Two hundred and eighty-four adults from the metropolitan New York area reported on their history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), childhood physical abuse (CPA), and on the nature of their exposure to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. The respondents also completed the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). Those reporting histories of CSA and/or CPA were found to endorse more serious symptoms of PTSD, as did those who witnessed the terrorist attack live. The presence of secure attachments and dissociative symptoms were related significantly to both CSA and CPA, and to scores on the IES-R. Adult attachment and dissociation were found to mediate the relationship between childhood abuse and severity of PTSD.

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Recovering substance abusers with a history of childhood sexual abuse (n = 69) or no history of childhood sexual abuse (n = 68) completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and a background survey assessing demographic data and (In the case of sexually abused respondents) parameters of the childhood abuse experienced. The sexually abused group scored significantly higher than the non-abused group on the TAS. Within the abused group, measured alexithymic symptomatology was found to be related positively to the duration of the abuse. Alexithymia was significantly higher when the sexual abuse first occurred after the victim had reached the age of 12, when a perpetrator of the sexual abuse was a father or stepfather, and when the abuse involved oral, vaginal, and/or anal penetration. Results were interpreted as indicating that the development of alexithymic symptoms may represent another defense victims may employ to insulate themselves from painful affect, along with dissociative symptoms and substance abuse, which have been shown previously to characterize adult survivors of child sexual abuse.

The purpose of this study was to provide recommendations for teacher preparation in gifted education to directors of inservice and university training programs. Recommendations were based on the responses of 1,220 kindergarten through 12th educators to a modified Likert attitude scale regarding gifted identification, programming, behavioral characteristics, and teacher recommendations for gifted programming and teacher preparation. Also investigated were the relationships between five teacher characteristics and attitudes toward the gifted/talented. The most salient teacher preparation needs were found to be: increasing the accuracy and scope of talent identification, acquiring accurate information regarding acceleration techniques and consequences, and encouraging creative and affective development of the gifted/talented. Significant differences in attitudes were related to number of years of teaching experience, grade level and gifted/talented inservice experience.

This article presents a review of the substantial literature concerned with the question of how children from divorced families adjust under different custodial arrangements. Existing empirical research tends to be methodologically weak, and the results reported have been inconsistent. Moreover, the level of interparental conflict present in the family before and after the divorce appears to be a powerful mediating variable that affects children's adaptation to different custodial situations. It is concluded that custodial decisions should be made on an individual basis, with no presumption that custody should be awarded to either the mother or the father. It is clear that regardless of the decision regarding custody, parents should be educated regarding the importance of avoiding overt hostility and establishing a workable co-parenting relationship.