Are elderly drivers a road hazard?: Problem definition and political impact

Elderly drivers are increasing in number and some statistics show they are more likely to be involved in fatal accidents than all other age groups but those under 25. States have attempted to address the problem in various ways, but very few have required mandatory retesting at license renewal for those beyond a particular age. Why have so few states chosen to act? The key is how the issue is framed for the public and decision makers. Several phases of problem definition are explored to explain the political dynamics of the older driver issue: incidence, causality, severity, crisis labeling, problem population characteristics, and linkage of values to the issue and solutions. Based upon this analysis, it is not surprising that elder interest groups have been successful in containing policy initiatives designed to restrict elderly driving.     

Disability, Religion and Health: a literature review in search of the spiritual dimensions of disability

Religious belief and practice plays an important role in the lives of millions of people worldwide, and yet little is known of the spiritual lives of people with a disability. This review explores the realm of disability, religion and health, and draws together literature from a variety of sources to illustrate the diversity of the sparse research in the field. An historical, cross-cultural and religious textual overview of attitudes toward disability throughout the centuries is presented. Studies in religious orientation, health and well-being are reviewed, highlighting the potential of religion to effect the lives of people with a disability, their families and caregivers. Finally, the spiritual dimensions of disability are explored to gain some understanding of the spiritual lives and existential challenges of people with a disability, and a discussion ensues on the importance of further research into this new field of endeavour.     

Caregiver substance abuse among maltreated children placed in out-of-home care.

Child protective services (CPS) case records of 639 children placed in out-of-home care due to maltreatment were reviewed, and substance abuse by the child's caregiver prior to the child's placement was evaluated systematically. Based on several different sources of information, 79% of the caregivers were found to meet the criteria for caregiver substance abuse (CSA). Children with and without evidence of CSA differed on age, ethnicity, family composition, and type of maltreatment. The importance of operational specificity in defining CSA and implications for policy and service delivery are discussed.     

The hard and soft sides of union political money

We reach several conclusions. First, to the extent that soft money per se and issue advertising are the primary targets of campaign-finance reformists, unions contribute little, overall, to the perceived or real problem. Union soft money pales in comparison not only to total interest-group expenditures of this type but also to the hard money that labor dispenses. Moreover, with their relatively limited treasuries, unions are in no position to compete with the corporate sector. It has been estimated that the total assets of labor unions, at the combined local, regional, and national/international levels, barely exceeded $10 billion in 1995 (Masters and Atkin, 1997). Revenues were less than $13 billion.     

Toward a cultural conception of the self.

The dominant mental health models rely excessively on a modern Western ideal of the self. Health services in a pluralistic society require interventional approaches that recognize the significance of culture in shaping a person's conception of self as well as mental health and illness.     

Physiological Responses to Near-Miss Outcomes and Personal Control During Simulated Gambling

Near-miss outcomes during gambling are non-win outcomes that fall close to a pay-out. While objectively equivalent to an outright miss, near-misses motivate ongoing play and may therefore be implicated in the development of disordered gambling. Given naturalistic data showing increases in heart rate (HR) and electrodermal activity (EDA) during periods of real gambling play, we sought to explore the phasic impact of win, near-miss and full-miss outcomes on physiological arousal in a controlled laboratory environment. EDA and HR were monitored as healthy, student participants (n = 33) played a simulated slot-machine task involving unpredictable monetary wins. A second gambling distortion, perceived personal control, was manipulated within the same task by allowing the participant to select the play icon on some trials, and having the computer automatically select the play icon on other trials. Near-misses were rated as less pleasant than full-misses. However, on trials that involved personal choice, near-misses produced higher ratings of ‘continue to play’ than full-misses. Winning outcomes were associated with phasic EDA responses that did not vary with personal choice. Compared to full-misses, near-miss outcomes also elicited an EDA increase, which was greater on personal choice trials. Near-misses were also associated with greater HR acceleration than other outcomes. Near-miss outcomes are capable of eliciting phasic changes in physiological arousal consistent with a state of subjective excitement, despite their objective non-win status.     

Research-based service-learning: outcomes of a social policy course

Previous research has found service-learning in undergraduate social policy courses to increase students’ knowledge, skills, values, and competence. The present study utilized a sample of 60 graduate-level social work students who participated in a research-based service-learning (RBSL) project that involved collecting and analyzing data about the extent of payday loan use among bankruptcy filers and reporting results to community partners. Quantitative findings revealed significant increases in students’ personal social responsibility. Qualitative findings shed light on growth in personal social responsibility, civic awareness, policy advocacy, and personal values. Suggestions for future studies using RBSL pedagogy to teach social policy are discussed.