Ehrenamtliche in der Sterbebegleitung supervidieren

Zusammenfassung  Der Aufsatz beschreibt die Arbeit mit Ehrenamtlichen, die als Sterbebegleiter/innen ihr Angebot auf Bewohner/innen in Altenpfle geheimen zugeschnitten haben. Die hauptamtliche Koordinatorin der Gruppe ist gleichzeitig die Supervisorin der Ehrenamtlichen. Anhand einer Supervisionssitzung wird eine typische Fragestellung beschrieben. Julia Sipreck, Krankenschwester und Diplom-Psychologin, Supervisorin (BDP), 1997 bis 2003 Leiterin des Arbeitsbereiches Lebensbegleitung bis zum Tode im Institut für Sozialarbeit in Frankfurt, seit 2003 Leitung der Freiwilligenagentur des Instituts für Sozialarbeit.     

Strategies for start-ups

The article contains an empirical analysis of the strategy processes followed by new small firms to achieve speedy growth and success. It draws upon new evidence gathered by face-to-face semi-structured interviews with owner-managers of small firms. These interviews followed an agenda which investigated firm strategies in terms of environmental scanning, strategy implementation and evaluation and control. The article refers to 17 case studies of firms, constructed using this framework. Cluster analysis was used to split firms into groups of high, medium and low performers, using measures of growth, profitability and productivity. This primarily qualitative analysis is augmented by longitudinal quantitative evidence from the 150 firms from which the sub-sample of cases was selected. So the qualitative work is supported by statistical inferences from the larger dataset. This new empirical evidence supports the main hypothesis that even very young firms, who proactively use formal strategic planning, will tend to perform better than those who follow a more ‘visionary’ or reactive approach to running the business.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
Rugel, R. P. (1977). Husband-ocused marital therapy: An approach to dealing with marital distress .
Selekman, Mathew D. (1997). Solution-focused therapy with children: Harnessing family strengths for systemic Change .
Taibbi, R. (1996). Doing amily therapy: Crat and creativity in clinical practice .
Bagarozzi, D. A. (1996). The couple and family in managed care: Assessment, evaluation, and treatment .
Friedman, S. (Ed.). (1995). The reflecting team in action: Collaborative practice in amily therapy .     

A joint-modeling approach to assess the impact of biomarker variability on the risk of developing clinical outcome

In some clinical trials and epidemiologic studies, investigators are interested in knowing whether the variability of a biomarker is independently predictive of clinical outcomes. This question is often addressed via a naïve approach where a sample-based estimate (e.g., standard deviation) is calculated as a surrogate for the “true” variability and then used in regression models as a covariate assumed to be free of measurement error. However, it is well known that the measurement error in covariates causes underestimation of the true association. The issue of underestimation can be substantial when the precision is low because of limited number of measures per subject. The joint analysis of survival data and longitudinal data enables one to account for the measurement error in longitudinal data and has received substantial attention in recent years. In this paper we propose a joint model to assess the predictive effect of biomarker variability. The joint model consists of two linked sub-models, a linear mixed model with patient-specific variance for longitudinal data and a full parametric Weibull distribution for survival data, and the association between two models is induced by a latent Gaussian process. Parameters in the joint model are estimated under Bayesian framework and implemented using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods with WinBUGS software. The method is illustrated in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study to assess whether the variability of intraocular pressure is an independent risk of primary open-angle glaucoma. The performance of the method is also assessed by simulation studies.     

A matter of time? Challenging and hindering effects of time pressure on work engagement

The aim of our research was to test time-exposure effects of time pressure as a stressor typically considered to be a challenge, rather than a hindrance stressor. We examined the within- and between-person effects of time pressure on work engagement in two diary/panel studies with employees using intervals of five days and three weeks, respectively (Study 1, n?=?350, and n?=?357, respectively) and six to eight weeks (Study 2, n?=?238). We assumed that it is a matter of time whether time pressure acts as a challenge (under short-term exposure) or as a hindrance stressor (under long-term exposure). We found significant positive within-person effects of time pressure on work engagement when controlling for strain in the daily and weekly diary assessment (Study 1), but a significant negative within-person effect in the six to eight weeks’ assessment (Study 2). The between-person effects were significant and negative in all studies. Although a short-term increase can be beneficial for a certain time, stable and long-time exposure of time pressure does rather reduce work engagement. Thus, employers should not keep time pressure permanently high to motivate their employees. However, short-term increases of time pressure (e.g. before a deadline) may serve as a motivating factor.     

