FR Doc 04-11928
[Federal Register: May 26, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 102)]
[Notices]
[Page 30137-30140]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26my04-125]
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Part VIII
Department of Education
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Special Demonstration Programs--Model Demonstration Projects--Positive
Psychology; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
RIN 1820-ZA35
Special Demonstration Programs--Model Demonstration Projects--
Positive Psychology
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of proposed priority, definitions, and application
requirements.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education
and Rehabilitative Services proposes a priority, definitions, and
application requirements under the Special Demonstration Programs
focusing on developing models that adapt positive psychology techniques
for use by vocational rehabilitation (VR) professionals to improve the
employment outcomes of VR consumers. The positive psychology models
developed under this priority must incorporate effective, research-
based principles. The Assistant Secretary may use this priority,
definitions, and application requirements for competitions in fiscal
year (FY) 2004 and later years. We take this action to improve the
quality of employment outcomes for VR consumers through testing and
measuring the effects of three specific positive psychology techniques
for use within State VR agencies.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before June 25, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments about this proposed priority,
definitions, and application requirements to Alfreda Reeves, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3314, Switzer
Building, Washington, DC 20202-2645 (on or before June 4, 2004); room
5040, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2645 (after June 4,
2004). If you prefer to send your comments through the Internet, use
the following address: Alfreda.Reeves@ed.gov.
You must include the term ``SPECIAL DEMONSTRATION: POSITIVE
PSYCHOLOGY'' in the subject line of your electronic message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alfreda Reeves. Telephone: (202) 205-
9361 (on or before June 4, 2004); (202) 245-7485 (after June 4, 2004);
or via Internet: Alfreda.Reeves@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Invitation To Comment
We invite you to submit comments regarding this proposed priority,
definitions, and application requirements.
We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific
requirements of Executive Order 12866 and its overall requirement of
reducing regulatory burden that might result from this notice. Please
let us know of any further opportunities we should take to reduce
potential costs or increase potential benefits while preserving the
effective and efficient administration of the program.
During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public
comments about this proposed priority, definitions, and application
requirements between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., eastern time,
Monday through Friday of each week except Federal holidays. On or
before June 4, 2004, you may inspect the comments in room 3038, 330 C
Street, SW., Washington, DC. After June 4, 2004, you may inspect the
comments in room 5058, 550 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC.
Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities in Reviewing the Rulemaking
Record
On request, we will supply an appropriate aid, such as a reader or
print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public
rulemaking record for this proposed priority, definitions, and
application requirements. If you want to schedule an appointment for
this type of aid, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
We will announce the final priority, definitions, and application
requirements in a notice in the Federal Register. We will determine the
final priority, definitions, and application requirements after
considering responses to this notice and other information available to
the Department. This notice does not preclude us from proposing or
funding additional priorities, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking
requirements.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in
which we choose to use this proposed priority, definitions, and
application requirements, we invite applications through a notice in
the Federal Register.
When inviting applications we designate the priority as absolute,
competitive preference, or invitational. The effect of each type of
priority follows:
Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by either
(1) awarding additional points, depending on how well or the extent to
which the application meets the competitive priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting an application that meets the
competitive priority over an application of comparable merit that does
not meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are
particularly interested in applications that meet the invitational
priority. However, we do not give an application that meets the
invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other
applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Priority
Proposed Priority, Definitions, and Application Requirements--Model
Demonstration Projects--Positive Psychology
These model demonstration projects would improve the quality of
employment outcomes for VR consumers through testing and measuring the
effects of three specific positive psychology techniques for use within
State VR agencies.
The program will be conducted under section 303(b) of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The proposed priority
supports section 303(b) by furthering the purposes of the Act,
specifically empowering consumers of VR by implementing techniques that
will increase the skills of individuals with disabilities, enabling
them to achieve high quality employment outcomes.
Background
Positive psychology is the study and practice of counseling
techniques based on cognitive-behavioral therapy to assist individuals
to develop an increased awareness of their own positive character
strengths, emotional processing, and belief systems (Seligman &
Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). These techniques help consumers to build
skills to accurately assess their
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internal beliefs that create barriers to effectively cope with
adversities that occur in their lives and to expand their ability to
challenge these beliefs in order to pursue flexible and appropriate
responses to the adversities. Positive psychology techniques empower
individuals to take control of their own lives, to increase their
capacity for effective decisionmaking, and to persist in pursuing goal-
directed activities.
