Developmental trajectories of positivity from mid-childhood to early adolescence: Family and school environmental predictors

This study examined the heterogeneity in positivity trajectories and the predictive roles of family and school environments (i.e., perceived parental warmth and basic psychological need satisfactions at school) from mid-childhood to early adolescence. Elementary school students in China (N = 2204, 54.9% boys, M_age = 9.47 years) completed relevant measures on six occasions, every 6 months. Latent class growth modeling revealed four heterogeneous developmental trajectories of positivity: High-Increasing (50.6%), Moderate Low-Increasing (33.2%), Low-Stable (11.0%), and High-Decreasing (5.2%). Perceived parental warmth and satisfaction of relatedness and competence needs at school significantly predicted trajectory class membership. Findings underscore the value of identifying group difference in positivity development in youth and the need for specific interventions targeting their unique characteristics.     

Repositioning culture for development: women and development in a Nigerian rural community

Most studies on women have ignored women's view of themselves in relation to their roles in community development. This study uses interview and ethnographic data from Nigeria to investigate women's narratives of themselves concerning their position in a rural cultural space in relation to community development. It explores ways of repositioning patriarchal or gender unresponsive cultures for eliciting women's potentials in community development. It emphasises how women's cultural constrains in a patriarchal community have led to a rare survival strategy – that is, the evolution of an invisible matriarchy. As a recommendation, it presents a framework for culture repositioning and a map of actors' responsibilities for its achievement. It contributes to ongoing debates on women in rural community development. It raises conceptual questions about customary practices that affect women's values in communities in Nigeria's rural areas. Finally, it presents three main lessons that can be drawn by women (and men) in traditional communities in non-Western societies.     

The Oral History Rating Scale–Revised: Preliminary Evaluation of a Clinician-Rated Measure of Divorce Potential

ABSTRACT

This study was a preliminary psychometric investigation of the Oral History Rating Scale–Revised (OHRS–R), a therapist-rated measure of married couples' divorce potential based a 90-min oral history interview. Findings suggest the OHRS–R shows promise as a clinical tool. Therapist and observing raters' total OHRS–R scores demonstrated high interrater reliability and discriminated from client reports of psychological functioning (Outcome Questionnaire-45.2) and marital satisfaction (Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale). Therapist OHRS–R ratings showed evidence of construct validity. Convergence between therapist OHRS–R ratings and a client-reported measure of divorce risk (Marital Status Inventory) was relatively low. Longitudinal research is needed to confirm predictive validity.     

Occupation and Residence: Cleveland, 1940–1970

Abstract

The residential distribution of employed males in eight different occupational categories is analyzed for Cleveland for four decade periods in time, from 1940 through 1970. There is considerable stability in the ordering of the residential distributions over time whether measured by the indexes of segregation, dissimilarity, or centralization. Changes, when they occur, are incremental, and are related to changes in socioeconomic indicators.     

Stages of change in batterers and their response to treatment

One important dimension of individual differences among batterers is their readiness to change. According to the transtheoretical model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984), all individuals go through precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance before a change in behavior is accomplished. The applicability of this model to intimate partner violence was assessed by administering the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) scales (with reference to their domestic violent behavior) to 210 court-ordered male batterers. Their responses were clustered, and two clusters were derived and then compared on other measures. As hypothesized, cluster 2 individuals (characterized by a profile of URICA scale scores suggesting an earlier stage of change) self-reported less initial distress (depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse), less violence, and fewer problems with anger than cluster 1 individuals (characterized by URICA scale sores suggesting a later stage of change), although partners reported no difference in violence perpetrated by the two clusters. Cluster 1 individuals evidenced greater improvement in self-reported depression, anxiety, and anger control. Strategies to engage the more resistant cluster 2 individuals as well as suggestions for future research are considered.     

The Teachers’ Page

This research describes how enrolling students in an afterschool Geography Club affects their perception of the discipline and their geographic literacy. The creation of the afterschool club at this particular school came out of the recognition of the need to increase students’ exposure to geographical content. The results of this study show the following improvements in students’ geographic literacy when they experience an increased exposure to geographic content: place recognition, application of geographic theory, establishment of connections between geographic facts and the students’ daily lives, and awareness of other cultures. The emergence of such patterns confirms the benefits that can be derived from enhancing students’ geographic literacy.