Shared Understanding of Parental Differential Treatment in Families

This study examined the extent to which children and parents have concordant views about parental differential treatment (PDT) and whether such concordance is linked with variations in sibling relationship quality. Seventy‐four 11‐ to 13‐year‐old children, their older siblings, and their parents were interviewed about their experiences with PDT and the quality of the children’s sibling relationships. Levels of agreement about the magnitude, direction, and fairness of PDT were generally low to moderate. However, sibling agreement about the magnitude of parental differential affection and the fairness of maternal control and affection were associated with more positive sibling relationships. Whereas family members were more likely to agree that parental behaviors were fair when they were concordant about the extent to which differential affection occurred, agreement about controlling behaviors was associated with lower levels of agreement about fairness. In addition, the frequency of family discussions about parental behaviors was not linked to shared perceptions of fairness. Results emphasize that capturing the multiple perspectives of family members is crucial for obtaining a comprehensive portrayal of family relationships.     

Partner influence on noncondom use: Gender and ethnic differences

This study investigates gender and ethnicity differences in the experience of not using a condom due to a partner's influence (unwanted noncondom use). Analysis of 247 anonymous questionnaires from students at urban community college campuses revealed that 46.7% had experienced unwanted noncondom use since age 16, and 37% had experienced unwanted noncondom use with their current or most recent partner. Males and females reported equal levels of unwanted noncondom use. However, African‐American and Latino participants reported higher levels of unwanted noncondom use than Whites. The findings indicate that females, males, and people from ethnic groups at high risk for HIV infection need support to carry out their safer sex intentions.     

Vulnerability,Risk Perception,and Health Profile of Marginalized People Exposed to Multiple Built‐Environment Stressors in Worcester,Massachusetts: A Pilot Project

Millions of low‐income people of diverse ethnicities inhabit stressful old urban industrial neighborhoods. Yet we know little about the health impacts of built‐environment stressors and risk perceptions in such settings; we lack even basic health profiles. Difficult access is one reason (it took us 30 months to survey 80 households); the lack of multifaceted survey tools is another. We designed and implemented a pilot vulnerability assessment tool in Worcester, Massachusetts. We answer: (1) How can we assess vulnerability to multiple stressors? (2) What is the nature of complex vulnerability—including risk perceptions and health profiles? (3) How can findings be used by our wider community, and what lessons did we learn? (4) What implications arise for science and policy? We sought a holistic picture of neighborhood life. A reasonably representative sample of 80 respondents captured data for 254 people about: demographics, community concerns and resources, time‐activity patterns, health information, risk/stress perceptions, and resources/capacities for coping. Our key findings derive partly from the survey data and partly from our experience in obtaining those data. Data strongly suggest complex vulnerability dominated by psychosocial stress. Unexpected significant gender and ethnic disease disparities emerged: notably, females have twice the disease burden of males, and white females twice the burden of females of color (p < 0.01). Self‐reported depression differentiated by gender and age is illustrative. Community based participatory research (CBPR) approaches require active engagement with marginalized populations, including representatives as funded partners. Complex vulnerability necessitates holistic, participatory approaches to improve scientific understanding and societal responses.     

TV VIEWING AS GOOD CITIZENSHIP? POLITICAL RATIONALITY,ENLIGHTENED DEMOCRACY AND PBS

This article draws on theories of political rationality, governmentality and cultural policy as well as historical analysis to examine how a philosophy of ‘enlightened democracy’ informed the historical formation of PBS. I analyse its early campaign to turn TV viewers into active citizens and show how the citizen subjectivities constructed presupposed a set of knowledge-power relations defined and managed by ‘opinion leaders’. Following a cultural studies approach I analyse policy and popular discourses to show how requirements of professionalism, reason, civility and detached objectivity served as a means of differentiating good citizens and as a form of social control.     

Degree and Direction of Paid Employee/Volunteer Interchange in Nonprofit Organizations

This study builds on an earlier one (Handy, Mook, and Quarter 2008) that examined the degree of interchangeability between volunteers and paid employees in nonprofit organizations. In the current study, we surveyed 836 nonprofits in Canada to understand what factors determine the degree of interchange between paid employees and volunteers, bearing in mind that this interchange can go in two directions: paid employees for volunteers and volunteers for paid employees. We found the degree of interchange to be widespread and in both directions. One of the most important predictors of the likelihood of interchange was the number of full‐time employees, suggesting that interchangeability occurs less frequently in organizations with a larger number of employees than in those with fewer employees. Religious congregations and organizations with workload increases were more likely to interchange tasks among volunteers and paid staff.     

Does social capital predict happiness,health, and life satisfaction in an urban Australian community?

Abstract

This paper investigates the extent to which social capital and participation in community activities predicts happiness, health, and life satisfaction in Australia. Residents of a Gold Coast suburb completed a random door‐to‐door survey, with a 74% response rate (n = 249). Ordinal regression analyses revealed that only two elements of social capital—Value of Life and Feelings of Trust and Safety—predicted happiness (β = 0.4, P = 0.00; β = 0.12, P = 0.00), life satisfaction (β = 0.46, P = 0.00; β = 0.09, P = 0.02), and health (β = 0.29, P =0.00; β = 0.11, P = 0.00). In terms of community activities, not participating in social activities predicted both unhappiness (β = ‐0.16, P = 0.05) and reduced life satisfaction (β = ‐0.20, P = 0.01). Such findings suggest that how social capital is defined and measured is important, as only two of the seven elements—life satisfaction and health—predicted happiness. The key implication is that implementing strategies, initiatives, and urban designs that facilitate feelings of trust and safety may foster health, happiness, and life satisfaction.     

A Review of Poll Everywhere Audience Response System

Poll Everywhere, an audience response system based on cell phone texting technology, was tested in two undergraduate social work classes with very positive results. A survey conducted in one class reveals that two-thirds of the students answered every question and 14% most of the questions; over 90% found text-based polling to be either easy or extremely easy to use; over 90% thought it helped them learn class material; and over 80% would recommend or highly recommend its use. The instructors, too, found many strengths to this system. It is very easy to use, proved to be an effective way to engage students and increase class participation, free for a class size up to 40 students, and free to students with cell phone plans with unlimited text messaging. With the vast majority of college students owning cell phones, and text messaging serving as their primary form of cell phone communication, this technology is an intuitive, cost-effective, user-friendly technology that can enhance students' learning and classroom experience, and instructors' effectiveness in teaching course material and assessing students' command of the same by examining the results of their polls.