Showing papers in "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 1978"

Assessing the impact of life changes: development of the Life Experiences Survey.

Abstract: This article describes the development of a new instrument, the Life Experiences Survey, for the measurement of life changes. It was designed to eliminate certain shortcomings of previous life stress measures and allows for separate assessment of positive and negative life experiences as well as individualize d ratings of the impact of events. Several studies bearing on the usefulness of the Life Experiences Survey are presented, and the implications of the findings are discussed. During recent years, numerous studies have investigated the relationship between life stress and susceptibility to physical and psychological problems. Most of these studies have been based on the assumptions that (a) life changes require adaptation on the part of the individual and are stressful, and (b) persons experiencing marked degrees of life change during the recent past are susceptible to physical and psychiatric problems. There is considerable evidence that a relationship exists between life stress, operationally defined in terms of self-reported life changes, and physical illness (Dohrenwcnd & Dohrenwend, 1974b). Rahe and Lind (1971) have reported a relationship between life stress and sudden cardiac death. Theorcll and Rahe (1971) and Edwards (1971) have provided data suggestive of a link between life stress and myocardial infarction. Holmes (1970) and Rahe (1968) both found a relationship between life stress and major and minor health

Sensation seeking in England and America: Cross-cultural, age, and sex comparisons.

Abstract: This study compared the factor structure of the Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS) in English and American samples, and a new form of the SSS, applicable to both samples, was constructed. Three of the four factors showed good crossnational and cross-sex reliability. English and American males did not differ on the total SSS score, but American females scored higher than English females. Males in both countries scored higher than females on the total SSS score and on the Thrill and Adventure-Seeking and Disinhibition subscales. Significant age declines occurred for both sexes, particularly on Thrill and Adventure Seeking and Disinhibition.

Theoretical risks and tabular asterisks: Sir Karl, Sir Ronald, and the slow progress of soft psychology.

Abstract: Theories in “soft” areas of psychology lack the cumulative character of scientific knowledge. They tend neither to be refuted nor corroborated, but instead merely fade away as people lose interest. Even though intrinsic subject matter difficulties (20 listed) contribute to this, the excessive reliance on significance testing is partly responsible, being a poor way of doing science. Karl Popper’s approach, with modifications, would be prophylactic. Since the null hypothesis is quasi-always false, tables summarizing research in terms of patterns of “significant differences” are little more than complex, causally uninterpretable outcomes of statistical power functions. Multiple paths to estimating numerical point values (“consistency tests”) are better, even if approximate with rough tolerances; and lacking this, ranges, orderings, second-order differences, curve peaks and valleys, and function forms should be used. Such methods are usual in developed sciences that seldom report statistical significance. Consistency tests of a conjectural taxometric model yielded 94% success with zero false negatives.

Test anxiety and the passage of time.

Abstract: : Three experiments were performed dealing with the relationship of test anxiety and achievement-oriented instructions to time perception. After being given either achievement-orienting or neutral instructions, subjects waited for an undesignated period of time, after which they performed on an intellective task. The dependent measures were subjects' estimates of the duration of the waiting and performance periods and their scores on the assigned task. High test anxious subjects' time estimates were significantly greater than the estimates of the other subjects and their performance was at a relatively low level. Evidence is presented supporting the hypothesis that highly anxious persons under stress experience cognitive interference and preoccupation which makes time pass slowly and results in poor performance. The implications of the findings are discussed, particularly in terms of the need for training programs capable of fostering improved cognitive skills requiring self-control.

Toward the assessment of social competence.

Abstract: Two studies directed toward development and validation of a self-report measure of social competence in dating and assertion situations are described. An 18-item questionnaire consisting of items that assessed the likelihood of certain specific behaviors occurring and the degree of discomfort and expected incompetence in specific situations was derived. This questionnaire discriminated between client and normal populations and between clients with dating and assertion problems, has psychometric properties of reliability and validity, and measures differential improvement following a variety of 8-week interVention programs.