The intersection of extreme poverty and familial mental health in the United States

Approximately 22% of children in the United States live in poverty, with high rates of caregiver depression and child disruptive behavior disorders (DBD). The current study aims to explore the relationships between living in extreme poverty and both child and parent mental health. Data are comprised of findings from the first effectiveness study of the 4Rs and 2Ss intervention, in addition to preliminary data from an implementation study currently underway (n = 484). Families with an annual income of less than $9,999 reported significantly greater child DBD scores and prevalence of clinically significant levels of caregiver depressive symptoms compared to income levels over $10,000. Findings support the recommendation for parental mental health to be attended to within the context of child mental health services.     

Unhealthy behavior clustering and mental health status in United States college students

Abstract

Objective: Examine the association of health risk behavior clusters with mental health status among US college students. Participants: 105,781?US college students who completed the Spring 2011 National College Health Assessment. Methods: We utilized the latent class analysis to determine clustering of health risk behaviors (alcohol binge drinking, cigarette/marijuana use, insufficient physical activity, and fruit/vegetable consumption), and chi-square and ANOVA analyses to examine associations between the class membership and mental health (mental health diagnoses, psychological symptoms, and self-injurious thoughts/behaviors). Results: Three classes were identified with differing rates of binge drinking, substance use, and insufficient physical activity but similar rates of insufficient fruit/vegetable consumption. Students classified with the highest rates of binge drinking and cigarette/marijuana use had the highest rates across all mental health variables compared to other classes. Conclusions: Students who reported engaging in multiple health risk behaviors, especially high alcohol and cigarette/marijuana use, were also more likely to report poorer mental health.     

Reliant behavior in the United States and Japan

Japanese economic success is often attributed to culturally reinforced psychological conditioning that promotes interpersonal reliance, cooperation, and a group interest orientation. This article provides direct experimental evidence on differences in behavior among future business people in the United States and Japan. Utilizing a simple, two person extensive form game of perfect information introduced by Selten (1975), we provide evidence that, contrary to some views, the Japanese can be less reliant on the behavior of others and are more likely to take actions at variance with group welfare in some settings. Thus, popular explanations of Japanese economic achievements may require further exploration.     

Mental health disparities in the older Afro-Caribbean population living in the United States: cultural and practice perspectives for mental health professionals

Cultural characteristics play an important role in the lives of many older Afro-Caribbean as they continue to migrate, acculturate, and assimilate in the United States. Many among this unique cultural subgroup will develop mental illness; however, despite the availability of effective treatment, seeking appropriate care within the formal mental health system continues to be a challenge for this group as a consequence of their cultural heritage. This review describes how these cultural determinants often lead to mental health disparities among older Afro-Caribbean living in the United States. Suggestions are also included for how mental health nurses and other professionals can incorporate research and practice into the caring model of cultural humility as they continue to come in contact with this population in various clinical settings.     

Economic internationalization: the new migration in Japan and the United States

"The general proposition argued in this paper is that international migrations are embedded in larger social, economic and political processes.... The first section of the paper addresses the impact of economic internationalization on the formation of new immigration flows into the U.S. during the last 25 years. The second section examines both the magnitude and forms of Japan's recent economic presence in South and Southeast Asia. The third and fourth sections briefly review questions of policy in the U.S. and Japan during the last few years.... The fifth section conveys evidence of illegal immigration to Japan. The sixth section discusses conditions in receiving countries that make possible the adaptation of immigrants with a view to understanding how illegal immigrants in Japan could become part of the Japanese economy involving Japanese employers deeply steeped in an anti-immigration culture." (SUMMARY IN FRE AND SPA)     

The prevalence, distribution, and mental health correlates of perceived discrimination in the United States.

The survey data presented here are on the national prevalences of major life-time perceived discrimination and day-to-day perceived discrimination; the associations between perceived discrimination and mental health; and the extent to which differential exposure and differential emotional reactivity to perceived discrimination account for the well-known associations between disadvantaged social status and mental health. Although more prevalent among people with disadvantaged social status, results show that perceived discrimination is common in the total population, with 33.5 percent of respondents in the total sample reporting exposure to major lifetime discrimination and 60.9 percent reporting exposure to day-to-day discrimination. The associations of perceived discrimination with mental health are comparable in magnitude to those of other more commonly studied stressors, and these associations do not vary consistently across subsamples defined on the basis of social status. Even though perceived discrimination explains only a small part of the observed associations between disadvantaged social status and mental health, given its high prevalence, wide distribution, and strong associations with mental health, perceived discrimination needs to be treated much more seriously than in the past in future studies of stress and mental health.     

Disaster mental health services: a personal perspective

1. Services that may be provided by psychiatric-mental health nurses following a disaster include education, intervention, problem solving, advocacy, and referral. 2. Nurses providing disaster mental health services must be flexible and creative. Strong observational skills and teamwork are also essential characteristics in disaster settings. 3. Psychiatric-mental health nurses who wish to receive training for disaster mental health volunteer opportunities should contact their local chapter of the American Red Cross.     

Gender and College Opportunities: Changes Over Time in the United States and Japan

The authors examine the rise of the two-year college and changes in enrollment patterns between two-year and four-year colleges by sex in the United States and Japan since 1960. Notably, the chances of a woman who attended college of entering a four-year college were less in 1980, in both the U. S. and Japan, than they were in 1960. Channeling large numbers of women into two-year colleges perpetuates occupational sex segregation. Further, it alleviates pressure for competition for professional jobs. The desire to reduce the number of individuals competing for professional jobs was a factor in the build-up of the two-year college. Problems associated with overeducation are evident in both the U. S. and Japan. The authors argue that the function of the community college is to prepare students to enter the kinds of jobs that are available in highly industrialized societies.     

