- Table View
- List View
Women and Mental Disorders [4 volumes]: [4 volumes] (Women's Psychology)
by Paula K. Lundberg-Love Kevin L. Nadal Michele A. PaludiFor too long, studies lumped women's mental health with that of men, notwithstanding profound differences. This groundbreaking work decisively addresses that oversight as a team of expert scholars and therapists spotlights common female mental disorders, explores the causes, and explains available therapies.In the last two decades, feminist therapists and scholars have called for new models of mental health that value women and femininity. To that end, the four-volume Women and Mental Disorders brings together recent research and theory to explore its subject from a feminist perspective. This exhaustive set treats every aspect of women's mental health, from diagnoses to treatment.Underlying the entire work is an awareness of varying cultural definitions of mental health and the importance of understanding a woman's cultural background if treatment is to be respectful and successful. Special attention is also paid to women who have been victims of violence, whether in intimate relationships, the workplace, or at school, and to how these experiences impact mental and physical health, self-concept, interpersonal relationships, and career development. Approaches to treating women with eating disorders, agoraphobia, anxiety and depression, PTSD, and personality disorders are covered as well. Finally, the set provides resources to help readers address their own needs or those of friends and family.
Losing the Bond with God: Sexual Addiction and Evangelical Men (Sex, Love, and Psychology)
by Katarzyna PeoplesEmpirical research provides the basis for a comprehensive depiction of evangelical Christian men who self-identify as sexual addicts.Losing the Bond with God: Sexual Addiction and Evangelical Men offers a humane and constructive understanding of this issue, treating it from an objective perspective rather than the Christian perspective that is common to writings on the subject. Based on her own qualitative study of self-identified evangelical sex addicts, the author shows how these men must overcome the compartmentalization of their lives and improve the integration of religion, marriage, and sexuality if they are to break their destructive patterns. The book addresses many of the most dominant issues specific to sexuality within the evangelical movement, such as sexual purity, gender roles, attitudes regarding homosexuality, and marriage. It begins with a framework for understanding the evangelical movement and its stance on sexual issues. and ends with a cumulative summary about evangelical men who self-identify as sexual addicts. Direct quotes and personal experiences from interviews are woven throughout the study, and appendices provide a detailed description of the author's research.
Safe Spaces: Making Schools and Communities Welcoming to LGBT Youth
by Annemarie Vaccaro Gerri August Megan S. KennedyBased on extensive research, recent events, and numerous first-person accounts, this revealing book illuminates both the challenges and triumphs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, and offers effective strategies for combating LGBT marginalization in our nation's schools and communities.Safe Spaces: Making Schools and Communities Welcoming to LGBT Youth is the first book to offer a comprehensive view of the complex lives of LGBT youth of all ages, from kindergarten through college. Drawing on a wealth of research collected from first-person accounts of students, family, educators, and community members, the authors not only chronicle the struggles of LGBT youth but also describe models of inclusive school and community environments.The authors address the breadth of experiences of LGBT youth—in and out of the classroom, at home and in the community, and in personal interactions with allies and antagonists. They also reveal how these young people, their friends and families, teachers, and dedicated allies stem the tide of LGBT exclusion. Most important, Safe Spaces offers action steps for readers who want to make their own homes, schools, and communities safe and welcoming spaces for LGBT youth.
The Psychology of Teen Violence and Victimization [2 volumes]: [2 volumes]
by Michele A. PaludiThis compilation of original essays does more than just illuminate the serious problem of teen violence and victimization; it also provides resources that parents and teachers can use to address issues of violence with their teens and make a difference.While it's widely known that hate crimes represent a serious issue among today's adolescent population, most parents—and perhaps even some educators—may be unaware that gender-based violence is the most prevalent type of hate crime committed by and experienced by teens, and that adolescent girls are exposed to more violence than boys. A complete understanding of the nature of the problem is fundamental to curtailing problems like cyberbullying and sexual harrassment.The Psychology of Teen Violence and Victimization is a two-volume set that fills a gap in the current literature on teen violence by addressing the incidence, psychological explanations, and impact of all forms of teen violence. The author—a psychologist who has focused upon interpersonal problems centered on violence, harassment, and gender—provides in-depth discussion of the various types of violence committed by and against teens. The set offers actionable prevention strategies for parents and teachers as well as individuals involved in community programs. Special attention is given to the impact of violence on adolescents' emotional and physical health, interpersonal relationships, career development, and self-concept.
Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church: A Decade of Crisis, 2002–2012 (Abnormal Psychology)
by Thomas G. Plante Kathleen L. McChesneyTaking on a still-controversial topic, a diverse group of experts, including victims and clergy, offers reflections on the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, examining what the church has done—and what it still needs to do—to protect children.Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church: A Decade of Crisis, 2002–2012 is a thoughtful, multidisciplinary commentary. Beginning when the scandal first broke in Boston in 2002, this first-of-its-kind work offers a wide range of opinion, both positive and negative, on what has been done in the ensuing ten years to stop and prevent such abuse.Through the contributions here, readers can delve into the world of the church hierarchy and into the minds of abusive priests and their victims. The book presents the views of leading academics and psychologists, but also allows the church to speak. First-person insights from victims are shared, as in a chapter written by a woman abused by a clergy member as an adolescent. She explains what happened, the resulting trauma, how she healed, and what she thinks needs to be done to prevent future abuse—a subject that still makes headlines and stirs debate.
The Seven Sources of Pleasure in Life: Making Way for the Upside in the Midst of Modern Demands
by Luciano L'AbateThis book examines a seemingly simple and absolutely essential topic: learning how to enjoy every aspect of your life on a daily basis.All of us look for happiness, well-being, and positivity throughout our lives, but for most people these goals are abstract and the processes established to achieve them ambiguous. The Seven Sources of Pleasure in Life: Making Way for the Upside in the Midst of Modern Demands focuses attention upon the concrete, specific, and everyday sources of pleasure that are within the grasp of almost everyone.Prolific author Luciano L'Abate, PhD, ABEPP, examines at all kinds of pleasures, investigating where we find them, why they appeal to us, and what benefits they provide in terms of both mental and physical health. He explains how to increase our sensitivity to everyday opportunities for pleasure, and then gives tangible techniques to focus upon these moments in order to fully experience them. The author employs personal memories from his childhood in Italy, more recent stories from his travels abroad, and the findings of most recent scientific research on the benefits of pleasure-seeking to further illustrate his points.
Criminal Psychology [4 volumes]: [4 volumes]
This comprehensive, four-volume reference set on the subject of criminal psychology includes contributions from top scholars and practitioners in the field, explaining new and emerging theory and research in the study of the criminal mind and criminal behavior.Unfortunately, criminal behavior surrounds us in our society—from petty theft and vandalism to multimillion-dollar white-collar crime to shocking terrorism attempts and school killings. Invariably, one of the first questions is, "Why did they do it?" Criminal psychology seeks to solve this complex puzzle.In this four-volume reference work, a unparalleled team of leading experts offer an exhaustive look at the history, developments, emerging and classic research issues, controversies, and victories in the expanding field of criminal psychology. The first volume examines the general theories in the study of criminal psychology. The second volume focuses more specifically on research of criminal behavior and crime types, while the last two volumes delve into criminal justice and forensic applications. The comprehensive content allows readers to better understand criminal behavior and appreciate the specific criminal justice and forensic settings in which this theory and research is applied, such as criminal profiling, forensic assessment of danger, and correctional rehabilitation and offender reentry.
Sexuality and Addiction: Making Connections, Enhancing Recovery
by Raven L. BadgerThis book provides an understanding of how sexuality and addiction are intertwined, helping those who counsel substance abusers and individuals who have experienced negative sexual messages or experiences to improve their sexual health and enjoyment.This book presents a broad overview of sexual health issues that documents the links between sexuality and substance abuse, and describes how counselors can help individuals who have been impacted by negative sexual experiences can find a way out of the pain that leads them to addiction or back to substance abuse. Using the sexual health model as a framework for discussion, author Raven L. James, PhD, explains how sexual health and substance abuse are often connected, provides examples of real-life experiences, and identifies issues to consider in adopting healthier attitudes and sexual behaviors as well as effective methods for achieving them. Each chapter provides focused content followed by an explanation of the subject's connection to substance abuse. Tips for counselors, sample lesson plans and ideas, tangible tools to use in sexual health groups, and related resources area also included. Whether the reader is personally afflicted, a helper, or a loved one, the information in Sexuality and Addiction: Making Connections, Enhancing Recovery will provide a new perspective on how to help clients improve their sexual self-esteem, find ways to improve sexual relationships with themselves and others, and most of all, to restore hope for sexual health in recovery.
