Twenty-one autistic and 21 nonautistic retarded adolescents and young adults were compared on British Picture Vocabulary Scale items considered emotion-related or highly abstract. Autistic subjects' lower scores on emotion-related items suggest autism-specific impairments in grasping these concepts. No differences were found for abstract/concrete…

Asserts that emotions are based on cognitive appraisals of occurrences. Argues that cognitive models have heuristic value for research and practice and examines objections concerning the validity of those models. Discusses the usefulness of these models for several educational and developmental goals. (KO)

Descriptions and evaluations of selected books about the Vietnam War are presented in three broad categories: anthologies and collections, books describing a specific aspect of or group involved in the war, and books about problems faced by returning veterans. (34 references) (CLB)

Analyzes the sociopsychological factors that account for increased stressors and dysfunctionality in contemporary African American women. Discusses the importance of African American family life values in combating dehumanization. (FMW)

Combines meta-analysis and process analysis to clarify the nature and magnitude of gender differences in cognitive, psychosocial, and physical tasks and their implications for mathematics and science careers. Findings indicate that learning and working environments should be redesigned to promote gender equality. (FMW)

Critiques recent research on the social evaluation of assertive speech. Proposes an alternative theoretical framework, based on speech act theory. Assertiveness is viewed as a style of conversation occurring in complex interpersonal contexts. (Author/BJV)

Psychological predictors of self-concept, behavior problems, and social competence of 55 siblings of developmentally disabled children were compared with those in 55 siblings of nondisabled children. Distinct psychological predictors for children with developmentally disabled siblings included parental stress and resources, perceived family social…

Draws on an Afrocentric paradigm to identify conceptual models for describing the response of Blacks to racial oppression. Argues that Black people's stylistic patterns of behaving play a role in the maintenance of their oppression, or efforts toward collective liberation. (MW)

Asserts that, in some situations, one of the most useful strategies for helping cancer patients to cope can be denial. Presents definitions of coping in general and denial in particular. Discusses potential positive functions of denial for cancer patients and provides an overview of potential negative consequences. Concludes with brief summary and…

Of the 129 women interviewed, a large portion (38%) did not recall abuse reported 17 years earlier. Those who were younger when abuse occurred or were molested by an acquaintance were more likely to have no recall. Implications for research and practice are discussed. Periods with no memory should not suggest abuse never occurred. (52 references)…

The symptomatology of 93 psychiatric inpatients with mild mental retardation was compared with that of a matched sample of inpatients without mental retardation. Patients with retardation displayed more outwardly directed and less inwardly directed symptoms; more symptoms involving action than thought; and psychotic symptom pictures which more…

An intensive analysis of a single counseling session conducted by Fritz Perls was carried out to examine relationships among client experiencing level, client strength of feeling, counselor interventions, and client good moments. The possibility that positive therapeutic outcome is related to the accretion of good moments is discussed. (JBJ)

This study examined masculinity and femininity in adult male (n=75) and female (n=38) perpetrators of child sexual abuse. Results did not support the hypothesis that perpetrators of either sex would be more masculine and less feminine than nonclinical adult groups. Findings suggested a trend opposite the predicted direction. (DB)

Twenty-two subjects with autism were tested on three perspective-taking tasks. Subjects were successful on two tasks that required them to make relatively direct connections between eating and hunger or visual access and knowledge. They failed a task which used stimuli of a more transient nature and less predictable reactions of the protagonists.…

Eighty orienteers, divided into three groups according to level of expertise in orienteering, completed questionnaires measuring extraversion, neuroticism, trait anxiety, social desirability, need for achievement, and locus of control. Subject interviews revealed individual styles of coping with precompetitive stress. A combination of high sport…