A Group Work Experience with Mentally Retarded Adults on the Issues of Death and Dying

No abstract available for this article.     

Effects of Family Involvement on Length of Stay and Treatment Completion Rates with Cocaine and Alcohol Abusers

SUMMARY

Substance abuse is a problem of national concern. This study sought to replicate and further develop findings from a previous study that found cocaine abusers continued in and completed treatment less frequently than alcohol abusers, and that family involvement may influence continuation in and completion of treatment for both cocaine and alcohol abusers.

A sample of 99 primary cocaine abusers and 105 primary alcohol abusers in outpatient treatment were followed during the course of their treatment. Results indicated primary alcohol abusers were significantly more successful in completing treatment than primary cocaine abusers. Family involvement in treatment significantly increased the likelihood that cocaine and alcohol abusers would complete the full course of treatment.

It is possible that treatment could be improved and completion rates increased by coordinating the involvement of the family.     

Adopted Persons' Search for and Contact with Their Birth Parents I

ABSTRACT

This article presents a critical review of different lines of empirical research on adopted persons' search for their birth parents and identifies questions and issues that are in need of further study. The review covers research on the demographic and psychological characteristics of searchers and their motives for searching. Research findings are also used to evaluate the validity of three different theoretical frameworks that have been offered as explanations for why adopted persons search for their birth parents.     

Analysis of mixed outcomes: misclassified binary responses and measurement error in covariates

This paper considers regression models for mixed binary and continuous outcomes, when the true predictor is measured with error and the binary responses are subject to classification errors. The focus of the paper is to study the effects of these errors on the estimates of the model parameters and also to propose a model that incorporates both these errors. The proposed model results in a substantial improvement in the estimates as shown by extensive simulation studies.     

Statistical issues in the assessment of health outcomes in children: a methodological review

Summary.  The lack of outcome measures that are validated for use on children limits the effectiveness and generalizability of paediatric health care interventions. Statistical epidemiology is a broad concept encompassing a wide range of useful techniques for use in child health outcome assessment and development. However, the range of techniques that are available is often confusing and prohibits their adoption. In the paper an overview of methodology is provided within the paediatric context. It is demonstrated that in many cases assessment can be performed relatively straightforwardly by using standard statistical techniques, although sometimes more sophisticated techniques are required. Examples of both physiological and questionnaire-based outcomes are given. The usefulness of these techniques is highlighted for achieving specific objectives and ultimately for achieving methodological rigour in clinical outcome studies that are performed in the paediatric population.     

Student misbehavior during senior year: A comparison of immigrants and the native-born

Prior research has increasingly shown that the length of time in the U.S. and acculturation may have negative effects on a variety of immigrant outcomes, including academic performance, health, and occupational attainment. However, much of the research on the educational outcomes of immigrants focuses primarily on their academic achievement but neglects another factor that affects educational success—behavior at school. Using data from a sample of high school seniors in several Pacific Northwest school districts, I examine whether more time in the U.S. increases school misbehavior by testing the effects of immigrant generation and indicators of acculturation on three measures of disciplinary problems during the senior year of high school—attending class unprepared, getting in trouble for breaking school rules, and being put on suspension. First and one-point-five generation immigrants attend class more prepared and get into less trouble for breaking the school rules than do third or higher generation students during their senior year of high school. High academic performance and indicators of acculturation explain only part of this beneficial effect of immigrant generation on behavior at school. Additional analyses show that second generation Asian immigrants are more similar to first and 1.5 generation immigrants from all racial and ethnic groups than they are from other second generation racial and ethnic groups in regards to moderate and intermediate behavior.     

Disproportionality in education and employment outcomes of adult foster care alumni

Racial similarities and disparities in the education and employment of 134 African American and 574 White adults placed in foster care as children were examined. Logistic regression was used to compare differences among these young adult alumni who were served by a voluntary foster care agency in 23 U.S. communities. When controlling for demographic background, risk factors, and foster care experiences, race/ethnicity was a significant factor only in the increased odds of White alumni having income at or above poverty level, three times poverty level, and home/apartment ownership compared to African Americans.