An Ecological Assessment of Drug-Related Problem Situations for American Indian Adolescents of the Southwest

ABSTRACT

This study examined difficult situations related to drug and alcohol use as identified by American Indian youth in the Southwest. Sixty-two contextually based items were developed from focus group data, and were administered to 71 American Indian youth. The items measured the frequency in which youth experienced specific drug-related situations, as well as the perceived difficulty in resisting drug use offers in those situations. The results indicated that the most frequent and difficult drug and alcohol situations occurred primarily with friends or cousins at their homes or after school. Implications for culturally specific assessment, prevention, and treatment are discussed.     

North Americans' Attitudes Toward Illegal Drugs

Public opinion polls conducted from 1969 to 2003 found a variety of opinions on the use, possession, and legalization of marijuana. Public opinion about legalizing marijuana use is increasing, but it is also increasing toward harsher penalties for those who possess a small amount of marijuana. Public opinion regarding the legalization of illegal drugs appears to be influenced by the times. The majority of Americans increasingly believe that the country has made some progress in dealing with the problems of illegal drugs, but Americans are also reporting more difficulty within their families related to marijuana. This article examines trends based in public opinion polls on the use of marijuana in the United States and Canada and discusses the social and political history of marijuana and the biophysical effects, medical uses, definitions, and previous research related to marijuana.     

Self Esteem,Academic Achievement,and Moral Development Among Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Girls who play sports are known to display more self-confidence and tend to have a higher moral development. Using data on high school girls, we explore the effectiveness of competitive team sports on their self-confidence, use of drugs and alcohol, spirituality/religiosity, and academic achievement. Good performance in sports enables them to have some control over their behavior and their future. We suggest that school administrators might want to encourage their female students to be active in sports, and parents might want to encourage their daughters to be active in sports, as it helps in achievement orientation and moral development.     

Underserved parents,underserved youth: Considering foster parent willingness to foster substance-using adolescents

Adolescents involved with foster care are five times more likely to receive a drug dependence diagnosis when compared to adolescents in the general population. Prior research has shown that substance use is often hidden from providers, negating any chance for treatment and almost guaranteeing poor post-foster care outcomes. There are virtually no studies that examine the willingness (and its determinants) to foster youth with substance abuse problems. The current study conducted a nationally-distributed survey of 752 currently licensed foster care parents that assessed willingness to foster youth overall and by type of drug used, and possible correlates of this decision (e.g., home factors, system factors, and individual foster parent factors such as ratings of perceived difficulty in fostering this population). Overall, willingness to foster a youth involved with alcohol and other drugs (AOD) was contingent upon the types of drugs used. The odds that a parent would foster an AOD-involved youth were significantly increased by being licensed as a treatment foster home, having fostered an AOD-involved youth in the past, having AOD-specific training and past agency-support when needed, and self-efficacy with respect to positive impact. Surprisingly, when religion played a large part in the decision to foster any child, the odds of willingness to foster an AOD-involved youth dropped significantly. These results suggest that a large proportion of AOD-involved youth who find themselves in the foster care system will not have foster families willing to parent them, thereby forcing placement into a variety of congregate care facilities (e.g., residential treatment facilities, group homes). Specific ways in which the system can address these issues to improve placement and permanency efforts are provided.     

An Exploratory Study of Substance Abuse Among Latino Older Adults

ABSTRACT

Substance abuse among older adults is on the rise. Of particular concern is the increase in alcohol and drug use predicted among Latino elders, expected to result from an upsurge in the Latino population and concurrent growth in the number of older adults. Providing effective treatment for this group will require age-specific, culturally competent interventions. However, few studies have focused on geriatric substance abuse among Latinos. This study aims to lay the groundwork for further research by examining perceptions of the problem among treatment providers and researchers in aging and substance abuse. Implications for social work research and practice are addressed.     

Examining Reports and Policies on Cognitive Enhancement: Approaches,Rationale, and Recommendations

The phenomenon of cognitive enhancement is attracting attention in bioethics literature and beyond, in public policy. In response, three bodies—the British Medical Association (BMA); the Commission de l'éthique de la Science et de la technologie (CEST) du Québec; the American Academy of Neurology (AAN)—have produced reports and guidance on this topic. To gain insights into different public policy approaches, rationales, and recommendations on the topic, we analyzed these reports in depth. We found convergence on the definition (with the exception of the CEST) of cognitive enhancement. However, we noted a lack of critical reflection with respect to the underlying rationale for developing these reports, i.e., that cognitive enhancement practices are rampant and represent major social changes. As it currently stands, cognitive enhancement is constituted in a way that challenges the creation of coherent and effective policy recommendations. However, policy makers should not simply wait for definitional consensus and hope that on balance the benefits turn out to be greater than the risks. Some components of cognitive enhancement could be reduced down to clearly identified policy targets to be further examined. Then, if appropriate, policy should be created that is, amongst other criteria, beneficial to the majority of the population.     

“他指”视域下的婚前守贞——基于农业院校大学男生的调查

从男性的眼里看女性守贞,从一个侧面反映了男性对于性的认识和态度,以及对性别平等的认识和男性觉悟的程度。当代大学男生对婚前性的严厉与包容并存,性别歧视依然存在,但性别公平意识在不断增强,部分男性觉悟到了父权文化和体制对女性的伤害。     

顶罪替刑犯罪的刑法思考

当今代人顶罪替刑事件频现报端,而我国现行刑法却没有就顶替人犯罪作专门的规定,所以导致顶罪替刑在司法实践中的罪名归属存在争议。为了体现罪刑法定原则,应当将顶罪替刑行为设置为独立的罪名,与现行刑法中窝藏、包庇罪相区别。同时,还需要从犯罪构成要件中分析顶罪替刑罪的基本特征,解决司法实践中本罪的犯罪主体、共同犯罪等复杂问题,以期实现刑法规制的目的。     

论庄子生命哲学的“忘世”思想

庄子生命哲学的核心是＂忘世＂思想,这在其对人类生命存在进行现世性与彼岸性的双重思辨中得以构建。庄子企望超越生命存在的现世性局限,获得自我的精神解脱、超越,实现生命存在的彼岸性追求。因此,庄子的生命哲学并非＂出世＂、＂厌世＂或＂游世＂等看法,而是体现出浓厚诗化意味的＂忘世＂思想。