A time series approach to life table construction

This paper deals with the construction of the life table. A discussion of basic facts about the life table is followed by the proposal of a nonstationary, autoregressive model for the life table. The moment structure of the nonstationary, autoregressive model is developed. Some estimation procedures are proposed followed by several examples.     

A Two-Question Method for Assessing Gender Categories in the Social and Medical Sciences

Three studies (N = 990) assessed the statistical reliability of two methods of determining gender identity that can capture transgender spectrum identities (i.e., current gender identities different from birth-assigned gender categories). Study 1 evaluated a single question with four response options (female, male, transgender, other) on university students. The missing data rate was higher than the valid response rates for transgender and other options using this method. Study 2 evaluated a method of asking two separate questions (i.e., one for current identity and another for birth-assigned category), with response options specific to each. Results showed no missing data and two times the transgender spectrum response rate compared to Study 1. Study 3 showed that the two-question method also worked in community samples, producing near-zero missing data. The two-question method also identified cisgender identities (same birth-assigned and current gender identity), making it a dynamic and desirable measurement tool for the social and medical sciences.     

Strategien des Konfliktmanagements

Strategies of conflict management. Coaching, supervision and organisational development in comparisonHow do different kinds of professional consultants engage in conflict management and what do they concentrate on most in their consulting work? This article explores and compares the approaches of professional coaches, supervisors and organisational consultants, focussing on the central differences and commonalities of the consulting approaches that emerge from three case studies of conflict resolution. Whereas coaching, relying on the idea that conflicts in a business are best addressed by leaders and a top-down strategy, trains executives in conflict resolution, supervision and organisational consulting emphasize a participatory model that involves all the affected parties in conflict resolution. The author considers the various consequences these approaches have for those seeking help, as well as the substantive and methodological differences become evident in the course of consulting sessions.     

Critical Consciousness Raising as an Element of Empowering Practice with Survivors of Domestic Violence

Many practitioners who work with survivors of domestic violence (DV) attempt to raise survivors' consciousness about DV dynamics as well as about oppression they may encounter from the systems with which they interact. Such critical consciousness raising is one component of the “empowering practices” that many DV advocates aim to implement. Despite the significance of empowering practices for those working with DV survivors, the literature is not clear about the frequency with which practitioners engage in consciousness raising or how critical consciousness is related to psychological outcomes such as self-efficacy among survivors. To explore these effects, 98 women from two DV shelter programs in two midsized Midwest cities were interviewed shortly after they left the shelters about their experiences while accessing services. Women who reported that their advocates engaged in DV consciousness-raising practice also reported developing greater DV critical consciousness and self-efficacy while in shelter. These findings suggest that gaining greater understanding of the effects of society-wide oppression on their experiences can lead survivors to a greater belief in their general ability to meet their goals. Future research should explore the effects of such changes on survivors' lives over time, as well as the most effective practices to raise critical consciousness.     

The Impact of Rainfall on the First Out-Migration: A Multi-level Event-History Analysis in Burkina Faso

Using event history analyses, we investigate the impact of rainfall conditions — a crucial environmental factor in the livelihood of Sahelian households— on the risk of the first village departure in Burkina Faso. The distinction of migrations by destination and duration proves critical in studying this relationship. Findings suggest that people from the drier regions are more likely than those from wetter areas to engage in both temporary and permanent migrations to other rural areas. Also, short-term rainfall deficits tend to increase the risk of long-term migration to rural areas and decrease the risk of short-term moves to distant destinations.     

Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit (I-BMS) Interventions for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A Review of the Outcome Literature

