Studied conditions and consequences, the characteristics of agentic (volitional, teleological) human behavior in investigations of weight control, vocational exploration, and eating disorders. Demonstrated the ability of individuals professing eating and exercise problems, to exhibit control; and in separate study examining personality factors and…

Outlines some classroom techniques and learning modes for helping children manage change. Activities should emphasize the exercise of choice and the possibility of alternative "right" answers. Creative lessons, class discussions, and writing activities help students make decisions and gain some control over their life directions. (MLH)

Reviews the literature documenting the impact of an internal locus of control orientation for efficacious families and describes how support systems can enhance an internal locus of control for parents and children. (BB)

Compared 19 pregnant and 20 nulliparous Black teenage women on personal and family history and psychosocial adjustment. The pregnant group had lower maternal educational level, later sex education, more brothers, better family adjustment, but poorer vocational adjustment, suggesting distinct characteristics but not family or psychological…

A matching model of instruction on independent variables of need level, cognitive style, and locus of control resulted in improved attitude toward science in general for ninth-grade physical science students (N=574). Although achievement and other attitudes did not improve, empirical evidence suggests some matching is better than none. (DH)

Presents a multivariate stress-mediation-outcome model for the researcher/practitioner and a synthesis of relevant Mexican American mental health research. Reviews research findings that fit the model and identifies gaps in the knowledge base. Reveals a striking lack of any systematic model or paradigm for guiding research among Hispanics. (NQA)

Measures of life stress, locus of control, world view, and values were administered to 91 Rosebud Sioux. Results provide some limited norms for local use of these measures and descriptive data for this tribe. The measures provide examples of culturally relevant, nondiscriminatory instruments for assessment of Native Americans. (Author)

Study of 245 Mexican American male workers from Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas found substantial spillover effects of nonwork satisfaction on reported job satisfaction. Nonwork variables were amount of control over life, satisfaction with family life, employment opportunities in community, leisure time, relationship with spouse, standard…

Interview data from 98 Black adolescent males in Columbus, Ohio, indicate that those who are fathers or who do not believe they have control of their destiny (an attitude more prevalent among fathers that nonfathers) are more likely to be school dropouts than others. Educational implications are discussed. (CJM)

Investigated effects on meaningful learning achievement of concept-related instructional organization and locus of control orientation of 541 high school students. Indicates that externally-oriented subjects exposed to the treatment generally retained more than those in a comparison group. Other results are reported and discussed. (Author/JN)

This study examined the effects of paternal and maternal job loss on changes in Black and White early adolescents' academic achievement, school attendance, locus of control, and self-concept. It also investigated whether the effects of parental job loss could be explained by contemporaneous changes in parental behavior. Analysis of data on 8th…

A study examined the effect of adventure programs on participants' self-efficacy immediately following an adventure program experience and whether increased self-efficacy transferred to the participants' daily lives after the adventure experience. Sixty-eight participants aged 18-29 in a series of 21-day Outward Bound courses were given a pretest…

A study focused on whether self-care instruction in health education can affect locus of control in fifth-grade students. Individual responsibility for self-care was encouraged. Results indicate that the instruction did increase the extent to which the children viewed health as the result of their own actions. (Author/PP)

Suggests that the established life history approach to the study of aging has been reformulated to include the macrostructural and cultural context. Demonstrates the utility of some core concepts in social phenomenology and ethnomethodology, particularly Schutz's concept of biographical work, for developing this new conception of the self.…

Investigated the efficacy of self-administered cognitive therapy (RET) in the treatment of high and chronic social anxiety in 45 college students. Results indicated that self-administered cognitive therapy significantly decreased social anxiety and fear of negative evaluation and also suggested a generalization of effects as trait anxiety…