Social-professional status, identity, social participation and media utilization. Analysis of a complex dynamics

This article examines the link between the domain and level of occupation, on the one hand, and use of media, including internet, on the other. It adds to this investigation an analysis of identity in its relation to media use and accessibility. It challenges the hypothesis of a strong correlation between level of occupation and use and accessibility to media. It reveals complex phenomena of social homogenization and differentiation. Data is extracted from a sample of workers who completed a questionnaire which focused on use of media.     

Computationally simple estimation and improved efficiency for special cases of double truncation

Doubly truncated survival data arise when event times are observed only if they occur within subject specific intervals of times. Existing iterative estimation procedures for doubly truncated data are computationally intensive (Turnbull 38:290–295, 1976; Efron and Petrosian 94:824–825, 1999; Shen 62:835–853, 2010a). These procedures assume that the event time is independent of the truncation times, in the sample space that conforms to their requisite ordering. This type of independence is referred to as quasi-independence. In this paper we identify and consider two special cases of quasi-independence: complete quasi-independence and complete truncation dependence. For the case of complete quasi-independence, we derive the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator in closed-form. For the case of complete truncation dependence, we derive a closed-form nonparametric estimator that requires some external information, and a semi-parametric maximum likelihood estimator that achieves improved efficiency relative to the standard nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator, in the absence of external information. We demonstrate the consistency and potentially improved efficiency of the estimators in simulation studies, and illustrate their use in application to studies of AIDS incubation and Parkinson’s disease age of onset.     

Women's abuse of their children in the context on domestic violence: reflection from women's accounts

This paper draws upon the findings of a study that looked at women's experiences of mothering in the context of co-occurrence of domestic violence and child abuse, and considers the issue of women's violence towards children – while acknowledging the fact that men are the main perpetrators of violence towards women and children in these families. The paper first explores the relationship between women's victimization and women's violence, and suggests that women's abuse of their children can be seen as a consequence of their own experiences of domestic violence. The findings nonetheless suggest that abused women have agency, and therefore have responsibilities when they chose to use violence towards their children. The paper also considers the feelings of guilt and blame that tend to arise in these circumstances. Implications for research, policy and practice are identified.     

Rising food security concerns among New Zealand adolescents and association with health and wellbeing

The current paper explores recent changes in food insecurity among adolescents and determine if food security concerns are associated with poorer wellbeing. Data were collected as part of two nationally representative surveys of the health and wellbeing of high-school students in New Zealand in 2007 and 2012. In 2012, 11% of young people reported food security concerns often or always, with 33% reporting food security concerns occasionally/sometimes. The prevalence of food security concerns at both frequencies increased significantly from 2007 (8% and 28%, respectively). Young people with food security concerns were more likely to report poor indicators of health and wellbeing, including truancy, poor general health, mental health concerns and obesity. Our findings highlight the growing concerns of food insecurity reported by adolescents in New Zealand. Interventions that address food security for families may provide a tangible means of promoting the healthy development of children and young people.     

Towards an integrated model of leadership and self regulation

Most organizations strive to recruit employees who can accommodate unpredictable changes, demonstrate adaptability, and interact effectively with a diversity of individuals. Nevertheless, recent advances in self regulation imply that leaders can instead cultivate such qualities in employees rather than merely attract individuals with these capacities. This paper delineates some of the leadership characteristics and behaviors that could diminish the fragility of employees to foster these qualities. First, a framework is developed that integrates four theories of self regulation—self discrepancy theory, personality systems interaction theory, optimal self esteem, and self salience. Second, this framework is applied to demonstrate how fragility undermines adaptive performance. Finally, this framework is used to show how many leadership constructs, such as self sacrificing, moral management, and transformational behavior, can curb this fragility and thus improve adaptive performance.     

Special Considerations in the Treatment of College Students With Bipolar Disorder

Abstract

Bipolar disorder is a relatively common mental disorder that often has its onset during the college years. This means that students simultaneously face both the challenge of late adolescent development and the challenge of adapting to a major mental illness. As a further complication, the college environment is not well suited to the kinds of lifestyle changes that add stability to the lives of people with bipolar disorder. Treatment involves establishing an alliance, education about lifestyle changes, aiding adaptation to the illness, careful medication to minimize side effects, and loosening the affective constriction that can result from fear of relapse. Both the health care provider and student can use the culture of learning and self-discovery in the college setting to the treatment's benefit. As well, the provider can use the time-limited nature of college to lessen ambivalence about making long-term changes.     

Mistreatment of Older People in the United Kingdom: Findings from the First National Prevalence Study

There have been few national studies of the prevalence of elder mistreatment (abuse and neglect) in private households. This article provides an overview of the UK National Prevalence Study of Elder Mistreatment that took place in 2006. It addressed 2,111 respondents in four countries who answered a face-to-face survey questionnaire. The achieved sample was weighted to be representative of the UK older population. Of respondents, 2.6% reported mistreatment by family members, close friends, or care workers. The predominant type of reported mistreatment was neglect (1.1%) followed by financial abuse (0.6%), with 0.4% of respondents reporting psychological abuse, 0.4% physical abuse, and 0.2% sexual abuse. Women were significantly more likely to have experienced mistreatment than men, but there were gender differences according to type of abuse and perpetrator characteristics. Divergent patterns were found for neglect, financial, and interpersonal abuse. Further analysis of the data indicated that the likelihood of mistreatment varied with socioeconomic position and health status.     

POSTCOLONIALISM AND GLOBALIZATION: TOWARDS A HISTORICIZATION OF THEIR INTER-RELATION

This article distinguishes between critical and reconciliatory postcolonialisms, arguing that the former seeks radical alternatives to modernity based on non-Western traditions and lifeways, while the latter works to reconcile colonized peoples to colonialism. It argues further that the category of globalization has, for the most part, superceded that of 'postcolonialism' and that critical postcolonialism needs to be seen not simply as globalization's enemy but (in part) as its effect. That is, globalization and critical postcolonialism have a weakly dialectical relation, a case made by examining the recent Maori renaissance in New Zealand. What are the implications of this way of thinking for history? By examining two late eighteenth century texts, Ossian's poems and Sir William Chambers' 'A Dissertation on Oriental Gardening', the article suggests that the histories of globalization and postcolonialism have always been intertwined.     

Do Stepparents Experience More Parental Antagonism Than Biological Parents? A Test of Evolutionary and Socialization Perspectives

Research regarding the affective experiences of stepparents is sparse. This study investigated the relationship between parental type (step or biological) and parental socioemotional investment, resentment, and jealousy. The study explored whether evolutionary or socialization accounts of parenting were able to explain the differential treatment of step and biological children. The pattern of findings—that stepparents generally exhibit lower parental socioemotional investment and higher parental resentment and parental jealousy than biological parents—suggests that stepparental antagonism might be due to differences in innate motivations of step and biological parents. Implications for research, theory, and practice are discussed.