Routine-Work-Related-Absence:

Work-related-parental-absence is becoming more common in our society, however the literature has not kept pace with this growing trend. The routine exiting and reentry of a spouse or parent creates disruption in the family system which necessitates family coping. This paper explores the effects of work-related-absence on families and the coping mechanism commonly used by these families. A theoretical framework is developed hypothesizing relationships deduced from the literature. The framework also illustrates the importance of therapeutic intervention for families experiencing difficulty coping with routine absence of a spouse or parent.     

Caregiving at night: Understanding the impact on carers

Caregiving research has rarely examined the nature and impact of care provision at night. This paper analyses indepth interviews with 24 older people in England whose sleep had been adversely affected by providing care at night. A framework is proposed that illustrates how six aspects of caregiving can disrupt carers' sleep quality: first, attending to the night-time physical needs of the care recipient; second, anticipation of their night-time care needs; third, ‘monitoring’ their relative at night; fourth, disruption from relatives who are awake for long periods at night, wandering or shouting; fifth, undertaking emotional support, and worries or anxieties related to their relative; and finally, the legacy of caregiving may continue to disrupt sleep after caring ceases, because of painful images of their relative's suffering or feelings of guilt. Adverse effects on carers' sleep are greatest for co-resident carers, especially when caring for a spouse or relative with a life-limiting illness or dementia.     

“You have to do something”: Snoring,sleep interembodiment and the emergence of agency

Although the sociology of sleep is a growing subfield, little is known about agency in the context of sleep. This article contributes to the sociological literature by showing how different types of agency emerge as a result of sleep interembodiment (i.e., experiencing sleep partners’ bodies as intertwined). The study draws on qualitative data generated through in-depth interviews with 70 snorers and 20 sleep partners of snorers. Interviews were conducted in Israel and were analysed following constructivist grounded theory principles. Results indicate that two types of agency coexist and, in fact, co-constitute one another: The first type, herein termed material agency, reflects the post-humanist tradition, which conceptualizes agents as entities (whether human or nonhuman) that alter a state of affairs by making a difference in another agent's action. This type of agency exists in both wakefulness and throughout periods of sleep, as the snorer’s body acts and interacts with a partner's body in ways that engender significant change in their lives, relationships, and actions. In contrast, the second type, herein termed reflexive agency, reflects the humanist tradition, which regards agency as individuals' creative and assertive capacities motivated by intentionality and reflexivity. This type of agency declines significantly during stages of deep sleep but re-emerges in response to partners' actions. The article adds to the literature by refining the concept of agency and elucidating its relationship to both accountability and interembodiment. In addition, the article provides much-needed empirical evidence showing how “personal responsibility” for health, as required by neoliberal discourses, is invoked within families, specifically with regard to sleep. This study therefore shows how certain macro-level structures of neoliberalism are enacted and reinforced within micro-level interactions.     

Working with the One-Parent Family in Family Therapy

This paper describes the particular problems that arise in the treatment of one-parent families. These problems are seen as stemming from the experience of disruption in the life of the family and the resulting special family structure. Techniques of handling the various resistances and issues that surface are presented and discussed. A case report illustrating many of the points made in the body of the paper is included.     

Husband's Characteristics and Marital Disruption in Black Families*

Throughout the 1960s and the 1970s a great deal of scholarly and popular literature has addressed the status of blacks in American society, some of it concerned with the stability of black family life. This paper, concerned with the relationship between husband's characteristics and marital disruption, focuses on 575 intact black families and identifies several factors associated with disruption. Although husband's age is the strongest bivariate predictor of marital disruption, husband's income is the most important predictor; and husband's employment problems and religiosity are also strong predictors. A causal model of marital disruption shows that education, employment and age at marriage influence marital disruption through their influence on income. Only age, income and religiosity had a significant direct effect.     

Family Environment and Adolescents' Well‐Being Before and After Parents' Marital Disruption: A Longitudinal Analysis

Although previous research has noted that children of divorce tend to fare less well than peers raised in families with two biological parents, much less is known about how parents' marital disruption affects children as a continuous process in its different phases. Based on two waves of a large, nationally representative panel, this study demonstrates that even before the disruption, both male and female adolescents from families that subsequently dissolve exhibit more academic, psychological, and behavioral problems than peers whose parents remain married. Families on the verge of breakup are also characterized by less intimate parent‐parent and parent‐child relationships, less parental commitment to children's education, and fewer economic and human resources. These differences in family environment account for most well‐being deficits among adolescents in predisrupted families. Furthermore, the deterioration in different domains of the family environment appears to be associated with maladjustment in different aspects of children's lives. The postdisruption effects on adolescents can either be totally or largely predicted by predisruption factors and by changes in family circumstances during the period coinciding with the disruption. Finally, the analyses indicate that female adolescents are as likely to be affected by the parental divorce process as male adolescents.     

