Rejection Sensitivity in Late Adolescence: Social and Emotional Sequelae

This study used longitudinal, multireporter data, in a community sample, to examine the role of rejection sensitivity in late adolescents' social and emotional development. Rejection sensitivity was linked to a relative increase in adolescent depressive and anxiety symptoms over a 3‐year period, even after accounting for teens' baseline level of social competence. Additionally, reciprocal relationships emerged between rejection sensitivity and internalizing symptoms. Rejection sensitivity was also linked to relative decreases in peer‐reports of teens' social competence over a 3‐year period. Consistent with research on gendered socialization, males reported higher levels of rejection sensitivity than females at ages 16 and 17. Results are interpreted as highlighting the importance of rejection sensitivity in understanding late adolescent social and emotional development.     

Feeling motivated yet? Long‐term unemployed people's perspectives on the implementation of workfare in Australia

A key thrust of labour market policy in Australia and many other western countries is that long‐term unemployed people lack the personal motivation to engage proactively and successfully in the search for paid employment. In this paper we argue that the implementation of what are experienced as paternal workfare programs are counter‐productive to achieving the official policy goal of improving self‐efficacy and gaining paid employment. The empirical discussion presented in the paper is based on a semi‐longitudinal study that tracked 75 long‐term unemployed people in three different labour markets in Australia between 2005–2007. The study was funded by the Australian Research Council and Jobs Australia.     

Kernel Density Estimation on a Linear Network

This paper develops a statistically principled approach to kernel density estimation on a network of lines, such as a road network. Existing heuristic techniques are reviewed, and their weaknesses are identified. The correct analogue of the Gaussian kernel is the ‘heat kernel’, the occupation density of Brownian motion on the network. The corresponding kernel estimator satisfies the classical time‐dependent heat equation on the network. This ‘diffusion estimator’ has good statistical properties that follow from the heat equation. It is mathematically similar to an existing heuristic technique, in that both can be expressed as sums over paths in the network. However, the diffusion estimate is an infinite sum, which cannot be evaluated using existing algorithms. Instead, the diffusion estimate can be computed rapidly by numerically solving the time‐dependent heat equation on the network. This also enables bandwidth selection using cross‐validation. The diffusion estimate with automatically selected bandwidth is demonstrated on road accident data.     

Role of Relational Case Management in Transitioning from Poverty

One-off financial assistance through emergency relief provides a short-term intervention to immediate material crisis. However, recurrent instances of clients accessing this type of assistance points to the ineffectiveness of managing financial hardship without addressing the causes of long-term poverty. This article presents findings from an external process evaluation of the Salvation Army relational case management model known as Doorways. A mixed-method design was implemented, consisting of semistructured interviews, observations, and document analysis, as well as Client Satisfaction and Wellbeing Survey. Across the seven research sites semistructured interviews were conducted with 45 clients and nine case managers, and 30 client surveys were completed. Three themes will be discussed: the Doorways philosophy; the flexible service delivery approach; and client capacity building and continuity of care. Findings illustrated the effectiveness of a relational case management approach and reaffirm the central role of relationships in transforming the lives of people experiencing poverty.

IMPLICATIONS

• The quality of relationship between case managers and their clients plays an integral role in transforming the lives of people experiencing long-term or situational financial disadvantage.

• Service delivery requires a relational and flexible approach to adequately tailor support to the individual and contextual needs of clients.

     

Why women earn less than men in self-employment

Data from a sample of 659 selfemployed individuals are used to evaluate explanations for the large earnings differential between selfemployed men and women. A signifi-cant portion of the differential is attributed to differences in the industrial distribution of businesses and to the differential effects of housework and family responsibilites on the earnings of males and females. Differences due to industry position are traced to the lower proportions of women in the relatively rewarding areas of construction and professional practice and their greater representation in the relatively unrewarding personal services sector. Women in selfemployment appear to be burdened by house-work and childrearing in ways that limit the scope of their selfemployed businesses and the intensity of work effort in them. If selfemployed women were to have their total hours of labor redistributed between market work and house work in the same man-ner as men, their selfemployed earnings would be substantially increased. A portion of the differential is traceable to differences in financial capital (femalerun business have smaller capital stocks) and differences in specific human capital (female self-employed have less experience in running their business).     

Policy,citizenship and governance: the case of disability and employment policy in Australia

Current discussions regarding the relationship between welfare governance systems and employment promotion in disability policy appeal to a rejuvenated neo-liberal and paternalistic understanding of welfare governance. At the core of this rationality is the argument that people with disabilities not only have rights, but also duties, in relation to the State. In the Australia welfare system, policy tools are deployed to produce a form of self-discipline, whereby the State emphasises personal responsibility via assessment tools, ‘mutual obligation’ policy, and motivational strategies. Drawing on a two-year semi-longitudinal study with 80 people with a disability accessing welfare benefits, we examine how welfare governance subject recipients to strategies to produce productive citizens who are able to contribute to the national goal of maintaining competitiveness in the global economy. Participants’ interviews reveal the intended and unintended effects of this activation policy, including some acceptance of the logic of welfare-to-work and counter-hegemonic resistance to de-valued social identities.     

