Amodified version of Chapman's 'Thought Power' programme was used with regular Hong Kong secondary school students. A randomly selected group of students took part in a ten session 'Thought Power' programme organized in their school. The programme focused on stress identification, awareness of the role of thoughts in creating feelings, relaxation, awareness of automatic thoughts that are harmful and helpful, emotional versus physical pain, modification of automatic thoughts, problem-solving and alternative goal setting. Data on harmful thoughts, helpful thoughts, stress, general well-being and locus of control all revealed positive benefits for involvement in the 'Thought Power' programme. These benefits were evident in pre-test post-test comparisons for the project group, as well as in post-test comparisons between the project group and a comparison group. Several comparisons of each type were statistically significant. The findings suggest a role for such programmes in the regular school, and with regular (nonproblem) students.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aseltine, R. , Gore S. and Colten, M. (1998) 'The Co-Occurrence of Depression and Substance Abuse in Late Adolescence', Development and Psychopathology10(3): 549-570.
2.
Barrett, P. (1998) 'Evaluation of Cognitive Behavioral Group Treatments for Childhood Anxiety Disorders', Journal of Clinical Child Psychology27(4): 459-468.
3.
Beck, A. (1970) 'Cognitive Therapy: Nature and Relation to Behavior Therapy', Behavior Therapy1: 184-200.
4.
Bemard, M. (1990) 'Rational-Emotive Therapy with Children and Adolescents; Treatment Strategies', School Psychology Review193: 294-303.
5.
Bemard, M. and Joyce, M. (1984) Rational-Emotive Therapy with Children and Adolescents: Theory, Treatment Strategies, Preventative Methods. New York: Wiley.
6.
Brigham, T. , Hopper, C., Hill, B., De Armas, A. and Newsom, P. (1985) 'A SelfManagement Program for Disruptive Adolescents in the School: A Clinical Replication Analysis', Behavior Therapy16(1): 1985-1985.
7.
Bumett, C. (1998) 'School Violence in an Impoverished South African Community', Child Abuse and Neglect22(8): 789-795.
8.
Butterfield, W. and Cobb, N. (1994) 'Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Children and Adolescents', in D. Granvold (ed.) Cognitive and Behavioral Treatment; Methods and Applications. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Publishing.
9.
Chapman, R. (1988) Group Cognitive Therapy for Adolescents. Paper presented at the 24th International Congress of Psychology, Sydney, Australia, August.
10.
Chapman, R. (1994) Thought Power-Think Better, Feel Better, Act Better: an Emotional Health Program for Children, Adolescents, Teachers and Parents. Middleton, WI: Cypress Trail Press.
11.
Cheung, S.K. and Lam, C.W. (1992) Report of the Study ofAdolescent Depression. Hong Kong: Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong.
12.
Colomba, M. , Santiago, E. and Rossello, J. (1999) 'Coping Strategies and Depression in Puerto Rican Adolescents: An Exploratory Study', Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology5(1): 65-75.
13.
Devaud C. , Jeannin, A., Narring, F., Ferron, C. and Michaud, P. (1998) 'Eating Disorders among Female Adolescents in Switzerland: Prevalence and Associations with Mental and Behavioral Disorders', International Journal of Eating Disorders24(2): 207-216.
14.
Digiuseppe, R. (1986) 'Cognitive Therapy for Childhood Depression', Journal of Psychotherapy and the Family2(3-4): 153-172.
15.
Digiuseppe, R. and Bernard, M. (1990) 'The Application of Rational-Emotive 148 Lam and Winter: Developing Positive Attitudes Theory and Therapy to School-aged Children', School Psychology Review19(3): 268-286.
16.
Digiuseppe, R. and Kassinove, H. (1976) 'Effects of a Rational-Emotive School Mental Health Program on Children's Emotional Adjustment', Journal of Community Psychology4(4): 382-387.
17.
Digiuseppe, R. , Miller, N. and Trexler, L. (1977) 'A Review of Rational-Emotive Psychotherapy Outcome Studies. Counseling Psychologist7(1): 64-72.
18.
Dobson, C. and Alban-Metcalfe, R. (1983) 'Reliability and Validity of the Student Stress Inventory (Sixth Form Version)', British Journal of Educational Psychology53(1): 121-125.
19.
Dryden, W. (ed.) (1995) Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy; a reader. London: Sage.
20.
Dryden, W. and Yankura J. (1995) Developing Rational-Emotive Behavioural Counseling. London: Sage.
21.
