Steven Beck

The relationship among guilt, dysphoria, anxiety and obsessions in a normal population.

Seventy-six college students reported intrusive thoughts and impulses on a checklist. These students also completed questionnaires assessing depression, trait anxiety and perceived guilt. Results indicated for this normal population that intrusive thoughts were more distressful, more difficult to dismiss and occur with a greater variety of content compared to intrusive impulses. Multiple regression analysis showed that guilt was the best predictor of intrusive thoughts and impulses. Self-reported depression and anxiety were not strong predictors with respect to nonclinical obsessions and impulses. Discussion focuses on the utility of assessing guilt with obsessional disorders, the lack of a relationship between self-report trait anxiety and nonclinical obsessions, and the need to examine the relationship between guilt and anxiety with clinically obsessional subjects.

Parents as Therapists A Review of the Behavior Therapy Parent Training Literature-1975 to 1981

The present article reviews the behavioral parent training literature from 1975 to 1981. Both case studies and group investigations are included. The content and training methods of the parent intervention literature for children and adolescents are summarized. Methodological and clinical concerns are addressed, most notably generalization issues, the lack of parental observational data, the obtrusiveness of behavioral observation measures, and the need to identify critical characteristics of parents of clinic-referred children. The present status of this area is summarized and future research directions are suggested.

Parents as change agents in the management of their developmentally delayed children's noncompliant behaviors: a critical review

The present paper reviews the behavioral parent training literature that has focused on reducing noncompliance with developmentally delayed children. Several factors are identified which may make parental attempts to reduce developmentally delayed childrens noncompliance difficult. The 13 studies reviewed are separated into group and single case approaches, and each study was assessed on a number of methodological factors. The studies generally report success in modifying non-compliance; however, the variability in the experimental rigor of the reviewed studies preclude definitive conclusions from being made at this time about the efficacy of training parents to reduce noncompliance with delayed children. As examples, only a few studies have collected parental data and home observational data. Clinical and training considerations are also discussed, such as the need to identify parental and marital characteristics that may influence training success and identify which specific training techniques are most effective in teaching parents contingency management procedures. Finally, suggestions for training parents of delayed children are offered.

A comparison of children who receive and who do not receive permission to participate in research

In a study examining childrens social competence in elementary school settings, the authors had the opportunity to compare children who received parental permission to participate to children who did not receive permission. Results indicated that children who were not involved in the study were more likely to be viewed by teachers as having unsatisfactory relationships with peers than children who were in the study. The present results suggest that investigators begin reporting the number of children who do not participate in a given study and begin examining whether minors who receive parental permission differ on important dimensions from minors who do not receive such permission. Ethical considerations of the present study are discussed.

Social Skills Training for Children: A Methodological and Clinical Review of Behavior Modification Studies

The purpose of this paper was to review the methodological rigor and clinical implications of behavior modification studies in which social skills have been taught to socially deficient children. Thirty two studies were reviewed. The following four treatment approaches were identified and reviewed: adult contingent attention; peer-mediated strategies; modeling; and treatment packages. The clinical merits and limitation of each approach are discussed. Identification and possible target behaviors for neglected and rejected children are outlined. It appears however that conclusions are not warranted at this time about the relative effectiveness of the four treatment strategies. Research issues such as subject selection and the need to document that skills acquired during training are associated with relevant outcome measures are discussed. Finally, suggestions for future social skills studies are offered.

Assessing generalization of treatment effects and self-efficacy in the modification of eating styles in obese children

The present study implemented a brief behavioral treatment program designed to alter the eating styles of 16 obese children and assessed the generalizability of childrens eating styles from a laboratory setting to a school cafeteria. Results indicated that obese children exhibited significantly different eating styles at different mealtimes across the two settings. The treatment program was also found effective in altering eating styles in both settings. Although no significant differences between the eating styles of obese and normal weight children were observed prior to treatment, the 2-week follow-up observation in the natural setting demonstrated a different eating style between obese and normal weight peers. Results also indicated that a self-efficacy rating scale was no more effective than a control measure in predicting post-treatment eating styles.

Questionnaires and Checklists

Assessment instruments that are completed by adults in reference to a child’s behavior can be used by clinicians to assess children’s behavioral problems and psychological characteristics. Surveys of clinicians from different therapeutic orientations indicate that rating scales and checklists are helpful in their clinical practice (Piotrowski & Keller, 1984; Wade & Baker, 1977). Yet, in a survey of child clinical and school psychologists’ assessment methods for children with hyperactive characteristics, interviews, behavioral observations, standardized IQ tests, and drawing tasks were preferred over checklists (Rosenberg & Beck, 1986). As discussed throughout this book, one assessment method should not be considered superior and used independently of other assessment strategies. Yet, given the attractive features of checklists, it is surprising that these instruments are not used more extensively by clinicians. Checklists have also often been ignored in previous discussions of child behavior assessment (Wilson & Prentice-Dunn, 1981).

An Empirically-Based Assessment of Early Intervention Service Provision and Utilization

The present investigation studied provision of early intervention services for young children. 377 programs in Ohio were interviewed with respect to the number of young handicapped and “at risk” children participating, the types of services provided children and their parents, and budget information. Younger children (0–2 yr.) and those from rural areas were less frequently involved than older children from urban and semiurban areas. While a wide range of services were provided children and their parents, there was considerable variability in the proportion of programs providing these services. Public sources of funding provide the bulk of support for early intervention services, while private sources provide supplementary, but decreasing, support for services.