On a dynamic response model of W. F. Kempf

Kempf's model was used by W. F. Kempf and P. Hampapa (1977, “Conditional inference for the dynamic test model,” in Mathematical Models for Social Psychology (W. F. Kempf and B. H. Repp, Eds.), Chap. 3, pp. 81–100, Wiley, New York) to analyze the cross-classification of responses to four items on sex typing of children's household chores from the 1971 Detroit Area Study. The model alters the simple Rasch measurement model for dichotomous items to include transfer effects, so that responses are allowed to be serially dependent (G. Rasch, 1966, “An individualistic approach to item analysis,” in Readings in Mathematical Social Science (P. F. Lazarsfeld and N. W. Henry, Eds.), pp. 89–107, MIT Press, Cambridge, 1980; Probabilistic Models for Some Intelligence and Attainment Tests, expanded ed., Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago). Although Kempf and Hampapa did not find strong reason to reject the dynamic model, the present analysis indicates that it should be rejected in favor of a two-dimensional Rasch model.     

Changing Our Understanding of Child Welfare: Replacing the Residual Paradigm

Public policies and programs for children are shaped by collective understandings of what is possible and practical and are given expression through collective action. In the United States this collective action has primarily manifested itself through the development of the public child welfare system. Since its inception the child welfare system has been guided by a residual paradigm. This residual paradigm has been the principle organizing framework for knowledge development and practice in child welfare. It has defined the domain of the field, delineated the scope of professional inquiry, and proven to be a cul de sac that prevents finding solutions to the pernicious problems of widespread child poverty and child maltreatment.     

Predicting successful and unsuccessful transitions from school to work by using sequence methods

Policy makers recognize the importance of identifying early young people who are likely to end up jobless on entry to the adult labour market. This paper uses sequence techniques to characterize 712 young peoples' transitions from school to work into `types', with jobless types interpreted as unsuccessful transitions. A logit model is estimated for transition type using a collection of static individual, family and school characteristics. This allows us to identify which young people are most likely to experience unsuccessful transitions into the adult labour market. Policy makers might use such information to target social and educational policy more effectively to promote social inclusion.     

The understanding of internal control principles by pastors

Although the concept of internal control is as relevant to churches as it is to profit‐seeking organizations, many authors have indicated that churches typically have weak systems of internal control. Pastors usually serve in the position of chief professional officer of their churches, and the implementation and maintenance of an adequate system of internal control is ultimately the responsibility of management. This study is a preliminary effort to determine whether pastors understand general principles of internal control and are able to recognize strengths and weaknesses in systems of internal control. The results show that pastors have a reasonable ability to recognize strengths and weaknesses in internal control systems in churches.     

Negotiated denizenship: foreign nationals’ tactics of belonging in a Cape Town township

This article draws on interviews and ethnographic research conducted in early 2010 in a Cape Town township to study the establishment and first stages of a newly formed organisation representing the interests of foreign nationals. It examines how and to what extent its early work has shown the potential to prise open alternative spaces for its members to participate meaningfully in local affairs without being “captured” by South African interests. Faced with intergroup distrust and the considerable pressures to assimilate into the prevailing political culture, the newly formed organisation adopted what I term “negotiated denizenship” as a distinctive tactic of belonging in an environment in which foreign migrants must earn access to certain basic rights and resources. By simultaneously engaging with existing nodes of authority in the community and establishing their own resource node, early evidence suggests that foreign migrants might be able to gradually influence local events and help to improve intergroup tolerance in the community.     

Development and Initial Validation of the Symptoms and Assets Screening Scale

Abstract

Objective: To develop and test a screening measure of mental health symptoms and well-being in college students, the Symptoms and Assets Screening Scale (SASS). Participants: Participants were 758 college students at 2 universities in the Northwest sampled between October 2009 and April 2011. Methods: Participants completed the SASS, as well as measures of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, substance problems, and eating problems in 1 session. A subset of participants (n = 259) completed the SASS 1 to 2 weeks later to allow an examination of test–retest stability. Results: The SASS demonstrated good reliability and validity and appears to assess similar constructs as well-established measures in college students. Fifty-nine percent of the sample reported having problems with their thoughts, behaviors, or emotions, whereas only 9.7% reported currently receiving treatment. Conclusions: The SASS is a brief instrument that has the potential to effectively screen for the most prevalent mental health problems in college students.     

The Baby Boomer Effect: Changing Patterns of Substance Abuse Among Adults Ages 55 and Older

Between now and 2030, the number of adults aged 65 and older in the United States will almost double, from around 37 million to more than 70 million, an increase from 12% of the U.S. population to almost 20%. It was long held that, with only a few isolated exceptions, substance abuse simply did not exist among this population. In light of the impact of the baby boom generation, this assumption may no longer be valid. The authors examined admissions of persons 55 years and older (n = 918,955) from the Treatment Episode Data Set (1998–2006). Total admissions with a primary drug problem with alcohol have remained relatively stable over this time. Admissions for problems with a primary drug other than alcohol have shown a steady and substantial increase. Clearly, data from the Treatment Episode Data Set indicate a coming wave of older addicts whose primary problem is not alcohol. The authors suspect that this wave is led primarily by the continuing emergence of the baby boomer generation.