Ageing Siblings: Supporting New Care Partnerships

Through the lens of a case study of a sibling caring for an unmarried sister affected by dementia, the article explores a phenomenon of growing social importance, late life care for those ageing without a spouse, partner or adult children. The purpose of the article is to describe the experience of sibling care partnering, to highlight the needs of sibling care partnerships and discuss how the support group model can address some of the challenges faced by this population. This article addresses the caregiving sibling's experience of participating in a support group of adult children caregivers of parents with Alzheimer's. Ultimately, the article argues for the development of services geared specifically for older adult siblings caring for each other for the first time in later life.     

Older Women in Poverty: The Impact of Midlife Factors

This study investigates the factors contributing to older women's economic well‐being from a life course perspective, assessing the effects of both midlife characteristics and later life events on women between the ages of 66–70, and 71–85. Using the 1968–1997 Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the findings suggest that midlife characteristics such as workforce participation, income, and rural residence are strongly related to economic outcomes in old age. Late‐life events and characteristics, however, also contribute significantly to economic outcomes even when midlife factors are incorporated into analyses. In addition, both midlife and later life characteristics contribute to the persistence of poverty in old age, with many groups of ever poor women finding themselves in poverty for over 50% of their old age years.     

Freshmen Women and the “Freshman 15”: Perspectives on Prevalence and Causes of College Weight Gain

Abstract

Objective: Freshman weight gain has been assessed using quantitative inquiry, but this qualitative study allowed for an in-depth exploration of freshmen women's experiences surrounding body image, nutrition, and exercise. The purpose of this study was to better understand the impact and explanations for the “Freshman 15.” Participants: Freshmen college women, aged 18 to 19 years. Methods: Participants (N = 235) were initially surveyed about body dissatisfaction. Thirty participants were selected for semistructured interviews (conducted in March 2008) using a criterion-based, multilevel stratified random sampling. Results: Freshmen women reported intense fears about gaining weight. Women most commonly attributed freshman weight gain to newly found food independence, social comparison with peers, and the influence of friends and family. Women frequently cited eating habit changes to explain college weight gain. Conclusions: Comparison among females was framed using Festinger's social comparison theory. Despite being cautious about food, females described freshman weight gain as inevitable.     

Controversies in Implicit Race Bias Research

Advances in measurement have allowed researchers to empirically distinguish between explicit attitudes, which are conscious and controllable, and implicit attitudes, which are activated automatically without cognitive effort or even awareness. Researchers using these methods have shown that although survey data reveal unprecedented declines in Americans’ expressions of overtly racist attitudes, most Americans continue to harbor an implicit pro‐White bias relative to other racial minority groups. This research has generated a great deal of controversy. The primary focus of the controversy has been on the findings that have come out of studies using the Implicit Association Test or IAT – a response‐time computer software program that records the speed with which positive and negative evaluations of different racial groups come to mind. This paper addresses the following questions that continue to divide researchers: (1) What does the IAT measure? (2) How do implicit attitudes as measured by the IAT relate to people’s race‐related judgments and behaviors? (3) What are the political and legal implications of being able to measure implicit racial bias?     

Contextual Influences on Work and Family Roles: Gender,Culture, and Socioeconomic Factors

Multiple factors influence the ways in which men and women combine work and family roles. Career counselors and other career development professionals must be cognizant of the cultural shifts in gender roles and the unique perspectives of younger generations regarding work–family interface. Workplace characteristics, economic trends, and personal values converge to influence decisions related to career, family, and other life roles. Much of the existing literature addressing work–family interface has been conducted in the United States and may not generalize to international populations. In this conceptual article, the authors examine current empirical knowledge and culturally sensitive frameworks for understanding work–family interface across countries and cultures. The authors discuss implications and recommendations for practice based on an integrated conceptualization of the literature.     

Should Parents Financially Support their Adult Children? Normative Views in Australia

Social welfare policies generally assume that parents remain responsible for adult children. Recent social changes in industrialized nations, however, have rendered family obligation norms more complex. We examined 300 Australians’ norms concerning parents’ obligations to support adult children financially. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, we investigated the extent to which respondents agreed that parents should support adult children, and the influence of situational factors. More respondents were in favor of assisting adult children than against, but there was no consensus as to what parents should do. Respondents generally agreed on factors that should be considered, then attempted to balance parental responsibility norms with adult independence norms. Parental help was more strongly endorsed when need was considered legitimate, and when the adult child was younger. Implications for Australian social policy are discussed.     

Patient assessment of engagement with students in an interprofessional student-run free clinic for individuals experiencing homelessness

The development and validation of a patient exit interview tool, the Interprofessional Clinic Homeless Satisfaction with Student Engagement Survey (ICHSES), and its incorporation in the administration of an interprofessional, co-curricular program, the Community Homeless Interprofessional Program (CHIP) is described. Incorporation of patient satisfaction with student engagement during interprofessional training experiences serving individuals who are homeless has not been previously published. At CHIP, medical, pharmacy and social work students engage with individuals experiencing homelessness in a church and faculty-supervised environment. The students provide basic health assessment, education, and referrals to community resources. Once the interaction with the students is complete, patients are asked to participate in an exit-interview using the ICHSES. Questions in the ICHSES focus on engagement with the students and the patient’s perception of the assistance they received. Based on survey responses by 220 patients, the 5 question ICHSES showed high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha?=?0.77). The ICHSES survey could be utilized in similar clinics engaged in serving the homeless.     

Simple measures of case mix in mental health services.

The concept of Case Mix in community mental health service program evaluation can be useful in mental health program evaluation if the definition of case mix is expanded beyond Diagnostic Related Groups (DRG), where DRG is solely based upon diagnosis and length of hospitalization stay. A case mix definition based upon two principal characteristics is offered. One characteristic is clinical status defined in terms of diagnostic signs and symptoms, level of functioning, and age. The other characteristic is typical treatment strategy for a given period of time (e.g., 13 weeks). Two cases mixes typical of services designed for the chronically mentally ill are discussed.