America's Sexual Transformation: How the Sexual Revolution's Legacy Is Shaping Our Society, Our Youth, and Our Future (Sex, Love, and Psychology)
by Gary F. KellyThis book explains how the short-lived sexual revolution 50 years ago has led to the current evolution of our sexual values and behaviors and social standards among youth culture, examining topics such as communication technologies and sex, teen pregnancy, and divorce rates in the Bible Belt.Is an increase in sexual activity during adolescence a normal part of the transition to adulthood, or evidence of a societal problem? Why would conservative religious youth become sexually active earlier than their peers and be more likely to have an unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease? How are women continuing to lead our society's sexual transformation?Written by an author whose 40-year career in sexology and university administration provides a uniquely qualified perspective upon both sex research and the changing sexual perceptions of American youth, this comprehensive book is must-read for both parents and policy makers. America's Sexual Transformation traces the philosophical, cultural, and scientific developments responsible for the beginning and end of America's sexual revolution that have now spawned a more substantive sexual transformation. It examines traditional theories and attitudes regarding sex, and demonstrates how the findings of sex research provide entirely new paradigms that should replace outmoded and harmful theories. This groundbreaking book also explains who we are as sexual individuals and how we got to be that way.
Drugging Our Children: How Profiteers Are Pushing Antipsychotics on Our Youngest, and What We Can Do to Stop It (Childhood in America)
by Sharna Olfman Brent Dean RobbinsThis book exposes the skyrocketing rate of antipsychotic drug prescriptions for children, identifies grave dangers when children's mental health care is driven by market forces, describes effective therapeutic care for children typically prescribed antipsychotics, and explains how to navigate a drug-fueled mental health system.Since 2001, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of antipsychotics to treat children for an ever-expanding list of symptoms. The prescription rate for toddlers, preschoolers, and middle-class children has doubled, while the prescribing rate for low-income children covered by Medicaid has quadrupled. In a majority of cases, these drugs are neither FDA-approved nor justified by research for the children's conditions.This book examines the reasons behind the explosion of antipsychotic drug prescriptions for children, spotlighting the historical and cultural factors as well as the role of the pharmaceutical industry in this trend; and discusses the ethical and legal responsibilities and ramifications for non-MDs—psychologists in particular—who work with children treated with antipsychotics.Contributors explain how the pharmaceutical industry has inserted itself into every step of medical education, rendering objectivity in the scientific understanding, use, and approvals of such drugs impossible. The text describes the relentless marketing behind the drug sales, even going as far as to provide coloring and picture books for children related to the drug at issue. Valuable information about legal recourse that families and therapists can take when their children or patients have been harmed by antipsychotic drugs and alternative approaches to working with children with emotional and behavioral challenges is also provided.
Analyzing Criminal Minds: Forensic Investigative Science for the 21st Century (Brain, Behavior, and Evolution)
by Don JacobsAn insightful book presenting cutting-edge information on the newest, most remarkable forensic science and methods used for understanding the criminal mind.Analyzing Criminal Minds: Forensic Investigative Science for the 21st Century explores new and emerging approaches to a perennially fascinating subject. Author Don Jacobs looks at 10 tools and products that have revolutionized the discipline, explaining how modern criminal mind analysis incorporates advances in criminal and forensic psychology, forensic neuropsychology, brain imaging, adolescent neurobiology, criminal profiling, and brain fingerprinting, as well as research into the paralimbic brain system and the impact of the "DANE" brain upon adolescent and young adult behavior.Twenty-three characteristics shared by jailed violent criminals are analyzed and considered in terms of neuropsychology and developmental psychology. The book also probes psychopathy in its various degrees, in children, adolescents, and adults, and explains a controversial but increasingly accepted theory that psychopathy is a "natural" outgrowth of evolution, describing how this "natural" psychopathy can become a condition typified by violent, sadistic, and irreversible personality disorder.
