Extending the work of behavioral scientist Urie Bronfenbrenner on the social and contextual factors influencing human development, this collection of essays, from scholars in a range of disciplines, shows how Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory and research have transformed the way many social and behavioral scientists approach, think about, and…

This paper synthesizes a variety of perspectives, with an emphasis on attachment theory, on the agency/communion polarity as first defined by David Bakan (1966). The question researchers sought to answer was whether or not agency/communion is best approached as a polarity--opposite and opposing forces, forces in the personality which have often…

While most people would readily agree that all family members and especially children are likely to experience adverse effects to their personal development as a result of being homeless, it is both surprising and distressing to note how little attention this topic has received in the professional literature to date. Counselors are well-advised to…

A new conceptual framework for further education has been developed as part of the reforms currently being undertaken by Australia's Adult, Community, and Further Education Board. Four key principles underpin the curriculum framework: multiplicity, connectedness, critical intelligence, and transformation. According to the framework, educational…

Supervisory issues as they relate to the training of family therapists have been a concern for the past two decades. Many developmental theories suggest that the trainee-supervisor relationship moves through a series of stages similar to the process of moving from childhood to adulthood. A few theorists have developed procedures whereby…

The report assesses the effectiveness of STETS, the Structured Training and Employment Transitional Services, a project to prepare mentally retarded young adults for competitive employment. An initial section provides an overview on transitional employment, including sections on public policy and transitional employment and related services. The…

A model for teaching group dynamics to undergraduate occupational therapy students was developed. The model incorporated adult education methodology in the teaching of group leadership and personal growth. A literature review was undertaken to identify the purpose and components of laboratory education, which was recognized as the preferred method…

Discusses a model based on a Black position on Black identity and acceptance. Considers, in particular, self-imposed alienation and the cultural neurosis of Black people, which leads to self-defeat in terms of adaptability to the reality of life. (Author)

This paper describes an ongoing project on the nature and effects of family structure and family interaction. The research presented involves the study of normal families, emphasizing the effects of system-level variables on the development of children within the family. A theoretical model is provided which focuses on the individuation process,…

This paper describes a model for an adolescent girls group used as an adjunctive therapy to focus on the issue of maturity. Background information about the group members is provided and the group is described as an ego-supportive group which functions to maintain areas of positive functioning and to aid in the development of personal resources.…

Based on the premise that personality psychology is aimed ultimately at providing a scientific basis for understanding individuals, it is argued on several grounds that the assessment and study of individual differences is essentially useless to the discipline. The basis for an alternative approach, termed "idiothetic," is described, in…

Using a transcultural perspective this model of the post-parental years assumes a "parental imperative" perspective of the entire life cycle and, thus, analyzes the post-parental years in relation to the pre-parental and parental years. Through this perspective, young parents recognize needs of infants for security, and select those…

The least understood of complex systems is that which produces educated people. Superficially, many key elements of a manufacturing organization are part of the system: a product, product tolerance limits, methods for assessing product deviation, and a feed-back system for making compensatory adjustments. In layman's terms these elements are:…

Discusses the value of diagnostic classification systems to counseling professionals. Describes the Ecological Diagnostic Classification Plan, an approach to diagnosis that includes the environment as a possible cause of pathology and target of intervention. (Author/KS)

This paper discusses a preliminary study aimed at examining counseling students' cultural identity development. The primary goals of this project were to develop a rubric for assessing racial cultural identity growth; to provide a personal and meaningful paradigm for the trainee to explore racial cultural identity development and a format for self…