This article presents guidelines for providing individuals with severe disabilities with a wide range of personal choices. It provides a rationale for teaching all individuals to participate in meaningful choice-making; describes basic types of choices; and suggests ways to generalize choice-making skills across settings, times, and people. (DB)

Examined changes over three annual assessments of perceptions of gay and lesbian couples on current levels of attachment, autonomy, and equality in the relationship; the importance of these factors in an ideal relationship; and relationship commitment. Changes in relationship commitment over time were explained by changes in the discrepancy…

Parents are provided with directions for making inexpensive mini-communication boards for children with expressive communication problems, and suggestions are provided for training the child in board use. Small pictures or objects selected to reflect the child's vocabulary needs are mounted on a simple board, allowing the child to express his…

Developed Personal Independence Profile (PIP) as an instrument to measure aspects of independence beyond physical and cognitive functioning in people with diverse disabilities. PIP was tested for reliability and validity with 185 subjects from 10 independent living centers. Findings suggest that the Personal Independence Profile measures the…

The use of polarity analysis in child abuse case management provides a way to identify interdependent polar opposites, their positive and negative consequences, and actions to manage them over time, rather than compete for one right solution. An example of polarity analysis is presented with the two poles being parental autonomy and the agency as…

Interviewed 13 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. All believed that they alone should make decision regarding use of mechanical ventilation. Factors they considered important were quality of life, severity of disability, availability of ventilation by means of nasal mask, possible admission to long-term care facility, ability to discontinue…

Compared women's (n=40) and men's (n=20) levels of self-evolvement based on Kegan's Constructive-Developmental Theory. Findings from U.S. military personnel in Europe revealed no gender differences in self-evolvement. Results suggest stereotypically masculine orientation toward individuation and increased autonomy and stereotypically feminine…

Higher education has much potential for developing a sense of community and for modeling community behavior and leadership. However, it will not be accomplished by top-down leadership with a fixed vision and focus on ends rather than means. It will require leadership that embodies 10 basic principles of community. (MSE)

The concept of culture as developed by the deaf community is explored as an anthropological concept, noting the approximately 250 definitions of the term "culture." The article argues that the concepts of integrity and autonomy are the real issues of importance. (Author/DB)

Discusses identity as the development of functional and intellectual independence and as an involvement in such aspects of life as intimacy, sexuality, and vocation that give one a sense of belonging to the world. Suggests that establishing identity is an on-going process. Describes the Montessori professional's identity as director or directress,…

Explored personal autonomy issues within family caregiver-care recipient dyads (n=15) in which care recipients were blind or visually impaired. Found little evidence of significant conflicts in relationships although family members were more sensitive to autonomy issues than were their frail older relatives. Both groups defined disability itself…

The work preferences of four adults with severe handicaps were assessed, and three choice-related situations were presented. The study found that clients attended to work tasks almost twice as much when they chose their tasks and when assigned to work on preferred tasks, versus when assigned to work on nonpreferred tasks. (Author/JDD)

The introduction to this journal issue on gender equity and the special needs of gifted males examines the role of choice for gifted young people and the significant adults in their lives noting factors that affect choice, social and emotional well-being, achievement and career choice, and breaking free of past patterns. (DB)

Used developmental approach to examine relationship between parental marital status and identity and emotional autonomy in 388 college students. Confidence and Sexual Identity scores revealed that students whose parents were divorced had higher scores than students from intact families. There were not differences in the autonomy scores. (Author)

Practitioners are finding that adult education approaches are effective with adolescents. Emphasis on student-centered, participatory methods and development of learner autonomy prepares students for adult roles. (SK)