Twenty-eight test-anxious Ss received either "cue-controlled relaxation therapy," an inert placebo treatment, or no treatment. Once before and twice after the experimental treatment period each S responded to three test-anxiety scales and to one measure of public-speaking anxiety. Once after the treatment, Ss rated the credibility of the procedure to which they had been exposed. Pre- and posttreatment scores on the measure of (untreated) speech anxiety and posttreatment ratings of credibility both showed that the cued relaxation and placebo procedures exerted equivalent experimental demand for improvement. Scores on all three test-anxiety measures showed that, under these conditions of equivalent demand,the placebo procedure reduced self-reports of test anxiety at least as much as did cue-controlled relaxation. Implications are discussed.

No abstract

Crises in the form of individual events, critical incidents and disasters occur in rural and frontier areas of America just as they do elsewhere. They do have effects on people, and events elsewhere have effects as well. These may occur vicariously (e.g. video reports and pictures from September 11 or hostages in Iraq) and/or they may happen to family, friends or colleagues. This paper outlines some of the crises that can, and do, occur in rural areas. It discusses the crises of war, suicide, school problems, domestic violence, vicarious trauma and disasters (e.g., fires, floods, earthquakes, technological disasters, hurricanes and tornadoes and their effects in rural environments. The roles and activities of different rural responders are briefly addressed.

No abstract

The twentieth century has produced many advances, miracles, and improvements, but has also had many losses, traumas, and major disasters harmful to the human race. This article presents a brief overview of articles in this Special Issue. It also suggests that there is a need for a comprehensive, coherent body of knowledge which underlies and defines a general model of Disaster Mental Health and calls for research to look at each area of Disaster Mental Health and develop a general model or template which can be tested through planning, application and outcome research.