Does Enhancing Work-Time Control and Flexibility Reduce Turnover? A Naturally Occurring Experiment

We investigate the turnover effects of an organizational innovation (ROWE-Results Only Work Environment) aimed at moving away from standard time practices to focus on results rather than time spent at work. To model rates of turnover, we draw on survey data from a sample of employees at a corporate headquarters (N = 775) and institutional records of turnover over eight months following the ROWE implementation. We find the odds of turnover are indeed lower for employees participating in the ROWE initiative, which offers employees greater work-time control and flexibility, and that this is the case regardless of employees' gender, age, or family life stage. ROWE also moderates the turnover effects of organizational tenure and negative home-to-work spillover, physical symptoms, and job insecurity, with those in ROWE who report these situations generally less likely to leave the organization. Additionally, ROWE reduces turnover intentions among those remaining with the corporation. This research moves the "opting-out" argument from one of private troubles to an issue of greater employee work-time control and flexibility by showing that an organizational policy initiative can reduce turnover.     

Using Participatory Action Research to Access Social Work Voices: Acknowledging the Fit

This article presents Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a critical methodology that fills a gap in health research, and describes the importance of using PAR with a group of social workers about their conceptualizations of health. While social work practice, knowledge and contributions extend beyond the traditional positivist framework that dominates health research, the profession’s unique understanding of health is frequently subsumed within work contexts that are dominated by bio-physiological conceptualizations of health. PAR provides a means of engaging the knowledge of social workers, which, in turn, helps in the pursuit of wide-reaching social justice and change.     

Differences in Sleep Quality and Health-Related Quality of Life in Young Adults With Allergies and Asthma and Their Healthy Peers

Abstract

Objective: The current study examined the relationship between sleep quality and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Participants: Participants were 501 undergraduate students with allergies (167), asthma + allergies (167), or with no history of a chronic illness (167) completed study measures from August 2011 to April 2012. Methods: The undergraduate students completed questionnaires online as part of a larger study of psychosocial adjustment of young adults. Results: Young adults with allergies and asthma + allergies reported significantly worse sleep quality and HRQOL than healthy peers. Additionally, those with allergies and asthma + allergies had significantly more sleep disturbances and used sleeping medication significantly more often in the previous month than healthy peers. Conclusions: These results highlight concerns regarding quality of life and sleep problems in an often-overlooked population. Importantly, sleep difficulties can result in difficulties in daily living and impairment in academic functioning.     

A Bayesian Approach in Estimating Transition Probabilities of a Discrete-time Markov Chain for Ignorable Intermittent Missing Data

This article focuses on data analyses under the scenario of missing at random within discrete-time Markov chain models. The naive method, nonlinear (NL) method, and Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm are discussed. We extend the NL method into a Bayesian framework, using an adjusted rejection algorithm to sample the posterior distribution, and estimating the transition probabilities with a Monte Carlo algorithm. We compare the Bayesian nonlinear (BNL) method with the naive method and the EM algorithm with various missing rates, and comprehensively evaluate estimators in terms of biases, variances, mean square errors, and coverage probabilities (CPs). Our simulation results show that the EM algorithm usually offers smallest variances but with poorest CP, while the BNL method has smaller variances and better/similar CP as compared to the naive method. When the missing rate is low (about 9%, MAR), the three methods are comparable. Whereas when the missing rate is high (about 25%, MAR), overall, the BNL method performs slightly but consistently better than the naive method regarding variances and CP. Data from a longitudinal study of stress level among caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease is used to illustrate these methods.     

The association of unresolved attachment status and cognitive processes in maltreated adolescents

This exploratory investigation sought to gain a better understanding of the mental representations of attachment in maltreated adolescents, and how, if at all, unresolved attachment representations are related to cognitive processes in this population. Measures of cognitive functioning, attachment state of mind and parent ratings on attention were obtained from 38 adolescents with a history of maltreatment. Results showed that maltreated adolescents with unresolved states of mind in regard to attachment scored significantly lower on measures of cognitive processes of attention, working memory and cognitive efficiency, even when intelligence was controlled for in the analyses. Theoretical considerations, implications for future research and clinical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multiseason transmission for Rift Valley fever in North America

ABSTRACT

Rift Valley fever is a vector-borne disease, primarly found in West Africa, that is transmitted to humans and domestic livestock. Its similarities to the West Nile virus suggest that establishment in the developed world may be possible. Rift Valley fever has the potential to invade North America, where seasons play a role in disease persistence. The values for the basic reproductive number show that, in order to eradicate the disease, the survival time of mosquitoes must decrease below 8.67 days. Mechanisms such as aggressive spraying that decreases the mosquito population can contain an outbreak. Otherwise, Rift Valley fever is likely to establish itself as a recurring seasonal outbreak. Rift Valley fever poses a potential threat to North America that would require aggressive interventions in order to prevent a recurring seasonal outbreak.     

Feeling like an “Alien” or “Family”? Comparing students and faculty experiences of diversity in STEM disciplines at a PWI and an HBCU

This qualitative exploration of diversity experiences among undergraduate and graduate students and faculty in STEM disciplines at a predominantly White institution (PWI) and a historically Black college or university (HBCU) in a Mid-Atlantic state finds that the level of diversity and inclusiveness may matter to how Students of Color experience inclusion in their academic programs. Participants at the PWI described feeling excluded, voicing concerns about institutional struggles with creating an inclusive campus climate; whereas, participants at the HBCU perceived STEM disciplines to be diverse and viewed their programs and the institution as supportive of their needs.     

Utilizing Spiritual Lifemaps with LDS Clients: Enhancing Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice

Few people realize that the Latter-day Saints (LDS) or Mormon Church currently ranks as the fourth largest religious denomination in the United States. Although spirituality and religion play a central role in the beliefs, lifestyle, and culture, of many LDS clients, very few spiritual assessment tools have been validated with this population. Utilizing a mixed method design, this study modified an existing spiritual assessment tool—spiritual lifemaps—that may be particularly congruent with LDS client populations. A sample of recognized experts in LDS culture (N = 100) examined how consistent the spiritual lifemap assessment tool was with LDS culture, and how consistent the four sample question sets were with LDS culture. Overall, results indicate that the spiritual lifemap assessment tool is consistent with LDS clients’ beliefs, lifestyle, and culture. This study represents an important step at providing more culturally competent practice with LDS clients.