Impact of urbanisation and agriculture on the diet of fruit bats

The expansion of cities and agricultural plantations have unpredictable impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Yet some species are capable of tolerating anthropogenic impacts and continue to provide ecological services in highly disturbed landscapes. The objective of this study was to use DNA barcoding to identify digested plant materials and seeds in the faeces of frugivorous bats (Cynopterus brachyotis) and investigate whether (1) C. brachyotis in urban and agricultural areas exploit cultivated and exotic plants as a novel food resource and as a consequence, potentially facilitate the invasion of cultivated and exotic plants, or whether (2) C. brachyotis exploit native plants and as a consequence, potentially promote forest regeneration. A native species, Ficus fistulosa, was the most frequently detected plant and the seeds were found in bat faeces from all sampling sites suggesting the potential of fruit bats in dispersing seeds. However, we also detected several exotic plants in the faeces of C. brachyotis which suggests that the fruit bats exploit novel food resources at all sites. We recorded a diverse diet of C. brachyotis at an oil palm plantation which indicated that the fruit bats are not predominantly feeding on oil palm fruits. By using DNA barcoding, we detected plants that have not been reported in previous studies of the diet of C. brachyotis, although we could not identify which part of the plant was being consumed by the fruit bats. Given the varied diet of C. brachyotis, the potential of this bat to adapt to changing landscapes is high and they are likely dispersing seeds of native pioneer plants (Ficus).

     

A new framing for an old sociology of intimacy

The concept of intimacy has long permeated theories of social life, and its use within sociology has produced conceptual confusion rather than coherence. Overlapping with concepts of emotions and communities, intimacy both binds modern life together and offers a respite from its affective “coldness.” This paper offers a framework for the concept of intimacy and outlines the dimensions along which to organize future empirical work. Building on sociological, psychological, and queer theoretical approaches, I propose four such dimensions: affect, knowledge, mutual action, and norms. The degree of overlap between these four dimensions suggests a continuum between “strong” and “weak” intimacies. These conceptual refinements enable empirical specification, particularly in the study of close relationships like friendships.     

Does corporal punishment erode the quality of the mother–child interaction in early childhood?

Corporal punishment is believed to exert its influence partially on children's externalizing behavior by undermining the quality of parent‐child relationships, but empirical evidence for this belief is lacking. Thus, the goal of this study was to explore longitudinally whether the use of corporal punishment by mothers was associated with declining quality in parent‐child interactions and whether these declines mediated the links between corporal punishment and later externalizing behavior. Based on data from the NIHCD SECCYD, the findings from this study indicated that the links between the quality of parent‐child interaction and corporal punishment were bidirectional: high quality parent‐child interaction was associated with less use of subsequent corporal punishment by mothers, and maternal use of corporal punishment at 36 months was associated with declines in the quality of parent‐child interaction at 54 months. There were not significant indirect effects of corporal punishment at 36 months on grade 3 aggression through 54 month parent‐child interaction quality, however, which suggests other mechanisms might account for the links between early corporal punishment and later externalizing problems.     

Instability and caregiving in the lives of street‐involved youth from foster care

A large proportion of youth who become street‐involved have experience in foster care, and our sample of 92 street‐involved youth, aged 14–18 years, all had foster care experience. We report on (i) instability of guardians and home from birth to street involvement; (ii) the connection between perceptions about foster care and measures of well‐being; and (iii) the implications of these findings for understanding street‐involved youth and the role of foster care in their life. The average number of transitions per youth from birth to mid‐teens was nine. Youth with experience in permanent care first lived away from biological parents at age 8.5 years, and for those with temporary care experience, it was age 10 years. Foster care was one of many living situations and one of several sources of caregivers. If participants were satisfied with foster care, they were more likely to be currently hopeful and happy. Participants who experienced positive influences from at least one long‐term caregiver tended to have other positive caregiver experiences, and those with negative influences were more likely to also have a positive relationship with a female caregiver. Foster care was one of several ‘way stations’ in their lives, one whose meaning needs further study.     

Adolescent‐to‐parent violence and abuse: Parents' management of tension and ambiguity—an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Adolescent violence and abuse towards parents is under researched, especially in the UK where reports of the phenomenon are increasing with little clear guidance as to how practitioners might respond. In this qualitative study, 6 parents were recruited through youth offending teams and were interviewed about their lived experiences of violence and/or abuse from their adolescent child. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, 3 superordinate themes emerged (a) the tensions and (b) the ambiguities produced by living with the violence and abuse and (c) the ways that parents manage the harms caused by these tensions and ambiguities. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed, including consideration of how practitioners might support parents who are living with adolescent‐to‐parent violence and abuse to establish healthy and sustainable coping strategies while repairing family relationships.     

Associations between Affect,Context, and Sexual Desire in Depressed Young Women

We investigated associations of sexual desire with time of day, physical and social context, and positive and negative affect using momentary sampling in 44 depressed young women (mean age = 18). Analyses revealed that depressed young women experienced sexual desire when with their boyfriends and later in the evening. Sexual desire was also positively associated with positive affect. Sexual desire was not associated with negative affect or physical context. This research suggests that sexual desire is experienced by depressed young women in normative developmental social contexts. Our findings may help clinicians and sexual health educators in correcting the myth that depressed women do not have sexual desire.     

The role of practice educators in initial and post qualifying social worker education

Doctoral research into competence for social work practice engaged with 17 participants who drew upon their experiences of being practice educators and registered social work practitioners and the analysis of data suggested they identified a difference between competence to pass a final placement and capability for social work practice. Baseline social work knowledge, skills and values will enable a student to pass a final placement however, research data suggest that the individual’s approach to learning, emotional intelligence and resilience give confidence that they are more likely to be able to cope in a social work role. Practice educators intuitively recognise these characteristics and this article argues that in addition to working with students, practice educators are ideally situated to support individuals throughout their post qualifying social work learning journey.     

Advantages Gained By Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Data in a Longitudinal Study

Building on nearly 20 years of research experience, this article reflects on the collection and use of both qualitative and quantitative data in a longitudinal study of aging conducted in the United Kingdom. Specifically, it focuses on the identification of the Wenger support network typology and the ways in which the interaction between the different types of data informed the study. Subsequently, it (1) draws attention to the fact that the typology would not have emerged in the way it did without intensive qualitative study, but shows how quantitative data made it possible to test hypotheses raised in the intensive study; and (2) shows how the use of qualitative data led to different interpretations of the quantitative data in the analysis over time.