Stress at Work: A Comparison of Men and Women

A research design was constructed to quantify examined estimates of stress resulting from selected work events and perceived differences of its impact among men and women.     

A CRITICAL REVIEW OF FEMALE PERFORMANCE,PERFORMANCE TRAINING AND ORGANIZATIONAL INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO AID WOMEN IN THE WORK-ROLE ENVIRONMENT1

The research dealing with female managerial performance has generally been plagued with empirically inconsistent results, anecdotal literature and an inability to develop generalizable theory. A prepositional analysis of the female performance literature is utilized in an effort to provide direction and focus. The paper concludes that methodological problems may be contributing to invalid conclusions concerning female performance, and efforts to improve performance. In addition, it is concluded that organizational initiates designed to aid women have not been significant.     

An Empirical Investigation of Interaction and Relationship Patterns in Functional and Dysfunctional Nuclear Families and Stepfamilies

This study identifies key variables that distinguish nuclear families from stepfamilies, and functional from dysfunctional stepfamilies. Sixty-three family triads (mother, father, child) were studied using five instruments: Family Concept Test, Locke-Wallace Marital Inventory, Family Relations Test, Family Interaction Task, and background questionnaire. Results indicated that functional stepfamilies are similar to functional nuclear families in that both exhibit good marital adjustment, strong, positive bonds between biological parent and child, disinclination to exclude family members, and ability to make mutually compromised family decisions. The key differences were less intense interpersonal involvement between the stepfather and child and a stronger tendency toward the existence of parent-child coalitions in stepfamilies. Similarities between dysfunctional stepfamilies and dysfunctional nuclear families include stronger parent-child coalitions compared to their functional counterparts and lack of mutual decision-making skills that fulfill the choices of individual members. Unexpectedly, marital adjustment was better in dysfunctional stepfamilies than in dysfunctional nuclear families. Relationship patterns were similar in functional stepfamilies and in dysfunctional stepfamilies except that they were more extreme in the dysfunctional stepfamilies. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical implications for understanding stepfamilies, and clinical implications in terms of how dysfunctional stepfamilies might best be treated.     

Competencies Counselor Educators Value

The research described here demonstrates one method for the behavioral definition of competencies desired for graduate students in counseling. Counselor educators were asked to rate the importance of selected student behaviors in their current evaluation of their graduate students. A total of 684 or 45.6% of all full-time counselor educators in Hollis and Wantz's Counselor Education Directory 1974 completed the questionnaire. Ten dimensions emerged from the factor analysis of the data: Personal Development, Research and Professional Activities, Behavioral Strategies in Counseling, Application of Counseling Theory, Class Participation, Relationship Strategies in Counseling, Collaboration, Efficiency, Respect for Individuality, and Flexibility. Counselor educators self-identified with four theoretical orientations differed significantly at the .05 level on their valuing of 8 of the 10 factors. The orientations compared were behavioral, client-centered, eclectic, and humanistic. The analyses of variance also revealed significant differences on five factors among the respondents when the data were analyzed by academic rank.     

The Values of Counseling: A Disparity Between a Philosophy of Prevention in Counseling and Counselor Practice and Training

The results of a study examining the disparity between counseling's philosophy of primary prevention and actual education and practice are presented. Results indicate that only the belief that society does not demand preventive mental health services provided a meaningful explanation for the disparity. Two paradoxical implications for the field of counseling are offered and discussed within the perspective of virtue ethics.     

Judging Advertising Creativity Using the Creative Product Semantic Scale

The Creative Product Semantic Scale has been used to judge tangible creative products such as crafts, and intangibles such as the ideas produced by problem solving groups. In this study it was used to judge the creativity of 15 print advertisements, using samples representing college students, advertising professionals, and the general public. The study explored the differences and similarities of responses. There were no significant differences in the judgments of the three groups regarding the originality and logic of the ads. With regard to how well crafted or well executed the ads were, however, the judgments of advertising professionals differed from those of students and the public.