Kinship care and issues in permanency planning

Kinship caregivers are a child-care resource for families experiencing stress or temporary parenting due to illness, incarceration, or death of a parent. This article examines whether and how felt caregiver burden influences the reported propensity of caregivers to want to adopt the children in their care. Kinship caregivers who were enrolled in KinNET completed the survey (N = 102) and the data were entered anonymously into SPSS for analysis. Their mean age was 57.51 years (SD = 10.13), 95% were female (SD = .19), and two-thirds were non-white (SD = .73). Using “likelihood of adopting the child in my care,” as the outcome variable in the linear regression analysis, caregiver’s age, monthly income, and total hours employed were significant predictors. Total pressures, family service needs, and physical problems scales were not statistically significant predictors. The adjusted R square was .439 and significant (.006). Understanding the factors that are predictive of adopting children in kinship care will help programs target services more effectively. Helping kinship caregivers and the children in their care is also important in promoting their health and social well-being.     

An improved algorithm for the triples test

An algorithm, in the form of a Fortran subroutine TRIPLE, is given to compute statistics for the triples test for symmetry, The computational complexity of the algorithm is O(n²) which is an improvement over the straight for ward method, which is O(n³).     

The Use of Humor With Older Adults Aging in Place

As more older adults seek ways to remain in their homes during their “golden years,” humor has proven to be a worthwhile intervention that reduces stress and provides a hopeful, playful, and optimistic environment. Development of creative and supportive housing situations for older adults combined with the use of modern technology (e.g., the Internet and computer devices used in the home), aid in bringing humor to the older adult. This article addresses some of the challenges that older adults face and the way that the use of humor can assist them to meet these challenges.     

Alcohol-Influenced Nonverbal Behaviors During Discussions About a Relationship Problem

We examined the effect of alcohol intoxication on the display of nonverbal behaviors during discussions with dating partners about a relationship problem. Forty-four heterosexual dyads engaged in a 7-min conversation about a hypothetical infidelity. Males were randomly assigned to drinking condition (sober or .08 g/dl) and their behaviors were coded for behavioral expressivity, verbal expressivity, positive affect, and anxiety at 30 s and 3 min into the interaction. A series of 2 (drinking condition) × 2 (time) repeated measures analyses indicated that as time passed, drinkers nonverbally conveyed more agitation and less positivity, and consequently less pro-relational behavior. Further, drinkers showed more behavioral variability over time compared to their sober counterparts. The implications of these results for understanding alcohol-influenced communication in close relationships are discussed.

Family Caregivers for Seniors in Rural Areas

In this article, the demographic characteristics of family caregivers for seniors in rural communities are assessed to examine whether their circumstances could facilitate or impede their well-being. Services available in rural communities for family members providing ongoing care to frail seniors is examined, particularly those that provide health and social services. How families access these services and whether there are specific barriers in service provision are analyzed based on current social work practice and the research literature. Trends for future services are identified as well as whether these trends support new roles for social workers in rural settings.     

Streptococcal Pharyngitis in Infectious Mononucleosis

Abstract

In a study of infectious mononucleosis among college students and adolescents the incidence of beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis was found to be significantly higher–23 of 88 college students (28%) and 12 of 25 adolescents (48%), as compared to a control group of the same age and sex who were seen at the same time for unrelated, noninfectious problems–9 of 88 college students (10%) and 4 of 25 adolescents (16%). The stress effect of having infectious mononucleosis is suggested as a possible explanation for the increased incidence of beta-streptococcal pharyngitis in the affected groups.     

Accentuation of Individual Differences in Social Competence During the Transition to Adolescence

Using a sample of individuals (277 males, 315 females) studied since birth in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, the present study investigated how early pubertal maturation and school transition alter youth trajectories of social competence during the transition to adolescence. Social competence showed strong continuity, with the most socially competent children remaining so in adolescence. Early pubertal maturation and school transitions accentuate individual differences, increasing social competence among more competent youth, but further diminishing social competence among less competent individuals. In essence, facing challenges that require social competence may further separate competent individuals from less competent peers. Thus, the psychosocially rich become richer, while the psychosocially poor become poorer.