Major ongoing supported employment studies conducted at the Rehabilitation Research Training Center at Virginia Commonwealth University are profiled in this newsletter. The training center involves individuals with disabilities in the design, implementation, and interpretation of the research. The first research study examined the opinions of 110…

This study provides a rationale for the claim that communication instruction is critical to students' future personal and professional success. Thematic analysis of 93 journal and newspaper articles, reports, and surveys provide evidence of the centrality of communication in developing the whole person, improving the educational enterprise, being…

Is the concept of "quality of life" potentially an important one for public policy analysis, or must it remain forever vague and controversial, resisting clear definition and scientific measurement? Everyday usage of the phrase is examined as well as its relation to other terms like "happiness" and "welfare." It is concluded that one reason for…

Waiting times are a significant component of patient satisfaction. A patient satisfaction survey performed in the author's health center showed that students rated waiting time lowest of the listed categories--A ratings of 58% overall, 63% for scheduled appointments, and 41% for the walk-in clinic. The center used a quality improvement process and…

This 20-year review examines (1) determinants of job satisfaction and work commitment and (2) the trend toward connecting work and nonwork life, emphasizing life satisfaction, marital satisfaction, and emotional well-being. Issues related to the influx of women in the labor force are highlighted. (297 references) (SK)

Are teacher salaries related to school quality in terms of student academic achievement and teacher retention? Are teacher salaries important factors influencing teacher job satisfaction? Is teacher job satisfaction related to retention? This research addressed these questions using international and national data. First, the literature will be…

Classified the social scientific literature on family decay and decline, finding change emphasized more than continuity, and the authors more concerned than sanguine, with a particular stress on concern for children. Reported happiness has declined among married women and men, and increased among never-married men. Cites potential difficulties for…

Jane Waldfogel, Terry-Ann Craigie, and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn review recent studies that use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) to examine why children who grow up in single-mother and cohabiting families fare worse than children born into married-couple households. They also present findings from their own new research.…

Drawing on earlier research, compares religion and spirituality. Defines spirituality and discusses spirituality research in relation to marital satisfaction, healthy marital and family functioning, assessment, and clinical practice. Findings indicate a significant positive relationship between satisfaction and spirituality in marriages and…

Reviews the literature on factors that influence job satisfaction, life satisfaction, inter-role conflict, and stress of student affairs administrators. Recommends restructuring the work environment to allow more flexibility, a better understanding of women's work experience, developing recruitment and hiring policies responsive to changing needs,…

The literature on Web-based instruction (WBI) is reviewed, focusing initially on the terminology, history, and commentary (pro and con) related to the topic. The advantages and disadvantages associated with WBI are then discussed and an overview of the empirical work on WBI, paying particular attention to studies on student satisfaction and…

The purpose of this literature review was to inform researchers of those predictive factors of job satisfaction previously identified for part-time faculty in higher education. They used the information gathered to help develop a survey instrument that was administered to 700 part-time faculty at their own institution. The results of the study,…

Using data from a random sample of 580 midwestern women, the authors explore the association between lifetime infertility and life satisfaction. Past research shows lower life satisfaction among those seeking help for infertility. The authors find no direct effects of lifetime infertility, regardless of perception of a problem, on life…

Purpose: Despite growing research on assisted living (AL) as a residential care option for older adults, the social ramifications of residents' transitions to AL are relatively unexplored. This article examines family involvement in AL, including family structures of residents, types of involvement from family members living outside the AL…

To increase understanding about community college faculty members and an appreciation of what they do, the authors of this monograph focus on five major topics. "A Profile of Community College Faculty" relies on data from the various iterations of the National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty and other sources to paint a demographic profile of…