Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Qualitative Study Of School Lockdown Procedures And Teachers' Ability To Conduct And Implement Them At The Classroom Level, Bethney Bergh

Dissertations

In response to the well publicized crisis situations that have occurred in the nation's schools, the development and implementation of school safety plans has become a priority of states and school districts across America. One element of these policies is the school lockdown procedure designed for securing a school building. The State of Michigan currently requires that all schools perform a minimum of two lockdown drills each school year.

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study is to explore the experiences of teachers in order create an awareness of how teachers assess their ability to conduct lockdowns effectively, to examine …

Acceptability Of Interventions To Staff In Long-Term Care Settings For Older Adults: Comparing Ratings And Hierarchical Selection, Jonathan C. Baker

Dissertations

Older adults and their caregivers generally prefer behavioral interventions over medications in treatment acceptability studies (Osterkamp, Mathews, Burgio, & Hardin, 1997). However, previous acceptability studies have primarily examined ratings, which did not force the responder to select between treatment options. Additionally, recent advances in behavioral treatment technologies (Carr & LeBlanc, 2003) and pharmacotherapy (Schneider, 1999) warrant revisiting treatment acceptability for older adults. The present investigation examined treatment acceptability of behavioral, pharmacological, and sensory interventions using a treatment acceptability rating scale, treatment selections, and direct report of treatments used in a six-month window. Fifty-six staff from nursing homes in the Mid-West …

Visual Impairment And Eye Care Among Older Americans: Secondary Analysis Of The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (Brfss), Amy L. Freeland

Dissertations

The aim of this three-paper format dissertation is to explore three topics relevant to public health and vision loss. The three papers are independent studies, yet build upon each other by first describing the population of people aged 40 years and older in the United States in terms of visual impairment, diagnosed eye disease/injury, and their use of eye care, and then next exploring the factors that influence eye care use for both the general population and the subpopulation of people with diagnosed diabetes. The first paper provides a state-level examination of the characteristics of people aged 40 years and …

Contesting National Identities In An Ethnically Homogeneous State: The Case Of Armenian Democratization, Arus Harutyunyan

Dissertations

This study of recent Armenian identity politics raises two intertwined theoretical questions. First, it asks whether there can be contesting national identities in an ethnically homogeneous state. Second, following theoretical propositions of liberal nationalism it explores whether identity contestation in an ethnically homogeneous state affects political trust, perceptions of social justice, and democratic attitudes.

My research focuses on the analysis of politically relevant national identity issues: Genocide and Relations with Turkey, War in Mountainous Karabagh and Possible Solutions, and Dual Citizenship for Diaspora, and the ways these are perceived by the public and political elites in the Armenian Republic. To …

Counselor Trainees' Perceptions Of Their Personal Growth: A Qualitative Inquiry, Ericka L. Souders

Dissertations

Over the past decade there has been increased discussion in the counselor education literature regarding the personal limitations and/or impairments of counselors that may hinder their abilities to provide competent services. Although counseling ethical codes and standards of practice suggest competent counselors are those who demonstrate both professional and personal skills and counselor educators have explored numerous training methods to promote such development, the concern about impaired counselors remains. There is minimal information in the literature that describes how counselors in training develop personal attitudes, skills, and characteristics that may prevent their impairment and facilitate their competency with their clientele. …

Domestic Violence Rights Movement In Tanzania: An Exploration, Flora Peter Myamba

Dissertations

In Tanzania, the involvement of a social movement to addressing domestic violence is fairly recent (early 1990s) (Green, 1999; Hirsch, 2003; Michau, 2002; TAMWA, 1999). As has historically been the case in most African countries, domestic violence has remained largely invisible, being considered a normal custom, practice and tradition (Green, 1999; The New York Times, 2005; TAMWA, 1999). Efforts to address it have been regarded as shameful and pointless (TGNP, 1993). Indeed, cultural mores remain very contentious with regard to the activities of the Tanzanian domestic violence rights movement (DVRM). It is this conflict between the movement's efforts to educate …

Child Care And Development Fund: A Policy Analysis, Colleen K. Vesely, Elaine A. Anderson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Legislated as part of welfare reform, the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the main source of child care government funding earmarked for low-income families. As a block grant, with broad federal guidelines, states have significant freedom in implementing this legislation to meet the needs of their citizens. This diverse implementation has challenged legislators and scholars trying to assess the success of CCDF across the United States. In considering the evaluation research of CCDF, as well as the original goals of this legislation, several major themes related to the diverse state implementation emerged, including access, equity, and stability. This …

