Vermont Conference on the Primary Prevention of Psychopathology Collection
Scope and Content
The collection is divided into four series: VCPPP organizational records, conference records, papers related to the publication of the book series, and Prevention Clearinghouse records and source materials. Recent organizational records and the 1993 conference records remain in the VCPPP office in Dewey Hall. Much of the source material from the Prevention Training Clearinghouse is also there.
The organizational records include by-laws and articles of association, general and Waters Foundation correspondence, board meting minutes and memos, financial, fund raising and tax records, grant proposals, and articles about the conference.
The second series contains conference brochures and programs, arrangements and financial records, registrant and speaker lists, and correspondence, continuing education course materials, transcripts, source materials, and audio tapes of presentations. Material from the first three conferences is rather sparse, consisting primarily of arrangements, financial records, and general correspondence. Later years also contain planning notes and memos, speaker proposals and biographical materials, some transcripts of speeches, and conference evaluation questionnaires. The audio tapes include presentations from various years between 1976 and 1988, and from the University of Vermont Interdisciplinary Seminars.
The Prevention Training Clearinghouse series contains the newsletter published from 1987 to 1992, correspondence related to the Clearinghouse, and one carton of source materials.
The fourth series contains correspondence with authors in the book series, with the publishers, UPNE and SAGE, and with recipients of book donations; drafts of chapters; advertising brochures and publishing information; book reviews; and financial records. It has been only partially processed.
Dates
- 1975-1993
Creator
Language of Materials
English
Access:
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights:
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Manuscripts.
History
The Vermont Conference on the Primary Prevention of Psychopathology was conceived by the University of Vermont Psychology Department, under the leadership of George Albee, Marc Kessler, and Justin Joffee, after conversations with James Waters, President of the Waters Foundation of Framingham, Massachusetts, which supports the development of methods of maximizing human potential and the improvement of mental health. Conferences bring together leaders in the field of primary prevention for the exchange of ideas and information.
The first conference in 1975 provided an overview of approaches to primary prevention. In the second, which addressed environmental causative factors of psychopathology, keynote speaker Emory Cowen suggested two strategies which would become the focus of the VCPPP: the development of programs to enhance competence and coping skills in children and adults, and the prevention of psychopathology through political action and social change. These topics were the subjects of subsequent yearly conferences. Other conferences have dealt with specific issues and social problems: sexual behavior, delinquency, aging, and the prevention of AIDS, among others. In 1984, VCPPP celebrated its tenth year with an overview of progress in the field of primary prevention.
In addtion to its yearly conferences, VCPPP has brought eminent scholars and practioners in the field of primary prevention to speak at the University of Vermont. Among these has been sex educator Mary Calderone and psychiatrist Thomas Szaz. VCPPP was funded in the early years primarily by the Waters Foundation. The withdrawal of its support after the seventh conference forced VCPPP to seek alternative funding, and in some years, no conferences have been held.
A 1987 conference on training primary prevention trainers led to the creation of the Prevention Training Clearinghouse, which provided access to primary prevention source materials through a newsletter published by the VCPPP.
The conferences engendered the publication of a widely read series of books based on the proceedings. The first ten books in this series was published by University Press of new England; since 1987, SAGE Publications has continued where UPNE left off. As of 1992, sixteen volumes had been published. The worldwide dissemination of primary prevention concepts and programs discussed during the conference has been promoted by the donation of the books in this series to university and institutional libraries throughout the world, particulary in developing countries.
Chronological History
Conference Issues
- 1975 An Overview of the Issues
- 1976 Environmental Issues
- 1977 Promoting Social Competence and Coping in Children
- 1978 Promoting Competence and Coping During Adulthood
- 1979 Prevention through Political Action and Social Change
- 1980 Facilitating Infant and Early Childhood Development
- 1981 Promoting Sexual Responsibility and Preventing Sexual Problems
- 1983 Preventing Health Risk Behaviors and Promoting Coping with Illness
- 1983 Preventing Delinquent Behavior
- 1984 A Celebration of a Decade of Progress in Primary Prevention
- 1985 Families in Transition: Primary Prevention Programs that Work
- 1987 A. Training Trainers B. Primary Prevention in the Schools
- 1988 Psychological Approaches to the Prevention of AIDS
- 1990 Improving Children's Lives: Global Perspectives on Prevention
- 1993 Promoting Successful and Productive Aging
Conference Issues
- 1975
- An Overview of the Issues
- 1976
- Environmental Issues
- 1977
- Promoting Social Competence and Coping in Children
- 1978
- Promoting Competence and Coping During Adulthood
- 1979
- Prevention through Political Action and Social Change
- 1980
- Facilitating Infant and Early Childhood Development
- 1981
- Promoting Sexual Responsibility and Preventing Sexual Problems
- 1983
- Preventing Health Risk Behaviors and Promoting Coping with Illness
- 1983
- Preventing Delinquent Behavior
- 1984
- A Celebration of a Decade of Progress in Primary Prevention
- 1985
- Families in Transition: Primary Prevention Programs that Work
- 1987
- A. Training Trainers B. Primary Prevention in the Schools
- 1988
- Psychological Approaches to the Prevention of AIDS
- 1990
- Improving Children's Lives: Global Perspectives on Prevention
- 1993
- Promoting Successful and Productive Aging
Extent
18 cartons
Abstract
The collection includes VCPPP organizational records, conference records, papers related to the publication of the book series, and Prevention Clearinghouse records and source materials
Physical Location
Library Research Annex; contact uvmsc@uvm.edu for access.
- Title
- Guide to the Vermont Conference on the Primary Prevention of Psychopathology Collection, 1975-1993
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processor: Sylvia Bugbee.
- Date
- 1998
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the University of Vermont Libraries, Special Collections Repository
Silver Special Collections Library
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington Vermont 05405 U.S.A. US
(802) 656-2138
(802) 656-4038 (Fax)
uvmsc@uvm.edu
