Researching Vulnerable Groups: Ethical Issues and the Effective Conduct of Research in Local Authorities

The Data Protection Act 1998 and Research Governance Frameworkfor Health and Social Care (Department of Health, 2003a) havebrought consideration of ethical issues in the conduct of researchinto sharper focus. This paper, based primarily on the authors’experiences of conducting research on children in need and outcomesfor vulnerable children, examines the impact these changes havehad on the research process. The difficulties experienced byresearchers in gaining access to research participants in orderto develop evidence-based policy and practice are explored.Finally, the paper outlines some practical steps that can betaken to facilitate the effective conduct of research.     

Using TV as a Guide: Associations Between Television Viewing and Adolescents' Sexual Attitudes and Behavior

Using both correlational and experimental methodology, this study examined contributions of TV viewing to adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavior. A sample of 244 high school students was assigned to view clips depicting either one of three sexual stereotypes or neutral content. Participants then completed measures assessing their attitudes about sexual roles and relationships, their regular TV viewing habits, and their sexual experiences. Results indicated that more frequent viewing of talk shows and of “sexy” prime‐time programs, and viewing TV more intently for companionship, were each associated with greater endorsement of sexual stereotypes. Additionally, more frequent viewing and stronger identification with popular TV characters were associated with greater levels of sexual experience. Laboratory exposure to specific stereotypical content lead to greater acceptance of gender and sexual stereotypes, as well. Implications for television's role as a sexual educator are discussed.     

Irish Credit Unions: Exploring the Gender Mix

Credit unions are voluntary cooperative financial institutions. At present there are 621 credit unions in Ireland serving two million members. Credit unions espouse the principle of gender inclusiveness, which is viewed as a fundamental cooperative concept. Based on a survey of 500 Irish credit unions, this study explores the role of women in credit unions. Judged against participation rates for women in the labor market and in specific organizations such as trade unions, the study suggests that gender balance in credit unions is superior to that elsewhere in Irish society. There is, however, some evidence of gender imbalance in the composition of credit union boards with this being most visible for key decision-making positions such as Chair and Vice-Chair. It also emerges that gender imbalance becomes more pronounced for larger credit unions supporting the contention that women are found in greater numbers on small and less well-connected not-for-profit boards.     

Cults and the Family

In recent years an increasing number of therapists have come into contact with ex‐cult members. Consequently there has been a renewed interest in various facets of intervention with this population. However, the effects of cult affiliation and disaffiliation on the cult member's family are not as well documented, particularly in Australia. This paper offers an overview of cult dynamics as well as some of the difficulties experienced by families whose loved one has had cult involvement.     

Control and subversion: Gender relations in Tajikistan

Tajikistan stands out among the republics of Central Asia fortwo important reasons. First, as the republic where the sovieticizationprocess was least successful, it managed to retain its Islamicidentity and culture. In Tajikistan today, unlike in the otherrepublics, the tenets of Islam stand solidly behind social normsand community standards. Secondly, its independence from theformer Soviet Union was followed by a devastating civil war.This has left a legacy common to any post-conflict society:the possibility of a return to violence as a way of resolvingdisputes. In most other respect, Tajikistan shares a significantamount with its geographical neighbours. This was a region ofpre-modern societies on which was imposed, first, Russian imperialismand, subsequently,     

The Role of Mother–Child Joint Play in the Early Development of Children's Conduct Problems: A Longitudinal Observational Study

This observational study examined the relationship between mother–child spontaneous joint play and the development of conduct problems in preschoolers, using a short‐term longitudinal design. The sample consisted of 60 children showing a range of levels of conduct problems, recruited at their third birthday through community health services in low SES areas. Spontaneous joint play and other mother–child activities were coded from naturalistic, unstructured observations in the home. Amount of time spent in joint play at age 3 predicted individual improvement in conduct problems at age 4, and importantly, this association was independent of initial level of child conduct problems and hyperactivity, social class, maternal depression, and frequency of negative mother–child interactions. The amount of time the child spent unoccupied and not interacting with mother independently predicted worsening conduct scores over time. However, time spent in other activities, including joint conversation and solitary play did not predict change in conduct scores over time. The results suggest that positive and proactive parenting processes such as joint play may make a unique contribution to the very early development of conduct problems, independent of other risk factors. There was no evidence that this association was mediated by child factors such as hyperactivity and poor attention skills.     

Watching the Watch: The UK Fire Service and its Impact on Sexual Minorities in the Workplace

This empirical study in one UK Fire Service explores the experiences of sexual minorities in the workplace, an under‐researched area of diversity, but one that has a growing focus of interest. The article aims to show that the organizational culture has an impact on sexual minorities in a number of different ways. The UK Fire Service is an organization which is fragmented into regional brigades, fire stations and watches (shifts) and it is at the level of the Watch that firefighters interact very closely. This article shows the complexities and dynamics of sexual minorities living and working in the Watch culture in the Fire Service. In particular, it highlights the different dimensions of the Fire Service culture which have an impact on sexual minorities. These are: the work environment, discourse, ways of working, rules, association, signs and symbols.