THE EFFECTS OF DIALECTICAL SIMILARITY,STEREOTYPING, AND MESSAGE AGREEMENT ON INTERPERSONAL PERCEPTION

This project was undertaken to investigate the interrelationships among three variables—dialectical similarity, stereotyping, and message agreement—and their effect on the speaker evaluation variables of source competence, character appeal, interpersonal attraction and message coherence. The main experiment consisted of four stimulus conditions; two levels of dialect (Southern and Midwestern); and two messages (one relevant and one irrelevant to the Southern stereotype). The results of the study indicated that (1) the relationship between dialectical similarity and stereotyping was contingent on message context; (2) an interaction occurred between the message relevant to the stereotype and the dialect associated with the stereotype producing disproportionately low means; and (3) stereotyping appeared to be more strongly associated with the dependent variables than message agreement, but dialectical similarity was less strongly associated than message agreement.     

In-Home Treatment of Families with Seriously Disturbed Adolescents in Crisis

This article describes an innovative Adolescent In-Home Treatment Program that was designed as a hospital alternative for families with adolescents in serious crises. Using multiple-impact, in-home, and in-office techniques, a mental health team systemically intervenes with families to assist them in resolving this major developmental event. Since the program's inception, over 160 high-risk adolescents have completed the 90-day course of treatment. Preliminary data gathered from an early group of families and clinicians suggest the potential of significant improvements in family and adolescent functioning, and the attainment of clinical goals among the majority of families served.     

Introduction—Accountability or A-ccount-ability?

Guest Editors Larry Ellis and William Prochnow introduce this special issue of JEC by raising questions and issues of accountability that affect all professionals in employment counseling. Past accountability definitions hare been narrowly defined using accomplishmen/cost approaches. The Manpower Administration has attempted to use this approach in the provision of and justification for counseling services. Positive outcome data have been obtained for counseled applicants, but the counseling function is still being questioned. This article proposes expanding the concept of counselor accountability and introduces a multi-approach to accountability.