Cognitive behaviour therapy vs rational-emotive education : impact on children's self-talk, self-esteem and irrational beliefs

This study investigated the impact of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Rational~Emotive Education (REE) self-enhancement programs on children's self-talk, self-esteem and irrational beliefs. A total of 116 children (50.9% girls) with a mean age of 9.8 years attending Years 4 and 6 at two primary schools participated in the study. eBT resulted in a reduction in negative self-talk while REE seemed to enhance independence beliefs. Both programs were associated with increased positive self-talk and with having increased rationality in Conformity and Discomfort Intolerance beliefs.

Self-talk in upper primary school children : its relationship with irrational beliefs, self-esteem and depression

Self-talk, irrational beliefs, self-esteem and depression were measured in a sample of 105 elementary school children in Grades 4 to 7. Sex and grade differences in positive self-talk were found. The pattern of correlation coefficients for positive self-talk supported the substantive position that positive self-talk is positively related to self-esteem and negatively related to irrational beliefs and depression in a non-clinical sample of children. However, the same support was not forthcoming for the reverse relationships for negative self-talk. Therapeutic implications are outlined as are suggestions for future research in the area of children's self-talk.

Self-concept and self-esteem in elementary school children

Confusion exists with regard to the empirical and substantive link between self-concept and self-esteem in elementary school children and their relationship to self-description, self-evaluation, and global beliefs and feelings about oneself as a person. This study reports the results of investigating the relationships between these self-constructs using 957 elementary school children in Grades 3 to 7. The evidence suggests that self-concept is comprised of both descriptive and evaluative beliefs that children hold about certain characteristics, whereas self-esteem can be viewed as the global feelings and beliefs that children have about themselves as people.

Self-concept or self-esteem

Confusion exists with regard to the substantive difference between self-concept and self-esteem. In an endeavour to cast some light on this confusion two studies were conducted with 1193 preadolescents using modified versions of two commonly used instruments designed to measure self-concept and self-esteem. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that both these instruments measure specific facets of the same construct, namely self.-concept. General or global self-concept proved to be a difficult construct to measure in preadolescent students.

Decision-making style and self-concept

The Flinders Decision-Making Questionnaire (FDMQ) (Mann, 1982), which measures three decision-making styles and decision-making self-esteem, and the Self-Description Questionnaire III (SDQ HI) (Marsh & O'Neill, 1984), which measures 13 facets of self-concept; were administered to 475 university students to investigate some of the tenets of Janis and Mann's (1976, 1977) conflict model of decision-making and to further investigate the influence of self-concept on decision-making behaviours. The findings empirically validated Janis and Mann's (1977) link between decision-making self-esteem and decision-making style. Modest relationships, in the predicted direction, were found between decision-making self-esteem and the three decision-making styles (Vigilance, Defensive Avoidance, and Hypervigilance). In addition, specific facets of self-concept (General, Verbal, Academic, Honesty/Reliability and Problem-Solving Self Concepts) were related to self-reported decision-making behaviours.

Self-efficacy and social support as predictors of smoking after a quit attempt

Examined findings (e.g., A. J. Yates and J. Thain [see PA, Vol 73:28269]) that suggest that perceived social support for attempts to quit smoking is a determinant of self-efficacy (SE). 102 adults (aged 18–71 yrs) who participated in a trial of 4 smoking interventions were studied over a 10-mo follow-up period. The study attested to the validity of SE as a predictor of sustained success from an attempt to stop smoking. The tendency for SE theory to be more strongly supported in the longer term was highly consistent with the proposed mechanism for SE effects. The absence of a relationship with perceived social support might be an advantage for SE, since support was a poor predictor of outcomes during follow-up. Results suggest that perceived social influences had less utility than personal skills and SE in predicting sustained non-smoking outcomes.

Role of self-efficacy in predicting outcomes from a programme for controlled drinking

Predicted the outcomes of 40 men and 20 women who attended a controlled drinking program in a general hospital. Measures included a behavioral interview, the Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS), the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) described by T. Stockwell et al (1979), and a problem drinking self-efficacy scale (PDSES). Substantial reductions in drinking appeared after the program and appeared to be sustained over a 6-mo follow-up. Intake dropped from 11.3 drinks per day to 2.2 drinks during follow-up. Drinking history and alcohol dependence (as measured by the SADQ, but not the ADS) were significant predictors of alcohol consumption during follow-up. Predictive utility of the PDSES was confirmed. PDSES administered at the end of the program significantly predicted alcohol consumption over the next 6 mo.