THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A SHORT TERM, DIDACTIC, GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY IN ELIMINATING SELF DEFEATING BEHAVIOR, INCREASING INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL AND INCREASING SELF ESTEEM

The purpose was to determine how effective the Elimination of Self Defeating Behavior group process was in decreasing the frequency and severity of self-selected self-defeating behaviors (SDB\u27s) on the Participant SDB Questionnaire and on participant SDB\u27s selected by associates on the Associate SDB Questionnaire, decreasing the score on the Internal Versus External Locus of Control Scale, and increasing the Global Self Esteem score on the Self Report Inventory. Group I (treatment and follow-up group) had the ESDB treatment during five weeks, two nights weekly (equaling 30 hours); while Group II (control and treatment group) acted as a control. Group II then replicated Group I\u27s treatment period, while Group I waited for follow-up testing. Each group had 12 primarily college-educated, Caucasian, community participants with an average age of 31. The author, experienced in leading ESDB grooups, facilitated both groups. Correlated and independent t-tests were used to determine significant differences (p \u3c .05). Limitations included the narrowness of the population studied, the lack of a longer follow-up period, and the subjective nature of the instruments used. Following treatment, significant SDB frequency and severity decreases were found for Groups I and II. One half of associates rated Group I SDB frequencies and Group II SDB severities as significantly decreased following treatment. Internal locus of both groups and self-esteem of Group I, significantly increased after treatment. Group II\u27s increase in self-esteem following treatment was not significantly different from Group I\u27s. Treatment procedure contamination may have led to significant frequency and severity decreases and self-esteem increases following the control period. There were no significant alterations in Group I gains two months after treatment. After determination of predicted significance in every measure (except one SDB frequency) from precontrol to posttreatment period for Group II, it was speculated that treatment enhancement follows from questionnaire completion and a five week pretreatment waiting period