Helping the ex-addict

The mass media have given anyone who is remotely interested a general picture of what it is like to be a heroin user. Very few people, however, have any idea of what it is like to try to stop being an addict. Even addicts and ex-addicts provide a confused and frequently inaccurate picture. This article discusses the types of problems counselors encounter when they deal with those who want to stop using heroin and focuses on those issues about which most people seem unaware.     

DEVELOPMENT OF A BEHAVIORALLY BASED PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM

This paper describes the development of a behaviorally based performance appraisal system. Blanz and Ghiselli's Mixed Standard Scale was used as the basis for developing the performance appraisal system for assessing the performance of highway patrol personnel. However, the particular developmental procedures described here differ in some respects from those reported in the literature. Rather than developing rating items describing general traits such as "diligence,""initiative," or "enthusiasm" in behavioral terms, the items in the present scale were developed to describe proficiency levels of specific job tasks. This characteristic is expected to enhance the objectivity of the evaluation system for both appraisal and job counseling purposes. The appraisal instrument was subjected to a series of reliability and validity tests that demonstrated its high reliability and validity. Although the content of the appraisal sytem desribed here included highway patrol tasks, a similar system could be developed using the procedures described for a wide variety and level of jobs.     

Health Beliefs,Religious Values,and the Counseling Process: A Comparison of Counselors and Other Mental Health Professionals

A. E. Bergin (1985) studied the religious values and beliefs of mental health professionals and the relationship of those values to the counseling process. This study replicated Bergin's research with a sample of professional counselors. Differences were found in each of 10 beliefs areas and 10 values areas between the total sample in both studies. Within-group differences revealed greater similarities between professional counselors and social workers and marriage and family therapists and greater differences between counselors and either psychologists or psychiatrists. Implications for counseling and counselor training are discussed.     

Psychosocial Aspects of Death among the Elderly: A Review of the Literature

Counselors who work with older persons often find if necessary to help them cope with concerns related to death and dying. They may become more effective facilitators by learning about psychosocial aspects of death and dying.     

THE USE OF FUNCTIONAL JOB ANALYSIS IN ESTABLISHING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS

Research recently completed for a large international craft union provided the opportunity for an empirical assessment of functional job analysis (FJA) as a method for developing job-related performance standards. Based on content-oriented test development procedures, work sample tests were developed to measure operator achievement of these training standards. According to the results the tests significantly differentiated between skill levels of operating engineers in which the significant criterion factor was the degree of independence and autonomy the operator could be permitted in doing the work. FJA proved to be a useful technique for defining the work of operating engineers so that the knowledges, skills and abilities required can be easily communicated to the courts and the public.