Color, Labels, and Interpretive Heuristics for Response Scales

We carried out two experiments to investigate how the shadingof the options in a response scale affected the answers to thesurvey questions. The experiments were embedded in two web surveys,and they varied whether the two ends of the scale were representedby shades of the same or different hues. The experiments alsovaried the numerical labels for the scale points and examinedresponses to both unipolar scales (assessing frequency) andbipolar scales (assessing favorability). We predicted that theuse of different hues would affect how respondents viewed thelow end of the scale, making responses to that end seem moreextreme than when the two ends were shades of the same hue.This hypothesis was based on the notion that respondents usevarious interpretive heuristics in assigning meaning to thevisual features of survey questions. One such cue is visualsimilarity. When two options are similar in appearance, respondentswill see them as conceptually closer than when they are dissimilarin appearance. The results were generally consistent with thisprediction. When the end points of the scale were shaded indifferent hues, the responses tended to shift toward the highend of the scale, as compared to scales in which both ends ofthe scale were shaded in the same hue. Though noticeable, thisshift was less extreme than the similar shift produced whennegative numbers were used to label one end of the scale; moreover,the effect of color was eliminated when each scale point hada verbal label. These findings suggest that respondents havedifficulty using scales and pay attention even to incidentalfeatures of the response scales in interpreting the scale points.     

TO “VAPE” OR SMOKE? EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE ON ADULT SMOKERS

A growing share of the U.S. population uses e‐cigarettes but the optimal regulation of these controversial products remains an open question. We conduct a discrete choice experiment to investigate how adult tobacco cigarette smokers' demand for e‐cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes varies by four attributes: (1) whether e‐cigarettes are considered healthier than tobacco cigarettes, (2) the effectiveness of e‐cigarettes as a cessation device, (3) bans on use in public places, and (4) price. We find that adult smokers' demand for e‐cigarettes is motivated more by health concerns than by the desire to avoid smoking bans or higher prices. (JEL C35, I12, I18)     

Elder Abuse Decision Support System: Field test outcomes,abuse measure validation,and lessons learned

The Elder Abuse Decision Support System was designed to meet the critical need for improved methods for assessment and substantiation of elder mistreatment, using a web-based system with standardized measures. Six Illinois agencies participated in the field test. One-year pre/post analyses assessed substantiation results, using Illinois’ standard investigation procedure as a comparison. Pre/post acceptability was assessed with caseworkers in focus groups with adult protective service staff. Validity of measures was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and receiver operator characteristic curve analyses with final substantiation decision as a criterion. Increased substantiation of abuse was found. Regarding acceptability, the two systems were found to have differing strengths and weaknesses. Outcome measures had high validity estimates, while focus groups indicated directions for improvement. This study was a successful proof of concept that data collected in the field would be useful for clinical purposes as well as for research.     

More than therapy: The link between adverse childhood experiences,social support,and therapeutic services

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have a cumulative effect on physical, emotional, and social well‐being throughout the life course. ACEs also impact parenting practices, which may contribute to intergenerational cycles of trauma. Access to child mental health services and caregiver social support are two protective factors that may reduce the burden of ACEs. To advance understanding of the relationships between caregiver social support and child mental health services among caregivers with ACEs, we interviewed 13 caregivers of young children receiving outpatient mental health services. Thematic analysis revealed the integral role of therapeutic providers in the social support circles of caregivers with high ACE scores. Caregivers frequently named therapeutic providers as the first point of contact in a problem situation. Implications for social work research, clinical practice, and advocacy are discussed.     

The cost of caregiving: wage loss among caregivers of elderly and disabled adults and children with special needs

Sixty-one percent of the adults caring for elderly and disabled family members and 53% of parents of children with special needs are employed. Yet studies examining the experience of employed caregivers of children with special needs and elderly or disabled adult family members have not examined the impact on earnings or the workplace policies that might help reduce the conflicts between work and caregiving. This study begins to fill this gap using data from a nationally representative US survey of American adults. We find that employees who live with a child with a health problem are 48% more likely to have lost wages. Each adult with health issues that an employee is responsible for raises the chances of wage loss by 29%. At the same time, access to paid leave for family health needs reduces the likelihood of wage loss by 30%, and having a supportive supervisor reduces the odds of experiencing wage loss by 37%. Implications for employers and US policy-makers are discussed.     

A Pilot Study to Explore the Influence of the ‘Safety First Assessment Intervention’ on the Family Environment

The family environment is considered an important influence on a young person's well‐being. The ‘Safety First Assessment Intervention’ is a model of care that considers and incorporates the importance of family environment when assessing and managing distressed young people. This pilot study explores the influence of the ‘Safety First Assessment Intervention’ on the family environment of young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. A pre‐ and post‐design was used, with families completing the Family Survey before and after their assessment/intervention. The Family Survey was correlated with a validated measure of family function, the APGAR, and pre‐intervention. Significant changes in multiple dimensions of family environment, including reduced level of distress for the adult, increased level of distress for the young person, improved sense of how the family felt the adult was managing currently, and improved confidence in family communication were found. There was no significant change in how the adult understood their role in helping the young person manage their distress. A thematic analysis showed trends in the current concerns for young people and adults as well as the difficulty young people in distress have in identifying their strengths. This pilot study demonstrates that the ‘Safety First Assessment Intervention’ can influence the family environment in a positive way and highlights the importance of using a family‐based approach for distressed young people.     

The Role of Family and Marital Communication in Developing Resilience to Family-of-Origin Adversity

To explain recovery from adverse experiences, researchers have focused on resilience as a process occurring within individuals. This study extends existing research by positioning resilience as an interpersonal process in which people communicatively interpret and respond to adversity. Married participants who experienced significant adversity in their family of origin (n = 193) reported on their familial and marital communication and personal characteristics. Overall, resilience was influenced by the unique and combined influences of individual, marital, and family factors. Individuals’ optimism and efficacy emerged as predictors of resilience, and communicated support from a marital partner was particularly important for those lower in optimism. People from families with a balance of cohesion and flexibility and strong communication were more resilient, regardless of the amount of adversity they experienced. In unbalanced families, supportive marital communication served in a compensatory role to promote resilience to family of origin adversity.