The Ku Klux Klan (KKK), characterized by disguises, secrecy, bigotry, and terror, came into power in the South after the Civil War. In some parts of the country the KKK, an extreme example of pathological group process, appears as strong and violent today as ever. Fromm (1941) noted that the basis of group psychology is the individual personality…

MMPI was given to 145 male and female drug abusers on admission to three therapeutic communities, and retests were done at the finish of the first phase of the program. Comparisons of stayers and quitters showed quitters higher on the F and psychotic scales. (Author)

Examines data on what situational factors influence people's desire to view violent television programming. Surveys research on the effects on viewer's behavior of the presence of other observers, the nature of the available target, situational features operating as retrieval cues, the viewers' interpretations of the violent scenes, and the…

A limited comparative study of undergraduate homosexual males and control males were compared on referral source, therapy referral, academic interest and achievement, ordinal position, perceived relationship with parents, and personality adjustment as measured by the MMPI. Several differences were found and implications for treatment were…

Many behavioral characteristics found in the terrorist/hostage literature appear to have a parallel in the behavior of the abuser, including personality characteristics, circumstances around the violence, beliefs held, and similar defensive behavior adopted by the hostage and the abused child. These parallels indicate the need for different…

This study evaluated Eysenck's hypothesis that an antisocial temperament in interaction with socialization, intelligence, and achievement puts an individual at risk of antisocial behavior. Recently paroled young adult males (N=107) were assessed for temperament, socialization, and juvenile behavior. The sample differed in predicted directions from…

Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents. This study examined the suicidal ideation, behavior, and attempt history of 100 adolescents ages seventeen to nineteen. Four psychosocial factors were found to be important for overall suicide risk: hopelessness, hostility, negative self-concept, and isolation. It is suggested that focusing on…

A prospective design was used to explore the precipitants of relapse in a naturalistic sample of pathological gamblers (N = 101) who had recently quit gambling. Relapse rates were high; only 8% were entirely free of gambling during the 12-month follow-up. Relapses were highly variable but occurred most frequently in the evening, when the person…

Background: This study assessed whether data-collection formats, computerized versus paper-and-pencil, affect response patterns and descriptive statistics for adolescent health assessment surveys. Youth were assessed as part of a health risk reduction program. Methods: Baseline data from 1131 youth were analyzed. Participants completed the…

Risk-taking behavior includes alcohol and drug use, delinquency, acts of aggression, sexual activity, and so on. Many studies have explored the relationship between adolescents and risk-taking behavior; however, only a few studies have examined this link in adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder…

Children with Asperger Syndrome present with significant social skills deficits, which may contribute to clinical problems such as anxiety, depression, and/or other behavioral disorders. This article provides a description of the nature of Asperger Syndrome and provides possible treatment interventions, specifically focusing on the efficacy of…

This review of the literature on the psychological and behavioral effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AS) first looks at aspects of the history and prevalence of AS use in competitive sports. Research suggests that one-quarter to one-half million adolescents in the United States have used, or are currently using AS. Some effects of androgens…

Affective disorder is characterized by maladaptive changes in mood, attitudes, energy level, and physical status. These changes constitute the basic dimensions of depression. Depression results from a combination of genetic and experiential factors. There are sex differences and age differences with regard to depression, and there is a high…

One hundred eighty elementary school children were randomly assigned to same sex pairs and randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: real-life aggressive film, aggressive cartoon, or nonaggressive film. Results reveal that boys who viewed the realistic aggressive film were significantly more aggressive in play than boys who viewed the…

This extensive report presents the recommendations and findings of a study designed to indicate procedures and instruments for a national study of the incidence of runaway. Reported data are from an urban-suburban area and a rural area in Colorado. The report makes specific recommendations concerning the feasibility of using a national probability…