The principles of positive psychology and the effectiveness of
counseling techniques using these principles are well documented in the
literature (Reivich & Shatte, 2002; Fredrickson, 2001; Sheldon & King,
2001; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000; Vaillant, 2000; Peterson &
Seligman, 1984). Positive psychology factors have been demonstrated to
affect the subjective experience of disability and the use of effective
coping skills by individuals with a variety of physical and
psychological conditions (Helgeson, Snyder, and Seltman, 2004;
Brissette, Leventhal & Leventhal, 2003; Fredrickson, B. L., et al.,
2003; Symister & Friend, 2003; Penedo, et al., 2003; Chapin & Kewman,
2001; Waldrop, et al., 2001; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000;
Callahan, 2000). A review of the literature by the National Institute
on Disability Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and use of the
PsychArticles research database revealed one reported application of
the principles of positive psychology to the employment outcomes of
individuals with disabilities (Chapin & Kewin, 2001). However, no
research literature was identified that applied these principles and
techniques to individuals with disabilities in VR settings.
Therefore, this proposed priority is intended to develop and
demonstrate the validity of counseling tools and techniques based on
the principles of positive psychology with individuals with
disabilities in the VR system. Research in positive psychology has
yielded a variety of approaches to assist individuals to identify their
own beliefs and actions that are barriers to their ability to handle
effectively life's adversities. These approaches are based on the
techniques of cognitive-behavioral skills development and include
models developed to change rigid and pessimistic beliefs and cognitive
constructs to more flexible and positive ones. Major work in developing
positive psychology approaches has been reported by Martin Seligman
(1991), Barbara Fredrickson (2001), Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1997),
Reivich & Shatte (2002), and others. Successful projects under this
model demonstration program would address three specific aspects of
positive psychology and their application to rehabilitation--learned
optimism; strengths and virtues versus talents for employment; and
subjective well-being.
The learned optimism technique has been demonstrated to be an
effective clinical therapeutic intervention in numerous studies
(Reivich & Shatte, 2002; Fredrickson, 2001; Sheldon & King, 2001;
Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000; Vaillant, 2000; Peterson & Seligman,
1984, for example). Optimistic individuals have the skill to see
setbacks as temporary and local, whereas pessimistic individuals see
setbacks as permanent, pervasive, and personal. Pessimism primarily
undermines people by lowering response initiation: Pessimistic people
give up easily.
Research demonstrates that learned optimism results in less
depression, better productivity (including work productivity), and
better overall health (Helgeson, Snyder, & Seltman, 2004; Riolli &
Savicki, 2003; Brissette, Leventhal & Leventhal, 2003; Morris & Long,
2002; Waldrop, et al., 2001; Lyubomirsky, Tucker, Caldwell & Berg,
1999; Segerstrom, Taylor, Kemeny, & Fahey, 1998).
The field of positive psychology has demonstrated the effectiveness
of learned optimism principles and techniques in changing pessimism to
optimism, but these principles and techniques have not been applied to
individuals with disabilities in the public VR setting.
Strengths and virtues versus talents for employment is a
theoretical approach that has identified a paradox about most work
settings: Individuals are selected and educated for jobs based on their
talents, but much of their success, retention, and productivity at work
depends, not on talents, but on their strengths and virtues. Physical
coordination, analytic intelligence, and verbal fluency are examples of
some of the talents that result in obtaining jobs, but persistence,
social intelligence, kindness, humor, sense of purpose, and loyalty are
some examples of the strengths and virtues that have been identified as
resulting in keeping jobs (Seligman, 2002).
Methodology using the principles of positive psychology exists for
assessing strengths and virtues as a means of determining an
individual's compatibility with a particular job. Research has
demonstrated that individuals who use their ``signature strengths'' on
the job have higher job satisfaction, more loyalty, better
productivity, are more engaged, and are more likely to have peak
experiences related to their work (Seligman, 2002). Some individuals
with disabilities may lack access or functional abilities to gain some
work-related talents, but they may possess a variety of individual
strengths and virtues. Identifying employment settings based on
individuals' strengths and virtues may result in a better match for
individuals to employment opportunities, higher productivity, and
longer job retention.
Positive psychology techniques have been linked to improved
subjective well-being (SWB) (Segerstrom, Taylor, Kemeny, & Fahey, 1998;
Lucas, Diener & Suh, 1996; Smith, Christensen, Peck, & Ward, 1994;
Mikulincer, 1989; Peterson, Luborsky, & Seligman, 1983). Individuals
with high SWB take better care of themselves than do individuals with
low SWB.
