My Pride and Joy? Predicting Favoritism and Disfavoritism in Mother–Adult Child Relations

In this article, we compare predictors of mothers' differentiation among their adult children regarding emotional closeness, pride, conflict, and disappointment. We distinguish between predictors of relational (closeness, conflict) and evaluative (pride, disappointment) dimensions of favoritism and disfavoritism. Multilevel modeling using data collected from 381 older mothers regarding their relationships with 1,421 adult children indicated that adult children's similarity of values played the most prominent role in predicting mothers' favoritism and disfavoritism, followed by children's gender. Children's deviant behaviors in adulthood predicted both pride and disappointment but neither relational dimension. Contrary to expectations, the quantitative analysis indicated that children's normative adult achievements were poor predictors of both relational and evaluative dimensions of mothers' differentiation. Qualitative data shed additional light on mothers' evaluations by revealing that disappointment was shaped by children's achievements relative to their mothers' values and expectations, rather than by the achievement of specific societal, educational, career, and marital milestones.     

The test for logical order in English language testing

In this paper we assess a marking scheme for the test for logical order in English language testing. This is achieved by considering the potential misclassification of students due to guessing. The distribution of scores under the hypothesis of random selection is derived and the asymptotic distribution is shown to be Poisson with a mean of unity. Recommendations are given for selecting the number of sentences in the test for logical order.     

Mate Availability,Family Formation,and Family Structure Among Black Americans in Nonmetropolitan Louisiana 1970–19801

Abstract This paper assesses the effects of the community sex ratio on black family formation and family structure in nonmetropolitan parishes in Louisiana. As predicted, the sex ratio is found to have strong positive effects on marriage prevalence for black women, the prevalence of husband and wife families for black families, and the percentage of black children residing in husband and wife families and strong negative effects on the nonmarital fertility ratio for black women. Thus, we conclude that the sex ratio hypothesis should be given greater prominence in discussions of changes in black family structure and that sex ratio effects should be taken into account when framing policies aimed at ameliorating social problems attendant to high relative incidence of nonmarital births and single-parent, female-headed families with young children (e.g., poverty). We also note that, while the literature overwhelmingly concentrates on black family structure in urban areas, changes in the black family are equally pronounced in nonmetropolitan areas suggesting that explanations emphasizing the dynamics of urban ghettos may be too narrow.     

Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Social Work Theory

This paper maintains that much in the contemporary postmodern and relational paradigms in psychoanalysis is a refinding of elements of clinical social work theory. To illustrate that, this paper elucidates the pivotal differences between contemporary psychoanalytic theory and classical ego psychological psychoanalytic theory. I describe my own experiences in training, first as a social worker, then as an ego psychological psychotherapist, and finally as a psychoanalyst to illustrate how I began to realize the homologous nature of clinical social work and contemporary psychoanalysis. The beginnings of social casework theory from Mary Richmond and Charlotte Towle are then described. Like Moliere's bourgeois gentleman who discovered he's been speaking prose for forty years without knowing it, perhaps social work theory has been cutting edge for eighty years without knowing it.     

Housing and building materials in low-income settlements in Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) is one of the fastest growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa. As in other sub-Saharan cities, government housing programmes have reached only a tiny percentage of urban residents. The vast majority either build for themselves or live as tenants in swahili houses provided by others. This paper examines the process of house building in Dar es Salaam through a survey of 90 house-owners in nine low-income settlements in the city. It is shown that in the past decade the price of manufactured building materials has risen steeply following the implementation of liberalisation policies. Despite this, house owners still strive to build modern houses in concrete blocks, which offer higher standards of comfort and security as well as bringing in higher income from rents. Those who cannot afford to do so, are obliged either to rent one or more rooms in a house constructed by others or to build a modest house using traditional materials. Although these materials are available in the market, some housebuilders still collect their own. There is evidence of increasing distance from the source, the substitution of inferior species and declining quality, all of which indicate that resources are coming under pressure.     

Shelter Provision in the Context of Deforestation: Some Evidence From Mali

Deforestation in many parts of the developing world has to led to a deterioration in both the quantity and the quality of wood (timber) available for housebuilding, threatening the viability of traditional building techniques. This paper examines the effects of a deteriorating resource base upon traditional house building practices in Mopti (Mali), where the most common traditional house type requires large quantities of strong and durable timber for the construction of the roof. It is shown that the favoured “rônier” wood is no longer accessible to the poorer sections of the population, who have no alternative but to use lower quality wood and less durable species. This in turn means more frequent replacement and maintenance, thus putting greater pressure on the available natural resources, and on household budgets. Those who cannot afford to maintain their houses, live in a state of insecurity due to the fear of collapse from poor construction. The implications for policy are explored, both in Mali and in the wider context. Options include support for the introduction of new building techniques and for the planting of trees which provide good timber for building.     

Expanding access to Medication Assisted Treatment: The U.S. government’s response to the current heroin epidemic

The rates of heroin addiction and opiate overdoses have skyrocketed in America in the last decade. The government’s response is to expand the availability of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Because social workers can be expected to be a significant component of the workforce in providing MAT, MAT is relevant to social workers. Many social workers who are working in the area of addictions, particularly those engaged in 12 Step programs, do not hold favorable views of MAT. This article considers their objections and evaluates the validity of the basis for these objections. The rationale for the government’s approach is provided, and validity of the rationale for the MAT approach is evaluated. The “pros” and “cons” of methadone and buprenorphine are reviewed. The wisdom of the expansion of MAT for the individuals with addiction and the society is considered.