Negative affect and interpersonal rejection among prison inmates in a therapeutic community: a social relations analysis.

The authors used D. A. Kenny's social relations model to examine J. C. Coyne's interpersonal theory of depression among a clinical sample of well-acquainted prison inmates. Members of 12 therapy groups (N = 142) diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder completed a self-report measure of depression and anxiety and indicated their desire to interact with other group members. There was both consensus about which group members were rejected and individual differences in the participants reported desire for future interaction with other group members. Those reporting high levels of depressive negative affect were most likely to be rejected. Those lowest in positive affect indicated the least desire for future interaction with others.

Studying perceptions of juror influence in vivo: a social relations analysis.

Because of legal constraints and statistical limitations there has been little research on social influence in actual juries. We used Kenny's (1994) social relations model to examine jurors' perceptions of social influence in the jury. After rendering a verdict in criminal or civil court cases, jurors rated how influential each member of the jury had been and provided self-reports of their personality traits. Perceptions of influence in the jury were mostly in the eye of the beholder, with jurors high in Conscientiousness and low in Openness being most likely to report that they were personally influenced by other jurors. There were small but statistically significant levels of consensus in the ratings of how influential the jurors were. To the extent that they did agree, jurors rated extraverted, tall men as most influential.

The cognitive-behavioral model of hypochondriasis: misinformation and triggers.

According to the cognitive-behavioral model, hypochondriacal individuals hold dysfunctional assumptions about illness, which may be triggered by critical incidents. In this study 1,158 participants completed measures of hypochondriacal concerns and self-esteem, and estimated the likelihood of various symptoms indicating catastrophic and minor illnesses. Participants who were more hypochondriacal believed that catastrophic outcomes were more likely than did the less hypochondriacal participants, but they did not differ in their estimates for minor illnesses. Estimates of the likelihood of catastrophic illness and self-esteem independently contributed to the prediction of hypochondriacal concerns. In this study 2,177 participants completed a measure of hypochondriacal concerns, performed a scrambled-sentences task that included either illness terms or neutral terms, and completed a state anxiety inventory. The illness terms did not trigger higher levels of anxiety in the more hypochondriacal participants; instead, these terms appeared to make the less hypochondriacal participants as anxious as their hypochondriacal counterparts.

Interpersonal perception in group therapy: a social relations analysis.

Although group therapists have emphasized the importance of interpersonal perception and feedback during therapy, there has been little systematic research on how group members form impressions of one another. D.J. Kiesler's (1983) interpersonal circle provides a framework for studying interpersonal perception and relations. Twenty-seven women and 18 men from 9 time-limited therapy groups reported their impressions of their fellow group members using the Impact Message Inventory, and they also completed 2 self-report scales. A social relations analysis of this data indicated that Subjects' perceptions included both assimilation and consensus. There was also a relationship between how Subjects saw themselves before therapy and how they were seen by other group members. The results demonstrated the utility of the social relations model for group therapy research and provided modest support for Kiesler's interpersonal circle.

Syphilitic uveitis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected and noninfected patients.

Seventeen patients with luetic uveitis had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and lumbar puncture to determine if the HIV-positive status altered the clinical profile of syphilis. Twelve of the 17 patients tested positive for HIV. All 12 patients had abnormal lumbar punctures, but only two of the five HIV-negative patients had abnormal results of spinal taps. Ocular disease also was more severe in the HIV-positive group.