Reporting and Validating Research Findings Through Reconstructed Stories

This paper describes the use of and reasons why reconstructed stories were used as a method of presenting and validating the findings from the interview data with visually impaired people obtained from Enfield Vision Research Project, into the needs of visually impaired people resident in the London Borough of Enfield. In order to present and validate the findings of the first 20 interviews the researchers organised a group respondent validation event. The researchers orally presented the findings in the form of reconstructed stories. These stories encompassed a number of themes and sub-themes that had emerged from the analysis. The attendees were separated into two groups to discuss the stories. Thirty-seven of the 90 visually impaired research participants attended the event. The research participants felt that the stories were an effective method in presenting and communicating the research findings. They also confirmed the credibility of the findings, and thereby dependability and confirmability were also achieved. The use of reconstructed stories is a novel, user friendly and effective method of presenting and validating qualitative research data, and is particularly suitable method when the respondents have visual difficulties.     

The Partisan Paradox: Religious Commitment and the Gender Gap in Party Identification

A large body of scholarly literature points to the growing influenceof religious devotion on U.S. partisanship. This article attemptsto reconcile the growing religious commitment cleavage in theAmerican party system with the commensurate growth in the gendergap. If women are, on average, more religiously devout thanmen, and if contemporary shifts in partisanship are disproportionatelyfounded on religious and cultural cleavages, then why are womenmore likely to identify with the Democratic Party? I pose threepossible explanations for this apparent paradox: (1) that theinfluence of religion is only considerable among the most committed;(2) that men and women politicize their religious beliefs indifferent ways; and (3) that gender differences in opinion onnonreligious issues sustain the partisan gap, over and abovethe conservative influence of religiosity. Findings from structuralequation analyses demonstrate that religious devotion affectsthe politics of men and women in similar ways. Religious commitmentaffects partisan choices but does not override the powerfuleffects of gender. Gender differences in support for the socialwelfare state and the preeminence of social welfare opinionin the partisan calculus of men and women largely explain thepersistence of the gender gap.     

A comparison of tests for trend with historical controls in carcinogen bioassay

ABSTRACT Tests for trend in tumour response rates with increasing dose in long-term laboratory studies of carcinogenicity that take into account historical control information are discussed. The theoretical basis for these tests is described, and their small-sample properties evaluated using computer simulation. The performance of these tests is also evaluated using data from carcinogenicity experiments conducted under the U.S. National Toxicology Program. Based on these results, recommendations are made as to the most appropriate tests in practice. When the assumptions underlying these tests are satisfied, the use of historical control information is shown to result in an increase in power relative to the classical Cochran-Armitage test that is widely used without historical controls.     

Movement Differences between Deliberate and Spontaneous Facial Expressions: Zygomaticus Major Action in Smiling

Previous research suggests differences in lip movement between deliberate and spontaneous facial expressions. We investigated within participant differences between deliberately posed and spontaneously occurring smiles during a directed facial action task. Using automated facial image analysis, we quantified lip corner movement during periods of visible Zygomaticus major activity. Onset and offset speed, amplitude of movement, and offset duration were greater in deliberate smiles. In contrast to previous results, however, lip corner movement asymmetry was not greater in deliberate smiles. Observed characteristics of deliberate and spontaneous smiling may be related to differences in the typical context and purpose of the facial signal. Karen L. Schmidt, Zara Ambadar, Jeffrey F. Cohn, and L. Ian Reed are affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. Jeffrey F. Cohn is also affiliated with the Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. This research was supported by NIMH Grants MH15279 and 167376 to Karen L. Schmidt, and NIMH Grant MH 51435 to Jeffrey F. Cohn. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Adena Zlochower in digitizing videotape used in this analysis and Rachel Levenstein in the analysis of data described in this paper. Address correspondence to Karen L. Schmidt, University of Pittsburgh, 121 University Pl, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA; E-mail: kschmidt@pitt.edu     

THE VOICES OF CHILDREN: PREADOLESCENT CHILDREN'S EXPERIENCES IN FAMILY THERAPY

Although family therapists often include children in therapy sessions, they rarely consider the child's wishes regarding participation or ask children for their impressions of therapy. In this study, 16 children between the ages of 5 and 13 who had participated in at least four family therapy sessions were interviewed to determine their perspectives on the experience. The children made it clear that they wished to be involved in a meaningful way in therapy and that they wanted to come to sessions even when they were not the focus. Feedback from these children is used to suggest ways family therapists might enhance their effectiveness with families with children.     

Widening our knowledge concerning young looked after children: the case for research using sociological models of childhood

The Assessment and Action framework for looked after children, designed to improve outcomes for all children in public care and those at home on care orders, is now well established in the UK. This paper offers a critical evaluation of the framework by examining the model of childhood upon which it is premised and by exploring its relationship to children's rights as conceptualized in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). It will be argued that the particular child development model which underpins the framework addresses the rights of looked after children to protection and provision but does not allow for their participation rights to be sufficiently addressed. A critical review of the research concerning the education and health of looked after children is used to illustrate these points. It will be argued that what are missing are the detailed accounts of looked after children themselves. It is concluded that there is a need for the development of additional research approaches premised upon sociological models of childhood. These would allow for a greater engagement with the participation rights of this group of children and complement the pre‐existing research agenda.     

Organ Donation and Transplantation in India: An Inquiry in Kerala

Until recently, financial incentive was the prime motivation in transplantation of kidneys from nonrelated living donors in India. Prior to the Human Organ Transplantation Act of 1994, it was legal in all states of India to purchase and merchandise organs, eliminating the opportunity for black markets currently created by the enormous demand for organs. Eight years later, the question remains on how if at all The Act has changed the way organ donation is viewed and conducted in India. This study reveals attitudes and beliefs about organ donation in India from the perspectives of the doctors and the public. Interviewees expressed concerns and fears over the implementation of The Act. Mistrust of the medical profession and concerns about illegal buying and selling of organs were some major issues brought forth by the public. Additional issues were the need for public education, advertisement, and role models to promote organ donation in India. All interviewees had prior knowledge of organ donation and did not require explanation of the concept. No one interviewed was opposed to organ donation. Many participants were aware of organ donation through Ashwaria Roy, a former Miss World who does advertising campaigns promoting cornea donation in India.