Paul F. Zelhart

Possible selves, depression and coping skills in university students

The relationship between possible selves, depression, and coping styles was examined. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Possible Selves Questionnaire (PSQ), and the Coping Skills Inventory (CSI) were administered to university students. The results revealed significant relationships between scores on the BDI and scores on the positive possible selves scale of the PSQ and between the negative possible selves scores and the BDI. The depressed students had more negative possible selves and also reported more avoidance coping strategies than the non-depressed students. This study indicates that the presence of positive possible selves in the cognitive self-schema may be a mediator of depression and coping skills.

Attitudes of registered nurses toward euthanasia

We sought to identify variables that contribute to euthanasia attitude and behavior, including demographics, death fears, experience with death, attitudes toward patient autonomy, and level of moral development. Subjects were 137 registered nurses from the southeastern United States representing 13 clinical nursing areas. Principal components analysis identified four factors that together explained 62.9% of total variance. These factors were belief in afterlife, nursing experience, liberal or conservative political view, and personal values. Variables identified through factor analysis were entered into regression analyses. These analyses showed that increased religious belief, years of nursing experience, and propensity to view death as an end of existence predicted opposition to euthanasia. Predictors for euthanasia support included a liberal political view, more experience with dying patients, and the belief that patients should have a personal responsibility for their own health-care decisions.

Psychometric Properties of the Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale.

An exploratory factor analysis and several confirmatory analyses were performed to evaluate the factorial structure of the Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (RMARS) through the responses of 805 college students. On 559 students’ scores, the instrument’s construct validity was tested through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and was found to be inadequate. An exploratory factor analysis suggested a modification by dropping five items. After the modification, a second CFA showed that the modified model fit the theoretical model well. Cross-validation of the modified model was tested on a different sample of 246 students and was found to be satisfactory. In addition, concurrent validity of the instrument was found from significant relationships between the modified RMARS scores and students’ self-perceptions of their general and current mathematics anxiety levels. The modified RMARS is valid and reliable and could be used as a screening tool, a placement tool, or a research tool.

MMPI correlates of clinical women who report early sexual abuse.

It was predicted from Freuds seduction theory that women who experienced sexual assault early in life would be identifiable by the MMPI. Twenty-six of 51 women treated at a psychotherapy clinic during a 2-year period reported experiencing sexual abuse as a child (RA); 25 made no such claim (NRA). Age, income level, years of formal education, marital status, and k-corrected scores of the MMPI were submitted to a stepwise multivariate discriminant analysis. It was found that the HY, MF, HS, and PD scales constituted a linear function that correctly classified 72.55% of the subjects (Wilkes Lambda = .670785, df 4, p = .0009). These scales correctly identified 73.1% of the RA and 72.0% of the NRA clients.

Assessment of mild brain trauma: A preliminary study of the influence of premorbid factors

Abstract The present study compared differences in the premorbid factors between a group of mild brain-trauma patients and matched controls. The brain-injured patients employed were similar in age and gender to previous research samples, although their socioeconomic status was somewhat elevated. Higher rates of alcohol and drug use, and rates of prior head injury were found in the experimental subjects. No differences were found in premorbid psychological adjustment, pre-existing physical or somatic factors, cognitive functioning, nor in emotional and behavioral factors as measured by self - and significant-other rating on the Katz Adjustment Scales (KAS). The results indicate that in comparison with controls, mild brain-injured patients are distinguishable only on the basis of prior injury and drug and alcohol use. The implications of the study are discussed in terms of clinical management of mild brain-injured patients.

MMPI CORRELATES OF COLLEGE WOMEN WHO REPORTED EXPERIENCING CHILD/ADULT SEXUAL CONTACT WITH FATHER, STEPFATHER, OR WITH OTHER PERSONS

MMPI responses were obtained from three groups of college women (n = 171): those reporting child/adult sexual contact with father/stepfather, with other persons, and a control group reporting no such experience. A comparison of group mean MMPI validity and clinical scales showed the father/stepfather group to have several subscales elevated to clinically significant levels. None of the subscales for the other two groups were so elevated.

A Study of Fantasy: Determinants of Fantasy Function and Content.

This study is concerned with the role of fantasy. Prior research has studied the role of fantasy by investigating the content or types of fantasy and fantasy frequency with the reasoning that such knowledge provides implications as to fantasys role in human functioning. The present study examined fantasy frequency and content in relation to the variables of gender and the social attitude of liberalism/conservatism (N = 304). It was proposed that (a) liberals would engage in more sexual, and bizarre-improbable fantasies than conservatives; (b) males would be more liberal and engage in sexual fantasy more frequently than females; (c) subjects would engage in less sexual and bizarre-improbable fantasies as age increased; and (d) fantasies would be present oriented. The study yielded mixed results. Using an adapted version of the Imaginal Processes Inventory, it was found that the second and third research questions were supported entirely, while the first and fourth research questions were supported only partially.

Selected MMPI Items That Identified College Women Who Reported Early Sexual Abuse

This study examined whether MMPI items could be used to discriminate between 41 college women who reported having experienced sexual abuse as children and 73 who did not report childhood sexual abuse. A set of 63 items were identified which correctly classified 84% of the subjects.

A factor analysis of the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory using an alcoholic population.

The present study reports a factor analysis of the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory using 103 alcoholic men. Kirton in 1976 and we in an unpublished work in 1986 noted identical factor structures when responses from nonalcoholic populations to the inventory were factor analyzed. Recent reviews regarding personality characteristics of alcoholics suggest characteristics similar to the adaption-innovation concepts of Kirton. This factor analysis for an alcoholic sample supports the validity of the inventory as a measure of problem-solving style of alcoholics.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY: XLV. ATTITUDE RESEARCH: GEORGE A. KELLY'S USE OF POLAR ADJECTIVES

This article presents information about Dr. George A. Kellys work in attitude measurement while he was at Fort Hays Kansas State College (1931–1943). The use of bipolar scales to measure the attitudes and the progress of clients supports Kellys Dichotomy Corollary, in addition to providing external validity for the use of the Semantic Differential.