An African-American woman with disabilities: the intersection of gender, race and disability

This qualitative study explores the educational experiences of an African‐American adult woman with disabilities. The intersections of gender, race and disability are theorized through the lenses of disability, feminist and critical theory. Specifically, I address the following three questions. What are the experiences of an African‐American woman with disabilities in schools? How might these experiences be theorized? Do these experiences offer new ways of understanding oppression that may contribute to empowering individuals labeled with multiple, intersecting identities?     

Emotional intelligence and public relations: An empirical review

Since the 1990s, the concept of emotional intelligence has garnered growing popular and scholarly attention in the past several decades. Emotional intelligence is generally defined as one’s ability to recognize one’s own emotions, regulate them, recognize others’ emotions, and manage social relationships and is proposed to yield various desirable outcomes for organizations. This study provides a critical and comprehensive review of empirical studies on the role of emotional intelligence in various domains of public relations practice. Findings reveal that existing research has focused mostly on emotional intelligence as a competency vital to effective leadership and employee communication in organizations. Considerable research has also examined emotional intelligence as a necessity for effective crisis management and communication. This study calls for investigating the role of emotional intelligence in different areas of public relations such as media relations and community relations, for improved measurement and methodological pluralism in future research, for EI-based training for future public relations leaders, and for an EI model of professionalism in public relations education.     

What we know about social structure and homicide: a review of the theoretical and empirical literature

This article reviews what we have learned about social structure and homicide during the last 30 years, paying close attention to empirical tests of subculture, strain (both absolute and relative deprivation), and social disorganization theories. First, this review reveals that researchers have difficulty operationalizing culture in terms of values and instead often rely on regional location or group membership as a proxy for subculture. Though the findings relating subculture to homicide are inconsistent, however, culture should not be ignored. Second, the positive relationship between poverty and the spatial distribution of homicide rates is the most consistent finding in this literature, while empirical evidence of the effects of inequality on homicide is neither as strong nor as consistent. Finally, social disorganization is more consistent in explaining the variation of homicide rates than the subcultural and relative deprivation models, with elements of disorganization such as city size, family disruption, and heterogeneity all showing relatively consistent effects.     

An empirical assessment of writing and research proficiency in HBCU social work students

ABSTRACT

Lack of proficiency in writing and research among social work students has increasingly concerned social work educators and practitioners. Given the significance of written communication with clients and emphasis on evidence-based practice in the field of social work, it is critical to assess students’ competence in both writing and research. However, deficit-based approaches to assessing writing and research competence have disadvantaged students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This pilot study aims to assess writing and research proficiency of HBCU master’s of social work (MSW) students through empirical analysis of their capstone papers and surveys from educators to provide implications for developing a writing and research manual for social work programs at HBCUs. Ten capstone papers were randomly selected and qualitatively analyzed; nine faculty and one field supervisor completed the survey, and their respondents were analyzed using cross-case analysis. Analyses of the capstone papers identified two themes for writing and research domains, respectively: (1) weakness in developing statements and lack of knowledge of writing style and (2) plagiarism and lack of understanding of research structure. Moreover, analyses of the surveys revealed four themes regarding assessment of writing and research skills among students struggling with basic writing mechanics, indicating that HBCU MSW students may have potential and capacity for learning, as evidenced by their ideas and critical thinking skills. These findings suggest both teaching- and research-oriented programs could employ the proposed writing and research assessment manual, as well as a writing and research lab/center for improving writing and research skills among their students.     

Beyond the polemics on the market: Establishing a theoretical and empirical agenda

This paper was written with the support of the Russell Sage Foundation as part of the Foundation's program in behavioral economics. It was prepared for the first annual seminar of the Center for Economy and Society, University of California, Santa Barbara, May 19-21, 1988. I thank Bernard Barber for his invaluable suggestions and insights into economic sociology. Charles Tilly helped me rethink and redefine my argument.     

An empirical approach to theoretical perspectives on sentencing in a young offender court

Cette communication présente une analyse de cinq théories des déterminants des decisions des tribunaux à la lumière des donnees quantitatives tirées d'entrevues realisees avec un échantillon de parents de jeunes contrevenants. Les résultats indiquent qu'en dépit des réformes législatives, les infractions liées au statut juridique de la personne demeurent une réalité dans le système judiciaire canadien, et les facteurs associés aux décisions des tribunaux different selon que le délit est de nature criminelle au sens traditionnel ou qu'il est lié au statut juridique de la personne. À la différence de certaines études récentes, les résultats n'appuient pas la thèse libéralo-consensuelle, car diverses variables juridiquement pertinentes n'ont aucune influence sur les décisions du tribunal à l'égard de l'un ou de l'autre type de contrevenant. Par contre, les données relatives aux contrevenants de type traditionnel cadrent assez bien avec l'approche féministe, font penser que les sentences rendues sont plutôt l'inverse ce que prédirait un modèle strictement néo-marxiste et semblent indiquer que les tribunaux entretiennent des liens «flous» avec d'autres secteurs du systeme judiciaire juvénile. D'après les données relatives aux infractions liées au statut de la personne, l'explication des décisions des tribunaux résiderait surtout au niveau des mécanismes de contrôle social. Based on interviews with parents of a sample of young offenders appearing before a family court, this paper presents a quantitative test of five theoretical perspectives on sentencing. The results indicate that despite legislative change, status offenders are still a reality in Canadian courts and factors associated with court outcomes differ depending on whether the offence is of a traditional criminal nature or is a status offence. Contrary to recent research findings, results do not support a liberal/consensus perspective. Legally relevant variables are not found to affect court outcomes for either type of offence. Results for traditional offenders provide considerable support for a feminist perspective on court decision-making processes, suggest that social class effects on court outcomes may be the opposite to that predicted by a strictly neo-Mamian perspective, and provide some support for the notion that courts are ‘loosely coupled’ to other sectors of the juvenile justice system. Results for status offenders point in the direction of a social control explanation for court outcomes.     

