Increasing use of the female condom through video instruction.

The female condom is effective in preventing sexually transmitted diseases and when used properly reduces risk of HIV infection among women. This field experiment evaluated the effect of a video presentation on reported use of and satisfaction with the female condom. Participants were 100 women tested for HIV infection in a community agency. Ages ranged from 17 to 62 years, and one fifth of the sample were African American or Hispanic. The 23 women who viewed an instructional video were significantly more likely than 13 of the control group of 50 to try the condom and report to the researcher. Video viewing was unrelated to liking the product and future intent to use. Almost three quarters of those who used the condoms reported they liked and would use them.

Empathy and reactive depression.

Empathy and reactive depression were investigated with 53 women, from 21 to 53 years of age, who worked or planned to work as nurses, counselors, or social workers. Empathy was measured using the Mehrabian and Epstein Questionnaire Measure of Empathic Tendency. The adapted Zung Self-rating Depression Scale was used to measure Depressive Symptomatology, and Paykel's Scale for Life Events was used to identify stressful events. A narrative questionnaire elicited additional information to assess stressful events and to screen clinically for endogenous depression. Reactive Depression scores were obtained using a best fit line to correct Depressive Symptomatology for severity of Life Events. A significant modest positive correlation of 39 was found between scores on Empathy and Reactive Depression.

Cross-cultural measurement of experience: Taiwanese and Americans' peak performance, peak experience, misery, failure, sport, and average events.

To compare Taiwanese and Americans on selected experiential personality dimensions, the Experience Questionnaire was translated and tested with 27 Taiwanese in an American university. Descriptions by 129 Taiwanese of peak performance, peak experience, misery, failure, sport, and average events were compared with those made by 123 Americans. Analysis of variance with repeated measures of factors indicated that both samples uniformly characterized processes of peak performance as full focus with clarity of self in process. The Taiwanese considered failure more significant than the Americans who denied clarity of self in misery and failure and more generally endorsed peak experience than the Taiwanese. The study extends the credibility of experience: experiential events can simultaneously have cross-cultural generality and inner processes that are culturally sensitive.

Subjective biological self and self-actualization.

Ginsburg, Rogers, and Maslow, humanistic theorists, have maintained that the self is an emergent characteristic of one's biological makeup. The relationship between physical self-efficacy as an appraisal of subjective biology and self-actualization was examined in a sample of 160 black and white participants. An r of .46 supports the association of subjective biology and self-actualization. Whereas there were no gender or racial differences in scores on self-actualization, men scored higher on physical self-efficacy and subscales of perceived physical ability and perceived self-presentation confidence.

Mental health values of clergy: effects of open-mindedness, religious affiliation, and education in counseling.

Multivariate analyses of variance indicated that both religious affiliation and education in counseling of 44 Episcopal and 51 Catholic clergy had over-all effects on their scores on the Mental Health Values Questionnaire. In separate univariate analyses, significant effects were found on six of eight mental health value subscales. On all subscales in which significant interactions occurred, much of the variance was found among the clergy who were least well educated in counseling. As education in counseling increased, perceptions of mental health values became more consistent between affiliations. Mental health values of clergy were similar to those of a sample of psychotherapists, with Self-acceptance and Good Interpersonal Relations being the highest scored values for both groups.

Preferences for religious or nonreligious counseling and psychotherapy.

Religious values in counseling and preferences for religious or secular counseling were investigated in two geographic areas. Over-all, 164 respondents distinguished religious from secular counseling and endorsed the importance of religious issues and the availability of counseling which can deal with religious issues. 51 preferred religious counseling. Small minorities expressed biases against religious or nonreligious counseling. Counseling preferences were based on the type of problem: religious counseling was preferred for marriage and family problems, and nonreligious counseling was preferred for mental illness and addiction, but religious and nonreligious counseling were equally chosen for depression. Frequency of church attendance was broadly related to preferences for religious and nonreligious counseling.

Humanistic constructs and counseling homeless men.

The present humanistic model for counseling homeless men assumed that counseling goals evolve from each client's internal frame of reference and may include a positive adaptation to his homeless experience. The model encompasses Rogers' necessary components of psychotherapy, Sullivan's interpersonal theory of psychiatry, Adler's use of wellness and encouragement, and Privette's peak-performance contribution. Factor analysis of history of homelessness, background data, ratings of subjective health and of happiness, and scores on Jones and Crandall's Short Index of Self-actualization yielded nine factors relevant to counseling. Empirical support was reported for placing a counseling services program in a multiservice facility for homeless persons.

Black and white homeless men: differences in self-actualization, willingness to use services, history of being homeless, and subjective health ratings.

In this analysis of racial confounds in the study of homelessness and self-actualization, 100 black and 71 white homeless men from a mission and a street environment were compared to test the hypothesis that the prototypes of black and white homeless men are different. Discriminant analysis of items from the Short Index of Self-actualization of Jones and Crandall, willingness to use services, history of homelessness, and self-reported health ratings correctly classified 83.6% of black and white homeless men (Wilks' lambda = .46, p < .0001). The prototypic black homeless person and the prototypic white homeless person have strong differences so race must be evaluated in studies of such groups.

Influence of play on creative thinking.

The immediate influence of flexible and highly structured play on the creative thinking of 184 fourth-grade boys and girls was investigated. Following either flexible or highly structured art, drama, and playground activities, children's performances on the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking were evaluated. Children who participated in flexible play experiences showed significantly greater creative thinking than children participating in the highly structured play experiences. No significant differences were found between boys and girls related to effects of flexible and structured play on creative thinking. Implications for curriculum are explored.