for test anxiety

Abstract The present study was an attempt to develop an automated (i.e. preprogrammed and mechanically administered) group desensitization treatment for test anxiety: to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment of systematic desensitization without counseling; and to determine the importance of the physical presence or absence of the therapist in the sessions. Forty-two test-anxious female college students were divided into three matched groups on the basis of previous semesters grade point average (G.P.A. ). The three groups consisted of a Waiting List control and two treatment groups; in one group, desensitization was administered by a therapist, whereas in the other, by a tape recorded set of instructions. Both treatment groups manifested a significant improvement in the G.P.A. following treatment, when compared with the control group. In addition, self-report measures indicated that following final exams there was a significant reduction of daily anxiety for treatment groups as compared to the controls. No significant differences were found when the two treatments were compared with each other; however, a strong trend favoring the Therapist-Present group was noted for improved G.P.A.

Teachers as Psychotherapeutic Agents for Withdrawn Children.

Eleven volunteer elementary grade teachers, trained and supervised in client-centered play therapy by a psychologist and social worker, conducted weekly 45 minute sessions for 14 weeks with nine of their most withdrawn pupils. Coding of classroom assertiveness by independent, naive judges showed a statistically significant rise in assertiveness. A control group of six similarly withdrawn children showed no such change. Increased assertiveness was more notable vis-a-vis peers than teachers, suggesting general improvement. There was a significant correlation between teachers therapeutic role performance and degree of childs improvement, suggesting that the specific technique used was the instrumental factor.

AUTOANALYTIC BEHAVIOR WITH AND WITHOUT SUGGESTION AND FEEDBACK

In spite of the widespread practice of psychotherapy, little is yet known about precisely which variables are effective in the interaction between therapist and patient. Since certain types of communication, such as openness and expression of feeling, are thought to be desirable, and other kinds, such as guardedness and excessive silence, undesirable, it would be of value to obtain baseline measures of such behaviors in the absence of interpersonal stimulation and compare these measurements with those found under the influence of various degrees and kinds of social interaction. In this study, 38 female volunteer undergraduate Ss spoke out loud to a tape recorder while alone in a room, for two 1/2-hr. sessions a week for 7 wk. The task was structured as one of self-exploration and analysis. Half of the Ss, the C group, followed this schedule throughout the study. The other half, or E, Ss were asked to come into Es office for about 3 min. before beginning their seventh and subsequent session, a t which time E, in an accepting manner, gave Ss feedback as to what they had talked about during their previous session and indirect suggestions as to what they should be doing in this session. The material for the feedback was obtained by E listening to the last 3 min. of each experimental Ss previous session: a period during which Ss had been asked to summarize each session. The content of each 20 sec. o f this summary period was restated without interpretation and written down by E, who now presented this material to S as feedback. The suggestions were presented indirectly as questions designed to encourage Ss to be open and frank in what they said and to express their thoughts and feelings freely, particularly with regard to interpersonal relationships (e.g., It is becoming less difficult for you to talk about your feelings, and relationships with others?). Measures of verbal behavior were obtained by coding Sessions 5 and 6, and 1 1 and 12 by 15-sec. intervals according to numerous categories. Hypotheses predicting increases in openness, discussion of self, and expression of feeling, and predicting decreases in guardedness and long pauses for the experimental Ss, were tested by a multivariate analysis of variance of difference scores. None were supported. The only difference between the groups was a significant increase in long pauses for the E group as compared to the C group. Instead of facilitating the flow of speech as predicted, the particular relationship that existed between E and the experimental Ss appears to have inhibited Ss. Despite Es efforts to be fully accepting, it is suggested that in this situation he could not be sufficiently perceived as such. It is suggested that the inhibition resulted from Ss uncertainty as to how E was actually reacting to them. A person with whom Ss had not established a significant relationship was listening to their rapes and confronting them with what he had heard. Ss never had the experience of being accepted by E while they were talking and feeling during the sessions, nor did the feedback or suggestions reveal to Ss what E thought of their performances. Hence, Ss were uncertain about Es evaluation of them and showed inhibition of speech.