Are the Children Playing Quietly? Integrating Child Psychotherapy and Family Therapy

Over many years, family therapy training programs have not included the engagement of children under seven. John Byng-Hall wrote in 1986 that family therapists could learn about understanding young children from child psychotherapists. It has long been my practice to include young children when working with families. This article describe ways of working that include young children's play as relevant information. I hope to encourage other child psychotherapists and family therapists to find better ways of integrating skills.     

Racism and anti-racism in placement reports

The focus of this article is upon the way in which practice teachers and students considered individual and institutional racism and anti-racism in a sample of 40 placement reports. First of all we will examine the background to the development of CCETSW policies and requirements for social work courses and the way in which they consider racism and anti-racism. Then we will consider the limitations and aims of our research. We will present a brief summary of our findings which contrasts the content of the placement reports from two cohorts of students in 1995 and 1997, whose reports were prepared using two different placement report frameworks: one framework developed from CCETSW's 1989 guidelines, the other framework from the revised guidelines dating from 1995. We go on to consider in some depth the overall comments of practice teachers and students in the placement reports about work with black clients/users, the use of 'what if' scenarios and case studies. We continue by examining the way in which students considered the numbers of black people in the local population, and the use made by black people of the placement agencies. Also examination is made of multiple oppression, any challenges to racism made by students, differences in terminology used to consider issues associated with 'race' and the attention given to racism and anti-racism as future learning needs. Finally, we consider implications for future research and a summary of the findings.     

Coming together and pulling apart: Exploring the influence of functional status on co-resident relationships in assisted living

Social relationships can have considerable influence on physical and mental well-being in later life, particularly for those in long-term care settings such as assisted living (AL). Research set in AL suggests that other residents are among the most available social contacts and that co-resident relationships can affect life satisfaction, quality of life, and well-being. Functional status is a major factor influencing relationships, yet AL research has not studied in-depth or systematically considered the role it plays in residents' relationships. This study examines the influences of physical and mental function on co-resident relationships in AL and identifies the factors shaping the influence of functional status. We present an analysis of qualitative data collected over a one-year period in two distinct AL settings. Data collection included: participant observation, informal interviews, and formal in-depth interviews with staff, residents, administrators and visitors, as well as surveys with residents. Grounded theory methods guided our data collection and analysis. Our analysis identified the core category, “coming together and pulling apart”, which signifies that functional status is multi-directional, fluid, and operates in different ways in various situations and across time. Key facility- (e.g., admission and retention practices, staff intervention) and resident-level (e.g., personal and situational characteristics) factors shape the influence of functional status on co-resident relationships. Based on our findings, we suggest strategies for promoting positive relationships among residents in AL, including the need to educate staff, families, and residents.     

Involuntary celibacy: A life course analysis

Using a life course perspective, we explored the development and maintenance of involuntary celibacy for 82 respondents recruited over the I'nternet. Data were collected using an open‐ended electronic questionnaire. Modified grounded theory analysis yielded three groups of involuntary celibates, persons desiring to have sex but unable to find partners. Virgins were those who had never had sex, singles had sex in the past but were unable to establish current sexual relationships, and part‐nereds were currently in sexless relationships. These groups differed on dating experiences, the circumstances surrounding their celibacy, barriers to sexual activity, and the perceived likelihood of becoming sexually active. They were similar, however, in their negative reactions to celibacy. Pervasive in our respondents’ accounts was the theme of becoming and remaining off time in making normative sexual transitions, which in turn perpetuated a celibate life course or trajectory.     

The Impact of Parental Conflict and the Mitigating Effect of Joint Custody After Divorce or Separation

ABSTRACT

This is an empirical study based on a large randomized sample of French children focusing on questions of the consequences of divorce and interparental conflict. In particular, the effect of joint custody after parental separation on children’s self-esteem was tested. The results were compared with those of a previous study made 12 years earlier with the same instruments to measure the evolution of French society and French law in the matter of divorce.     

Lottery marketing in Québec and social deprivation: excessive exposure,insufficient protection?

In 2008, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) undertook a research programme on lotteries. The preliminary qualitative exploratory component enabled us to observe the diversity and ubiquity of lottery advertising to which the vast majority of the population is exposed, including minors and non-players. The aim of a second component was to better comprehend the relationships between exposure to lottery marketing, lottery purchasing habits, attitudes towards gambling, and socio-economic vulnerability indicators. The study's data was collected by a polling firm from a representative sample of adults in the Québec population (n = 2001). Our survey revealed significant links between exposure, gambling behaviour and certain socio-economic indicators: for example, individuals with lower levels of education more often play the lotteries and spend the most on them. In addition, a greater number of people who are less educated and from a low-income household considered that lottery advertising was very or excessively present in their daily lives and that the amount of advertising has increased in recent years. From the perspective of creating healthy environments and protecting vulnerable populations, legislative measures to control the quantity, location and contents of gambling marketing would be promising preventive measures.     

Risks and Responsibilities: Creating Dialogical Spaces in Northern Ireland

The idea that open dialogue is the key to transformative politics sounds straightforward. However, in a polity such as Northern Ireland where deep discord has intricate roots, an openness to difference is complex. I argue that dialogical spaces are created when people are prepared to engage in a risk-taking that conjoins self-disclosure with the vulnerability of being truly open to others; and are willing to bear the responsibility of mutually speaking with and listening to the plural other. First, I explain the relationship between identity, difference and political participation of women in Northern Ireland, examining alliance politics and solidarity. I offer suggestions for how difference, multiplicity and justice can be accommodated. Second, I extend beyond the specific context of Northern Ireland to evaluate the ability of feminist theories of deliberative democracy to facilitate dialogue across difference. I examine the importance of normative notions of deliberation, communication, narrative and competing needs. Third, I extrapolate from these theories the idea that the dynamic between listening and speaking creates a space to include diversity and commonality.