ABSTRACT
Abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity has been associated with various psychiatric disorders and behaviors, including depression, suicide, and aggression. We examined quantitative resting EEG in Hispanic female adolescent suicide attempters and matched normal controls. Computerized EEG measures were recorded at 11 scalp sites during eyes open and eyes closed periods from 16 suicide attempters and 22 normal controls. Suicide attempters differed from normal controls in alpha asymmetry. Normal adolescents had greater alpha (less activation) over right than left hemisphere, whereas suicidal adolescents had a nonsignificant asymmetry in the opposite direction. Nondepressed attempters were distinguished from depressed attempters in that they accounted for the preponderance of abnormal asymmetry, particularly in posterior regions. Alpha asymmetry over posterior regions was related to ratings of suicidal intent, but not depression severity. The alpha asymmetry in suicidal adolescents resembled that seen for depressed adults in its abnormal direction, but not in its regional distribution. Findings for suicidal adolescents are discussed in terms of a hypothesis of reduced left posterior activation, which is not related to depression but to suicidal or aggressive behavior.
Subject(s)
Alpha Rhythm , Arousal/physiology , Depressive Disorder/physiopathology , Dominance, Cerebral/physiology , Electroencephalography , Hispanic or Latino/psychology , Suicide, Attempted/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Aggression/physiology , Brain Mapping , Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Female , Humans , Reference Values , Risk Factors , Signal Processing, Computer-AssistedABSTRACT
An assertiveness training program for 343 fourth- and fifth-grade children was designed and evaluated. All children in 10 classrooms were randomly assigned by classroom to one of three conditions: (a) assertiveness training, (b) a control intervention, or (c) a no-treatment control. The intervention procedures were administered for 2 hours a week for 12 weeks in groups of 6 pupils each. Assertiveness was higher among classes receiving assertion training on the quality of alternatives generated on the Interpersonal Problem-solving Test, an Assertion Quiz and a Group Decision Task. Teachers reported better comportment and higher achievement and higher popularity among the assertion classes. Grade point averages increased for the pupils in the assertiveness group 1 year following the intervention. Observations indicated a greater number of student-initiated contacts with the teacher and fewer questions answered by the pupils receiving assertiveness training. The usefulness of assertiveness training as a primary prevention intervention is discussed.
Subject(s)
Assertiveness , Behavior Therapy/methods , Child Development , Child , Female , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Male , Peer Group , Social AdjustmentSubject(s)
Assertiveness , Self Concept , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
Examined the aggressive response style of 64 first offense, incarcerated, white, male delinquents who varied in physical size and aggressiveness on two behavioral simulation tasks. The delinquent's expectations, verbal anger, and effectiveness in verbally convincing his peers to accept an individual decision as the group's choice during an analogue discussion task were assessed. In addition, the delinquent's skill in controlling his arousal, verbal and physical aggressiveness, and performance on a digit symbol test while he was being attacked verbally was evaluated on a frustration task. Based on the interaction of perceptual, behavioral, and physiological factors, distinct aggression styles emerged for each of the four groups: Physically powerful/aggressive, powerful/nonaggressive, physically weak/aggressive, weak/nonaggressive. Positive aggression coping patterns were identified for each simulation task.
Subject(s)
Aggression/psychology , Body Height , Juvenile Delinquency/psychology , Adaptation, Psychological , Adolescent , Adult , Arousal , Electromyography , Humans , Male , Social Dominance , Verbal BehaviorABSTRACT
Baseline assessments of assertiveness were determined prior to instituting a 10-week assertion training program with 85 ninth-and twelfth-grade adolescents. Initial self-report measures of assertiveness indicated that females experienced significantly more discomfort in assertion situations than males. Baseline measures also revealed that while assertiveness increased with age in males, it decreased over grade levels with females. Data from the baseline assessments were used to structure an intervention program in which subjects were randomly assigned to groups which received assertiveness training twice a week for one hour. Prior to data analysis, each group was classed as either high- or low-cohesive. The results indicated a significant increase in assertiveness in the highly cohesive training groups on a behavioral measure of assertiveness.
