Characteristics of Guidance and Counseling Services in Canada

Canadian guidance and counseling services are considered in terms of societal influences, philosophical and theoretical biases, counselor role, functions, training, and current trends.     

Meeting the Psychological Needs of Gifted Black Students: A Cultural Perspective

In the literature, one finds rich analyses of the psychological, emotional, and social needs of gifted people. The data on the specific psychological needs of gifted minority children, however, are lacking; one finds even less information on their cultural needs. This article examines the psychological and social difficulties confronting gifted Black students. Racial identity development theory is described briefly, including the significance of culture on achievement and psychological well-being. Finally, recommendations are made for counselors who wish to work effectively with gifted Black students.     

A Structural Approach to the Single-Parent Family

Although the single-parent family is becoming a predominant family structure, there is a surprising scarcity of articles discussing its typical problems or detailing specific therapeutic approaches. This paper attempts, first, to list some core problems encountered by all single parents and, second, to present a sequence of therapeutic approaches geared toward dealing with these problems.
Structural theory, with its emphasis on subsystems, generational boundaries, and organizational patterns, provides a framework for viewing the built-in vulnerabilities of the single-parent family unit. Minuchin's ( 3 ) emphasis on generational boundaries and the problem of enmeshment underlies the theoretical and therapeutic approach presented here. I have drawn heavily on Haley's ( 2 ) idea that the therapist must be an authority, a problem-solver, and a teacher. Finally, the emphasis on creating new organizational patterns is most thoroughly explored in Aponte's ( 1 ) discussions of "underorganized families" (many of whom are single-parent families).     

Seven Important Labor Force Trends

Observations based on data derived from the 1981 Handbook of Labor Statistics bring to the fore some changing realities that Job Service counselors need to accept.     

Life Satisfaction of Nearly Retired and Retired Workers

This study of retired workers and those nearing retirement in a university setting revealed similarities in perceived life satisfaction but found significant differences among employment categories.