Families of prisoners of war held in Vietnam: A seven-year study

A paucity of information exists about how families of prisoners of war (POWs) cope with their prolonged, ambiguous period of family disruption. This report summarizes the lessons learned from a 7-year longitudinal study of families of POWs and servicemen missing in action (MIA) during the Vietnam War. The study was carried out at the now-defunct Center for Prisoner of War Studies (CPWS)from 1971 through 1978. The Center, located in San Diego, CA, was disestablished in 1978, prior to a comprehensive distillation of lessons learned. Nonetheless, much of what is known today about how families cope with both the captivity period, as well as the post-repatriation or reintegration process, is derived from the CPWS effort.     

Daily rhythm of salivary IL-1ß, cortisol and melatonin in day and night workers

Shiftwork-induced sleep deprivation and circadian disruption probably leads to an increase in the production of cytokines and dysregulation of innate immune system, respectively. This project aims evaluating changes in salivary IL-1 beta, cortisol, and melatonin in night workers. Method. Two day and three night healthy workers participated in this study. Sleep was evaluated by actimetry and activity protocols. Saliva was collected at waking and bedtime the last workday and the following two days-off and was analyzed by ELISA. Results. Neither sleep duration nor efficiency showed any association with salivary IL-1beta. IL-1beta levels were higher at waking than at bedtime during working days for all workers, but only one day and one night-worker maintained this pattern and hormone rhythms during days off. For this night worker, melatonin levels were shifted to daytime. A second one presented clear alterations in IL-1beta and hormone rhythms on days-off. Conclusions. Our preliminary results suggest that night work can disturb the variation pattern of salivary IL-1beta. No association of this variation with sleep was observed. It seems that disruption in hormone rhythms interfere with salivary IL-1beta production. IL- 1beta production pattern seems to be maintained when rhythms are present, in spite of a shift in melatonin secretion.     

Parent Marital Quality and the Parent–Adolescent Relationship: Effects on Sexual Activity among Adolescents and Youth

The link between growing up outside of an intact family and the likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behaviors as an adolescent has been explored extensively. However, fewer studies examined the likelihood of risky sexual behaviors among adolescents within intact families and what elements of those married-parent families seem to function as protective factors for adolescents. This study looks at relationships within married-parent families—that is, the parent marital relationship, the youth–parent relationship, and the interaction of the two—to identify potential sources of resilience for adolescents that influence their sexual activity. Overall, the youths' relationship with their parents matters more than the parents' relationship with each other, particularly for male youth and youth in stepparent families. Other covariates with notable influence on youths' risky sexual behaviors include parents' marital disruption and religious activity during the teen years. Analyses are based on data from the NLSY97 cohort.     

Preparing,Working, Recovering: Gendered Experiences of Night Work among Women and their Families

The negative physiological consequences of night work are well evidenced, but there has been limited research on the gendered consequences of night work for partnered women with children. This paper examines women's experiences of night work by drawing on qualitative interview and audio sleep diary data with 20 UK female nurses working non‐regular rotating shifts, together with interview and diary data from their male partners and children. The analysis shows how the lived experience of women's night work is characterized by three phases, which we discuss within a timescape perspective. Alongside changes to paid work and sleep during the period of night shifts, the ‘preparation’ and ‘recovery’ phases of women's night work involve intense periods of considerable additional unpaid and unrecognized work and anxiety. Gendered expectations for household management and family wellbeing mean that women night workers undertake considerable responsibility for complex planning before night shifts begin, and re‐enter established domestic routines within hours after night shifts end. Women maintain continuity for their families by actively managing the impacts of night work. This enables the fulfilment and ‘display’ of successful and normative gendered patterns of domestic responsibility, which appears to be central to women's own coping with night shifts.     

In-Home Training and the Production of Children's Human Capital

This paper adapts the idea of on-the-job training (OJT) to investments that families make in children before formal schooling begins. Like OJT, in-home training occurs in informal settings, requires costly time inputs and is complementary with formal schooling. In addition to choosing among home production, leisure, and market work, parents also choose which particular home activities to pursue. That working mothers dramatically reduce the time they devote to leisure, sleep, and other home activities in order to preserve their time in human capital-building activities with children, illustrates and validates the home production framework.     

