Shedding light on thirteen years of darkness: content analysis of articles pertaining to transgender issues in marriage/couple and family therapy journals

What is the extent to which marriage/couple and family therapy (M/CFT) journals address transgender issues and how many of them say they are inclusive of transgender persons when they are not? To answer these queries, a content analysis was conducted on articles published in M/CFT literature from 1997 through 2009. Of the 10,739 articles examined in 17 journals, only nine (0.0008%) focused on transgender issues or used gender variance as a variable. Findings support the assertion that transgender issues are ignored and marginalized by M/CFT scholars and researchers alike.     

Family structure and the intergenerational transmission of educational advantage

I examine whether the effect of parents’ education on children’s educational achievement and attainment varies by family structure and, if so, whether this can be explained by differential parenting practices. Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, I find that as parents’ education increases, children in single mother families experience a lower boost in their achievement test scores, likelihood of attending any post-secondary schooling, likelihood of completing a 4-year college degree, and years of completed schooling relative to children living with both biological parents. Differences in parents’ educational expectations, intergenerational closure, and children’s involvement in structured leisure activities partially explain these status transmission differences by family structure. The findings imply that, among children with highly educated parents, children of single mothers are less likely to be highly educated themselves relative to children who grow up with both biological parents.     

The magnitude and potential impact of missing data in a sexual violence campus climate survey

Abstract

Objective: Assess the impact of survey non-response and non-completion for a campus climate survey. Participants: Intended for all degree-seeking students at a large, public, midwestern university, November 2014. Methods: The survey covered sexual assault experiences and related attitudes. We identify the magnitude and potential impact of survey non-response by comparing demographic data between respondents and non-respondents, sexual assault prevalence between early and late respondents, and demographic and attitudinal data between survey completers and partial completers. Results: Demographic groups were differentially represented in the survey. Sexual assault prevalence based on survey results may be underestimated for men, overestimated for women. Sensitive questions did not increase drop-off. Students completing more of the survey differed from those completing less. Conclusions: Colleges must plan survey administration and data sensitivity analysis to reduce potential for bias. Resources for sexual assault-related needs based on estimates from campus climate surveys with high non-response will likely be misallocated.     

The Silent Classroom: The Impact of Smartphones and a Social Studies Teacher's Response

The accelerated ownership and usage of smartphones and social media presents multiple issues for educators. There is a relationship between smartphones and (a) academic achievement, (b) engagement, and (c) mental health. The purpose of this literature review is to investigate the impact of smartphones and social media on students and how curriculum can best prepare youth for democratic citizenship. The case studies included in this review span beyond the United States due to the insightful research that has been conducted in various locations across the globe. When reviewing the literature, a few themes emerged. First, students who struggle the most academically are the ones who benefit most from the absence of a smartphone. Second, students of color are spending more time on social media and due to the increased exposure to racial discrimination online, academic motivation is decreasing for many of these students. Third, many researchers encourage schools to develop policies to limit smartphone use in the classroom. Finally, it is evident that the social studies curriculum needs to be expanded to include digital citizenship, media literacy, and the potential negative impact of smartphones and social media on students.     

Attachment Style,Vagal Tone,and Empathy During Mother–Adolescent Interactions

We tested associations among empathic responsiveness, attachment style, and vagal tone (a physiologic index of emotion regulation) in 103 mother–adolescent dyads. Dyads discussed positive and negative topics and then separately reviewed a videotape of the interaction and rated their own and the other person's affect at one‐minute intervals. We used multilevel modeling to analyze the association between one's rating of the other person's affect and the other person's affect (empathic sensitivity), and the association between one's rating of the other person's affect and one's own affect (perceived concordance). Adolescents’ empathic responsiveness was predicted by attachment style, vagal tone, and interactions between them. Adolescents with the greatest empathic responsiveness had low levels of attachment insecurity and high levels of vagal tone.     

Independence in assisted living

The aims of this study were to understand the meaning of independence for residents of assisted living and to identify factors influencing the operationalization of independence in this setting. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 providers and 55 residents in 17 assisted-living facilities in Georgia. Data were analyzed by using the grounded theory method. Findings show that assisted-living residents retained a strong value for independence and that independence had multiple dimensions of meaning. Whereas independence in most cases was reduced to performing everyday activities of daily living (ADLs), the multidimensional nature of meaning allowed residents with significant disability both to continue to perceive themselves as independent and to find satisfaction in their remaining abilities. Resident self-care requires significant effort from both residents and providers, but it also has far-reaching potential to help residents maintain intact identities and may hold the key to extending their stay in the assisted-living facility (ALF) environment.     

Global myopia: globalization theory in International Business

This paper critically evaluates some shortcomings in the handling of the globalization concept in International Business (IB). In particular, the paper identifies disciplinary isolation (and its consequences) and lack of a general, theoretically satisfying, definition for the concept as key culprits driving the often myopic views of globalization in IB. Some remedies are proposed, and a general definition of globalization is offered in the hope of stimulating a wider discussion.