Three focus groups examined stress and conflict among 30 older African American women in Boston. Stress stemmed from worries about functional disability, accessing transportation, conflicts with family and peers, and grandchildren's lack of respect. Participants tended to use avoidant strategies to deal with stress and conflict. A training program…

Recent research suggests that approximately one-third of homeless single adults suffer from severe mental illnesses. Discusses federal initiatives undertaken by the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) to encourage research and improve services for this subgroup. Describes the target population, NIMH research findings, and current mental…

Mental illness has a catastrophic impact on the family, subjecting its members to severe burden and life stress. In addition, families are often implicated in the origins of the illness by themselves, society, and mental health professionals. New alliances with clinicians are helping to support and destigmatize these families. (AF)

Investigated self-reported health differences between elderly Alaska Natives and Whites (N=9,897) and effects of socioeconomic factors upon health and physical well-being. Found greater variety of impairments suffered by elderly Alaska Natives than Whites but that health differences disappeared when socioeconomic factors were controlled. Found…

This paper focuses on recent legislation providing special services and provisions for mentally retarded persons in Sweden. The paper describes the legislation's goal in normalizing their lives, the types of residential placements available, their educational and vocational activities, and their mental health problems. (JDD)

Reviews and discusses the debate between the traditional psychoanalytic perspective on separation-individuation and the newer "rational" view of self-development. Finds each have equal importance both for understanding psychopathology and for providing effective and empathically-attuned psychotherapy. Provides clinical vignettes derived…

Family therapists should maintain an informed perspective that balances a broadly defined cultural sensitivity (including awareness about sociocultural and spiritual issues) with sound clinical judgment based on well-founded family therapy principles. Offers recommendations for graduate school curricula and internship training programs to include…

Two reviewers present divergent points of view concerning a book that provides a comprehensive overview of the field of wilderness therapy. The first reviewer sees the book as valuable in bridging the gap between the mental health profession and outdoor experiential education, whereas the second reviewer suggests that the book gives ambiguous…

Special educators experiencing stress are urged to take greater responsibility for their own well-being by maintaining a balanced lifestyle, planning for success, expanding their support network, creating a positive belief system, making learning a lifelong priority, and learning to cope with complexities and challenges. (DB)

This study examined effects of the Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty on 64 Palestinian children, ages 11 through 12. The level of neuroticism was significantly lower after the treaty than before, and children's earlier exposure to trauma was significantly related to high neuroticism and low self-esteem after the treaty. (Author/SW)

Discusses transference and countertransference issues associated with long-term psychodynamic group treatment of adult women molested as children. Describes and examines these women's transference reactions toward group members and the therapist. Also explores the specific effects of race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender of the…

Identifies historical roots, public policy evolution, and legislative mandates relevant to schools meeting students' mental health needs and creating a school-family effort. To promote acceptance, the linkage between school systems and family systems theory is explained. Assessment and intervention strategies are described. (JBJ)

Attempts to improve a set of patient assault vignettes for a simulation by developing and testing a control version of the vignettes and exploring additional question and alternative scoring procedures. Influences of victim gender and assault severity are examined for 58 neuropsychiatric hospital nurses and 12 mental health experts. (SLD)

A stratified probability sample of 4,745 adults in Colorado was surveyed to determine the need for alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services. Findings that variation in need prevalence across 48 subareas of the state substantially challenge the assumptions of a uniform rate of need in a state. (SLD)

This article outlines problems associated with large mental hospitals, describes how knowledge gained from these problems can be used to create alternative treatment programs, and introduces the papers in this special issue on community-based treatment programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. (JDD)