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EXPLORING TWO TYPES OF PARADOXICAL INTERVENTIONS: THE EFFECTS OF POSITIVE REFRAMING STATEMENTS AND A PARADOXICAL DIRECTIVE (DOUBLE BIND)
Abstract
This study explored the effects of two paradoxical interventions, positive reframing statements and paradoxical directives, in a brief counseling study with moderately depressed college students. It was hypothesized that (a) each of the paradoxical interventions would demonstrate a greater decrease in depression scores than their nonparadoxical counterparts, (b) the paradoxical interventions combined would demonstrate an even greater decrease in depression scores than either intervention separately, and (c) subjects receiving paradoxical interventions would report higher internal attribution scores for changes made during the course of the study. Forty-six subjects, with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores ranging from 10 to 30 and who had identified themselves as experiencing negative emotions they wanted to change, completed the study. The study was set up in a 2 x 2 design with one factor consisting of the presence of positive reframing statements or no reframing statements and the second factor consisting of a paradoxical directive (symptom scheduling) or a nonparadoxical directive. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of the four treatment conditions. Subjects were interviewed two times, separated by 1 week, by their counselor. The BDI and a behavioral scale constructed for the study were used to assess the subjects' negative emotions. The BDI was administered 1 week prior to the first interview (pretest) and 1 week subsequent to the second interview (posttest). The behavioral scale was administered at pretest, before each interview with the counselor, and at posttest. An attribution scale constructed for the study was used to assess the subjects' attributions for change during the study and was administered during the posttest. The data indicated that the positive reframing condition reduced BDI scores significantly more than the no reframing condition. Subjects who received the positive reframing statements also showed greater internal attributions for the changes that occurred during the study than subjects who received no reframing statements. The nature of the directives the subjects received had no impact.
Subject Area
Academic guidance counseling
Recommended Citation
KRAFT, ROBERT GLEN, "EXPLORING TWO TYPES OF PARADOXICAL INTERVENTIONS: THE EFFECTS OF POSITIVE REFRAMING STATEMENTS AND A PARADOXICAL DIRECTIVE (DOUBLE BIND)" (1985). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8516874.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8516874