Non-Sexist “Marital” Therapy*

Certain factors limit marital therapists in dealing with individuals conflicted over and disenchanted about “traditional” marriage: 1) the therapist's gender, 2) the presence of sex-role stereotyped behaviors and expectations, and 3) the therapists own marital experience. Specific helpful experiences (working with a co-therapist of the opposite sex, examining attitudes and biases toward divorce) and therapeutic techniques (working out a schedule for sharing household tasks and childcare, restructuring the marital contract, and dealing with open companionship) are discussed. The general therapeutic goal is working toward an equal sharing of overt power, with social, economic, and political considerations and intrapsychic forces given comparable consideration.     

Exploring domestic partnership benefits policies in corporate America

This article examines the domestic partner benefits (DP benefits) movement in corporate America, among Fortune 500 companies. An unprecedented number of Fortune 500 corporations started to extend equal benefits to their employees in the late 1990s. One-third of Fortune 500 companies now extend DP benefits to their gay employees despite national refusal to legally recognize same-sex unions. We provide a macro analysis of the 2002 Fortune 500 companies to explore the characteristics of the corporations that offer the benefits and the impetus for adopting these new gay friendly policies. Findings are that top ranked Fortune 500 and industry leaders act as benchmarkers for the corporate community. Region of the corporate headquarters and commitment to diversity issues also inform these organizational changes. Isomorphisic processes offer viable explanations for the transformation of the corporate climate that touts DP benefit policies as "the right thing to do" and considers these policies as good business sense in order to compete for employees. The DP benefits movement reflects corporate America trying to enhance their reputational capital by including gay issues as part of their diversity programs and policies.     

Female Clerical Workers in Academic Settings: An Empirical Test of the Gender Model

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of an empirical study designed to test the gender model of work on a sample of 374 female clerical workers in academic settings. In the gender model of work, personal/family variables are given primacy in terms of explaining work attitudes and behavior. Independent variables selected for study were sex role orientation, education, having a blue-collar husband, and having three or more children. Dependent variables were perceived occupational stress, occupational satisfaction, perceived power, thwarted mobility, and work aspirations. Six hypotheses were tested; three were confirmed. The authors conclude that non-traditional sex role orientation is positively related to perceived powerlessness, low occupational satisfaction, and high work aspirations. Low Pearson's r for each confirmed hypothesis suggests the inadequacy of the gender model for this particular population.     

Sources,sinks, and fluxes of nutrients (N + P) in a small highly modified urban estuary in southern California

Our objective was to begin to investigate sources, sinks, and flux rates of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in Famosa Slough, a small (12 ha) highly modified urban estuary in San Diego, California, U.S.A. The hydrology of Famosa Slough has been modified by culverts that dampen tidal influence and seasonal runoff from two urban watersheds, each of which has been implicated as a nutrient source that generates nuisance algal blooms. In 1995 and 1996, the ranges of nutrients measured in the water column were extremely wide; upper values exceeded those in other estuaries identified as eutrophic. Average dissolved inorganic nitrogen ranged from 2 to 250 M, while dissolved inorganic phosphorus ranged from <1 to 15 M. Nutrient content of the water changed rapidly both spatially and temporally depending on the tides and rainfall. While tidal water dominated this system, especially in the dry season, our results indicate that Famosa Slough's small watershed, not the larger watershed of the San Diego River, was the major source of nutrients during rainfall. Sediment nutrients were also high (3 mg N g dry wt^–1 and 0.600 mg P g dry wt^–1). Short-term flux studies suggest that the large accumulations of opportunistic green macroalgae commonly found in this estuary, and possibly the sediments, may act as a large and rapid sink for nutrients during times of high nutrient supply. We suggest that small, shallow estuaries in urban settings may have more complex and rapid nutrient dynamics than those found in larger systems.     

Cytochrome P450 testing for better psychiatric care

Genotyping for CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 variations is emerging as a potentially useful clinical tool to help mental health professionals prescribe psychiatric medications for their patients. Cytochrome P450 testing uses a blood sample to determine an individual's required dosage of identified drugs that are metabolized by the two enzymes. To provide care for patients and families, nurses should be able to demonstrate identified essential nursing competencies related to genetics and genomics, which include an understanding of cytochrome P450 testing. As patient advocates, nurses are expected to understand how to identify patients most likely to benefit from CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 testing, how to ensure informed consent for such testing, and how to educate patients about testing and test results.     

Gender Minority Social Stress in Adolescence: Disparities in Adolescent Bullying and Substance Use by Gender Identity

Bullying and substance use represent serious public health issues facing adolescents in the United States. Few large-sample national studies have examined differences in these indicators by gender identity. The Teen Health and Technology Study (N = 5,542) sampled adolescents ages 13 to 18 years old online. Weighted multivariable logistic regression models investigated disparities in substance use and tested a gender minority social stress hypothesis, comparing gender minority youth (i.e., who are transgender/gender nonconforming and have a gender different from their sex assigned at birth) and cisgender (i.e., whose gender identity or expression matches theirs assigned at birth). Overall, 11.5% of youth self-identified as gender minority. Gender minority youth had increased odds of past-12-month alcohol use, marijuana use, and nonmarijuana illicit drug use. Gender minority youth disproportionately experienced bullying and harassment in the past 12 months, and this victimization was associated with increased odds of all substance use indicators. Bullying mediated the elevated odds of substance use for gender minority youth compared to cisgender adolescents. Findings support the use of gender minority stress perspectives in designing early interventions aimed at addressing the negative health sequelae of bullying and harassment.     

Effects of temperature and habitat complexity on an urban tree pest (Tinocallis kahawaluokalani), natural enemies,and predation services in the city

Urban Ecosystems - Trees provide many ecosystem services in our urban environments. However, city trees are often stressed by pests and hot urban temperatures. Our research highlights how...     

Newlywed Couple Leisure: Couple Identity Formation Through Leisure Time

An interpretative phenomenological study of newlywed couple leisure was conducted to understand the role of leisure in the development of relationship dynamics and couple identity. Nine couples were interviewed twice, using open-ended questions that explored the role of leisure in their relationship development. Data were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological processes. Couples viewed leisure as a crucial part of their relationships, helping them develop their identities as couples through creating shared meaning and opportunities to improve communication and conflict management skills. Findings can be used to encourage couple exploration of positive leisure experiences during courtship and early marriage, including therapeutic interventions and relationship education programs that teach couples to incorporate joint leisure strategically into their relationships.