Cumulative Environmental Risk and Youth Problem Behavior

Using data from Wave 1 (n = 5,070) and Wave 2 (n = 4,404) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examined the relationship between cumulative risk exposure and youth problem behavior. Cross‐sectional analyses revealed a positive, linear association between cumulative risk and problem behaviors. The association between cumulative risk and externalizing problems was stronger for White youth than for Black youth. The association between cumulative risk and internalizing problems was stronger for girls than for boys, and stronger for White youth than for Black and Hispanic youth. Cumulative risk predicted change over time in internalizing problems. Findings support the theoretical notion that adolescents experience diminished psychological comfort when risk factors are present across several social domains.     

On blest's measure of rank correlation

Blest (2000) proposed a new nonparametric measure of correlation between two random variables. His coefficient, which is dissymmetric in its arguments, emphasizes discrepancies observed among the first ranks in the orderings induced by the variables. The authors derive the limiting distribution of Blest's index and suggest symmetric variants whose merits as statistics for testing independence are explored using asymptotic relative efficiency calculations and Monte Carlo simulations.     

Decision making with belief functions: Compatibility and incompatibility with the sure-thing principle

This article studies situations in which information is ambiguous and only part of it can be probabilized. It is shown that the information can be modeled through belief functions if and only if the nonprobabilizable information is subject to the principles of complete ignorance. Next the representability of decisions by belief functions on outcomes is justified by means of a neutrality axiom. The natural weakening of Savage's sure-thing principle to unambiguous events is examined and its implications for decision making are identified.The research of Peter Wakker has been made possible by a fellowship of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.     

Role as Resource for Action in Public Service

In this chapter we offer a conceptual framework for the understanding of public service that allows for the incorporation of sociological themes of organizational structure and institutional power. We build on sociological conceptualizations of the self found in role identity theory, using examples from research on health care workers to show how role identities and organizational structures can both limit and enhance the likelihood of principled dissent. Finally, we extend our theoretical framework to better understand how community service is employed to address the structural sources of social problems.