This study compared the views of Secular and Christian psychologists in ten areas of abnormal psychology: (1) the ego or self; (2) motivation; (3) frustration and conflict; (4) biological factors; (5) learning disabilities; (6) etiology of psychoneurosis; (7) personality disturbance; (8) addiction;
(9) organic psychoses and mental deficiencies; and (10) treatment. Psychologists' views were assessed on a six point Likert-type scale measuring the extent to which each of 37 statements were agreed with by psychologists (Very Strongly disagree, Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree, Very Strongly Agree). Numerical scores increased as level of agreement increased.
Several test items assessed subjects' views of the ego and ego psychology. Views were compared using the analysis of variance statistic. The first analysis performed compared psychologists' views regarding the statement that, "Effective treatment of psychopathology depends on getting the patient to recognize his nature as an autonomous self of ego." The findings observed for the conducted analysis of variance are presented in Table 1.
As can be seen from inspection of Table 1, findings were significant (F=5.87; df=1/38; p<.05). Specifically, it was
ANOVA SUMMARY TABLE: EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY DEPENDS ON GETTING THE PATIENT TO RECOGNIZE HIS NATURE AS AN
_________________________________________________________________Source dfSSMSFp
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_________________________________________________________________Total39146.72
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(Christian Psychologists) - Mean=3.01
observed that Secular psychologists (Mean=4.00) were significantly more inclined to agree with this statement than were Christian psychologists (Mean=3.01). If the magnitude of observed means is examined it can be seen that while secular psychologi...