Describes model of crisis intervention to families of adolescents who deliberately harm themselves and summarizes premises which guide practice. Views adolescent's "overdose" as attempt to resolve relationship conflicts and works to explore predicament for adolescent and family. Verbatim extracts from one session illustrate the process.…

This qualitative study identified 4 major themes during interviews with 28 families whose children have dual sensory impairments. Concerns clustered around parental perceptions of a "good life" for their children, and their experiences with fear, frustration, and change. (Author/DB)

Over a 10-year period, 96 children (age 0-14) were victims of homicide in Sweden, an average annual rate of 0.6 per 100,000 children. Most homicides were intrafamilial in nature. Cases of child abuse by a parent and cases of sexual abuse among the homicide victims were infrequent. (Author/JDD)

Explored farm families' attitudes and beliefs about success and failure, locus of responsibility for need, beliefs on predictability and causes of need, attitudes about deservingness and priorities of groups in need, and degrees of acceptability for seeking help. Findings from 42 households with 44 farm families highlighted influence of 1980s farm…

Notes that mediation as problem-solving intervention in social work became widely used in child custody and divorce cases, child-parent conflicts, and family disputes. Argues that mediator role is inherent in social work, and examines context for and assumptions underlying it. Discusses nature of conflicts, issue of neutrality within social work…

Examined family and social-environmental problems reported by parents of 226 children seen at child guidance clinic. Results revealed relatively high frequency of family and social problems. Financial, school, employment, and housing problems were frequently reported, as were parental arguing and problems in dividing household chores. Problems…

Examined kinkeeping and its relationship to distress. Findings from household interviews with 179 married women and 94 of their husbands revealed that breadth (but not depth) of kinkeeping was associated with depression for both sexes. Less normative kinkeeping increased distress while more normative obligations, such as caring for parents, may…

Children do not often develop the skills and resources with which to grieve because they are routinely left out of the process. This article describes an ethnographic evaluation of an educational grief program based on mental health rehabilitation theory. The process includes a focus on improving competencies and behaviors. (EMK)

Signs, symptoms, and definitions that distinguish occasional incontinence of urine or bowel from more serious problems are reviewed, and interventions that may help are discussed. The importance of medical involvement is stressed. A case study involving a school counselor is presented for each type of incontinence. (EMK)

Examines problem disclosure and coping strategies in 21 foster adolescents. Highly significant results indicate that teenagers who have experienced crisis foster placements were more likely to disclose concerns. These young people also seemed more likely to use nonproductive coping strategies when dealing with everyday problems. (Author/JDM)

A respite care needs assessment survey was completed by 574 Iowa families of children with developmental disabilities. Results documented a void in the availability and accessibility of respite services regardless of demography, income level, or extent of disability. Respondents generally perceived that the availability of respite care service…

This article describes the establishment of a Center for Gifted and Parents Club in Hungary. The enrichment programs and counseling services offered by the center are discussed, along with the problems parents face in determining giftedness and appropriate educational services, role confusion, and dealing with school problems. (Contains five…

Describes the helpfulness and availability of formal and informal services and supports available to non-offending parents in cases of intrafamilial sexual abuse. Findings indicate a high over all satisfaction with the services that were provided but parents report a gap between their needs and the availability of services. (Author/JDM)

Discusses the "deriding family": families in which communication patterns are typified by deriding, demeaning, and discouraging comments. Some of the interventions available for these kinds of families include questioning, checking intentionality versus results, and focusing on underlying anger. Outlines ways to introduce these…

Reviews the existing research on the role of grandparents in the lives of children with disabilities. Although parents and grandparents report a wide range of supportive activities and involvement, grandparents may also be an additional burden. Clinical and educational professionals are urged to facilitate the role of grandparents as a resource…