Describes and evaluates a life skills program that focuses on addressing the special needs of female inmates. Analyses of pre- and post-test scores of program participants compared emotional empathy, self-esteem, coping resources, problem solving, parenting stress, employability, and well-being. Results suggest tat the program does address some of…

Examines the relationships between cultural values and experiences of happiness in two samples focusing on university students in Taiwan (n=439) and the United Kingdom (n=344). Reports that the relationships between values and happiness were stronger in the Taiwanese sample. Includes references and an appendix. (CMK)

Examined characteristics and experiences of discouraged older unemployed workers (N=73) aged 50+ who had stopped searching for a full-time job. Found older worker more at risk for economic and psychological difficulties. Findings suggest need for targeted employment and supportive services for this group. (Author/CM)

Four dimensions of marital well-being--happiness, equity, competence, and control--emerged in a factor analysis of 12 items asking 199 Black and 174 White newlywed couples to evaluate their overall marital quality. Dimensions were related to respondents' gender, cohabitation history, education, and income, differentially for Blacks and Whites. (TE)

Questionnaires completed by 2,511 secondary school students in Netherlands revealed that only children (N=280) did not appear to be less happy than children with siblings, nor was their global self-esteem any lower. Only children felt less proficient at sports, but did not consider themselves better in school or less popular among peers than did…

Examines relationship between changing family living arrangements and psychological well-being of childrearing women. Finds long-term single parenting may be considered a chronic stressor. Reports death of a family member or close friend, unemployment, and residence change are associated with increased distress while friendship and church…

Examines brief history of stress research and concludes that psychological factors can affect job satisfaction, work adjustment, work attitudes, and overall well-being in the work environment. Establishes relationship between mental and physiological functioning disturbances. Presents model relating effect of stress on health and illness. (Author)

Compared responses on Family Assessment Device of mothers, fathers, and adolescents in 94 clinic families having adolescent referred to mental health service and 94 community families with non-referred adolescent. Clinic family members consistently rated their families as less healthy than did community family members. Adolescents in both groups…

Tests the validity of the Principle-Centered Living Survey (PCLS), which measures principle-centeredness. Results from a convenience sample (n=232) indicate that the PCLS possesses excellent internal consistency and construct validity. (JPS)

Family caregivers to demented elders (n=43) kept 14-day diaries of caregiving activities, disruptive patient behaviors, and daily mood. Findings indicate that some caregivers are highly distressed by caregiving demands, some report moderate levels of distress, and others show no relationship between mood and daily events. (JPS)

This study of 27 couples with preschool children with disabilities found that mothers who continue over 3-5 years to ask why their child is disabled experience lower levels of well-being and that fathers who do not externalize blame to someone else or to fate experience higher levels of well-being. (Author/JDD)

Assessed exchanges of intergenerational support among Anglo/European-American and Latin American young-adult women, their mothers, and their maternal grandmothers (total n=159). Found support exchanges imbalanced across generations, with middle-generation women providing more support to mothers and daughters than they received. Support and…

Analyzed bereavement adaptation among family caregivers to dementia patients. Bereavement group, as compared with active caregivers, dropped substantially in overload and increased in mastery and guilt. Depression showed curvilinear trend, declining from time of death, rising to preloss levels by end of year. Caregiver stressors, baseline…

Older adults contribute to society through volunteer work, informal assistance, paid work, and self-care. Both individual and societal aging could benefit from increased productive participation of older persons, but institutions must provide more flexible options for them. (SK)

Compared African-American students attending predominantly white university (n=100) with those attending predominantly African-American university (n=102) on measures of depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, psychosocial stress, self-identity, and self-esteem. Found no significant differences between students attending African-American or…