GROUP DISCUSSION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY AND PERSONALITY ADJUSTMENT IN NORMAL ADOLESCENT GIRLS

241 Pages·09.592 MB·English

by  PIVNICK, HAROLD

COPYRIGHTED
by
HAROLD PIVNICK
1951
Sponsoring Committees Professor Brian E. Tomlinson,
Professor Robert Hoppock and Professor Vera Fry
Group Discussion And Its Relationship
To Sooial A cceptability and Personality
Adjustment In Normal Adolescent Girls
Harold Pivniok
Submitted in partial fulfillm ent of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy in the School of Eduoation of
New York University
- i scoer.
:i
1950
September 15» 1950
The student hereby guarantees that no part of the d issertatio n
or document which he has submitted for publication has been heretofore
published and (or) copyrighted in the United States of America, except in
the case of passages quoted from other published sources; th at he is the
sole author and proprietor of said dissertation or document; th a t the
dissertation or document contains no matter which, if published, w ill be
libelous or otherwise injurious, or infringe in any way the copyright of
any other party; and that he w ill defend, indemnify and hold harm less
New York University against all suits and proceedings which may be brought
and against all claims which may be made against New York U niversity by
reason of the publication of said dissertation or document.'
Harold Pivnick
PREFACE
The investigator became aware of the p ossib ilities of the group dis­
cussion process while in the Armed Services during World War II. During
this period in several hospitals he was engaged in continuous unorganised
and organized group discussions with soldiers who were normal, neurotic and
frankly psychotic. It seemed possible to reaoh some individuals in a ll of
these diagnostic categories. Therefore i t was quite logioal for the
experimenter to employ the group discussion approach on the first oooasion
he met during civilian life , the Calhoun School.
It seemed to the experimenter, although there was no objeotive
evidence to substantiate his judgment, that some of the normal adolescent
girls with whom he had worked had undergone personality modification. This
judgment furnished stim ulation to the experimenter for establishing an
objective study of the effects upon individuals of group discussion.
The experimenter would like to acknowledge his gratitude above a ll to
Professor Tomlinson who litera lly "spurred” on the investigation and aided
it no end with his criticism s and suggestions. Gratitude is extended to
Professors Hoppook and Fry for their aid. The experimenter also wishes to
express his appreciation to Professor Raths for his invaluable assistance
with the experimental design. Appreciation is due to the faculty and
students of the Calhoun School and the various members of Riohardson,
Bellows, Henry and Company who criticized the thinking of the experimenter
throughout.
Finally, and by a ll criteria most appreciation is due to the wife of
the investigator for her in fin ite patienoe.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Topic Page
I The Problem........................................................................................ 1
General Statement of the Problem ................................... 1
Speoifio Problems ........................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Definition of Terms................................................................. 1
Delimitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Basic Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Signifioanoe of the Problem 3
II Related Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Adolescent Adjustments .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Body Changes in Adolesoenoe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Sexual Adjustment in A dolesoenoe................................................................. 6
Relationships "with Parents During Adolescence • • . . . . . . 8
Peer Relationships During Adolesoenoe • • . • • • • « . . • • 9
Relationships with Adults Other Than Parents . . . . . . . . 10
Self-Acceptance During Adolescence 11
Faoing the Future ...................................................................... 12
The School and Adolescent Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Psychotherapy .............................. 15
Group Psychotherapy............................................. 19
Historical Treatment . . • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • . . 19
Theoretical Premises and Principles in Group Psychotherapy . 26
The Leader .............................................................................. 26
Psyohodynamios in Group Psychotherapy . • • • • • • • • . • • 30
Group Psychotherapy in U s e ................................• • • • • • • • • • 37
With Mothers of Problem Children . • * . • • • • • • • . . • 38
With Relatives of Emotionally Disturbed Persons • • • • ■ ■ ■ 39
In the Training of Teaohers................................................ 39
With Young Children ............................... 40
