The workplace perspective on supporting family caregivers at end of life: evaluating a new Canadian social program

There is a growing realization that employers need to accommodate the issue of work-life balance for employees who are also providing care for family members or friends in palliative or end-of-life situations, as this phenomenon is only expected to increase within developed nations in the future given demographic trends and health care restructuring. This research aims to uncover the expectations that Canadian employers/human resources (HR) professionals have of the Compassionate Care Benefit (CCB), in addition to their experienced realities of having staff utilize this social program. The CCB provides employed family/informal caregivers with a job-secured work leave and six weeks of employment insurance benefits while they take time off to provide care to a dying family member or close other, often at home (in the community). Five focused discussions were implemented with employers/HR across Canada. Using thematic analysis, the data reveal how well (or not) the CCB meets caregivers' needs, as well as the informational and procedural needs of workplaces. In light of these findings, suggestions for program improvement, with respect to the CCB, are made in order to advocate for continued support of family/informal caregivers whose voices are rarely heard.     

Leading the Way in New Product Introductions: Publicity's Message Sequencing Success With Corporate Credibility and Image as Moderators

This investigation further nuanced previous designs in comparing the effectiveness of 4 IMC message sequencing strategies (publicity–publicity, publicity–advertising, advertising–publicity, and advertising–advertising) by introducing them into a new context—new product introductions. In addition, this investigation introduced corporate image and credibility as moderators of the effectiveness of sequence strategies. A 2-phase experiment was conducted involving 423 participants. The results revealed the publicity–publicity sequence strategy is most effective in generating positive product attitude and purchase intent, followed by either sequence of publicity and advertising, with the advertising–advertising strategy being least effective. Positive corporate image and high credibility attenuated the effectiveness of the publicity strategy.     

Challenging Parenting Behavior from Infancy to Toddlerhood: Etiology,Measurement, and Differences between Fathers and Mothers

Based on evidence that fathers show more challenging and physical play than mothers, it has been theorized that fathers have a different parenting role, more focused at stimulating exploration and taking chances. Challenging parenting behavior (CPB) may foster confidence and buffer against anxiety development in children. In this study, CPB was assessed in fathers and mothers at child ages of 4 months, 1 year, and 2.5 years, using newly developed questionnaires and observational tasks. Reliability of the questionnaire and observational measures was good, and fathers' and mothers' self‐rated CPB showed a similar factor structure. Modest and significant convergence between questionnaires and observations provided support for validity of CPB, whereas negative correlations with overprotection supported divergent validity. CPB correlated positively with warmth. We further found moderate to high stability of CPB from early infancy to toddlerhood, and interparental correspondence in CPB. Fathers and mothers did not differ in observed CPB, but fathers rated themselves higher than mothers in toddlerhood. It is concluded that the development of the instruments to assess CPB was successful. Overall, the results reveal similarities rather than differences between fathers' and mothers' CPB in early childhood. The potential relevance of CPB in child development and psychopathology is discussed.     

Identity challenges and social experiences of higher education students with disabilities in Slovenia

This article focuses on the experiences and experiencing of disability, policies of self-understanding, and the life plans and aspirations of students with disabilities. The article draws on the results of a qualitative survey of students with disabilities taking courses in various faculties of the University of Ljubljana. The results show that students with disabilities are able to reshape their identities in a way that does not consist of the disability experienced, but is independent of it, and they are able to accept their disability as the reality of life without losing their own purpose of living and life plans. This experience is a significant part of the identity formation of people with disabilities, and the social experience of people with disabilities strengthens their selfhood while also producing new responses and challenges to contemporary issues of identity formation and identity policies.