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Results for “Problem Solving”

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PubMed1991

Parent-child problem-solving interactions in families of visually impaired youth.

Investigated problem-solving and conflict-resolution strategies, an important aspect of family functioning, in visually impaired adolescents and their parents. Visually impaired adolescents were compared to adolescents with spina bifida and a control group of adolescents without disabilities. Parent-adolescent dyads participated in a problem-solving discussion of topics reflecting family disagreement. Videotapes of these discussions were rated for patterns of interaction using the Marital Interaction Coding System (MICS-III). Examination of positive and negative reciprocal patterns of interaction using sequential analyses and contrasting frequencies of specific behavioral codes revealed no differences between groups for adolescents, mothers, and fathers on the problem-solving discussion. Results are discussed in terms of (a) the impact of visual impairment on family functioning and (b) the need to identify those subgroups of visually impaired and their families that may be at heightened risk for maladjustment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1991

Interpersonal problem-solving in depressed students.

This study investigated whether depressed students suffer from a deficit in interpersonal problem-solving and attempted to specify the hypothesized deficit using a qualitative analysis of problem-solving strategies. Twenty depressed students were compared with 20 nondepressed controls with respect to the strategies they developed on a Situation Specific Problem-Solving Inventory. Results supported the hypothesis of a problem-solving deficit in depressed students. Although depressed students seemed to have an adequate definition of the problem and the target, they showed a significant lack of action-oriented strategies.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Social problem solving among popular and unpopular children.

The present study investigated two issues related to children's social status and problem solving: the content of problem-solving measures and judgments of the quality of responses to social problems. Three types of social problem situations were studied: peer entry/initiation, maintaining social interaction, and management of conflict. The quality of children's strategies for solving these problems was rated on two dimensions: effectiveness and social competence. Liked-most children obtained significantly more effective and socially competent ratings than liked-least children for only one of the social problem situations--management of conflict. Significant differences between liked-most and liked-least children were also found between the quality of their best effective and best socially competent solution and their worst socially competent solutions. Results are discussed in terms of the psychometric adequacy of social problem-solving measures and the resultant problems in interpretation.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed1991

Problem solving and diabetes self-care.

An important objective of diabetes care is to provide patients with self-regulation skills. For patients to assume responsibility for their own regimens, they need to have good problem-solving skills to cope with ongoing personal, social, and environmental barriers to adherence. Therefore, a Diabetes Problem Solving Interview for adults was developed and evaluated with 126 non-insulin-dependent outpatients. Interviewers elicited problem-solving strategies patients would use to cope with a variety of situations potentially interfering with dietary, exercise, and glucose testing adherence. Interviews were tape recorded and coded by trained raters to produce scores on both overall problem-solving skill ratings and frequency of use of different types of strategies. Results revealed only minor influences of patient characteristics on problem-solving measures. Prospective analyses revealed that problem-solving measures were significant and independent predictors of levels of dietary and exercise self-care at a 6-month follow-up.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1975

Academic achievement, situational stress, and problem-solving flexibility.

Academic overachieving (n equals 12) and underachieving (n equals 10) tenth grade boys were randomly assigned, with their parents, to either a success or a failure treatment in a problem solving task to determine the effects of induced stress on problem solving flexibility. For the underachievers, Ss in the success treatment were the most flexible, while for the overachievers, Ss in the failure treatment were the most flexible. A curvilinear proposition, consistent with Hebb's cue-arousal postulate was proposed to explain the results and also to explain the apparent discrepancies in the literature as to whether situational stress increases or decreases flexibility in problem solving. An implication of the proposition is that for persons with feelings of personal inadequacy, increases in situation stress result in decreased problem solving flexibility, but for persons with feelings of personal adequacy such increases enhance their problem solving flexibility.

Achievement↗

PubMed1992

Childhood depression and conduct disorder: I. Behavioral, affective, and cognitive aspects of family problem-solving interactions.

We assessed the family interactions of depressed, conduct-disordered, mixed depressed-conduct-disordered, and nonclinic children, ages 7-14 years, during a standardized family problem-solving discussion in the clinic. The child's and the mother's problem-solving proficiency, aversive behavior, and associated affective behavior (depressed and angry-hostile) were observed. The child and mother also rated each other's affect during the interaction for the dimensions sad, angry, critical, and happy on Likert-type scales. The child's and mother's cognitive constructions about the interaction were assessed using video-mediated recall. Although all clinic groups had lower levels of effective problem solving than did nonclinic children, their deficiencies were somewhat different. Mixed and depressed children displayed high levels of depressed affect and low levels of angry affect, whereas conduct-disordered children displayed both angry and depressed affect. In addition, conduct-disordered children had lower levels of positive problem solving and higher levels of aversive content than did non-conduct-disordered children. Depressed and conduct-disordered children had higher levels of self-referent negative cognitions than did mixed and comparison children, and depressed children also had higher other-referent negative cognitions than did all other groups. The study provides support for theories and treatment that stress the importance of family problem-solving and conflict resolution skills in child psychopathology.

