Introduction to special journal issue examines links among death, distress, and solidarity (social support). Notes that solidarity constitutes most important coping mechanism when facing death and intense distress associated with death. Briefly summarizes articles in issue, noting decision to view solidarity in larger perspective than one adopted…

The long history of metaphorical teaching and examples of the use of metaphors are presented. The effectiveness of metaphors in helping students adapt to change and continual learning and process increasingly large amounts of information is explored. (SK)

Compared repatriated World War II prisoners of war with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and noncombat veterans on psychological functioning, appraisal, and coping. Subjects with PTSD reported poorer psychological functioning; significantly less control over war memories; and more frequent use of self-isolation, wishful thinking,…

Discusses helpful ways for mental health counselors to work with infertile clients, explaining nature of infertility, psychological crisis it provokes, common reactions of infertile clients, and strategies to help clients cope. Discusses specific strategies for assessing clients' potential for suicide or self-destructive acts and improving their…

Alcoholics received cue exposure and urge coping skills training (CET, n=22) or contrast condition involving daily contact with assessment (n=18) in addition to standard treatment. After treatment, CET group included more patients who were abstinent, had higher percentage of abstinent days, and tended to report fewer drinks per day than did…

Demonstrates how narrative perspectives provide means of conceptualizing brief psychotherapy following negative life outcomes. Representative case studies illustrate three types of narrative construction following adverse experiences and show how narrative perspectives shift focus from disability and dysfunction to concern for client strengths,…

Notes that developmental and social concerns are primary influences that need to be addressed in any comprehensive study of children and war. Discusses developmental issues, gender differences, familial issues, and media effects that influence children's thinking about war. Offers suggestions for exploring war-related issues with children. (NB)

Examined strategies used by 170 Alzheimer's disease caregivers to cope with memory deficits, communication impairments, and decline of loved one. Wishfulness was related to more depressed affect, regardless of stressor type. Relaxation in response to memory deficits, and acceptance in dealing with communication impairments and decline of loved one…

Chronic pain patients (n=94) completed measures of physical and psychological functioning, health care utilization, pain beliefs, and use of pain coping strategies at admission and three to six months after inpatient pain treatment. Improved functioning and decreased health care use were associated with changes in both beliefs and cognitive coping…

Conducted convergent/divergent study on 6 Coping Resources Inventory for Stress (CRIS) scales using 68 graduate students as subjects. Each of CRIS scales converged with its validating test and diverged from test that measures different construct. Results support construct validity of CRIS scales and suggest it may be promising research and…

Conducted semistructured interviews with 100 young prisoners, 50 of whom had attempted suicide. Found that suicide attempters differed from general young prisoner population by extent of background deprivation and inability to cope or make constructive use of their sentence. Combined effects of hopelessness, history, current situation, and…

Proposes that death anxiety is related to degree of individuation and self-actualization. Sees concerns about death increasing as people relinquish defenses, reach new levels of differentiation of self, and expand their lives and personal power. Notes that therapeutic progress poses existential dilemma. (Author/NB)

Examined obituary and in-memoriam announcements in Nigerian newspapers to determine dimension of content used to manage grief. Abstracted 10 dimensions of content that represented specific cultural behavior of people who exhibit a significant degree of similarity in management of grief. Findings suggest that openness to death is appropriate…

Examined personality factors and coping strategies among 50 spouse caregivers of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. Results showed that personality traits explained 60% of variance in emotion-focused coping, 30% of variance in problem-focused coping, and 15% of variance associated with social support coping.…

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate alternative factor structures, based on previous exploratory factor analyses and coping dimensions derived from the theory of R. Lazarus, for the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (S. Folkman and R. Lazarus, 1988). Results from responses of 654 college graduates provide little support for the factor…