ABSTRACT

Background: A growing interest in integrative body-mind-spirit (I-BMS) approaches to treatment of PTSD has resulted in a significant increase in related research. Method: This study conducted a synthesized review of randomized controlled trials of I-BMS treatments for PTSD, yielding thirteen studies that included: mindfulness/meditation (7), yoga (3), acupuncture (1), spiritually-based intervention (1), and relaxation (1) from 2004–2015. The study used a modified Delphi List (mDL) and the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse (CEBC) to evaluate study rigor and level of research support for each practice. Results: Overall, I-BMS interventions demonstrated positive outcomes. Based on an mDL range between 0 and 7, scores were: 6 for meditation/mindfulness, 5.67 for yoga, 7 for acupuncture, 3 for spiritually-based intervention, and 4.5 for relaxation training. All interventions were recommended as practices with Promising Research Evidence (Level 3). Effect sizes (d) ranged from .51 to 1.88 for relaxation, .38 to 1.02 for spiritual, .31 to 1.4 for acupuncture, .1 to 1.54 for yoga and .2 to 1.53 for mindfulness meditation. Discussion: This study identified acupuncture, meditation, and yoga as high-quality alternative therapeutic practices for PTSD with promising evidence as effective and safe approaches. Future studies should assess long-term effects to further elevate the level of research support.     

Solution-focused wellness coaching: a mixed methods,longitudinal study with college students

ABSTRACT

Research indicates that college students are experiencing mental health challenges of greater severity and frequency. College students present with a variety of wellness-related challenges, resulting in increased demand on campus health resources and service limitations including extended wait lists and increased off-campus referrals. This research study examined the effectiveness of a short-term solution-focused intervention on perceptions of wellness and stress among the college student population. This study utilized a longitudinal, mixed-methods design to assess the impact of a brief (seven-week) intervention on perceived stress and wellness among 52 college students at a large Midwestern University, using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Five-Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (5 F-WEL). Repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) results indicated significant differences across time for perceived stress and wellness (p <.01). To augment quantitative data, a brief, semi-structured interview was completed with 24 study participants post-intervention, and an Applied Thematic Analysis (ATA) was conducted as a means of identifying themes. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a solution-focused wellness (SFW) approach in changing perceptions of stress and wellness. Findings provide support for a prevention model in which college students are encouraged to proactively engage in lifestyle activities that enhance their wellness.     

Homelessness,housing instability,intimate partner violence,mental health,and functioning: A multi-year cohort study of IPV survivors and their children

Abstract

Homelessness and housing instability frequently accompany intimate partner violence and can negatively impact health and functioning. When children are exposed to homelessness or housing instability their ability to develop and function is compromised. The purpose of this study is to examine the differential impact of homelessness and unstable housing on health and functioning of women and their children over a 2-year period. Two hundred and seventy-seven mothers reporting intimate partner violence (stalking, physical, or sexual violence by an intimate partner) were asked about housing stability, abuse, risk for murder, mental health, employment/wages, and their child's functioning over a 2-year period. Outcomes of mothers reporting homelessness and unstable housing were compared to mothers reporting stable housing. Over one-third (36%) of the mothers reported at least one episode of unstable housing over the 2-year period and 11% reported homelessness. Measures of maternal mental health and child functioning were worse for both unstably housed and homeless women, compared to stably housed women, with a higher risk for sexual abuse and risk for murder for homeless women. New models of rapid rehousing are needed that address not only the housing problems of women who have experienced intimate partner violence but also the mental health and safety issues that the women and their children face.     

Police Endorse Color-Blind Racial Beliefs More Than Laypersons

Racial disparities in the US criminal justice system (CJS) have been extensively documented in scholarly work. Critical race scholars have suggested that color-blind racial attitudes inform the set of beliefs that CJS practitioners use in decision making. If this is the case, factors that are related to color-blind racial attitude trends in CJS practitioners must be better understood. We focus on a single CJS practitioner—the police—to assess their color-blind racial beliefs and compare these to the broader US public. Using the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS), we identified sociodemographic variables associated with high CoBRAS scores in a multiracial lay sample (N = 1401; males and females, mean age = 33.4 years). Police (N = 112) and police recruits (N = 52) CoBRAS scores were compared to CoBRAS scores of lay participants with similar sociodemographics as the police and recruit samples, (respectively, N = 451; N = 291). Police scored significantly higher on the CoBRAS than laypersons even when controlling for sociodemographic variables. Police recruits also have higher CoBRAS scores than laypersons, again controlling for sociodemographic variables. These findings suggest that police work attracts people who endorse color-blind racial beliefs. These findings make understanding the relationship between color-blind racial beliefs and discriminatory behavior of CJS practitioners imperative.