Interviews with 47 health professionals and 49 members of self-help groups identified their views of the roles of professionals in such groups and characteristics of and barriers to effective partnerships. Trust building, empathy, understanding, and balance of power emerged as important themes. (SK)

Examined role of home practice of hand warming in thermal biofeedback treatment of migraine headache. Seventeen female migraine sufferers were assigned to thermal biofeedback with or without regular home practice. Subjects on home practice group experienced decreases in headache activity and medication intake that were both statistically and…

On basis of literature review, distinguishes support groups from self-help and treatment groups. Proposes open systems model for understanding factors that affect support groups, for guiding interventions, and for evaluating their outcomes. Describes four conceptual dimensions: environmental conditions; participant group characteristics; group…

Nonadherence with homework assignments and, by implication, "barriers" to homework assignments are a frequent occurrence in the practice of standard cognitive therapy (Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., Emery, G. (1979). "Cognitive therapy of depression." New York: The Guilford Press). The clinical examples in this article illustrate some of…

Attempts to identify the root causes of individual stress have been made for centuries. The result has been the development of a myriad of approaches and explanations as to the cause of stress by psychologists, educators, researchers, and self-help authors. Each approach carries a degree of validity in the context that individuals experience…

Text in Russian. Abstracts in English, French, and Spanish.

A discussion of the use of modules for self-paced learning at Allendale, Michigan. nHB)

Reports an attempt to validate a self-help behavioral marital bibliotherapy program. Evaluated five clinical distressed couples via a multiple baseline analysis. Treatment involved reading and exercises covering communications, problem solving, and sexual dysfunction. Results were highly variable and reflected minimal change. (BH)

Available from: EC 090 265.

A program that embraces educational innovation only when the thought behind the change has been internalized is presented. (CK)

Addresses the need for ethical and professional guidelines appropriate to the development and use of self-help career assessments. Discusses strengths and limitations of self-help career assessments. Identifies three criteria for evaluating these assessments (appropriateness, trustworthiness/soundness, emphasis on process) and presents an…

Examined whether adult drinkers would be willing to receive self-help and other minimal contact aids designed to help them drink more moderately. In a community survey of 316 adults, of whom over one-half reported drinking, drinkers most frequently requested newspaper articles on how to drink moderately, followed by radio and television programs.…

Investigated bereaved spouses' assessments of participation in self-help groups consisting of 8 weekly meetings with (n=52) or without (n=82) additional 10 monthly meetings. Regardless of group duration or leadership by professional or widowed peer, assessments were positive. Most commonly reported benefit participants hoped to gain was emotional…

Based upon empirically supported cognitive-behavioral treatment approaches, this paper aims to outline the use of homework to enhance the therapeutic relationship, patient motivation, and skills for managing delusions, hallucinations, and negative symptoms. The nature and timing of homework is outlined for the different phases of treatment.…