Burnout among mental health professionals: special considerations for the marriage and family therapist

Burnout is a syndrome consisting of physical and emotional exhaustion resulting from negative self-concept, negative job attitudes, and loss of concern for clients. This research study explores potential predictors and prevalence of burnout among marriage and family therapists (MFTs). It evaluates the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to establish its applicability to MFTs. Our sample of 116 Clinical Members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy responded to a mailed questionnaire including demographic information and the MBI. Overall, our sample reported low-to-moderate ranges of burnout. Differences were noted in degrees of burnout across job settings. Predictors of clinician burnout include hours worked per week and job setting. Factor analysis indicates that the MBI is an appropriate assessment tool for measuring burnout among MFTs. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.     

Adolescent Gambling: Understanding the Role of Stress and Coping

The central variables of stress, coping, and gambling severity were examined along three lines of inquiry. The first addressed whether adolescents with gambling problems reported a greater number of minor or major stressful (i.e., negative) life events relative to others. The second examined whether more with gambling problems employed less-effective coping styles, such as those characterized as less task- or solution-focused, and more emotion- or avoidance-focused coping. Finally, the third question explored whether adolescents’ coping styles mediated the association between stress and gambling severity. Ranging from 11 to 20 years of age, 2,156 high-school students completed instruments assessing gambling involvement, gambling severity, stressful life events, and coping styles. Results indicated that, overall, adolescents with gambling-related problems reported more negative life events relative to social gamblers and non-gamblers. When negative life events were further separated into major and minor events, results revealed that problem gamblers reported more major negative life events but not more minor negative life events relative to others. Results indicated that adolescents with gambling-related problems used less task-focused coping, and more avoidance-focused coping. Males, but not females, who experience gambling-related problems reported using more emotion-focused coping strategies. Finally, emotion-oriented coping was found to mediate the relationship between negative life events and gambling severity. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Treatment of Female Pathological Gambling: The Efficacy of a Cognitive-Behavioural Approach

Given that a substantial proportion of current pathological gamblers are female, it is evident that women are underrepresented in the treatment outcome literature. The current study was designed to redress the limited information on the treatment of female pathological gambling. Although the use of cognitive-behavioural therapy is the most highly recommended approach as ‘best practice’ for the treatment of pathological gambling, no attempt to date has been made to evaluate the efficacy of this approach for female pathological gambling. Nineteen female pathological gamblers with electronic gaming machine problems were treated with a cognitive-behavioural program. While pathological gamblers placed on a waiting list did not show significant improvement on gambling behaviour and psychological functioning measures, the female pathological gamblers showed significant improvement on these measures over the treatment period, and maintained this improvement at the 6-month follow-up evaluation. By the completion of the follow-up period, 89% of participants no longer met diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling. Although further scientific demonstration and replication are required, the outcomes of this study indicate that the therapy that is considered ‘best practice’ in the treatment of pathological gambling is effective for female pathological gambling.     

Increasing aging content in social work curriculum: perceptions of key constituents

This mixed methodology study examines the perceptions of key constituents regarding methods for effectively integrating aging content into the foundation curriculum of the BSW and MSW program at the University of Georgia School of Social Work. Students were asked to complete a survey to determine their perception of geriatric content that existed within the foundation coursework. Following an analysis of the survey results, eight semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted with a purposeful sample of students, faculty, field instructors, social work alumni, older adults from the community, and representatives from aging agencies. The intention of these focus groups was to find out what aging content should be infused within the curriculum. The focus group meetings were held in various locations throughout Northeast Georgia and in one remote location in South Georgia. Participants were interviewed about the necessary skills and knowledge for social workers practicing with an aging population in the areas of: essential intervention skills, program policies and regulations, critical information needed to develop client service plans, strategies for addressing service delivery fragmentation, and community collaboration to support intergenerational family needs. The results of this study will be discussed to provide suggestions on how existing foundation courses can integrate aging content.     

德国关于电子电气设备的闭环供应链研究：一种生态效益计算方法

近来关于闭环供应链网络的文献中提出了两个重要问题：（1）如何制定平衡环境和经济效益的优化方案；（2）如何深刻理解二者间的效益背反关系。本文认为，针对环境和经济闭的效益边界及其背反关系进行全面探索，可以有效解决环境保护和经济发展中的效益平衡问题。为了解决求解效益边界的多变量问题，本文设计了一个针对目标函数中的数值进行指数计算的生态效益算法，并在德国电子电气设备闭环供应链设计中进行了实证研究。     

自由贸易的道德: 一些新观点

有关美国贸易政策的争论总是围绕经济效率问题进行的:自由贸易增加还是减少了收入?是有助还是有害于美国工业?是创造还是减少了工作机会?在统计数据和奇闻轶事的背后,是关于人类本性、个体主权和政府在自由社会中作用的道德假设。自由贸易可以增进物资和利益的效率,但是,它在道德上也高于贸易保护主义吗? 2001年4月魁北克美洲首脑会议期间,反资本主义的示威     

Choices and rights: eugenics, genetics and disability equality

Pre-natal screening is a highly contentious ethical and political issue. The paper discusses aspects of the debate, and focuses on the context in which reproductive decisions are taken and the lack of a disabled voice in genetic policy. Eugenic aspects of the practice of genetics, particularly surrounding the role of professionals and the notion of consent, are explored. The paper concludes with recommendations on a disability equality approach to genetics and obstetrics.     

康德和法西斯主义的起源

有一种意见认为,虽然康德痛恨奴性,颂扬自主,但是他的学说却非常不幸地有导致极权主义的危险。希特勒使康德的理性和义务论名誉扫地:一方面,纳粹德国可以说是理性梦的结果;另一方面,自从奥兹威辛之后,义务一词就获得了可以认可不管是多么可怕的任何事情的坏名声。康德认为,不管有什么后果,我们都必须无条件地服从理性的绝对命令,这是我们无可逃避的道德义务;他甚至说,由于说真话是一种理性命令,因而即使是     

Using hegemonic masculinity to explain gay male attraction to muscular and athletic men

This article reviews relevant research on male homosexual attraction. Utilizing masculinity as its theoretical frame, the authors use childhood experiences with both fathers and peers, the gay community's inculcation of heteronormative ideologies, and the gay media's adherence to masculine prototypes, to provide causal explanations for the appeal of muscular, lean, and athletic physiques. While the authors acknowledge that not all individuals within the gay community look toward muscularity and athleticism as the primary components of attractiveness, it nonetheless remains important to examine the theoretical perspectives that may explain the appeal of this specific aesthetic.     

Preventing child abuse and neglect: a national evaluation of Parents Anonymous groups

This evaluation assessed whether participation in Parents Anonymous mutual support groups was associated with child maltreatment prevention. Parents new to groups across the United States were interviewed at baseline, one month, and six months. Using standardized scales, all parents showed improvements in some child maltreatment outcomes, risk factors, and protective factors. Parents starting out with particularly serious needs showed statistically significant improvement on every scale. Results indicated that Parents Anonymous participation contributes to child maltreatment reduction.