Methods of coping with childhood sexual abuse were retrospectively studied with 54 adult women who had been sexually abused in childhood. "Denial" and "emotional repression" were the coping methods most commonly employed. Analysis suggested that avoidant/emotion suppressing strategies were associated with poorer adult psychological adjustment.…

The study explored the relationship between a history of childhood sexual abuse and later psychological and sexual adjustment of 582 college men. Few significant correlations emerged between early sexual abuse and later sexual adjustment, though several small but significant correlations were found with later psychological adjustment. (Author/DB)

Although the literature links the presence of a confidant with successful adaptation to loss, and widowhood with a blurring of personal identity, the relationship between these two areas has seldom been explored. To examine the relationship between the presence of a confidant and adaptation in widowhood, 70 women from northeastern Connecticut who…

Teachers were asked to rate the emotion regulation behaviors of 41 children (ages 6-13) with specific language impairment (SLI) and 41 typical peers. Overall, children with SLI received significantly lower ratings than typical children. Sex differences were also found, with boys with SLI having notably lower ratings than other groups on the…

From a sample of 304 college freshmen, 68.8 percent reported experiencing homesickness (57.5 percent of males and 75.4 percent of females). Approximately 41 percent were experiencing homesickness for the first time. Homesickness lasted more than 1 week for 2-thirds of the students and more than 8 weeks for 18.2 percent of them. (DB)

One hundred twenty mothers of children with autism, with mental retardation, or typically developing were assessed for effects of social support and hardiness on level of stress. Results indicated significant group differences in ratings of depression, anxiety, somatic complaints and burnout. Both hardiness and social support were predictive of…

To examine how mothers cope with the stresses of raising a child with autism, mothers of children with (n=29) and without (n=29) autism were interviewed. Results supporting seven hypotheses suggest that mothers may redefine their roles as a coping strategy. Life satisfaction for mothers of children with autism was positively associated with…

Despite increased interest in real life problem solving with both children and adults, the question of whether problem solving is related to psychological adjustment remains unanswered. To examine whether college students' self-appraisal of their problem solving skills is related to their psychological adjustment, 671 students took the Problem…

Adolescents (n=161) who had unwanted sexual experiences with a single perpetrator were compared with 97 adolescents who had unwanted sexual experiences with more than one perpetrator. Results suggest that sexual revictimization by multiple perpetrators is not uncommon and that these children and adolescents have more difficulties with…

The study examined the stress associated with parenting a handicapped child experienced by parents living in rural Ontario communities. Availability of social support emerged as the major predictor of reduced stress. Family characteristics (e.g. cohesion and adaptability) and child characteristics (e.g. severity of handicap) emerged less often as…

Results of this longitudinal study (7 years) suggested that the stress attributed to a specific child (including a child with an intellectual disability) by parents (N=93) may be an indicator of more general family stress. Although the strength of parental worry decreased, the pattern of worries did not change over time. (Contains references.)…

Coping strategies of parents (n=89) of children with disabilities in special education classes were assessed on the Family Assessment Device-General Functioning Scale and the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales. Results indicate that less frequent use of passive appraisal and more frequent use of reframing are associated with family…

Social support has been considered an important coping resource moderating the stress associated with physical illness and disability. The role of social support as a buffering agent for stressful life events inherent in physical illness and disability was examined in 78 individuals with spinal cord injury, residing in community settings in…

Although research has shown the problems associated with being the offspring of an alcoholic, not all such offspring are maladjusted. To investigate the relationships among variables associated with the adjustment of children of alcoholic fathers, 30 offspring of alcoholic fathers and 40 controls, aged 18 to 23 years, completed demographic,…

Explores questions concerning within-family environment using data from 348 families that each included 2 siblings 11 to 17 years of age. Results indicate that siblings in the same family experience different environments and that these differences are related to developmental differences between siblings. (Author/BE)