One of a series, this background paper is intended to provide accurate, objective, and comprehensive information regarding the content and effects of new federal approaches to the funding and delivery of human services at the local level. Contents specifically focus on effects in Monroe County, New York, and concern a study of families losing…

Science teacher stress is a topic that has attracted only a few studies in recent years. The itemized scores of 206 respondents to the 40-item Science Teacher Stress Inventory were pooled and ranked. The top six stressors were found in descending order: (1) Difficulty in obtaining equipment and materials for teaching science effectively; (2)…

This study was conducted to examine the experiences of Amerasians from Vietnam who resettled in the United States and to explore coping and adaptation among Vietnamese Amerasians over time. The initial data collection phase involved in-camp assessment of a randomly selected sample of Amerasian adolescents (N=259). The assessment is to be repeated…

In this study, burnout is viewed as a multidimensional adaptational outcome of stress which begins when an individual ineffectively appraises or copes with the work environment and job stressors, or encounters excessive stressors in the work environment. The study investigated the personal characteristics of teachers and aspects of their work…

This booklet provides mental health professionals with an analytic framework for understanding psychosocial reactions to bereavement of adults and children and for selecting appropriate intervention strategies. It also identifies those people most likely to need the intervention of a mental health professional to help prevent or mitigate…

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of different ways of coping on caregivers' physical health and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Sixty persons living with and caring for a spouse with Alzheimer's disease (n=58) or multi-infarct dementia (n=2) were interviewed and evaluated by a series of instruments. Independent variables…

Certain aspects of a school environment can be stressful for students. The School Situation Survey (SSS) was developed to assess school-related stress among students in grades 3 through 12. The seven scales of the SSS assess four sources of stress (Teacher Interactions, Academic Stress, Peer Interactions, Academic Self-Concept) and three…

Stress is experienced by college students at different educational levels, but colleges can help reduce its destructive forms. There are explanations of why students perform badly under stress, such as "hypervigilance" (i.e., overstudying for an exam) and "premature closure" (i.e., rushing through an exam). Situations that are…

This paper examines a vareity of individual, group, and organizational communication skills for dealing with job burnout. Primary emphasis is placed on techniques for: (1) gaining perspective; (2) resolving substantive and affective conflict; (3) developing social support systems; and (4) increasing constructive feedback and employee control.…

This paper reports the effects of Hurricane Hugo on mental health workers and indigenous community members. The response and perceptions of mental health staff from the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (Go Teams) from areas unaffected by the hurricane were compared and contrasted with those of a subsequent Hugo Outreach Support Team…

Single mothers on welfare were recruited for a program at Trinity College of Vermont using a variety of methods: newspaper advertisements, admission office applicants, and welfare office solicitation. Eligible for the program were single mothers on welfare meeting all Trinity College entrance requirements and having an interest in and commitment…

A study was undertaken to develop a valid, reliable measure of coping skills for use with hearing impaired adolescents. Subjects included 324 adolescents, aged 15 to 17 years. Through the permission of schools and parents and the cooperation of the Annual Survey of Hearing Impaired Children and Youth of the Center for Assessment and Demographic…

The role of social support in moderating stress was examined in 65 parents of hyperactive children. The sample included 29 couples and 7 single mothers. The theoretical framework guiding the research was Lazarus' general model of stress. Each parent's psychological functioning was hypothesized to be a function of the severity of the child's…

While research has documented the strengths of the family as a support system to the elderly, there is less understanding of what happens when supports are needed over an extended time. To study family care when support needs persist for a long period, 115 older adults were studied after discharge from the hospital and again about 8 months later.…

This study investigated the causes and consequences of teacher stress and effective means of stress management. Responses to a survey questionnaire were received from 800 primary teachers in New Zealand public schools (a response rate of 67.3 percent). Six situations which cause teacher stress were identified: (1) work overload; (2) expectations…