The fact that 15 million American children, a quarter of the population under 18, are growing up without fathers is the most significant social problem facing the country. It is linked with epidemics of crime and drugs, the decline of educational attainment, and the persistence of widespread poverty. (AF)

Mental illness has a catastrophic impact on the family, subjecting its members to severe burden and life stress. In addition, families are often implicated in the origins of the illness by themselves, society, and mental health professionals. New alliances with clinicians are helping to support and destigmatize these families. (AF)

Maintains that art therapy encompasses the areas of mental health and art education. Presents a case study of three sisters from a family with a history of sexual abuse and illustrates how art therapy was used as part of their overall treatment. (CFR)

Examined discrepancies between adolescent sixth- and seventh-grade students (n=74) and their parents' perceptions of family functioning. Effect of gender of parent and adolescent perceptions were explored. The relationship between discrepancies in perceptions of family functioning and adolescent emotional adjustment was explored. Adolescents…

Family therapists should maintain an informed perspective that balances a broadly defined cultural sensitivity (including awareness about sociocultural and spiritual issues) with sound clinical judgment based on well-founded family therapy principles. Offers recommendations for graduate school curricula and internship training programs to include…

Comparison of 40 French-speaking Canadian negligent mothers with 40 similar nonnegligent mothers found an extreme level of parental stress and a high level of depression for the negligent mothers, who also had a history of placements, violence, and sexual abuse. They did not differ from nonnegligent mothers for parental breakups and…

Compares the American and British experiences in the demoralizing of society to England's Victorian Age and argues that society's moral condition is deteriorating--a trend that constitutes a threat to society's future. Various statistical evidence is presented, as well as examples stemming from economic, material, and political factors. (GLR)

Psychological assessments were conducted for 23 Black and 19 Latino sexually abused girls (ages 8-13). Latino girls received significantly higher scores for depression, and they were more likely to have been abused at a younger age or by a relative, or to have had a sibling abused. Latinos also reported higher levels of family conflict and lower…

Reports on interviews with 20 assaulted women about their concerns for their children and how these concerns affected the decision to leave the assailant. Fifty-five percent of the women's children had witnessed violence, and 90 percent of these children had become involved in the physical or psychological abuse in some way, even after separation.…

Examined whether experiences of parental violence during childhood are related to two separate adulthood problems for women: victimization by severe partner violence and the development of alcohol-related problems. Violence from both parents related to each adulthood problem, but important differences between mother violence and father violence…

Mothers (n=113) of child psychiatric patients and nonpatients were classified as being at low, moderate, or high risk of child abuse. Mothers with high abuse potential reported greater child externalizing and depressive symptoms, child rejection, psychological dysfunction, stressful life events, and family problems, but there were few differences…

Reviews three books on family preservation and welfare services: (1) "Families in Crisis: The Impact of Intensive Family Preservation Services" (Mark Frases and others); (2) "Together Again: Family Reunification in Foster Care" (Barbara Pine and others); and (3) "Rethinking Child Welfare in Canada" (Brian Wharf,…

Argues for two distinct forms of couple violence. Review of large-sample surveys and data gathered from women's shelters suggests that some families suffer from occasional violence by either husbands or wives (common couple violence), while other families are terrorized by systematic male violence (patriarchal terrorism). Implications are…

Gives an overview of issues related to domestic violence against women as a social problem: changing responses from the legal system and the community over the course of history, possible causes of domestic violence against women, current perspectives and trends, prevalence, seriousness, and our response as a society. (LKS)

Discusses factors involved in the decision by battered women to seek court orders of protection. Women seeking such orders confront both tangible and symbolic fears. There are powerful motivations counteracting these fears; in addition, women experience psychological benefits from a sense of gaining some measure of control in their lives. (LKS)