The Baltimore City Drug Treatment Court: 3-year self-report outcome study

This study reports results from interviews with 157 research participants who were interviewed 3 years after randomization into treatment and control conditions in the evaluation of the Baltimore City Drug Treatment Court. The interviews asked about crime, substance use, welfare, employment, education, mental and physical health, and family and social relationships. Program participants reported less crime and substance use than did controls. Few differences between groups were observed on other outcomes, although treatment cases were less likely than controls to be on the welfare rolls at the time of the interview. Effects differed substantially according to the originating court.     

Major factors influencing HIV/AIDS project evaluation

This article aimed at finding out if participatory processes (group discussions, enactments, and others) do make a valuable contribution in communication-based project implementation/evaluation and the fight against HIV/AIDS. A case study backed by documentary analysis of evaluation reports and occasional insights from interviews stood as the main methods. To identify values, the state of beneficiaries prior to and after project implementation/evaluation was compared. Participatory processes were noted to have created an enabling environment for project beneficiaries to become activists for social change, leading to the limiting of the spread of HIV/AIDS through sexual behavior and a change of attitude--the essence required for successful intervention. Group participatory processes were also noted to have contributed in overriding, to a great extent, limitations arising from sociodemographic differences in the attainment of project objectives and limitations arising from differences in forms of evaluation (internal versus external evaluators).     

Men's perceptions and knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer

The authors assessed young men's knowledge and perceptions of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to identify factors that predict intention to make positive behavioral changes. Male university students aged 18 to 25 years completed a self-report instrument to assess knowledge and perceptions of genital HPV infection. If diagnosed with HPV, most men (95%) reported that they would use condoms with new partners. The intention to reduce number of sex partners was associated with an understanding that HPV may have severe consequences for women, whereas intention to encourage female sex partners to undergo Pap smear screening was associated with increased general knowledge of HPV infection. The authors concluded that it is important to include men in HPV education and prevention efforts, especially within the context that HPV may lead to cervical cancer in female partners.     

Weight changes, exercise, and dietary patterns during freshman and sophomore years of college

Weight gain and behavioral patterns during college may contribute to overweight and obesity in adulthood. The aims of this study were to assess weight, exercise, and dietary patterns of 764 college students (53% women, 47% men) during freshman and sophomore years. Students had their weight and height measured and completed questionnaires about their recent exercise and dietary patterns. At the beginning of freshman year, 29% of students reported not exercising, 70% ate fewer than 5 fruits and vegetables daily, and more than 50% ate fried or high-fat fast foods at least 3 times during the previous week. By the end of their sophomore year, 70% of the 290 students who were reassessed had gained weight (4.1+/-3.6 kg, p < .001), but there was no apparent association with exercise or dietary patterns. Future research is needed to assess the contributions of fat, muscle, and bone mass to observed weight gain and to determine the health implications of these findings.     

Toward a standard of care for child ADHD: implications for marriage and family therapists

In this article, we briefly review the etiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and describe the most current scientifically supported theory about the nature of this disorder. Based on the research literature, several organizations have established standards of care for its diagnosis and treatment, which involves a multimodal strategy for treatment at the biological, individual, family, school, and community levels. Assessment and treatment guidelines are provided for Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs), and specific areas of competency are proposed for MFTs who are working with children who have ADHD.     

Autism: understanding conceptual processing deficits

Autism is a behavioral diagnosis characterized by a triad of impairment, which includes impaired communication, impaired social skills, and impaired spontaneity. The outward behavior exhibited by people with autism represents a different cognitive processing style than that seen in typical development. Understanding the way people with autism process and store information is important for intervention. The majority of people diagnosed with autism do not have symptoms of mental retardation and need access to mainstream services to work on the problems presented by daily life.     

Helping family members manage medication administration hassles

Managing the medication regimens of dependent older adults in the home is a complex issue for family caregivers. The tasks involved can include helping the older adults manage their own medications or may require involvement in the purchasing, scheduling, and administering of multiple medications for serious conditions. The hassles associated with this responsibility are now known to be associated with increased caregiver strain. In this article, we provide an overview of the body of research on medication administration hassles and offer a tool to assess family caregivers who are involved in this important aspect of care.     

Conducting research on violence in Asian American communities: methodological issues

Conducting culturally competent research is a challenge as the United States becomes increasingly multicultural. When conducting research on violence in Asian American communities, researchers need to consider how culture, race, and ethnicity influence definitions of concepts, and methodological issues such as research designs, sampling, developing and translating instruments, ethical issues, recruiting research participants, supervising and training interviewers, and disseminating findings. Examples from the authors' research studies on community violence in the Khmer community, domestic violence in the Chinese American community, and dating violence in Asian American groups are extrapolated to highlight various themes. A commitment to a research program that collaborates with the community under study and cultural experts is vital at every stage of the research process.