Variable subset selection for optimal regression prediction at a specified point

It is often desirable to select a subset of regression variables so as to maximise the accuracy of prediction at a pre-specified point. There are a variety of possible mean-square-error-type criteria which could be used to measure the accuracy of prediction and hence to select an optimal subset. We shall show how these can easily be included in existing stepwise regression codes. The performance of the criteria is compared on a data set, where it becomes obvious that not only do different criteria give rise to different subsets at the same prediction point, but the same criterion quite commonly gives rise to different subsets at different prediction points. Thus the choice of a criterion has a major effect on the subset selected, and so requires conscious selection.     

Parent and Child Therapy: An Attachment‐Based Intervention for Children With Challenging Problems

Parent and Child Therapy (PACT) is an attachment‐based intervention for children aged between 4 and 12 years old experiencing emotional and behavioural problems. It is appropriate for distressed parent—child relationships which have not responded to systemic family therapy. PACT seeks to reframe parent—child relationship distress using narrative techniques and experiential tasks based on the concept of supported looking. Therapy occurs in parallel for parent and child using a one‐way screen. PACT improves parents' reflective capacity and sensitivity, and for the child's sense of security in her primary attachment relationship. An outline of the four stages of PACT is presented along with a case study to illustrate the course of PACT. Finally, we discuss the dissemination of PACT within a busy child and adolescent mental health service and outline our plans for future outcome evaluation.     

Clustering objects on subsets of attributes (with discussion)

Summary.  A new procedure is proposed for clustering attribute value data. When used in conjunction with conventional distance-based clustering algorithms this procedure encourages those algorithms to detect automatically subgroups of objects that preferentially cluster on subsets of the attribute variables rather than on all of them simultaneously. The relevant attribute subsets for each individual cluster can be different and partially (or completely) overlap with those of other clusters. Enhancements for increasing sensitivity for detecting especially low cardinality groups clustering on a small subset of variables are discussed. Applications in different domains, including gene expression arrays, are presented.     

Young Men as Victims and Perpetrators of Violence in Northern Ireland: A Qualitative Analysis

This article explores issues of masculinity and violence in the lives of young men in disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland. Qualitative data were collected in four focus groups, one group of young men from the Catholic community, one group of young men from the Protestant community, one group of community representatives, and one group of Young Offenders ( N = 28). Themes were extracted from the data using a grounded approach. Results indicate that social disadvantage is fundamental to experiences of violence and that young men understand the costs and benefits of a masculine identity that incorporates a capacity for violence. Discussion suggests that initiatives to reduce violent behavior should be compatible with socially and culturally acceptable constructions of masculinity.     

Book reviews

Clinical Social Work Journal -     

The Bitter End: Emotions at a Movement's Conclusion

In Chile, not long after Pinochet stepped down, many shantytown women who had fought hard in the pro‐democracy movement felt very bitter. What explains this despondence, despite the positive outcome of their movement? This article addresses a question the social movement literature neglects: the question of how people feel when a movement ends. In doing so, it contributes to the literatures on movement decline and emotions in movements. I use ethnographic data from a year's fieldwork in Chile to suggest that at the end of a movement, even when it has succeeded in terms of achieving its goals, activists can feel disillusioned, disconnected, and abandoned.