Investigated correlates of depression in spinal multiple sclerosis outpatients (N=120). Results showed that the more depressed individuals tended to be more disabled, older, had never experienced a remission, and, in particular, perceived family and friends as providing less social support than those who were less depressed. (LLL)

Conducted a retrospective study of 102 Swiss seniors to determine nonmedical factors affecting substantial care days required prior to death. Protected senior housing and an independent and helpful personality seemed to contribute significantly to compression of morbidity and to reduced need for long-term institutional care. (JAC)

Presents a model of extramarital sexual permissiveness, focusing on several aspects of the marital dyad and dyadic independence. While autonomy of heterosexual interaction, the comparison level of alternatives, and marital satisfaction each play some role in accounting for permissive attitudes, the strongest predictor is the diffuseness of…

Examined preexisting psychological, perceptual-cognitive, demographic, and physical differences between 34 adults reporting near-death experiences and 386 controls. Results indicated differences in perceptual-cognitive style in those reporting near-death experiences. Medical conditions have some effect on the experience. (JAC)

Used loan-approval data to analyze the effects of life-cycle stage on housing consumption. The detailed typologies were not generally superior to the more simplified approaches, except for per capita consumption. For per capita consumption, price, and quality, clear evidence is found for structural nonhomogeneity across life-cycle stages. (JAC)

Interviewed 143 newly separated persons to examine the relationship between sex-role orientation and adjustment. In women, high family orientation, and to a lesser extent, low self orientation were associated with poor postseparation adjustment. In men, however, the concept is poorly elaborated and not yet adequately assessed. (JAC)

Results of this study of three age groups (5-7, 9-10, and 14-15 years) indicate that there are both individual and developmental differences in cognitive strategy use and that use of strategy is predictable across age levels by personality factors. (Author/SJL)

Compares the predictors of marital well-being for African American and European American women by focusing on the influences of individual, interpersonal, and social and economic resources. Emotional health, trusting one's spouse, and feeling underbenefited in the relationship were significant predictors of marital well-being for both groups.…

Comparison of 51 artists and 51 nonartists in India found three personality factors (introversion, independence, and tender-mindedness) which, related to working style and creative production of artists, could best differentiate artists from nonartists. These could be predicted from seven other personality factors. (DB)

Undergraduate students responded to the Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI) questionnaire and the Hypergender Ideology Scale, which measures the degree to which they adhered to traditional gender roles. It was determined that strict gender-role adherence, rather than biological sex accounted for the variance in CAMI scores.…

Examines whether there are gender differences in the associations between conduct problems and risk factors. Results reveal that even though there were gender differences in the strength of these associations, the same risk factors seem to be relevant in explaining conduct problems for both gender groups. (Contains 72 references and 5 tables.)…

Summarizes the results of five studies dealing with screen design for computer-based instruction (CBI) and provides suggestions for their application as well as future directions for research. Chunking, text density, and screen density are discussed as variables in screen design, and current research is described. (33 references) (LRW)

Longitudinally examined effects of infertility on marital and global life quality with 174 infertile couples and 74 fertile couples. By third interview, 42% of infertile couples and 36% of fertile couples were parents. Psychosocial predictors of life quality were highly similar for members of infertile and fertile couples and for couples with and…

Examined reports of one physically abused child from each of 789 families. Results of ordinal probit regression analysis identified that model with four predictors (perpetrator identity, reporter identity, severity of allegations, and season report was made) and two interaction terms (child's age by mother's age and child's age by child's gender)…

Examined affective and motoric reactivity hypothesized to be associated with later inhibited and uninhibited behavior. Affect and reactivity were classified at four months. Brain electrical activity was assessed at 9 months, and behavior toward novelty, at 14 months. Found that greater activation in both the left and right frontal hemispheres was…