Secular Trends in Substance Use: The Conflict and Young People in Northern Ireland

The resolution of political conflict has led some to suggest that Northern Ireland will now face a range of social problems that have been ignored or suppressed by the Troubles. One such area is adolescent drug use. In this article, a review of a range of data sources shows that drug use, with few exceptions, has increased since the emergence of the ongoing peace process. Social and political changes and enhanced paramilitary involvement in the drugs trade appear to have somehow created an environment where drug use has flourished. In reviewing current drug policy and practice, the article highlights the lack of prevention, treatment, and harm reduction services established in Northern Ireland as a cause for concern .     

Heterogeneity in Family Life Course Patterns and Intra-Cohort Wealth Disparities in Late Working Age

European Journal of Population - Considering soaring wealth inequalities in older age, this research addresses the relationship between family life courses and widening wealth differences between...     

Racial bias in baseball card collecting revisited

Although research examining the role of racial bias in the secondary sports card market has been an emerging area of inquiry, empirical knowledge on the question: “Does the race of the player on a sports card affect the value of the card?” remains inconclusive. This paper revisits one of the first studies on this topic. Data were derived for 66 Black, White, and Latino members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame who were elected by a vote of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Data for each player's race, career performance statistics, rookie card price, and card availability were obtained from secondary sources. Findings indicate that card availability and, to a lesser extent, player performance is the most important factor affecting the value of a player's card, while importantly, a player's race is not a significant contributor to card value. Suggestions for future research are outlined.     

Controlling children's lives: covert messages in child protection service reports

This article presents central findings from a detailed examination of written documents in 50 child protection cases from the Norwegian welfare state. In so doing, it explores issues related to the social consequences of document writing in welfare state services. Using a frame drawn from Foucault's theory of discursive rites, it looks at the writing of certain documents as ritual performances involving on the one hand, various chains of power and on the other, processes reinforcing ruling definitions of normality. The examination shows that documents do more than satisfy bureaucratic demands for record keeping about the delivery of child protection services. These records also serve as distributors of social identities and social positions for children and their families. Moreover, the examination also reveals the contours of a paradox whereby, activities intended to help and to protect some children often involve using these youngsters to reaffirm normality in society and to confirm the existing social order. These findings indicate that there is a need for greater sensibility to ethical issues involved in documents writing.     

Mothers' Cognitions about Relational Aggression: Associations with Discipline Responses, Children's Normative Beliefs, and Peer Competence

Prior research has shown that parental social cognitions are associated with child outcomes such as aggression. The goal of this study was to examine mothers' cognitions about relational aggression, and to explore linkages between mothers' attributions and normative beliefs about aggression and children's competence with peers. Participants included 103 mothers and children in grades 3 through 6. Results showed that mothers viewed relational aggression as more acceptable and normative than physical aggression, and they attributed less responsibility to children for using relational aggression. Maternal cognitions also predicted levels of sternness and disapproval in response to child relational aggression, and children's beliefs about the acceptability of relational aggression, which were associated with children's teacher-rated peer competence. Sex differences in the patterns of associations between maternal cognitions, discipline responses, child norms and peer competence were found. Applications of these results to parent education programs that are focused on relational aggression are discussed.     

Comparison of older adult performance during the functional-reach and limits-of-stability tests

Despite widespread use of the functional-reach (FR) and limits-of-stability (LOS) tests, comparisons of postural strategies and postural limits for these tests have not been previously reported. The purpose of this study was to compare postural strategies as determined by cross-correlation analyses of trunk and lower leg angular displacements and postural limits as assessed by maximum center-of-gravity (COG) excursions as older adults at low fall risk completed the FR and LOS tests. Fourteen older adults completed three FR and LOS trials while standing on a Balance Master force platform. Results indicated that despite relatively similar instructions to reach or lean as far as possible without losing balance or altering the base of support, their performance differed with regard to postural strategies employed and maximum COG excursions produced. These findings suggest that because of differences in task constraints, FR and LOS tests should not be used interchangeably.