Degree Name

Master of Science in Education (MSEd)

Semester of Degree Completion

1999

Thesis Director

French L. Fraker

Abstract

The etiology of behavior disorders in adolescents has previously been attributed to such factors as temperament, genetics, social learning, and irrational thoughts described as self debasing cognitions observed in cognitive behavior research. Working with adult criminals, Yochelson and Somenow (1976) found that none of the prevailing theories were conclusive. They unveiled a second set of irrational cognitions which appeared in adolescents and were self serving in nature. Drs. Gibbs and Barriga (1996), working from the position that this observed set of cognitive distortions were present in behavior disordered adolescents, developed the How I Think Questionnaire (HIT). This study used the HIT to compare two groups of adolescents. Group one was from a population receiving educational services in alternative school settings for the behaviorally disordered. The comparison group was selected from a traditional school where no more than 3% of the population required services for behavior disorders. Each group, which consisted of 74% male students and 26% females students, took the HIT questionnaire. Significant differences were found between the two groups on all scales of the HIT, thus indicating a higher rate of self serving cognitions in the behavior disordered group .

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