Does inflation targeting lower inflation and spur growth?

Over the last few decades several countries have turned to inflation targeting as a policy choice for instilling stability into their economies. Prior studies have shown that inflation targeting has reduced inflation in those countries without significantly impacting GDP. This study seeks to improve upon these results by identifying the impact of timing on the policy decision as well as its impact as related to specific regions of the world. The focus is on developing countries across six regions. We find significant regional variation in developing countries in our sample in terms of the direction of changes in inflation following a switch to the inflation targeting policy. Moreover, although the impact of inflation targeting on real GDP is minimal overall, there is a statistically significant increase in real GDP among developing countries in certain regions only, namely, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.     

The inverse power Lindley distribution in the presence of left-censored data

In this study, classical and Bayesian inference methods are introduced to analyze lifetime data sets in the presence of left censoring considering two generalizations of the Lindley distribution: a first generalization proposed by Ghitany et al. [Power Lindley distribution and associated inference, Comput. Statist. Data Anal. 64 (2013), pp. 20–33], denoted as a power Lindley distribution and a second generalization proposed by Sharma et al. [The inverse Lindley distribution: A stress–strength reliability model with application to head and neck cancer data, J. Ind. Prod. Eng. 32 (2015), pp. 162–173], denoted as an inverse Lindley distribution. In our approach, we have used a distribution obtained from these two generalizations denoted as an inverse power Lindley distribution. A numerical illustration is presented considering a dataset of thyroglobulin levels present in a group of individuals with differentiated cancer of thyroid.     

Exploring Nondeliberative Practice through Recreational,Art, and Music-Based Activities in Social Work with Groups

ABSTRACT

This article reviews the history of recreational, arts, and music-based activities in social work with groups, providing a nondeliberative practice context. The article begins with an overview of nondeliberative practice, then presents various uses of recreational, art, and music-based activities during the Settlement House and Recreational Movements, in mid-20^th-century group work practice and in present practice. The article concludes with a review of current projects in the Chicago land area and highlights their potential to decrease young person on young person violence.     

Improving Permanency: Caseworker Perspectives of Older Youth in Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement

Researchers conducted focus groups with 52 child welfare caseworkers across five county child welfare agencies to understand their approach to working with and views about outcomes for youth in Another Permanent Planned Living Arrangement (APPLA). Analysis of the focus groups yielded five themes, including (a) youth and family factors contributing to APPLA as a case designation, (b) caseload intensity relative to this specific population, (c) perceptions of organizational support, (d) lack of focus on legal permanency, and (e) overemphasis on independent living services. The range of viewpoints from these child welfare professionals spoke to the complexities of addressing the needs for older youth in care and to identifying strategies to improve permanency outcomes for this population. The implications for practices that account for individual, organizational, and systemic factors impacting legal permanency for older youth are discussed.     

Correlates of AUDIT Risk Status for Male and Female College Students

Abstract

Objective: The current study identified gender-specific correlates of hazardous drinker status as defined by the AUDIT. Participants: A total of 462 college student volunteers completed the study in 2006. The sample was predominantly Caucasian (75%) and female (55%). Methods: Participants completed a survey assessing demographics, alcohol use patterns, and health indices. Scores of 8 or more on the AUDIT defined the at-risk subsample. Logistic regression models determined which variables predicted AUDIT risk status for men and women. Results: The at-risk participants reported higher alcohol use and related problems, elevated sleep problems and lower health ratings. High typical blood alcohol concentration (BAC), lifetime drug use, and psychosocial problems predicted risk status for males. Binge frequency and psychosocial problems predicted risk status for females. Conclusions: Different behavioral profiles emerged for men and women identified as hazardous drinkers on the AUDIT. The efficacy of brief alcohol interventions could be enhanced by addressing these behavioral correlates.     

College Women's Sexual Decision Making: Cognitive Mediation of Alcohol Expectancy Effects

Abstract

Objective: Alcohol has been linked to a variety of risky sexual practices, including inconsistent condom use. Due to the high rates of alcohol consumption among underage college women, greater understanding of the role of alcohol in young women's sexual decision making is warranted. Participants and Methods: Female underage (18- to 20-year-old) social drinkers (N = 94) participated in an experiment in which they projected themselves into a written hypothetical sexual situation with a new partner. One half of the situations portrayed alcohol consumption; one half did not involve alcohol consumption. Their appraisals of the situation's sexual potential, impelling and inhibiting cognitions, and sexual behavior intentions were assessed. Results: Results revealed that alcohol's expectancy effects on young women's unprotected sexual intentions were mediated by their cognitive appraisals of the situation. Conclusions: These findings indicate that alcohol expectancies and their influence on women's sexual decisions should be incorporated into sexual risk reduction efforts.     

Cross‐Cultural Comparison of the Effects of Optimism,Intrinsic Motivation,and Family Relations on Vocational Identity

This study explored the effects of optimism, intrinsic motivation, and family relations on vocational identity in college students in the United States and South Korea. The results yielded support for the hypothesized multivariate model. Across both cultures, optimism was an important contributing factor to vocational identity, and intrinsic motivation partially mediated the link from optimism to vocational identity. In addition, family relations moderated the mediation effect of intrinsic motivation with American students but not Korean students. With Korean students, family relations moderated the direct link from optimism to vocational identity. These results have significant implications for counseling to promote vocational identity development for diverse college students.     

Narratives of Socialization: Perceptions of Parental Influence After Childhood Divorce

Despite substantial research on the consequences of parental divorce, no studies have investigated offspring discourse about parents’ influences. This study draws on a sample of university students and uses a grounded theory approach to identify four types of socialization narratives. These narratives include (a) fear of unintentional modeling, (b) absence of effective modeling, (c) determination to avoid parental mistakes, and (d) fear of self- or partner change. For the first three types, young adults link perceptions of relationship socialization to a specific parental trait or relationship pattern. The fourth type reflects generalized conclusions about human change over the life course.     

The Integrated Care Team: A Practice Model in Child and Family Services

The Integrated Care Team brings together representatives from each of Windermere’s service areas to create a group of highly experienced and knowledgeable professionals. This transdisciplinary team aims to provide a cohesive and effective support to service delivery staff working with individuals and families who are experiencing issues across multiple service areas. This support involves sharing of knowledge, contacts, resources and brokerage. Initial evaluation of the Integrated Care Team demonstrates strong positive outcomes for individuals and families with results that could not be so efficiently achieved through standard practice. Positive outcomes occur more quickly, more effectively, with less disruption to individuals and families and with more ease for workers than in standard practice. Workers who utilize the Integrated Care Team and representatives who sit on the Team comment on the efficacy of the approach reinforcing the value of key worker models, transdisciplinary teams, seamless service and breaking down silos between service areas; even within the same agency.