Affect↗

PubMed1975

Problem-solving training groups for hospitalized psychiatric patients.

Small groups lasting eight sessions each and aimed at improving patient's interpersonal problem-solving skills were conducted for a total of 41 hospitalized psychiatric patients. Forty control patients received the same pre and posttests but notraining. Twenty-three patients participated in play-reading groups without problem-solving training (placebo condition). Three separate 3 by 2 repeated measures analyses of variance showed that hospitalization alone improved the patient's functioning on the criterion test of problem-solving, but the problem-solving training groups advanced the improvement significantly. More disturbed patients made only slightly greater gains than less disturbed ones. The hospital stay was significantly shorter for the experimental and the placebo groups than for the control sample.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

A problem-solving version of the Allen Cognitive Level Test.

The purpose of this study was to construct and validate a problem-solving version of the existing Allen Cognitive Level Test (ACL) (Allen, 1985). The new problem-solving version of the ACL (ACL-PS) follows the theoretical developments of the cognitive disability theory and the information processing approach. It was constructed to provide a more accurate assessment of the problem-solving process as well as task performance, especially at the higher cognitive levels. Both tests were administered to a psychiatric adolescent group (n = 49) who were subdivided according to diagnosis and to a matched nondysfunctional control group (n = 29). The results showed that both the ACL and the ACL-PS differentiated significantly between the patients and the control subjects and among the patient groups. At Level 6 of the ACL, none of the subjects needed any demonstration, with all scores distributed between independent performance or performance following verbal instructions only, that is, problem-solving phases that were added with the ACL-PS. The scoring of the ACL-PS is provided in addition to detailed scoring of the cognitive levels. It is suggested that the ACL-PS be implemented as a clinical evaluative tool with adolescents.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Problem solving in Parkinson's disease: comparison of performance on the Wisconsin and California Card Sorting Tests.

Previous demonstrations that problem solving deficits may occur early in the course of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been taken to support the view that disturbances in the functioning of the frontal lobes are responsible for the initial cognitive deficits in this disease. However, no specific pattern of responding associated with poor problem solving by PD patients has been observed consistently. In an effort to clarify the nature of the problem solving deficits in PD we administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the California Card Sorting Test (CCST), a new test which provides separate measures of concept generation, concept identification, and concept execution as well as several different measures of perseveration. On both tests PD patients of lower than normal mental status performed poorly and their patterns of performance resembled those previously described for patients with focal frontal lobe lesions, but PD patients of normal mental status performed normally. Because poor problem solving in association with increased perseverative responding was only observed for patients with global cognitive deficits these findings do not necessarily support the idea that frontal dysfunction is the principal cause of impaired cognition in PD. Although the overall pattern of results was similar for the WCST and the CCST, the CCST was more sensitive for detecting deficits than was the WCST.

Aged↗

PubMed1992

Problem-solving appraisal in the association of life stress and depression: a South African study.

This study focuses on the role that appraisal of problem-solving skills plays in the relationship of stress to distress. 450 black South African university students completed the Life Experiences Survey, the Problem Solving Inventory, and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Multiple regression analysis indicated a direct effect for problem-solving appraisal on depression, but no support could be found for the stress-buffering effects of problem-solving appraisal.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1992

Teaching self-instruction utilizing multiple exemplars to produce generalized problem-solving among individuals with severe mental retardation.

Four residents of a group home who had severe mental retardation were taught to use self-instruction in combination with multiple exemplars to solve task-related problems. The combined strategy was associated with generalization to untrained problems as well as response maintenance of the problem-solving strategy (i.e., responding to multiple exemplars and self-instructing). The use of the strategy was discussed in terms of instructional strategies for teaching self-instruction and areas for future research, including isolating the factors responsible for generalization and identifying the role of language in promoting generalized responding.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1990

Problem-solving deficits in suicidal patients: trait vulnerability or state phenomenon?

A diathesis-stress model has been proposed (Schotte & Clum, 1982, 1987), in which deficits in interpersonal problem-solving skills are said to predispose individuals under chronic stress to depression, hopelessness, and suicide ideation. The present study examined the stability of interpersonal problem-solving skills in a short-term, longitudinal study of hospitalized suicide ideators (N = 36). The Ss displayed marked changes in depressive symptoms, state anxiety, hopelessness, and suicide intent over time, and these improvements were associated with improvements in interpersonal problem-solving skills. It is concluded that interpersonal problem-solving deficits may be a concomitant, rather than a cause, of depression, hopelessness, and suicide intent.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Autobiographical memory and problem-solving strategies of parasuicide patients.

Recent research has noted the tendency of parasuicide patients to retrieve over-general autobiographical memories. Separate studies suggest problem-solving deficits within this group. The present study was concerned first with replicating these findings and, secondly, with developing a model of the relationship between over-general memory recall and poor problem-solving abilities in parasuicide patients. Anger and hopelessness were measured as markers for mood. In line with the hypotheses, the parasuicide group (N = 12) produced significantly over-general memories in contrast to a matched control group (N = 12). This occurred significantly in relation to positive cues, and latency to first responses was significantly delayed in the parasuicide group. The parasuicide group also provided fewer and less-effective problem-solving strategies than the control group, and a significant association was found between low effectiveness of problem-solving strategies and over-general memory recall in the parasuicide group. Anger and hopelessness levels were significantly higher within the parasuicide group in line with previous findings. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1991

Empowering middle managers in hospitals with team-based problem solving.

