Examines three common disorders, dementia, depression, and delirium, which can be particularly difficult to diagnose in older adults. Presents three aspects that are helpful in making a decision: age-related differences, medical issues that need to be ruled out, and assessment methods particularly useful in the diagnostic process. (JPS)

Interviews with 36 part-time adult students showed them to be in 2 distinct groups: those for whom there was a clear link between educational participation and life transitional events and those for whom no linkage was apparent. The latter appear to participate for intrinsic interest with no immediate instrumental goal. (SK)

Describes Super's construct of adaptability and reviews research on the construct. Discusses related counseling research that uses the construct and research in area of organizational psychology that addresses concept but does not use the term. Summarizes other approaches to need for adaptability in adult career development and presents…

Mezirow restates the major ideas of his transformation theory and addresses criticisms in terms of adult development, ideology, and Freire's concept of conscientization. Tennant and Newman's reactions are followed by Mezirow's response. (SK)

Describes a study of the career stages of school principals, which used the "think aloud technique" to obtain 10 principals' reflections on their careers. Reveals two developmental trends--from management to leadership and from idealism to realism--and two topics of references--environmental influences and time perspectives. (DMM)

Studies of development of children's understanding of death compares children's understanding against presumed adult concept. Examined validity of adult concept of irreversibility by comparing actual adult data to presumed adult standard and to actual child data. Undergraduates (n=165) completed questionnaire on irreversibility of death. Subjects…

More women remain in the work force in midlife and later due to changing socioeconomic structures and attitudes, inadequate finances, and increased longevity. Many need ongoing career development to remain technologically current and employable. (SK)

Investigates leisure choices and frequency of participation in leisure activities by adults with mental retardation. Presents the activities these individuals prefer, and the actual frequency of participation. Shows that these adults have very distinct likes and dislikes in the choice of activities and appear to have the desire and ability to…

In this qualitative study, Caucasian women and African American women told the story of their identity development across a lifetime. The Difference Model (U. Oleyamade & P. Rosser, 1980) was used to analyze the interviews separately for each cultural group. Explains the pattern of development for each group and explores comparisons between…

Responses of students in an adult development course who wrote five chapters of their life stories suggest that autobiographical writing leads adults through a process of self-exploration and meaning making. The result is a transformed view of themselves and their world. (SK)

Summarizes four theoretical perspectives on transformative learning as consciousness raising, critical reflection, development, and individuation. (SK)

Transformative adult development involves a qualitative change in world view with resulting tension and struggles of the production of new consciousness. Change occurs through a dialectic process of reconstructing meaning in new ways. (SK)

Examines theoretical underpinnings of educational gerontology that serve as the foundation of programming, including developmental perspectives, longitudinal research into the lifespan, gender roles, reminiscence, cognition, and need-based learning. (SK)

Proposes a model of adult development as the foundation for instruction and training of adults with learning disabilities. Presents the interrelationships and application of Malcolm Knowles' model to adults with learning disabilities along with specific examples applicable to special and vocational educators. (Contains 43 references.) (JOW)

Reviews concepts of meaning making in classical and contemporary writing. Examines models of cognitive and ego development linked with meaning making and draws a model of the relationship of meaning making to adult learning and development. (SK)