Improving Competence Across the Lifespan

This book arises from a conference held in November 1996 designed to examine how competence can be improved in the different stages ofthe lifespan. To this end, we brought together eminent researchers in different areas of human development¿infancy, childhood, and adulthood, including the late adult years. The conference was based on the premise that discussion arising from the interfaces of research and practice would increase our knowledge of and stimulate the further application of effective interventions designed to improve competence. The editors wish to acknowledge the contributions of Concordia University and the Fonds pour la Formation de Chercheurs et l¿Aide a la Recherche (FCAR) in providing funding and other assistance toward the conference ¿Improving Competence Across the Lifespan¿ and toward the publication of this book. Finally, we wish to express our gratitude to the numerous students associated with our Centre for their help and to Gail Pitts and Lesley Husband of the Centre for Research in Human Development for their assistance. We are especially grateful to Donna Craven, Centre for Research in Human Development, for her heroic work on both the conference and the present volume. We could not have met our goals without you.

Emergent Themes in Studying Competence Across the Lifespan: An Introduction; D. Pushkar, D. Stack. Competence Across the Lifespan: Lessons from Coping with Cancer; B. Compas. Socioemotional and Cognitive Competence in Infancy: Paradigms, Assessment Strategies and Implications for Intervention; D.M. Stack. The Socialization of Socioemotional Competence; N. Eisenberg. The Socialization of Children's Emotional and Social Behavior by Day Care Educators; D. White. Competence: A Short History of the Future of an Idea; W. Bukowski. Adolescent Use and Abuse of Alcohol; F.E. Aboud. Self-Regulation as a Key to Success in Life; R. Baumeister. Improving Competence Across the Lifespan: Of Sows's Ears and Pygmalion's; A.E. Schwartzman. Responding to the Challenges of Late Life: Strategies for Maintaining and Enhancing Competence; S. Bieman-Copland. Interventions to Improve Cognitive, Emotional, and Social Competence in Late Maturity; D. Puskhar. Political and Scientific Models of Development; A. Sameroff. Improving Competence - Is It Ethical to Consider Cost? F.H. Lowy. Index.