Behavioral Correlates of Self-Appraised Problem-Solving Ability: Problem-Solving Skills and Health-Compromising Behaviors

Autobiographical Memory Specificity Predicts Social Problem-Solving Ability in Old and Young Adults

Based on recent research with young, depressed adults, age-related cognitive declines and decreased autobiographical specificity were hypothesized to predict poorer social problem-solving ability in older than in younger healthy adults. Priming autobiographical memory (ABM) was hypothesized to improve social problem-solving performance for older adults. Subsequent to cognitive tests, old and young participants’ specific ABMs were tested using a cued recall task, followed by a social problem-solving task. The order of the tasks was counterbalanced to test for a priming effect. Autobiographical specificity was related to cognitive ability and predicted social problem-solving ability for both age groups. However, priming of ABM did not improve social problem-solving ability for older or younger adults. This study provides support for the hypothesis that autobiographical memory serves a directive function across the life-span.

Problem-Solving Appraisal and Human Adjustment

This article reviews and synthesizes more than 120 studies from 20 years (1982-2002) of research that has examined problem-solving appraisal as measured by the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI). The goals of the article are fourfold: (a) introduce the construct of problem-solving appraisal and the PSI within the applied problem-solving literature, (b) summarize and integrate existing findings using the PSI within and across four major content areas (psychological adjustment, physical health, coping, and educational and vocational issues), (c) identify promising research directions that might stimulate future research and promote theory development, and (d) identify implications for practitioners in the helping professions. We conclude that problem-solving appraisal as measured by the PSI is a useful psychological construct with implications for theory and many applications to build on peoples' strengths to enhance their life satisfaction and well-being.

Towards an idiothetic understanding of the role of social problem solving in daily event, mood and health experiences: A prospective daily diary approach

OBJECTIVES

Utilising D'Zurilla's (1986, 1990) transactional social problem solving model as the theoretical framework, the present study sought to examine the dynamics of the social problem solving process in relation to intraindividual experiences of events, mood, and physical health in daily life.

DESIGN

The study incorporated both idiographic and nomothetic strategies, combining a daily diary approach within a prospective design. As such, each individual's experience of events, mood, and health were assessed on a daily basis, and the prospective relations between social problem solving and these day-to-day experiences examined.

METHODS

Participants' (university students) completed a measure of social problem solving at baseline followed, approximately 5 weeks later, by daily self-reports of mood (positive & negative), events (hassles & uplifts), and physical health (health status & URI symptoms) for a period of 14 days. The data were analysed using multilevel hierarchical modelling.

RESULTS

Days on which individuals had greater than their average hassles were associated with higher negative and lower positive mood (i.e. domain specific & cross-over effects), whilst greater uplifts were linked to positive mood only. With regard to health, individuals reported worse status and more URI symptoms on days with greater than their average negative (hassles, negative mood) but not positive influences (uplifts, positive mood). Both social problem solving orientations and skills dimensions were associated prospectively with daily health outcomes, and these relationships were not moderated by day-to-day experiences of mood or events.

CONCLUSIONS

The data clarify the importance of social problem solving to within-person daily event, mood, and health experiences. The implications of these findings for contemporary transactional social problem solving models are discussed.

AN INVESTIGATION OF ADJUSTMENT LEVELS OF TURKISH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WITH RESPECT TO PERCEIVED COMMUNICATION SKILL LEVELS

This study aimed to determine whether the adjustment levels of university students differ according to their perceived communication skill levels. The research was carried out with 277 Turkish university students. Data were collected through The Communication Skills Assessment Scale (Korkut, 1996) and the Hacettepe Personality Inventory (Özgüven, 1992). The findings of the study revealed that personal, social, and general adjustment levels were significantly related to perceived communication skill levels. Students who have high perceived communication skill levels had significantly higher personal, social, and general adjustment levels. Results are discussed in relation to their implications for effective communication skills of university students.

Predictors of initiation of early sex in black and white adolescent females

This study examined the extent to which problem solving, self-image, and other health-related factors predict age at first intercourse among Black and White adolescent females. The volunteer sample was 16 to 19 years old; 52% were Black (n=105), and 48% (n=97) were White. Adolescents were recruited from family planning clinics throughout South Carolina. Stratified analyses identified race as a modifier of the relationship between problem solving and time of first intercourse (early or delayed). Logistic regression revealed three predictors of early age at first intercourse in Black girls, but only one predictor in White girls. There were no race differentials in either age or the proportion of girls initiating early intercourse. However, Black girls who had less problem solving skill than their peers were five times more likely to have early intercourse, three times more likely to practice fewer health-promoting behaviors, and seven times more likely to have 10 or fewer years of education. Early intercourse was significantly associated with unprotected first intercourse. Our findings suggest that interventions may need to be tailored for different risk groups within Black populations of adolescent girls.

Social problem-solving abilities and personality disorder characteristics among dual-diagnosed persons in substance abuse treatment

We examined the relation of self-appraised social problem-solving abilities and personality-disorder characteristics to the adjustment and compliance of persons with dual diagnoses in substance-abuse treatment. It was hypothesized that elements of the problem-orientation component would remain predictive of depressive behavior and distress after considering personality-disorder characteristics among 117 persons receiving inpatient-substance-abuse treatment. Furthermore, self-appraised problem-solving abilities were expected to predict the occurrence of "dirty" drug and alcohol screens during treatment and compliance with the first scheduled community follow-up visit. Results supported predictions concerning the relation of problem-solving confidence to depressive behavior, distress, and substance-use screens; however, a paradoxical relation was observed between the problem-orientation variables and compliance with the first outpatient visit. The results are interpreted within the context of contemporary models of social problem solving and the implications for cognitive-behavioral assessment and intervention are considered.

Self-appraised social problem solving abilities, emotional reactions and actual problem solving performance

Self-report measures of social problem solving abilities have yet to be associated with objective problem solving performance in any consistent manner. In the present study, we investigated the relation of social problem solving abilities--as measured by the Social Problem Solving Skills Inventory--Revised (SPSI-R [Maydeu-Olivares, A. & D'Zurilla, T. J. (1996). A factor analytic study of the Social Problem Solving Inventory: an integration of theory and data. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 20, 115-133])--to performance on a structured problem solving task. Unlike previous studies, we examined the relation of problem solving skills to performance curves observed in repeated trials, while controlling for affective reactions to each trial. Using hierarchical modeling techniques, a negative problem orientation was significantly predictive of performance and this effect was not mediated by negative affectivity. Results are discussed as they pertain to contemporary models of social problem solving.