How Many Bytes Does It Take? A Content Analysis of Cyber Issues in Couple and Family Therapy Journals

In the fifteen years since the explosion of the Internet, using cyber technology for work and social functions has exponentially increased. Yet, questions around how to manage such changes remain elusive in family therapy literature. In this investigation, we conducted a content analysis to determine to what extent marriage/couple and family therapy (M/CFT) journals have responded to the integration of the Internet in couple and family life. We found 79 of 13,274 articles across seventeen journals focused on the Internet in some capacity. Implications for clinical practice, training, and future research are discussed. Video Abstract     

Substantive Meanings of Missing Data in Family Research: Does “Don't Know” Matter?

In this article we analyze “don't know” responses from three sources of longitudinal data: the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 14,528), the National Survey of Families and Households (n = 5,488), and the National Health Interview Survey Second Longitudinal Study of Aging (n = 1,131). We asked whether these responses are meaningful in family research, and, if so, how evaluating these responses can contribute to the development of theory, the discovery of novel findings, and identification of sensible methods for analyzing these nebulous responses. We found that “don't know” responses to questions about family members predicted less educational attainment, poor marital quality, and earlier mortality. Results suggest that this response category may have substantive meanings rather than indicating neutral responses or being missing data.     

Still Among the Missing? A Content Analysis of LGBT Articles in Social Work Journals, 1998–2009

In 2002, Van Voorhis and Wagner published an article that examined how often, between 1988 and 1997, four major social work journals published content on gay and lesbian people. This content analysis is a follow-up to the previous one to see if the findings were different when the same four journals were examined between 1998 and 2009. As with the Van Voorhis and Wagner study, articles were coded depending upon their focus on HIV/AIDS and the gay community or other issues impacting gays and lesbians. Similarly, articles were coded depending on whether they focused on the client, worker, or macro system. This study found a decrease in the number of same-sex articles from 77 in the first analysis to only 50 in the present one. Furthermore, there was a decrease of almost 90% in the number of articles on HIV/AIDS, from 51 to 5. Van Voorhis and Wagner indicated that social work educators would not be able to easily find gay and lesbian content if they had to rely only on the four major journals. This study reaches a similar conclusion.     

A Family in the Porcelain City

IN Jingdezhen, the Porcelain City of China, people began to make porcelain during the Han dynasties (206 B.C.-220 A.D.). Jingdezhen is world renowned for its innumerable superb porcelain products. One type is blue and white porcelain with a red underglaze. Legend has it that the humorous King of Fire liked to play jokes with the red underglaze. When the temperature of the kiln is slightly different, the red underglaze will become brown, yellow, grey or black; sometimes it will even vanish. In other     

New Approaches to Agricultural Research?

Book reviewed in this article: Agricultural Research and Technology Transfer. By I. Arnon Farmer First: Farmer Innovation and Agricultural Research. Edited by Robert Chambers, Arnold Pacey and Lori-Ann Thrupp Gender Issues in Farming Systems Research and Extension. Edited by Susan V. Poats, Marianne Schmink and Anita Spring Extension Science: Information Systems in Agricultural Development. By Niels Röling     

Research Articles in Australian Social Work from 1998–2007: A Content Analysis

Abstract

With the rise of evidence-based practice, there have been calls in social work for practice research that examines the efficacy of its interventions. For the present paper, the authors conducted a content analysis of all articles published in Australian Social Work in the period from 1998 to 2007 to examine the nature of published research and evaluation. Of the 313 articles, 138 (45%) reported on research findings. Of these, only six articles involved practice evaluation or testing of an instrument, but there were positive signs of a developing empirical research culture primarily utilising a qualitative approach or mixed methods studies. The authors suggest that there is a need for more research on social work interventions, a more conscious decision by the profession about its attitude to evidence-based practice (EBP), specific directions for research education, and greater rigour in reporting all types of research studies, but particularly qualitative studies.     

What Habituates in Infant Visual Habituation? A Psychophysiological Analysis

Despite the use of visual habituation over the past half century, relatively little is known about its underlying processes. We analyzed heart rate (HR) taken simultaneous with looking during infant‐controlled habituation sessions collected longitudinally at 4, 6, and 8 months of age with the goal of examining how HR and HR‐defined phases of attention change across habituation. There were four major findings. First, the depth and topography of decelerations and proportion of sustained attention (SA) did not vary across habituation at any age, which suggested (in contrast to the tenets of comparator theory) the persistence of substantial cognitive activity at the end of visual habituation. Second, attention termination (AT) robustly declined across trials, suggesting that, contrary to prior thinking, AT might be a sensitive indicant of visual learning. Third, infants at all ages showed an HR increase (startle) to stimulus onset on the first trial, the magnitude of which was associated with subsequent delayed HR deceleration and less SA; thus, stimulus events affect processing during trials. Finally, mean overall HR reliably increased across trials for all ages. This last finding implies the need to distinguish between “phasic” HR changes (e.g., decelerations during looks) and longer term “tonic” HR changes (mean increases across trials) during habituation, and raises the question of what processes the tonic increases might reflect within the habituation paradigm.     

Growing Up in a “WE” Family

SUMMARY

When couples choose to parent as a unit (the couple as WE) rather than as autonomous individuals, they and their children both benefit. The current article details some ways that parents can further expand their “couple as WE” into a “family as WE” with active parents and socially perceptive children. The article also discusses ways that family members can start and maintain a family dialogue.     

