Latin America and the Caribbean Revisited: Pathways for Research

This introductory article on Third sector research on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) was designed with two objectives in mind. The first, to present readers with a general up to date of the political, economic, and social overview as well as an actualized context of the region, intending to show the needs and trends that individuals and civil society organizations have experienced in the past 20 years by underlining some main advances and shortcomings for LAC. This was done with the intent and idea to provide the understanding of the issues that require attention to be approached in a scholarly and interdisciplinary fashion with a Third sector studies lens. The second was to present a series of pertinent original articles placed into three distinct axis or categories that correspond distinctively to major trends identified by the guest editors of this special issue as social inclusion and development, human rights and public policies and governance of Third sector organizations. The article clearly introduces original material by fourteen specialists in Third sector research who provide results on an ample and wide range of studies and theoretical analysis of this particular region of the world.     

In search of academic legitimacy: The current state of scholarship on graffiti and street art

Much has changed since the 1960s when the first scholarship on contemporary graffiti appeared. The current paper is an attempt to outline and contextualize a number of recurrent challenges facing researchers of graffiti and street art, as well as developments that have taken place in this scholarly field. The aim of creating this outline is to assist in increasing the amount, and improving the quality, of future scholarship on graffiti and street art. We recognize, however, that although many of the challenges have at one time seemed insurmountable, over time they have lessened as graffiti and street art have grown as art movements, and because a small cadre of tenacious scholars focusing on graffiti and street art has published and taught in this area. An increasing, though limited, number of academic venues focused on graffiti and street art scholarship has slowly emerged. We also recognize that with increased scholarship that has laid the foundation, new avenues to explore graffiti and street art have become apparent.     

Exploring the Relationship Between Experiential Avoidance,Alcohol Use Disorders,and Alcohol-Related Problems Among First-Year College Students

Abstract

Objective: This study explored the relationship of experiential avoidance (eg, the tendency to avoid, suppress, or otherwise control internal experiences even when doing so causes behavioral harm) to alcohol use disorders and alcohol-related problems. Participants: Cross-sectional data were collected from 240 undergraduate college students in their first year in college between December 2009 and April 2010. Methods: Participants completed a diagnostic interview and online self-report survey. Results: Students with a history of alcohol abuse or dependence had significantly higher levels of experiential avoidance relative to students with no alcohol use disorder diagnosis. A hierarchical linear regression analysis found that experiential avoidance significantly predicted alcohol-related problems, even after controlling for gender and psychological distress. Furthermore, experiential avoidance mediated the relationship of psychological distress to alcohol-related problems. Conclusions: These findings suggest that experiential avoidance may play a role in problematic alcohol use among college students.     

Measuring well-being dispersion on discrete rating scales

Social Indicators Research - Average levels of well-being across countries and time periods have been reported widely over the years as one of the measures that go beyond the Gross Domestic...     

Developing a Social Capital Index for the Netherlands

This paper integrates a set of independent social capital indicators into one index by using structural equation modeling (SEM) based on partial least squares estimation (PLS). The social capital index consists of two dimensions: participation and trust. In each of the two dimensions, three levels are distinguished: social (micro), organizational (meso), and political (macro). The main objectives of the index are to: (1) provide a coherent overview of social capital in the Netherlands; (2) monitor social capital over time; and (3) compare subpopulations. A broad spectrum of indicators is included, however, these are only weakly correlated and consequently treated as distinct. Therefore, traditional index development methods such as factor analysis and reflective modeling cannot be applied. Consequently, formative modeling in which the indicators are specified as causes rather than as effects is used. We employ the Permanent Survey on Living Conditions 2009 (POLS), administered face-to-face to 7,560 respondents in the Netherlands. We find that the index predicts well-being and health, which demonstrates nomological validity. Subsequently, bootstrapping is conducted to test the robustness of the index. And the 2009 index is replicated based on the 2010 POLS data. The replication shows that the 2009 model is relatively stable and results are robust. Finally, the model is extended by including volunteering and informal help, which changes the model but the results remain largely the same. This index, which is shown to be valid and robust, contributes to a further understanding of the concept of social capital.     

Results of a Social Norm Intervention to Prevent Binge Drinking Among First-year Residential College Students

Abstract

The effects of a primary prevention social norm intervention on binge drinking among 1st-year residential college students were examined. Six hundred thirty-four students attending a medium-sized public university in the South were randomly assigned to receive a two-phase social norm intervention or the standard campus psychoeducational prevention program. At posttest, no differences were found between intervention and control group students on any of the alcohol use and alcohol-use risk factor measures. Significant subgroup differences were found by stage of initiating binge drinking behaviors, for frequency of alcohol use, F(3, 507) = 3.69, p = .01; quantity of alcohol use, F(3, 507) = 2.51, p = .05; and social norms, F(3, 505) = 2.53, p = .05. These findings suggest the need for tailoring social norm binge drinking interventions to students' stage of initiating heavy drinking and carefully monitoring for potential negative, as well as positive, effects of norm-based prevention messages.     

Community Aged Care Case Managers Transitioning to Consumer Directed Care: More Than Procedural Change Required

Abstract

Consumer directed care (CDC) is increasing in community aged care. However, limited information is available to successfully transition social workers and other case managers to their new role. This paper reports on a case study of six senior case managers who supervised staff in three Australian community-aged care agencies as they transitioned from agency directed care to consumer directed care. A change management framework was used to analyse the qualitative data collected in 12 semistructured interviews. A key finding is that changes in values, attitudes, and organisational culture are needed before staff can fully implement CDC principles of service user self-determination, empowerment, and choice. Process changes needed to assist staff transition to CDC are: using a change management strategy that maximises certainty; monitoring and responding to feelings of anxiety through ongoing consultations; and providing ongoing education and support in group sessions.     

Community Readiness Assessment: The Scoring Process Revisited

The Community Readiness Model is an innovative and widely embraced approach to determining a community's stage of readiness to address a particular community issue and match that stage with an appropriate intervention. The current study used this approach in five communities experiencing cancer health disparities. In each community, leaders were interviewed and their qualitative data scored to determine the community's stage of readiness. Two methods of triangulation, investigator and interdisciplinary, were used to increase the scoring process's rigor. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the consensus portion of the scoring process, these meetings were content analyzed. The results have important implications for scoring team composition, provide insight into consensus reaching strategies, and offer recommendations for addressing potential challenges.     

The Role of Group Member Affect in the Relationship between Trust and Cooperation

It is widely acknowledged that trust greatly affects work group functioning. Whereas trust may facilitate cooperation, distrust may impede it. Insight into when distrusters may be prompted to cooperate may therefore be of importance. Empirical studies point to several moderators of the effect of trust on cooperation. Unfortunately, these studies largely ignored the potential role of group member affect. Our study shows that group members' affective displays (particularly the activation level of the displays) have a substantial impact on the relationship between trust and cooperation. First, a scenario experiment (n=80) revealed that low trusting individuals were more willing to cooperate when confronted with group members who display high (versus low) activation affective states, whereas for more high trusting individuals cooperation was not contingent on other group members' affective displays. Second, a laboratory experiment (n=78), employing a social dilemma paradigm, replicated these findings and indicated that this effect is explained by the extent to which others are expected to cooperate. The discussion focuses on theoretical implications and managerial ramifications. Our study testifies to the significant role that affect may play in keeping up cooperation in organizations and work groups when trust is withering.