This booklet documents the ability of parents of children with special health needs and disabilities to achieve balance in their lives, by moving from crisis to control, from challenge to opportunity, from questions to answers. The booklet discusses concerns that confront parents of children with special needs, and answers the most common…

This document provides information on three adult problem-solving measures developed to assess the effects of participating in a problem-solving training program. Each measure is accompanied by a manual describing the purpose, administrative procedures, psychometric properties, and use in research studies. The first measure is the Parent Means-End…

This document consists of the final report and booklet developed by a project that provided individual counseling and life-coping skills workshops to recently unemployed workers lacking basic educational skills. The final report describes how individuals recruited at Philadelphia unemployment offices attended group workshop sessions where they…

This paper discusses the characteristics of resilient children and how to build protective processes within and around children so that they overcome risk at critical decision-making moments in their lives. A research-based definition of resilience is outlined, and major protective mechanisms are discussed. Critical transitions for students are…

The key dependent variable in adoption research is the child's mental health, in the short and the long term. Defining mental health as the development of basic ego strength and a feeling of self-worth, which enable an individual to cope with stresses later in life, this book focuses on how well adolescents and young adults have fared in adoption.…

The goal of this group counseling and alcohol education program was that inner city elementary children whose parents frequently drink alcohol would possess knowledge and techniques to help them to cope with their parents' drinking. It was also expected that parents and school personnel would acquire the training and skills to effectively assist…

This study examined the relationship between mothers' recollections of those who cared for them during their childhood and mothers' ability to cope with the daily stress of being a single parent living in poverty. Subjects were 52 low-income, single mothers of preschool-age children. Mothers' recollections of caregiving were assessed by means of a…

This book addresses issues of secrecy and disclosure when a child or other family member has AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), and offers examples of how some families have resolved these issues. After an introduction which notes the involvement of many families with an AIDS-infected member, the first chapter addresses the common first…

This study tracked parental stress among 115 mothers of infants and toddlers with disabilities to evaluate patterns of stability and change in parental adaptation during the early childhood period. Parents were given the Parenting Stress Index three times: upon entry into an early intervention program, 1 year later, and when the child reached age…

This paper reports on a study that explores the literature of technostress--the anxiety over using technological equipment--both inside and outside of the library field. Fifty-eight unique articles were abstracted and evaluated. By using a coding sheet a measurement was taken of symptoms, reasons given for the "modern disease," and…

By using a game-centered approach, mental health professionals can help teach social and emotional skills to their clients. The 66 games described in this book are presented using a standard format that includes suggestions for how to help players use their skills in daily life. The games were field tested using an evaluation strategy that focused…

Clinical theory and practice models are provided along with current concepts in diagnosis and treatment. Theoretical formulations, hypotheses, issues, and implications related to life stress measurement are addressed and applied to medical and mental health concerns. Contributions include: (1) "Stress Response and Adaptation in Children:…

This document provides a rationale for developing in adults enrolled in education and training reentry programs the skills to cope with pressures from their "significant others." It also includes instructional activities designed to develop those skills. The first four sections of the report provide an overview, a literature review, a…

This self-appraisal instructional guide provides the instructor with the required information and supporting materials to teach this developmental career guidance course. In addition to introductory materials, this guide contains seven units on the following topics: (1) understanding yourself; (2) attitudes; (3) interests; (4) abilities; (5)…

Social and economic influences significantly affect the development of competence, health, and well-being in modern society. During periods of profound social and economic change, such as the present, some sectors of society are often at very high risk of encountering a decline of social support and hence inadequate nurturance of developmental…