An ‘interteaching’ informed approach to instructing large undergraduate classes

A novel approach to teaching large undergraduate courses using methods derived from ‘interteaching’ was investigated. Students in two large sections of undergraduate abnormal psychology received preparation guides, and took part in in-class discussion sessions during which instructors circulated to answer questions. Following discussion, students completed interteaching reports, based upon which instructors prepared clarifying lectures. Regression analyses revealed significant positive associations between attendance at discussion sessions and course performance, after controlling for academic average and student motivation. Performance for writing assignments involving critical and analytical thinking was significantly higher than in prior offerings of the course. A majority of students expressed a preference for the instructional methods. This instructional approach thus facilitated effective learning and may be more effective than traditional lecture based practices

Change in emotional processing in daily life: relationship with in-session self-esteem

In-session emotional processing is a central component of psychotherapy, but little is known about the types and the quality of emotional processing individuals engage in daily life. An ecological momentary assessment (EMA) schedule has been validated to assess distinct emotional experiences as they emerge in daily life. It remains an open question whether changes observed in distinct emotional experiences over a week of assessment are related to in-session self-esteem. In total, N = 42 university students participated in a one-week assessment of emotions using ecological momentary assessment, as well as in a one-session experiential task of resolving self-criticism (using a two-chair dialogue from emotion-focused therapy). The emotions in daily life were self-reported by the participants on a regular basis, and self-esteem was assessed three times during the two-chair dialogue. Two-level hierarchical linear models reveal emotional changes in daily life, and in-session self-esteem is introduced as predictor at level 2. In-session self-esteem was correlated with symptom levels. The results showed that changes in primary maladaptive emotions in the one-week assessment were predicted by state and trait components of in-session self-esteem, which took place at the outset of the EMA. Trait-components of self-esteem were linked with the level of symptoms, whereas state-components of self-esteem were not. The present study underscores the importance of extending research from within-session observations of emotional processing towards daily life

Ecological momentary assessment of emotional processing: An exploratory analysis comparing daily life and a psychotherapy analogue session

Background: Emotional processing has been studied in psychotherapy as a state-dependent, sequential process of change. So far, no studies have applied this conceptualisation of emotional processing to the assessments of emotion in daily life. This is particularly important in the light of the pertinence of day-by-day fluctuations of emotions for understanding mental health and for monitoring the impact of prevention and psychotherapy programmes. This study examined the internal and ecological validity of a state-dependent conceptualisation of emotional processing in daily life, in comparison with an experiential-psychodynamic psychotherapy analogue session. Methods: In total, N = 42 university students participated in an experiential-psychodynamic session, completed symptom measures and responded to a one-week period of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) using a smartphone. Emotional processing in the session was assessed using the valid observer-rated measure Classification of Affective Meaning States (CAMS), and emotional responses in daily life were assessed using newly developed theory-consistent items self-rated via an interactive smartphone program. Results: Internal validity was generally satisfactory across the subscales used in EMA. Correspondence between EMA and in-session emotional processing was generally low, but specific relationships were found between self-rated fear, rejecting anger, hurt/grief or loneliness and the observer-rated productive emotions in the psychotherapy analogue session. Relationships between maladaptive emotional processing and intensity in symptoms were found. Conclusions: This is the first study to have examined the validity of a state-dependent conception of emotional processing in daily life, in direct comparison with a psychological session. We recommend using this assessment schedule to develop or complement integrative prevention or intervention programmes

Resolving Coparenting Dissatisfaction In Couples: A Preliminary Task Analysis Study.

This study explored the change that unfolded when parents resolved their coparenting dissatisfaction during an Integrative Brief Systemic Intervention (IBSI) for parent couples. We conducted a task analysis (Greenberg, 2007) to build a model of resolving coparenting dissatisfaction. We compared a postulated model of change (rational model) based on theoretical and clinical assumptions to the observations of the actual change process that couples experienced in an IBSI (empirical analysis). The empirical analysis was conducted on six IBSI therapy cases (three exhibiting positive development and three exhibiting no development). We defined positive development in IBSI as moving from coparenting dissatisfaction to coparenting satisfaction. The final rational-empirical model included six steps that facilitated the resolution of coparenting dissatisfaction. This study contributes to deepening the knowledge of how coparenting may change during marital therapy