Access and accommodation in the Canadian welfare state: the political significance of contacts between state, labor and business leaders

J'examine dans les pages qui suivent la question de l'existence de contacts entre diverses élites, et l'importance politique de telles relations en termes de leur association avec l'appui ou l'opposition que ces élites apportent à certaines politiques sociales. J'utilise les données d'un sondage mené en 1977 auprès de 600 leaders canadiens, au sein du gouvernement et des secteurs syndical et des affaires. Les contacts personnels entre élites - et en particuliers ceux impliquant des employés de l'Etat - sont envisagés comme un terrain où se déploient des conflits politiques, où les élites de plusieurs secteurs (affaires, syndicats …) tentent de promouvoir leurs intérêts, l'une face à l'autre et auprès des politiques de l'Etat. A ce titre, les données ne confirment pas l'existence d'une élite monolithique au Canada. Elles suggèrent par ailleurs que, plus que les dirigeants syndicaux, les gens d'affaires importants ont accès à l'Etat et aux autres élites sectorielles. Mais il est plus important de noter que les contacts qu'entretient l'Etat avec les gens d'affaires sont plus importants politiquement que ceux qu'il maintient avec les dirigeants syndicaux. En effet: d'une part, les contacts Etat-gens d'affaires prédisent les positions des employés de l'Etat face aux politiques sociales; d'autre part, les contacts Etats-dirigeants syndicaux ne produisent pas et ne sont produits par un appui pour les positions syndicates dans les hautes spheres de l'Etat canadien.     

Using group process to educate staff and manage aggressive behavior of nursing home residents

1. Group process can be an effective tool to cope with aggressive behaviors of nursing home residents. 2. Staff education in and commitment to group process are essential. 3. Peer pressure, therapeutic confrontation, and a supportive environment empower residents and staff to cope constructively with negative behaviors.     

Re-traumatization among adult women sexually abused in childhood: exploratory analyses in a prospective study

The current exploratory study examined a variety of risk factors related to re-traumatization, defined broadly, in a prospective sample of women who were sexually abused in childhood. Eighty women, who were part of a larger longitudinal study of the effects of child sexual abuse, were interviewed at three points in time: in childhood and at two points in early adulthood. Risk factors were measured at the second interview and used to predict reported trauma exposure between interviews two and three. Given theoretical arguments for differences in risk factors based on ecological context, analyses were conducted separately for married and unmarried women. Situational and intrapersonal risk factors such as homelessness and depression were predictive of re-traumatization risk while reported social support satisfaction was a protective factor. Reports of trauma exposure between interviews two and three were related to mental health symptoms.     

The effectiveness of a home-based ergonomics intervention on the proper use of computers by middle school children

A study was conducted in the homes of middle school children (average age = 12.7 years, SD = 0.52 years) to determine if an educational intervention would increase both the children's and their parents' knowledge of ergonomically correct setup of a computer workstation and computer use. Six children and their parents (n = 6) participated in this study. The study consisted of two data collection sessions over a two-week period. Results suggest a significant (p < 0.05) increase in knowledge of computer use and workstation setup for both parents and children, however, no significant changes in posture were noted between sessions. It was concluded that education is an effective method to increase knowledge of ergonomics in both middle school children and their parents but more research is indicated to understand the linkage between ergonomic understanding and durable accomodations.     

Marital status and psychiatric disorders among blacks and whites.

This paper examines the association between marital status and psychiatric disorder for Blacks and explores the extent to which these patterns differ from those for Whites. Widowed and separated/divorced Black males and females have higher rates of disorder than the married; never-married Blacks do not have an elevated risk of psychiatric illness. The association between marital status and disorder for White males is similar and stronger than that observed for Blacks. For White women, the separated/divorced have a higher risk of disorder than the married, and unmarried White females have higher rates of the substance abuse disorders, but lower rates of the anxiety disorder than the married. Across all marital status groups, Black males and White males have higher rates of disorder (except for depression), than females. A complex pattern emerges when gender differences in the relative rates of disorder for unmarried Blacks compared to married Blacks are considered. Separated/divorced Black men, widowed Black women, and never-married Black men are worse off than their respective peers. Except for the separated/divorced, opposite patterns are evident for Whites. Directions for further research are outlined.     

Editorial announcement

Editorial announcement