Psycho-soziale Faktoren von Innovation

This paper investigates the relationship between social factors and innovation. A theoretical framework augmented by an appropriate terminology is suggested. The detailed review of current literature points out concrete relations between social factors and aspects of innovation. Finally, a critical discussion of ethical aspects of innovation is explicitly emphasized.     

Five-year-olds' Perceptions of Why We Go to School

Drawing on a recent study intended to reflect the five-olds' perspective of school this article addresses the question of ‘why we go to school’. Fifty children from five county council reception/year one classrooms were observed and then interviewed over a ten-week period. There occurs a socialisation of these children to the view that schooling is essential for their preparation for the future. According to the children this takes place during activities identified as ‘work’ not ‘play’ and is emphasised by the compulsory nature of schooling.     

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Court Referred Pathways to Mental Health Services for Children in Foster Care

Racial/Ethnic disparity in placement patterns and service utilization among children in foster care has been documented in a variety of studies. This study examined the role of the court process in referring children in foster care to mental health services and tested for racial/ethnic differences in the patterns of referral and service use. Court records for 142 children ages 2–16, representing Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic racial/ethnic groups were reviewed. Results indicate that the court process does play a significant role in referring children to services. Significant differences by race and ethnicity in mental health service utilization prior to the child's protective placement, as well as service orders, and post-placement service use were identified. Caucasian youth were more likely to receive orders for psychotherapy and to have documented use of psychotherapy than were African American and Hispanic youth, even when the possible confounding effects of age and type of maltreatment were controlled. Implications for the effective delivery of supportive services to those children most in need are discussed.     

High Stakes: Time Poverty,Testing, and the Children of the Working Poor

Sociological interest in the implementation of policy generally focuses on the ways a single stream of policy creates a set of measurable consequences either for parents or children. This article takes an ethnographic approach to the study of conflicting policy mandates that collide in the lives of families moving from welfare to work at the same time that schools are implementing high stakes tests and the end of social promotion. We show that these two policies make contradictory demands on parents, to the potential detriment of children. Ethnographic research reveals the ways in which multiple and incompatible forms of policy impact poor families, putting them in the unhappy position of choosing between economic stability or mobility and children's educational performance.     

Transference and countertransference in the treatment of adult survivors of abuse with a somatoform disorder

The understanding of transference and countertransference has changed a great deal since Freud introduced the terms. A case example indicates one way the patient’s and clinician’s past experiences and expectations interact to create a here and now relationship that is highly influenced by transference/countertransference. The understanding of both terms as aspects of a mutually constituted interaction has practice implications for the treatment of adult survivors of abuse who have a somatoform disorder.     

Growth and Locational Impacts for Housing in Small Communities

Abstract Many Americans believe that small rural communities are ideal places to live. They assume that small rural communities offer a safe environment, a supportive community, and affordable housing. In contrast, research indicates that rural households are more likely to live in unsuitable or inadequate housing and have lower incomes, making affordable housing difficult to obtain. Although there are data highlighting regional or urban-rural differences, very little research has been conducted on the housing situation among small rural communities. The research presented here explores housing availability and affordability in 589 Midwestern communities. Findings indicate that, based on the community's growth and location, there are significant quantitative housing affordability and availability differences among small communities. However, these differences were contradicted by focus group discussions that indicated key similarities of housing concerns across small communities. The findings have potential impacts for public policy implementation in small communities.