Examined underlying factors, reliability, and predictive validity of the Family, Friends, and Self (FFS) Assessment Scales based on data collected from 700 Mexican-American youth aged 13-18 admitted to 11 drug abuse prevention programs in Texas. The revised FFS drops the content approximately 25 percent to 63 items covering 10 scales. (KS)

The Quality of Life Inventory, a measure of life satisfaction for psychological assessment and treatment planning, was evaluated with 54 inpatients, 54 recovering alcoholics, 18 private alcohol- and drug-treatment patients, 127 college counseling recipients, 272 undergraduates, and 19 criminal offenders. Results support the measures' psychometric…

Study investigated the relationships between a children's life satisfaction measure, the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS), and a self-concept measure, the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale (PHSCS). Analyses demonstrated a strong relationship between the SLSS and one PHSCS subscale, providing support for the construct validity of the SLSS.…

Researchers examined claims that those who follow a healthy lifestyle will live mostly free of disabling diseases and injuries up until the end of life. Results affirmed this theory with the strongest support coming from alive and deceased men. The authors also detected an inverse correlation between education level and degree of disability. (RJM)

Researchers surveyed 213 caregivers to test the influence of personality traits on negative outcomes of caregiving. High scores on a measure of neuroticism indicated increased levels of burden and health complaints both at initial and follow-up assessments. Personality traits and other variables remained consistent over time for caregivers…

Explores community, contrariness, and cottage farming with author Gene Logsdon. Discusses the value of living, working, and playing with one's children (including home schooling) and the pitfalls of careerists isolating themselves from the community. Maintains that diversity is an essential part of the cottage farming lifestyle and leads to…

Discusses four chronic diseases (cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma) that affect American children. Many have their physical activities unnecessarily restricted, though sports and exercise can actually alleviate symptoms and improve their psychosocial development. Physicians are encouraged to prescribe…

Licensing and certification regulations for Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR) can adversely affect individuals, distort the allocation of scarce resources, and encourage community residences to become small institutions. A case study of one home in northern California illustrates poor program evaluation and the need…

Environmental economists propose that the value of clean air, land, and water should count as part of the national bottom line for gross national product (GNP) considerations. Discusses the harmful effects of the present national accounting system that omits environmental costs and the efforts of environmental economists to produce an accounting…

A survey of college student leaders (n=236) participating in 3 workshops identified and ranked 49 salient issues in student government in 6 categories: finance, quality of student life, structure, relationships, representation, and social issues. Results are discussed and detailed in tables for institution type, enrollment, and ranking of issues.…

This study assessed the Resident Lifestyle Inventory for congruent validity, test-retest reliability, and social validity using 19 severely disabled adults in community-based residential facilities. Results indicate the test is psychometrically acceptable and accurately used by residential programs. Support staff also consider it useful for…

The article reports on the first phase of a study to locate Hong Kong residents who are both elderly and mentally handicapped. Of the 24 elderly mentally handicapped people located, the majority had well-developed self-help skills, but most had few social contacts and participated minimally in community activities. (Author/DB)

Discusses the "sense of art" as an experience and expression in both daily life and art forms that gives Aboriginal people a feeling of coherence and beauty and helps them to survive and thrive. Illustrates the application of these concepts in land-based aesthetic experiences at a community site of Simon Fraser University's Professional…

A study investigated the effectiveness of a program designed to prepare 12 Israeli adults with physical disabilities for autonomous and independent life in the community. Results found that it was possible to enhance participants' autonomy based on a systematic program that included development of group cohesiveness along with development of…

To attract and keep faculty members with growing children, Columbia University (New York) is opening its own private school (K-8), with faculty apartments built on top. It is hoped the school and apartments will address faculty members' cost of living and quality of life concerns. Some public school proponents view the new school as a threat. (DB)