Children’s Experiences of Completing a Computer‐Based Violence Survey: Ethical Implications

This article aims to contribute to the discussion about the ethics of research on children when studying sensitive issues such as violence. The empirical analysis is based on the accounts given by children (11 377) who completed a computer‐based questionnaire about their experiences of violence (‘The Finnish Child Victim Survey 2008’) and their reflections on the survey. We argue that experiences of violence should not be excluded from the research agenda on children due to ethical reasons, but that a more sophisticated practice should be developed instead to meet the needs and rights of children as informants. © 2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation 2010 National Children’s Bureau and Blackwell Publishing Limited.     

Beyond appearances – Do dynamic capabilities of innovative firms actually differ?

Dynamic capabilities are the higher-order capabilities needed for changing operational-level capabilities and learning in new domains, and thus they are critical for innovation activities. The aim of this study is to explore heterogeneity of dynamic capabilities in a comparative setting. We chose four innovative case firms representing a single industry, namely magazine publishing. The similarity of the cases provided a solid foundation for comparing their dynamic capabilities. Based on the results it seems that the practices comprising sensing capabilities are likely to be similar across firms within a single industry, while practices comprising seizing and reconfiguring types of capabilities may differ more between companies. Thus dynamic capabilities have both idiosyncratic and common features across an industry. These findings are relevant to practicing managers in that they illustrate that competing companies within the same industry tend to develop similar types of practices to match the changing requirement of the operating environment. Hence, managers should not be falsely comforted by the current situation within their firms, but proactively develop their unique capabilities to gain advantage over their competitors.     

Physical violence against children reported to the police: discrepancies between register-based data and child victim survey

This study examines the reporting and not reporting of child victimization to the police. The study focuses on comparing the police reports of child victimization to the Finnish Child Victim Survey (FCVS) to find out the kind of violence that is reported to the police and the kind that is not. A total number of 242 police reports of 12-year-old victims of physical violence were collected from the Finnish Police Information System. These reports were compared to the 12-year-old children's victimization experiences in the FCVS. Discrepancies between these two data can be found in the victim's gender, the relationship between the victim and the suspect, and the location of the assault. Physical violence against girls committed by mothers is not reported as often as physical violence against boys committed by men.     

Violence Experiences in Care: Some Methodological Remarks based on the Finnish Child Victim Survey

The article examines violence experienced by children in substitute care and at home based on the survey results of the Finnish Child Victim Survey carried out in schools in 2008. The focus is on physical and psychological violence in conflict situations. Of the 13 459 respondents, pupils between 12 and 16 years of age, 233 children reported living in care or having lived in care. Children living in care were asked the same questions as children living at home about violence experienced by their care‐taking adults. The analysis compares the answers between those two groups and examines them in relation to information about children's psychosocial problems and measures of emotional wellbeing.

‘The focus is on physical and psychological violence in conflict situations’

According to the study, children report more physical and psychological violence by adults in their homes than children do in residential homes or foster homes. Substitute care is not, however, free of violence. Children with psychosocial problems experienced more violence at home than in substitute care. The article suggests a more thorough conceptual and methodological analysis of abuse in care. The conceptual and methodological tools employed should be sensitive to the particular nature of abuse in care and the studies should pay attention to a variety of forms and practices of violence. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

‘The engine just started coughing!’ — Limits of physical performance,aging and career continuity in elite endurance sports

This research examines male endurance athletes' experience of aging and/or reaching the perceived limits of physical performance. More specifically, the current study aimed to explore how existential meanings attached to these experiences are connected with athletes' decision-making concerning career continuity and retirement. Life story interviews were conducted with 10 Finnish runners and/or orienteers aged between 25 and 62 and the data was analyzed with an existential-narrative framework. Four major storylines related to aging were identified: The end of an era, putting things in perspective, the attitude has to change and winning was never the only motive. Our results suggest that endurance athletes possess diverse ways of bringing meaning to the experience of aging, both confirming and resisting the dominant cultural narrative of decline. While three athletes' stories confirmed the normativity of retirement when unable to improve their results anymore, other athletes demonstrated career continuity and positive aspects in the late career years, such as lack of competitive anxiety, finding perspective and increased enjoyment in running. We suggest that through awareness of alternative narratives, sport psychology consultants may be able to help their clients to explore new meanings in the potentially challenging and beneficial experiences of aging and athletic retirement.     

Cross-Cultural Validation of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory in Finland: Preliminary Findings of the Study Among Parents Expecting a Baby

ABSTRACT

In order to decrease physical child abuse, measures to recognize parents' abuse potential are needed. In this article, cross-cultural validation of the Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory, an American measure was used to screen child abuse potential in families. Data were collected in 2012 from Finnish families expecting a baby at maternity and child welfare clinics. The data come from 380 families, including 375 mothers and 303 spouses. The validation was conducted separately for mothers and spouses and was based on basic psychometric properties, such as reliability estimates, abuse scale construct validity, and the abuse scale factor structure. The internal consistency of the abuse scale was high among both the mothers and the spouses. There were some differences in abuse construct validity and the abuse scale factor structure compared to the original measure, which was written in English and tested in an American sample. Those differences were, however, similar to those found by other studies that used translated versions of the inventory. In summary, the CAP Inventory was found to be a valid screening tool for professionals to assess parents' child abuse potential in Finnish service settings, and therefore its implementation is recommended in maternity and child welfare clinics. The validation supports the cross-cultural use of the CAP Inventory and future research on the subject.     

Children’s Experiences of Completing a Computer-Based Violence Survey: Finnish Child Victim Survey Revisited

The involvement of children as research subjects requires special considerations with regard to research practices and ethics. This is especially true concerning sensitive research topics such as sexual victimization. Prior research suggests that reflecting these experiences in a survey can cause negative feelings in child participants, although posing only a minimal to moderate risk. Analyzing only predefined, often negative feelings related to answering a sexual victimization survey has dominated the existing literature. In this article children’s free-text comments about answering a victimization survey and experiences of sexual victimization are analyzed together to evaluate the effects of research participation in relation to this sensitive issue. Altogether 11,364 children, aged 11–12 and 15–16, participated in the Finnish Child Victim Survey in 2013. Of these, 69% (7,852) reflected on their feelings about answering the survey. Results indicate that both clearly negative and positive feelings are more prevalent among victimized children compared to their nonvictimized peers. Characteristics unique to sexual victimization as well as differences related to gender and age are also discussed. The study contributes to the important yet contradictory field of studying the effects of research participation on children.