Exploring Strengths of Gay Men in 12-Step Recovery

The purpose of this study is to qualitatively explore the strengths of gay men in 12-step recovery for substance abuse. To advance this line of inquiry, an interview guide comprised of open-ended interview questions was used to investigate cognitive, emotional, behavioral, social, community, and spiritual characteristics among a snowball sample of urban gay men (N = 15) in Los Angeles, California.

Active participation in 12-step recovery reflected an abundance of identifiable strengths. Themes included (1) strong social support, (2) viable coping mechanisms, and (3) personal strengths that are indicative of persons experiencing high self-esteem.     

Beyond High School

Abstract

This study examined interpersonal heterosexist discrimination by examining self-reported anti-gay behaviors of heterosexual college students. Respondents were 226 college students; 94.9% had perpetrated some form of discriminatory behavior and 32.7% had committed a behavior that was rated as moderately harmful or higher. A higher amount of self-reported discriminatory behavior was associated with being male, having more homophobic attitudes, and having lower GPAs. Discriminatory behaviors were not related to political ideology, religious influence, or interaction with gay men and lesbians. Neither discriminatory behaviors nor homophobic attitudes were related to academic year, age, membership in a social fraternity/sorority, or membership on an intercollegiate athletic team.     

News and Views: Current Events and Commentary

No abstract available for this article.     

Changing Directions in HIV Prevention: The Move Toward a Psychosocial Model

ABSTRACT

Although some HIV prevention programs have been successful in helping gay and bisexual men change their sexual behaviors, rates of HIV infection continue to increase. In an attempt to address this problem, social workers need to move beyond traditional HIV prevention approaches to a psychosocial model of HIV prevention. Based on the work of previous researchers, this approach assumes that a combination of individual, psychological, and social factors contribute to risky sex in gay and bisexual men. Because social workers are trained to view problems from a psychosocial framework, they are already in a position to develop programs incorporating the psychosocial model. This article examines the psychosocial model of HIV prevention and the various psychosocial factors that may contribute to high-risk sexual behavior and concludes with examples of prevention research that have already incorporated the model.     

Environmental Barriers and Housing Accessibility Problems Over a One-Year Period in Later Life in Three European Countries

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe environmental barriers and investigate the nature of accessibility problems in housing among single-living, very old people (N = 1,150) in urban regions in three European countries (Sweden, Germany, Latvia), in a one-year perspective. A specific feature of this study is the explicit conceptual differentiation between environmental barriers and accessibility problems, underlying the presentation of the following results: Environmental barriers were very common, and in all three national samples the 20 most prevalent environmental barriers were found in 77–98% of all dwellings investigated. The magnitudes of accessibility problems were similar among the three samples and did not change over one year, while differences were indicated in the types of environmental barriers generating accessibility problems.     

释四川方言的一些例外字

语音演变有很强的规律性,但也有例外.本文就四川方言中的一些不符合四川方言语音演变规律的字音作出了解释.通过追寻中古音,探索某类音的演变过程和方向发现,有些例外字保存了古音,如"赴甫"的声母读音[p'];有的反映了某种音变在词汇中的渐变特点,如见系开口二等字中还存有的舌根音;通过分析连读音变发现,有的是同化的结果,如"晌午"中的"晌"念[sau()] ;有的是异化和类化的结果,如"眉"字在"蛾眉豆"中念[mi()「]有的透露出汉语历史上声调平分阴阳的音变信息,如"头"在"前头"和"锄头"中读为[t()u(e)「]     

威拉·凯瑟笔下的女性形象

威拉·凯瑟作为美国小说史上一位主要的作家,经受了历史的考验。威拉·凯瑟的小说是伴随着她笔下成熟女性形象及边正发展题材的故事而逐渐走向完善的。威拉·凯瑟的小说反映了她对于美国女性文化的一种渴求与探索。     

浅谈儒家法律思想的积极因素及其影响

儒家重视道德教化与“礼”的作用 ,强调通过自我完善来达到社会的和谐 ,主张“德主刑辅” ,“制礼以崇敬 ,立刑以明威” ,这种既重视立法 ,又重视教育的做法深入人心。消极的一面是重“人治”、轻“法制”。     

江南文化与江南诗学笔谈

刘士林认为,北方话语哺育了中国民族的道德实践能力,而从江南话语中则开辟出这个以实用著称于世的古老民族的审美精神一脉。江南话语是中国诗性话语体系的一个专门执行审美功能的元叙事。要使江南按照它的本来面目在当代世界中澄明出来,一种关于江南话语的语言本体论意识是惟一的桥梁。徐雁平认为,以学术和文学为特色的江南世家图景的绘制工作,才刚刚开始,它的展开与深入,必须建立在对清人诗文集和家谱族谱等文献的梳理排比基础之上。只有在注意到每个诗学世家的不同性(如海宁查氏、德清俞氏)的同时,又能以多视角观照问题,才能绘制出细节丰富的江南世家图景。朱逸宁认为,在江南文化的发展史上,晚唐五代是一个十分重要的历史阶段,因为正是在这一时期,江南出现了一些值得我们关注的文化现象和人物,江南的精神气质也发生了重要的变化。并从此开始取代北方成为中国诗性文化的象征。耿波认为,在明清时代的江南城市文化语境中,士人之间的关系逐渐变成了互利互惠的组织化。士人之间互通声气,互相援系,为了能在城市文化生产的逻辑中生存而结成了一个"共同体"。江南士人在城市文化语境中所产生的那种在张扬个体和"士志于道"的事业之间寻求调和的深微刻苦精神心态是城市文化中最富诗意的因素。江南士人的情性状态     

中国古代蜡祭的民俗心理探析

中国古代的蜡祭仪式与西方民俗观念中的杀死谷神的仪式是相通的 ,蜡祭的目的是“息老物” ,其实就是杀死衰老的谷神。蜡祭中的禽兽形象就是谷物之神的象征 ,腊八粥具有着西方的圣餐意味。以农耕文明为主的中国古代社会最重大的祭祀就是蜡祭和神稷 ,春社是庆祝植物神的再生仪式 ,蜡祭是庆祝衰老的植物神死亡的仪式。社分春秋两祭 ,而秋社和年就是从蜡祭分化嬗变出来。