A Quantitative Evaluation of the Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Prevention Services (MAPS) Program to Protect Children and Strengthen Families

This article presents the results from an evaluation of a state-funded, prevention-based, pilot program called the Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Prevention Services that was designed to reduce the potential for child abuse and neglect. The program served 64 families of various races and ethnicities over two years. A quantitative pretest–posttest design was used to analyze existing program data related to client outcomes including parenting skills, parenting satisfaction, and the use of non-family resources to assist in improving skills and satisfaction. Means comparisons were used to assess the relationship between three standardized instruments (the Parenting Scale, the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory and the Kansas Parental Satisfaction Scale). Findings indicated a statistically significant improvement regarding resource engagement by families, parenting behaviors and perceptions, and involvement with Child Protective Services. The results from this study offer insight into how to improve parenting behaviors and increase child protective factors for youth who are at risk of maltreatment. In addition, these findings contribute to strengthen the legitimacy of Weiner's Attribution Theory while providing the social work profession with additional data in areas of research targeting the intersection of financially viable prevention programs, family stability, parental education, resources engagement, and the reduction of child abuse and neglect. If additional research supports the efficacy of prevention programs such as MAPS, funding similar programs could lead to improved parenting and decreases in child maltreatment.     

Predictors of Quality of Life in Different Age Groups Across Adulthood

This study examines the Quality of Life (QOL) of 374 individuals from a generational perspective. Using a nonexperimental design and multiple regression analyses, the results indicated that social support is the highest preditor of QOL for all generations. As for specific generational groups, in addition to social support, income was observed as a QOL predictor for young adults; marital status was a significant predictor for the middle-aged adults, and income emerged as the important predictor for older adults. These results offer valuable insights for the planning and implementation of Intergenerational Education Programs with the aim of increasing QOL across adulthood.     

少数民族预科人才培养模式研究与实践

为加快少数民族地区人才培养,我国一些高校开展了少数民族预科教育。作为国家的一项民族政策,少数民族预科教育应提高人才培养质量,为民族地区的教育和经济发展做出更大的贡献。本文章结合本校民族预科教育的特点和预科学生的实际情况,对少数民族预科人才培养模式谈自己的几点见解。     

Income and child development

We examine how income is associated with the home environments and the cognitive and behavioral development of pre-school children using data from a birth cohort study of children born at the end of the 20th century. Lower-income 3-year-old children are more likely than wealthier children to live in homes with inadequate physical environments and to have mothers who are more likely to be stressed, depressed, harsh and unresponsive. Additionally, low income children have lower PPVT scores, more mother-reported aggressive, withdrawn, and anxious behavior problems, and also more interviewer-reported problems with behavior, than more affluent children. A key policy question is whether increases in the incomes of poor families would result in improvements in children's outcomes, at least in part through improvements in the home environment. This question is difficult to answer using observational data. However, we argue that, even under the most generous interpretation of the associations we estimate, large income transfer programs would have relatively small effects on children's cognitive and behavioral outcomes.     

Learning Patterns in Social Skills Training Programs: An Exploratory Study

While Social Skills Training programs have been shown to improve the social skills of children with Disruptive Behaviour Disorders, the pattern of change in the participants’ learning during the training period remains unknown. Identifying this pattern could assist in determining whether more or less training hours are required to maximize the benefits of such programs within available resources. The current study aimed to replicate the social skills improvements found in previous research, and to explore the pattern of improvements in social knowledge and social performance that occurs during a Social Skills Training program. Two groups of eight males with behavioural problems attended 14 one-hour sessions of Social Skills Training. Multisources, multisettings and multimethods were used to measure social knowledge and social performance across five test phases. Multivariate analyses did not support previous findings showing overall improvements in social knowledge and social performance. Patterns of learning were not found to be consistent across different measures.     

Bus rapid transit identity meets universal design

As bus rapid transit (BRT) systems continue to become more popular and as capital expenditure for such projects continues to grow, careful consideration of BRT identity design becomes ever more necessary. Properly considered identity systems can ensure accessibility to and usability of physical features and can also ensure that BRT systems are accessible and practical to use. Based on the seven principles of universal design, this article proposes a basic means to evaluate existing and planned BRT identity systems. The article concludes with recommendations for evaluators and guidelines for designers of BRT identity systems that will help to ensure the practical usability of BRT identity systems by a broad audience of diverse users, regardless of physical, cognitive or situational ability.     

论西部大开发与西部研究生教育

西部大开发是中央提出的重大决策 ,西部高校的研究生教育应以此为契机 ,利用自身条件 ,突出学科优势 ,积极转化教育成果 ,加强新技术、新能源等的研究和开发 ,为西部腾飞做出重要贡献     

知识经济背景下澳大利亚博士培养形式多样化研究

当前澳大利亚博士教育领域出现了一个新的特征:博士培养形式多样化。除了通过传统的毕业论文获得博士学位之外,校外哲学博士、专业博士学位、企业参与培养博士以及与国外大学合作培养博士等几种新兴的博士培养方式也获得了较快的发展。本文详细研究了澳大利亚博士培养形式多样化的表现,对其原因进行了归纳和分析,同时指出了影响博士培养形式多样化发展的主要障碍,最后在知识经济背景下对博士培养形式多样化进行了探讨。      

Implementing solutions to barriers to on-site HIV testing in substance abuse treatment: A tale of three facilities

Due to the scarcity of resources for implementing rapid onsite HIV testing, many substance abuse treatment programs do not offer these services. This study sought to determine whether addressing previously identified implementation barriers to integrating on-site rapid HIV testing into the treatment admissions process would increase offer and acceptance rates. Results indicate that it is feasible to integrate rapid HIV testing into existing treatment programs for substance abusers when resources are provided. Addressing barriers such as providing start-up costs for HIV testing, staff training, addressing staffing needs to reduce competing job responsibilities, and helping treatment staff members overcome their concerns about clients’ reactions to positive test results is paramount for the integration and maintenance of such programs.     

Population and housing

The analysis described here was carried out in response to a political crisis in Australia. In 1994, a Member of Parliament who opposed the use of foreign aid funds for family planning programs blocked the passage of the national budget. The impasse was resolved through a compromise. The use of foreign assistance for population activities was frozen pending an independent inquiry into the impact of population on economic development. A team of nine researchers prepared background papers on population and economic development, health, education, food supply, housing, poverty, the environment, family planning, and human rights. The overall conclusion of the inquiry was that slower population growth will yield more rapid development in most countries, especially in relatively poor, agricultural nations. The purpose of this contribution to the inquiry was to assess how population growth was affecting the housing sector and, in turn, economic development. Among other questions, does population growth increase the demand for residential land, housing, and urban infrastructure? Demographic methods were critical to answering the questions, especially assessing the impact of population growth on the demand for housing.