Can we protect children from abuse? A review of three cases

Abused infants at risk of further abuse are not being protected for many reasons. The ability of a variety of professionals to recognize and manage abuse when it occurs is limited. The reasons for this are briefly presented. Three cases in which young infants were reinjured, one fatally, are presented. Continuing efforts to improve all parts of the child welfare system and community response system need to be made. In this way, infants at risk will be better protected in our society.     

Events per variable for risk differences and relative risks using pseudo-observations

A method based on pseudo-observations has been proposed for direct regression modeling of functionals of interest with right-censored data, including the survival function, the restricted mean and the cumulative incidence function in competing risks. The models, once the pseudo-observations have been computed, can be fitted using standard generalized estimating equation software. Regression models can however yield problematic results if the number of covariates is large in relation to the number of events observed. Guidelines of events per variable are often used in practice. These rules of thumb for the number of events per variable have primarily been established based on simulation studies for the logistic regression model and Cox regression model. In this paper we conduct a simulation study to examine the small sample behavior of the pseudo-observation method to estimate risk differences and relative risks for right-censored data. We investigate how coverage probabilities and relative bias of the pseudo-observation estimator interact with sample size, number of variables and average number of events per variable.     

Heterogeneity of Individuals with a History of Child Sexual Abuse: An Examination of Children Presenting to Treatment

The current study examined children and families who presented for treatment through Project SAFE (Sexual Abuse Family Education) following childhood sexual abuse. Pretreatment assessment data were used to develop clusters of participants with significantly differing presentation of symptom outcome following abuse. Four clusters were discovered: (a) a Highly Distressed group, whose members had clinically elevated scores on all self- and parent-report measures; (b) a Problem Behaviors group, whose members had scores within the normal range for self-report measures and elevated scores on all parent-report measures; (c) a Subclinical group, whose participants had scores below the mean and below cutoff scores for all self- and parent-report measures; and (d) a Self-reported Distress group, whose members had elevated scores on self-report measures and scores below clinical cutoffs for all parent-report measures.     

Comparing the health status of low-income children in and out of foster care

Children in foster care face poverty, family dysfunction, neglect, and abuse, with high rates of chronic health, emotional, and developmental problems. This study compared the overall health status of a group of children entering foster care with a group of Medicaid-eligible children living with their parents, matched for age and gender. It identified significantly more health and developmental problems in children in foster care than in the comparison group. Possible contributors to the higher percentage of problems among foster care children may be that the foster children have more problems related to the underlying risk factors resulting in placement, or that the foster care physicians conducted a more comprehensive assessment or had lower clinical thresholds. Further research is necessary to identify and treat the problems of this high-risk group.     

Significant resources needed for return to work after sick leave

There are increasing numbers of people on long-term sick leave, especially with stress-related ill health and musculoskeletal disorders. The main purpose of this study is to, early on in the sick leave, find predictors of individual resources for a return to work. The study group consists of women and men on sick leave compared with reference groups of healthy persons. A questionnaire was used regarding diagnosis given on the doctor's certificate, self-reported symptoms, residential area, education, and kind of work. It also contained open questions about consequences in daily life and beliefs about future. Checklists concerning life satisfaction, sense of coherence, locus of control, coping resources and sick leave information over a four-year period have been used. Significant differences between the study group and the reference groups were found, relating to sense of coherence, locus of control, life satisfaction and coping resources. More than half of the study group were still on sick leave at a two-year follow-up. Important predictive factors turned out to be: previous sick leave, own belief about future and self-reported symptoms.     

The relationship between brain lateralization measured with self-reporting techniques and with dichotic listening

Hypotheses derived from brain lateralization research have had considerable influence on contemporary personal selection and training as well as upon communication and advertising testing. These applications, however, rely upon measurements the validity of which is not proven. In the present paper research on the validity of these measurements is reviewed and findings from studies aimed at throwing further light on the cross validity of selected measurements such as self-administered questionnaires, and dichotic listening are reported. The review as well as the reported findings suggests that one has to be cautious with the application of brain lateralization theories to normal individuals till more is known about the precise functioning of the alternative measurements applied. Eventually, research on cross validation of self-reporting techniques and dichotic listening with EEC-measures is suggested.     

Layoffs, Plant Closings, and Worker Displacement in America: Serious Problems that Need a National Solution

Pervasive economic changes in America during the past decade have generated severe structural adjustment problems for millions of long-service blue-collar workers. Public and private efforts to help these workers are inadequate and tardy in delivery. This article examines the severity of the displaced worker problem, reviews what is currently being done, and argues that America needs a new displaced worker adjustment program. In December 1986 the Secretary of Labor's Task Force proposed such a program, and most of it has since been passed by Congress and signed into law. If this legislation is fully implemented, it will fill a major gap in the nation's employment and training policy, and help America remain competitive in the world marketplace.     

Development and implementation of new technologies in the steel industry

At each successive stage in the R&D cycle leading to the commercialization of a new technology, management in any industry must reevaluate prospects and make decisions accordingly. However, for the steel industry the difficulties of this kind of decision-making throughout the usually lengthy R&D cycle are heightened by the very nature of the industry. For example, the large scale of its processes and the high capital costs for plants for new processes mean that the progressive scale-ups during a given development may themselves cost millions. From Bethlehem Steel's experience the author cites one new product and two major process developments to illustrate technical and economic considerations that enter into decision-making as R&D moves step by step toward the commercialization of new technology.     

A dream come true – no more residential care. A corrective note

This note is about the attempt by the Australian State and Territory child care and protection systems to do without residential programmes. It traces the process of moving to this position and the historical and policy imperatives that supported this service direction. It also outlines the consequences of the absence of 24 hours-a-day 7-days-a-week residential education or treatment programmes for difficult and disturbed young people. It is both a cautionary and corrective note designed to underline the need for some specialised and highly selective residential programmes as part of any mature child care and protection system. This is something that Australia forgot.