I don't know if this is endemic with psychology in general, but I am finding this book to be incredibly humanistic in its philosophy towards making choices. Its goal is to make the student an independent decision maker who is able to meet his own needs.

This operates under the questionable assumption that everyone knows exactly what is best for them and how best to meet a need. This is equivalent to assuming that because a pilot knows how to fly, that the pilot is the best person to navigate the plane. Nevermind that when landing at an airport, the pilot must rely on the air traffic controller for navigation information. How foolish to assume that a pilot is always the best person to handle navigation! It is equally foolish to make this assumption of people.

Now, I'm Christian so I have an obvious bias. I think this book is ... and I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy. If you hold to a faith like mine that establishes that there is a God who has a much clearer perspective on life than you do, don't waste your time on this humanistic brainfart.

Okay, so I didn't read this book yet, but the last comment posted made me all the more likely to adopt it to use in the classroom. Christianity and humanism are not polar opposites. In fact, our own personal choices are the only things we 1) can adjust to improve our lives (psychologically speaking) and 2) can offer up as a symbol of our religious devotion (religiously speaking). As soon as I get my copy of this book, I'll read it and post another review.

This book does a very good job of remaining humanistic; in that the authors believe that it is within the ability of all human beings to choose to improve themselves, and makes a lot of room for the variability of human preferences and styles. Each chapter contains a self-assessment questionaire that is fun and enlightening, which will give rise to the reader's perspectives and life experience. In contrast to most Adjustment Textbooks, this one is more applicable to real life than most. It minimized psychological theory, and maximized application to your own life!

While this book is factual, it is the dryest Psychology book that I have ever read. Not Recommneded.