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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Osgood's semantic differential in psychopathology: a differential study].

The aim of this paper is to analyze the meanings differences in the temporal perspective of two clinic groups. Some of them showed dysthymic disorders and the other group were found to be paranoiac schizophrenic patients. An differential semantic was used (ACTUAL SELF, IDEAL SELF, NEGATIVE SELF) to analyze to structure of the self-concept and to determine differences in the concepts for temporal perspective (PRESENT, PAST, FUTURE). The results obtained by means of the measurement of meaning correspond to the clinic data. The authors attempt to begin the study of the differences in psychic processes in several clinical groups.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Measure of attitude toward menopause using the semantic differential model.

A semantic differential instrument that measures adult women's attitudes toward menopause was constructed and validated. A volunteer sample of 504 women, 18 years or older, completed the pilot instrument of 45 bipolar adjective scales. A principal components factor analysis revealed 20 scales that loaded on one dominant factor; this factor accounted for 60% of the variance for the 20 scales. Cronbach alpha reliability was .96. The revised 20-scale instrument was called the Menopause Attitude Scale (MAS). A second sample of 419 women completed the MAS and one additional instrument for assessment of convergent and discriminant validity. Convergent validity was demonstrated by a correlation of r = .63 for the MAS with the Attitudes Toward Menopause Scale. Discriminant validity was demonstrated by a correlation of r = .42 for the MAS with the Attitudes Toward Old People Scale and a correlation of r = -.04 for the MAS with the Attitudes Toward Women Scale. Factor analysis of MAS scores revealed that one factor accounted for 61.5% of the variance for the 20 scales. The test-retest reliability for 39 subjects was .87. Multiple regression analysis identified age and menopausal status as significant explanatory variables for MAS scores.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

The usefulness of the semantic differential with "mild grade' mental defectives.

Although the semantic differential has been quite widely used with mental defectives, its usefulness (in its traditional form) with such a population has not been conclusively demonstrated. The semantic differential was developed and shown to be valid as an index of representational mediation processes. However, there is also evidence of a mediational deficiency among retardates which, therefore, ought to be reflected in retardates' responses to the semantic differential. Thus, the present study was designed to test two hypotheses: (a) that mild grade retardates, in comparison with subjects of average intelligence, would show less discrimination in the use of the semantic differential, and (b) that such discriminative deficiencies would in turn predispose toward a polarized response bias among the retarded. The results, which support both hypotheses, are discussed in terms of their implications for the usefulness of an unmodified semantic differential with the mentally subnormal.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Changes occurring in psychotherapy measured by the Osgood semantic differential--methodologic elaboration].

General recall on Osgood's semantic differential. Motive and way of integrating it in research on the effects of psychotherapies. Report of some preliminary results from a transversal study of normal, neurotic and schizophrenic subjects and from a longitudinal study of normal and neurotic subjects. These first results strengthen the assumption that the semantic differential provides an appreciably adequate picture of mental state, for both its stable and evolutive components.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Semantic differentials and the process of developing one to measure maternal role competence.

The semantic differential (SD) technique is seen increasingly in studies by nurse investigators. A better understanding of this technique will assist in the appraisal of findings based on SD data. In taking a semantic differential the respondent describes the meaning of a given concept or stimulus by marking a series of bipolar adjective pair scales. Scoring and analysis can proceed in various ways but should not violate the semantic differential's multidimensional nature. The evaluative, potency, and activity dimensions commonly seen in the technique are described. How to construct an SD is explained. The ease with which an SD can be completed makes this technique suitable for clinical populations. The process of developing an SD to measure maternal role competence provides an example of using the technique in a new area of investigation. Factor analysis of the SD to measure the concept myself as a mother revealed that the adjective pairs did not cluster according to the typical SD dimensions. Alternative dimensions are described. These new dimensions gain support from their correlation with other measures of maternal role. The SD provides a promising technique for the measurement of maternal role competence.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

The California Psychological Inventory and the Semantic Differential dimensions.

The feasibility of describing first order factors and scales of the California Psychological Inventory (CPI) by using the factors of the semantic differential and rated adjustment and introversion-extraversion was investigated in samples of 150 male and 80 female college students. Results indicated that both the semantic differential and the ratings significantly overlapped with the CPI, but that the degree of the relationship was not large enough to support the contention that the semantic differential factors are sufficient to describe completely what is being measured by the CPI. The relationships did prove useful, however, in further clarifying the nature of the CPI.

Dependency, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

A semantic differential mood scale.

A set of bipolar semantic differential type adjective scales were constructed to assess five mood states. The response format chosen serves to control for response bias, reduces the number of items by half, and measures both positive and negative affect. Each of the six bipolar mood states hypothesized was defined by seven five-point items. Two studies were conducted on samples of high school boys (N = 210); both confirmed the presence of five mood factors: Cheerful-Depressed, Energetic-Tired, Good natured-Grouchy, Confident-Unsure, and Relaxed-Anxious. The mood state factors isolated were compared with the scales in the Eight State Questionnaire and Bipolar POMS.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Simplified use of the semantic differential to measure psychotherapy outcome.

