Training Strategies for Elder Abuse/Inadequate Care

A key component in the efforts to deal with elder abuse/inadequate care is the development of educational programmes for both the public and responsible staff. This article explores the development of training programmes that address the needs of adult learners in the caring professions. Central to the success of the training was the programme design that entailed three methods of teaching in response to the three ways adults learn. Participants acquired a knowledge base that will enable them to work in an environment with few legal directives.     

Changes in At-Risk American Men's Crime and Substance Use Trajectories Following Fatherhood

Fatherhood can be a turning point in development and in men's crime and substance use trajectories. At-risk boys (N = 206) were assessed annually from ages 12 to 31 years. Crime, arrest, and tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use trajectories were examined. Marriage was associated with lower levels of crime and less frequent substance use. Following the birth of a first biological child, men's crime trajectories showed slope decreases, and tobacco and alcohol use trajectories showed level decreases. The older men were when they became fathers, the greater the level decreases were in crime and alcohol use and the less the slope decreases were in tobacco and marijuana use. Patterns are consistent with theories of social control and social timetables.     

What Is Valued in Gay and Lesbian Specific Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment?

Little is known about what gay and lesbian clients value about culturally specific alcohol and other drug treatment programs. This study involves a sample of clinical staff and former clients (N = 40) of four culturally specific alcohol and other drug treatment programs to clarify what is addressed and deemed valuable for the specific needs of gay and lesbian clients. Through the lens of the recovery capital conceptual framework, this qualitative research emphasizes resiliency and the supports necessary for long-term recovery. Results indicate three major themes that make this type of treatment valuable: (1) a separate treatment unit or facility, (2) a safe and supportive therapeutic milieu, and (3) specific tailored treatment approaches. Findings are discussed to include implications for ways to improve services for this all too often understudied population of potentially vulnerable individuals who can benefit from culturally sensitive care.     

Problem gambling and property offences: an analysis of court files

This article outlines some of the major findings regarding criminogenic problem gambling in Crofts' (2002) analysis of New South Wales Local and District Court files. The article details firstly the advantages and disadvantages of relying upon court files as a source of information on gambling related crime. The article then outlines the personal characteristics of the subjects in the study, the relationship of gambling to the commission of their offences and judicial responses. The study provided qualitative information on when people are likely to seek treatment for problem gambling and also highlighted problem gambling as a significant motivation for employee theft. The study also suggests that the reasons for problem gambling may impact upon offending patterns.     

Ben's Grille

Summary

Advantages of computer-based alcohol education over traditional written materials in improving alcohol related behavior are presented in this article. The program, “Ben's Grille” was created to promote public awareness of issues relating to the use and abuse of alcohol The program is described in detail along with directions for use. One component of the program, an interactive drama, is the focus of this article. Characters from which a play can select to play are described. Methods used in obtaining feedback about the game are specified. The author concludes that both students and teachers have had positive reactions to the program.     

Computer-Assisted Screening and Intervention for Alcohol Problems in Primary Care

ABSTRACT

The effectiveness of a bilingual (English/Spanish) computer-assisted alcohol screening/intervention for hazardous and harmful alcohol use, the Health Habits Survey (HHS) was tested in primary care settings. Assessment-only patients were compared with patients exposed to the HHS. Of the 2053 recruited, 151 (7.4%) screened positive on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and were re-contacted six months later for follow-up. Significant alcohol reduction was observed in both conditions. No between-group differences were observed. Computer-assisted screening and intervention are feasible in primary care settings and may be a realistic provider-extender when traditional screening is absent or inconsistently implemented.     

Assessing Social Work's Contribution to Controlled Outcome Studies in the Alcohol Dependence Treatment Literature

ABSTRACT

Alcohol use disorders are among the most prevalent and disabling conditions encountered by social work practitioners. Although a substantial body of research findings has accrued evaluating the effectiveness of available alcohol dependence treatments, few efforts have been made to assess the contribution that social work has made to this database. Thus, this study examined the contribution of social work to the alcohol dependence treatment outcome research literature over the past half-century. Controlled investigations of alcohol dependence treatments published between 1950 and 2000 were analyzed by publication outlet type and primary author's professional affiliation. Computerized bibliographic searches of medical and social science databases were conducted and a manual search of 13 core social work journals to identify controlled studies of alcohol dependence interventions. Results indicate that researchers affiliated with schools or departments of social work as well as studies contained within core social work journals have contributed little to knowledge development, with respect to controlled studies, in the alcohol dependence treatment literature. Greater social work involvement in chemical dependency research would contribute much to current efforts to promote evidence-based practice and clinical guideline development in this important practice area.     

Women's Perceptions of Alcohol-Related Sexual Disinhibition: Personality and Sexually-Related Alcohol Expectancies

ABSTRACT

Scales assessing attitude toward condoms typically focus on their use for a specific context or outcome (sexually transmitted diseases/HIV prevention or pregnancy prevention) and not the characteristics of a condom itself. To assess the psychometrics of the Multi-Factor Attitude toward Condoms Scale, data from 1,832 U.S. men were analyzed. Internal consistency was acceptable (α= .816) with three factors accounting for 61.44% of the variance (affective, perceived effectiveness, and manageability). Additional validity assessments demonstrated construct validity for this new attitude toward condoms scale that focuses on the properties of the condom and not a specific behavioral or outcome-focused context.     

Forcible,Drug-Facilitated,and Incapacitated Rape and Sexual Assault Among Undergraduate Women

Abstract

Objective: To examine the prevalence of drug-related sexual assaults, identify the frequency of assaults that occur following voluntary versus involuntary drug or alcohol consumption, and identify contextual correlates of drug-related assaults. Participants: College-student females (n = 314). Methods: Volunteers reported experiences with forcible and drug-related sexual assaults in the spring semester of 2004. Follow-up queries regarding the most severe drug-related assaults determined whether the assaults followed voluntary or involuntary alcohol or drug consumption. Results: 29.6% (n = 93) of the respondents reported a drug-related sexual assault or rape; 5.4% (n = 17) reported a forcible sexual assault or rape. Voluntary incapacitation preceded 84.6% of drug-related assaults and involuntary incapacitation preceded 15.4% of drug-related assaults. The majority of drug-related assaults (96.1%) involved alcohol consumption prior to assault. Conclusions: Drug-related sexual assaults on college campuses are more frequent than are forcible assaults and are most frequently preceded by voluntary alcohol consumption.