Assertive training for low-income black parents

An assertive training program for parents is described, which was implemented in the Detroit Public Schools Region 7 by therapists from the Wayne State University Psychology Clinic. Fifty-nine parents of preschool age children were trained for 5 consecutive weeks and at one follow-up session. The major goals of the program were to increase the self-esteem of family members and to promote a happier atmosphere in the home. Parents were enthusiastic about this approach and stated that the discussions helped them feel more confident and therefore they were able to handle specific problems with their children more effectively.This project was supported, in part, by a grant from the McGregor, Fund and the Eloise and Richard Webber Foundation.     

The supportive approach to therapy

This paper attempts to correct the misunderstanding of supportive therapy as non-specific, reassuring response to a patient's overwhelming stress. Supportive treatment methods require perceptive assessment of the particular coping skills used by the patient, and an understanding of the ways in which empathic contact revives the sense of capacity to endure. What is usefully supportive for one person may be anxiety provoking and undermining to another. Case examples are used to illustrate the clear definition, focus, and selectivity necessary in supportive treatment.Presented at a conference of the Department of Psychiatry, Mt. Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA Jan. 1977. At the time this work was done, the author was employed by McLean Hospital Outpatient Clinic and Harvard University Student Health Service, and on the Visiting Staff, Social Service Department, Mt. Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA     

Helping family members manage medication administration hassles

Managing the medication regimens of dependent older adults in the home is a complex issue for family caregivers. The tasks involved can include helping the older adults manage their own medications or may require involvement in the purchasing, scheduling, and administering of multiple medications for serious conditions. The hassles associated with this responsibility are now known to be associated with increased caregiver strain. In this article, we provide an overview of the body of research on medication administration hassles and offer a tool to assess family caregivers who are involved in this important aspect of care.