Ellis, A. (1962) Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy. New York: Lyle Stuart.
22.
Ellis, A. and Bernard, M. (eds) (1983) Rational-Emotive Approaches to the Problems of Childhood. New York: Plenum
23.
Ellis, A. (1996) Better, Deeper, and More Enduring Brief Therapy: The RationalEmotive Behavior Therapy Approach. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
24.
Essau, C. , Karpinski, N., Petermann, F. and Conradt, J. (1998) 'Frequency and Co-morbidity of Psychological Disorders in Adolescents: Results ofthe Bremen Adolescent Study', Zeitschrift fuer Klinische Psychologie, Psychopathologie und Psychotherapie46(2): 105-124.
25.
Finch, A. , Nelson, M., Ott, E. (eds) (1998) Cognitive-Behavioral Procedures with Children and Adolescents: A Practical Guide. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
26.
Graham, P. (ed.) (1998) Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy for Children and Families. New York: Cambridge University Press.
27.
Hollon, S. and Kendall, P. (1980) 'Cognitive Self-Statements in Depression: Development of an Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire', Cognitive Therapy and Research4: 383-395.
28.
Hong Kong Family Welfare Society (1989) A Research Report on Cognitive-Behavioural Group Therapy for Adults with Mental Health Problems. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Family Welfare Society.
29.
Hughes, J. and Hall, R. (eds) (1989) Cognitive-Behavioral Psychology in the Schools: A Comprehensive Handbook. New York: Guilford Press.
30.
Hui, S.K. (1991) The Use of Cognitive Behavioral Group Programme in Enhancing the Self-Esteem of Adolescents. University of Hong Kong. Unpublished dissertation.
31.
Jerez, S. and Coviello, A. (1998) 'Alcohol Drinking and Blood Pressure among Adolescents', Alcohol16(1): 1-5.
32.
Jose, P. , D'Anna, C., Cafasso, L., Bryant, F., Chiker, V., Gein, N. and Zhezmer, N. (1998) 'Stress and Coping among Russian and American Adolescents', Developmental Psychology34(4): 757-769.
33.
Kammann, R. and Flett, R. (1983) 'Affectometer 2: A Scale to Measure Current Level of General Happiness', Australian Journal of Psychology35: 259-265.
34.
Katragadda, C. and Tidwell, R. (1998) 'Rural Hispanic Adolescents At Risk for Depressive Symptoms', Journal of Applied Social Psychology28(20): 1916-1930.
35.
Kaufmann, L. and Wagner, B. (1972) 'Barb: A Systematic Treatment Technology for Temper Control Disorders', Behavior Therapy3(1): 84-90.
36.
Kendall, P. (ed.) (1991) Child and Adolescent Therapy: Cognitive-Behavioral Procedures. New York: Guilford Press.
37.
Kingery, P. , Coggeshall, M. and Alford, A. (1998) 'Violence at School: Evidence From Four National Surveys. Psychology in the Schools35(3): 247-258.
38.
Kirkcaldy, B. and Siefen, G. (1998) 'Depression, Anxiety and Self-image among Children and Adolescents', School Psychology International19(2): 135-149.
39.
Lam, S.C.J. (1996) An Experimental Study of the Effects of 'a Thought Power' Training Programme on a Group of F6 Students. University of Hong Kong. Unpublished dissertation.
40.
Lambert, M. , Lyubansky, M. and Achenbach, T. (1998) 'Behavioural and Emotional Problems among Adolescents of Jamaica and the United States: Parent, Teacher and Self-reports for Ages 12 to 18', Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders6(3): 180-187.
41.
Lester, D. (1998) 'The Sex-Ratio of Juvenile Suicide', Perceptual and Motor Skills87(2): 610-610.
42.
Leung, P.W.L. , Salili, F. and Baber, F.M. (1986) 'Common Adolescent Problems in Hong Kong: Their Relationship With Self-esteem, Locus of Control, Intelligence and Family Environment', Psychologia29: 91-101.
43.
Lo, A. (1993) 'The Emergence of Teens Suicide in Hong Kong: A Psychodynamic Approach to Suicide Prevention', Asian Journal of Counselling2(1): 59-65.
44.
Luo, Z.R. (1998) 'An Investigation of Anxiety in Children and Related Factors', Psychological Science China21(1): 88-90.
45.
Ma, Y.H. and Ma, H.W.F. (1989) 'The Children in Hong Kong-a Hurried Generation', Hong Kong: Proceedings of the Hong Kong Conference on Counseling in the 21st Century.