Authentic leadership and leaders' mental well-being: An experience sampling study

Research on authentic leadership has yielded important insights about its effects on subordinates. However, its consequences for the leaders themselves remain largely unexamined. This is problematic, as organizations require their leaders to provide guidance and leaders' mental well-being is a prerequisite for this. Drawing on the theories of ego-depletion and authentic leadership, we investigate the role of authentic leadership in predicting leaders' mental well-being. In an experience sampling study, we apply hierarchical linear modeling to analyze 396 observations from 44 executives. Our multilevel moderated mediation analyses reveal that authentic leadership reduces leaders' stress and increases their work engagement and that these effects are mediated by leader mental depletion. Moreover, we show that the indirect effects are contingent on the extent to which leaders interact with their subordinates: authentic leaders deplete less with increasing follower interaction, while inauthentic leaders deplete less with decreasing follower interaction.     

Methods for Classifying Nonprofit Organizations According to their Field of Activity: A Report on Semi-automated Methods Based on Text

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations - There are various methods for classifying nonprofit organizations (NPOs) according to their field of activity. We report...     

Exploring the Impact of Personal and Partner Traits on Sexuality: Sexual Excitation,Sexual Inhibition,and Big Five Predict Sexual Function in Couples

Sexual difficulties are common among women and men and are associated with various mental and physical health problems. Although psychological traits are known to impact sexual attitudes and behavior, sexuality- and personality-related traits have not been jointly investigated to assess their relevance for sexual functioning in couples. The aim of this study was to investigate how psychological traits of two partners influence women’s and men’s sexual function. Data from 964 couples, representative of the adult population in Germany, were analyzed. Sexual function was assessed with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Sexuality-related traits were measured with the Sexual Excitation/Sexual Inhibition Inventory for Women and Men (SESII-W/M). Personality was measured with self-report and partner-rating versions of the Big Five Inventory (BFI). Sexual excitation was a positive and sexual inhibition was a negative predictor of sexual function in both genders. Women whose partners were sexually inhibited reported lower sexual function. Conscientious individuals reported better sexual function. Women whose partners were more conscientious also had better sexual function. Assessing partner-related factors may be helpful to identify predisposing and maintaining factors of sexual dysfunctions, especially in women.     

The association of infant crying,feeding, and sleeping problems and inhibitory control with attention regulation at school age

Regulatory problems in infancy and toddlerhood have previously been associated with an increased risk of developing attention problems in childhood. We hypothesized that early regulatory problems are associated with attention problems via reduced inhibitory control. This prospective study assessed 1,459 children from birth to 8 years. Crying, feeding, and sleeping problems were assessed at 5 and 20 months via parent interviews and neurological examinations. At 20 months, inhibitory control was tested with a behavioral (snack delay) task. Attention regulation was assessed at 6 and 8 years using multiple instruments and informants. Detrimental effects of crying, feeding, and sleeping problems on attention regulation were partly mediated by children's ability to inhibit unwanted behaviors (β = ?0.04, p = 0.013). Accounting for cognition diminished this indirect effect (β = ?0.01, p = 0.209). Instead, the effects of crying, feeding, and sleeping problems on attention regulation were fully mediated by children's cognitive functioning (β = ?0.10, p < 0.001). These results support that inhibitory control abilities partly mediate effects of crying, feeding, and sleeping problems. However, these effects may be accounted for by children's general cognitive abilities. Early regulatory problems may set infants on a course of under control of behavior into school age, and such trajectories are highly associated with general cognitive development.     

Religion,spirituality, coping,and resilience among African Americans with diabetes

Study aims were to explore how religion and spirituality impacted attitudes about self-management practices among African Americans with homelessness histories and to understand resilience in diabetes care practices. Qualitative semistructured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 42 African Americans older than 18 years. All audio-taped interviews lasted between 1–1.5 hr, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using ATLAS.ti (version 7.0). Five resilience themes emerged. While participants recognized diabetes as an illness requiring professional treatment, the context of balancing treatment with religion and spiritual practices mattered. The study findings highlight the importance of spirituality, religious beliefs, and coping strategies in diabetes self-care activities.