Husbands’ and wives’ characteristics and fertility decisions: A diagonal mobility model

In this article a diagonal mobility model is used to describe the relative effects of husbands' and wives' characteristics on fertility. Compared with the characteristics of their wives, the characteristics of non-Hispanic husbands are nearly insignificant in their effect on fertility. The relative importance of husbands' attributes is much greater among Mexican-American couples. Although this suggests ethnic stereotypes about male dominance in Mexican-American families, differences in female educational attainment may offer a better explanation. The most immediate conclusion from this analysis pertains to the use of wives' characteristics as a proxy for couple data. This strategy is reasonable if female educational levels generally extend into high school. Relying on wives' characteristics to study marital fertility, however, may be problematic if the analysis involves respondents with a wide range of educational levels.     

Professional/client Relationships: Creating a 'Working Alliance' with People with Learning Difficulties

People labelled as mentally handicapped are perhaps the last amongst the various client groups to be considered as autonomous individuals with a say in their own destinies. There is growing pressure on professionals in all fields to relinquish power and control and recognise the inherent problems of attitudes and practices which promote rather than reduce dependency in clients. Even where client groups are recognised as independent and effective members of society, there are strong resistances to this changing professional role. Where severe learning difficulties are involved, the resistances do not arise just from clinging to older, more comfortable attitudes and practices, but also from a genuine uncertainty about how to proceed. The principle of normalisation does not seem to translate easily into new modes of professional/client interaction.

This paper sets professional/client relationships in their immediate historical context and considers how interpretations of normalisation seem to confirm rather than conflict with established professional assumptions. Some approaches are suggested which may help in structuring and supporting a process of change from dependency-inducing relationships to a 'working alliance'.     

Single motherhood by choice: A parenting alternative

The experience of single motherhood by choice has become more prevalent in the last twenty years and yet the literature reveals a dirth of information about this parenting style. This article delineates the experience of choosing single motherhood utilizing artificial insemination by donor. Several issues are examined: (a) emotional factors and personality characteristics of the mother, (b) physiological factors related to artificial insemination, (c) ethical and legal considerations of artificial insemination and single motherhood, and (d) various economic concerns related to single motherhood.Ann Potter completed her Ph.D. in counseling psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is Assistant Professor of Nursing at Clarkson College of Nursing, 333 South 44th Street, Omaha, NE 68131. Her current research interests are children and families of alcoholics, nontraditional families including single motherhood by choice, and incest survivors.Patricia Knaub is Associate Dean of the College of Home Economics and Associate Professor of Human Development and the Family at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her address is 105 Home Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0800. She completed her Ph.D. at Nebraska and current research interests include stress and coping strategies of farm families, successful remarriages, and issues related to conception, including transference of myths and artificial insemination.     

CONSUMER DEMAND FOR VEHICLE SAFETY: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Although numerous studies on the effects of vehicle safety regulation exist, few are devoted to consumer demands for vehicle safety. This study uses an extensive data set combining vehicle specific information with responses from a national household survey of new car buyers to estimate individual demand for safety. It finds, ceteris paribus, purchase probability rises with an increase in safety features. In particular, an index of vehicle crashworthiness is a strong determinant of purchase decisions. The results favor a policy of posting crash test results and suggest that passive restraint systems enhance the likelihood of purchasing a given model.