DEVELOPING FAMILY PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL TREATMENTS FOR PATIENTS WITH BIPOLAR AND OTHER SEVERE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

Developing family treatments for patients with severe and persistent psychiatric disorder begins at the basic research level, through identifying psychosocial variables that have prognostic significance. Treatment protocols informed by this basic research can then be designed, manualized, and piloted. Next, the efficacy of a new treatment is examined, first in a randomized trial and then, if successful, in a community effectiveness study. We describe this treatment development pathway in a population for whom family attributes have prognostic importance: patients with bipolar affective ddisorder. The methodological complexities of psychosocial treatment studies are many. Moreover, the results of these studies often reflect interactions between treatment, process, and outcome variables.     

Self-organise and Survive: disabled people in the British trade union movement

This article considers 'self-organisation' as a survival strategy for marginalised groups within the British trade union movement. It arises from an ongoing research project into the 'self-organised groups' for women, black members, disabled members, and lesbian and gay members within the public sector unions NALGO and UNISON. Initially, I provide an overview of the relevant literature on trade unions and their marginalised memberships, and argue that the absence of disabled people bears the hallmarks of discrimination. The remainder of this article is intended as a first step towards remedying this injustice. It draws upon interviews with disability activists to highlight critical moments in the creation of the disabled members' group in the 1980s; key themes inscribed on their agendas and activities in the 1990s; and dilemmas which will impact upon the future survival of the group. Finally, I offer some suggestions for future work in this arena and interrogate my own position in this project.     

Jocks, nerds, babes and thugs: A research note on regional differences in adolescent gender norms

We use data from 1,755 college students to explore regional differences in adolescent gender norms. Students attending four Northern universities and three Southern universities during the 1997–1998 academic year provided information on the ways that adolescents in their high schools had gained prestige with peers. The analyses revealed significant gender differences on fourteen of the fifteen most common avenues to prestige. Leading avenues to prestige for boys—sports, grades, and intelligence—did not vary by region. Leading avenues to prestige for girls—physical attractiveness, grades, and intelligence—also did not vary by region. However, consistent with the stronger emphasis on traditional moral views generally found in the South than the North, regional differences were found for several other avenues to prestige. Her work focuses on the effects of status transitions on intergenerational relations, social support networks, and marital quality. In collaboration with Karl Pillemer, she is currently studying caregivers' social networks during bereavement, and relations between caregivers and nursing home staff. Her research interests include gender stratification, family, and education. Currently, she is a Research Associate on a project examining health consequences of Mexican migration, funded primarily by the Hewlett Foundation (Co-PIs: Katherine M. Donato, (LSU), and Shawn Malia Kanaiaupuni, University of Wisconsin-Madison). Her dissertation is entitled “Wages and Domestic Labor: Explaining the Gender Gap in Earnings.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
Patterson, J., Williams, L., Grauf-Grounds, C., & Chamow, L. (1998) Essential skills in family therapy: From the first interview to termination.
Schnarch, D. (1977). Passionate marriage.
Pasick, P. (1998) Almost grwon: Luunching Your Child From High School to College.     

Intimate partner violence and women's experiences of grief

A greater understanding of women's emotional and behavioural responses to intimate partner violence (IPV) may be aided by an examination of the grief course. Women going through the process of leaving their abusers, like women leaving non‐violent partners, experience grief during and at the termination of their relationship, even if they feel relief at the cessation of violence. Through qualitative interviews with 14 female survivors of IPV, we critically examine the utility of Kubler‐Ross' grief model to understand how women come to terms with their experiences of violence and the end of their violent relationships. Results suggest that Kubler‐Ross' model helps explain the emotional reactions and decision‐making of IPV survivors in regard to staying, leaving and returning to their partners. While a model developed to explain grief due to death may not entirely explain the reactions of IPV survivors going through the process of leaving abusive partners, and does not account for psychological reactions to trauma, social workers and mental‐health professionals can use this grief model as a framework to better tailor services to survivors of IPV.     

Will‐making prevalence and patterns in Australia: keeping it in the family

This article provides evidence of the prevalence of wills and the principles underpinning the intended distribution of estates in Australia. Intentions around wealth transfers and the social norms that underpin them occur in the context of predicted extensive intergenerational transfers from the ageing baby boomer generation, policies of self provision and user pays for care in old age, broader views on what constitutes ‘family’, the increased importance of the not‐for‐profit sector in the delivery of services, and the related need for philanthropy. A national telephone survey conducted in 2012 with 2,405 respondents aged 18 and over shows that wills are predominantly used to distribute assets to partners and/or equally to immediate descendants. There is little evidence that will makers are recognising a wider group of relationships, obligations and entitlements outside the traditional nuclear family, or that wills are being replaced by other mechanisms of wealth transfer. Only a minority consider bequests to charities as important. These findings reflect current social norms about entitlements to ‘family’ money, a narrow view of what and who constitutes ‘family‘, limited obligation for testators to recompense individuals or organisations for care and support provided, and limited commitment to charitable organisations and civil society.     

Sex Differences Among College Students in Awareness of the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine and Vaccine Options

Abstract

Objectives: To explore awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV) and use of HPV vaccines (Gardasil and Cervarix) by college students. Participants: The sample was composed of 817 undergraduates at 2 northeastern US universities; they participated between February and May 2010. Methods: Students were provided with a link to an anonymous, self-administered, Web-based survey comprised of 76 questions. The survey included questions about health behaviors, awareness, and knowledge of HPV and the 2 HPV vaccines, and vaccine uptake. Results: Results indicate high levels of awareness of HPV as well as marked sex differences related to vaccine awareness and uptake. Both sexes are largely unaware of Cervarix and the differences between Cervarix and Gardasil. Conclusion: The study affirms the importance of a clinician's recommendation for HPV vaccination. Public health messaging should become more inclusive of adolescent and young adult males. College students’ awareness of HPV vaccine options mirrors Gardasil's market dominance in the United States.     

Mistreatment of Older People in the United Kingdom: Findings from the First National Prevalence Study

There have been few national studies of the prevalence of elder mistreatment (abuse and neglect) in private households. This article provides an overview of the UK National Prevalence Study of Elder Mistreatment that took place in 2006. It addressed 2,111 respondents in four countries who answered a face-to-face survey questionnaire. The achieved sample was weighted to be representative of the UK older population. Of respondents, 2.6% reported mistreatment by family members, close friends, or care workers. The predominant type of reported mistreatment was neglect (1.1%) followed by financial abuse (0.6%), with 0.4% of respondents reporting psychological abuse, 0.4% physical abuse, and 0.2% sexual abuse. Women were significantly more likely to have experienced mistreatment than men, but there were gender differences according to type of abuse and perpetrator characteristics. Divergent patterns were found for neglect, financial, and interpersonal abuse. Further analysis of the data indicated that the likelihood of mistreatment varied with socioeconomic position and health status.