A team-oriented problem-solving procedure using management project teams was developed to improve quality of care and productivity in a private, nonprofit hospital. A focus group of managers developed the procedure, endorsed by top management. The work of four manager teams that followed the procedure saved the hospital more than $500,000.

Decision Making, Organizational↗

PubMed1990

Empirical testing of a cognitive model to account for neuropsychological functioning underlying arithmetic problem solving.

The efficacy of a cognitive-based arithmetic problem-solving model (Dinnel, Glover, & Halpain, in press; Dinnel, Glover, & Ronning, 1984) was tested using 989 students with learning disabilities. Comprehensive neuropsychological test battery information was used to predict composite arithmetic test performance as a means of examining the utility of this model. Results of this study offer support for Dinnel et al.'s (Dinnel, Glover, & Halpain, in press; Dinnel, Glover, & Ronning, 1984) model in accounting for arithmetic performance under continuous visual stimulus conditions. However, these data indicate a more complex neuropsychological underpinning to arithmetic performance in both visual and aural stimulus conditions. The neuropsychological aspects of arithmetic problem solving were discussed in relationship to this cognitive-based model.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Transition to being the mother of a new infant in the first 3 months: maternal problem solving and self-appraisals.

This study explored components of a model of transition to being the mother of a new infant during an infant's first 3 months. Personal and situational conditions and maternal problem-solving factors (issue formulating and the use of help with issues) that may influence transition markers (maternal appraisal of problem-solving competence and evaluation of parenting) were examined for two study periods: the first 30 days postpartum and the next 60 days. For the second study period, variables contributing to maternal attention to infant growth, development and temperament (knowing issues) were also explored. Questionnaires and a daily log kept by 62 mothers of healthy term infants were data sources. Everyday supports (situational condition) contributed to use of lay help for the second period. Caretaking issues positively influenced use of clinician help throughout the study. The number of knowing issues a mother formulated contributed positively to problem-solving competence and to parenting evaluation; the use of problem-solving help had no effect. More clinician help received during the first month meant higher need for maternal action for both knowing and caretaking issues in the second and third months. Further study of the mechanisms of these relationships and examination of factors contributing to shifts in the transition process are needed.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Assertiveness and problem-solving training for mildly mentally retarded persons with dual diagnoses.

This study investigated the differential effectiveness of assertiveness and problem-solving training on dually diagnosed patients' adaptive social behavior, distress and psychiatric symptoms, anger control, and problem-solving coping skills using a counterbalanced design. Assessments were conducted at pretreatment, midphase, posttreatment, and a 3-month follow-up examination. A combined assertiveness and problem-solving training package was effective for treatment of individuals with mild mental retardation with dual psychiatric diagnoses. Specifically, improvements occurred regarding both self-report measures of distress and caregiver ratings of adaptive functioning; however, no essential differences were found between these two treatment protocols. The importance of using self-regulatory models of therapy with this population is highlighted, and recommendations were made for future research.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1992

Deficits of problem-solving ability in patients with focal brain damage: neuropsychological investigation of prediction and hypothesis behavior.

Deficits of problem-solving ability in focal brain-damaged patients, with special reference to frontal lobe dysfunction, were investigated by two neuropsychological tests: Temporal rule induction test and Hypothesis-testing measure. Subjects consisted of 84 chronic brain-damaged patients (31 with anterior cerebral lesions and 53 with posterior lesions). The study's aim was to investigate the effects of frontal lobe damage on two aspects of inductive reasoning, prediction and hypothesis behavior. When prediction was examined by Temporal rule induction test, patients with anterior lesions showed deficits in predicting a rule, even in the memory-aid condition in which memory factors were excluded. The poor results on Temporal rule induction test in frontal patients did not appear to be related to deficits in temporal integration, which is generally interpreted as frontal dysfunction. Rule induction may be impaired by frontal damage whenever complicated information-processing is required, even when temporal succession is not involved. Second, two stages of hypothesis behavior, hypothesis-formation and hypothesis-testing, were evaluated. Patients with anterior lesions showed impairment in hypothesis-formation. Their decreased fluency in hypothesis production affected the hypothesis-testing process. However, frontal patients committed fewer errors, most of which were perseverative (lose-stay errors) on hypothesis-testing. Patients with posterior lesions revealed other characteristic errors, such as inconsistent responses and divergent-type errors (improper lose-shift errors). The hemispheric site of the lesion affected only the ability to maintain a hypothesis (win-shift errors). The results illustrated the differences in problem-solving deficits in these two groups of patients. Disturbed prediction of future events, decreased hypothesis fluency, and abnormal lose-stay behavior in patients with frontal lobe damage may be crucial factors in coping with daily problem-solving situations.

Brain Damage, Chronic↗