The Natural Disruption of Dynasties*

La chute des families appartenant à l'élite peut survenir à la suite d'une révolution ou d'événements naturels. Cet article entreprend l'étude de soixante-une families en vue de l'Ontario sur une distance de cinq générations. Grâce à une analyse de la mobilityé sociale intergénérationnelle, l'auteur démontre et explique l'échec automatique des familles à constituer des dynasties.
En utilisant un modèle de simple concurrence, on est en mesure de prédire avec exactitude le nombre de familles capables de conserver leur position sociale élevée sur cinq générations successives. Ce résultat suggère que la constitution d'une dynastie est un processus compétitif que I'on gagne par le maintien d'un réseau de liens coopératifs entre parents et amis faisant eux-même partie de l'élite.
On termine l'article en soulevant quelques points qui demeurent sans réponse précise.
The fall of families from prominence or elite status may occur through revolutionary or "natural" disruption. This paper examines sixty-one initially prominent families of Ontario over the course of five generations, and through an analysis of intergenerational social mobility, measures and explains the natural failure of family dynasties to form.
The number of families retaining prominence for one through five generations is precisely predicted by a model of simple competition. This suggests that dynasty formation is a competitive process "won" by the maintenance of a network of co-operative ties among elite kinsmen and friends.
The paper ends with a small number of largely unanswered questions.     

Metabolic impact of shift work

In developing countries, shift work represents a considerable contingent workforce. Recently, studies have shown that overweight and obesity are more prevalent in shift workers than day workers. In addition, shift work has been associated with a higher propensity for the development of many metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance, diabetes, dislipidemias and metabolic syndrome. Recent data have pointed that decrease of the sleep time, desynchronization of circadian rhythm and alteration of environmental aspects are the main factors related to such problems. Shortened or disturbed sleep is among the most common health-related effects of shift work. The plausible physiological and biological mechanisms are related to the activation of the autonomic nervous system, inflammation, changes in lipid and glucose metabolism, and related changes in the risk for atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetes. The present review will discuss the impact of shift work on obesity and metabolic disorders and how disruption of sleep and circadian misalignment may contribute to these metabolic dysfunctions.     

The 'negotiated night': an embodied conceptual framework for the sociological study of sleep

Sleep is essential for our health and well‐being but it has, historically, been the subject of little sociological study. Yet sleep is not, as common sense would have us believe, ‘asocial inaction’. Like our waking lives, it is a time of interaction. The sociology of sleep presently exists in a state similar to the early stages of development of the sociology of the body, waiting for something like Frank's (1991 ) typology of body action, which served as a heuristic guide through which action and its multifaceted components could be understood. This paper argues that one productive analytical framework is to adapt Watson's (2000 ) ‘male body schema’ for the sociological investigation of sleep. This revolves around four interrelated forms of embodiment: normative (opinions and perceptions about healthy sleep behaviour); pragmatic (‘normal’ as related to social role); experiential (feelings related to sleep); and visceral (the biological body and sleep). The possibilities this model provides for the sociology of sleep is illustrated in the paper through the analysis of a case study of sleep negotiation between a couple.     

Sleepless in school? The social dimensions of young people’s bedtime rest and routines

There are increasing concerns that social pressures, such as family changes and social media, are ‘invading’ the sanctuary of the bedroom with the result that students arrive at school tired and stressed. This paper seeks to examine whether these concerns are justified and contribute to the growing literature on the social dimensions of sleep through examining the rest and routines of two cohorts of young people aged 12–13 and 14–15 years old. Our research indicates that, in general, most young people have ‘reasonable’ amounts of sleep and routines. But, a significant proportion does go to school tired, with apparent negative consequences for their well-being. The paper examines some of the within-cohort variations, in particular, the significance of volume of sleep, routines and engagement with social media and how these may reflect the material and cultural circumstances of the young people. The paper concludes by arguing for more research on the complex social causes and consequences of sleep deprivation among today’s youth.     

