Prevalence of and attitudes to abortion among migrant women in Sydney

This study, based on a socio-demographic survey, conducted in 1988, of 980 ever-married women of Lebanese, Turkish or Vietnamese origin, shows that Turkish women had the most liberal attitudes and reported the highest incidence of abortion. More than half of the Turkish women and only 10–15 per cent of Lebanese and Vietnamese women thought that a woman should have the right to make the abortion decision herself. In spite of religious and moral objections there were many women who were prepared to consider having an abortion in a variety of common situations such as contraceptive failure, rape, extra-marital pregnancy and medical conditions.     

Modelling small and medium enterprise loan defaults as rare events: the generalized extreme value regression model

A pivotal characteristic of credit defaults that is ignored by most credit scoring models is the rarity of the event. The most widely used model to estimate the probability of default is the logistic regression model. Since the dependent variable represents a rare event, the logistic regression model shows relevant drawbacks, for example, underestimation of the default probability, which could be very risky for banks. In order to overcome these drawbacks, we propose the generalized extreme value regression model. In particular, in a generalized linear model (GLM) with the binary-dependent variable we suggest the quantile function of the GEV distribution as link function, so our attention is focused on the tail of the response curve for values close to one. The estimation procedure used is the maximum-likelihood method. This model accommodates skewness and it presents a generalisation of GLMs with complementary log–log link function. We analyse its performance by simulation studies. Finally, we apply the proposed model to empirical data on Italian small and medium enterprises.     

Social workers and intercultural mediators: challenges for collaboration and intercultural awareness

ABSTRACT

Social work in Europe is facing numerous challenges in terms of promoting the participation of migrants and their descendants in super-diverse societies. This study investigates collaboration between social workers and intercultural mediators based on international debate and fieldwork in Italy. Does social work require collaboration with other professions specialised in intercultural relations? What are the characteristics of intercultural professionals? What are the pros and cons of collaboration between social workers and intercultural mediators? This study shows that local social services need to work with intercultural mediators, allowing local social services to implement various strategies for tackling cultural and linguistic barriers with their clients and rely on professionals inside or outside their own. Furthermore, intercultural mediators tend to have weak and heterogeneous training backgrounds and working conditions. This article aims to contribute to the debate on the welfare reform process to support migrants and their descendants’ equal rights and participation in society, highlighting the need for collaboration between interculturally aware social workers and intercultural mediators to tackle institutional structural weaknesses in such professions as part of an organisational innovation process in social-welfare institutions.     

Walk-in clinic counselling for emotional regulation with low-needs youth on the autism spectrum

A single-session consultation model for low-needs youth on the autism spectrum is presented with the mental health concern of emotional self-regulation, a common issue in family psychotherapy. This research is contextualised within the growing field of short-term therapy as it intersects the growing demand to therapeutically address clients on the autism spectrum. The treatment intervention is delineated through five sequential phases within the walk-in clinic setting for the practitioner clinician. A rationale, overview, and instruction for the practitioner clinician utilising this novel model is provided through a case study format. By using a more structured and integrated approach to treatment, organised through an externalised metaphor, it is suggested that the current model will be more effective for this specific clinical population. Additionally, a case illustration is provided that scaffolds the treatment model, which includes table formats and pictures. The case study illustrates the self-regulation map metaphor visually and interactively linking client challenges, strategies, and motivations simultaneously on multiple electronic devices in session. Relevant works were selected to explore the effectiveness of single-session consultation models for those presenting on the autism spectrum. Treatment interventions for specific clinical populations are recommended, especially within walk-in clinic therapy. This clinical research introduces a paradigm shift towards therapeutically addressing emotional self-regulation with low-needs youth on the spectrum through virtual, interactive technology.     

Preventing child abuse and neglect: a national evaluation of Parents Anonymous groups

This evaluation assessed whether participation in Parents Anonymous mutual support groups was associated with child maltreatment prevention. Parents new to groups across the United States were interviewed at baseline, one month, and six months. Using standardized scales, all parents showed improvements in some child maltreatment outcomes, risk factors, and protective factors. Parents starting out with particularly serious needs showed statistically significant improvement on every scale. Results indicated that Parents Anonymous participation contributes to child maltreatment reduction.     

