Parent training research: An analysis of the empirical literature 1975–1985

This project was designed to provide a retrospective analysis of the parent training literature during the last decade. Eighteen journals with behavioral psychology, clinical/counseling psychology, school psychology, and special education emphases were selected for review. Data related to the number of articles published in each journal, year of article publication, referral problem, and contributing institution were collected. Results indicate that behavioral journals published the most empirically based parent training articles (66%), followed by clinical/counseling psychology (26%), special education (6%), and school psychology (3%) journals. Parents with noncompliant, handicapped, or abused/neglected children comprised the majority (58%) of research participants. Suggestions for involving school psychologists in parent training research and broadening the focus of parent training to include preventive, as well as remedial, efforts are presented.     

Effects of cognitive monitoring strategies on the test anxieties of elementary students

Sixty-six anxious fourth and fifth graders were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (a) cognitive monitoring training, or (b) control group. Pretreatment, post-treatment, and six-week follow-up measures were obtained on both self-report measures of test anxiety and performance on two separate subtests of the Metropolitan Achievement Test. Analysis of covariance results indicated that there were no significant differences between groups on either the self-report measure of test anxiety or the MAT subtests.     

Adult education and agricultural extension: some comparisons ‡

In this paper, Alan Rogers draws on his experience in several countries, especially Namibia, to outline ways in which understandings of both training for extension and for adult education are drawing closer together, particularly in a move from a directive approach of trainer and learner through a responsive approach (meeting the learner's needs) to the more recent acknowledgement on both sides of the need for an interactive approach (what the author calls ‘third generation activity'). He suggests that both adult education and extension need new approaches to the training of their field workers.

     

"Ask A Librarian": the experiences of four hospital libraries

The librarians at four hospital libraries describe the electronic reference service, "Ask A Librarian," offered at their institutions. The hospitals are vastly different in size and in number of library staff, and offer the "Ask A Librarian" service to different clientele. The article illustrates that both large hospitals with a large library staff and small hospitals with a solo librarian and some volunteers can offer this type of service.