Gender conformity,self-objectification,and body image for sorority and nonsorority women: A closer look

Sororities have been identified as placing young women at risk for body image concerns due to a focus on traditional gender role norms and objectification of women. Objective: This study assessed the relationship between conformity to feminine gender role norms, self-objectification, and body image surveillance among undergraduate women. Participants: In a random sample of undergraduates, the authors examined data from sorority and nonsorority women. Methods: In a random sample of undergraduate women, the authors assessed the impact of traditional feminine gender role norms on self-objectification, body image, and feedback regarding physical appearance for sorority and nonsorority undergraduate women. Results: Three linear regressions were conducted, and only conformity to feminine gender role norms contributed significantly in each regression model. Conclusions: Regardless of sorority membership, conformity to feminine gender role norms was found to significantly contribute to increased body consciousness, negative body image, and feedback on physical appearance.     

Conforming for survival: Associations between transgender visual conformity/passing and homelessness experiences

Transgender/gender-nonconforming (GNC) individuals face widespread discrimination and harassment, and are frequently victims of transphobic acts of violence. Furthermore, transgender/GNC individuals are twice as likely to experience homelessness as other members of the at-large population. This study uses a national survey (N = 6,456) to examine, specifically among transgender/GNC individuals, relationships between homelessness experiences and visual conformity/passing, and how this population's shelter-based experiences may differ based on the level to which an individual visually conforms. Results suggest that lower visual conformity/passing is positively associated with homelessness as well as negative experiences incurred while accessing shelters. Social service implications are subsequently discussed.     

The lived experiences of foreign women: Influences on their international working lives

The lived experiences of foreign women were explored to discover influences on their international working lives. Life history narratives were collected in interviews with 12 participants who were female, foreign (nationality differs from their country of employment) and employed or a business owner in the United Arab Emirates. A phenomenological framework of analysis resulted in identification of three emergent themes around life experiences that had shaped participants' working lives: becoming a new generation of expatriates; adjustment to sociocultural change; and centrality of womanhood. The implication of these themes was the influence from lived experiences on the development and professional identity of foreign working‐women. Findings offer insight about influences on the actual and potential economic participation of foreign women for business practitioners and policymakers. A new classification of foreign worker, the ‘foreign working‐woman’ (FW‐W), extends the body of academic knowledge. A research direction is proposed for further international study about influences from life experiences on the FW‐W.     

Majority size and conformity behavior in charitable giving: Field evidence from a donation-based crowdfunding platform in Japan

A charitable donor typically imitates the majority contribution of other donors. This study examines the relationships between majority size and this so-called donor’s conformity behavior, by empirically investigating the impacts of multiple earlier donations on the donation of a subsequent donor to JapanGiving, a donation-based crowdfunding platform in Japan. This analysis is possible because the platform’s webpage displays the previous donation amounts in chronological order, thus allowing us to examine the modal amount of more recent donations. By using data on 9989 actual donations, our dynamic panel analysis suggests that when the number of most recent continuous modal donations increases, the likelihood that a subsequent donor matches the modal amount increases. This result supports the notion that a donor’s conformity behavior is more likely to occur when a greater proportion of other donors give a similar amount. Furthermore, the effects of continuous modal donations are strongly observed for low monetary ranges. We interpret that initiating further cooperation among a large number of less cooperative other donors would become harder, or individuals would obtain an excuse for less cooperation due to the others’ behaviors. Finally, we discuss how our findings connect economic studies of charity and social psychology studies of conformity and could help improve the effectiveness of fundraising by charities.     

The Power of Relationship: A study of key working as an intervention with traumatised young people

This paper explores the role of the key working relationship in helping traumatised and characteristically hard-to-reach young people. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse data from 18 semi-structured interviews carried out with both key workers and young users in a community-based, innovative project in Inner London, Kids Company. The following four codes emerged: titrating intimacy, the power of relationship, the therapeutic function of hope and ‘knowing your own ghosts’. As well as supporting the important therapeutic function of the key working relationship, this paper draws on the analysis of the data to outline a three-phase model of intervention (fostering place attachment–homeostatic attunement–disruptive attunement) when working with traumatised and often hard-to-reach young people.     

