Surveyed 99 adolescents to quantify the behavioral cues used to identify their peers as depressed. The results indicated that social isolation was an important component of adolescents' concepts of depression among their peers. Subjects felt that there was a higher frequency of alcohol and marijuana use among depressed peers. (JAC)

Records of 63 medical school graduates were examined for predictors of achievement on in-training examinations in anesthesia and orthopedic surgery. The previous academic records were found to contain little to predict examination results, and the correlation between college nonscience subjects and exam performance was negative. (Author/MSE)

Current psychological research data do not support the Social Security Administration's (SSA) decision regarding eligibility for psychiatric disability benefits. Structured work evaluation--a procedure allowed but not endorsed by SSA policies--is the best predictor of a person's ability to work. (CMG)

Studied predictor variables related to the outcome of spouse-aided therapy in 28 married patients with persisting psychiatric disorders. Results showed significant, sustained improvement in couples' ratings of personal and target problems after therapy. Poor response was linked to extrapunitiveness, denial, and adherence to an illness model of…

Explored the effect of psychosocial attributes on the labor-force participation of 49 mothers of young children. Variables asessed included career orientation/salience, nurturance, response to stress, and concerns about infant fussiness and nonmaternal care for infants. Results showed psychosocial characteristics are potent predictors of maternal…

Examines status self-placement literature. Tests Talcott Parsons's inferences that, in predicting young adults' self-placement, (1) father's occupation is more important than other status variables of the father, (2) mother's employment makes the process of self-placement less predictable, and (3) "emancipation" from family of…

Offers counseling strategies to help counselors identify and evaluate for seriousness of intent those students considering suicide. Discusses both verbal statements and situational clues which provide opportunities for counseling intervention. Suggests a counseling contract as a preventive approach. (JAC)

Examined the effects of socioeconomic status on the occupational aspirations of 198 high school seniors in Nigeria. Results showed students with a higher socioeconomic status had a higher occupational aspiration level. Students with low SES aspired to medium-level occupations, suggesting that career guidance could help underpriveleged students.…

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)

Compared four demographic variables as well as perceived family-of-origin health in relation to marital adjustment in 75 couples who completed the Family of Origin Scale and Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Results suggested marital adjustment is related to family income and similarity of spouses' family-of-origin health experiences. (JAC)

A study was conducted to: (1) determine the effect of a four-month weight training program on college males' self-concepts; and (2) identify the types, in terms of extroversion, neuroticism, body cathexis, somatotype, and muscular strength, who benefit most. Training generally favorably affected self-concept. (Author/PP)

Explored the relation of verbal, affective,and physical intimacy to marital satisfaction using data from 43 couples. Results indicated that the three types of intimacy were highly predictive of both perceived marital satisfaction and a measure of thoughts and behaviors indicative of potential for divorce. (LLL)

Explored the impact of employment and familial responsibilities on the assistance provided to elderly parents (N=153) by adult children (N=502). Results showed hours of assistance varied with the level of parental impairment, the presence of the older parents' spouse, and competing demands on the helpers' time. (JAC)

A criterion composed of total scores from the Handal Fear of Death Scale and the Templer Death Anxiety Scale was predicated using scores from the Personal Experience Check List (a scale of past altered states experiences). Results are discussed as related to previous work with death anxiety. (Author)

Describes a placement test in general chemistry containing two paper-and-pencil Piagetian tasks. Results for 885 students accounted for only 21 percent of the criterion variable (predicted grade); suggest various reasons for this low correlation. (MLH)