Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words? Adolescent Interpretations of Parental Substance Use

Parents are powerful socialization agents for children and as children reach adolescence parental role models, among other sources of influence, become particularly salient in adolescents’ decision-making regarding initiation of substance use. Open parent-adolescent communication about substances is associated with less substance use by adolescents; however, it is unclear how youth interpret antidrug use messages from their parents, especially if the parents engage in legal and/or illicit substance use themselves. Framed by social learning theory and social constructionism, this study analyzed in-depth interviews with 108 adolescents about personal experiences with substance use, family communication about substance use, and adolescent interpretations of parental use. Emergent themes in the data include: positive parental influence, parental contradictions, and negative outcomes of use. Prevalence of parental use—regardless of legality, rarity of explicit communication about parental use, and various interpretations of parental use are discussed.     

‘Racism under the radar’: Student perceptions of school experiences in a multicultural context

In this study focus groups were conducted to explore Aboriginal and Caucasian student perceptions of school experiences within a multicultural context. Five major themes emerged from students’ dialogues that pose several questions about what sort of racist atmosphere the members of this community are being exposed to on a daily basis. The findings of this study underscore an understanding of Aboriginal student resiliency within a school setting that employs successful school initiatives that aim to promote student success. Further inquiry into these findings is needed.     

Connecting the young and the young at heart: an intergenerational music program

Due to its universal appeal, music can bridge intergenerational gaps and improve overall quality of life. Many intergenerational programs have thus increasingly incorporated music into their design; however, the Hamilton Intergenerational Music Program (HIMP) is unique in that it focuses on general music participation as opposed to singing-only programming. Three elementary schools and long-term care homes were contacted and matched based on proximity to one another. Program facilitators ran four successive weeks of intergenerational music sessions. Activities included training the children how to interact with elderly participants, facilitating conversation with icebreakers, and performing music together. Qualitative feedback was gathered after each visit and comprised of observations from program facilitators and participants. Several benefits were observed following program visits such as the reduction of age-related stereotypes, improved participant morale, enhanced cognitive function, and development of meaningful relationships. While leaving the sessions, children recall positive interactions with the seniors, lament that their time together ended too quickly, and express excitement for the next session. The older adults articulate similar sentiments and ask children to return soon. With the countless lessons learned from the current program, much can be drawn to inform future expansion and implementation to other communities.     

Meeting the Challenge of Effectiveness in Nonprofit Partnerships: Examining the Roles of Partner Selection,Trust, and Communication

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations - Human services nonprofits increasingly provide a social safety net through interorganizational collaboration, and the...     

A follower-centric approach to the vision integration process

Leaders increasingly understand the importance of involving followers in the vision implementation process. Viewing vision as a guiding framework that may or may not be adopted by followers throughout the organization, we test a model of the leader–follower communication processes involved in linking vision with follower work behaviors and decisions. Using a cross-sectional research design, we examine the basic relationships in a hypothesized model of the vision integration process. Employees from a health maintenance organization (HMO) (N = 340) completed surveys concerning leader–follower communication, perceptions of the company's vision, and its integration into their work behaviors. Not surprisingly, leader–follower communication regarding vision is crucial. More importantly, how the vision is understood and integrated by followers into work behaviors and decisions significantly predicts commitment, job satisfaction, and supervisory ratings of performance. Based on these findings, a more follower-centered conceptualization of vision is offered.     

The enduring importance of national identity in cooperative European Union Borderlands: Polish university students' perceptions on cross-border cooperation in the Pomerania euro-region

European integration, through euro-regions, voluntary zones of cooperation across national borders, and the eastward expansion of the Schengen Zone have transformed Europe borderlands into sites of bi-national collaboration. This study evaluates how a group of Polish university students living in the Pomerania euro-region view the new ease of cross-border mobility and the types of cross-border activities they engage in. If the experience of students in the border city of Szczecin is reflective of other European borderlands, than cross-border cooperation has not diminished the importance of the border as a mental marker of nation-state boundaries or the importance of national identity.     

An inquiry into self-identification with retirement

ABSTRACT

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore patterns in self-identification with being retired using deductive thematic analysis informed by the life course perspective. For this study, a set of women who self-identified as retired (n = 60) were asked to describe their current work status, major career interruptions, and factors that marked their retirement. This study provides important insights into the heterogeneity in women’s retirement including a subset of individuals who self-identified as retired, not based on their own work force transitions but on that of their spouse or peers. Findings highlight the importance of recognizing that the construction of retirement identity can be context driven, varied, and subjective.     

What explains the extent and content of social disclosures in Swedish municipalities’ annual reports

Public awareness and interest in environmental and social issues as well as increased attention in the mass media have resulted in a higher demand for social disclosures from organisations. The aim of this study is to explain the extent and variation of content in social disclosures among Swedish municipalities. The empirical data is based on annual reports and archive data from official statistics. In this study we take an eclectic approach, and use a multi-theoretical framework in order to explain the content and extent of social disclosures. The statistical analyses show that the extent of social disclosures is associated with size, tax base, tax rate, financial performance and political majority. The study shows that there are significant differences between municipalities regarding both extent and content of social disclosures.