Experienced professional psychologists identified factors that contributed to their ability to function well in Study 1, through interviews with 6 well-functioning psychologists, and in Study 2, through questionnaire responses from 339 randomly selected licensed psychologists. Collectively they highlighted self-awareness and monitoring; support from peers, spouses, friends, mentors, therapists, and supervisors; values; and a balanced life, Including vacations and other stress-reducers. Discussion focuses on stress-management enhancers to maintain well-functioning, especially at times of deep and pervasive change, like the present and the foreseeable future.In the early 1970s, concerned about impairment among psychologists, the American Psychological Association (APA) studied its prevalence and formulated a response emphasizing education and rehabilitation. State associations assumed primary responsibility for the development and implementation of intervention programs, with the APA serving as a consultative resource through its Advisory Committee on Impaired Psychologists (ACIP;Schwebel, Schoener, & Skorina, 1994).In 1994, 22 states and Canadian provinces had active programs to assist impaired psychologists, with most activity directed at rehabilitation (ACIP, 1994). A literature on impairment has begun to develop, with research focusing on prevalence

The heads of 107 programs in professional psychology certified by the American Psychological Association participated in a questionnaire study designed to learn dieir views about well-functioning in professional psychologists and what they had done and would like to do, programmatically, to maintain and enhance it. Their responses were compared with those of 339 licensed psychologists in a prior study. Although the 2 groups both assigned high ratings to self-awareness, a balanced lifestyle, relationship with spouse or partner, and personal values, overall the program heads put more emphasis on the didactic-supervisory items, whereas the practitioners emphasized the personal-existential items. Modifications of psychology programs to place well-functioning of students on par with other major purposes are described in detail.

Interview studies of youngsters are cited as evidence of their pervasive awareness of the possibility of nuclear cataclysm. It is suggested that the nuclear threat is a contributing factor in anxiety and other disorders noted among these youth. The role of mental health and other professionals in educating and guiding youngsters, and in working with them to reduce the anxiety and alleviate its causes, is outlined.

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Sixty first-year college student in a state university were administered three problems to ascertain their level of logical thinking. Successful solution of the problems required the elaboration of hypotheses and methods of proof. Seventeen percent of the randomly selected Ss scored at the concrete level, 63% at the lower formal level, and 20% at the upper formal level. Logical thinking was found to have almost no relationship to college selection criteria (high school rank and SAT scores) for men and a low relationship for women in this sample whose range of scores on these criteria was restricted. Differences between the sexes were found to be substantial and significant, favoring the men.