Leader motive profiles in eight types of organizations

McClelland (1975) introduced the leadership motive pattern (LMP), a motivational configuration found to contribute to leader performance in traditional bureaucratic organizations. Using McClelland's general theory of motivation and Miner's work on organizational sociology, we refine McClelland's original leadership motive pattern, develop leader motive profiles for eight classical and new types of organizations, and advance eight testable propositions for empirical verification. We conclude with implications for future research and practice.     

Youth Substance Use in a Context of Family Homelessness

Objective

This study examines the relationship between family processes and youth substance use debuts among a sample of youth residing in urban family homeless shelters.

Method

Data regarding shelter experiences, youth and family characteristics, and the use of three substances (i.e., cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana) were gathered from a sample of youth (11-14 years) and their respective parents residing in an urban family homeless shelter system. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the influences on youth substance use.

Results

Of the 198 youth included in the statistical analysis, 72% (n = 143) reported no substance use debuts, while 18% (n = 35) indicated one and 10% (n = 20) indicated two to three substance use debuts. Within the final model, greater substance use debut was associated with being older (13-14 vs. 11-12; OR = 7.5; 95% CI = 1.8-30.9) and stressors exposure (OR = 4.8; 95% CI = 1.5-14.7). Furthermore, youth of adult caretakers that reported low levels of the three family processes considered were almost four and a half more likely (OR = 4.4; 95% CI = 1.2-16.5) to have made two to three substance use debuts.

Conclusions

Family processes may be a particularly important intervention target toward reducing the rate of substance use among youth residing in urban family homeless shelters.     

Uncertainty Evaluation of Human Risk Analysis (HRA) of Chemicals by Multiple Exposure Routes

The application of an ISO standard procedure (Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM)) is here discussed to quantify uncertainty in human risk estimation under chronic exposure to hazardous chemical compounds. The procedure was previously applied to a simple model; in this article a much more complex model is used, i.e., multiple compound and multiple exposure pathways. Risk was evaluated using the usual methodologies: the deterministic reasonable maximum exposure (RME) and the statistical Monte Carlo method. In both cases, the procedures to evaluate uncertainty on risk values are detailed. Uncertainties were evaluated by different methodologies to account for the peculiarity of information about the single variable. The GUM procedure enables the ranking of variables by their contribution to uncertainty; it provides a criterion for choosing variables for deeper analysis. The obtained results show that the application of GUM procedure is easy and straightforward to quantify uncertainty and variability of risk estimation. Health risk estimation is based on literature data on a water table contaminated by three volatile organic compounds. Daily intake was considered by either ingestion of water or inhalation during showering. The results indicate one of the substances as the main contaminant, and give a criterion to identify the key component on which the treatment selection may be performed and the treatment process may be designed in order to reduce risk.     

Situational Theory of Publics: Exploring a Cultural Ethnocentric Bias

The situational theory of publics demonstrates that stakeholders are best segmented into active publics, given their high problem recognition, low constraint recognition, and high level of involvement in an issue. This study further demonstrates that low identification with an issue is significant as the public's situational drivers are increased by a high ethnocentric bias. This argument is investigated with regard to a specific type of public: journalists. The results confirmed previous discussions of how a specific public's situational behavior might be influenced by a referent criterion representing a biased mindset of that public toward the topic.     

A self-comfort oriented pattern of regulatory behavior and avoidant attachment are more likely among infants born moderate-to-late preterm

Infants born preterm (<37 gestational weeks, GW) are at increased risk for regulatory difficulties and insecure attachment. However, the association between infants' regulatory behavior patterns and their later attachment organization is understudied in the preterm population. We addressed this gap by utilizing a Portuguese sample of 202 mother–infant dyads. Specifically, we compared the regulatory behavior patterns of 74 infants born moderate-to-late preterm (MLPT, 32–36 GW) to those of 128 infants born full-term (FT, 37–42 GW) and evaluated the associations of these regulatory patterns with later attachment. Infants' regulatory behavior patterns (Social-Positive Oriented, Distressed-Inconsolable, or Self-Comfort Oriented) were evaluated in the Face-to-Face-Still-Face paradigm at 3 months, and their attachment organization (secure, insecure-avoidant, or insecure-ambivalent) was evaluated in the Strange Situation at 12 months corrected age. In both samples, the Social-Positive-Oriented regulatory pattern was associated with secure attachment; the Distressed-Inconsolable pattern with insecure-ambivalent attachment; and the Self-Comfort-Oriented pattern with insecure-avoidant attachment. However, compared to FT infants, infants born MLPT were more likely to exhibit a Self-Comfort-Oriented pattern and avoidant attachment. Most perinatal and demographic variables were not related to infant outcomes. However, infants with a higher 1-min Apgar were more likely to exhibit the Social-Positive-Oriented regulatory pattern and secure attachment.     

Women in prison: A comparative assessment

This article examines women prisoners as a percent of the prison populations of twentysix countries. In this study, we hypothesize that in countries where women have greater social, educational, and economic advancements, women will also comprise the larger percentages of the total prison population. Findings from this study indicate that the countries where women constitute the highest percentages of the prison population are also those where women have high literacy rates. The percent of certain crimes committed by women correlates significantly and positively with educational and economic indicators, as well as measures of women's advancements in the workforce. Negative and significant correlations are seen between fertility rates and the number of women as a percent of the prison population, as well as educational variables. Ultimately, the findings indicate that in countries where women have advanced the greatest with regards to education, labor, and social status, the percent of women in the prison population and of all offenders for certain crime categories is also higher.     

Adoption and the Race Factor: How Important is It?

As of 1997 federal law prohibits a state from delaying or denying adoption on the basis of race, color, or national origin. This article reports the major research findings, going back over 25 years, pertaining to transracial adoptions. The findings show that transracial adoptions serve the children's best interest and are consistent with the recently enacted federal law.