A model for the assessment of static and dynamic factors in sexual offenders

A sample of 519 sexual offenders who were consecutive admissions to the Ontario Region of Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) were assessed with reference to a large series of variables thought to be related to sexual offending. We grouped these variables into five domains: criminality, social competence, sexual deviance, substance abuse and treatment readiness. We standardized scores on each of these domains to facilitate the calculation of total scores for each domain. We then performed a variety of analyses to determine whether these domains might constitute a reasonable model for the comprehensive evaluation of sexual offenders. Analyses indicated that overall the model received a moderate level of support.     

An overview and critique of the experience corps for independent living initiative

This article presents findings of the evaluation of the Experience Corps for Independent Living (ECIL) initiative. The ECIL initiative was a two-year demonstration program designed to test innovative ways to use the experience, time, and resources of volunteers over 55 to expand significantly the size and scope of volunteer efforts on behalf of independent living services for frail older people and their caregivers in specific communities. Six demonstration projects were selected to participate in this initiative. The intensive volunteers, the critical component of the program, were more highly skilled than typical volunteers from existing senior volunteer programs. ECIL volunteers collaborated with agency partners to develop new programs, supervise direct service activities, and enhance the performance of the agencies being served. Although the projects addressed many of the goals of the initiative, they did not fully accomplish all of their objectives. The ECIL initiative was particularly successful in providing independent living services to frail elders and their families in the communities served. It was less successful in developing and maintaining the team and corps concept, in attracting and retaining the anticipated numbers of volunteers during the study period, and in becoming self-sufficient by the end of Year Three.     

Interpersonal distance preferences

The utility of various curvilinear comfort models of interpersonal distance was examined in a study employing subjects' responses to a broad range of videotaped, seated distances. Results obtained provided considerable support for these models. Intermediate distances were rated as more comfortable, preferable, and appropriate than more extreme close or far distances. This pattern of results was manifested for interaction situations involving both two- and four-person groups.This research was supported by Grants #HD-07045 and HD-8546-01 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and by a NIH Biomedical Research Support grant 5S07 RR07087-12.     

Barriers to antenatal psychosocial assessment and depression screening in private hospital settings

Problem

The evidence of benefit for antenatal psychosocial assessment and depression screening has been sufficient to lead the implementation of screening in public hospitals in all states of Australia. Details of the implementation of perinatal screening in private obstetric settings is less well known.

Barriers children face complaining about social work practice: A study in one English local authority

Despite the introduction of guidelines and procedures aimed at encouraging and supporting children and young people to complain about the services they receive, children in care still face barriers to doing so in practice. This paper explores what happens when children in care are dissatisfied with the services they receive. Specifically, this study examines the complaints procedure for children in care. The findings are based on semistructured interviews with children in care, social workers, senior managers, and independent reviewing officers from one English local authority. Thematic analysis of these data identified five emergent themes: (a) complaints by children in care are managed at the lowest possible level, (b) senior managers have an overly optimistic view about children in care being informed of complaint procedures and being encouraged to do so, (c) children in care are worried about complaining, which is recognized by professionals, (d) children's voices are often not heard, and (e) when issues are clearly defined, independent reviewing officers have some degree of success in resolving complaints from children in care.     

Choosing between the BP and BN sequential strategies

Cost and burden of diagnostic testing may be reduced if fewer tests can be applied. Sequential testing involves selecting a sequence of tests, but only administering subsequent tests dependent on results of previous tests. This research provides guidance to choosing between single tests or the believe the positive (BP) and believe the negative (BN) sequential testing strategies, using accuracy (as measured by the Youden Index) as the primary determinant. Approximately 75% of the parameter combinations examined resulted in either BP or BN being recommended based on a higher accuracy at the optimal point. In about half of the scenarios BP was preferred, and the other half, BN, with the choice often a function of the value of the ratio of standard deviations of those without and with disease (b). Large values of b for the first test of the sequence tended to be associated with preference for BN as opposed to BP, while small values of b appear to favor BP. When there was no preference between sequences and/or single tests based on the Youden Index, cost of the sequence was considered. In this case, disease prevalence plays a large role in the selection of strategies, with lower values favoring BN and sometimes higher values favoring BP. The cost threshold for the sequential strategy to be preferred over a single, more accurate test, was often quite high. It appears that while sequential strategies most often increase diagnostic accuracy over a single test, sequential strategies are not always preferred.     

An evaluation of immediate outcomes and fidelity of a drug abuse prevention program in continuation high schools: project towards no drug abuse (TND)

The present study provides an implementation fidelity, process, and immediate outcomes evaluation of Project Towards No Drug Abuse (TND), a drug prevention program targeting continuation high school youth (n=1426) at risk for drug abuse. A total of 24 schools participated in three randomized conditions: TND Only, TND and motivational interviewing follow-up, and no treatment control. Fidelity was high: across program schools the curriculum was implemented as intended and was received favorably by students. Relative to controls, intervention conditions produced effects on hypothesized mediators, including greater gains in program related knowledge, greater reductions in drug use intentions, and positive changes in motivation. However, few generalizations to attitudes and intentions regarding risky sexual behavior were found. The pattern of results suggests that the experimental manipulations worked as intended.     

Reimagining social work case studies: a social work—creative writing collaboration

This paper describes a joint social work and creative writing project which analysed case studies from textbooks on reading lists for the Bachelor of Social Work course at Edith Cowan University. The textbook case studies were analysed from the perspectives of both social work and literary craft and it was found that they presented simplified scenarios which were limited in terms of diversity and rarely portrayed depth or complexity. The case studies were also often bereft of information about social workers’ or service users’ human qualities and frequently portrayed service users in terms of the problems they presented to the social worker. The authors argue that depicting social workers and service users in this way can create the impression that social work is a distanced procedural activity and can also serve to distance service users’ lives and experiences from social work students. Drawing on research in creative writing craft, as well as analysis of the textbook case studies, principles for writing engaging text-book case studies were developed and the paper concludes by arguing for the use of these principles when crafting social work case studies.     

Exploring Contrasting Formulations of Expectancy Theory*

The explanatory potential of four forms of expectancy theory with additive and multiplicative expectancy terms and linear and nonlinear valence functions were contrasted. A behavioral decision-making theory approach was used when 101 subjects were asked to make 128 hypothetical job-choice decisions. More than 25,800 decisions under a within-subjects framework were analyzed. Results indicate that the majority (83 percent) of subjects employed additive or multiplicative expectancy models with linear valence functions. However, the predictive efficacy of the expectancy theory model was improved for 17 percent of the subjects when nonlinear valence terms were introduced. The findings imply that different functional forms of expectancy theory may be needed to model individuals' decision-making processes.