The Essential Handbook of Women's Sexuality [2 volumes]: [2 volumes] (Women's Psychology)
by Donna Marie CastanedaThis cutting-edge two-volume set with contributions by distinguished and internationally recognized scholars provides a comprehensive picture of contemporary issues in the field of women's sexuality, emphasizing women's diversity and international perspectives.The multifaceted field of women's sexuality has expanded as a field of inquiry over the last 25 years to encompass a wide range of new perspectives, theories, topics, findings, and controversies. The chapters in this work review and question the utility of standard sexuality frameworks, addressing purely biological models, heteronormative definitions of sexuality, and others; and provide new insights and approaches to understanding women's sexuality. The intersectional and contextual nature of women's sexuality and how it is inextricably connected to women's relational, social, economic, and cultural contexts is highlighted. The Essential Handbook of Women's Sexuality includes in-depth coverage of a wide range of women's sexuality topics, including sexual desire and satisfaction; sexuality in relationships; development across the lifespan; sexuality concerns in diverse countries; pornography; lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women; women from diverse backgrounds; health and sexuality; reconceptualizations of women's sexual problems; trauma, rape, and intimate partner violence; and mental health and therapy. These volumes can serve as a resource for students, researchers, and anyone seeking a greater understanding of women's sexuality.
The Psychology of Peace: An Introduction
by Rachel M. MacNairDespite our advances in technology and education, we still live in a world permeated by violence. This introductory textbook in the field of peace psychology addresses the psychological causes of violence and nonviolence, conflict resolution, nonviolent struggle, and the confluence of public policy and private lifestyles.Just as health providers study disease and its prevention, understanding the causes of violent behavior and how to prevent such behavior is a basic cornerstone for those who are working towards a healthy society. Another parallel: maintaining physical health involves positive practices; similarly, positive nonviolent approaches need to be psychologically understood and encouraged. The second edition of The Psychology of Peace: An Introduction demonstrates what can be learned through the lens of peace psychology, providing a solid foundation in the psychological theories needed for building and maintaining a peaceful society and peaceful individuals.This second edition incorporates the tremendous amount of new research and subsequent events since 2003, including post-2003 violent and nonviolent revolutions, such as the ongoing war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the nonviolent overthrowing of dictators in Tunisia and Egypt. Author MacNair again outlines why application of psychological study to the soundness of decision-making for public policy—and to the policies themselves—is crucial knowledge, and how applying the study to private practices and even art can help build up a peaceful society.
Real-Life Monsters: A Psychological Examination of the Serial Murderer
by Stephen J. GiannangeloThis book presents an in-depth psychological analysis of the development of the serial killer personality that will fascinate all readers, from the experienced criminology student to the casual true-crime reader.Real-Life Monsters: A Psychological Examination of the Serial Murderer takes a different approach than most titles on a similar topic: the author develops and proposes an original psychological explanation, rather than simply repeating some of the long-held theories for these criminals' heinous actions. The work addresses current issues, presents detailed commentary and personal observation, and contains photographs that will fascinate general readers interested in the subjects of true crime, serial killers, and psychopathology.The first part of the book carefully examines the research past and present regarding clinical, psychological, societal, and biological bases for violent behavior, specific to the serial murderer. Part two establishes a novel theory of the pattern of violence and then explores this hypothesis through eight case studies, interviews with serial killers, and elemental analysis. The work also contains a chapter based on conversations between the author and a convicted serial murderer.
Healing from Childhood Abuse: Understanding the Effects, Taking Control to Recover
by John J. LemoncelliWritten directly to individuals who have experienced childhood trauma, this book provides essential information that allows victims to begin recovering from their immense pain and suffering, and empowers them to examine their specific issues in order to become a true survivor.The American Medical Association currently estimates at least one in every five adults suffered abuse as a child. While childhood abuse or trauma is certainly not a new issue, it has reached epidemic proportion. Yet most clinicians have not been sufficiently trained to appreciate or understand the devastating long-term impact of abuse on the total person.John J. Lemoncelli, EdD, authored this book to enable those who suffer in silence to understand what happened, take control, and begin and maintain a program of recovery. It helps those abused in childhood to grasp how their experience impacted their development and the extent to which it negatively affects their present lives; encourages them to let go of the belief that they are damaged, dirty, or at fault; and provides an effective strategy for externalizing the source of their anguish, rather than blaming themselves. The author outlines several stages and common issues that may need to be addressed, but as no "one size fits all" treatment is possible, he provides strategies that empower victims to identify the specific sources of their pain.
