It is risky business: can social capital reduce risk-taking behaviours among disadvantaged youth?

This study addresses the gap in the research for sound multidimensional assessment of social capital and its relationship with risk-taking behaviour among youths living in disadvantaged communities. Social capital and adolescent risk-taking outcomes were studied cross-sectionally in 1371 secondary students living in two disadvantaged communities within Australia. First, a multidimensional measure of social capital was developed and tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Then, the associations between social capital and a range of youth risk-taking behaviours were examined using structural equation modelling across five-year groups (Grades 7–12). With a few exceptions, higher levels of social capital and belongingness within the school and community were generally associated with decreases in smoking, alcohol and drug consumption, and physical violence. Some outcomes were more strongly associated with family and peer social capital, while others associated more with neighbour and community social capital, indicating that attempts to build social capital need to be targeted across the whole community. This study supports the notion that social capital can be measured empirically and is beneficial in alleviating many of the detrimental health outcomes commonly associated with risk-taking behaviours during adolescence.     

Seeking Clarity and Confidence in the Divorce Decision-Making Process

There is a well-established literature dedicated to why couples divorce, transitions associated with divorce, and the impact of divorce on families. However, little is known about the divorce decision-making process. We conducted in-depth interviews with individuals who have recently considered divorce (n = 30) and asked specifically about the roles of 2 concepts in their decision-making process: clarity and confidence. Three major themes emerged from the data: (a) Clarity about a decision to divorce or stay married is desired, it fluctuates, and takes time to find; (b) pivotal moments can bring clarity; and (c) confidence (in the final decision) is desired. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Evaluating Area‐based Interventions: The Case of ‘Communities for Children’

Increasingly, governments in wealthy countries are designing early intervention initiatives around principles of ‘community regeneration’ or ‘place management’. Because these initiatives are multi‐site, aimed at long‐term systemic change, and implemented amidst a range of other initiatives, assessing their quality and outcomes demands departure from conventional programme evaluation approaches. This article analyses the challenges of evaluating area‐based interventions in the child welfare field, and shows how the National Evaluation of Australia's ‘Communities for Children’ initiative seeks to overcome these through its mixed method design and the longitudinal Stronger Families in Australia study.     

“Female Sports as Non‐Movement Resistance in the Middle East and North Africa”

Open social movements and intentional resistance can be dangerous activities in some parts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), particularly for women. In this setting, female activism often takes place as non‐movements – mundane, collective actions taken by individuals rather than cohesive groups. Non‐movements for women in this region consist of commonplace activities such as working, attending college, or participating in sports. This article examines how athletic participation serves as a form of resistance for women in the MENA. To augment and expand upon the concept of non‐movements, we consider five non‐movement resistance strategies used by women in many parts of the MENA to counter barriers to female sports participation. These strategies address cultural and religious concerns over the role of women in the MENA region by merging athletics with longstanding religious customs and cultural traditions. In doing so, these strategies reduce the potential for criticism and enable greater opportunities for female athletic participation. Ultimately, these strategies may engender opportunities for women beyond the realm of sports.     

Cognitive Pretesting and the Developmental Validity of Child Self-Report Instruments: Theory and Applications

OBJECTIVE: In the context of the importance of valid self-report measures to research and evidence-based practice in social work, an argument-based approach to validity is presented and the concept of developmental validity introduced. Cognitive development theories are applied to the self-report process of children and cognitive pretesting is reviewed as a methodology to advance the validity of self-report instruments for children. An application of cognitive pretesting is presented in the development of the Elementary School Success Profile. METHOD: Two phases of cognitive pretesting were completed to gather data about how children read, interpret and answer self-report items. RESULTS: Cognitive pretesting procedures identified validity problems with numerous items leading to modifications. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive pretesting framed by an argument-based approach to validity holds significant potential to improve the developmental validity of child self-report instruments.     

The treatment model of the guidance center for gamblers and their relatives in Vienna/Austria

Within 8 years, Gamblers Anonymous in Vienna evolved into a guidance center for gamblers and their relatives, with professional aid. It is a non-profit institution and the therapeutic team consists of one psychologist, one social-worker and one psychiatrist. The clients can remain anonymous, but about 90% of them reveal their identity. The treatment model integrating professional therapy and self-help is presented. The reasons we decided to base our work on an addiction model of pathological gambling are explained. All the clients consulting our center in 1990 (N=237) are described according to age, sex, types of gambling, duration of problem gambling, family status, profession, income, debts, and income/debt relationship. Finally, the treatment program of our center is presented.This article is an extension of the special issue on Gambling in Europe edited by Iver Hand, M.D.