Examined the relationship between commitment to one's marriage at the onset of therapy and changes during marital therapy in a sample of 42 couples. Results showed that wives' commitment level was significant, while results for men were less striking. Discusses the importance of commitment in marital research. (LLL)

Examined relationships between perceptions of marital communication and the choice of male or female sterilization in 313 couples. The wife's perception of marital communication was negatively related to the tendency for the couple to choose female sterilization, conditional on female labor force participation. Communication questions are…

Examined the relationship between age and perceived health status in 660 adults. Number of symptoms was the strongest predictor of perceived health status employed in this analysis, followed by age, education, and race. Persons over 60 tend to perceive their own health in a significantly more positive fashion. (Author/JAC)

Results of a statistical study of language in 30 infants suggest that two acquisition styles (nominal/pronominal and referential/expressive) are developing in parallel. Only for children heavily emphasizing one strategy can a distinctive style be determined. Results at 20 months were only partially predictive of performance at 28 months. (MSE)

Developed an expanded ecological model of rural mental health to examine predictors of mental health in 989 rural older adults. Activity level and satisfaction with dwelling were the strongest predictors of well-being for both men and women. Overall, results suggested a less complex model for men. (JAC)

Two experiments found support for the proposition that, when cognitive cues (knowledge of children's chronological age) conflict with perceptual cues (perceived height), the latter cues, although inappropriate, are more salient in determining adult expectations for achievement. (MP)

Considered personality variables related to postdivorce adjustment using a sample of 58 females and 31 males. Found persons with the best adjustment scored significantly higher on dominance/assertiveness, self-assurance, intelligence, creativity/imagination, social boldness, liberalism, self-sufficiency, ego strength and tranquility. (Author/JAC)

Investigated the relationship between two cognitive variables, social insight and psychological defensiveness, and scores on a validated scale for predicting early dropout or continuation in insight-oriented counseling for males (N=48) and females (N=86). Results suggest continuation for highly defended, less insightful males and highly defended,…

Contrasted 30 delinquent adolescents who had attempted suicide with 120 delinquent controls. Suicidal ideation, depression, gender, a tendency to act out, conflict with parents, childhood hyperactivity, and the interactions of gender with depression and with acting out accounted for 49 percent of the variance in suicide attempts. (Author)

Analyzed predictors of retirement using data from seven longitudinal studies. Results show predictors of retirement vary depending on how retirement is defined. The strongest predictors of objective retirement are structural factors. Predictors of early retirement and of age at retirement include both structural factors and subjective factors.…

A study among a sample of college students found that male and female single college students are moving toward an equal standard with regard to premarital sexual behavior. However, the interpersonal psychological correlates of sexual intercourse behavior appear to be quite different for males and females. (Author/MJL)

Distressed couples were assigned to behavioral marital therapy, communication therapy, or a wait-list. Treated couples demonstrated more change than controls in marital problems and general communication patterns, but not in feelings toward spouse or communication during conflict resolution discussions. No overall differences were reported between…

Sex role identity and self-esteem were examined in a cross sectional sample. Both men and women displayed peak masculinity scores in the middle years of adulthood. Psychologically "androgynous" individuals displayed the highest levels of self-esteem. Masculinity was a better predictor of self-esteem than was femininity. (Author)

This examination of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) covers early predictions concerning CAI, the variables that have been addressed by CAI research, guidance in identifying the effectiveness of CAI, and future directions for CAI in education. (MER)

Investigated the effects of pubertal timing, demographics, family processes, and leisure activities on the timing of first sexual experience among adolescents (N=702). Higher levels of parental monitoring predicted later initiation of sexual experience for most participants. Higher levels of risky leisure also predicted earlier first sexual…