Assessed the effects of participation in a Big Sisters' Program. The first part consisted of interviews (N=20) with pairs of Big Sisters-Little Sisters. The second part evaluated program effectiveness experimentally. Findings indicated positive relationships between pairs, and improved behavior of experimental girls versus controls. (RC)

If health education is to develop into a discipline that increases the competencies of people to implement decisions about health behaviors, the development of a paradigm that can be used as an alternative to the behavior change paradigm is required. Several models of behavior change are presented. (JN)

Clients (N=15) received insight-oriented therapy and 15 others received behavior therapy for three months. Results showed positive client change for both therapy types, and follow-up testing indicated client improvement was sustained up to one year. Process measurement indicated relational factors were more influential than therapy type.…

Found that senior citizens in a residential setting with in-house nursing services emphasizing health education had significantly greater health knowledge and behaviors than those in residences receiving traditional nursing services. All study participants reported having obtained health information in an individual (rather than a group) setting.…

Assesses both the contact hypothesis and the superordinate goal hypothesis through an examination of interracial interaction on a desegregated high school football team. The research shows that one can be resocialized to accept and use new value codes and interaction patterns toward members of another race. (NEC)

Evaluated physically healthy and emotionally stable men over a 30-year period from middle to old age. Increase in mean scores on the depression scale of the MMPI reflected realistic bodily concerns and physical illness. This group manifested personality strengths in middle age and functioned well in old age. (Author)

The roles of the school, health education programs, and health education research in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular and heart disease are discussed. (CJ)

Self-help groups of elderly persons (N=42), who had been blind for several years, met by phone for short-term problem solving and discussion of coping methods. Results indicated task-centered assignments helped the majority meet their goal of decreasing feelings of hopelessness and increasing social activities outside of the home. (Author)

Health education at the college level has developed a variety of new curriculum approaches which emphasize behavior change. With the assumption that life-style contributes most to student health, a health course divided into four parts--diagnosis, prescription, action, and accountability--was developed. An attitude survey acted as an evaluation…

Individuals who had undergone treatment for alcoholism (N=76) completed a 91-item questionnaire including items relating to family situation and satisfaction and a number of personality and interpersonal variables. Data analysis indicated that the quality of family relationships influenced improvement in drinking behavior and interpersonal…

The author suggests strategies for forcing success on students who seem determined to fail and for altering their negative opinions of their own ability. (SJL)

Changes in the status of disabled individuals have created new challenges for service providers. This article suggests two general kinds of services that professionals can provide, i.e., one to support the informal networks people create and the second to provide professional advocates. (Author)

Tested the effects on social power of two aspects of client need: perceived need (high or low) and commitment to change (high and low). Results show perceived need had no significant effect on attitude change or information seeking. Commitment to change procedures had a significant effect on information-seeking behaviors. (Author)

Determined whether attendance in a series of workshops on citizen participation in civic affairs could influence significantly locus of control, life satisfaction and anomia among older adults. The experience did enhance internal locus of control but no significant changes in anomia or life satisfaction occurred. (RC)

Discusses results of a three-year investigation of personal, social and academic adjustment by learning disabled students. Concludes that younger children in self contained classrooms achieve more academic and personal success than older ones and those in mainstreamed classes. Identifies five critical factors affecting educational outcomes with…