With Epileptics ........................... • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • 40
In Neighborhood Community W ork....................................... 41
In Military Situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
With A dolescents....................................... 43
Efforts at Refined Researoh in Group Psychotherapy . . . . . 50
Summary and Comments about Group Psychotherapy 56
III Procedure . . . . . . . ........................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Subjects in This Investigation . . • • • • • • • • • . . . • 58
Materials Used ........................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Intelligence and Reading Tests . . • • • • • . . . 61
Personality T ests....................................... 62
Group Rorsohaoh Test ...............................................................................................63
Cowan Adolescent Adjustment Analyzer 64
(continued)
iii
(continued)
Chapter Topio Page
Social Acceptability T est................................. 66
Rating Soale 67
Improvised Devices . . . . . . . . .................... . . . . . . . . 67
Student Log, MI M Chart and Contamination Control . . . . . . 68
Recordings ................................. . . . . . . . . . . . • 68
Procedure for Collecting Data . . . . . • • • « • • • • . » • 69
Setting Up the Matched Groups . • • • • • • • • • • . . . . • 69
Coefficient of Correlation 72
Analysis of Coefficients of Correlation Among In itia l Tests • 73
Establishing Controls by Matching Individuals . . . . . . . . 78
Orientation of Subjeots . . . . . ............................................................. 81
Administration and Scoring of T e sts........................ 82
Group Discussions ............................................................ 86
Experimental Design ............................................................ 88
IV S tatistical Treatment of the Data 90
Rorsohaoh Inspection Technique Changes Within Groups . . . . 90
Analysis of Gains and Losses in Rorsohaoh S o o r e s ....................... 98
Cowan Analyzer Changes Within Groups (Analysis of Self-
Image Changes) . . . . . . ........................ . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Further Self-Image Changes Within Groups 109
Analysis of Ohio Social Acceptability Changes Within Groups . Ill
Gains and Losses in Social Distance . . • • • • • ............................114
Differences Between Groups in Rorsohaoh Changes............................. . 118
Differences Between Groups in Cowan Analyzer Changes . . . . 123
Differences Between Groups in Social Acceptability Changes . 124
Control of Contamination ............................ 124
Student Log Analysis and Relationships • • • • • ...................... 125
Summary ...................... 126
Rorsohaoh Test ................... . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... 126
Cowan Analyzer 126
"I" C hart..........................................................................................................................127
Social Acceptability Soale . . . . ........................................................ 127
V Qualitative Treatment of the Data 128
Rationale for Selection of Cases 128
Presentation of Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... 128
Summary .................................................. 173
VI General Summary and Conclusions ................................ 177
Findings 177
Main Findings .................................... 177
Rorschach Results ............................ . . . . . 177
Cowan Analyzer Results - A Self-Image Evaluation . . . . . . 178
The "I" C hart................................................................................................................179
Ohio Social Acceptability Soale ........................... 179
Supplementary F in d in g s....................... 180
Conclusions 181
VII Discussion ................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... 184
Speculations About Dynamics Underlying Changes • ........................184
(oontinued)
iv
(continued)
Chapter Topic Pag®
Signifioanoe of the Findings for Education • . • • • • • • • 186
Implications for Publio Mental Health. • • • • • • • • • • • 187
Improvements in Design of the Study ......................... 188
Further Research Proposals 189
Study of Adequacy of Group Therapy Methods ........................... 189
The Role of the L ead er................................. 190
Constitution of the Therapeutic Group ........................191
An Exploration into the Nature of the Therapy Process in
Group Discussion ................... • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 191
Selected Bibliography . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 193
Appendix.......................... 201
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LIST OF TABLES
Table Title Page
I Results on. Minnesota Multiphasio Personality Inventory
Administered Before and After Group Psychotherapy........... 52
II Groups of Subjects Matched on ACE Otis IQ Equivalents • . . . 71
III Distribution of In itial Test Rorschach Inspection Teohnique
