Emphasizes the value of a systemic approach, when encountering life-threatening behavior in a clinical practice. Presents two case studies that employed therapeutic methods derived from systemic therapy. Illustrates the importance of the therapist's ability to speak the client's language in formulating an intervention for reducing the likelihood…

Compared self-poisoning patients with psychiatric patients and nonpatient controls on problem-solving skills and locus of control. The psychiatric and self-poisoning groups showed deficits on interpersonal problem solving compared with nonpatient controls. The self-poisoning group performed below or at the level of the psychiatric group. Locus of…

Violence. It's the act of purposefully hurting someone. And it's a major issue facing today's young adults. This fact sheet answers questions that those aged 12-24 might ask about violence. This age group faces the highest risk of being the victim of violence. Questions regard the causes of youth violence, warning signs, what to do if someone…

Daily educators are confronted with children who self-abuse through self-harm behaviours, eating disorders, drug or alcohol abuse or observe incidents that involve social isolation, for example racial abuse. Educators are also aware of cases of bullying and aggression that reaches extremes and they witness the harm inflicted on children through a…

This study examined the relationship of childhood sexual abuse to high-risk sexual behavior and between sexual abuse and expectations for condom use. Among 83 female clinic patients with sexually transmitted diseases, those sexually abused in childhood had more sexual partners, more positive hedonic outcome expectations for condom use, and fewer…

The development of suicidal thoughts in children was studied, using life history data from 364 undergraduates. Results suggest that: many children and adolescents contemplate suicide, and those at increased risk of suicidal thought are also at increased risk of suicide. Examining suicidal ideation in non-clinical samples is discussed. (SLD)

Assessed high-risk individuals' subjective awareness of legal intoxication and ability to drive, and objectively quantified their blood alcohol levels and driving performance. While subjects were able to recognize legal intoxication, one-third of the subjects were still willing to drive after becoming intoxicated beyond the legal limit to drive.…

Adolescents (n=248) with various musical preferences were compared. Adolescents who preferred hard rock or heavy metal music reported higher rates of reckless behavior and were associated with higher levels of sensation seeking, negative family relationships, and, among girls, lower self-esteem. The relationship between sensation seeking, reckless…

Examines risk factors for adolescent suicide among Navajos by comparing survey responses of students having attempted suicide with those of other students. A history of mental health problems, alienation from family and community, and having a friend commit suicide put students at a higher risk for suicide. (CJS)

An examination of the national mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics from 1979-92 shows an increasing trend in suicide rates among older women and a declining trend among women under 65. Results seem consistent with the assertion that availability, familiarity, and cultural acceptability of firearms may play a role in…

In this intervention, Anne, a 15-year-old girl in residential treatment, is helped to sort out her conflicted feelings of anger and attraction to a female staff member. Through the Massaging Numb Values Reclaiming Intervention, she finds more productive ways of expressing emotions and managing her interactions with the staff person. (Author)

This article reviews current literature on self-mutilation, comprises a definition, examines gender differences, and describes the profile of the self-mutilator in order that school counselors and other personnel may make accurate risk assessments. Precipitating events are described to aid school counselors in anticipating a harmful event.…

Results of prior studies (e.g. [J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 32 (1999) 285]) showing that participants chose alternative behavior (compliance) over escape-reinforced destructive behavior when this latter response produced escape and the former response produced positive reinforcement may have been due to (a) the value of the positive reinforcer…

Twelve children (CA, 12 to 32 months) with developmental delay were observed in their homes during monthly analogue functional analysis probes to document patterns of emerging self-injurious behavior. Two patterns of emerging self-injury were observed for 5 participants: (a) The topography and functional analysis pattern remained the same, but the…

The author found it very satisfying to reread "Toward a technology of 'nonaversive' behavioral support," written in 1990 by Rob Horner and seven of his colleagues. Their predictions of the critical themes for advancing positive behavior support (PBS) ring true. Fifteen years have passed since the publication of this article, and much has happened…