This paper examined the self-esteem of 22 adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) (11 girls, 11 boys) who were matched by sex, school, age, and IQ with 22 nondisabled adolescents. Subjects completed the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS), the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale II (FACES II), and a demographic questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the girls with CP scored significantly lower than the boys with CP, the nondisabled boys, and nondisabled girls on physical self-esteem, and the nondisabled girls and boys with CP on social self-esteem. The scores of the boys with CP were similar to those of the nondisabled groups. This differential effect of disability on males and females is discussed in terms of the interactionist theory and the implications for occupational therapy.

The relationship between play materials and qualitative aspects of play of nonrctarded autistic, behaviour-disordered and normally-developing children in dyads with nonhandicapped agemates was investigated. Younger (M verbal mental age = 6 years) and older (M verbal mental age = 12 years) children from each diagnostic group were matched on sex and verbal skills. Each subject was videotaped playing with each of four nonhandicapped partners for 10 minutes. In each play session one of four types of materials was presented with the expectation of eliciting functional play, construction, dramatic play, or rule-governed games. Seven scales were used to rate qualitative aspects of peer interaction, consisting of symmetry, fun, negativism, complexity of verbal behaviour, complexity of social play, complexity of nonsocial play, and involvement in play. Normally-developing children demonstrated more positive social interaction with peers, including more fun, greater complexity of social play, and greater symmetry, than did autistic children. Behaviour-disordered children scored between these two groups. Rule-governed games were associated with more fun and more complexity for dyads in all three diagnostic groups than were other materials, with construction toys resulting in higher scores on these measures compared with functional or dramatic materials. Results are discussed in terms of the effect of structure on play.

This paper examines two years (1982-1983) of publications appearing in four occupational therapy journals in order to determine the type and proportion of articles which are descriptive, survey, correlational, case studies (including single subject design), quasi-experimental, or practical. In addition, a detailed analysis of articles using single subject methodology in occupational therapy is reported. The appropriateness of several single subject research designs in occupational therapy is discussed.

This article examines how the loss of perceived control over one's environment (i.e. "helplessness") can result in anxiety, depression, or death in people who otherwise appear to have favorable prognoses. Particular reference is made to the role of helplessness as a potentially life threatening condition in the older patient. Four effects of helplessness are discussed along with their implications for treatment. The paper presents seven specific treatment strategies for combatting the condition of helplessness, all of which are compatible with the skills possessed by an occupational therapist.

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