Household job search: A theoretical and empirical model

This article links the literature on family decision making and the economics of job search by examining job search by an unemployed individual within a household context. A theoretical model was developed which demonstrates the interdependence of the utility of household members when one is searching for work. The costs of search are borne by all household members while the benefits are captured in the searcher's expected future wage. A reservation wage was shown to be determined by household financing options, and the perception of relevant labor market parameters. An empirical model of the reservation wage for a sample of unemployment insurance recipients was estimated using two-stage least squares. Results, reported for male and female subgroups, support the hypotheses derived from the household job search model. In particular, the reservation wage was shown to depend on unemployment duration, labor market conditions, increased labor force participation of other household members, use of household assets to finance search, existence of dependents, and unemployment insurance benefits.     

The learning evaluation: a theoretical and empirical exploration

In this article, the authors theoretically and empirically explore the concept of learning evaluation. They shed light on the positioning of the learning evaluation amid scholarly work on evaluations. Moreover, they describe the learning evaluation in practice in the Netherlands by going into a specific project called the Stimulation Program on Citizen and Environment. The theoretical and empirical quest gives insights into the problems with and possibilities of the learning evaluation. They think that their experiences can help the further development of theory about learning evaluation as well as aid in the practice of such evaluations.     

The complexity of social networks: theoretical and empirical findings

A great deal of work in recent years has been devoted to the topic of “complexity”, its measurement, and its implications. Here, the notion of algorithmic complexity is applied to the analysis of social networks. Structural features of theoretical importance — such as structural equivalence classes — are shown to be strongly related to the algorithmic complexity of graphs, and these results are explored using analytical and simulation methods. Analysis of the complexity of a variety of empirically derived networks suggests that many social networks are nearly as complex as their source entropy, and thus that their structure is roughly in line with the conditional uniform graph distribution hypothesis. Implications of these findings for network theory and methodology are also discussed.     

The quality of evaluations of foster parent training: An empirical review

A comprehensive literature review was undertaken to identify published evaluations of foster parent training programs (pre-service, in-service single session, and in-service multi-session). Results of the review of the literature revealed that few evaluations have been conducted on the preservice training programs most widely used and the results are mixed at best in the evaluations conducted. Moreover, the best evaluations of in-service training were for the programs least likely to be offered to foster parents: multi-session programs. Taken together, the results point to gaps in the knowledge base and directions for future research.     

Welfare for profit: moral, empirical and theoretical perspectives

Since the 1960s there has been an increasing number of proprietary agencies engaged in the delivery of social services in the United States. This development has generally been greeted with disfavour by welfare state advocates. Various arguments have been put forward against welfare for profit on moral, empirical and theoretical grounds. This paper analyzes these arguments and proposes several basic conditions that would seem to have significant bearing on the choice between profit and nonprofit providers for a given service.     

A comparison of theoretical and empirical evaluations of the Borda Compromise

The Borda Compromise states that, if one has to choose among five popular voting rules that are not Condorcet consistent, one should always give preference to the Borda rule over the four other rules. We assess the theoretical as well as the empirical support for the Borda Compromise. We find that, despite considerable differences between the properties of the theoretical framework and the characteristics of two sets of observed ranking data, all three analyses provide considerable support for the Borda Compromise.     

Gastrostomy and children: a review of the literature in learning disabilities

Children with developmental delays often suffer feeding difficulties. It has become common for those with a severe likelihood of malnutrition to be considered for alternative methods of nutritional intake, often a gastrostomy. As part of a pilot study investigating the effects of gastrostomy on the child and their family, we conducted a literature review in order to establish the current areas of research, progress and concern. This paper describes the method and findings of the literature review and concludes with a discussion of the topics raised. The main conclusion is that although the need for gastrostomy in this group of children has been shown to be effective in maintaining adequate weight gain and nutritional intake, the support given to the family prior to, and after the operation is inadequate. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on detailed family assessment as part of the early intervention package. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fathering latina sexualities: Mexican men and the virginity of their daughters

Mexican men have been traditionally misrepresented in or omitted from fatherhood scholarship, sexuality and reproductive health‐related research, and immigration studies. Based on in‐depth tape‐recorded interviews with 20 immigrant men living in Los Angeles, this study examined Mexican fathers’ views of virginity as they educate their daughters in the United States. Results indicate that fathers’ perceptions of a daughter's virginity are shaped by regional expressions of patriarchy and masculinity, and the socioeconomic segregation of inner‐city barrios. Protecting their daughters from a sexually dangerous society and improving their socioeconomic future is of greater concern to these men than preserving virginity per se. These men's narratives challenge stereotypical images and archetypes of the Latino macho father.     

