The benefits and drawbacks of using private sector contractors to manage parks and recreation activities typically run by city, county, or state governments are explored. Criteria to be used in deciding if contracting is feasibile for a particular department are suggested. (DF)

Public agencies can benefit from cost savings in forestry services, park security, and maintenance when park and recreation departments contract out for services. Pros and cons of contracting out and guidelines for this process are offered. (DF)

A study of dissatisfied married couples found that those who received individual counseling and consultation benefited more than did persons receiving one kind of traditional counseling for couples. (Author)

A discussion of the classification, differential diagnosis, etiology, assessment, and treatment of tic disorders is presented. A case study is included in which a school psychologist utilized behavioral consultation to assist a 9-year-old girl's parent and teacher in implementing a habit reversal program. (Author/LMO)

Interviews and questionnaires completed by 24 graduates of a resource/consulting teacher program revealed confidence in their skills. Ss reported on time spent in consultation, resistance to consultation, and factors that facilitated and inhibited consultation. (CL)

Two instruments developed to assess the progress of graduate level psychology students enrolled in consultant interview training courses are described. The instruments measure student responses to consultee statements. (RM)

Expatriate consultants are employed in developing countries to perform assessments of the consequences to natural resources and the environment of projects for economic development. In addition, a training component can be added during the course of consultancies. Some of the barriers to successful training are identified and explored. (Author/JN)

Summarizes aspects of cognitive dissonance theory (theory that predicts when a particular persuasive attempt will be successful) that are most relevant to consultation. Reviews the corresponding experimental support and suggests practical applications of dissonance research and theory to consultation. (LLL)

Not much research has been done on the factors that affect schools' willingness to undertake school-improvement efforts with the assistance of outside organizations. To address this lack, staff of the Quest project at AEL, Inc. conducted a multi-method exploratory study of issues considered significant to schools' engagement with reform. Focus…

This model permits the identification and classification of a variety of counseling programs or counseling approaches and thereby serves as a means of categorizing and describing the potential activities of the counselor in a variety of settings. The three dimensions described are the intervention target, purpose, and method. (Author)

The author describes the initial organization of a disease prevention/health promotion program for federal agencies involving 2,600 employees. It involved four categories of interventions: education of the medical staff, education of supervisors, client-centered case consultations, and consultee-centered case consultations. (AG)

A particular behavioral approach is discussed with suggestions for improving the classroom climate, as well as systems for recording observable changes in the behavior of the pupils and the teacher. (Author)

The school appears to be an ideal place for applying a preventive approach to mental health. The emerging role of the school counselor-consultant offers some hope for system-wide impact. Coordination with community mental health services would further strengthen the consultant's role in the school. (Author)