Search

Language standards of 26 disability organizations in 4 English-speaking countries (United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and United States) were surveyed for similarities and differences. Usage of terminology such as "mental handicap,""learning disability,""mental retardation,""developmental disability," and "intellectual disability" is examined; and recommendations to facilitate cross-cultural communication are offered. (JDD)

Describes a course consisting of undergraduate and/or graduate students who participate in field trips to model community programs. Discusses how the program sites are chosen, types of students involved, a description of the course, and the course evaluation outcomes. (CMK)

Professors describe their experiences with the undergraduate psychology practicum course that has been in operation for over 10 years at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Specifically discussed are planning and implementation, special problems of industrial placements, administrative issues, and the perspective of a placement agency for the students. (RM)

Presents a program that combines a summer psychology internship with study abroad experiences. Discusses the development of the course, including its history and funding, and the selection of student participants. Describes the orientations, the internship activities, the social activities, and the Enrichment Seminar, which is required for Honors students. (CMK)

Presents several academic research related to psychological assessment. Devotion of faculty of color to ethnic minority students; Views of undergraduate students on best college courses; Details on student reading of assigned articles.

Presents a forum to aid teachers in the selection of psychology reference textbooks in the United States. Examination for selecting cognitive psychology textbooks.

With increases in world-wide travel and communication, cultural sensitivity becomes increasingly important. Professionals in English-speaking countries vary considerably in their preference of disability language. For example, the phrase person with mental retardation, although widely accepted in the United States, is offensive to many Britons. On the other hand, learning disability, the current British equivalent of mental retardation, is confusing to Americans. Differences in language preferences such as these can interfere with international communication. In this paper, language standards of disability organizations in four English-speaking countries were surveyed for similarities and differences. Recommendations were made to facilitate communication across cultures.

A review of the literature on preparation of children for medical procedures revealed that: (1) preparation is widely recommended but there is little empirical evidence documenting its effectiveness, (2) the relative efficiency of different preparations generally has not been determined, and (3) preparation for procedures that are routine for medical personnel but painful and stressful for children (e.g., fingers sticks) has not received much attention. The present study compared the reactions of a group of children that received empathic, supportive preparation for needles (including statements such as, "It is going to hurt a little," and "I don't mind if you cry.") with a group that was told to be big, brave, and not cry. The group that was instructed not to cry actually cried more, and had more other negative reactions, than did the empathically prepared group. Thus, style of preparation even for routine medical procedures can affect children's behavior and medical personnel might benefit from instruction in effective preparation techniques.