This article addresses ways that schools and communities can be a protective influence by helping students to overcome the difficulties of destructive home and inner-city environments. Topics discussed include the school as a protective influence, neighborhood organizations that buffer and protect children and teenagers, the protective value of at…

Longitudinal studies from Hawaii, the continental United States, and Great Britain have identified several personality, familial, and environmental variables that promote resiliency in youths at risk. This article discusses these variables and provides counselors with an assessment technique and strategies to promote a salutogenesis perspective.…

Addresses association between recent parental divorce and mental health outcomes in young adults aged 18-23. Half of those studied (n=485) had experienced parental divorce within 15 months of the interview; the other half had not. Comparison indicated that, at the bivariate level, parental divorce was associated with poorer mental health outcomes…

Treatment programs promote individual solutions to substance abuse through changing dysfunctional behavior and relying on spiritual beliefs and practices. Root problems are understood to be diseases within the person. However, the social conditions implicated in causing the addiction remain unaddressed. Questions whether social workers can bring…

Open-ended interviews in which 20 family members discussed issues related to their child's problem behavior revealed three major themes: the difficult process of coming to terms with the child's disability, the importance of having support from caring people, and the pervasive impact the problem behavior exerts on family functioning. (Contains…

This paper describes a data-based case study of a linked array of community-based treatment services for troublesome, dual-diagnosed children and adolescents. Factors in the program's successes are described, followed by long-term data supporting treatment effectiveness. Results support applied research at this level and present a simple…

A study examined the role of coping style attributions and emotions in response to challenging behavior in predicting helping behaviors of 33 support staff of people with mental retardation. Coping styles of practical problem solving and wishful thinking and attributions of controllability and internality were significant predictors of effort in…

This article discusses applications of education legislation for drug-addicted children, including the Education for All Handicapped Children Act and Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which recognizes smoking and drug addiction as handicapping conditions. Suggested guidelines for parents seeking school support services under these laws…

Used questionnaire to assess the relative frequencies of physical punishment, fingernail biting, and nightmares among Korean, Japanese, and U.S. students. Although frequencies of responses by country showed no major differences in any of the three behavioral categories, chi-square calculations indicated a highly significant departure from what…

The effectiveness of health care for high risk adolescents was studied. Seven funded clinics were compared to three non-funded clinics. Funded clinics detected and treated a wider range of medical and behavioral problems than the others. Males must be encouraged to seek these services. Specific interventions for adolescent patients are needed. (VM)

The study with 70 children and adolescents with sickle cell disease did not support the hypothesis that illness severity (measured by frequency of hospitalization) would affect adjustment (measured by IQ, self-esteem, social and personal adjustment, behavioral problems, school performance, and peer relations). (Author/DB)

Sixty-five children born to Swedish women who used amphetamines during pregnancy were followed to the age of eight years. Statistical correlations were seen between the extent of amphetamine exposure and psychometric tests, aggressive behavior, adjustment, and general assessment. Alcohol use during pregnancy and attitude toward pregnancy also…

This 4-year longitudinal study followed 12 infants or young children (6 boys and 6 girls) in 7 high-risk Swedish families (including drug abuse, chaotic family structure, antisocial behavior, and child care problems). Three girls developed mainly constructive (moderating) strategies; the other children demonstrated more or less destructive,…

Examined drug use, involvement in problem behavior, and family and peer predictors of these behaviors among Indian and white adolescents in a Canadian urban community. Found the groups had a similar rate for alcohol use; however, Indian adolescents showed higher rates and more frequent use of cigarettes, marijuana, solvents, and greater…

Results of this study, involving an adolescent with learning and behavior problems, indicated that self-monitoring can be successfully used in special education settings and then implemented with little effort in mainstream classes to improve on-task behavior and academic performance. (Author/JDD)