DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THREE COUNSELING STRATEGIES IN PRODUCING SELF-CONTROLLED BEHAVIOR
Abstract
Three treatment approaches derived from the cognitive and behavior therapy literature were compared with each other and with two control conditions with respect to their capacity to enhance the self-controlled behavior of impulsive boys in both test taking and classroom situations. The three treatment approaches were: cognitive-behavioral, cognitive, and behavioral, and the two control conditions were attention control and no treatment control. All subjects were non-retarded, impulsive, behavior problem boys attending a school for the emotionally disturbed. Their ages ranged from 9 years 10 months to 14 years. Treatment consisted of 12 sessions for each treatment group plus the attention control group. The cognitive-behavioral intervention consisted of verbal self-instruction training plus a response cost procedure. The cognitive intervention involved verbal self-instruction alone. A modeling procedure under response cost conditions was the behavioral intervention. The attention control situation consisted of 12 discussion sessions without either self-instruction training or response cost. All subjects were pre and posttested on the Matching familiar Figures Test (MFFT). The MFFT latency and error scores were the measures of test taking impulsive behavior. Teachers rated the subjects both before and after treatment on the Self Control Rating Scale (SCRS). The SCRS was the measure of impulsive behavior in the classroom setting. Results indicated that the cognitive-behavioral approach had the largest impact on impulsive behavior. This approach was significantly more effective than all others with respect to MFFT error reduction, and was significantly more effective than both control conditions with respect to MFFT latency increase. Additionally, this approach was significantly better than all others, except the cognitive, with respect to SCRS reduction score. The cognitive approach was the second most effective intervention in reducing impulsive behavior. This approach was less effective than the cognitive--behavioral only with respect to MFFT error. The success of these approaches was interpreted as an endorsement of verbal self-instruction for reducing impulsivity. The behavioral approach was effective in reducing impulsive behavior in the test taking situation, but not in the classroom situation. Response cost was concluded to be non-effective in producing generalized self controlled behavior.
Subject Area
Educational psychology
Recommended Citation
QUINN, ANDREW JOSEPH, "DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THREE COUNSELING STRATEGIES IN PRODUCING SELF-CONTROLLED BEHAVIOR" (1983). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8404767.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8404767
