Men's influence on the onset and progress of fertility decline in Ghana, 1988-98

While lower fertility is commonly associated with women's reproductive autonomy, we demonstrate that the influence of men's education on reproductive decision-making increased during the first decade of rapid fertility decline in Ghana. Husband's education exerts a stronger influence on wife's fertility intentions than does her own education, and the magnitude of the effect of his education increased significantly from 1988 to 1998. Lower fertility in Ghana seems to be associated more with men's declining fertility desires than with women's increasing reproductive autonomy. Nevertheless, there is some indication that women's education may play a relatively greater role in reproductive decision-making as fertility decline progresses still further.     

Alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems, and other substance use among lesbian and bisexual women

Relationships between sexual orientation and a wide range of substance use and problem variables were examined based on data from the 2000 National Alcohol Survey. Lesbians, bisexuals, and heterosexually identified women who report same-sex partners were compared to exclusively heterosexual women in relation to alcohol consumption, use of tobacco and other drugs, bar-going, alcohol-related problems, and past substance abuse treatment. Substance use patterns were complex and varied between sexual orientation groups. These differences underscore the importance of developing lesbian- and bisexual-sensitive prevention and treatment services and of including measures of sexual orientation identity and behavior in population-based surveys.     

On the Transgressiveness of Ambiguity: Richard Bruce Nugent and the Flow of Sexuality and Race

The study focuses on the slender corpus of literary work by Harlem Renaissance poet, author and visual artist Richard Bruce Nugent (1906–1987), arguably America’s foremost Black aesthete. As an individualist in the footsteps of post-Hegelian and pre-Nietzschean philosopher Max Stirner (1806–1856), Nugent sought to re-think sexuality and race beyond fixed schemes of categorial distribution. To this end, Nugent deployed a strategy of sexual and racial ambiguity that aimed at situating the uniquely sexed and raced individual within the continuities of ever-diversifying Nature. Nugent’s deconstructive approach of sexuality and race proves to be convergent with (but not genealogically dependent on) the universalization of sexual intermediariness and racial miscegenation postulated by German-Jewish sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld during the first third of the twentieth century. Nugent’s non-identitarian conception of sex acts anticipated by more than a decade comparable insights propounded by Alfred Kinsey.     

Exploring the Interaction Between Volunteering Status,Paid Job Characteristics and Quality of Volunteers’ Motivation on Mental Health

The literature on the health-promoting effects of community work has primarily dealt with the population in retirement age, yet the vast majority of volunteers are people still in the workforce. The aim of this study is to observe the relationship between volunteering and health within the context of working life, considering paid work conditions and motives to volunteer as moderating variables. We conducted an online survey with a sample of Swiss workers employed in different industries. Results show that volunteers with self-determined motives (but not with controlled motives) report lower levels of stress and burnout than non-volunteers. Moreover, volunteers in general (regardless of the quality of motivation) report higher levels of work engagement and well-being. Analyses further reveal an interaction effect for burnout and stress, where the difference between self-determined volunteers and non-volunteers becomes larger with unfavorable working conditions at their paid job, hinting at potential compensatory effects. Implications for future research and the voluntary sector are discussed.     

The influence of age and gender on the driving patterns of older adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of age and gender on the driving patterns of 300 older adults. Odds of driving less than every day increased significantly with age and female gender. However, no differences were found in the reduction of overall driving. Females were more likely than men to have stopped or reduced driving under certain adverse conditions and for elective purposes. The driving patterns of today's cohort of older females suggest that the gender gap may be narrowing. Social and cultural issues such as security, safety, and identity with driving may explain existing gender differences.     

Welfare to Well-Being Transition

Welfare to well-being leads to better qualityof life for families and communities. Around the world, societies are experimenting and shifting policies that address welfare to well-being for families and communities. In the U.S., the greatest shift in several decades has occurred with thewelfare reform policies. These shifts haveplaced at issue the extent to which individualsand families and governments contribute toself-sufficiency and sustainability of theirmembers and the collective whole in society. The paper addresses: a framework for thinkingabout sustaining well-being in the context ofmaking transitions from welfare for the few towell-being for the many; a researchillustration of focus group findings on themeaning of self-sufficiency for families whoare currently receiving one type of welfare(food stamps); and the opportunities emergingin the context of the interaction of the familyand society at the community, state, nationaland global level that allows for a wholisticresponse to issues around well-being andquality of life studies.     

‘My grandchild has a disability’: Impact on grandparenting identity, roles and relationships

Being a grandparent is an important and valued role for many older adults, who often have strong views about the type of grandparent they will be and what they will teach their grandchild. When their grandchild has a disability, grandparents may have to significantly adjust their expectations and interactions. This research explores if and how having a grandchild with a disability influences grandparents' sense of identity and enactment of the grandparent role. Using qualitative purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 grandparents of children with an intellectual and/or physical disability residing in Brisbane, Australia. A thematic analysis identified three key themes characterising grandparent's views: formation of grandparenting identity, styles of grandparenting, and role enactment. The results highlight the critical role of grandparents when a child has a disability, illustrating that the grandparenting experience and role enactment may be universal with only the context and delivery varying.     

THE VOICES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN MFT STUDENTS: SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

This study examined the issue of African-American participation in MFT academic programs. Data for the study came from surveys completed by 25 of the 29 program directors of AAMFT accredited MFT programs and from 90-minute telephone interviews with 15 of the 20 African-American students identified by the participating directors. Results indicate that African-American students and faculty are glaringly underrepresented in MFT master's and doctoral degree programs. For example, although African-Americans constitute 12.2% of the United States population and 5% of all master's degree recipients in the United States, less than 1% of all MFT master's degree recipients are African-American. Specific suggestions are offered by students and faculty for improving recruitment and retention of African-American students and improving program sensitivity to cultural and racial issues which may impede the full integration of the African-American student into the academic program and the profession.