Compared psychological functioning and behavior of 46 sexually abused girls (ages 6-14) with that of 46 nonabused girls matched on age, race, family income, and family constellation. Found that sexually abused children demonstrated heightened sexual preoccupation and behavior problems, lower cognitive abilities and school achievement, and more…

Two characteristics of adult children of alcoholics are external orientation and disruption of ego boundaries, which inhibit the development of a sense of self. The dependent attitudes and behaviors associated with these traits affect work habits, career selection, and work relationships. (SK)

A study of the construction and factor validity of the Response to Child Incest Questionnaire, a self-report instrument for assessing commonly reported symptoms of adult survivors of incest, is reported. The instrument's usefulness as a pre- and post-treatment measure and further research needs are discussed. (MSE)

Analysis of questionnaires returned by 395 sophomores reveals that the eating difficulties of college women may be a problem that only partially resembles clinical eating disorders. They displayed the behavioral symptoms but not the psychological traits associated with anorexia and bulimia. Diagnosis and treatment issues, and sociocultural…

Describes the experiences of one farm family over an eight year period: loss of a farm, move to another distant farm, and accidental death of a family member. Discusses multigenerational expectations, feelings of failure, threats to self-esteem, locus of control conflicts, effects of grief and vulnerability, and coping resources. (SV)

Compared suicide notes of individuals using active and passive methods for suicide for presence of 50 classifications regarding psychodynamics of perturbation, lethality, relations, self-cognitions, etc. Two sets of notes resembled each other closely, only difference being that active group more often cited rejection by significant other as…

Logit results show suddenness of death contributes to likelihood parent will feel anger while anticipatory socialization to death or recency of death decreases odds of feeling anger toward child. All variables decrease likelihood parents will feel desire to punish someone for death of child. (BF)

Examined eating disorders in 116 adolescent girls drawn from private school students in a metropolitan area and followed over an 8-year period. Over 25% of the sample identified a serious eating problem. Eating problem patterns were associated with earlier pubertal maturation and higher body fat; concurrent psychological disturbances; subsequent…

Comparison of 388 students (grades 5 to 12) often victimized by school violence and 928 students rarely victimized found victims were more likely to be male, to perceive the school campus as unsafe, to have poorer social support networks with peers and teachers, to have pervasive distrusting attitudes about interpersonal relationships, and to be…

Personality's basic dimensions are: extraversion, agreeableness, emotional stability; conscientiousness, and openness. Rated items of Adjective Check List for psychological importance, then rated hypothetical applicants described with different combinations of personality dimensions. Applicants described with extraversion and agreeableness…

Very realistic spoof of research and scholarly writing. Reports on quantitative and qualitative research into "self-nurturant" (self-indulgent) behaviors and related personality patterns such as the pollyanna, the sulky hedonist, and the guilt-ridden masochistic indulgent. (SV)

The help-seeking behavior of 715 Australian late adolescents with personal problems was assessed 5 times over 12 months. The help-seeking behavior of these adolescents did not appear to alleviate their psychological distress effectively. Focusing on problems by talking about them may have intensified rather than relieved their problems. (SLD)

Presents MAC/FAC, a model of similarity-based retrieval that attempts to capture psychological phenomena; discusses its limitations and extensions, its relationship with other retrieval models, and its placement in the context of other work on the nature of similarity. Examines the utility of the model through psychological experiments and…

The impact of detailed information on closed head injury (CHI) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) validity scales on malingering psychological symptoms of CHI on the MMPI-2 was studied in an analog experiment with 270 undergraduates. Results suggest the impact of such coaching on simulation of CHI. (SLD)

The relationship of parental alcoholism to eating disorder symptomology and substance abuse in a nonclinical sample of college women was examined. In addition, differences among adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) related to level of distress concerning parental alcohol use was examined. Results add additional evidence to the notion that not all…