T he author considers adult doll play as therapeutic intervention by examining how the physical properties of reborn dolls and also sex dolls provide comfort and establish needs met through care giving. She discusses dolls providing a sense of personal identity through narrative play, community, and retail therapy, and she describes the…

Increasingly, lifelong learning is of growing importance and it refers to the constant experiences and needs of individuals adapting to the development of their personal and social skills in relation to the contexts and circumstances in which they are inserted. For this, one of the primary requirements to be able to enjoy a high Quality of Life.…

The purpose of this study was to explore the life experiences of individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This phenomenological study focused on adults ages 18 to 40. The research questions posed were: (a) What barriers or successful strategies do individuals with ADHD encounter as they make their way through the…

This article examines a Confucian conception of competence and its corresponding response to the competencies agenda that underpins international large-scale assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). It is argued that standardised transnational assessments are undergirded by a technical rationality that…

A 20-year retrospective study, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and published in the July 2015 issue of the "American Journal of Public Health," suggests that kindergarten students who are more inclined to exhibit "social competence" traits--such as sharing, cooperating, or helping other kids--may be more likely to…

This article reviews various theories for difficulties in socioemotional functioning experienced by many deaf persons. It then proposes a 3-level model which focuses on: (1) intrapsychic processes such as self-concept; (2) reciprocal interactions between the person and the social environment; and (3) resulting memories and expectancies that affect…

Objective: This study investigates attributional styles and psychosocial functioning of men and women with ADHD identified in adulthood to inform practice issues. Method: One hundred and eighty adults participate: 52 females with ADHD, 37 males with ADHD, 51 female controls, and 40 male controls are administered questionnaires broadly assessing…

This manual describes the "Friends" project, a year-long effort in Minnesota to develop methods for the staff of residential service agencies to support people with developmental disabilities in establishing friendships with nondisabled people in their communities. Six agencies around the state selected a total of 23 individuals (ages 11…

A variety of methods are presented for developing skills for critical thinking, which is described as reflecting on assumptions underlying actions and considering new ways of looking at and living in the world. Critical thinking is viewed as not just an academic exercise, but a productive process enabling people to be more effective and innovative…

Life skills are problem solving and human relations skills, applied responsibly and appropriately to the management of one's life. This manual was prepared to describe and present modifications to the lessons in a previously published coaching manual to make them appropriate for use in a correctional setting. Specifications for lessons which…

This discussion of friendship in the lives of people with developmental disabilities raises questions which probe the nature of friendship, friendship between people with and without disabilities, and the special challenges involved in making and keeping friends. First, four dimensions of friendship are identified and discussed: (1) attraction…

Although gifted children have been the subject of investigation for 60 years, little information is available on gifted adults, particularly in regard to life satisfaction. To investigate life satisfaction in adults who as children were labeled as gifted, 298 adults, with a mean age of 27, completed a Likert-type instrument measuring degree of…

Research on the learning transfer process from T-group interpersonal skills training programs in business, education, and institutional settings has been generally positive, but has been mixed when examined in encounter and personal growth groups. The learning transfer process from a personal growth group experience was investigated to determine…

The Adventures in Attitudes (AIA) program is a 30-hour structured experiential seminar developed to help participants create positive attitudes and overcome negative ones. Effectiveness of AIA in promoting a positive self concept and moving an individual from an external to an internal locus of control was investigated. Adult subjects (N=6) in the…

Based on an assumption that research on the treatment components of experiential education programs is useful in understanding and improving them, a study examined the component of student interaction with adults. Focusing on reference group theory (symbolic interactionism), the conceptual framework of the study is founded upon the assumption that…