Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Social Network Analysis: A New Tool For Understanding Individual And Family Functioning, Jane H. Pfouts, Ellen J. Safier

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

During the last decade, social work, along with the other helping professions, has moved toward conceptualizing practice within a social systems framework. Intrapsychic variables are still important but, increasingly, the emphasis is on the clients' intimate social network as both cause and solution of a wide range of social problems. It is now widely believed that clients' well-being is enhanced when system functioning is enhanced (Gitterman and Germain, 1976).

Most of what social workers know about social systems theory comes from the sociological literature, particularly the social action system of Talcott Parsons. Although this orientation has great heuristic value for …

Social Roles And Moral Reasoning: A Case Study In A Rural African Community, Sara Harkness, Carolyn P. Edwards, Charles Super

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This study explores relationships among moral reasoning (as measured by the Kohlberg scale of moral development), social roles, and cultural context among the elders in a small, traditional Kipsigis community of western Kenya. Six traditional leaders—men who were considered morally outstanding by their neighbors and who were frequently called on to help settle local disputes—were interviewed, using an adapted version of the Kohlberg moral dilemmas; six men who were similar to the leaders in age, education, religion, and wealth but who were not considered moral leaders were also interviewed. The leaders scored slightly but significantly higher than the nonleaders on …

They Call Us Birth Mothers, Mirah Riben

Mirah Riben

No abstract provided.

Like Other Women: Perspectives Of Mothers With Physical Disabilities, Susan Shaul, Pamela Dowling, Bernice F. Laden

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article is based on interviews with ten women, ranging in age from 19 to 45 and living in the Puget Sound area of Washington State. Their disabilities are neurmuscular or musculoskeletal and include spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, post-polio and spina bifida. Their children range in age from 11 months to adulthood. The article focuses on specific issues and concerns regarding early childhood ranagement, and includes some discussion of pre-natal and cbstetrical care. Cann misconceptions concerning motherhood and disability are also discussed. men with disabilities also have special concerns as parents. Although their concerns are not addressed in this …

Environmental And Psychological Factors Surrounding Children Of Cancer Patients: An Exploratory Study, Joan Strong Buell

Dissertations and Theses

This exploratory study examines five families in which one parent was ill with cancer and in which there was a 5-to 8-year-old child. To understand the adaptation to the illness (and, in the case of three families, to the death of the ill parent) of the focus child was the principal aim of the study. The circumstances existing around the time of the illness and death of the parent were seen as particularly important in determining how the child viewed these events. Areas such as substitute caregivers, family routines, information given to the child, and the child's participation in, apparent …

Assessment Of Needs Of Adolescent Mothers In Washington County, John L. Arnold, Jean C. Austin, Gary L. Brink, Jane Hall, Patricia C. Hanson, Valerie A. Ivey, April A. Moran, John P. Pank, Mark J. Skolnick, James A. Tarr, Roberta B. Vaughn

Dissertations and Theses

This needs assessment was conducted by 11 graduate students and their advisor from the Portland State University Graduate School of Social Work. The purpose was to determine the needs of adolescent mothers in Washington County and report the findings to the Washington County Task Force on Adolescent Pregnancy. Data for this needs assessment was compiled from three sources: social indicators (data), service providers, and target population responses.

Factor Structure And Reliability Of The Revised Family Adaptability And Cohesion Scales, Carol A. Sadler

Dissertations and Theses

The present study assessed scores from 627 mothers, fathers and children throughout the metropolitan Portland area on the revised Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scales (FACES). Of interest was the revised FACES factor structure, internal consistency and interrater reliabilities.

The results suggested the following: 1) The revised FACES was factorially complex. Only minimal comparability of factors across family roles was evidenced, and the independence of the adaptability and cohesion constructs was not sufficiently demonstrated. 2) The revised FACES was characterized by poor internal consistency reliability for all family roles. 3) No significant agreement among family members was evidenced.

These results were …

Making It Legal: A Comparison Of Previously Cohabiting And Engaged Newlyweds, Ingrid Moeller, Basil J. Sherlock

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In view of the recent emergence of cohabitation as an alternative form of courtship, it is important to determine its possible effects on the subsequent marital union. Are the premarital experiences, marital goals, patterns of marital power and levels of conflict discernably different for those who have lived together before marriage? Comparing cohabitors with noncohabitors , we attempted to pursue this question in a sample of 139 recently married, nonparental, college matriculating, young adults using a lengthy focused interview.

Largely due to parental pressures "to make it legal", both cohabitors and noncohabitors moved towards matrimony with equal speed, marrying at …

The Changing Family And Family Policy, Ronald J. Mancoske

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The concern for the loss of family functions ii, the process of social change has led some to call for a family policy to support the family to cope with stress in meeting its basic functions. Change in functioning of the family is inclusive of various spheres: economic, status giving, educational, religious, recreational, protective and affectional. These changes are seen as indicative of the decline in the family. This view is moderated by the spectrum of change in the family interactions. Support for family policy is essential though it can not be developed on the idea of the perilous decline …

The Relevance Of Social Isolation To The Community Tenure Of Former Mental Patients, Sue Ellen Hargadon

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Reference Groups On Human Lactation Duration, Regina Cashman-Janowski

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Women And Handicrafts: Myth And Reality, Jasleen Dhamija

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This issue of SEEDS reviews handicrafts as a means of providing income to women. In some instances, crafts are a solid source of income and can also provide women with a link to their own cultural heritage. In most instances, however, crafts production concentrates women in an area that is labor intensive and exploitative, providing a meager income for long hours of work. Handicrafts can be a means of increasing income for women in some settings, but only under the conditions outlined in this report, since crafts are specialized activities which have limited markets and offer limited potential as a …

Elder Abuse: An Examination Of A Hidden Problem, U.S. House Select Committee On Aging

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

Investigation of the incidence and scope of elder abuse in the United States.

A Study Of The Self-Esteem Of Delinquent Male Adolescents And The Perceived Degree Of Their Parents' Child-Rearing Practices, Dayton Chin Chong

Dissertations

Problem. Many developmental psychologists are concerned about how par­ents' child-rearing practices influence adolescents' self-esteem, for self-esteem provides one of the foundations for the development of personality. Is it possible that parents' child-rearing practices contribute to the development of a low self-esteem which in turn influences behavior? This study was conducted to determine the relationship of self-esteem of delinquent male adolescents to the perceived degree of their parents' child-rearing practices.

Method. The study involved 132 delinquent male adolescents who matriculated during the fall semester of 1979 at Starr Commonwealth, Albion, Michigan. The males ranged from 12 to 18 years of age, …

A Study Of Divorced Mormon Women In Salt Lake County: The Extent To Which They Use The Agencies And Institutions Available To Help Meet Personal, Financial, And Employment Needs, Melinda G. Stapley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to (a) describe the characteristics of divorced Mormon women residing in Salt Lake County, (b) determine the extent to which these women were aware of and used government, private, and Mormon church agencies after divorce in helping them solve their problems, and (c) determine the extent these women felt each agency was effective.

Responses from the questionnaire indicated that more than half of these women could be categorized as displaced homemakers. Results showed significant decreases in income before and after divorce. The women in this study had higher than national average occupational levels and …