Extending chipman's marl estimator to cases of ignorance in one or more parameter dimensions

In this note we examine the sense in which Chipman's (1964) minimum average risk linear (MARL) estimator can be extended to cases where a prior probability distribution on B in the linear model Y = XB + E is proper only on a set of linear combinations of having a smaller dimension than the dimension of the B parameter space. We define the estimator that can be considered MARL in the class of estimators for which the average risk matrix is defined. The MARL-type estimator then becomes operational in cases where there is ignorance about one or more dimensions of the parameter space.     

Making the Transition from Welfare to Work: Employment Experiences of CalWORKs Participants in the San Francisco Bay Area

ABSTRACT

This study describes welfare-to-work participants in the San Francisco Bay Area, support services, experiences with the CalWORKs program, and predictors of employment status in the wake of welfare reform. Findings indicate that many are working and more Stayers and Recidivists than Leavers are using food stamps and Medi-Cal. Multivariate analysis reveals that race and financial supports were the significant factors contributing to employability, defined as the ability to secure employment despite the need to supplement earned income with welfare payments. To help people stay off of welfare, case management services are needed to help participants maintain employment and increase job skills. In addition to expanding our understanding of human behavior within the social environment of poverty, implications for practice and policy are identified.     

Going Local: Working in Communities and Neighbourhoods Pierson,J.

This article addresses the development of a pedagogic model for teaching social work with groups. The model was developed against a backdrop of the reported decreasing status of social work with groups within the profession. The place of curiosity as a motivating factor in teaching social work with groups is explored and the role of the educator in fostering such interest is addressed.     

Trends in College Binge Drinking During a Period of Increased Prevention Efforts: Findings from 4 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study Surveys: 1993–2001

Abstract

The 2001 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study surveyed students at 119 4-year colleges that participated in the 1993, 1997, and 1999 studies. Responses in the 4 survey years were compared to determine trends in heavy alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, and encounters with college and community prevention efforts. In 2001, approximately 2 in 5 (44.4%) college students reported binge drinking, a rate almost identical to rates in the previous 3 surveys. Very little change in overall binge drinking occurred at the individual college level. The percentages of abstainers and frequent binge drinkers increased, a polarization of drinking behavior first noted in 1997. A sharp rise in frequent binge drinking was noted among students attending all-women's colleges. Other significant changes included increases in immoderate drinking and harm among drinkers. More students lived in substance-free housing and encountered college educational efforts and sanctions resulting from their alcohol use.     

College Students and Condom Attitude: Validation of the Multi-Factor Attitude toward Condoms Scale (MFACS)

Abstract

Objective: Sexually transmitted infections and the human immunodeficiency virus incidence rates remain high among college-aged individuals. This study examined the validity and reliability of the Multi-Factor Attitude toward Condoms Scale (MFACS). Participants: Participants were recruited from a large midwestern university during February and March 2009. Methods: Data were collected using in-class data collection with a test–retest design from undergraduate courses. A total of 442 surveys were collected during initial testing and 421 during retesting. Results: Reliability assessments indicated a sufficient Cronbach's alpha for the total scale (α = .805) and each subscale: affective (α = .790), perceived effectiveness (α = .795), and manageability (α = .751). Further analyses provide evidence of construct validity. Conclusions: The study reaffirmed the psychometric properties of the MFACS among a sample of college students. The MFACS provides a contemporary way to examine condom attitudes as sexual health research is moving beyond only disease prevention efforts.     

Peer 2 Peer: Efficacy of a Course-Based Peer Education Intervention to Increase Physical Activity Among College Students

Abstract

There are few physical activity (PA) interventions in higher education, and they have been only minimally effective. Objective: To determine if a course-based, peer education intervention was associated with increases in PA and physical fitness. Participants: Participants were 178 students enrolled in a personal health class during the 2007–2008 academic year. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to assess the effect of the intervention. Repeated measures analysis of covariance was employed to test the impact of the intervention on students’ PA, body composition, waist-to-hip ratio, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and muscular strength. Results: Women in the treatment group classified as “Inactive” at baseline increased PA, whereas “Inactive” control women had reductions in PA. Women in the treatment group who were “Active” at baseline reduced their waist-to-hip ratio and increased flexibility. There were no differences by treatment group among men. Conclusions: The intervention was effective in improving PA and physical fitness among college women.