Factors Influencing Farmers' Expectations to Sell Agricultural Land for Non‐Agricultural Uses*

Abstract In this study we identify factors that influence farmers' expectations to sell some or all of their farming operation in areas where the increase in the conversion of agricultural land has been relatively rapid. Findings indicate that the following factors increase farmers' propensity to sell some or all of the agricultural operation for non‐agricultural land use: perceived negative change (particularly difficulty in obtaining and retaining rental land and in purchasing land) increases the likelihood that farmers will expect the operation to become nonviable, which in turn increases the expectation to sell some or all agricultural land; lack of a child who will take over the operation; and declining profits from the operation. Factors that apparently exert little influence on the expectation to sell some or all of the farming operation include level of intrinsic rewards that a farmer experiences from his farming operation, the farmer's satisfaction with his community, and the farmer's closeness to retirement age.     

A Dimensional CLT for Non-Central Wilks' Lambda in Multivariate Analysis

Abstract.  We consider the non-central distribution of the classical Wilks' lambda statistic for testing the general linear hypothesis in MANOVA. We prove that as the dimension of the observation vector goes to infinity, Wilks' lambda obeys a central limit theorem under simple growth conditions on the non-centrality matrix. In one case we also prove a stronger result: the saddlepoint cumulative distribution function (CDF) approximation for the standardized version of Wilks' lambda converges uniformly on compact sets to the standard normal CDF. These theoretical results go some way towards explaining why saddlepoint approximations to the distribution of Wilks' lambda retain excellent accuracy in high-dimensional cases.     

Do Mothers Work to Support Ailing Husbands?

This paper analyzes the role of a spouse's poor health in forming the mother's labor force participation decision. The data are drawn from the 1996 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), which follows individuals for four years. This paper uses a medical expenditure approach to measuring health. Because SIPP is a panel dataset, changes in health and labor force participation can be observed. This paper finds an increase of 8% in the wife's labor force participation when the health of the spouse falls from excellent to poor. This result of the changes in the mother's labor force participation is consistent with previous literature, indicating that this new health measure performed well.     

Review Essay: Simply Identity Work? The Voluntary Simplicity Movement

Qualitative Sociology -     

Common pitfalls of beginning therapists utilizing enactments

Empirical data, clinical observation, and theoretical rationales support use of enactments as a fundamental mechanism of change in relationship therapies. Yet beginning therapists may lack an adequate conceptual framework and operational training essential to effectively utilize enactments. Inadequate training may contribute to ineffective execution, and in turn to negative results, which could lead to abandonment of enactments. This study sought to identify proficiencies and nonproficiencies of beginning therapists in conducting enactments. Twenty beginning therapists from three Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)-accredited programs were briefly trained in an indirect therapy style that incorporates enactments. Twenty-six therapist enactments were coded using a comprehensive observational measure designed to assess proficiencies and nonproficiencies in executing enactment phases, component tasks, and subcomponent operations. Results suggest that beginning therapists struggle with numerous clinical operations conceptually linked to the successful engagement of relationships in marriage and family therapy. In light of these findings, specific recommendations for additional enactment training in COAMFTE-accredited programs are offered.     

Learning Style Preferences of Undergraduate Social Work Students

It has been identified that undergraduate social work students have distinctive learning needs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the learning style preferences of a group of undergraduate social work students enrolled at a large Australian university. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory, Index of Learning Styles and Success Types Learning Style Type Indicator was distributed to 606 students enrolled in an undergraduate social work degree at one metropolitan Australian university. A total of 116 questionnaires were returned, providing a response rate of 19.14%. The results indicated that converging and assimilating, intuitive and sensing, thinking, judging and perceiving learning styles were favoured by this group of social work students. It is recommended that educators understand and take into consideration the learning style preferences of undergraduate social work students when developing curricula and evaluating teaching approaches, especially when planning and implementing education initiatives. This will help create effective learning environments, appropriate learning opportunities and a contemporary curriculum for social work students.     

An Introduction to the Research Process

Abstract

College health professionals are often intimidated by the research process and thus miss opportunities to develop and communicate their ideas. The present article, the first in a series on college health research, describes the basics of the research process, including the purpose and nature of research and the ways in which ideas are developed into research hypotheses. The process of reviewing research literature is described in detail, including methods for computerized searching.