A community based approach to clinical services for children of substance abusers

This paper presents children of substance abusing parents as incurring risk factors that place many in need of social work intervention. The strength of this approach lies in integrating community resources as sources of corrective emotional experiences in clinical intervention.     

Autocorrelation in real-time continuous monitoring of microenvironments

Interpretation of continuous measurements in microenvironmental studies and exposure assessments can be complicated by autocorrelation, the implications of which are often not fully addressed. We discuss some statistical issues that arose in the analysis of microenvironmental particulate matter concentration data collected in 1998 by the Harvard School of Public Health. We present a simulation study that suggests that Generalized Estimating Equations, a technique often used to adjust for autocorrelation, may produce inflated Type I errors when applied to microenvironmental studies of small or moderate sample size, and that Linear Mixed Effects models may be more appropriate in small-sample settings. Environmental scientists often appeal to longer averaging times to reduce autocorrelation. We explore the functional relationship between averaging time, autocorrelation, and standard errors of both mean and variance, showing that longer averaging times impair statistical inferences about main effects. We conclude that, given widely available techniques that adjust for autocorrelation, longer averaging times may be inappropriate in microenvironmental studies.     

Heterogeneity and union membership determination

This paper formalizes theoretical and empirical analyses of the determination of union membership. It is argued that an important (and usually ignored) consideration affecting the union status of workers is the externalities between (potential) union members: The gain a worker derives from unionization is affected by the characteristics of the workers who already belong to the union, and the gain union members derive from admitting an additional worker to membership depends on that worker’s characteristics. Thus, two conditions must hold if a worker is to join a union: (1) unionization should increase his wage, and (2) union members must benefit from adding him. The main implication of this analysis is that in a given industry/occupation a union is more likely to form among workers withlower rents. To test this proposition, I present an empirical analysis using data from the May 1979 Current Population Survey (CPS) Public Use Sample. A procedure for measuring worker’s rent is discussed and certain relationships between rent and union membership are identified. I am most indebted to Finis Welch for many valuable comments and suggestions throughout the preparation of this study. I have also benefited from comments made by Mark Killingsworth, Kevin Murphy, Mark Plant, the editor of this journal, and an anonymous referee. The generous availability of the computer facilities at Unicon Research Corporation is appreciated.     

Borderline daughters: An optimal configuration for their growth

A significant majority of patients with borderline personality disorder, in a long-term psychiatric hospital for adolescents, had been the daughters of younger middle class mothers (14–20) with fathers absent since birth or before age 5. This family configuration is optimal for the growth of a symbiotic mother-daughter relationship and the identity disorder prevalent in borderline patients. The similar histories of these patients are examined. They can be described in two categories: those who combine precocious sexuality with infantile behavior and a smaller group with a somewhat masculine pseudo-mature identity. The first group usually attempts to retreat to the father, has clinging, dependent relationships with males, sexually acts out and is at a very high risk for pregnancy and a repetition of the mothers' lives.This paper was presented at the American Association of Psychiatric Services for Children, Las Vegas, Nevada, March, 1986.Mr. Levy is at Wesleyan University     

Examining outpatient health care utilization among adults with severe or profound intellectual disabilities living in an urban setting: a brief snap shot

The present study examined the health status and outpatient health care utilization among 52 adults with severe or profound intellectual disabilities (IDs) living with their families or in group homes in New York City. Bivariate and regression analyses among demographic variables, medical conditions, health care utilization, and type of living situation were conducted. Findings indicate that demographic factors and health statuses were similar regardless of living situation, except for age and the presence of Down Syndrome, that is, younger people and people with Down Syndrome were more likely to live with family than in group homes. The results indicated that regardless of where they lived, individuals had high rates (70%) of overweight/obesity. The mean number of internal medicine, specialty medicine, nursing, and total clinic visits were significantly higher for those living in group homes compared to those living with their families. The findings and their implications are discussed with respect to social work policy and practice.     

Discounted Stochastic Games With No Stationary Nash Equilibrium: Two Examples

We present two examples of discounted stochastic games, each with a continuum of states, finitely many players, and actions, that possess no stationary equilibria. The first example has deterministic transitions—an assumption undertaken in most of the early applications of dynamics games in economics—and perfect information, and does not possess even stationary approximate equilibria or Markovian equilibria. The second example satisfies, in addition to stronger regularity assumptions, that all transitions are absolutely continuous with respect to a fixed measure—an assumption that has been widely used in more recent economic applications. This assumption has been undertaken in several positive results on the existence of stationary equilibria in special cases, and in particular, guarantees the existence of stationary approximate equilibria.     

Estimation and tests of hypotheses for the initial mean and covariance in the kalman filter model

Kalman filtering techniques are widely used by engineers to recursively estimate random signal parameters which are essentially coefficients in a large-scale time series regression model. These Bayesian estimators depend on the values assumed for the mean and covariance parameters associated with the initial state of the random signal. This paper considers a likelihood approach to estimation and tests of hypotheses involving the critical initial means and covariances. A computationally simple convergent iterative algorithm is used to generate estimators which depend only on standard Kalman filter outputs at each successive stage. Conditions are given under which the maximum likelihood estimators are consistent and asymptotically normal. The procedure is illustrated using a typical large-scale data set involving 10-dimensional signal vectors.     

Computer experiments: a review

In this paper we provide a broad introduction to the topic of computer experiments. We begin by briefly presenting a number of applications with different types of output or different goals. We then review modelling strategies, including the popular Gaussian process approach, as well as variations and modifications. Other strategies that are reviewed are based on polynomial regression, non-parametric regression and smoothing spline ANOVA. The issue of multi-level models, which combine simulators of different resolution in the same experiment, is also addressed. Special attention is given to modelling techniques that are suitable for functional data. To conclude the modelling section, we discuss calibration, validation and verification. We then review design strategies including Latin hypercube designs and space-filling designs and their adaptation to computer experiments. We comment on a number of special issues, such as designs for multi-level simulators, nested factors and determination of experiment size.     

Attachment‐Based Family Therapy With a 13‐Year‐Old Girl Presenting With High Risk for Suicide

This article describes the application of Attachment‐Based Family Therapy (ABFT) to the treatment of a 13‐year‐old female adolescent presenting with high risk of suicide, complicated by a history of depression and sexual trauma. The article begins with an overview of ABFT, including (a) how attachment theory guides treatment; (b) the structure of the clinical model; and (c) the data that provide empirical support. A case example is then presented that exemplifies the primary clinical procedures used to reach therapeutic goals in ABFT, including attachment repair and autonomy/competence promotion. Weekly changes in suicide ideation and depression scores are presented. The article concludes with a discussion about implications for family‐based treatment of suicidal youth.