Kinship Caregiver Perception of a State-Supervised Kinship Navigator Program

This study evaluated a state-administered Kinship Navigator (KN) program providing information and support to grandparents and other relatives caring for children who are not in child welfare custody. Caregivers’ perceptions of types of services, impact, satisfaction, and areas for improvement were examined. Caregivers (N = 92) reported feeling supported, gaining knowledge about services, and feeling highly satisfied with the program. Caregivers expressed needs for additional financial assistance and more time with their KN. Findings suggest that the KN program may meet key service needs of informal kinship caregivers, but additional staff time and financial resource advocacy would improve the program.     

Military-civilian differences in a driving under the influence (DUI) program sample

ABSTRACT

It is unknown how military-connected participants in DUI programs differ from civilians on sociodemographic, health, and alcohol severity factors. This study analyzed data from 19,639 DUI program participants from 2009 to 2014. Compared to civilians, active duty participants were younger, more likely male and married/partnered or separated, less likely disabled, more likely to be Black, less likely to report anxiety or involvement in domestic violence, more likely to report prior alcohol treatment and having a first-time conviction, and less likely to score in the problematic drinking category. Veterans showed patterns similar to those of active duty with some notable exceptions. Results may be helpful in tailoring culturally competent DUI program content, particularly among social workers who often serve this population.     

Impact of health and fitness-related behavior on quality of life

While the relationships between (a) health behavior and health status and (b) health status and perceived quality of life (QOL) have received some attention, the association between health behaviors and QOL has not been determined. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effects of health behaviors on QOL that are independent of the effects of health status. A sample of approximately 5 000 randomly selected U.S. Navy personnel was split into halves and analyses performed on each to establish the replicability of the findings. At step one of a multiple regression procedure, health status variables were forced into the equation; next, health behavior variables were entered. As expected, the block of health status variables was significantly related to QOL: self-assessed health and fitness status and lower reporting of physical symptoms accounted for 16% and 18% of the variance in QOL for the two subsamples. After controlling for health status, two behavioral measures made unique contributions to the prediction of QOL: behaviors related to avoiding unnecessary risks as a driver or pedestrain and avoiding or minimizing accidents. Wellness maintenance behaviors also were associated with QOL in one subsample. After controlling for health status, health behavior measures contributed an additional 11% and 6% of the explained variance in QOL for the two subsamples. Results indicate that health behaviors influence QOL independently of health status.     

The NOICC/SOICC Network: Policy,Programs, and Partners, 1976–2000

This historical and reflective account of the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee's (NOICC) and the State Occupational Information Coordinating Committees’ (SOICCs) significant development of a national infrastructure that shaped career development policy, practice, and training from 1976 to 2000 offers key lessons for future development practice and potential in the United States and beyond. The establishment of the NOICC/SOICC network marked a turning point in the systematic development and delivery of standardized occupational information and supporting resources designed to meet the needs of career development, education and training program design, and employer information requirements. NOICC's core occupational information activities and national career development guidelines and programs are discussed. Public policy that supports career information and counseling services is suggested.     

Expanding the Domain of Festival Research: A Review and Research Agenda

Festivals are an important sub‐field within event studies which, until recently, have not been studied as separate experiences. A systematic review of the emerging literature on festivals reveals several key characteristics. While festivals are diverse in nature and geographical location, scholarly interest focuses on five main themes: the motivations for organizing, funding and attending festivals; the experiences of festival attendees; the relationship between festivals and their local environments; the economic and sociocultural impacts of festivals; and the management of festivals. Despite growing interest in festivals as research sites, little attention has been afforded to investigating festival processes. In particular, considerations of how festivals are established, and which individuals are involved in their initiation and regular staging, offer opportunities for research. This paper highlights the significant role festivals play within their local communities, including their facilitation of social cohesion and regional identity. Our study reveals that the literature rarely discusses the development of festivals over time and the wider networks in which festivals are embedded. This critical review of festival research identifies various research gaps and directions for future research to develop theory and practical understanding of festivals.     

Cross-national measurement of school learning environments: Creating indicators for evaluating UNICEF's Child Friendly Schools Initiative

The present study examines the psychometric properties of a student-reported measure of school quality, the CFS Conditions for Learning Survey, to examine its utility as a cross-national comparative measure to evaluate UNICEF's Child Friendly Schools initiative. Factor analyses conducted on data from fifth- and sixth- grade students in 68 schools across the Philippines, Nicaragua, and South Africa revealed a core set of items that loaded highly onto each of the three dimensions of the CFS Conditions for Learning survey across all three countries. Formal tests established measurement invariance for a subset of these items, indicating that they were free from methodological bias across countries. However, meaningful differences in the country-specific structure and substantive interpretation of school quality were also detected. The results suggest that items in the CFS Conditions for Learning survey can be used to create both reliable cross-national and country-specific indicators of school quality and provide a blueprint for future psychometric work in the field of comparative child and family policy.     

Some methodological problems in estimating incidence and prevalence in child sexual abuse research

Research into child sexual abuse is fraught with methodological problems. This paper provides an overview of some common aspects of them. Definitional inconsistencies are frequent, including that of child sexual abuse itself and what age limits define a child. Other methodological difficulties include determining the number of children sexually abused in any period of time, choice of sample, the type and number of questions asked, factors such as publicity associated with the historical period, and estimates of the rate of increase of child sexual abuse over time. It is suggested that greater consistency, particularly of definition, would assist comparative conclusions to be made with less ambiguity and greater validity.