Cathy W. Hall

The Role of Self-Compassion in Physical and Psychological Well-Being

ABSTRACT The relation of self-compassion to physical and psychological well-being was investigated among 182 college students. The self-compassion scale was delineated into three composites, following the proposition by Neff that self-compassion consists of three main components: self-judgment versus self-kindness (SJ–SK), a sense of isolation versus common humanity (I–CH), and over-identification versus mindfulness (OI–M). Findings support the association between self-compassion and psychological and physical well-being, but the composites demonstrate different influences. SJ–SK and I–CH were predictive of both depressive symptomatology and physical well-being, and SJ–SK and OI–M were predictive of managing life stressors. The results of this study support and expand prior research on self-compassion.

Motivational and Attitudinal Factors in College Students with and without Learning Disabilities.

The current study examined the emotional resiliency, stress levels, locus of control and need for achievement in 17 college students with learning disabilities (LD) by comparing them with 17 of their peers without learning disabilities. Dependent variables included performance on the Hall Resiliency Scale, the Nowicki-Duke Locus of Control Scale, the Need for Achievement Scale, and a shortened version of a stress scale focusing on typical college stressors. Results indicated that students with learning disabilities obtained significantly higher resiliency scores and significantly higher scores on the Need for Achievement Scale than their counterparts without learning disabilities. These findings suggest that LD college students show a strong goal-directed approach and problem-solving initiative. Surprisingly, college students with LD self-reported significantly fewer college stressors than the students without LD. College students with LD also demonstrated a higher need for achievement than their college peers. No significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to locus of control. Both groups obtained moderate scores on the locus of control measure, suggesting realistic assessment of environmental events as these impact their lives.

Depressive symptomatology in learning‐disabled and nonlearning‐disabled students

The present study examined the level of depressive symptomatology in a sample of 100 learning-disabled and nonlearning-disabled fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students. Depressive symptomatology was assessed using the Childrens Depression Inventory (CDI). In addition, students were rated by their classroom teachers on behaviors related to depression based on the DSM-III criteria. It was found that students identified as learning disabled obtained significantly higher scores on the CDI and the behavior rating scale than did children in the regular education classroom. There were no significant differences among grade levels for CDI scores, but a trend was noted. A significant difference was found among grade levels for the behavior rating scale scores. There was a significant positive correlation between CDI scores and teacher ratings of depressive characteristics.

COLLEGE STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

95 college students were administered the Facial Expressions subtest of the Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy to measure perception of nonverbal cues. Participants also completed the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale and responded to a short questionnaire regarding their beliefs about their own ability to perceive nonverbal cues as well as how effective they felt others were in perceiving nonverbal cues. A significant correlation between locus of control and perception of adult facial expressions indicated those students with a more internal locus of control had higher scores on correct perception of adult facial expression. There was no significant correlation between locus of control and facial expressions of children. Sex differences were also found in perception of nonverbal cues. Female students scored higher in correctly perceiving facial expressions than the men. Participants also scored higher in correctly perceiving facial expressions of children than of adults.

Are Math Readiness and Personality Predictive of First-Year Retention in Engineering?

ABSTRACT On the basis of J. G. Borkowski, L. K. Chan, and N. Muthukrishnas model of academic success (2000), the present authors hypothesized that freshman retention in an engineering program would be related to not only basic aptitude but also affective factors. Participants were 129 college freshmen with engineering as their stated major. Aptitude was measured by SAT verbal and math scores, high school grade-point average (GPA), and an assessment of calculus readiness. Affective factors were assessed by the NEO–Five Factor Inventory (FFI; P. I. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 2007), and the Nowicki–Duke Locus of Control (LOC) scale (S. Nowicki & M. Duke, 1974). A binary logistic regression analysis found that calculus readiness and high school GPA were predictive of retention. Scores on the Neuroticism and Openness subscales from the NEO-FFI and LOC were correlated with retention status, but Openness was the only affective factor with a significant unique effect in the binary logistic regression. Results of the study lend modest support to Borkowskis model.

Learning styles of LD and NLD ADHD children

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) children (N = 26) with a learning disability (LD) and without (NLD) were compared on measures of information processing using the Learning Efficiency Test (LET). Method of presentation (visual vs. auditory), order of recall (ordered vs. non-ordered), and memory processes (immediate, short-term, and long-term) were assessed. While both groups showed more difficulty with short-term and long-term memory processes than with immediate memory processes, the ADHD-LD subjects demonstrated more difficulty processing information effectively. Ordered recall was significantly more difficult for both short-term and long-term memory processes than was unordered recall. While both groups demonstrated difficulty with auditory ordered recall under short-term and long-term conditions, the ADHD-LD subjects lost the most information under auditory conditions.

Traumatic Symptomatology Characteristics of Adult Children of Alcoholics

Traumatic experience symptomatology, resiliency factors, and stress among young adults who had experienced alcoholism within their family of origin were assessed in comparison to adults who as children experienced traumatic life events other than alcoholism and those who indicated neither problem (parental alcoholism or traumatic life event) during their childhood. These three groups were compared on self-report measures of stress, resiliency, depressive symptomatology, and trauma symptoms. Results indicated adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) had more self-reported stress, more difficulty initiating the use of mediating factors in response to life events, and more symptoms of personal dysfunction than the control group. Results suggest ACOAs may develop less effective stress management strategies and present more clinically at-risk patterns of responses than their counterparts.

Publication productivity in selected School Psychology Journals: 1985-1991

This study examines the institutional affiliations of authors who have published in the three major journals of School Psychology and two additional journals started recently in the field between January, 1985, and July, 1991. The specific journals examined were Psychology in the Schools, Journal of School Psychology, and the School Psychology Review. These journals comprise the primary research outlets in School Psychology. In addition, papers published in Professional School Psychology and the Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment were also included in the analysis because these represent relatively new publication outlets for School Psychology. Findings regarding institutional productivity are compared with those obtained from previous studies in this area.

Multiple stressors and adjustment among adult children of alcoholics

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of multiple stressors during childhood on subsequent adjustment among adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs). Scores on self-report measures of adjustment were compared for four groups: ACOAs who had experienced multiple stressors (n = 73), ACOAs reporting alcoholism as the only stressor in the home of origin (n = 80), adults who reported experiencing traumatic events other than alcoholism in the home of origin (n = 99), and a control group who reported no traumatic events during childhood (n = 102). Significant differences were found among groups in terms of self-reported anger/irritability, defense avoidance, and measures of resiliency.

Acceptability and utilization of frequently-cited intervention strategies

Acceptability ratings of three typesof interventions (behavioral, pragmatic, and humanistic) applied to two types of behavior problems (acting out vs. passive resistance) were evaluated by use to the Intervention Rating Profile (IRP-15) developed by Witt and Martens (1984). The relationships among acceptability scores of interventions and self-reported utilization of the three types of interventions also were evaluated. Student teachers (N = 73) read descriptions of two behavior problems and then rated each of three diffenet interventions in regard to perceived acceptability. Results indicated that both behavior problems were regarded as being equally severe; however, the acting out behavior problem was more likely to be referred for intevention outsie the clasroom. The ratings of the interventions indicated that the student teachers regarded the humanistic approach as being the most acceptable, the behavioral intervention as next in acceptability, and the pragmatic approach as least acceptable. Variations also were noted inregard to type to behavior problem exhinited and intervention type. There was not a significant discrepancy among the acceptability ratings of the three intervention types and student teacherss self-reported utilization of these three types of interventions.