Individual and Institutional Constraints: An Analysis of Parental Leave Use and Duration in Spain

This paper analyzes the extent to which individual characteristics, the workplace situation, and regional policies influence the use and duration of parental leave in Spain. The research is based on a sample of 125,165 individuals, and 6,959 parental leaves covered in the “Muestra Continua de Vidas Laborales” (MCVL-2006). The MCVL consists of administrative register data, which include information from three different sources: The social security system, municipal and income tax Registers. We adopt a simultaneous equations approach to analyze the determinants of the use (logistic regression) and duration (event history analysis) of parental leave, which allows us to control for endogeneity and censored observations. Our results suggest that the Spanish parental leave scheme increases gender and social inequalities, insofar as it reinforces gender role specialization, and only encourages the reconciliation of work and family life among workers with a good position in the labor market (educated employees with a high and stable work status).     

Fathers' birth experience in relation to midwifery care

The aim was to identify the proportion of fathers having a positive experience of a normal birth and to explore factors related to midwifery care that were associated with a positive experience.

Background

Research has mainly focused on the father's supportive role during childbirth rather than his personal experiences of birth.

Methods

595 new fathers living in a northern part of Sweden, whose partner had a normal birth, were included in the study. Data was collected by questionnaires. Odds Ratios with 95% confidence interval and logistic regression analysis were used.

Results

The majority of fathers (82%) reported a positive birth experience. The strongest factors associated with a positive birth experience were midwife support (OR 4.0; 95 CI 2.0–8.1), the midwife's ongoing presence in the delivery room (OR 2.0; 1.1–3.9), and information about the progress of labour (OR 3.1; 1.6–5.8).

Conclusion

Most fathers had a positive birth experience. Midwifery support, the midwife's presence and sufficient information about the progress of labour are important aspects in a father's positive birth experience. The role of the midwife during birth is important to the father, and his individual needs should be considered in order to enhance a positive birth experience.     

中国和平崛起的国际环境分析和外交战略选择

和平崛起的中国面临从不平等的国际社会成员变成平等的成员,从国际体系的抗争者变成受益者,从国际舞台的边缘走向中心,国际关系的重心由大西洋转向太平洋等国际环境等基本特征,应作出适当的外交战略选择。把握方向,坚持＂韬光养晦＂;承担责任,善于＂有所作为＂;求同存异,阐述和谐主张;擅用传播,塑造良好形象等应是当前中国外交战略中应有的内容。     

具有多元权值约束的鲁棒 LPM 积极投资组合

在用方差控制投资组合风险的同时,由于方差的对称性导致投资组合的收益也受到限制． 相比之下,下偏距 (lower partial moment: LPM) 由于具有只控制风险,而不限制收益的特点,在近年来倍受关注． 但在非正态假设下,LPM 无法获得良好的解析性质． 在对资产收益分布未知的假设下,通过使用最坏情形下的LPM来度量投资组合的损失,提出了具有多元权值约束的鲁棒积极投资组合问题,并获得了具有m( m=0,1,2) -阶 LPM 约束的鲁棒积极投资组合问题的解析解． 通过分析解的性质和比较问题的有效前沿,得到了许多有趣的和新颖的结果． 数值结果比较表明,鲁棒LPM模型比经典的均值－方差模型具有许多更好的性能．     

What motivates adolescent bystanders to intervene when immigrant youth are bullied?

Pathways to bystander responses were examined in both generalized and bias-based bullying incidents involving immigrant-origin victims. Participants were 168 (M_age = 14.54, 57% female) adolescents of immigrant (37.5%) and nonimmigrant backgrounds, who responded to their likelihood of intervening on behalf of either an Arab or Latine victim. Models tested whether contact with immigrants and one's desires for social contact with immigrant-origin peers mediated the effects of individual (shared immigrant background, and discriminatory tendencies) and situational (inclusive peer norms) intergroup factors on active bystander responses. Findings indicated that desires for social contact reliably mediated effects across both victims; however, contact with immigrant peers was only associated with responses to Latine victims. Implications for how to promote bystander intervention are discussed.     

Female executives and the glass ceiling in Spain

This paper examines the findings of a survey of the personal, educational and professional profiles of a sample of male and female senior executives of companies operating in Spain. The women were found to be younger; they had fewer children, resorted to more domestic help, and earned less than the men, although they often had higher qualifications. Yet cultural patterns and institutional barriers still prevent them from making full use of their capabilities. In spite of recent legislative efforts to promote gender equity at work, more than nine out of ten senior executives are still men.     

Unanticipated Educational Consequences of a Positive Parent‐Child Relationship

If today there exists a single transcendent idea about the family‐school connection, it is that a positive parent‐child relationship improves children's chances of succeeding in school. However, using data from the Texas Higher Education Opportunity Project (N = 5,836), we demonstrate that, although positive parent‐child relations are associated with better academic achievement in high school, they also are associated with an increased desire to live at home during college, which in turn decreases students' chances of enrolling in a 4‐year college. Furthermore, we replicated some of these associations using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 10,120), demonstrating that positive family dynamics can influence educational outcomes in potentially divergent and unanticipated directions.     

Smoking risk factors and gender differences among Spanish high school students

The objectives of the present study were to analyze the pattern of tobacco use among Spanish adolescents, as well as to determine gender differences in specific risk factors of cigarette use. The study sample was made up of 1,483 boys and 1,358 girls, aged 12-16 (M = 14). Participants were asked to answer an ad-hoc instrument to evaluate the pattern of use, perceived availability, risk of harm, family- and peer-use, engagement in leisure activities, drive for thinness, and self-esteem. Results showed no gender differences in the pattern of use. With regard to risk and protector factors, a predictive analysis showed that peer-related variables were the most determinant for tobacco use both for boys and girls. Some gender differences were also detected: Playing sports was protective for boys only, and listening to music for girls only. Drive for thinness and self-esteem were not related to tobacco use for either boys or girls. These findings help increase our understanding of smoking risk factors in adolescence and to pay special attention to the group of friends when planning prevention programs to reduce risk factors.