Traditionally, coping and adaptation have been considered synonymous in individual's responses to illness and other stressful situations. The Illness Adaptation Scale (IAS) is a 12-item instrument which was designed to assess adaptational outcomes in illness situations as well as four coping modes (instrumental-self oriented, instrumental-other…

While most lifespan developmental theories of personality predict age-related changes in coping, little direct evidence exists for determining whether age differences in coping style are due to intrinsic developmental processes or to age differences in the kinds of stresses encountered. To evaluate age differences in coping strategies and whether…

Since 1979, over 300 adults have participated in writing anxiety workshops at Northern Virginia Community College. The self-identified, self-diagnosed sufferers of writing anxiety have had problems in one or more of the following areas: letter writing, memo and report writing, writing for academic purposes, writing demanded of women reentering the…

Individuals can produce good stresses that will inhibit or eliminate the bad stresses of anxiety, depression, resentment, and hopelessness. This can be accomplished as individuals learn to include in their lifestyles these nine approaches: self-talk, commitment, self-control, challenge, interpersonal relations, time management, relaxation,…

First-year experiences in administration can color one's perceptions of the job, the career, and life goals. Ineffective socialization and assimilation during this period can also have serious consequences for staff, students, and community. This paper attempts to identify the significant issues, conflicts, and experiences occurring during the…

The paper examines the effects of stress on children and considers ways in which teachers can help them cope. Three major sources of stress are identified: (1) normal developmental stress, such as pressure for academic success; (2) endemic social stress, resulting from such social trends as rising divorce rates and the general erosion of the…

This study considered broadly the problem of homelessness by examining the housing difficulties of one at-risk population, the elderly, who presented needs to one city emergency service agency. A random sampling of some 500 emergency case files identified the prevalence of a wide range of emergency situations affecting the city's elderly. At least…

This booklet discusses child abuse, targeting pre-teenagers and teenagers. It describes what child abuse is, why it happens, and what a teenager can do about it. These topics are covered: (1) definition of child abuse and types of child abuse; (2) differentiating between child abuse and discipline; (3) sexual abuse; (4) family types of child…

This exploratory study examined children's sense of control as a cognitive and perceptual context for responding to the expression of interadult anger. Children's cardiovascular, electrodermal, and self-reported emotional responses to the angry interaction of adults were measured. Perceptions of control were manipulated in two ways: by giving…

This study links cognitive development and psychological adaptation by relating play attributes, assessed from a predominantly cognitive-developmental perspective, to "ego resiliency," which is a measure of flexibility in coping with stress. Subjects were 104 participants in a longitudinal study (Block & Block, 1980); 78 were given…

This book was written to educate and inform those in the helping professions on how to deal with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It explores how to improve the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive individuals, emphasizing recognition and acceptance of the person behind the illness…

Midlife divorce for women can be a time for creative growth or divorce can lead to loneliness, bitterness, and depression. Middle-aged women appear to experience an inordinate amount of stress from divorce because of loss of roles and lack of new role models. Based upon role theory and divorce as a normal developmental process, a feminist…

Nurses returning to school to seek baccalaureate degrees are often mature women with families and full-time jobs who experience numerous role conflicts as wives, mothers, employees, and students. In studying college-educated women and role conflict, Hall (1972) delineated three predominant coping patterns: (1) Type I, negotiation type coping,…

The grieving process for widows and widowers of Alzheimer's victims is a uniquely complicated and painful one. To examine this issue, an exploratory study was conducted of 27 females and 13 males whose spouses, all dementia victims, had died between 3 months and 3 years prior to the study. In addition to these 40 interviews, an extensive…

Homelessness is a significant social problem in the United States, with an estimated 2.5 million homeless people in this country today. While criminal activity may become a means for the homeless to obtain resources needed for basic survival, little is known about the level of criminal activity among the homeless or about the types of crimnal…