Abnormal Psychology across the Ages [3 volumes]: [3 volumes] (Abnormal Psychology)
In these three volumes, a team of scholars provides a thoughtful history of abnormal psychology, demonstrating how concepts regarding disordered mental states, their causes, and their treatments developed and evolved across the ages.Compiling current thought from some of the best minds in the field, Abnormal Psychology across the Ages provides essays that reflect on multiple dimensions of abnormal behavior. These experts present biological, psychological, social, cultural, and supernatural perspectives throughout human history on a range of disorders, as well as the global influences on scientific thinking. A fascinating read for anyone in the field of abnormal psychology, from undergraduate students to clinicians, counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists, this three-volume work addresses questions such as: What is "abnormal" psychology and thinking? What are the causes, how have we treated it, and how do we treat it now? And how does the culture of the times affect what we perceive as "abnormality"?
Religion, Spirituality, and Positive Psychology: Understanding the Psychological Fruits of Faith
by Thomas G. PlanteA multidisciplinary team of scholars shows how spiritual and religious practices actually do power psychological, physical, and social benefits, producing stronger individuals and healthier societies.In recent years, scholars from an array of disciplines applied cutting-edge research techniques to determining the effects of faith. Religion, Spirituality, and Positive Psychology: Understanding the Psychological Fruits of Faith brings those scholars together to share what they learned. Through their thoughtful, evidence-based reflections, this insightful book demonstrates the positive benefits of spiritual and religious engagement, both for individual practitioners and for society as a whole.The book covers Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism and other major traditions across culture in two sections. The first focuses on ways in which religious and spiritual engagement improves psychological and behavioral health. The second highlights the application of this knowledge to physical, psychological, and social problems. Each chapter focuses on a spiritual "fruit," among them humility, hope, tolerance, gratitude, forgiveness, better health, and recovery from disease or addiction, explaining how the fruit is "planted" and why faith helps it flourish.
The Harsh Realities of Alzheimer's Care: An Insider's View of How People with Dementia Are Treated in Institutions (The Praeger Series on Contemporary Health and Living)
by Andrew Seth MDA prominent geriatric psychiatrist details the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of places where those with dementia are treated—from emergency rooms and psychiatric hospitals to assisted living facilities and nursing homes.The Harsh Realities of Alzheimer's Care: An Insider's View of How People with Dementia Are Treated in Institutions is the first book of its kind. Written by an eminent geriatric psychiatrist who has worked with dementia patients in more than 70 facilities, the book distills all he has learned about dementia care, for better and, more often, for worse.Both a shocking exposé and a practical guide, the book takes readers into nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospitals. It reveals the inadequacies and dangers of these institutions, detailing issues that result in poor care including federal standards for minimum staff training that are, in some cases, lower than those established for dog groomers. The author cites improvements that must be made in emergency rooms and inpatient psychiatric facilities treating victims of dementia, and he documents the downside of memory clinics. But there are steps caregivers can take to protect their loved ones—and themselves. Each chapter concludes with "reality lessons" that offer practical, affordable strategies for coping with dementia's many challenges.
Normality Does Not Equal Mental Health: The Need to Look Elsewhere for Standards of Good Psychological Health
by Steven James BartlettHow do you define good mental health? This controversial, counterintuitive, and altogether fascinating book argues that "psychological normality" is neither a desirable nor an acceptable standard.Normality Does Not Equal Mental Health: The Need to Look Elsewhere for Standards of Good Psychological Health is a groundbreaking work, the first book-length study to question the equation of psychological normality and mental health. Its author, Dr. Steven James Bartlett, musters compelling evidence and careful analysis to challenge the paradigm accepted by mental health theorists and practitioners, a paradigm that is not only wrong, but can be damaging to those to whom it is applied—and to society as a whole.In this bold, multidisciplinary work, Bartlett critiques the presumed standard of normality that permeates contemporary consciousness. Showing that the current concept of mental illness is fundamentally unacceptable because it is scientifically unfounded and the result of flawed thinking, he argues that adherence to the gold standard of psychological normality leads to nothing less than cultural impoverishment.
Suicide by Security Blanket, and Other Stories from the Child Psychiatry Emergency Service: What Happens to Children with Acute Mental Illness (The Praeger Series on Contemporary Health and Living)
by Laura M. M.D. Abigail Louise M.D.This book offers a unique glimpse into the startlingly complex world of acute children's psychiatry through 12 chapters, each inspired by the actual visit of a child in psychiatric crisis to one of the most well-known psychiatric emergency rooms in the nation.Suicide by Security Blanket, and Other Stories from the Child Psychiatry Emergency Service: What Happens to Children with Acute Mental Illness takes the reader inside the child psychiatry emergency room at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston. Each chapter highlights both the child's dilemma and the doctors' thought processes, and stresses the elements of rapid assessment. The real-life patient stories also offer myriad teaching points about child development and the warning signs of illness, and provide compelling lessons regarding types of interactions with school systems, health care systems, and family systems. Each individual story presents the breadth and depth of the child psychiatric emergency evaluation at MGH, from initial assessment to disposition, presenting a genuine glimpse into the children's psychiatric emergency room at one of the nation's most famous psychiatric departments. This book demonstrates vividly how even the best-intentioned communities can fail to offer services to their neediest families. Each story presents a fascinating glimpse into the complex and sometimes tragic world of child psychiatry on the front lines.
