Offers a reassessment of the feasibility, even given "ideal" conditions, of conducting relevant research on the dynamics that take place in self-help groups. Examines kinds of changes, group methods, group members, group leaders, and environmental conditions. (Author/ABB)

Describes Comunidades Eclesial de Base (CEBs) or base communities which are self-help and mutual aid groups that assist in alleviating the effects of poverty and powerlessness in Latin America. Discusses two potential problems of CEBs - that they may encourage either passivity or increased violence. (Author/NB)

Describes Project HELP, an innovative community self-help program in Nashville, Tennessee which was developed in response to the inability of certain populations to pay their utility bills, and which is staffed primarily with volunteers and funded exclusively through contributions. Reports on the program's first five years of operation, and…

Examined techniques of persuasion used in self-help organization for persons with mental problems. Concludes that successful affiliation with the group is a conversion process and that, although acceptance of the organizational ideology may facilitate an individual member's recovery, it simultaneously reinforces an understanding of mental problems…

Advocates employing former mental patients to staff mental health centers. Reveals evidence that patients can help each other. Reviews the special contributions that former patients can make (e.g., offering a consumer point of view, making appropriate demands, and being a role model). Identifies problems that may be expected. (DMM)

Discusses the benefits of support, the format and design of existing self-help and support groups for individuals with eating disorders, and current controversies on the use of these groups. (Author/ABB)

ASSIST is a self-help program for spouses whose partners are employed in stressful occupations. Describes ASSIST from a practitioner's viewpoint, discusses emergent issues among spouses, and suggests using ASSIST as a helping resource. (Author)

Points out that there is a discrete population of midcareer, largely first-time mothers who seek some form of psychological help when they first return to work after childbirth. Reports that family-oriented conjoint counseling and self-help groups are effective forms of treatment for this population. (LLL)

Addresses the characteristics and boundaries of a professionally led support group and how it differs from a self-help group and group psychotherapy. Points out that core differences among the three types of groups tend to revolve around membership screening and interactions, goals, dynamics of change, and leadership strategies. (LLL)

People seem to have a natural need for friends. Friends increase enjoyment of life, relieve feelings of loneliness, and can help reduce stress and improve ones health. Having good friends is especially helpful when one is going through any kind of hard time: experiencing anxiety or panic attacks; depression, phobias, or delusional thinking; living…

For most adolescents, one of the joys of the teenage years is the feeling of being connected to others, not just parents. A death in the family can change that. Tragedy in the family often leaves teenagers to deal with their grief alone, as adults and younger children are given most of the attention. This book is written for teenagers and…

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.…

The power-to-the-people, as evidenced by the increase in self-help groups, is a force that the social work profession must reckon with. This article discusses the nature of the challenge and its implications for professional practice. (Author)