Study of the role of personality factors in health and disease suggests that motivational variables are related to and influence physiological systems. Affiliative trust and a greater sense of agency are associated with better health, while affiliative cynicism and a sense of helplessness are associated with more illness. (AF)

Nine adult males with mental retardation resulting from Fragile X syndrome were compared to males with mental retardation of other etiology. Fragile X males showed a distinct psychological profile with more autistic features, more schizoid features, and more schizotypal features. These males were also more shy, more socially withdrawn, less…

Myers Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) preferences were obtained for 832 pharmacy students and 170 practicing pharmacists. Results demonstrate many similarities between preferences of students and practitioners and also indicate that recruiting and admission processes and curricula of pharmacy programs seem consistent with preferences of students and…

A review of the research on relatives of people with autism indicates that relatives are sometimes affected by difficulties that appear conceptually related to autistic behaviors. These range in severity from pervasive developmental disorders to abnormalities in only one area of functioning, and possibly extend to personality traits. (Author/DB)

Resilience research indicates one of the strongest protective factors a child can have is a close relationship with a caring adult who serves as mentor and role model. Friends of the Children is a nonprofit organization that provides seriously vulnerable children with trained, committed mentors. Evidence indicates these relationships are changing…

This study is an initial examination of behavioral and emotional differences between male and female juvenile offenders using an omnibus self-report personality inventory. Differences between male and female juvenile offenders were found on 6 of 14 comparisons. Findings provide support for differential treatment planning in addressing the needs of…

Systematic assessment of anger among people with developmental disabilities has been lacking, especially for hospital inpatients. Reliability and validity of anger self-report psychometric scales were investigated with 129 male patients, mostly forensic. Anger prevalence and its relationship to demographic, cognitive, and personality variables and…

We extended earlier demonstrations of the matching phenomenon (individuals choose romantic partners who tend to match them on a variety of traits) to demonstrate several relationship issues including contrast effects, the impact of alternative mates on relationship satisfaction, and social exchange and equity theories. Students first place playing…

Ethnic identity development was assessed in the context of ego development in 12- to 15-year-old students from a Southeastern American Indian community. Self-protective was the modal level and was characterized by awareness of ethnic group membership but little exploration or self-reflection. Impulsive adolescents had the least developed ethnic…

The authors examined the longitudinal relationship of patient-rated perfectionism, clinician-rated depression, and observer-rated therapeutic alliance using the latent difference score (LDS) analytic framework. Outpatients involved in the Treatment for Depression Collaborative Research Program completed measures of perfectionism and depression at…

The present study investigated theoretically and empirically derived similarities and differences between the constructs of enduring happiness and self-esteem. Participants (N = 621), retired employees ages 51-95, completed standardized measures of affect, personality, psychosocial characteristics, physical health, and demographics. The relations…

This study tested a conceptual model of a psychosocial pathway to academic competence in preschool. Developmental theory and research with older children suggest that social and psychological factors could have a significant impact on young children's learning and school readiness. Children in 3 preschool classrooms (N = 31) participated. Mothers'…

This study tested models of perfectionism predicting psychological distress and academic adjustment and moderators and mediators of those associations in 2 successive cohorts of high-achieving university honors students (N = 499). Participants completed measures earl and late in the semester. Adaptive (high standards) and maladaptive…

Background: This study examined the effects of maternal anger, partner transitions and partner conflict on later oppositional and angry behavior of the children of teenage mothers. Methods: One hundred and twenty-one teenage women were interviewed prior to the birth of the baby and at 3 points subsequently, when children were newborn, 7 years old…

This longitudinal study investigated the relative contributions of infant temperament, maternal sensitivity, and psychosocial risk to individual differences in preschool children's cognitive development. It also examined specific moderating effects between predictors as well as the specific mediating role of maternal sensitivity in the relation…