This book is a primer for practitioners and researchers striving to incorporate the assessment of human strengths, resources, and fulfillment into their work. Contributors examine the scientific underpinnings and practical applications of measures of hope, optimism, self-efficacy, problem-solving, locus of control, creativity, wisdom, courage,…

Despite increased interest in real life problem solving with both children and adults, the question of whether problem solving is related to psychological adjustment remains unanswered. To examine whether college students' self-appraisal of their problem solving skills is related to their psychological adjustment, 671 students took the Problem…

This study with 203 college students used structural equation analysis and found that the relationship between students' academic stress and course grades was influenced by problem-focused coping and motivation, but not by emotion-focused coping. Greater academic stress covaried with lower course grades. (DB)

Little is known about the process by which healthy families resolve everyday problems. Families with an adolescent diabetic must handle the usual adolescent problems as well as disease management problems, and must meet both the needs of the adolescent and those of the rest of the family. Phasing rationally is a term used to describe the orderly…

Factor analysis of coping behavior in adolescents in Frankfurt, Germany, and Tel Aviv yielded similar structures, but Israelis demonstrated a marked preference for internal coping strategies as opposed to coping by means of social resources. Discusses the impact of environmental and historical conditions. (DM)

Describes the interpersonal cognitive problem solving (ICPS) skills approach for remediating peer relationship difficulties in children and adolescents. ICPS training studies are also reviewed. ICPS training seems effective as a remediation and primary prevention strategy with maladjusted youngsters and as a secondary prevention strategy with…

Describes a new strategy for informing and involving people in environmental issues. Presents stories of successful efforts by ordinary people to effect environmental change. Suggests that these stories can provide the help people need to build more adequate models about environmental problems and about their roles in addressing them. (27…

This study investigated the differential effectiveness of assertiveness and problem-solving training on 28 dually diagnosed (mild mental retardation and mental disorders) patients' adaptive social behavior, distress and psychiatric symptoms, anger control, and problem-solving coping skills. Improvements resulted from combined assertiveness and…

A study of 412 foreign graduate students investigated their (1) perceptions of the stressfulness of role demands and (2) abilities to cope with those demands. Results indicated students associated English language skills and cultural distance with stresses and language, academic, and problem-solving skills with coping capacity. Implications for…