This paper explores the findings and current state of research on the familial characteristics of persons with borderline personality disorder (BPD). A review of the borderline personality disorder emphasizes the development of the term, etiological issues, and treatment issues related to BPD. Two formal approaches for obtaining accurate diagnosis…

Attempting to determine how best to investigate the developmental consequences of social change, this talk discusses and comments on (1) recent research on the family as a world in which children grow up; in particular, the shift away from focusing upon the mother-child relationship as the influence of overwhelming importance in early childhood to…

This study investigates the relationship between the degree of individuation in families and the personality development of adolescent family members. A subsample of 30 white, middle-class families were chosen for analysis from a larger sample of 99 families. Fifteen families from the subsample had adolescent girls who scored high, and fifteen had…

A nonprofit outdoor adventure organization and a nonprofit advocacy organization for persons with disabilities and their families collaborated to develop a comprehensive, inclusive, outdoor recreation program for families. Ten Minnesota families having one or more children with a disability participated in Project FIT (Families Integrating…

Based on a matching-to-sample philosphy, modification of the destructive communication patterns of delinquent families was attempted by systematically shaping in behaviors characteristic of adaptive family systems (increased clarity). Based on direct observation of family interaction in a discussion task, the results indicated a significant change…

Evaluated Holland's methods for characterizing person-environment interactions. Marital partners were assigned to one of four categories based on combinations of Holland variables. In general, men and women with high spouse congruence and high personality consistency obtained higher scores on general measures of marital and self-satisfaction.…

Evidence indicates that kind of intensive in-home intervention described produces positive changes likely to be maintained in families in which the mother has some self-esteem, a satisfactory relationship with her own mother or a desire for a better relationship, and an adequate social support system. (Author/BEF)

Reviews major themes emerging from family research and describes directions for future research. Finds strong support that whole-family functioning and quality of coparenting relationship add uniquely to individual differences in children's adaptation. Future research directions include extending research across diverse samples, increasing…

A study explored perceptions of 42 mothers of children with disabilities about the amount of instrumental and psychological support offered by maternal and paternal grandparents. Grandmothers were perceived to be more supportive than grandfathers and the mothers' parents were perceived to be more supportive than the fathers' parents. (Author/CR)

This study of 198 parents of children ages 6 to 48 months found higher perceived levels of stress for parents of chronically ill and handicapped children, compared to parents of non-ill/nonhandicapped children. Parents of chronically ill children, however, scored higher on marital adjustment than parents in other groups. (Author/JDD)

Reports on the conceptual development and empirical use of the Family Intrusiveness Scale (FIS), an instrument designed to reflect levels of intrusiveness in the family system. Development of the instrument is explained, its use and evidence of its reliability are explored, and its practicality and effectiveness are considered. (MKA)

The Syracuse Dinnertime project investigated the relationship between family dinnertime rituals and narratives and child behavior. Findings indicated that couples that worked together to tell their family story also worked together and with their children in positive dinnertime exchanges. Narratives were not significantly related to child behavior…

Examined family narratives among adoptive parents. Found that individual interviews of parents in open adoptions showed greater narrative coherence than those with parents in mediated adoptions; joint interviews produced greater narrative coherence than individual interviews; more coherence in joint interviews was correlated with partners' greater…

This paper reports on a two-year study exploring children's understandings of disability. It focuses on findings from interviews conducted with 24 children, aged 6 to 19, who had disabled siblings, exploring their perceptions of impairment, disability and difference. Most were very aware of their sibling's impairment but the majority did not see…

The methodological and empirical literature on measuring the need of child populations is sparse. What does exist is more orientated towards children in receipt of non-universal or specialist services, overlooking those children with similar needs who are not in contact with such services. Further, there is a tendency often for need analyses not…