Parents' searches for child care and the design of information services

This article reports selected findings from a study of the process by which urban parents search for child care. Analyses of interview data indicate that (a) parents used informal sources of information to a considerably greater extent than formal sources, (b) the general pattern was to begin the search with relatives and close friends and gradually move out to more peripheral ties, (c) there does not appear to be an effective informal system of neighbors or community persons who matched parents with child care providers, and (d) there was no single or several sources that were outstanding in effectiveness for a large proportion of parents. The article sets forth implications of these data for the design of child care information and referral services in urban settings.     

Developing and transferring behavioral technologies for children and youth

Behavioral researchers have developed a variety of technologies for improving the capacities of children and their caregivers. Despite the availability of behavioral technologies for children and youth, their widespread adoption and sustained use has been limited. Characteristics for appropriate (e.g., sustainable, effective) technologies for children and youth are suggested here, and strategies for research and development of these methods are described. This paper outlines the process of transferring behaviorial technologies including the phases of awareness, interest, assessment, trial, implementation, maintenance, and reinvention. Finally, issues implicit in the process of transferring behavioral technologies for children and youth are discussed.     

Educating handicapped children: The development of a special education ideology scale

The ideological belief system of actors who influence the direction of policies is an important dimension providing some estimate of a policy's feasibility. This paper, through the development and application of a Special Education Ideology (SEI) Scale, examines what a randomly selected group of local educational decision-makers in Massachusetts think regarding the education of handicapped children within the contexts of citizen/parent participation, intergovernmental relations, community/agency linkage, and normalization. Their belief system, and extent of mainstreaming in Massachusetts, are analyzed according to community type—urban, small city, suburban, and rural. With respect to Public Law 94–142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, implications and limitations of the SEI Scale are explored for education and human service professionals.     

The children of alcoholics: An exploratory study

This study explored the relation of parents alcoholism to the health, behavior, and learning problems of their children. To control for the impact of hospitalization on the children, two control samples were obtained. In general, the problems among children of alcoholics were the same as for children in the control group except in the area of behavioral problems. The implication of these results for further research and for clinical practice were discussed.     

The diversion of delinquent youth: family-frcused intervention

This paper describes the practices of the Adolescent Diversion Project and presents some research evaluating the program's effectiveness. The youth were referred to the project as an alternative to further court processing. These youth were randomly assigned to the project or to a control group which received treatment as usual by the court. Project youth were assigned to work with college undergraduates for 18 weeks. The two basic intervention techniques employed were behavioral contracting and advocacy. Project youth were further randomly assigned to one of two intervention conditions within the project. The Multi-Focus group applied the above strategies to a variety of social domains of the youth, while the Family Condition focused entirely on the family. Research results focused on standard outcome criteria (police, court, and school data) as well as on the degree to which the experimental conditions differed in practice.     

The use of the nominal group technique to isolate teacher job stressors

The nominal group technique, a small-group decision-making process which offers open and relatively unrestricted response to problem identification and resolution, was used as a means of identifying the major stressors of elementary school teachers and the concomitant solutions to their problems. Although the specific stressors that have been presented in this paper are not necessarily applicable to other school districts, the nominal group technique itself should be very useful in other school districts as well as in most any work setting.The active involvement of teachers in defining and solving their own problems is a critical aspect of the technique. Teachers, like most employees, will more actively solve problems and accept innovations if they can see some tangible benefit for themselves in doing so.“Intensity of work demands” was the most frequently mentioned job stressor and also received the highest combined ranking for the nine teacher groups. “Student misbehavior and lack of motivation” ranked a close second.     

Occupational stress management: Cognitive-behavioral approaches

Human service professionals have been identified as subject to burnout because of stress in the work environment. A number of theorists have emphasized the role of cognitions in psychological stress. Cognitive-behavioral programs which help individuals develop coping skills in order to increase ability to deal with job-related stress are reviewed. Implications for occupational stress management programs and directions for future research and evaluation in the area are discussed.     

The optimal treatment approach to needs assessment

This paper describes a needs assessment technique which has not been considered in previous discussions. Basically the Optimal Treatment approach to needs assessment consists of comparing the most desirable set of services for a client with the services actually recommended or received. Discrepancies due to unavailable resources are noted and aggregated across clients. Systematic shortcomings may be taken to represent service needs.The advantages and disadvantages of this and other procedures are considered, especially with respect to political factors and the utility of data for planning and decision making in the local agency context.     

