Analyzes the five factors in combination that appear to account for the mind-set in which the decision to launch the Challenger was made: (1) perceived pressure, (2) rigid conformity to perceived role requirements, (3) questionable reasoning, (4) ambiguous use of language, and (5) failure to ask important relevant questions. (NKA)

A study of the adjustment of third-, fourth-, and sixth-year university students in the humanities, sciences, and medicine in a Dutch university is reported. The study examined mental health variables, satisfaction, interpersonal orientations, and assessments of the learning environment across sexes, majors, and cohorts. (MSE)

The myriad duties in academic life make it especially difficult to keep stress under control. Some of the reasons academic careers are so stressful include: competition, low pay and poor working conditions, tight resources, lessened mobility, growth in part-time positions, and high self-expectations. (MLW)

This report examines how state welfare-to-work programs have affected young children since the 1996 welfare reform act, which moved millions of women into low-wage jobs. Researchers followed a sample of 948 mothers and young children for 2-4 years after the women entered new welfare programs in California, Connecticut, and Florida. After…

This guide creates a step-by-step sequence of practical techniques, based on research on successful teaching and grounded in real-life examples, that guide teachers toward an effective action plan for successful teaching and classroom management. The manual's suggestions give teachers the skills and tactics necessary to manage, control, and enrich…

A study examined sources of stress and coping mechanisms associated with student teaching. Questionnaires were completed by 43 students taking a rural-based internship program in New South Wales (Australia), and four of them participated in case studies involving interviews and diary accounts. Factor analysis of the data yielded four categories of…

To reduce risk factors for adult disease in our society, we must tackle the problem of toxic stress in early childhood. This condition is associated with the excessive release of a stream of hormones whose persistent elevation can disrupt the wiring of the developing brain and the functioning of the immune system. Children who experience toxic…

The "Research & Action Report," published twice a year, is a window on the activities and initiatives at the Wellesley Centers for Women. The report typically features news about the Centers, interviews with researchers, commentary on recent events or social trends affecting women and girls, announcements of new publications, and…

This study examined whether preadolescents (fifth and sixth graders) perceived the same effects of parents' job stress as suggested by parent reports. Participating were 53 dual-earner families and 28 single-mother families in which all parents were employed at least part-time. Families were mostly European-American, middle-class, highly educated;…

This training module is comprised of two documents, the facilitator's guide and the student guide, and is intended for the introductory phase of a course for paraprofessional school personnel. The facilitator's guide provides the full text of the student's guide as well as chapter goals to be accomplished by students, topics covered in each text…

This 34th annual report of national normative data on college freshmen is part of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program's (CIRP) longitudinal study to assess the effects of college on students. Data for this study is based on 261,217 entering students at 462 U.S. two- and four-year colleges and universities, and is statistically adjusted…

This book provides teachers with resources necessary for providing caring and competent instruction and guidance to students of all ages, exploring human resources that teachers need to flourish in the classroom. Chapter 1, "On Being a Teacher," describes the essence of what makes teachers truly great. Chapter 2, "On Being a…

Discusses how the dynamics of stress and coping change with the processes of aging. Suggests that since aging is a highly individualized process, cross-sectional studies of the phenomenon may be inadequate unless supplemented by a longitudinal perspective. (Author/AOS)

Sources of job satisfaction and job related stress among public school physical educators are examined. Recommended techniques are offered for physical education administrators to reduce their employees' job-related stress and to improve the quality of worklife. (JN)

The nine articles in this issue deal with different aspects of stress that affect school counselors. Discusses environmental and occupational causes of stress, stress management, and methods for dealing with counselor burnout. Emphasizes self-help measures and techniques for increasing counselor effectiveness. (JAC)