Uses Cronbach's alpha and correlational methods, including factor analysis, to evaluate the performance of four short scales measuring psychosocial aspects of well-being (depression, quality of life, sense of coherence, social support) in two samples of community-dwelling persons ages 75 and over. All scales exhibited good range, high internal…

Tested hypotheses that severity of arthritis is inversely associated with frequency of activity participation, and arthritis sufferers who maintain higher levels of participation, particularly in social activities, are less likely to experience a decline in well-being. Found well-being is influenced by social activity, whereas solitary and…

This article draws meaning from the achievements of elite women athletes related to opportunities and attitudes of women in general, examining how women's gains in the Olympics have affected the lives and everyday activities of other women. The paper focuses on changes in leisure time and recreational activities in women's lives. (SM)

Values are viewed as central to the selection of, and subsequent satisfaction with, life roles. Because no conceptual framework has been advanced to guide the work of practitioners and researchers, values are widely ignored by both groups. This article sets forth propositions aimed at remedying this oversight by clarifying the importance of values…

Reports findings from a national assessment of drug problems and antidrug initiatives in small cities and towns (n=157) in the United States. Examines the importance of drug problems in small jurisdictions compared with other problems, the type of drug problems reported, the "most important" antidrug programs, and other issues. (JPS)

Tennessee's Three-Star Program for Community Economic Preparedness helps rural communities sell themselves as desirable locations for industry. The program emphasizes community planning and improved quality of life; features include adult leadership programs, community action projects, after-school and extracurricular programs for children and…

Alaska's efforts toward sustainable development include protecting the subsistence lifestyle by involving indigenous people in stakeholder decisions about whaling and fishing quotas and offshore oil drilling; developing rural energy, water, and sewage infrastructures; using telecommunications to bring health care and education to remote areas; and…

This intergenerational study focused upon obstacles confronting three gifted women in three generations in the same family. Obstacles included providing for basic needs of family, children, work, and others; the role of personal satisfaction as a quality of life; and the ability to accommodate wants, needs, and expectations of others. (Author/CR)

Medical advances and lifestyle changes have resulted in older adults living longer and healthier lives. Nevertheless, older adulthood, as other life stages, requires change in work, family, and health. Self-directed learning (SDL) is one way of negotiating these transitions. The purpose of this study was to understand this process of learning.…

A central component of positive psychology is subjective well-being (SWB). One facet of SWB receiving increased research attention is children's perceived quality of life (PQOL). Existing research related to child and youth PQOL is reviewed, followed by a discussion of the implications of the research for school psychology practice. Research with…

This case study explored perceptions of friendship of an adolescent with Asperger syndrome. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, photographs taken by the adolescent, and quality of life and friendship measures. Data were analyzed using grounded theory principles and organized into three themes: (1) characteristics of a friend;…

The daily educational experiences of a young child affect not only the child but also the family. The time and energy a family invests to achieve optimal educational experiences will likely impact the whole family system. As such, early education service providers are responsible for decreasing the challenges that parents experience so that…

There is currently a lack of reliable scales with which to assess the construct of family quality of life, particularly for families who have children with disabilities. The current work presents 2 studies, including a total of 488 families with children with disabilities, which were conducted to complete the development of a scale to assess…

Objective: To explain the global quality of life (QOL) from 2000 indicators representing all aspects of life. Design and setting: Two cross sectional population studies, one prospective cohort study and one retrospective cohort study. Participants: (1) Representative sample of 2500 Danes (18-88 years), (2) 7222 members of the Copenhagen Perinatal…

This paper reports the results of a convenient sample survey of 500 Hong Kong university students conducted in May 2003. The main aim of the survey was to investigate the respondents' perception of the residential environment and its implications for the quality of life (QOL). Results indicated that the respondents were generally satisfied with…