Marginality amidst plenty: Pathways into homelessness for older Australians

In this paper, drawing on in‐depth interviews, we illustrate that despite the significant overall increase in the wealth of older Australians over the last two decades, a sizeable proportion of older Australians (65 and over) are in a vulnerable accommodation situation and many face the possibility of finding themselves homeless. This is especially so for those older Australians who are dependent on government for their income and are living in private rented accommodation. We show that the changing nature of the housing market means that often our informants were not able to find affordable, adequate and secure accommodation. The death of a spouse, rent increases and eviction are common precipitators of a slide into a situation of imminent homelessness. The restructuring of the welfare state and the virtual freeze on the building of social housing means that older private renters who face eviction often have nowhere to turn. Besides not being able to rely on the market or government, many have minimal or no family and social networks.     

Maximizing Content on Elders with Dementia While Teaching Multicultural Diversity

This article focuses on African American, American Indian/Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic/Latino American elders and caregivers who are affected by Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. Three specific areas are considered for each of these ethno-cultural groups: (a) diverse perceptions of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia; (b) barriers to service utilization; and (c) caregiving responsibilities. Finally, suggestions are offered for the use of this information in the classroom, which may better prepare future practitioners for competent practice with minority elders with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.     

The ‘animal‐advocacy agenda’: exploring sociology for non‐human animals

This paper focuses on sociology and the study of human non‐human animal relations. Using as a catalyst referees' comments on a previous paper about experiments using non‐human animal subjects, in this present paper three problematics are identified and discussed. These problematics centre on the ‘acceptable’ content of sociological inquiry, the ‘permissibility’ of advocacy‐oriented sociology, and the ‘admissibility’ of non‐human animal‐advocacy to advocacy‐oriented sociology. The three problematics are explored through the lens of reflexive and critical sociology. Two central questions are raised: first, should sociology include the study of non‐human animals and secondly, can sociology advocate for non‐human animals? The paper concludes with an affirmative response to both of these questions. The paper ends by stressing that sociology has so much to offer the study of human non‐human animal relations. Professional sociologists have a key role to play in enabling this work to move from margins to centre in published sociology.     

Relationship Help-Seeking: A Review of the Efficacy and Reach

ABSTRACT

Formal and informal relationship help-seeking is becoming increasingly common. This article discusses seven forms of relationship help-seeking: couple therapy, couple relationship education, self-help books, internet resources, other media sources, talking with clergy, and talking with friends and family. The purpose of this literature review is to organize the relationship help-seeking research, bring to light some of the less accessible research, and offer recommendations to researchers and practitioners regarding the efficacy and reach of relationship help-seeking. In addition, differences in relationship help-seeking based on gender are explored and current relationship help-seeking trends are discussed.     

Mobile Phone Use in Romantic Relationships

ABSTRACT

There is a growing body of research regarding the role of mobile phones in romantic couple communication processes. The purpose of this review is to highlight the state of the literature in this area in terms of positive and negative aspects of the constant contact afforded by mobile phones. We use symbolic interactionism to discuss ways in which mobile phones provide a vehicle of symbol-creating interaction when actors attach and glean meanings from interactions via mobile phones. Text and phone conversations tend to be stripped of many cues often used to decipher meaning in face-to-face interactions. Thus, symbolically, meaning derived from mobile phone use may consist of more than the recordable contents of the conversations. Implications for research are discussed.     

Healthy Relationship Education: A Statewide Initiative Case Study and Outcome Evaluation

Couple and relationship education (CRE) is effective in improving relationship quality and communication skills. However, its methods and structures of delivery (e.g., content, intensity, and settings) vary widely and have lacked empirical scrutiny. This article examines both the structure (i.e., initiative inputs and outputs) and the outcomes of one healthy relationship initiative. First, we use the comprehensive framework for CRE proposed previously to examine ways in which relationship education may be delivered by way of a statewide initiative in which 19 Cooperative Extension County Faculty provided education. Second, we analyze and report outcome data from 2,219 participants. A variety of CRE delivery methods significantly increased perceived levels of relationship knowledge regardless of gender, income, marital status, and whether participants had previous relationship education. Perceived knowledge acquisition differed by participant ethnicity, participant satisfaction with the education, and by CRE format such as single events versus multiple events. Programmatic implications are discussed.     

The readiness is all. Planning and training for post-disaster support work

Having acknowledged the world-wide impact of the terrorist attacks in New York on 11 September 2001 attention is drawn to the number of recent peace-time disasters that have happened in Great Britain. Local authority social services departments have been suggested as being best placed to be the lead agency in co-ordinating responses to such disasters. This paper describes how Buckinghamshire social services is working in partnership with its local voluntary counselling agencies to establish and maintain a trained team able to respond to disasters if needed. Contemporary theory relating to post-traumatic stress disorder, the imprint of death, psychic numbing and survivor guilt is cited and illustrated. The team has not yet been involved in a major disaster but examples are given showing its responses to various smaller scale, local disasters. It is acknowledged that counselling and de-briefing after disasters are not necessarily beneficial and therefore some critics of its provision are quoted. Lessons distilled from practice wisdom are provided. Responses to disasters are more likely to be effective, and least damaging to those involved, if potential helpers are trained as a team and are fully aware of the likely impact of such events.     

Life Stress and Depression in University Students: Clinical Illustrations of Recent Research

Abstract

Through the use of case vignettes, this paper demonstrates the clinical relevance of findings from previously reported research conducted at the University of Toronto. These published studies link life stress to depression in university students. Three psychosocial factors—a family history of psychiatric illness, stressful life events, and lack of social support—are found to be significantly related to depressive symptoms. A fourth psychosocial factor, childhood or adolescent loss of a nurturing person, was not significantly related to the occurrence of depression. However, that factor remains an important therapeutic focus for a number of depressed students. In addition, the absence of at least a single confidant and certain life events (recent loss of a significant person, changes in living arrangements or academic situation, and financial problems) were identified as specific risk factors for depression. Although depression experienced by students is often serious enough to warrant professional intervention, only a minority seek professional help. The majority of those who do seek help are women; male students are less likely to associate somatic symptoms with emotional problems and are less willing to seek psychiatric help. The four case studies presented illustrate the clinical relevance of these research findings.     

Discursive manoeuvres and hegemonic recuperations in New Zealand documentary representations of domestic violence

This article examines the production and promotion of A&;E's Rollergirls (2006), a US docu-soap featuring the Texas Roller Derby Lonestar Rollergirls (TXRD), the league that revived roller derby as a sport for female amateurs. Focusing on the representation of TXRD skaters in Rollergirls, as well as A&;E's promotional campaign for the series, this analysis is contextualized in relation to the role of female athleticism in contemporary US commercial culture. Relying on practices long used to trivialize women sports figures, Rollergirls' portrayals of TXRD skaters suggest ambivalence towards female athleticism as well as a desire to contain the gender-bent and sexually agential performances at the heart of women's roller derby. In addition to revealing the challenges television producers face in the representation of female athletes and other nonconformist women, the research offered here hopes to expand feminist television criticism beyond its conventional focus on fictional texts while also broadening feminist studies of sports media, which have centered primarily on news coverage.