The portable rod-and-frame test was used to measure the level of psychological differentation for 100 behavior-problem, father-absent children, ages 8-16. A significant interaction was noted between the reason for the father's absence (death vs divorce/desertion) and the child's age when the father left home. (Author/SJL)

Examined relationship between Rokeach Dogmatism Scale scores obtained prior to training and measures of counseling effectiveness one year later. Higher dogmatic counselors were more effective with nonambiguous client problems and less consistently effective with different client types. Initial dogmatism predicted performance one year later with…

Among obese females following a behavioral weight loss program, a measure of perceived personal control significantly predicted outcome. Internals achieved greater mean weight loss. The internal control orientation was associated with higher extraversion and self-acceptance, but neither of these other variables correlated with weight loss. (Author)

Investigates two questions of interest to persons who treat children with psychological difficulties: (1) What is attachment theory? and (2) Does it have relevance when working with disturbed children and their families? (Author/DB)

Discusses implications of recent evidence for genetic influences on personality development and psychopathology. Presents a model of the childhood origins of psychopathology that incorporates genetics and gives special emphasis to the role of parental conflict in the previously neglected middle childhood years. (Author/GC)

To help explain female inferiority in mathematical performance, sex differences in personality correlates of mathematical ability were examined. Three instruments, Rotter's I-E Scale, Miller Adult Locus of Evaluation Scale, and Byrd's Attitude Concerning Life and Self were administered. For females only, internal locus of control and self-esteem…

Subjects associated degrees of stress with experiences of social isolation and powerlessness. High internals reported higher stress than moderate or low internals. High internal clients reported lower self-esteem, higher stress, and less control over recent events than nonclients. (Author/BEF)

The Bem Sex-Role Inventory was more promising of independent measurement of constructs related to masculine-feminine identity but lacked purity. Low scorers on Bem masculinity were penalized because of items related to maturity. (Author/BEF)

The relationship between sex role relationships of math and verbal ability was studied in two groups of junior high school students--a group of 278 mathematically gifted students and a comparison group of 115 students of varying abilities and socioeconomic backgrounds. (PHR)

In an attempt to provide insight into frequently ignored aspects of the validity of student evaluations of teachers and teacher performance on the college level, the article analyzes a study to compare instructional characteristics to personality dimensions. Findings indicated a degree of relationship. Results of the study are discussed. (DB)

Female college undergraduates on academic probation and the Dean's List were compared on measures of identification and personality characteristics. Concluded that the absence or presence of certain personality traits may be more crucial and influential in determining academic and, perhaps, personal competency than is sex-role identification.…

Summarizes the major forms of cross-cultural research on personality development and discusses their contribution to developmental research. Also discusses some major issues in research on acculturation. (Author/SS)

The development of the American system of school athletics from the time of the Puritans to the present day is discussed, and the social ramifications of our contemporary sports culture are considered. (LH)

It was hypothesized that true externals and those who adopt an external locus of control as a defense differ in the amount of personal responsibility they accept for task outcomes. Defensive externals varied in their causal attributions as a function of task outcome, whereas nondefensive externals did not. (Editor/SJL)

This study related major parameters of moral character (socialization and empathy) to self-reported drug use by 88 students. Level of socialization correlated significantly with total drugs used, frequency of marijuana use, and number of drug-related social complications. However, empathy did not relate to the drug-use variables examined.…