Parental Assets: A Pathway To Positive Child Educational Outcomes, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Yeong Hun Yeo, Kate Irish, Min Zhan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A growing body of evidence suggests parental assets have positive effects on children's well-being. Using 2004 data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this study tests the effect of parental asset holding on child educational outcomes, and explores whether parental involvement and expectations mediate this relationship. Results indicate that assets are a significant predictor of all child academic outcomes of our study; however, income is not a significant predictor for school outcomes when controlling for assets. The mediation analyses show the effect of assets on school outcomes is mediated by two of the three parenting measures: parental expectations …

The Failures Of American Poverty Measures, Stephen Pimpare

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

How we think about need or deprivation-how we judge its severity, its causes and effects, and the progress we have made (or not made) over time in reducing it-has much to do with how we define and then measure it. And, we measure it poorly. The insufficiencies of official data on American poverty are reasonably well known, yet they continue, nonetheless, to be the principal means by which we gauge need in the United States. After a review of such official measures, this article discusses alternative means of evaluating need in the United States, highlighting the benefits of examining poverty …

Testing The Relationship Of Formal Bonding, Informal Bonding, And Formal Bridging Social Capital On Key Outcomes For Families In Low-Income Neighborhoods, Daniel Brisson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The development of social capital among families living in low income neighborhoods has become a popular poverty reduction and economic advancement strategy. However conceptual scholarship suggests the broad use of social capital has diminished its importance. Scholars have begun to identify the multiple and overlapping characteristics of social capital and the field now needs empirical studies to show how specific types of social capital are important for families living in low-income neighborhoods. This study tests the relationship between three types of social capital (informal bonding social capital, formal bonding social capital and formal bridging social capital) and important outcomes for …

Review Of The Battle For Welfare Rights: Politics And Poverty In Modern America. Felicia Kornbluh. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Felicia Kornbluh, The Battle for Welfare Rights: Politics and Poverty in Modern America. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007. $49.95 hardcover, $24.95 papercover.

Review Of Why America Lost The War On Poverty-And How To Win It. Frank Stricker. Reviewed By Mary Ager Caplan., Mary Ager Caplan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review for Frank Stricker, Why America Lost the War on Poverty - And How to Win It. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2007. $59.95 hardcover, $19.95 papercover.

Review Of The Other Invisible Hand: Delivery Public Services Through Choice And Competition. Julian Le Grand. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Julian Le Grand, The Other Invisible Hand: Delivery Public Services Book Reviews through Choice and Competition. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007. $24.95 papercover.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 36, No. 1 (March 2009)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF ADOLESCENT DATING VIOLENCE IN BANGKOK, THAILAND - Penchan Pradubmook-Sherer
• CHILD CARE DEVELOPMENT FUND: A POLICY ANALYSIS - Colleen K. Vesely and Elaine A. Anderson
• PARENTAL ASSETS: A PATHWAY TO POSITIVE CHILD EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES - Michal Grins tein-Weiss, Yeong Hun Yeo, Kate Irish, and Min Zhan
• PROMOTING POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR HEALTHY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: UTILIZING SOCIAL CAPITAL THEORY - Julie Anne Laser and George Stuart Leibowitz
• THE FAILURES OF AMERICAN POVERTY MEASURES - Stephen Pimpare
• STRUCTURATION THEORY AND CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS: POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE - Jennifer Wheeler-Brooks
• WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD: DOES WHERE …

Review Of Mexican Immigration To The United States. George J. Borjas, Editor. Reviewed By Michelle Johnson., Michelle Johnson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of George J. Borjas (Ed.), Mexican Immigration to the United States. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2007. $60.00 hardcover.

Review Of The Origins Of The Welfare State: Women, Work, And The French Revolution. Lisa Dicaprio. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Lisa DiCaprio, The Origins of the Welfare State: Women, Work, and the French Revolution. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2007. $ 40.00 hardcover.

