The Efficacy of Symbolic Modeling and Vicarious Reinforcement in Increasing Coping-Method Adherence

Title
The Efficacy of Symbolic Modeling and Vicarious Reinforcement in Increasing Coping-Method Adherence
Publication Date
2006
Author(s)
Rooke, SE
Malouff, JM
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Elsevier Inc
Place of publication
Netherlands
DOI
10.1016/j.beth.2006.02.008
UNE publication id
une:267
Abstract
The aim of this study was to test a method of increasing adherence to a coping method assignment in individuals interested in reducing stress. Eighty university students and 48 adult nonstudents were asked to write about their emotions for 15 minutes per day over 3 days. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental or control conditions, with the experimental manipulation being an adherence intervention involving symbolic modeling and vicarious reinforcement. A word count and self-report measures showed significantly higher adherence in the adherence intervention group. Additionally, the adherence intervention group showed significantly more reduction in distress than the writing instructions only group. Finally, the amount of adherence was significantly associated with amount of reduction in self-reported distress. The results provide the first evidence of the efficacy of symbolic modeling and vicarious reinforcement in increasing the use and clinical benefits of a recommended coping method.
Link
Citation
Behavior Therapy, 37(4), p. 406-415
ISSN
1878-1888
0005-7894
Start page
406
End page
415

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