Understanding heterosexual Chinese college students' intention to adopt safer sex behaviors

This study aimed to examine Chinese college students' safer sex behaviors and to explore whether or not the Theory of Reasoned Action would be useful in understanding AIDS/HIV‐prevention behaviors of Chinese students. A total of 455 Chinese college students (161 males and 267 females) in Hong Kong participated in the study. Results revealed that 24% of the students were sexually active during the surveyed year, with only 38.2% of them reporting regular condom use. About one third of the students intended to experiment with casual sex in the future, but only 64% would use condoms regularly if they were to have future casual sexual encounters. Results indicated that the Theory of Reasoned Action was most applicable in understanding Chinese college students’ intention to use condoms in future casual sexual encounters, rather than in current and future regular sexual activities. Specifically, students who intended‐to use condoms in future casual sex encounters tended to have accurate AIDS/HIV information, show little prejudice against people with AIDS/HIV, demonstrate greater concern about contracting AIDS/HIV, feel confident in condom use, and have positive attitudes toward safer sex behaviors. Gender disparity was also noted in the pattern of associations between safer sex behaviors and various psychological variables. Limitations of the present study and implications for future research were also discussed.     

Conversations with Suwanrang: The Treatment Relationship in Cultural Context

Due to the changing cultural composition of the U.S., social workers are increasingly working with clients from different cultures. As a result of globalization, our schools of social work are training international students who return home to work in their native countries and take with them our theories and models of practice. It is essential that, as a profession, we address questions about the relevance of our models to work with clients from different cultures. This paper will use theoretical concepts from anthropology and data from field research with Suwanrang, a social worker in Northern Thailand to address these issues. The implications of the debate between universalist, relativist, and cultural pluralist perspectives within anthropology for psychodynamic, developmental models and social work treatment will be explored. The paper will focus on the ways the treatment relationship is shaped by and varies with culture     

Outre‐Manche/Across the Channel: Ongoing Training and Gender in France and Britain

The French state‐levy system of ongoing training at work has not provided greater access for women than the laissez‐faire British system. While headlines figures suggest that women receive more training than men in Britain and that the gap has also closed for well‐qualified women in France, qualitative analysis shows that this does not indicate greater gender equity. The societal effect approach is useful for cross‐national comparison within the sphere of economic organization but must be combined with analysis of the gender order to account for differences and similarities in social reproduction. The case of the insurance industry provides detailed empirical evidence of the issues underlying this, particularly women's availability for ongoing training at work. The situation of women in each country is inextricably linked to a complex interdependence of a multitude of variables, some of which are similar, such as the workings of patriarchy, and some of which are different, such as state configurations of childcare infrastructure.     

‘Now I See The Difference’ — The Use Of Visual News Of Difference In Clinical Practice

Differences between events, values, attitudes and relationships provide therapists with the most meaningful data in the search for a circular perspective. Systems change is believed to be dependent on the reception of relevant information by the system. Traditionally, information has been collected verbally and Tomm (1984) outlines a schema of the types of difference questions. However, clinical practice suggests that these questions are not suitable to all clients. Difference questions may be confusing and unproductive when working with young children whose language skills are not fully developed and auditory memory limited. Adults whose verbal skills are limited or whose primary mode for processing information is not auditory, also have difficulty. An alternative visual method for collecting news of difference is proposed, using Tomm's (1984) categories as a basis. Case examples are given of this technique, at the stage of data collection and as a way of marking and reinforcing change through the course of therapy.