The Praeger Handbook of Community Mental Health Practice [3 volumes]: [3 volumes]
This expansive, three-volume set addresses the complexities of interconnectivity, therapeutic capacity, and the competencies needed in order to provide sophisticated and integrated community mental health care—both in the United States and within a global community.The Praeger Handbook of Community Mental Health Practice provides an essential framework that will serve university educators, students, new practitioners, and experienced therapists alike as they adapt to new approaches to community mental health and respond to changing laws governing mental health provision across state, national, and global levels.Volume one considers the structures, challenges, and expectations of community mental health, familiarizing readers with key issues such as service delivery, funding, and key models of intervention and care. Volume two provides an in-depth exploration of the specific issues of working with populations that participate in and benefit from community mental health services, including addiction, school-based services, juvenile and adult justice, and veteran's services. In Volume three, the contributors address specific needs, considerations, and concerns relevant to working in the global community, including disaster services, trauma, working with children, and providing training in international settings.
The Self-Esteem Trap: Raising Confident and Compassionate Kids in an Age of Self-Importance
by Polly Young-EisendrathKids today are depressed and anxious. They also seem to feel entitled to every advantage and unwilling to make the leap into adulthood. As Polly Young-Eisendrath makes clear in this brilliant account of where a generation has gone astray, parents trying to make their children feel special are unwittingly interfering with their kids' ability to accept themselves and cope with life. Clarifying an enormous cultural change, The Self-Esteem Trap shows why so many young people have trouble with empathy and compassion, struggle with moral values, and are stymied in the face of adversity. Young-Eisendrath offers prescriptive advice on how adults can help kids -- through the teen and young adult years -- develop self-worth, setting them on the right track to productive, balanced, and happy lives.
The Dream Book: Dream Spells, Nighttime Potions and Rituals, and Other Magical Sleep Formulas
by Gillian KempFrom the author of the popular Fortune-Telling Book comes a beautifully illustrated primer that opens the secret world of dreams and imparts her magic to dreamers everywhere. Full color.
Light Up Your Child's Mind: Finding a Unique Pathway to Happiness and Success
by Joseph S. Renzulli Sally M. ReisBased on the renowned Renzulli Method, which has been adopted in schools all over the country, Light Up Your Child's Mind presents a practical program to help children fire up a love of learning to last a lifetime. World-renowned experts Drs. Renzulli and Reis illustrate the crucial role parents can play in their children's development and address how they can work with teachers to enhance their children's education. They uncover the hidden potential of daydreamers, rebels, and one-track minds, arguing that gifted behavior -- basic smarts, high levels of task commitment, and creativity -- can be fostered in bright children, even unmotivated ones. Step by step, Light Up Your Child's Mind will show parents how to set their kids on the path to a rewarding future.
Aging Well: Surprising Guideposts to a Happier Life from the Landmark Study of Adult Development
by George E. VaillantIn an unprecedented series of studies, Harvard Medical School has followed 824 subjects -- men and women, some rich, some poor -- from their teens to old age. Harvard's George Vaillant now uses these studies -- the most complete ever done anywhere in the world -- and the subjects' individual histories to illustrate the factors involved in reaching a happy, healthy old age. He explains precisely why some people turn out to be more resilient than others, the complicated effects of marriage and divorce, negative personality changes, and how to live a more fulfilling, satisfying and rewarding life in the later years. He shows why a person's background has less to do with their eventual happiness than the specific lifestyle choices they make. And he offers step-by-step advice about how each of us can change our lifestyles and age successfully. Sure to be debated on talk shows and in living rooms, Vaillant's definitive and inspiring book is the new classic account of how we live and how we can live better. It will receive massive media attention, and with good reason: we have never seen anything like it, and what it has to tell us will make all the difference in the world.