Martha Bernal

MARTHA BERNAL Influential Female and Latina Pioneer in Psychology

PROFILE Born in San Antonio TX to Mexican immigrant parents Raised in El Paso Discriminated against in school Father opposed to higher education First Latina to receive a PhD in Psychology in the U.S. Valued learning theories and empiricism Applied these principles to treat children with conduct disorders Interest in minority health and multicultural perspectives April 13th 1931 – September

28th 2001

READING SUMMARY BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION AND THE BRAT SYNDROME

Martha E. Bernal, John S. Durvee, Harold L. Pruett, and Beverlee J. Burns

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1968, Vol. 32, No. 4, 447-455.

JEFF THE BRATSubject and History

Jeff - 8 years old IQ of 106 Vast vocabulary and knowledge of general information

Disciplinary problem Parents with marital problems

Symptoms• Temper tantrums• Physical attacks• Bullying• Odd phrases• Rocking • Inability to make friends

(Bernal, Durvee, Pruett, & Burns, 1968, p448)

PROCEDUREPre-Observations

Meek and monotone mother Pacify Jeff at all costs Threats and demands from Jeff Mother acquiesces to demands No follow-through on punishment threats

Jeff completely controlled his mother

Treatment Step 1 – Teach the mother to “reduce her verbal output” and ignore all of Jeff’s abusive behavior

Step 2 – Teach the mother to give cues associated with physical punishment

Step 3 – Teach the mother to identify and praise acceptable behaviors




SUCCESS “I had occasion to speak harshly to Jeff, and now he asks, ‘How do you feel?’ If I say angry he is given an explanation if he asks why, but he knows. Together with ignoring him, showing him I’m really angry by voice is working quite well. He mumbles under his breath and occasionally there is a bad word, but he responds within a reasonable time. No swats necessary.”

“Freed of her terror of the boy, she gradually grew to like him, and he in turn began to express affection. During Week 18 the following occurred after Jeff had gone to bed:‘He asked to talk to me. He asked if he could take piano lessons. I told him he had a bigger project first – learning to get along with others, including children – and in a few years perhaps he could take lessons. As I went out the door he said, ‘I love you.” I replied the same and told him how pleased I was with him. After the door was closed I heard him say to himself, ‘She’s swell! I feel great!’

-Bernal, Durvee, Pruett, & Burns, 1968, p453-Bernal, Durvee, Pruett, & Burns, 1968, p454

DISCUSSIONVariables leading to Positive Outcome

Cooperative parent Positive feedback Videotaped sessions

Limitations Inability to generalize results

INFLUENCE How did Bernal’s life events influence her work? The discrimination she experienced as a child and the lack of cultural training in her profession as a clinical psychologist clearly led her to pursue research into minority health and cultural issues in her later work, as well as to advocate for cultural training for clinicians.

How has Bernal’s work influenced contemporary psychological science? Bernal opened psychology up to the principles of ethnic identity and minority training for psychologists. There has been a huge increase in research on minorities and multicultural perspectives. So much that we even have an entire course here at UIW devoted to Multicultural Issues. She even mentored a young graduate student, Melba Vasquez, who in 2011 was elected the first Latina president of the APA, and who appointed tasks addressing immigration, discrimination and prejudice, and educational disparities during her presidency.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What was special about Bernal receiving a PhD in Psychology?

2. Apart from treating children with behavioral problems, what was Bernal interested in throughout her career?

3. What was the limitation of Bernal’s study?

4. What did the young graduate student Bernal mentored achieve in her later career?

1. She was the first female Latina to do so.

2. She was interested in researching minority health and multicultural issues and promoting Latinos in Psychology

3. It cannot be generalized to apply to other cases.

4. She became the first Latina president of the APA.

SOURCES Bernal, M. E., Durvee, J. S., Pruett, H. L., & Burns, B. J. (1968). Behavior modification and the brat syndrome. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 32(4), 447-455.

George, M. (2012). Profile of Martha Bernal. (A. Rutherford, Editor) Retrieved from Psychology's Feminist Voices Multimedia Internet Archive: http://www.feministvoices.com/martha-bernal/

Vasquez, M. J. (n.d.). Martha Bernal. Retrieved from Society for the Psychology of Women: http://www.apadivisions.org/division-35/about/heritage/martha-bernal-biography.aspx

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Martha Bernal