This article explores three primary steps involved in helping clients to control their own behavior change: self-observation, self-monitoring, and self-regulation atrategies. Self-regulation provides an affirmative answer to the question: Is the client a counselor?'' by promoting client responsibility and independence in the counseling process.…

In apparently no time at all, the distance between the once doggedly segregated religion and self-help shelves has shortened, and the two genres are fraternizing openly. Librarians have noticed an influx of books that cannot be definitively classified as religion or self-help. It is a phenomenal time for the breed of books dubbed "spiritual…

This book presents a look at methods of performance enhancement, examining basic issues of performance through a series of papers which evaluate several popular self-improvement approaches by weighing the evidence to determine what works. The first of the book's four parts provides an overview of the volume with two chapters describing the history…

Discusses the effectiveness in four case studies of group instruction (pretraining) in the methods and principles of self-modification as an economical and beneficial offering for individuals suffering emotional as well as overt behavioral problems. (Author/PC)

An annotated review of recent ERIC-indexed documents on the topic. (CH)

Analyzed the biographies of twenty acknowledged experts without formal training beyond high school in search of commonalities that might suggest ways people become effectively self-directed in learning and accomplishment. Patterns of education and personality characteristics are discussed. (Author/CC)

Reports on the "Chairman's Challenge," a fund raiser at Lewis and Clark College (Oregon) in which students were challenged to surpass the multimillionaire donor's (Robert B. Pamlin Jr.) physical fitness records to earn donations to the school of up to $25,000 each. Pamlin uses his gifts to reward institutions and individual students that…

Based on a philosophy of self-direction, Urbana College's program teaches students to create their own futures. The seven levels and associated processes include: (1) growing; (2) thinking; (3) deciding; (4) self-marketing; (5) first job (risk); (6) lifetime career patterns (commitment); and (7) retirement. (Author)

The study circle concept, now almost a century old, is by far the most popular form of adult education in Sweden. Swedish study circles are sponsored by 10 national educational associations that receive substantial annual subsidies from the national government. Together with 140 folk high schools (residential adult programs), university short…

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…

A case study was conducted of the organized, cooperative efforts of women in six communities in Bolivia. From December 1978 through January 1988, visits were made to women's organizations called "mothers' clubs." Effects of club membership on members, their families, and their communities were examined. A research review showed that: (1)…

This book is designed to help the individual acquire skills in life planning. Part 1 focuses on achieving the most from use of the book. It discusses personal responsibility, personal goals, and possible uses of the book. Part 2 contains the procedures to follow. It begins by listing benefits from setting goals. Exercises that follow assess…

This book is an easy-to-read inspirational book that was written to show adult literacy students how to achieve fulfillment by taking charge of their lives. The eight short chapters of the book are printed only on the right-hand page, with inspirational quotations and space for the reader's personal thoughts on the left-hand page. Chapter titles…

This report synthesizes the discussions and the recommendations of a conference on lifelong learning held at Wingspread (Racine, Wisconsin) in November, 1980. Co-sponsored by the National Retired Teachers Association, the American Association of Retired Persons, the Commission on Education for Aging of the Adult Education Association/USA, the…

This projection of trends in language instruction in the State of New York features a reoriented audiolingual teaching methodology stressing the significance of programed self-instruction with modified educational objectives and goals. Prominent in the discussion are concepts relating to: (1) the teacher as manager of instruction, (2) improvement…