Beyond a bed: Support for positive development for youth residing in emergency shelters

This study examines environmental and personal characteristics that support positive development among youth residing in emergency shelters. The Developmental Assets Profile (DAP; Search Institute 2005) was used to measure external and internal developmental assets and adapted to additionally measure agency assets, i.e., external assets specific to the shelter setting. Eighty-two youth completed the DAP and additional measures of psychosocial functioning (distress, life satisfaction, health behavior, program satisfaction, caregiver relationships, and academic functioning) during shelter stay. At admission, youth asset scores were positively correlated with measures of healthy functioning. Youth ratings for agency assets were significantly higher than external asset ratings. Youth completing multiple surveys reported decreases in distress and increases in life satisfaction, health behavior, positive caregiver relationship, and internal assets during shelter stay. Results extend research on developmental assets and underscore the value of opportunities for positive development among homeless youth and the agencies that serve them.     

The Mind's Eyes

Abstract

The across-species genetic conservation of intercellular and extracellular chemical communication enables unicellular and multicellular organisms to functionally distinguish between self and non-self. Non-self olfactory/pheromonal input from the social environment elicits a vertebrate neuroendocrine response. The organization and activation of this neuroendocrine response modulates the concurrent maturation of the mammalian neuroendocrine system, the reproductive system, and the central nervous system during the development of sexual preferences that may be expressed in sexual behavior. Psycho-physiological mechanisms for the development of these sexual preferences include focus on unconscious affects that are detailed in reciprocal cause and effect relationships. Olfactory/pheromonal conditioning elicits neuroendocrine effects accompanied by unconscious affects on the development of sexual preferences. Integrating these unconscious affects extends to humans a developmental model of behavior that includes the development of male sexual preferences for other males. doi:10.1300/J056v18n04_03     

Perceptions of gendered-challenges in academia: How women academics see gender hierarchies as barriers to achievement

Despite the egalitarian and collegial philosophy in its ideals, academic market is segregated and gendered where women receive fewer rewards than their male counterparts, are under-represented, segregated and excluded from participation in the formal and informal academic structures in academia. The country contexts, the gendered academic organizational settings as well as everyday interactions all play a major role not only in women's participation within academia, but also how they perceive their future in academic institutions. This research note, through an original survey with over 200 academics, attempts to study the latter assumption by looking at women academics' perceptions of their work life, their challenges, as well as aspirations. Our results show that those perceiving strong hierarchy in the realm of work are significantly more likely to believe that being woman in academia harms their job prospects. We also show that, not only were they pessimistic about the challenges facing them at the moment, but they were also more skeptical about women's potential in overcoming such challenges in the future.     

义乌市东河农村工业发展思路探讨——义乌市东河经济社会发展研究分报告之一

本文在对东河农村工业现状评价和发展环境分析的基础上,提出了东河农村发展城郊工业的定位及其基本对策.     

广东劳动密集型企业的发展过程、作用及其趋势

广东省是中国劳动密集型企业发展的先锋,广东省的劳动密集型企业在国民经济发展中占有重要地位,特别是它在解决劳动就业方面起到了非常重要的作用。本课题探索了劳动密集型企业在广东省的发展历程、早期贡献和发展趋势。     

Treatment for Children with Trauma-Attachment Disorders: Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy

Children with histories of maltreatment are at significant risk of developing severe psychiatric problems. Treatment of such children is difficult and there are no empirical studies evaluating the effectiveness of outpatient treatment for children with trauma-attachment disorders. The present study examines the effectiveness of Dyadic Developmental Therapy, a treatment based on attachment theory, provided by one therapist in an outpatient setting. The 64 subjects all had trauma-attachment disorders, met the DSM-IV criteria for Reactive Attachment Disorder, and had histories of serious maltreatment. The 34 children in the treatment group were treated in weekly outpatient therapy at The Center For Family Development with Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. The 30 children in the control group were evaluated but did not received Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and received treatment from other providers at other clinics. Eligible subjects were children between the ages of five and seventeen years whose case had been closed in 2000 or 2001. All children had significant past histories of abuse, neglect, or orphanage care. Findings for children in the treatment group, as measured by the Achenback and Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire, were significant decreases (p<.01) in symptoms of attachment disorder, withdrawn behaviors, anxiety and depression, social problems, thought problems, attention problems, rule-breaking behaviors, and aggressive behaviors. The findings for children in the control group showed no changes in the variables measured. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy appears to be an effective treatment for children with trauma-attachment disorders.The author would like to gratefully acknowledge Ms. Geraldine Gallucci, a master’s level social work intern, who was placed with The Center For Family Development. Ms. Gallucci ensured that the follow-up questionnaires were mailed to the families and returned to the agency.Arthur Becker-Weidmann is affiliated with Center for Family Development, Williamsville, USA.     

学校心理辅导的若干认识

学校心理辅导是一种特殊的服务过程。辅导教师应对学生表现出共情、尊重、信任的态度 ,并从发展性辅导的观点出发 ,以全体学生为服务对象 ,以积极发展的眼光去看待学生     

Directions for developmental screening in child welfare based on the ages and stages questionnaires

Many young children investigated for maltreatment have developmental problems qualifying them for early intervention services, yet only a portion of these children receive such services. To address this gap, all children ages 0-3 with child welfare (CW) substantiated maltreatment in Pennsylvania are screened for developmental and socioemotional problems using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ). This study views screening results for over 500 children to address whether children's substantiation status, living situation, and administering worker as CW or early intervention (EI) predicts screening rates. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were used. Results showed that 22% of children scored in the problem-range of at least one developmental area and 18% scored in the problem-range of social-emotional concerns warranting EI referral. Results of bivariate analyses showed that children who spent time in the NICU were more likely to have developmental concerns. Socioemotional concerns were related to child race, foster care living situation, child as the subject of the referral, and physical neglect. Older children and children whose referral involved lacking basic needs showed both developmental and socioemotional concerns. There were no significant differences in screening results of children with substantiated versus unsubstantiated maltreatment. Children whose screening was conducted by EI were more than three times as likely to show developmental concerns compared with those screened by CW. Child welfare workers need more support when conducting developmental screening, and policies that limit screening to children with substantiated maltreatment or to children in out-of-home care should be reconsidered.     

Realizing the Need for Rework: From Task Interdependence to Social Networks

Design rework is a core phenomenon in new product development (NPD). Yet carrying out design rework presupposes recognizing the need for it. I characterize the types of interpersonal knowledge transfer that help developers realize the need for design rework in NPD. As predicted by the NPD literature, I find that individuals who interact frequently with colleagues to address their task interdependences are more likely to realize the need for rework. I also learn that interacting with colleagues who have different expertise in process‐related knowledge (as opposed to product‐related knowledge) facilitates realizing the need for rework. However, to develop a deeper understanding of how individuals recognize the need for rework when interacting with others, we must expand our views beyond task interdependence and expertise‐related factors. In particular, organizational variables—both formal and informal—play a significant role. With respect to formal hierarchical structures, actors of superior rank are less likely to realize the need for rework regardless of whether or not their interacting partner is of superior rank; however, actors of superior rank are more likely to trigger realizing the need for rework when interacting with partners of subordinate rank. By examining an organization's informal structure, I discover that the social “embeddedness” of developers (i.e., the energy and attention invested in a dyadic relationship) significantly influences their propensity to realize the need for rework. Several hypotheses are tested in a sociometric study conducted within the development department of a software company, and I discuss the implications for behavioral operations in NPD.