Nothing to Fear? Thoughts on the History of Family Therapy and the Potential Contribution of Research

The aim of this plenary address is to advocate for the role that research can play in family therapy, with particular reference to our future as a field in Australia. I will argue: 1) that we have been in transition as a field in the past 15 years or so, from a fairly closed system, to one that is more amenable to holding itself to account through research; 2) that we hold a number of misconceptions about research that need to be explored if we are to continue; 3) that we need to develop a research agenda that is consistent with our values and 4) that there are a host of research methodologies that are consistent with our epistemologies and modes of practice.     

What Motivates Gay and Bisexual Men to Participate in PrEP-Related Research?

Abstract

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been demonstrated effective at preventing HIV among key populations like gay and bisexual men (GBM). Yet, there remains a continued need to engage GBM in PrEP behavioral and clinical research (e.g., to monitor adherence and retention in the PrEP treatment cascade). Objectives: We report on the factors motivating GBM to participate in a PrEP behavioral study, with the aim of our results to inform future recruitment efforts for future PrEP research. Methods: In 2015–2016, 103 PrEP-using GBM in New York City completed qualitative interviews about their experiences on PrEP. Participants were also asked about factors that motivated them to join the study. Thematic analysis was used analyze the data. Results: We identified 5 salient themes as rationale for joining the study: 58.3% cited altruistic reasons, 32% reported intellectual curiosity in the subject matter, 30.1% indicated that remuneration inspired them, 18.4% indicated that familiarity or referral to the research institute influenced their decision. Conclusions: Researchers attempting to enroll PrEP-using GBM may benefit from attending to the altruistic and intellectually curious nature of this population. Further, researchers may benefit from establishing familiarity among diverse communities of GBM. This in turn may contribute to the successful engagement of GBM for PrEP research.     

Change in Parenting Behaviors from Infancy to Early Childhood: Does Change in Family Income Matter?

The current study intended to answer two main questions: First, do parenting behaviors change as family income changes? Second, if changes in family income are associated with changes in parenting behaviors, is this association different for families of various poverty statuses and ethnicities? Secondary data analyses were conducted using data from Phases I and II of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. The authors found family income increase to predict decreased maternal detachment and negative regard but bears no relation to maternal sensitivity or stimulation of development. Changes in family income also predicted changes in parenting behaviors especially strongly for poor, Hispanic and White families. Implications for parenting research and public policy are discussed.     

Will a Family Crisis Arise in China?

ACCORDING to information from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, in 1990, the number of divorced couples in China increased to 800,000—460,000 more than in 1980. The number more than doubled in just 10 years and will more likely increase rather than decrease.     

“Family? … Not Just Blood”: Discursive Constructions of “Family” in Adult,Former Foster Children’s Narratives

Framed by Relational Dialectics Theory, this study explores the ways adult, former foster children discursively construct meanings of “family.” Contrapuntal analysis of 24 interviews revealed two discourses as competing to constitute family: the Discourse of Family as Irreplaceable and Inescapable (Permanence) and the Discourse of Family as Performative Kinning (Performance). Permanence was constituted by themes of biology and historical connection, reifying normative understandings. Performance, comprised of role enactment, need for tolerance, and unconditional love, challenged the Permanence discourse. Throughout the narratives, Performance competed with Permanence for dominance, illustrating the cultural pervasiveness and power of Permanence yet, in some moments, privileging the marginalized Performance discourse. This discursive competition constructed meanings of family in narratives of life before, during, and after foster care. Overall, participant’s talk constructed complex webs of family relationships, allowing access to an important social institution—family—regardless of the presence/absence of culturally valued markers of family (e.g., biology, legality).     

A comment on Scott's “Black Polygamous Family Formation”

This brief article takes a critical look at Joseph W. Scott's article Black Polygamous Family Formation. While Scott's research is seen as helpful, several problems in his treatment of plural mating and marriage arrangements among Black Americans are discussed. Major conceptual problems are created by Scott's use (or misuse) of the concept polygyny. Significant methodological problems are also posed by his sampling approach, operationalization of concepts, and analytic strategies. Studies such as Scott's are of optimal value when their exploratory nature, and consequent limitation, are clearly acknowledged. Authors' Note: Please address inquiries or requests for reprints to: Walter R. Allen, Department of Sociology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109     

Can Family Policy Reduce Mothers’ Sick Leave Absence? A Causal Analysis of the Norwegian Paternity Leave Reform

This paper was motivated by the high absentee rate due to sickness among women and the assumption that mothers’ combination of gainful employment and family obligations may results in higher levels of sick leave absence. One popular policy used in Norway to encourage more equal sharing of domestic work between parents is paternity leave. Using Norwegian register data, we took advantage of the introduction of a Norwegian paternity leave reform in 1993 to empirically examine the importance of fathers’ involvement in childcare an attempt to explain the relationship between mothers’ stress in reconciling their work and family life and sick leave absence. Sick leave absence was measured in the number of days paid by the National Insurance Administration at 15 days and above. The reform raised the total leave period by 7 weeks, but reserved 4 weeks for the father. The reform process was fast, so all mothers were already pregnant at the time of the policy announcement. The results indicate that we can reject an effect of the paternity leave reform on mothers’ sick leave absence.