Championing the interface between mental health and child protection: evaluation of a service initiative to improve joint working in northern Ireland

The importance of establishing effective inter‐agency working between adult mental health services and child care services in order to safeguard children has been repeatedly identified by research, policy, inquiries and inspection reports. This article reports on the evaluation of an initiative in one health and social care trust in Northern Ireland that aimed to facilitate joint working and so improve service provision and protection for children and families. The Champions Initiative involved identifying a Champion in each multidisciplinary community mental health team and in each family and child care team that would have responsibility for providing information, promoting joint working and identifying any obstacles to better cooperation. The evaluation of this Initiative assessed levels of experience, training, confidence, understanding and awareness in the Champions and their team members at baseline. The Champions and their Team Leaders were then followed up after six months to obtain their qualitative views of the impact of the initiative. The results include comparisons between mental health and child care staff, and crucially, views about whether the initiative has had any impact on working together. This study also generated recommendations for further service development in this complex and important area of practice. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

‘Identifying a Champion in each multidisciplinary community mental health team and in each family and child care team’

Citing Literature

Number of times cited according to CrossRef: 15

• Kerry McVeigh, The Think Family Social Work Assessment: outcomes of a family-focused initiative using The Family Model, Advances in Mental Health, 10.1080/18387357.2020.1825969, (1-15), (2020). Crossref
• Billie Lever Taylor, Liberty Mosse, Nicky Stanley, Experiences of social work intervention among mothers with perinatal mental health needs, Health & Social Care in the Community, 10.1111/hsc.12832, 27 , 6, (1586-1596), (2019). Wiley Online Library
• Lelia Fitzsimons, The role of champions in promoting family focused practice across adult mental health and children's services, Advances in Mental Health, 10.1080/18387357.2019.1661783, (1-10), (2019). Crossref
• Nicky Stanley, Khatidja Chantler, Rachel Robbins, Children and Domestic Homicide, The British Journal of Social Work, 10.1093/bjsw/bcy024, 49 , 1, (59-76), (2018). Crossref
• Sanne Rumping, Leonieke Boendermaker, Doret J. Ruyter, Stimulating interdisciplinary collaboration among youth social workers: A scoping review, Health & Social Care in the Community, 10.1111/hsc.12589, 27 , 2, (293-305), (2018). Wiley Online Library
• Robin Mason, Janice Du Mont, Maeve Paterson, Ilene Hyman, Experiences of child protection workers in collaborating with adult mental health providers: An exploratory study from Ontario, Canada, Children and Youth Services Review, 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.02.005, 86 , (271-276), (2018). Crossref
• Andani Thakhathi, Champions of Change and Organizational Development: A Return to Schön and Typology for Future Research and Practice, Research in Organizational Change and Development, 10.1108/S0897-301620180000026007, (265-306), (2018). Crossref
• Phillip Tchernegovski, Andrea E. Reupert, Darryl J. Maybery, How do Australian adult mental health clinicians manage the challenges of working with parental mental illness? A phenomenological study, Child & Family Social Work, 10.1111/cfs.12426, 23 , 3, (381-389), (2017). Wiley Online Library
• Eeva Timonen-Kallio, Juha Hämäläinen, Eila Laukkanen, Interprofessional Collaboration in Finnish Residential Child Care: Challenges in Incorporating and Sharing Expertise Between the Child Protection and Health Care Systems, Child Care in Practice, 10.1080/13575279.2016.1158153, 23 , 4, (389-403), (2016). Crossref
• Barry Luckock, Jane Barlow, Chris Brown, Developing innovative models of practice at the interface between the NHS and child and family social work where children living at home are at risk of abuse and neglect: a scoping review, Child & Family Social Work, 10.1111/cfs.12228, 22 , S4, (62-69), (2015). Wiley Online Library
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• Estela Arcos, Ximena Sanchez, Maria Cecilia Toffoletto, Margarita Baeza, Patricia Gazmuri, Luz Angélica Muñoz, Antonia Vollrath, Social protection systems in vulnerable families: their importance for the public health, Revista de Saúde Pública, 10.1590/S0034-8910.2014048005131, 48 , 3, (398-405), (2014). Crossref
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Volume 21 , Issue 3 May/June 2012

Pages 157-172     

A Mixed-Methods Inquiry Into Trans* Environmental Microaggressions on College Campuses: Experiences and Outcomes

ABSTRACT

The experiences, including with environmental microaggressions, and well-being of trans* collegians remain an under-researched topic. In this mixed-methods study of a survey sample of 152 trans* collegians, multivariable regression findings suggest that the frequency of experiencing select trans* environmental microaggressions (e.g., not having access to comfortable bathrooms as a trans* person) are associated with increased risk for poorer academic outcomes (e.g., developmental challenges) but are not associated with mental health outcomes. Furthermore, interviews with 18 trans* collegians suggest that students face several systemic microaggressions, including difficulties advancing trans* inclusion. Various reactions, including paths of resistance, were identified. Implications are discussed.     