S o o r e s .............................................. • . . . ............................................. 73
IV Distribution of In itial Test Cowan Adolesoent Adjustment
Analyzer Soores . . . . . . . . . . . 74
V Distribution of In itial Test Ohio Social Acceptability Soale
Soores When Test Was Administered to Entire Group in One
Sitting • . • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • » • 75
VI Distribution of In itial Test Ohio Sooial Acceptability Soale
Soores When Test Was Administered to Groups of Ten . . . . 76
VII C oefficients of Correlation of Zero Order of Initial Tests • 77
VIII C oefficients of Correlation of Zero Order for Control
Variables and Post-Test Experimental Variables and for
Pre- and Post-Disoussion Experimental V ariables............... 79
IX Matchings on the Basis of In itia l Soores on the Rorsohaoh
Inspection Teohnique................................ 91
X F Ratios of Differences Between Means of Groups E-l, E-2 and
C-l on In itia l Soores on Rorsohaoh Inspection Technique
Total Score and Sub-Soores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
XI Significance of Differences in Rorsohaoh Inspection Technique
Group Soores (Between In itia l and Final Soores)............... 95
XII Gains and Losses in Rorschach Inspection Teohnique Total
Adjustment Soores 99
XIII Changes (in itia l Minus Final Score) . . . . . . . .................. . 100
XIV Matchings on the Basis of In itia l Scores on the Cowan
Adolesoent Adjustment Analyzer • • • • . • • • • • • • • • 101
XV Differences Between Means of E-l and C-l on Initial Scores
on Cowan A nalyzer........................... 102
(oontinued)
vi
(continued)
Table T itle Page
XVI Differences Between Means of E-2 and C-l on Initial
Soores on Cowan Analyzer 103
XVII Significance of Differences (Between In itia l and Final
Soores) in Cowan Adolesoent Adjustment A n alyzer.................. 104
XVIII Significance of Changes in Cowan Adolesoent Adjustment
Analyzer Croup Soores . • . . . . . . . . .................. . . . 105
XIX Cains and Losses in Cowan Analyzer Soores . . . • • • • • • • 107
XX Changes (initial Test Minus Final T est) Expressed in
Standard Deviation Dnits . .......................... 108
XXI Distribution of Scores on ”1” C h art............................................. 109
XXII Standard Deviation Units of ,,I M Soores . • • • . * . . . • • 110
XXIII Matohings on Social A cceptability (SA 30) on Initial Soores • 112
XXIV Matchings on Social A cceptability (SA 10) on Initial Soores . 112
XXV Differences Between Means on In itia l Social Acceptability
Soores . 113
XXVI Significance of Differences in Ohio Social Acceptability
Group Soores . . « • • • • • . • • .................................... 113
XXVII Changes in Ohio Sooial A cceptability Soale Soores (When Test
Was Administered to Entire Group of Thirty at One Sitting) 114
XXVIII Changes in Terms of Standard D eviation Unit3 115
XXEX Changes in the Ohio Sooial A cceptability Scale Soores (When
Test Was Administered to Groups S e p a r a te ly )........................... 116
XXX Changes in Terms of Standard D eviation U n it s ..................... 117
XXXI Significance of Differences in Gains (or Losses) Between
Groups ........................... 119
XXXEI Significance of Differences in Gains (or Losses) Between
GroupB......................... 123
XXXIII Significance of Differences of Gains Between Groups in Ohio
State Sooial Acceptability Group Scores . • • * • • . . . 124
XXXIV Frequenoy of Inquiry About D iscussion Topics by Control
Group Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
XXXV A Complete Reoord of PM (E-2) Stated in Raw S o o res................. 129
(oontinued)
vii
(continued)
Table T itle Page
XXXVI A Complete Record of PL (E-2), Stated in Raw Soores . . . . 132
XXXVII A Complete Record of YP (E-2), Stated in Raw Soores . . . . 135
XXXVTII A Complete Reoord of YE (E-2), Stated in Raw Soores . . • . 138
XXXEX A Complete Reoord of PQ (E-2), Stated in Raw Scores . . . . 141
XL A Complete Reoord of AE (E -l), Stated in Raw Soores . . . . 144
XT.T A Complete Reoord of HY (E -l), Stated in Raw Scores • • • • 147
XLII A Complete Reoord of CC (E -l), Stated in Raw Soores . . . . 150
XLIII A Complete Reoord of ZZ (E -l), Stated in Raw Soores . . . . 153
XLIV A Complete Record of AK (E -l), Stated in Raw Soores . . . . 156
XLV A Complete Reoord of CZ (C -l), Stated in Raw Scores . . . . 159
XLVI A Complete Reoord of BQ, (C -l), Stated in Raw Soores . . . . 162
XLVII A Complete Reoord of ZV (C -l), Stated in Raw Soores . . . . . 165
XLVIII A Complete Record of JY (C -l), Stated in Raw Soores . . . . 168
XLVIX A Complete Reoord of ZYZ (C -l), Stated in Raw Scores . . . . 171
L Deviations in Rorschach Soores of Most Benefitted (MB) and
Least Benefitted (LB) Group Members from the Average of
the Scores of Both of the Disoussion Groups (in itial
T e s tin g )................................................... 175
LI Gains of Most Benefitted Discussants Compared with Total
Group on Rorsohaoh T e st.................................... 175
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