Dual language contexts in social work practice: the Gaelic in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar region (Outer Hebrides,Scotland) and Spanish in the Southwestern United States

This paper addresses the complex historical/political scenarios of Spanish-speaking people in the Southwestern USA and of Gaelic speakers in the Outer Hebrides. It examines (1) the historical background and current status of Spanish in the Southwestern USA and Gaelic in the Outer Hebrides; (2) comparative issues in relation to the use of dual languages; and (3) the challenges that communication in more than one prevalent language present to social work service providers. It is based on field research in the Southwestern USA (primarily Arizona) and the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar region (Outer Hebrides, Scotland). While these two areas might appear totally different, the commonalities created by English as the default but not always the primary language of clients in both settings make the comparisons intriguing.     

The United States Court of Claims

Teaching with film is viewed as a pedagogical best practice, especially when teaching historical or social studies content. Many of the most popular films used to teach history topics leave women's voices out of the narrative. Women's history is generally left out of traditionally male-dominated history curriculum; when it is included, it is usually in the margins or in sidebars. This article promotes the use of historical films that have a female presence. How women are portrayed in film and how to choose films that meet the criteria of the Bechdel Test for women in film are also examined.     

Children placed in long-term family foster care: A longitudinal study into the development of problem behavior and associated factors

Due to prior experiences of trauma and abuse, many foster children have behavioral problems. The placement of the child in a family foster home is expected to reduce the behavioral problems. However, this expectation is seldom met and mostly behavioral problems increase or remain stable during placement. Research on the development of behavioral problems in foster children is scarce. Moreover, most of the research results are situated on a group level, which obscures the development of problem behavior on a case level. This study investigated the development of problem behavior of 49 foster children on a case level and the association of global, contextual, familial and child factors with the increase or decrease of problem behavior. Over a two year period 18 foster children had more, 23 just as much and 8 less problem behavior. An increase was associated with the use of more negative parenting strategies by the foster mothers. A decrease was related to the use of supportive parenting. Support of foster parents aiming at reducing the use of negative discipline practices and promoting the use of supportive parenting may have a positive effect on the development of foster children.     

Commitment and Sacrifice in Emerging Adult Romantic Relationships

The development of commitment and satisfaction with sacrifice has been associated with relationship health and stability. Given the importance of early romantic relationships, the purpose of the present study was to explore how these constructs relate and develop in an emerging adult population (n = 246). Through an initial confirmatory factor analysis, we found the two constructs can be distinct. Then, using interdependence theory and a cross-lagged model over three time points, we found support for a bidirectional relationship between commitment and satisfaction with sacrifice. In addition, we found a main effect for relationship length and instability (i.e., cycling) on Time 1 and Time 3 dedication respectively.     

Turn it off! the effects of exposure to male-male erotic imagery on heterosexuals' attitudes toward gay men

Despite the recent proliferation of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) thematic content in U.S. media, there have been relatively few empirical investigations examining its impact on heterosexuals' attitudes toward LGB individuals. This study examined the effect of one type of content, male-male homoerotic imagery, on male and female heterosexuals' attitudes toward, stereotypes about, and affective reactions to gay men. One hundred ninety-eight undergraduate students were assigned to either a male-male or male-female erotica condition, and their corresponding attitudes toward gay men were assessed. Results revealed that the effect of erotic imagery (male-male vs. male-female) on participants' stereotype and affect scores differed for men and women at varying levels of sexual anxiety. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of the literature on exposure to erotic imagery and attitudes toward gay men. In particular, the study highlights the need for additional research that acknowledges within-gender heterogeneity with respect to antigay attitude valence, extremity, and function.     

A survey of homework use, experience of barriers to homework, and attitudes about the barriers to homework among couples and family therapists

Homework is a therapeutic process that has strong theoretical and empirical basis, but existing research has focused on "compliance" rather than considering the broader and more clinically meaningful construct of "engagement." Absent in the literature is empirical study of the barriers to engagement or study of homework use among couple and family therapists (CFTs). The current study investigates the frequency and type of homework, as well as the influence of homework compliance, quality of compliance, and experience of barriers to compliance on CFTs' attitudes and beliefs toward barriers to homework completion for couples and families. Results indicated CFTs (N=226 AAMFT Clinical members) use homework more often with couples than with families, and CFTs report greater homework compliance and quality of compliance for couples when compared to families. A path analysis examining compliance, quality of compliance, and barriers to compliance as predictors of attitudes/beliefs toward barriers revealed no significant findings. A discussion presents implications for future research and practice for homework in couple and family therapy.     

Transforming the culture of caring

Direct care staff struggle with the decision of when to physically intervene with patients. There is a widely held belief that they are expected to place themselves in danger of harm to prevent patients from hurting themselves or others. In this acute mental health care setting, an educational program was developed, using principles of adult and transformational learning, to dispel the idea that getting hurt is part of the job. The Staying Safe program strongly discourages staff from physically intervening alone and promotes staff getting enough help and having a plan. Staff are encouraged to interact with patients in helpful ways and to respond to patient requests in ways that do not increase frustration or evoke anger. There has been a positive response to the training program, evidenced by changes in the way staff think about their jobs and a reduction in the number of assaults and injuries to staff.     

When is a father really gone? Paternal—Child contact in father-absent homes

This research uses unique longitudinal data to examine the dynamics of the father's presence or absence during a child's first few years of life and consider the extent to which overt father-presence/absence statistics mask a continuing contact with the child's father or other potential father figures. I document the extent to which (1) substantial proportions of children born to younger mothers never have had a biological father residing in the home, (2) "net" levels of fathers' absence at various postbirth points mask significant "gross" flows of fathers in and out of the household, and (3) large proportions of children in homes lacking the biological father have potentially significant contact with absent fathers or new father figures.     

Adolescent sexual activity in the family context: The impact of older siblings

Using approximately 2,000 sibling pairs from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience of Youth, we examine the influence of an older sibling's age at first sexual intercourse on the sexual initiation of a younger sibling. Hypotheses about differences by gender composition of the pair are tested, using a framework derived from social comparison theory and a two-stage failure-time model. Results provide evidence of a direct but modest-sized older sibling effect for white but not black youth. This effect is approximately equal in magnitude for same- and opposite-sex siblings. Little support is offered for the greater salience and association of sexual activity for brother-brother as compared with sister-sister pairs.