Family support: A review of the literature on families of adolescents with disabilities

ABSTRACT

For all youth, adolescence is a time of great change, marked by multiple transitions. For those with disabilities, these transitions can be especially challenging for the youth and their families. Although families of adolescents with disabilities often require support, it is unclear what types of assistance are most helpful. To understand the responsibilities of and, correspondingly, supports needed for parents and siblings, the authors conducted a comprehensive literature review. Specifically, the authors examined the literature to identify the supports that families provide to their adolescent relatives with disabilities, the impacts of caring for an adolescent relative with a disability, and the assistance that families receive. The authors conclude by discussing implications for future research about family support.     

Identifying the needs of parents with learning disabilities: A review

Despite the success of some programmes in raising the parental competency of parents who have learning disabilities, many services are still providing only minimal support to such families, often following crisis intervention. Recent legislative changes within the UK have meant that statutory services are now required to adopt a preventative approach to children and families in need. A review of the literature reveals that children of learning-disabled parents are particularly vulnerable to abuse/neglect and removal from their natural family. This article addresses the difficulties that many clinicians currently experience in the early identification of parents who have learning disabilities. It also emphasizes the need for a systematic approach in the assessment of these parents prior to the implementation of parental teaching programmes.     

Capabilities and achievements: An empirical study

This paper contributes to the development of the capabilities approach by showing that capabilities can, counter prevailing wisdom, be measured. By operationalising the capabilities element of Sen's non-welfarist theory, the paper develops the data required by this novel approach to welfare economics and by exploring relations to life-satisfaction (happiness) it also examines new economic co-variates of experienced utility. A postal questionnaire is designed to examine elements of Sen's theory of capabilities and implemented on a random sample of English voters. Analysis of survey results includes ordinal logistic regression models of overall capabilities, rank correlations between own capabilities and views about the distribution of capabilities, rank correlations between capabilities and achievements and a set of ordered logit models explaining achievements as a function of corresponding capabilities. Furthermore, results show that it is possible to make statistically significant distinctions between different capabilities, that perceptions of others’ capabilities are sometimes related to own capabilities and that achievements appear, in general, to be related to corresponding capabilities. Finally, and in keeping with oft-found paradoxes in the happiness literature, an examination of co-variates suggests that satisfaction with capabilities might be negatively related to objective measures of opportunity.     

Reconstructing the Sexuality of Men with Learning Disabilities: empirical evidence and theoretical interpretations of need

Research and practice in sexuality and learning disability has directly and indirectly highlighted the pathological sexual behaviour of men with learning disabilities, particularly their abuse and exploitation of women with learning disabilities, and relatively high HIV risk sexual behaviour with men without learning disabilities. It is consequently argued that there has been a relative neglect of their wider sexuality and sexual needs. This paper reconstructs this wider agenda, drawing on empirical evidence and theoretical interpretations of need from research and sex education in support of the observations made. In identifying a range of key issues for sexuality work with men with learning disabilities and arguing that they require greater recognition and attention, the paper also provides directional pointers for informing such work and for responding more widely.     

Pre-commitment in gambling: a review of the empirical evidence

Norway, a Canadian province and Australia have introduced, or are considering introducing, voluntary or mandatory pre-commitment systems for electronic gaming machines. This paper critically reviews the empirical literature evaluating the effectiveness of such systems as a responsible gambling strategy. A literature search identified 17 relevant peer- and non-peer-reviewed publications. Self-report data suggests the majority of gamblers are positively predisposed to the concept of pre-commitment but non-problem and low-risk gamblers regard the system as personally unnecessary. Overall, studies reported variable findings relating to adherence to money limits and expenditure. Few gamblers appear to use options to set time limits. Methodological flaws such as low participation rates, compromised data integrity resulting from card sharing and failure to control for concurrent gambling outside trials limit conclusions drawn regarding the effectiveness of pre-commitment. It is recommended that further systematic trials should be implemented to determine the impact of pre-commitment systems on gamblers' behaviour.     

Self-psychology as a theoretical base for understanding the impact of learning disabilities

Many features of learning disability, including confusion in perceiving and processing information, an unpredictable course of development, and difficulties with social cueing, create chronic stressors for the disabled child and his family. Self-psychology is explored as a psychodynamic model with unique pertinence for understanding the potential intrapsychic effects of learning disability. Comparisons to drive and ego psychology models are made, and implications for intervention are suggested.