To initially establish the validity and utility of a simplified use of the Semantic Differential to measure psychotherapy outcome, 14 clients were administered, before and after 15 sessions of individual psychotherapy, the Semantic Differential and a symptom checklist. As predicted, results indicated that change of clients' self-constructs in a positive direction was associated with symptom reduction. Implications for psychotherapy research are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Application of Osgood's Semantic Differential to the study of psychotherapeutic treatments.

Osgood's Semantic Differential was applied to a group of 35 neurotic patients at initial and final stage of individual psychoanalytical psychotherapy. When compared to 'normal' subjects who had not undergone treatment but were examined under the same conditions, neurotic subjects showed, between test and retest, more conspicuous semantic changes, several of which--although not all--brought them closer to normal subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Psychotherapeutic treatments evaluated with two instruments: clinical questionnaire and semantic differential.

We evaluated about 100 psychotherapeutic treatments on the Freudian model with two independent instruments: a clinical questionnaire (assessed globally and intuitively) and a semantic differential (processed through various mathematic analyses). The results obtained with the two instruments were compared, and we also compared the semantic evolution of patients with that of normal subjects. Both instruments show an undeniable average improvement among patients. The semantic differential also shows that the various 'zones' tested by the inducive words are neither equally affected by neurosis nor equally modified by treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Addicts' attitudes toward drugs: a semantic-differential study.

The Drug Rating Scale, an adaptation of the Osgood semantic-differential technique, was devised to measure the connotative aspects of attitudes toward drugs. Sixty-two heroin-addict clients and fourteen staff members of the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic completed the Scale. The Addict group tended to regard heroin in a negative light, possibly consistent with their own lack of self-esteem. Amphetamines and LSD had the greatest distance from heroin in the addicts' "semantic space"; this was consistent with addicts' relative preference for alternative drugs to heroin. The evaluative and activity dimensions provided a plausible assignment of the eight drugs inquired about into four quadrants.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

A factor analyzed semantic differential form useful to the clinical or community psychologist.

Administered a 20-item semantic differential three times (week 0, week 4, and week 10) to 110 junior and senior level psychology undergraduates. Each S evaluated six concepts. After collapsing across concepts, each administration was factor-analyzed separately to obtain a relatively stable factor structure. Three factors emerged. They were labeled: General-evaluative (factor one), active-independence (factor two), and passive acceptance (factor three). Utility of this particular device for the applied clinical psychologist was discussed.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1990

The patient's experience of diabetes and its treatment: construction of an attitude scale by a semantic differential technique.

An instrument for measuring attitudes towards diabetes and self-care was constructed by a semantic differential technique. The instrument contained nine adjective pairs. Factor analysis classified these into four factors: self-esteem/autonomy, object evaluation, quality of life supporting factor and self-strength/vulnerability. The reliability coefficient of test-retest by 28 nurses/nurse tutors was 0.93. Fifty diabetic patients completed the attitude scale for testing the validity of the instrument. Male patients had a more positive attitude towards diabetes than females. Those who had had diabetes for less than 10 years were more positive than those with a longer duration of the disease. A higher degree of education, well-performed self-monitoring of blood glucose and achievement of good metabolic control were all associated with a more negative attitude towards diabetes. A group of nurses/nurse tutors who also completed the attitude scale had a more negative attitude towards diabetes than the investigated groups of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Extremity of semantic differential ratings in deaf and hearing subjects.

A comparison was made separately by sex of 19 deaf and 19 hearing Ss on mean semantic differential ratings of contradictory concept-pairs. There were nine deaf males, 10 deaf females, 11 hearing males, and eight hearing females with mean ages of 23.00, 21.90, 20.73, and 19.75, respectively. It was hypothesized that the deaf would make less extreme ratings of concept-pairs than hearing Ss and that they would shift their ratings of contradictory concept-pairs closer to the mean of the original ratings of the single concepts comprising the pairs. It was found that both predictions were true only for deaf males. Deaf females did not differ from hearing Ss.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Effects of anxiety on attitudes--a semantic differential study.

Eighteen female out-patients suffering from chronic anxiety states and 25 normal women matched for age filled in an anxiety inventory and completed semantic differential forms on 21 concepts grouped into four areas: characters, locations, human interactions and abstractions. Each concept was rated on 15 scales grouped into four types: evaluation, activity-potency, sex evaluation and danger. The normal subjects were divided into high anxiety and low anxiety subgroups on the basis of their trait anxiety scores. Anxious patients rated themselves with lower self-esteem and confidence. They reacted with apprehension to unfamiliar locations and perceived danger in other people. Sexual activity and the human body were viewed negatively. Anxious patients' apprehension were particularly raised by vague abstractions.

Adult↗