Attitudes about addiction: a national study of addiction educators

The following study, funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), utilized the Addiction Belief Inventory (ABI; Luke, Ribisl, Walton, & Davidson, 2002) to examine addiction attitudes in a national sample of U.S. college/university faculty teaching addiction-specific courses (n=215). Results suggest that addiction educators view substance abuse as a coping mechanism rather than a moral failure, and are ambivalent about calling substance abuse or addiction a disease. Most do not support individual efficacy toward recovery, the ability to control use, or social use after treatment. Modifiers of addiction educator attitudes include level of college education; teaching experience; licensure/certification, and whether the educator is an addiction researcher. Study implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.     

HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction Intervention for Women who have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence

A growing body of literature highlights the association between women who have experienced intimate partner abuse (IPA) and their heightened risk for HIV/AIDS (human immune deficiency syndrome/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome) infection. Finding HIV risk reduction strategies that are contextually relevant for this population is an important public policy priority. This qualitative study researched women who have experienced intimate partner abuse in order to develop a HIV/AIDS risk reduction intervention unique to their circumstances. This pilot study explored the critical components of such an intervention among a racially/ethnically stratified (African-American, Mexican-American and Anglo) sample of women (n=43) who have experienced IPA. Focus groups were conducted and transcribed, and a content analysis was used to identify major themes. In all five focus groups, participants viewed the research as interesting, good, beneficial, and/or important based on their perceptions of risk for infection. Respondents felt that they knew of ways to protect themselves from infection in non-abusive relationships; however, acknowledged the difficulties of doing so given the context of their abusive relationships. Examining the racial/ethnic differences across focus groups showed that the language used by women is quite variable. The ways in which survivors define rape, sexual abuse, and their own experiences are all unique; however, their actual experiences have many similarities. Discussed at length are the topics participants shared as critical in informing the design of an intervention and the relevance of the findings to social work clinical practice is explained.     

‘A Blinding Lack of Progress’: Management Rhetoric and Affirmative Action

In this study we explore how versions of organizational reality and gender are constructed in management discourse and whether such patterns change over time. Specifically, we examine management explanations and accounts of the gendered nature of their organizations through their commentaries on their affirmative action programmes. In Australia private sector organizations with 100 or more employees are required to report to government on their affirmative action programmes for women. In these documents, management representatives outline objectives for the coming year and report on their progress in reducing employment‐related barriers for women. In doing so they account for the ‘problem’ of gender‐based discrimination that affirmative action is designed to address, justify their actions (or lack of action) and reproduce versions of gendered identity. Thus we use affirmative action reporting as cases of management rhetoric to explore how aspects of gender and organization are constructed, taken for granted, challenged or problematized. Comparing reports from the hospitality sector over a 14‐year period, we explore whether there is any evidence of discursive change in management accounts of the gendered nature of their organizations.     

Some differences in revealed behaviour under different inquiry methods

The paper is devoted to the assessment of the relevance of the they-come-to-play effect (CTPE, defined in the text). It employs both a real-effort setting and a questionnaire. The effect proves to be significant, albeit the results cannot be generalized straightforwardly. From the comparison between the real-effort setting and the questionnaire it turns out that subjects are influenced by their political preferences only in the latter.     

Suicide Prevention Training Program for Gatekeepers Working in Community Hospice Settings

Gatekeepers in community hospice settings encounter patients and caregivers struggling with suicidal thoughts. Limited guidance is available for training staff on the prevention of suicide in hospice care. This study evaluated one promising, evidence-based, suicide prevention program with a behavioral rehearsal practice session. A pre- and post-, one group design, was utilized to measure the training impact and educational needs of staff working in community hospice settings (N =39). Training increased awareness of the risk factors for suicide, as reported by nearly 80% of participants. Self-efficacy scores showed a statistically significant Increase, t(df = 35), ?9.59, p= .00 (two-tailed), from pretraining (n=36, M=2.21, SD= .65) to posttraining (n=36, M=3.03, SD=.56). Satisfaction and the need for additional devoted time for suicide prevention training were highly rated. Suicide prevention training programs can enhance self-efficacy, knowledge, and skills for gatekeepers working in community hospice settings.