Modification of problem-solving behavior of impulsive children

McLearon, William Mark (1973) Modification of problem-solving behavior of impulsive children. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This study was designed to assess the relative effectiveness of two verbal rehearsal techniques in modifying impulsive behavior of grade two subjects. Both techniques required rehearsing directions designed to facilitate solution of ongoing tasks by controlling impulsivity. One technique involved rehearsing the directions out loud during all six trials of a task; the other involved initial overt rehearsal followed by covert rehearsal over a six trial fading sequence. This latter technique is similar to Meichenbaum and Goodman's (1971) self-instructional guidance procedure. -- Short latencies and high error scores on the Matching Familiar Figures test were adopted as criteria for the selection of impulsive subjects. Forty chosen subjects were assigned to four groups comprising two experimental and two control groups each having five males and five females. One experimental group received the overt rehearsal training while the other received the covert (fading) practice. Both groups rehearsed while completing a variety of perceptual and cognitive tasks during three twenty-minute sessions. A control group and an attentional-control group provided estimates of baseline change. This latter group was given practice on the tasks, but did not receive the verbal rehearsal training. -- The overt and covert experimental methods effectively altered the impulsive response style by lengthening response latencies and decreasing error scores on the Matching Familiar Figures test. However, the predicted superiority of the overt method to the covert method was not substantiated. The significance of both these findings for educational purposes is discussed.

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