Presents an "icebreaker" assignment for a business communication course's first class meeting that subtly encourages students to make new acquaintances in a nonthreatening climate. Includes a sample "autographs worksheet" and instructions. (JD)

Describes the development of a Communication Openness Measure (COM) based on an empirically supported model of the communication openness construct and suggests a number of speculative conclusions about the nature of communication openness. (JC)

Suggests a response to challenge of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome for family therapists, involving three stages of therapy, i.e. dealing with the crisis of disclosure, interacting with larger systems, and working on family relationships and the grieving process. Addresses potentially threatening countertransference issues, such as responses…

Children's restrictive disclosure to friends, which is a facet of intimate friendship, was investigated. It was found that children in kindergarten, second, and fourth grade showed restrictive disclosure to friends, and that greater disclosure of positive personal information to friends than to nonfriends was exhibited with age. (PCB)

Work done by social psychologists on self-disclosure is relevant for intimacy skills groups. This research is reviewed and a structured group on intimacy training that integrates the research findings is discussed. (Author)

This examination of the news media use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as a source of information focuses on three categories of journalists: non-users; reactive or periodic users; and paper chasers. The use of the FOIA reflects differing views on newsgathering methods, i.e., through people or through documents. (CLB)

Eight "myths" about small group processes and outcomes are presented and matched against research and practice. Conclusions are drawn concerning benefits of group experience, group composition, leader impact, role of structural exercises, function of the "here-and-now," self-disclosure and feedback, understanding group processes, and the long-term…

Corroborates previous research that communication is more equal in dual-career marriages. (PD)

Investigated effects of clients' initial self-presentations on counselors' impressions. Clients expressing personal attributions were viewed as more motivated and attractive than clients making situational attributions. When the reason for seeking help was intrinsic, subjects perceived clients to be more motivated and as having a better prognosis…

Considers the rights of privacy in the relationship between students and school counselors and the application of the right to confidentiality when students reveal special problems or are potentially dangerous to others. (MD)

An atheoretical perspective is provided with which to compare and integrate the concept of honesty with familiar counseling concepts and skills. (Author)

Investigated the impact of developmental concerns on 140 college students' self-disclosure using an instrument based on Erikson's psychosocial theory of development. Results indicated two developmental issues were found to be significant predictors of willingness to disclose problems to fathers and to same- and opposite-sex friends. (Author/BL)

Examined the effects of sex and Machiavellianism on self-disclosure patterns in 166 students who completed a questionnaire assessing several dimensions of friendship relations. As hypothesized, a significant sex-Machiavellian interaction was observed, suggesting that self-disclosure may be a manipulation strategy for females. (JAC)

Explored the relation of verbal, affective,and physical intimacy to marital satisfaction using data from 43 couples. Results indicated that the three types of intimacy were highly predictive of both perceived marital satisfaction and a measure of thoughts and behaviors indicative of potential for divorce. (LLL)

Sunshine laws are designed to make meetings and records of public entities visible so that a state can help ensure accountability of decision making affecting public resources. The laws often pit the news media's desire for greater public disclosure of information on public college and university governance against institutional leaders' desire to…