Transgender employment and entrepreneurialism in Vietnam

This article shares insights from research into the economic opportunities and obstacles that Vietnamese transgender men and women face in a fast-growing economy mainly composed of small and medium-sized enterprises. The findings demonstrate that gender norms lead to economic inequality between trans men and women. They also show that small businesses and entrepreneurship play an important role in creating legitimate and satisfying employment for transgender people.     

Longitudinal associations among adolescents’ organized activity involvement and sociopolitical values

Organized activities represent a potentially important context for the development of adolescent sociopolitical values, but few studies have examined longitudinal associations between youths’ sociopolitical values and activity involvement. Adolescents (N = 299, Time 1 M_age = 15.49, SD = .93, 62% female) reported on their organized activity involvement (volunteering, church, sports, arts/music, school and community clubs) and sociopolitical values (materialism, social dominance, authoritarianism, patriotism, spirituality) at baseline and one year later. Greater involvement in arts/music predicted lower spirituality and patriotism one year later and greater involvement in church predicted higher levels of spirituality and lower levels of social dominance one year later. Higher levels of materialism predicted less involvement in arts/music one year later and higher social dominance values predicted less involvement in volunteering one year later. Findings support the importance of organized activities in sociopolitical development, and suggest that sociopolitical values may guide decisions concerning future organized activity involvement.     

THE TREATMENT OF BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER WITHIN A DISTRESSED RELATIONSHIP*

An integrated systemic-psychodynamic approach to the treatment of characterological disorders within conjoint marital therapy is suggested. Spouses' personality disorders may serve a homeostatic function within the marital relationship. Thus, any effort to effect change on either the marital or individual system level must address both the individual and relationship distress. Borderline personality disorder, an extreme characterological impairment, has been considered intractible, although object relations therapists have experienced success in treating such clients. The present paper draws from object relations and systemic therapies in developing a treatment approach to marriages which include at least one borderline spouse. A case example illustrates the conceptualizations and interventions which are proposed.     

Career Development in Middle Childhood: A Qualitative Inquiry

The purpose of this investigation was to explore childhood career development by examining 4th‐ and 5th‐grade students' career and self‐awareness, exploration, and career planning. Responses to written assignments provided qualitative data for analysis. Written narrative data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research methods as described by C. E. Hill, B. J. Thompson, and E. N. Williams (1997). Consistent with theory (D. Super, 1990), children's reflections on prominent career tasks and influences revealed 8 of the 9 (all but curiosity) dimensions of childhood career development as outlined by Super. In addition, participants described their conceptions of work, a domain not explicitly articulated by Super and worthy of further inquiry.     

Adolescents' Civic Engagement: Concordant and Longitudinal Associations Among Civic Beliefs and Civic Involvement

Associations between adolescent civic and organized activities (volunteering, standard political, social movement, school/community, religious) and civic beliefs (comprised of should, obligation, and respect judgments) were examined. Cross‐sectional models (N = 703, M_age = 15.87) indicated domain specificity between adolescent civic beliefs and behaviors. Longitudinal models (n = 219, M_age = 15.39) indicated that adolescents' standard political beliefs predicted greater levels of standard political involvement one year later, and school/community activities predicted greater standard political beliefs a year later. Youth volunteering predicted lower standard political beliefs, and standard political involvement predicted lower community service beliefs one year later. Findings support the assessment of adolescent sociomoral civic beliefs and demonstrate how civic experiences and civic beliefs can mutually promote each other during adolescence.     

Domain Specificity in Adolescents’ Concepts of Laws: Associations Among Beliefs and Behavior

Using detailed vignettes and scale measures, concepts of laws regulating domain‐specific issues and engagement in delinquency were assessed among 340 9th through 12th graders (M_age = 16.64, SD = 1.37). Adolescents distinguished between laws that regulate moral, drug‐related prudential, conventional, personal, and multifaceted issues in their criterion judgments and justifications. Youths’ ratings of the importance of laws, obligation to obey laws, and deserved punishment for breaking different laws also followed domain‐consistent patterns. Adolescents’ engagement in moral, drug‐related prudential, and multifaceted forms of delinquency was associated with less supportive judgments about laws within the same domain. Findings contribute to civic development research by demonstrating domain specificity in adolescents’ beliefs about laws and suggest that these beliefs are linked with engagement in similar types of delinquency.     

It takes a mother to practise breastfeeding: Women's perceptions of breastfeeding during the period of intention

BackgroundIn the Netherlands, 81% of mothers initiate breastfeeding. After one month the percentage of mothers still breastfeeding drops, despite positive intentions. Little is known about women's perceptions of breastfeeding during the period of intention.AimThis qualitative study aimed to gain insight into these perceptions among first-time mothers from middle and high socioeconomic backgrounds in the northern part of the Netherlands.MethodsWe used the theory of planned behaviour as the deductive model. In 2008, 16 in-depth interviews were conducted with 8 mothers who intended to breastfeed. The interviews were conducted at two time points (prepartum and postpartum) and covered the same period (that is, from the time when the intention was formed until after childbirth). The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using grounded theory.FindingsFive inductive themes were identified: combining breastfeeding with work, learning about breastfeeding, making arrangements for childbirth, reflecting on the intention, and becoming a mother. During the extended period of intention, the women anticipated breastfeeding, but were cautious in expressing their intentions. They felt that the experience of becoming a mother would be critical to their breastfeeding outcomes.ConclusionThe theory of planned behaviour has been widely used in breastfeeding research. However, the period of intention is relatively long for breastfeeding. Rather than recommending an intensification of antenatal breastfeeding education, recommendations must incorporate the awareness that practising breastfeeding should not be considered the continuous outcome of the intention to do so – it takes a mother to practise breastfeeding.     

Historical Trends in Concerns About Social Issues Across Four Decades Among U.S. Adolescents

This study examined adolescents’ concerns about social issues and how these concerns have changed over historical time. Separate cohorts of U.S. high school seniors (N = 110,953; 51.1% female) reported their worries about four social issues (crime/violence, economic problems, hunger/poverty, race relations) every year from 1976 to 2015. Youth were most concerned with crime/violence, followed by economic problems, hunger/poverty, and race relations. Adolescents’ social concerns varied by demographic characteristics and cohort, paralleling specific historical events and appearing responsive to the political challenges of the time. Initiatives seeking to engage youth within the political process may benefit from providing opportunities for teens to participate in civic activities aimed to address these issues.