The Integrated Care Team: A Practice Model in Child and Family Services

The Integrated Care Team brings together representatives from each of Windermere’s service areas to create a group of highly experienced and knowledgeable professionals. This transdisciplinary team aims to provide a cohesive and effective support to service delivery staff working with individuals and families who are experiencing issues across multiple service areas. This support involves sharing of knowledge, contacts, resources and brokerage. Initial evaluation of the Integrated Care Team demonstrates strong positive outcomes for individuals and families with results that could not be so efficiently achieved through standard practice. Positive outcomes occur more quickly, more effectively, with less disruption to individuals and families and with more ease for workers than in standard practice. Workers who utilize the Integrated Care Team and representatives who sit on the Team comment on the efficacy of the approach reinforcing the value of key worker models, transdisciplinary teams, seamless service and breaking down silos between service areas; even within the same agency.     

Pediatrics: The emerging psychosocial challenges of the AIDS epidemic

HIV has a pervasive and profound effect on the psychological, social and neuropsychological functioning of infected infants, children and their families. This article discusses direct and indirect psychological manifestations of HIV in children. Direct effects are the outcome of the virus acting on the central nervous system and can result in compromised cognitive, language, motor, socio-emotional and motivational functioning. Indirect effects involve psychological responses to the stress of living with a life threatening illness, the social ostracism, disruption in life goals and undergoing frequent invasive and protracted medical procedures. A major focus of this article is to outline and describe a model comprehensive psychosocial support system developed within the Pediatric Branch of the National Cancer Institute. This includes early intervention issues and strategies for working with families during the introductory phase of the treatment program that also provides the framework for a care management approach, salient mental health problems that frequently occur in this group, and appropriate interventions for individuals and families. Attention is also given to dealing with anticipatory loss and bereavement, implementing traditional innovative intervention techniques, and for providing advocacy services concerning possible legal, financial, housing, and educational issues.     

Family System Adjustment and Adaptive Reconstruction of Social Reality among the 1995 Earthquake Survivors

Abstract  The 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake resulted in immense imbalances among and within natural ecosystems, the built environment, and human systems. The current study examined the relationship among familial adjustment, adaptive construction of social reality, and recovery of built environment. A random sample mail survey was conducted on 3,300 earthquake victims and 993 questionnaires were returned. The survey questionnaire included the following four scales that measured the family system adjustment on family cohesion and adaptability, the adaptive construction of new reality as evidenced by citizenship orientations, the current level of physical and psychological stress, and a subjective evaluation of life recovery. The results were as follows: (1) Those families that exhibited high cohesion and a clear leadership structure in the emergency period were more functional than others. (2) Those families that reported a balanced level of cohesion and adaptability during the recovery period were the most functional in promoting present individual recovery and in alleviating current stress. (3) The rise of civic-mindedness was observed among those who survived the disaster. (4) Those with high civic-mindedness tend to be better recovered with less current physical and psychological stress. This paper presented a human ecological model that described the relationships among five components: (1) the earthquake hazard, (2) built environment conditions such as disruption of the lifeline and its recovery, (3) opportunity costs for engaging in exchanges with either basic-trust-based ties or social-trust-based ties, (4) the optimal family system adjustment to corresponding exchange relations, and (5) adaptive construction of new social reality.     

Walk-in Together: A pilot study of a walk-in online family therapy intervention

Many Australians are requiring mental health care, including families, leading to long wait times in order to access support. Walk-in therapy reduces barriers to mental health support services by providing support at the time that families seek help. This paper presents a proof-of-concept study investigating the acceptability and short-term effectiveness of an online walk-in family therapy service, Walk-in Together (WIT). Part 1 of the paper describes the experiences of 44 family members from 22 families who presented to a public family therapy clinic for a virtual walk-in family therapy session. The session was conducted by a team of three experienced family therapists. Family members' experiences were sought pre-session, post-session, and at 6 weeks follow-up via survey and interview. Part 2 of the paper explores therapist perceptions (n = 7) of the WIT approach, through thematic analysis of semi-structured interview data. Post-session feedback showed 85% of family members found WIT to be helpful and 50% were optimistic about their future as a family after their WIT session. Six weeks post-session it was revealed that WIT supported planning for families in equipping them to move forward with 88% of family members reporting that they knew what to do after the session. All therapists uniformly experienced the model as offering a timely and beneficial service, suitable for diverse presentations and constellations of families. These preliminary results suggest the significant utility of this WIT intervention as a well-received and helpful service for families, who valued the easy access and rapid therapeutic response afforded by the online, walk-in delivery model. This proof-of-concept paper suggests the potential for further development and growth of WIT, as well as other mental health support services using a walk-in, telehealth model to meet the rising demand for therapeutic support for families in distress.