An Experiment in Helping Foster-Carers Manage Challenging Behaviour

A randomized controlled trial was implemented with groups offoster-carers to test the effectiveness of cognitive–behaviouralmethods in the management of difficult behaviour. Contrary toexpectations, no statistically significant differences werefound between the groups with regard to behaviour managementskills, the frequency and/or severity of behavioural problems,and placement stability. In contrast, foster-carers expressedsatisfaction with the overall training programme and increasedconfidence in dealing with difficult behaviour. Discussion ofthe results focuses on a number of competing explanations forsuch findings and concludes with recommendations for futurework.     

Suicide ideation among a stratified sample of rural and urban adolescents

This study examined factors associated with sucidal ideation among a stratified sample of rural and urban adolescents. Data was collected on 1,728 eighth and tenth grade southern Nevada students from 23 schools. No overall differences were found between rural and urban adolescents, although results did indicate that grade, gender, and school achievement variations exist between rural and urban student populations. Implications for social workers and other youth service providers are discussed.     

The impact of urbanization on construction minerals

Construction minerals (sand, gravel and crushed stone used in the production of concrete) are among our most plentiful mineral resources by volume. Increasing quantities of these materials are required for construction within urban areas. However, continuing and accelerating suburbanization is rapidly making unusable deposits of these minerals due to zoning and other restrictions. In addition, the low intrinsic value of mineral aggregates and their bulkiness make the economics of the industry extremely sensitive to location. Mathematical programming is used to investigate the economic impact of urbanization on the production and distribution of construction minerals.     

The Relationship Between Theory and Research: A Longitudinal Perspective*

An earlier study of the theoretical and methodological postures used by the authors of 1,434 sociological journal articles found that those with a realist or social factist theoretical approach tended not to involve empirical data gathering and analysis techniques. In contrast, nominalists or social behaviorists used more highly empirical research procedures. Using the same data set, this study investigates the direction and nature of changes which occur over time in the theoretical or methodological orientations for 67 authors of multiple journal articles. The theory-methods pairing used by authors in their first article, when compared to those of their last, shows that about 80 percent of the authors have gravitated to or toward those theory-methods relationships found earlier. Such movement toward theoretical-methodological consistency was more often the result of authors' changing their methodological rather than their theoretical perspective. Implications for the changes in the theoretical-methodological linkages of sociologists over their careers are discussed.     

Automatic selection of the proper family for simultaneous confidence intervals

Statisticians often employ simultaneous confidence intervals to reduce the likelihood of their drawing false conclusions when they must make a number of comparisons. To do this properly, it is necessary to consider the family of comparisons over which simultaneous confidence must be assured. Sometimes it is not clear what family of comparisons is appropriate. We describe how computer software can monitor the types of contrasts a user examines, and select the smallest family of contrasts that is likely to be of interest. We also describe how to calculate simultaneous confidence intervals for these families using a hybrid of the Bonferroni and Scheffé methods. Our method is especially suitable for problems with discrete and continuous predictors.     

Validation of an inferential approach for the measurement of illegitimacy

An inferential model which utilizes surname comparisons in inferring legitimacy status is developed and validated. Criterion validation is employed to assess the level of agreement between the inferential approach and the conventional reporting procedure. Data for the analysis are based on a sample of birth certificates contained in files of the National Center for Health Statistics for calendar year 1973. Results indicate that despite excessive error within some categories of the control variables, the inferential method is generally adequate to obtain reliable estimates of illegitimacy.     

The component structure of elderly population growth in the Netherlands: 1950–1980

While there is no doubt about the magnitude of the growth of older age groups in industrialized nations, its structural components are less well understood. This paper examines the roles played by cohort succession and mortality in the process for the Netherlands during the period 1950 to 1980. While the size of population aged 65 and over has increased for both males and females, increases in the size of succeeding cohorts explain all of the growth in the older male population. Reductions in mortality at the older old ages play a much greater role than do reductions at younger old ages; the latter reductions occur among females only.