Post-Separation Conflict Trajectories: A Longitudinal Study

Although previous studies have shown that parental separation and parental conflict contribute independently to the adaptation difficulties of young people, there is, as of yet, no precise portrait of how post-separation conflicts evolve. Indeed, some fundamental questions remain unanswered: (1) Do parents who experience few conflicts during their break-up continue to enjoy a harmonious relationship afterward? (2) When parents have a conflictual relationship in the first years after separating, do problems eventually subside? (3) Are a family's characteristics associated with the way a post-separation conflict evolves? The present, exploratory study attempts to provide some answers to these three questions. The sample was composed of 123 boys and girls from 8 to 11 years old. The children and their parents were interviewed on two separate occasions at a 1-year interval. The first interview (time 1) took place 2.5 years after the separation on average. The children were notably asked to give their perception of the parental conflict. Four post-separation conflict trajectories were brought to light. Analysis also targeted three more-specific variables that distinguished these conflict trajectories, namely family income, quality of the relationship with the mother, and the degree of agreement at the time of separation.     

La validation des acquis de l’expérience est-elle un moyen de reconnaissance du travail ?

Based on a survey conducted in 15 firms, associations or occupations where work-based experiences were being validated under the terms of a law that entered the French Labor Code in 2002, questions are raised about this process and its capacity for obtaining more recognition for the work done by wage-earners. After identifying four distinct employer rationales for implementing validation, the channels favoring the obtainment of such recognition are examined when this procedure is actually applied inside firms. Putting one's job into words is a powerful means for making it visible; and the opportunity to face colleagues is an occasion for reinforcing an occupational identity. Nonetheless, validation has little effect on pay, and what is being validated is often ambiguous. Employers’ and wage-earners’ contrasting views reveal how difficult it is to obtain recognition of the work performed. This process has opened the way to changing this in the framework of procedures negotiated, in particular, with labor unions.     

Quality certification, regulation and power in fair trade

This article examines governance changes and shifting power relations within the fair-labelling network. These shifts are framed analytically by reference to broader changes in the agrofoods sector tied to the increasingly key role played by quality relations and standards in the production and marketing of food. The author argues that evident trends such as a growing complexity of fair-labelling markets, the centralization of its regulating bodies, and the normalization of certification processes have altered power relations to the detriment of small producers. In addition, and at the same time, this ‘fair’ market niche has become more desirable to dominant market actors leading to a combination of factors that has triggered a broad debate within fair trade with respect to the definition and mission of the fair-trade network.     

The impact of serial transitions on behavioral and psychological problems among children in child protection services

This study focuses on the impacts of serial transitions on externalized and internalized behavior disorders, anxiety, and depression among children in child protection services. The research was carried out with a sample of 741 children. The findings demonstrate that the number of times a family is blended is a stronger predictive factor for children's adjustment than is the family structure at the time of the interview. In predicting externalized and internalized behavior problems among children, however, the effect of family structure disappears in favor of the variables associated with family functioning and family climate.     

Minimum d-blockers and d-transversals in graphs

We consider a set V of elements and an optimization problem on V: the search for a maximum (or minimum) cardinality subset of V verifying a given property ℘. A d-transversal is a subset of V which intersects any optimum solution in at least d elements while a d-blocker is a subset of V whose removal deteriorates the value of an optimum solution by at least d. We present some general characteristics of these problems, we review some situations which have been studied (matchings, s–t paths and s–t cuts in graphs) and we study d-transversals and d-blockers of stable sets or vertex covers in bipartite and in split graphs.     

Relations between postdivorce custody arrangements,family contexts,and children’s adjustment

The goal of the present study was to shed light on the relation between postseparation custody arrangements and family contexts in which school-age children (8–12 years old) live so as to better understand the processes underlying their adjustment. The sample was composed of 112 dyads (parents and children) from families in joint custody (n?=?37) or maternal custody (n?=?75). The dyads were met with twice at a 1-year interval. Compared with those in joint custody, the respondents with sole custody had a negative opinion of the transitions between homes and had the impression that the children were more involved in interparental conflicts. This analysis showed that the difficult nature of transitions between homes was a crucial mediating variable in the relation between conflicts and the children’s adjustment, but that other variables, such as the relational problems with the mother, played a role, particularly in joint custody situations.     

Asset markets and foreign exchange intervention: A model of the Belgo-Luxemburg economic union

In this article a general formulation of government intervention policies in the foreign exchange market is integrated in the framework of an asset market model. The policy reaction function is based on a trade off between exchange rate and reserve stock fluctuations; constant exchange rates and a pure float are derived as limiting cases of the intervention schedule. An exchange rate equation is derived from the short run portfolio equilibrium of the model and is successfully tested using data for the Belgo-Luxemburg Economic Union (1967–1979). Our policy conclusions contrast the European Snake constraints for the Belgian Franc with Artus's findings (IMF Staff Papers XXIII(2), July 1976) for the leading DM.     

Stepfather involvement in social interventions made by youth protection services in stepfamilies

Despite efforts made by management and caseworkers to promote active parental participation in the protective context, fathers or other male figures are often brushed aside from intervention. This paper presents the results of qualitative research on methods used by youth protection caseworkers (n = 22) working with stepfather families. The main objective is to identify items that encourage or discourage stepfather involvement in psychosocial interventions. Results showed that certain items do not apply solely to stepfathers, but influence youth protection caseworker decision‐making from a broader perspective. Particular characteristics associated with being a stepfather significantly influence involvement practices espoused by caseworkers, notably the absence of legal status and biological connection with the mother's children.     

Health-Related Quality of Life Models: Systematic Review of the Literature

Purpose: This review evaluates howtheory-driven models of health-related qualityof life (QoL) take into account themethodological and conceptual problemsbesetting the field. Methodology: 68 modelsformulated from 1965 to 2001 (60% of thosefound for each decade) were randomly selected.Two judges evaluated the models using ananalysis grid covering a) the models' level ofconceptualization (from less to moresophisticated); b) the definition of QoL; c)the distinction between factors that mayinfluence QoL and QoL per se; and d) thepresence of instruments as tools to measureQoL. A global score reflecting the overallquality of the models was also provided.Results: Of the 68 theory-driven modelssampled, approximately 35% were in the lesscomplex category, 15% were in the mostsophisticated group and nearly 50% were inbetween. QoL was not defined by at least 25%of authors. The distinction between factorsthat may influence QoL and QoL per se wasmade in less than 50% of models. Instrumentsused were identified by 78% of authors. Lessthan 3% of the models examined received themaximum global score. Conclusions: From 1965 to2001, a general improvement in the quality ofQoL models is identified. However, for manymodels, the questions used to analyze modelswere not always clearly addressed (many did noteven define QoL), rendering analysis quitedifficult. Overall, the field needs moresophisticated models and a better definition ofthe content and boundaries of the QoL concept.