Burnout among employees of state residential facilities serving developmentally disabled persons

This research was conducted to determine the prevalence of and variables associated with “burnout” among employees at state residential facilities serving the developmentally disabled. Fourteen heterogeneous facilities from 11 states participated. The sample consisted of 256 top level administrators, 244 direct care professionals, and 224 direct care workers. Subjects from the latter two categories were randomly selected. The results indicated that 15% of the sample were experiencing attitudinal, emotional, and physical exhaustion. Personal variables found to relate significantly to burnout were age, sex, and marital status. Four facility variables showed a significant relationship to burnout: turnover, decision levels, number of directors within the past five years, and fringe benefits. Work related variables showed significant correlations with burnout in 42 of 45 incidences, but none of them were substantial. The findings tend to support the idiosyncratic nature of stress at work which decreases the likelihood of finding a few variables which act as “common causes” of burnout. Results also suggest that the most dedicated, competent, and productive staff members are perhaps the most vulnerable to burnout.     

Institutional child abuse

Although various forms of child abuse have been extensively investigated, other forms of psychological and institutional abuse continue to exist. This paper will focus on a variety of experiences occurring in institutions and residential centers that, in effect, cause a variety of detrimental effects and harm to those in those agencies who are supposedly “in treatment.” The various forms of institutional abuse will be examined and ramifications and repercussions explored.     

Environmental assessment and evaluation research: examples from mental health and substance abuse programs.

Evaluation researchers have been broadening the traditional client input--"black box" treatment--client outcome paradigm that has guided many evaluations of mental health, substance abuse treatment, and other intervention programs. The points of expansion are in the areas of treatment implementation and treatment processes, as well as "extratreatment" influences on treatment selection, duration, and, especially, outcome. This review illustrates the application of environmental assessment procedures--particularly social climate measures--in four aspects of evaluation research suggested by the more comprehensive model: (a) evaluating treatment implementation; (b) exploring treatment processes; (c) identifying extratreatment influences on client posttreatment functioning; and (d) operationalizing outcome variables. Conceptual and methodological issues raised by these applications are discussed, and the benefits to be derived from an expanded model of evaluation research--especially the greater potential for program improvement--are considered.     

Computer simulation of adult sentencing proposals

Several legislative proposals have been introduced in the State of Washington which would alter sentencing procedures for adults convicted of felonies. A major policy concern is the degree to which such new legislation would impact population levels in an already overcrowded prison system. The Sentencing Alternatives Impact Simulation Project developed a series of computer simulation programs to model the sentencing proposals. Results of the simulations were made available to the Legislature and to planners for Adult Corrections. This article describes the major model developed, the data required to run it, and the results obtained from it under a variety of hypothetical conditions. It includes a discussion of the level of utilization made of the results, and some comments on the requirements for maximizing utilization in future simulation projects.     

The social “R & D” paradigm in child and youth services: Building knowledge convivially

Adaptation of agricultural and industrial research and development models offers new methods for bridging the worlds of research and practice in child and youth services. Social R & D methodologies provide effective means for generating new social technologies because they are product oriented and use a wide array of traditional and nontraditional data sources. This article discusses one social R & D paradigm—Developmental Research and Utilization. Permanency planning and community support systems research are used to illustrate the past and potential application of this methodology to the field of child and youth services.     

Theoretical and research considerations of burnout

As in any new area of investigation, the study of the phenomenon of burnout contains much potential benefit, especially to workers in helping/service professions; and it contains sources of error which may delay or distort understandings that are sorely needed. This paper identifies and explains many pitfalls and sources of error in developing theory and research about burnout. After discussing the limitations of the current definitions of burnout, the authors explore the ramifications of the most well supported definition. Specific suggestions are made for further investigation, especially in the area of individual characteristics and their interaction with the burnout phenomenon. Finally, methodologies most likely to yield solid, usable information for practitioners are discussed.     

Artifact in client satisfaction assessment: experience in community mental health settings

Artifact in client satisfaction assessment is discussed and the results of a study of three factors thought to mediate client satisfaction ratings; (a) general life satisfaction, (b) mode of administration, and (c) psychological symptomatology, are reported. A standard client satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ) was modified to yield parallel forms and was administered orally and in writing to 92 clients in two mental health day treatment programs. Satisfaction ratings obtained from these clients were quite similar to out-patient ratings obtained in previous studies conducted in this setting and using the same measures. Oral administration of the CSQ produced 10% higher satisfaction ratings than written administration (p less than .05) and less missing data (p less than .01). Satisfaction ratings were also obtained using a simple graphic instrument. Graphic ratings were comparable to CSQ ratings. Satisfaction with life in general and level of psychiatric symptoms together accounted for 25% of CSQ variance. The implication of these findings for future client satisfaction research is discussed.     

The marginal high school student: defining the problem and searching for policy

The central issue explored in this paper concerns those principles and objectives that should guide the formulation of policy aimed at the marginal high school student. Recent efforts to make these youth more employable through specialized and remedial programs are examined. After the general ineffectiveness of such programs is noted, an analysis is offered which links delinquency and adolescent development theory. The concept of adolescent social development is explored along with the effects of experiential education programs as a context for stimulating this development. Finally, to promote the use of programs which provide for adolescent social development, a policy of modified vouchers is advocated.