Assessing the Moderating Effects of Depressive Symptoms on Antisocial Behavior among Urban Youth in Public Housing

This study assesses whether the influences of attitude towards deviance, exposure to delinquent peers and parental supervision and encouragement on antisocial behavior are moderated by depressive symptoms. Two hundred and thirty eight African American adolescents ages 13–19 from three public housing developments participated in this study. Results indicate that approximately half of the youth did not engage in antisocial behaviors in the last year. Gender, depression, attitudes and peers were significant correlates of antisocial behavior. Parental supervision and encouragement, and age were not related to antisocial behavior. Interaction effects suggest that the relative influences of attitudes towards deviance and delinquent peers on antisocial behaviors depend upon gender and level of depression symptoms. Implications for social work practice and future research are discussed.     

Reminiscence Group for Chinese Older People-A Cultural Consideration

Abstract

Literature abounds with discussions on the therapeutic effects of reminiscence groups for older people. To ensure their effectiveness in Chinese societies, helping professionals should take into account the specific cultural values and experiences of older Chinese people. This paper draws on the experiences of social work students in Hong Kong and offers suggestions in five areas in the design and implementation of a reminiscence group in order to make the therapy culturally sensitive: membership, group content, the interaction process, identifying and appreciating the positives and the leadership style of the helping professionals.     

A Pilot Study About the Needs of Older Gays and Lesbians

Abstract

In a pilot study, a population of gay and lesbian elders were surveyed to determine what types of long term plans they have made in preparation for their old age, what types of information they feel service providers need to know to better meet their long-term needs, and what is their perception of aging. The results of this pilot study demonstrated that almost three-fourths of the total sample have started to make plans for growing old. The respondents reported that social workers needed to be more knowledgeable about gay lifestyles and the importance of their partners. It was also found that the views of aging became more positive as the gay and lesbian individuals grow older.     

Measures of Restoration in Geriatric Care Residences

Abstract

In this paper, we have studied how elderly people's frame of mind influences their response to experiencing nature, measured in terms of blood pressure, pulse rate, concentration and results from protocols. Two theories concerning the importance of psychological balance have been put forward earlier by Lawton and Kiiller, both of whom maintain that the surrounding everyday environment is one of the keys to a harmonious existence. We present findings supporting the theory that the positive experience of natural surroundings per se has a balancing and healing effect.

We have found that the people most affected by their surroundings are those with the greatest psycho-physiological imbalance. When the balance tilts, the balancing effect of the green experience can restore the individual to a state of better harmony. Time spent in the outdoors is, thus, especially important for individuals who easily lose their equilibrium or find it difficult to make compensatory changes to restore harmony on their own.

The research project is an intervention study in which fifteen elderly individuals living at a home for very old people participated. Their power of concentration, blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and after an hour of rest in a garden and in an indoor setting, respectively. Seven elderly people were randomly chosen to have their first series of tests in a garden, while eight elderly people had their first series of tests indoors. The results indicate that power of concentration increases for very old people after a visit in a garden outside the geriatric home in which they live, as compared to resting indoors in their favorite room.

The results did not show any effects on blood pressure or heart rate.

However, when we compared these results with the background variables, we found interesting correlations. Background variables included how often they took part in social activities, showed helpfulness toward other residents in group activities and tolerance/critique of other residents. After a factor analysis, the background variables formed three distinct factors, one of which showed significant correlation with blood pressure and heart rate: the factor psycho-physiological balance, with the variables “degree of tolerance,” “degree of helpfulness” and “frequency of hospital visits.” Elderly people with low psycho-physiological balance, that is, who had low tolerance of other residents, were not helpful in group activities and had a high frequency of hospital visits, were most affected by a stay in a garden, as could be measured in changes in heart rate and blood pressure. The results may be interpreted as showing that a garden can restore an elderly person with low psycho-physiological balance to a state of better harmony.

The present study show, first, that an outdoor visit is important for recovery from stress and fatigue and, second, that the improvement is especially significant for the most susceptible. Thus, it is of particular importance that weak groups, such as elderly in great need of care, have access to an outdoor space. Such groups are likely to include many people who are in psycho-physiological imbalance.     

Transformation:

No abstract available for this article.     

Social Origins and Transformations: The Changing Role of English Housing Associations

Following the suggestion of Ragin (1998, Voluntas, 9(3), 261–270), this article uses social origins theory (Salamon and Anheier, 1998, Voluntas, 9(3), 213–248) as an heuristic device to explore change in a specific field of nonprofit activity; the English housing association sector. Conventional histories of the sector in the twentieth century suggest a succession of eras with different policy drivers. These eras can be seen as consistent with shifts in welfare regime from liberal to social democratic (after 1919) and to neo-liberal/neo-corporatist (after 1980). Examples drawn from a panel study support the analysis of Esping-Anderson (1990, The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, Princeton University Press, Princeton) that underlying the apparent stability of welfare regimes there are constant processes of negotiation and conflict which may lead to transformations at organization, sector, or regime level. Rather than simply responding to policy drivers, some housing associations have been able to influence the environment in which policy is made and thereby to shape their own and the sector's transformations.     

灾后安置社区社会工作的实践与反思——都江堰市“勤俭人家”社会工作服务经验研究

灾后社会工作介入对于地震灾区社会重建有着十分重要的作用.本文以都江堰市"勤俭人家"安置社区社会工作援建服务经验为基础,从社会工作服务目标、社会工作服务项目、社会工作方法和策略三方面对灾后安置社区社会工作服务进行了分析和反思.     

从“一户一宅”的视角探讨农村宅基地使用权取得

目前,农村宅基地使用权的取得比较混乱。现行立法对户的内涵的界定比较模糊,使得“一户多宅”现象较为突出。房屋继承后,“地随房走”原则的贯彻,促使“一户多宅”现象更加严重。宅基地使用权获得后,有时并不立即建造房屋,造成宅基地使用权取得与建造房屋的目的相脱离。作者认为,法律应该对宅基地使用权的取得与房屋的建造之间规定一定的期限。农村因继承房屋而能否实际取得宅基地使用权需要具体分析。农村宅基地使用权的取得需要通过立法进一步完善。     

中国古代民居建筑等级制度

中国古代民居建筑等级制度,是统治阶级试图创设理想社会秩序的物化形式。暨采纳儒家思想文化的价值取向,历朝历代修撰制定典章制度、法制条款,限定、约束人们按照自己在社会中的地位确定适合于自己的住宅形式规模。等级制度逐渐演化为一种社会秩序、行为规范和行为准则成为中华文明原则的基石之一。史不绝书的违制、僭越事例现象在某种方面成为推动古代营造事业向前发展的源头之一,表明了对建筑形式与内涵等方面认识的进一步深化。而森严的各种制度条款在一定程度上造成了民居建筑发展的停滞和僵化。