Exploring user experience and technology acceptance for a fall prevention system: results from a randomized clinical trial and a living lab

Background

Falls are common in older adults and can result in serious injuries. Due to demographic changes, falls and related healthcare costs are likely to increase over the next years. Participation and motivation of older adults in fall prevention measures remain a challenge. The iStoppFalls project developed an information and communication technology (ICT)-based system for older adults to use at home in order to reduce common fall risk factors such as impaired balance and muscle weakness. The system aims at increasing older adults’ motivation to participate in ICT-based fall prevention measures. This article reports on usability, user-experience and user-acceptance aspects affecting the use of the iStoppFalls system by older adults.

Methods

In the course of a 16-week international multicenter study, 153 community-dwelling older adults aged 65+ participated in the iStoppFalls randomized controlled trial, of which half used the system in their home to exercise and assess their risk of falling. During the study, 60 participants completed questionnaires regarding the usability, user experience and user acceptance of the iStoppFalls system. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS). For user experience the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) was applied. User acceptance was assessed with the Dynamic Acceptance Model for the Re-evaluation of Technologies (DART). To collect more detailed data on usability, user experience and user acceptance, additional qualitative interviews and observations were conducted with participants.

Results

Participants evaluated the usability of the system with an overall score of 62 (Standard Deviation, SD 15.58) out of 100, which suggests good usability. Most users enjoyed the iStoppFalls games and assessments, as shown by the overall PACES score of 31 (SD 8.03). With a score of 0.87 (SD 0.26), user acceptance results showed that participants accepted the iStoppFalls system for use in their own home. Interview data suggested that certain factors such as motivation, complexity or graphical design were different for gender and age.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the iStoppFalls system has good usability, user experience and user acceptance. It will be important to take these along with factors such as motivation, gender and age into consideration when designing and further developing ICT-based fall prevention systems.

     

Assessing the Horatio Alger myth: Is self-employment especially beneficial for those from less-advantaged family backgrounds?

The findings of this study contradict the popular belief that self-employment is especially beneficial as a path to economic progress for those from more disadvantaged backgrounds. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Cohort (NLSY79) show that the relative earnings gain from being self-employed rather than working for an organization actually increases with the level of socioeconomic background. Those from a higher socioeconomic background can expect to earn much more in self-employment than in organizational employment while those from the lower socioeconomic background can expect to earn much less. While there are some indications that the more disadvantaged are more likely to attain very high incomes if they do become self-employed, the percentage of this group who attain higher incomes through self-employment is lower than it is for higher socioeconomic groups.     

The effects of high HIV prevalence on orphanhood and living arrangements of children in Malawi, Tanzania, and South Africa

Using longitudinal data from three demographic surveillance systems (DSS) and a retrospective cohort study, we estimate levels and trends in the prevalence and incidence of orphanhood in South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi in the period 1988-2004. The prevalence of maternal, paternal, and double orphans rose in all three populations. In South Africa - where the HIV epidemic started later, has been very severe, and has not yet stabilized - the incidence of orphanhood among children is double that of the other populations. The living arrangements of children vary considerably between the populations, particularly in relation to fathers. Patterns of marriage, migration, and adult mortality influence the living and care arrangements of orphans and non-orphans. DSS data provide new insights into the impact of adult mortality on children, challenging several widely held assumptions. For example, we find no evidence that the prevalence of child-headed households is significant or has increased in the three study areas.     

Influence of aboveground tree biomass,home age,and yard maintenance on soil carbon levels in residential yards

With the rapid urbanization of natural lands, researchers have begun to examine the capacity of urban soils to store carbon (C), with recent attention to residential yards. We performed a case study to examine four potential influences on soil C levels in residential yards. In 67 yards containing trees, we examined the relationship of soil C (kg m^?2) to tree aboveground biomass, home age (3–87 years), yard maintenance (fertilization, irrigation, mulching or bagging lawn clippings), and soil texture (% clay, % sand, % silt), at three depths (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, and 30–50 cm). Six tree aboveground biomass data sets were developed: 1) biomass, 2) biomass*(1/distance from tree), 3) biomass?≤?15 m from sample site, 4) biomass?≤?10 m, 5) biomass?≤?5 m, and 6) biomass?≤?4 m. Biomass?≤?5 m and biomass?≤?4 m had the greatest explanatory power for soil C at 30–50 cm depth (P?=?0.001, R²?=?0.28; P?=?0.05 R²?=?0.39, respectively). The relationship between soil C and home age was positive at 0–15 cm (P?=?0.0003, R²?=?0.19), but constant at the two lower depths. Yard maintenance had no significant influence on soil C levels across home age. At 0–15 cm, soil C increased with % silt (P?=?0.006, R²?=?0.12). Overall, trees in turfgrass yards may have a stabilizing effect on soil C levels below 15 cm but minimal influence above 15 cm.