Physical inactivity and working hour inflexibility: evidence from a U.S. sample of older men

Lack of time is the most frequently reported reason for lack of exercise. This study examines how restriction on the number of working hours affects individuals’ exercise decision. A structural model is constructed to describe the simultaneous decisions of employment and physical activity in the presence of working hour restriction. Using data from the 1992 Health and Retirement Study, this study finds that the working hour restriction is partly responsible for the physical inactivity among older American workers. When the working hour restriction is binding from below, an increase in the number of hours required on the job considerably reduces the probability of engaging in frequent exercise. The results imply that partial relaxation of working hour restrictions may be considered to promote frequent exercise.

Social workers: a new precariat? Precarity conditions of mental health social workers working in the non-profit sector in Greece

ABSTRACT

Traditionally, in western countries, the social work profession primarily has come into contact with issues of precarity through the lives of service users. This paper introduces precarity in the social work scholarly literature as a feature of social workers’ professional and personal lives. It draws from the findings of a qualitative small study of mental health social workers working in the non-profit sector in Greece. The findings reflect a picture of social workers experiencing precarious conditions as they have become part of the growing phenomenon of the working poor, surviving by loans, experiencing housing insecurity, reproductive insecurity, fuel poverty and unable to pay for their commuting expenses to and from work. Furthermore, the paper maintains that the expansion of the conditions of precarity to university-educated professionals, such as social workers, needs to be understood within an International Political Economy (IPE) perspective in order neoliberal capitalism which brings rising levels of inequalities to become a focus of intervention.     

Predicting help-seeking behavior: The impact of knowing someone close who has sought help

ABSTRACT

Objectives: This study sought to replicate and extend research on social facilitators of college student's help seeking for psychological problems. Participants: We collected data on 420 ethnically diverse college students at a large public university (September 2008–May 2010). Methods: Students completed a cross-sectional online survey. Results: We found that students who were aware of close others' (eg, family, friends) help seeking were two times more likely to have sought formal (eg, psychologist) and informal (eg, clergy) help themselves. Tests of moderation revealed the incremental effect (ie, controlling for help-seeking attitudes, internalizing symptoms, cultural demographics) of close others' formal help seeking was strong and significant for men (R² = 0.112), while it was negligible and nonsignificant for women (R² = .002). Conclusions: We discuss the importance for students—particularly men—to learn about close others' help seeking for facilitating their own help seeking during times of distress.     

The intersection of nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide-related behavior: Patterns of elevated risk and implications for college mental health

Objective: To analyze the overlap of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide-related behaviors (SRB) among college students with regard to demographics, mental health, and coping styles. Participants: Respondents were 572 undergraduate students at a southwestern public university. Methods: Data were collected in 2015. Respondents completed a demographic survey and assessments of NSSI, SRB, internalizing symptoms (ie, anxiety, stress, and depression), aggression, and negative coping strategies. The survey was administered via a Web-based procedure. Results: Women reported more frequent cutting behaviors than men. Endorsement of NSSI was also associated with an increased likelihood of lifetime SRB. A subgroup of students endorsing both NSSI and SRB demonstrated poorer mental health, more negative coping, and self-reported female sex. Conclusions: College healthcare providers may benefit from competency-based training in techniques for the combination treatment of NSSI and SRB, as well as culturally based models of suicide.     

Alcohol use and strenuous physical activity in college students: A longitudinal test of 2 explanatory models of health behavior

Objective: To help clarify the effect of gender on the bidirectional relationship between alcohol use and strenuous physical activity in college students. Participants: Five hundred twenty-four (52% female) college students recruited in August 2008 and 2009 and followed up in April 2009 and April 2011, respectively. Methods: Participants reported their alcohol use and strenuous physical activity on 2 occasions (baseline and follow-up) spaced approximately 1 or 2 years apart. Results: For females, alcohol use quantity at baseline was associated with increased strenuous physical activity at 1- and 2-year follow-ups, and alcohol use frequency at baseline was associated with decreased strenuous physical activity at 2-year follow-up. For males, alcohol use frequency at baseline predicted decreased strenuous physical activity at 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: Gender differences may be explained from an eating disorders perspective such that women use physical activity as a compensatory strategy to combat potential weight gain from calories consumed during alcohol use.