46.
Marttunen, M. , Henriksson, M., Isometsae, E., Heikkinen, M., Aro, H. and Loennqvist, J. (1998) 'Completed Suicide Among Adolescents with no Diagnosable Psychiatric Disorder', Adolescence33(131): 669-681.
47.
Muris, P. , Meesters, C., Merckelbach, H., Sermon, A., Zwakhalen, S. (1998) 'Worry in Normal Children', Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry37(7): 703-710.
48.
Ngai, S.M.B. (1998) Evaluation of a Rational-Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) Group Programme for Students with Low Self-Esteem. University of Hong Kong. Unpublished dissertation.
49.
Nilzon, K. and Palmerus, K. (1998) 'Anxiety and Withdrawal of Depressed 9-11 Year Olds Three Years Later; a longitudinal study', School Psychology International19(4): 341-349.
50.
Nowicki, S. and Strickland, B. (1973) 'A Locus of Control Scale for Children', Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology40: 148-154.
51.
Patton, P. (1985) 'A Model for Teaching Rational Behavior Skills to Emotionally Disturbed Youth in a Public School Setting, School Counselor32(5): 381-387.
52.
Patton, P. (1995) 'Rational Behavior Skills: A Teaching Sequence For Students with Emotional Disabilities', School Counselor43(2): 133-141.
53.
Rehm, L. and Sharp, R. (1996) 'Strategies for Childhood Depression', in M. Reine et al. (eds) Cognitive Therapy for Children and Adolescents: A Casebook for Clinical Practice. New York: Guilford Press.
54.
Reine, M. , Dattilio, F., Freeman, A. (eds) (1996) Cognitive Therapy for Children and Adolescents: A Casebook for Clinical Practice. New York: Guilford Press.
55.
Robin, A. , Schneider, M. and Dolnick, M. (1976) 'The Turtle Technique: An Extended Case Study of Self-control in the Classroom', Psychology in the Schools13(4): 449-453.
56.
Rose, S. (1998) Group Therapy With Troubled Youth: A Cognitive-Behavioral Interactive Approach. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
57.
Roush, D. (1984) 'Rational-Emotive Therapy and Youth: Some New Techniques for Counselors', Personnel and Guidance Journal62(7): 414-417.
58.
Schneider, M. and Robin, A. (1973) The Turtle Manual. Stony Brook: State University of New York. Unpublished manuscript
59.
Shek, T.L.D. (1991) 'Depressive Symptoms in a Sample of Chinese Adolescents: An Empirical Study Using the Chinese Version of the Beck Depression Inventory', International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health5(1): 1-16.
60.
Siegel, J. , Aneshensel, C., Taub, B., Cantwell, D. and Driscoll, A. (1998) 'Adolescent Depressed Mood in a Multi-Ethnic Sample', Journal of Youth and Adolescence27(4): 413-427.
61.
Stanley, L. and Arora, T. (1998) 'Social Exclusion Among Adolescent Girls: Their Self-esteem and Coping Strategies', Educational Psychology in Practice14(2): 94-100.
62.
Thacker, V.J. (1982) Steps to Success:An Interpersonal Problem-SolvingApproach for Children. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.
63.
Thacker, V.J. (1989)'The Effects of Interpersonal Problem-solving Training with Maladjusted Boys'. School Psychology International10(1): 83-93.
64.
Tong, L.C.C. (1998) The Implementation of a Classroom Guidance Programme in a Hong Kong Secondary School. University of Hong Kong. Unpublished dissertation.
65.
UNESCO (1996) 'Learning: The Treasure Within'. Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education in the 21st Century. Chaired by J. Delors. Paris: UNESCO.
66.
Vernon, A. (1989a) Thinking, Feeling, Behaving: An Emotional Education Curriculum for Adolescents: Grades 1-6. Champaign: Research Press.
67.
Vernon, A. (1989b) Thinking, Feeling, Behaving: An Emotional Education Curriculum for Adolescents: Grades 7-12. Champaign: Research Press.
68.
Warren, R. , Smith, G. and Velten, E. (1984) 'Rational-Emotive Therapy and the Reduction of Interpersonal Anxiety in Junior High School Students'. Adolescence19: 893-902.
69.
Wilkes, T. (ed.) (1994) Cognitive Therapy for Depressed Adolescents. New York: Guilford Press.
70.
Zarb, J. (1992) Cognitive-Behavioral Assessment and Therapy with Adolescents. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