Family reunification and Philippine migration to the United States: the immigrants' perspective

This article focuses on the impact of the family reunification provisions in the US immigration policy for legal immigration from the Philippines. Immigration and Naturalization Service data on the changing pattern of Philippine immigration to the US between 1971 and 1984 show an increase of nearly 2 1/2 times in the number of immediate family members exempt from numerical limitations, a doubling in the number of immigrants entering under family preference categories, but a marked decline in the number of occupational preference immigrants. Immigration-related plans, behavior, and characteristics from the immigrants' perspective are also analyzed. A family unification policy-based typology has been constructed to categorize intended and actual immigrants to the US. Using this typology, systematic differences are reported for out-migration plans, family contacts, the immigration process, and the characteristics of intended and actual immigrants. While political and economic system competition and inequality are contextual factors for international migration, from the immigrants' perspective, joining family members by means of the family reunification provisions of the US immigration policy is the dominant explanation for legal immigration to the US in a sample of 1340 adults in Philippine households in 1982.     

Attitudes toward Familial Obligation in the United States and in Japan*

With the global changes in industrial structure and demographic composition, families across the globe are facing increasing economic constraints reconciling their responsibility for the welfare of their children with the needs of older family members. Utilizing data from the Generations Survey, this article documents, and examines the sociodemographic determinants of and attitudes toward familial obligation in the United States and in Japan. The data show that Americans strongly believe in parental obligation for the provision of education for children. Although age differences in attitudes are more visible in Japan, the data from both countries indicate a strong familial cross‐generational obligation between the young and the old. However, in both the United States and Japan, the “middle generation” is less likely to express attitudes supporting intergenerational transfers of private property. Multivariate analysis reveals that demographic and socioeconomic attributes explain only part of the age differentials in attitudes. Furthermore, in both countries, the receipt of an inheritance and the expectation of receiving an inheritance in the future have positive effects on attitudes toward familial responsibility. The article concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for current and future patterns of family support systems and the transmission of economic advantage.     

Husbands and sons in the United States and Japan: Cultural expectations and caregiving experiences

In the United States and Japan, social and demographic changes are placing pressure on men to become involved in elder care. In Japan, 15 percent of caregivers to the elderly are men compared with 28 percent in the United States. This qualitative study uses in-depth interviews with 15 Japanese and 30 American men to compare their daily caregiving experiences and examine the impact of culture on their roles. We identify common elements as well as differences in husbands' and sons' motivations to take on this role, the tasks they perform, the impact on their lives, and societal responses. Culture is a factor in the social shaping of the caregiving experience through different societal expectations about the roles, coupled with different family structure, different caregiving ideals, different views on dependency, and different views on self-expression and on the need to maintain harmonious relationships.     

The voluntary sector and corporate citizenship in the United States and Japan

This paper explores the differing approaches and objectives of Japanese and American philanthropy, as well as aspects of corporate giving and corporate citizenship. The historic roles of philanthropy, and the scope and purposes of the non-profit sector in both countries are examined, as is the concept of corporate good citizenship and the tendency towards giving by individuals and corporations. In addition, the paper examines the differing tax treatments, such as deductibility of charitable gifts, tax exemption of organisations, and relation of exempt entities to government, that logically follow from the two approaches, including changes in law and regulation through to the end of 1990. Although written by an American, this paper is not intended to present American-style philanthropy as a model for any others. Rather, it is intended to provide useful information for comparative study and to express the hope that Japan will bring a fresh approach to philanthropy around the world that goes beyond giving to traditional American causes and purposes and beyond giving solely as an export product used as a means of easing trade and investment friction.Susan Flaherty is a partner in the law firm of Roha & Flaherty in Washington,     

The nature of working in the United States: an occupational therapy perspective

Although working is considered by occupational therapy practitioners to be an important life role, there is very little information about the nature of working in the occupational therapy literature. This article reviews the construct of working in three ways: 1) The history of working and how it has shaped the modern beliefs about working; 2) The nature of working; and 3) The health promoting attributes of working. The paper will also discuss research done on how working is viewed by individuals with disabilities and will touch on some of the implications of the cultural bias in the workplace toward workers with disabilities. Through this increased knowledge of the nature of working, occupational therapy practitioners and other vocational rehabilitation professionals will be better equipped to break down the subtle cultural barriers, and help individuals with disabilities to participate in working.     

Children's Affection Toward Fathers: A Comparison between Japan and the United States

Abstract Previous studies on fatherhood have focused primarily on the extent of paternal involvement from fathers' point of view and the impact of such involvement on children. These studies report that the level of paternal involvement varies depending on such factors as the fathers' ages, and the mothers' employment hours and income, and that the active participation by fathers has a positive impact on children's emotional and cognitive development. The current study not only focuses on paternal involvement but also on questions rarely addressed in the previous studies. How do children perceive the extent of fathers' involvement with them? Are their perceptions highly correlated with the report made by fathers? Further, how does paternal involvement influence children's affection toward fathers? In this paper, these questions are examined using a cross-national data collected in Japan and the United States. The major findings of the survey indicate that the levels of paternal involvement perceived by children and fathers are not as strongly correlated as were expected both in Japan and the United States. In both countries, children who spend more time with their fathers and who are younger and girls express more affection toward fathers. A cross-national difference was found with respect to the impact of social network on children's affection toward fathers.