Along with positive developments in psychology, the self-help movement is becoming widespread, based on the belief that people are capable of growing and achieving positive change with only minimal help. This article addresses the potential of a solution-focused self-help tool to improve university students' well-being by comparing its outcome to…

Describes the use of a self-administered desensitization program as a teaching device and fear reduction procedure with graduate students in counseling psychology. (Author)

Personal responsibility for health is dependent upon accurate knowledge and skill in self-care. Testicular cancer incidence is the leading cancer in young adult males. This article describes the development and evaluation of a testicular cancer education program which is now available nationwide to college health services. (Author/MT)

Surveyed 80 Canadian university counselors to determine whether they prescribed self-help books and to compare titles of most prescribed books to those selected by Canadian psychologists. Found that 74.4 percent of 78 counselors answering question responded affirmatively to recommending books with 56 titles being prescribed. Lists 10 books most…

Argues that use of self-help audiocassette tapes in psychological counseling can accelerate the introduction of therapeutic ideas, promote continuity of counseling between sessions, and reinforce behavioral and attitudinal changes. Discussed rationale and description of a program in which this approach is used in brief counseling of college…

Smoking cessation behaviors of college students using a university health service were examined. Forty successful and 32 unsuccessful quitters were interviewed through an open-ended questionnaire. Differences in success seemed related to techniques used to remain abstinent from cigarette smoking, expectations of ease or difficulty in quitting, and…

Describes a self-help information and referral center for college students that provides pamphlets, files, books, audiocassettes, videotapes, and computer programs on more than 100 topics related to health, personal growth, and academic skills. Discusses development of the center, its current status, and its future. (Author/ABL)

Examined applicability of Bednar, Melnick, and Kaul's model of early group development to college student self-help groups using undergraduates (N=101) who met in high-structure or low-structure groups. Found amount of group structure was positively related to ownership of group functioning; importance of performing group behaviors was positively…

Tests whether trainers using the book "Coping with Speech Anxiety" as a resource would be able to construct workshops as effective in reducing public speaking anxiety as people trained to conduct systematic desensitization workshops. Indicates that both workshops were more effective in reducing public speaking apprehension than control conditions…

Forty-three undergraduates underwent stress induction and were then assigned to a paradoxical, stress management, or self-help treatment. In the stress management and self-help groups, better performance was exhibited by less stress-prone subjects. Initial stress proneness, continued stress, and resistance facilitated performance in the…

Reports a study that evaluated the appropriateness and effectiveness of a self-help manual for postsecondary education students who used smokeless tobacco. Students participated in groups that received either two or four sessions of support for using the self-help manual. Results indicated both groups produced similar cessation rates. (SM)

Assessed self-responsibility for wellness of incoming college freshmen (N=404). Found no need differences between male and female students. Found a positive relationship between grade point average and age and self-responsibility scores. Results suggest need for comprehensive self-help programs that promote individual self-responsibility for…

Describes the process by which one counseling center developed a series of self-help brochures. In addition to the intended service benefits to students, the brochures present a positive image of the counseling center to numerous campus constituencies. Discusses costs, benefits, and strategies for marketing the brochures. (Author)

Demonstrates the theoretical relevance of developing critical pedagogical practices in which issues of representation and democratic transformation mutually inform each other. Engages a popular Hollywood film, "Baby Boy," in order to demonstrate how this film might be used as both a social transcript and a form of public pedagogy. (SG)

Describes structured journal writing as a pedagogical tool to help learners become effective lifelong learners. Suggests using the journal writing to promote collaboration which makes effective use of the consciousness-raising and self-help group activities that have been used extensively in the Women's Movement. (KO)