RESEARCH NOTE: Language with attitude: American slang and Chinese lǐyǔ1

The Mandarin registers known as lǐyǔ (俚语) have commonly been translated as ‘slang,’ though traditionally lǐyǔ has differed from slang in English by virtue of its strong link to regionalism. A newly emergent version of lǐyǔ that is prominent among young Chinese is marked not by regionalism but by its Internet‐enabled global purview. This youth‐culture lǐyǔ, like the student slang described by Eble (1996) , functions as a device to promote group solidarity while also serving as an identity marker for China's millennial generation. Lǐyǔ, like the numerous versions of slang described in English, Portuguese and other languages, is marked by ebullient or non‐deferential affect, an attribute that helps explains the close association between slang and swearwords. Slang and lǐyǔ lexemes, in light of the affect they entail, are the pragmatic opposites of honorifics – terms which index deference within formal, hierarchical structures.
     

Implementation of Child Rights in the Children's Homes in Malaysia

The objective of this study was to examine the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in the Children Homes under the Social Welfare Department (SWD) in Malaysia. Data was collected from 402 registered children who were staying in six Children Homes across the country. This study employed self‐report surveys where multiple data collection methods, such as face‐to‐face structured interviews, key informant interviews (KIIs), and documentation survey, were used. The study found that the SWD failed to comply with most of the commitments of CRC in Children Homes at its implementation level, and it is still needs based. The findings of this study present important guidelines for government and policy makers in improving child welfare services in the Children Homes in Malaysia.     

F.O.R.E.play: The Utility of Brief Sexual Health Interventions Among College Students

Abstract

Objectives: The authors aimed to determine the most effective brief sexual health intervention for college students, while also evaluating students’ preferences for learning about sexual health, in order to develop a university program. Methods: A total of 302 students enrolled in an introductory college course participated and were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 brief interventions during a regularly scheduled class and completed pre- and postsurveys assessing knowledge, motivation to use condoms, and condom self-efficacy. Results: Findings indicated that having an actual person in charge of the learning process resulted in higher knowledge gains and highlighted a student preference for discussion-based learning, viewing pictures of sexually transmitted infections, and hearing real-life experiences about the consequences of unsafe sex. Conclusions: These findings will be used to tailor a future intervention targeting college students for use with freshmen students at this university.     

“Speak,You Also”: encircling trauma

This paper offers a circling around the interrelations of language and trauma, identity and forgiving through the figure and poems of Paul Celan. In this context, the circle itself becomes a cipher for the trauma of the Shoah and the (im)possibility of speaking or writing poetry after Auschwitz. Via Jenny Edkins, Giorgio Agamben, and Derrida, the poetic is interrogated as an ethical response to the political and social betrayal that is trauma; the subsequent effect of trauma on speaking and listening to testimony is then considered. Finally, the paper explores the poetic as a cipher for forgiving, distinct from moral forgiveness and guilt and equally separate from legal responsibility and debt. Celan's own suicide and one of his elegies are considered as final, literal ciphers in this perpetual and imperfect circling.     

Problem Gambling Among International and Domestic University Students in Australia: Who is at Risk?

Young people are a high risk group for gambling problems and university (college) students fall into that category. Given the high accessibility of gambling in Australia and its association with entertainment, students from overseas countries, particularly those where gambling is restricted or illegal, may be particularly vulnerable. This study examines problem gambling and its correlates among international and domestic university students using a sample of 836 domestic students (286 males; 546 females); and 764 international students (369 males; 396 females) at three Australian universities. Our findings indicate that although most students gamble infrequently, around 5 % of students are problem gamblers, a proportion higher than that in the general adult population. Popular gambling choices include games known to be associated with risk (cards, horse races, sports betting, casino games, and gaming machines) as well as lotto/scratch tickets. Males are more likely to be problem gamblers than females, and almost 10 % of male international students could be classified as problem gamblers. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that male gender, international student status, financial stress, negative affect and frequency of gambling on sports, horses/dogs, table games, casino gaming machines, internet casino games and bingo all significantly predicted problem gambling. Results from this study could inform gambling-education programs in universities as they indicate which groups are more vulnerable and specify which games pose more risk of problem gambling.     

The Impact of Family Functioning on Caregiver Burden among Caregivers of Veterans with Congestive Heart Failure

A cross-sectional study of 76 family caregivers of older veterans with congestive heart failure utilized the McMaster model of family functioning to examine the impact of family functioning variables (problem solving, communication, roles, affective responsiveness, and affective involvement) on caregiver burden dimensions (relationship burden, objective burden, stress burden, and uplifts). Regression analyses indicated that the five dimensions of family functioning were significantly related (p < 0.01) to relationship burden (R ² = .27) and uplifts (R ² = .29). More specifically, increased relationship burden was associated with problems in family roles, and increased uplifts was related to higher levels of affective responsiveness.     

Teaching Note—Description and Preliminary Evaluation of a Modified College Experience for Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ABSTRACT

This article describes the implementation and preliminary evaluation of a modified college experience for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) at a small liberal arts college. To increase social work students’ interest in working with this population and access of people with IDD to higher education, Bridges to Skidmore was founded in 2010 as a low-cost method for providing cooperative learning opportunities for students and individuals with IDD. Preliminary evaluation reveals that participation can change students’ attitudes toward those with IDD, which may increase their intention to work with this population in the future. The program has created an enriching experience for the college students, lecturing professors, and adults with IDD, and can be easily replicated on other campuses.