Reviews seven books that concern some of the tough issues in schools such as violence, racial bias, and poverty. Suggests that school board members who read these books can have a firsthand look into the lives of students, teachers, parents, and school executives. Information on ordering the books is provided. (MLF)

Describes Quality of Student Life Questionnaire (QSLQ), which may be of particular use to family therapists attempting to understand perceptions of adolescents within family constellations. Notes that QSLQ is comprised of four factors (Satisfaction, Well-Being, Social Belonging, and Empowerment/Control). Calls QSLQ reliable, unobstrusive, and…

The article describes morale, welfare, and recreation programs and activities developed by professionally trained civilians for U.S. service personnel stationed in the Persian Gulf. Army, Navy, and Marine service personnel responded overwhelmingly to programs that allowed them to stay physically fit, participate in activities, write, draw, and…

Comparison of 160 adults with Down's syndrome (DS) and their aging mothers with 253 adults with mental retardation resulting from other causes (and their mothers) found that the DS mothers reported less conflicted family environments, more satisfaction with their social supports, and less stress and burden associated with caregiving than did the…

This article reviews definitions of quality of life; explores the subjective nature of life quality for people with disabilities; relates the concept to cultural norms and universal human values and needs; explores the optimal theory of personal well-being; and surveys the source and use of research and implications for planning and evaluating…

Developed and administered 17-item instrument to assess knowledge of specific mental health problems (depression, agitation, disorientation) and behavioral approaches to them to 191 nurse's aides and 21 clinicians with training in behavioral management and experience with older nursing home residents. Aides averaged 11 correct answers; clinicians…

Lifestyle normalization, community integration, social support, and personal satisfaction were examined for 133 adults with mild and moderate retardation living in small group homes, supervised apartments, and with their families. Among findings were that residents of supervised apartments achieved the most normative lifestyles and that social…

Surveys off-farm employment of farm women and its impact on their lives. Describes survey data illustrating financial hardships experienced by working farm women. Describes imbalance between work and leisure as major source of dissatisfaction. Suggests service providers recognize women's "role overload" and its effects on families. (TES)

This article comments on a paper (EC 231 901) calling for reduced preoccupation with the physical settings used for interventions with mentally retarded individuals. It recommends the application of normalization to both: (1) the social-psychological dimensions of environments and (2) the physical characteristics and strategies of service…

Discusses how mobility, education, family adjustment, social relationships, and emotional adjustment to adolescence influence health adjustment. Social-work implications suggest a holistic approach emphasizing the concepts of youth and family empowerment and quality of life as the key professional endeavors in practice with youths with…

Examines the relationship between level of schooling and literacy attainment in four rural communities in Guatemala. The authors first identify the grade at which most children become literate and then estimate the net contribution of schooling to literacy. They found that most children became literate with between three and four years of…

The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County (Oregon) provides a wide range of social services to stimulate community development, based on reuse, repair, and recycling. Job training and jobs are provided in the woodshop, appliance center, mattress factory, glass shop, and environmentally friendly housing construction projects, with priority…

Parents of 49 children with developmental disabilities ranging from mild to severe completed the Reasons for Living Inventory. No significant differences were found between men and women or between individuals in one-parent versus two-parent households. Results suggested that the experience of having a disabled child may help to strengthen…

Discusses Home*A*Syst, a self-assessment tool that helps residents identify health and environmental risks around their homes and form plans of action to reduce those risks. (WRM)

Concludes the findings from a survey that investigated how deaf and hearing-impaired Russian students in the upper grades deal with their hearing impairment in both their school and out-of-school worlds. Examines the value orientations and the emotional assessment of life plans through the prism of the students' attitudes toward their disability.…