For example, the Surgeon General's report on smoking revealed that
optimists (those believing ``what I do matters'') gave up smoking at a
higher rate than pessimists. Coping well with a disability often
requires compliance with medical, physical, and rehabilitation planning
and activities. For example, individuals in recovery from many types of
cardiac conditions are often recommended to make medication, dietary,
and exercise changes in their lives. Research in positive psychology
has demonstrated that individuals with low SWB fail to follow these
medical recommendations and, as a result, experience increased levels
of functional limitation more often than individuals with high SWB.
Research in the field of positive psychology has developed
interventions that produce improved SWB.
To date, these three interventions have not been used with
individuals with disabilities in the VR setting to demonstrate their
effect on high quality employment outcomes.
Priority
Under 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v) and section 303(b)(1) of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Act), this priority supports
projects that test and measure the effects of three specific positive
psychology techniques for vocational rehabilitation (VR) professionals
for improving the quality of employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities. The models tested under this program must incorporate
effective, research-based positive psychology methods.
A. Definitions
Learned optimism teaches people to become more hopeful, realistic,
and flexible in their identification of and disputation of internal
beliefs that result
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in rigid, pessimistic, and negative outcome expectations.
Strengths and virtues versus talents for employment is a
theoretical concept that links the internal characteristics of
individuals rather than specific functional skills or talents with
employment success.
Subjective well-being (SWB) is a measurement of an individual's
positive view of himself or herself across a number of dimensions,
including optimism, life satisfaction, engagement, health, and sense of
purpose.
B. General Requirements for Applicants
These model demonstration projects must focus on research-based
positive psychology principles that adapt appropriate techniques for VR
professionals to use to assist VR consumers to obtain meaningful
postsecondary education and employment outcomes. The projects must test
and measure the effects of three specific techniques on achieving
meaningful postsecondary education and employment outcomes. The
projects must measure outcomes associated with each required technique.
An applicant must be specific about what data it will collect in order
to measure project outcomes against the established goals. To meet the
requirements an applicant must--
(1) Describe the manner in which positive psychology strategies
will increase participation in postsecondary education and employment
outcomes for consumers of the public VR program;
(2) Adapt, test, and measure the impact of three positive
psychology strategies on increasing the level of optimism of consumers
of the public VR program and investigate the relationship between
learned optimism and consumers' outcomes;
(3) Adapt and develop positive psychology assessment tools to
identify the strengths and virtues of individuals with disabilities,
identify specific job environments that match specific strengths and
virtues, pilot placement activities with individuals with disabilities
based on the fit of their strengths and virtues, and investigate the
relationship of consumers' strengths and virtues and meaningful
postsecondary education and employment outcomes;
(4) Develop positive psychology strategies to enhance SWB of people
with disabilities in the VR setting. Projects must investigate the
relationship between these strategies and meaningful postsecondary
education and employment outcomes;
(5) Design and implement an evaluation plan that--
(a) assesses the validity of the models tested and developed under
this program;
(b) includes use of objective performance measures that are clearly
related to the intended outcomes and goals of the project and will
produce quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible; and
(c) provides performance feedback and permits periodic assessment
of progress toward achieving intended outcomes and goals; and
(6) Disseminate these strategies, as appropriate, to State VR
agencies, their service providers, and independent living centers
funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration and other agencies
and entities funded under the Act.
Executive Order 12866
This notice of proposed priority, definitions, and application
requirements has been reviewed in accordance with Executive Order
12866. Under the terms of the order, we have assessed the potential
costs and benefits of this regulatory action.
The potential costs associated with the notice are those resulting
from statutory requirements and those we have determined as necessary
for administering this program effectively and efficiently.
In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative
and qualitative--of this notice, we have determined that the benefits
of the proposed priority, definitions, and application requirements
justify the costs.
We have also determined that this regulatory action does not unduly
interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the exercise of
their governmental functions.
Summary of Potential Costs and Benefits
The Assistant Secretary has determined that the cost to the Federal
Government associated with this program will not exceed $300,000 in FY
2004. No other costs will result from the announcement of this proposed
priority, definitions, and application requirements.
The benefit of this proposed priority, definitions, and application
requirements will be the establishment of model demonstration projects
that will lead to improving the quality of employment outcomes for VR
customers through developing positive psychology techniques for use
within State VR agencies.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive
order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened
federalism. The Executive order relies on processes developed by State
and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal
financial assistance.
This document provides early notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 373.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.235A Special
Demonstration Programs--Model Demonstration Projects--Positive
Psychology)
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 773(b).
Dated: April 14, 2004.
Troy R. Justesen,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 04-11928 Filed 5-25-04; 8:45 am]
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