Die Umstellung auf ökologische Landwirtschaft

Utilizing data from a recent postal survey of farmers in western Germany (n=657), this paper studies the influence of environmental concern on environmental behaviour in a rational choice context. The analyses reveal both an indirect and a direct effect of environmental concern. First, environmental concern increases the preference for environmentally friendly consequences leading to a higher expected utility of environmentally friendly alternatives. Second, even controlling for the influence of utility expectations, environmental concern increases the probability of environmentally friendly behaviour, indicating a direct influence over and above the indirect effect. The direct effect of environmental concern, however, can be observed only if environmentally friendly action alternatives are associated with higher behavioural cost than environmentally degrading alternatives. Apart from that, the effect of environmental attitudes is not moderated by utility considerations and the cost structure of the respective alternatives. In sum, these results do not lend support to the low cost hypothesis.     

Practitioners’ experiences of using blended models within family support: A proof of concept study involving Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Multisystemic Therapy (MST) and Incredible Years (IY) interventions

ABSTRACT

Evidence-based models have demonstrated significant potential for improving outcome. However, it has been proposed that single-issue interventions cannot adequately address the multiple needs that some families experiences. This paper outlines a novel approach in which three evidence-based practices (Multisystemic Therapy, Incredible Years, and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy) were concurrently implemented within the same programme. The objectives are to explore the experience and perceptions of practitioners who implemented the blended model, to explore the novelty of blended approaches, to examine the extent to which families were engaged in and were retained in this programme, and compare the outcomes for families who received blended and nonblended approaches. Method: Data was collected for 158 families between March 2014 and March 2016. Thirty-one families engaged in the blended approach. to explore the feasibility, semistructured interviews were undertaken with 14 staff. Results: Not all families are in need of a blended approach, but families who experience multiple complexities may benefit more from this type of approach. From the perspective of practitioners, blended models provide an opportunity to address multiple needs within the family. However, there are implementation challenges that could be explored further.     

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SOCIAL PATHOLOGY? CONCEPTUAL FASHIONS AND THE SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE

Social scientific concepts go in and out of fashion. Social pathology was once a popular title for undergraduate sociology courses and textbooks, but it fell out of favor about fifty years ago. Similarly, there is evidence that fewer contemporary sociologists are using the concept of deviance in their analyses. This article sketches a natural history of sociological concepts that denote categories of troubling conditions; it argues that such concepts pose definitional problems that make them pedagogically helpful but analytically problematic.     

On the upper total domination number of Cartesian products of graphs

In this paper we continue the investigation of total domination in Cartesian products of graphs first studied in (Henning, M.A., Rall, D.F. in Graphs Comb. 21:63–69, 2005). A set S of vertices in a graph G is a total dominating set of G if every vertex in G is adjacent to some vertex in S. The maximum cardinality of a minimal total dominating set of G is the upper total domination number of G, denoted by Γ _t (G). We prove that the product of the upper total domination numbers of any graphs G and H without isolated vertices is at most twice the upper total domination number of their Cartesian product; that is, Γ _t (G)Γ _t (H)≤2Γ _t (G □ H). Research of M.A. Henning supported in part by the South African National Research Foundation and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.     

Smooth tests of goodness of fit for regular distributions

Smooth tests of goodness of fit based on orthonormal functions for location-scale families were introducedin Rayner and Best (1986).This paper extends this class of tests from location -scale families to ‘regular’ families. The extension preserves the desirable properties of the class, such as weak optimality, accessible components and convenient distribution theory     

Extended ANOVA and Rank Transform Procedures

The rank transform procedure is often used in the analysis of variance when observations are not consistent with normality. The data are ranked and the analysis of variance is applied to the ranked data. Often the rank residuals will be consistent with normality and a valid analysis results. Here we find that the rank transform procedure is equivalent to applying the intended analysis of variance to first order orthonormal polynomials on the rank proportions. Using higher order orthonormal polynomials extends the analysis to higher order effects, roughly detecting dispersion, skewness etc. differences between treatment ranks. Using orthonormal polynomials on the original observations yields the usual analysis of variance for the first order polynomial, and higher order extensions for subsequent polynomials. Again first order reflects location differences, while higher orders roughly detect dispersion, skewness etc. differences between the treatments.     

Joseph Gusfield and Social Problems Theory

Joseph R. Gusfield was a key figure in the emergence of constructionist social problems theory. His approach was characterized by: his determination to identify the cultural, structural, and historical context of claims; attention to the choices among alternatives that shaped how problems were defined; and the rhetoric used by advocates. He highlighted the role of ownership–the ability to define the terms in which social problems are constructed. His work is also notable for its skepticism regarding social scientists’ theorizing.     

Commissioned analysis of surgical performance using routine data: lessons from the Bristol inquiry

The public inquiry into paediatric cardiac surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary commissioned the authors to design and conduct analyses of routine data sources to compare surgical outcomes between centres. Such analyses are necessarily complex in this context but were further hampered by the inherent inconsistencies and mediocre quality of the various sources of data. Three levels of analysis of increasing sophistication were carried out. The reasonable consistency of the results arising from different sources of data, together with a number of sensitivity analyses, led us to conclude that there had been excess mortality in Bristol in open heart operations on children under 1 year of age. We consider criticisms of our analysis and discuss the role of statisticians in this inquiry and their contribution to the final report of the inquiry. The potential statistical role in future programmes for monitoring clinical performance is highlighted.