Prevalence And Correlates Of Adolescent Dating Violence In Bangkok, Thailand, Penchan Pradubmook-Sherer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study explored the incidence and severity of violence in dating relationships, and identified variables that explain dating violence perpetration by Thai youths. The sample consisted of 1,296 adolescents from high schools, vocational schools, and out-of-school adolescents, between the ages of 14 and 19. Findings indicate that Thai youths maintain very intensive dating relationships. The out-of-school adolescents hold the highest dating violent behaviors. While males' dating violence scores were higher, the females were involved in all types of dating violence, exceeding the males on verbal/emotional violence. The results provide useful information about cultural influences on dating violence, and have practical …

Promoting Positive Outcomes For Healthy Youth Development: Utilizing Social Capital Theory, Julie Anne Laser, George Stuart Leibowitz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article discusses the central tenets of the theories of social capital, which include exchanges, trust, obligation, bonding, bridging, and issues concerning the marginalization of certain groups. Included is an exploration of the limitations of the approaches of the key theorists, followed by the presentation of a theoretical framework and model of the development of social capital among youth. Additionally, the article discusses the relevancy of social capital for social work practice.

Structuration Theory And Critical Consciousness: Potential Applications For Social Work Practice, Jennifer Wheeler-Brooks

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Anthony Giddens' structuration theory provides concepts that can be used to think differently about oppression and consciousness raising. Structuration sees society as being recursively created through its members' social practices, and oppression as being but one of these social practices. Consciousness raising, then, is recognizing that a given social practice is oppressive, and then deliberately working to change the practice. This is done by altering one's social performance and disrupting the recursive process that maintains the oppressive practice. Implications follow for empowerment-oriented social work practice and narrowing the gap between clinical and community social work practice.

Welcome To The Neighborhood: Does Where You Live Affect The Use Of Nutrition, Health, And Welfare Programs?, Molly De Marco, Allison C. De Marco

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite the recent upsurge in neighborhood effects research, few studies have examined the impact of neighborhood characteristics on the use of nutrition, health, and welfare programs. To explore these issues, this study used data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, a longitudinal dataset comprised of low-income neighborhoods in Boston, San Antonio, and Chicago (n=1,712). Using hierarchical linear models, the results indicated that both individual (education, employment, and marriage) and perceived neighborhood disorder factors were related to social service use.

Review Of The Political Sociology Of The Welfare State: Institutions, Social Cleavages And Orientation. Stefan Svallfors, Editor. Reviewed By Richard J. Smith., Richard J. Smith

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Stefan Svallfors (Ed.). The Political Sociology of the Welfare State: Institutions, Social Cleavages and Orientation. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2007. $55.00 hardcover.

Review Of Differential Diagnosis: A Comparative History Of Health Care Problems And Solutions In The United States And France. Paul V. Dutton. Reviewed By Krista Drescher Burke., Krista Drescher Burke

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Paul V. Dutton, Differential Diagnosis: A Comparative History of Health Care Problems and Solutions in the United States and France. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2007. $29.95 hardcover, $19.95 papercover.

Review Of Challenges Of An Aging Society; Ethical Dilemmas, Political Issues. Rachel A. Pruchno And Michael Smyer, Editors. Reviewed By Erica Yoonkyung Auh., Erica Yoonkyung Auh

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Rachel A. Pruchno and Michael Smyer (Eds.), Challenges of an Aging Society; Ethical Dilemmas, Political Issues. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007. $49.95 hardcover.

Review Of Grassroots Struggles For Sustainability In Central America. Lynn R. Horton. Reviewed By Ian W. Holloway., Ian W. Holloway

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review for Lynn R. Horton, Grassroots Struggles for Sustainability in Central America. Boulder, CO: University of Colorado Press, 2007. $55.00 hardcover.

Review Of The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement And Kids-First Politics. David L. Kirp. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of David L. Kirp, The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement and Kids-First Politics. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007. $26.95 hardcover.

Review Of Blue-Chip Black: Race, Class, And Status In The New Black Middle Class. Karyn R. Lacy. Reviewed By Paul G. Wright., Paul G. Wright

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Karyn R. Lacy, Blue-Chip Black: Race, Class, and Status in the New Black Middle Class. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2007. $60 hardcover, $22.95 papercover.

Review Of The Great American Crime Decline. Franklin E. Zimring. Reviewed By Matthew T. Theriot., Matthew T. Theriot

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Franklin E. Zimring, The Great American Crime Decline. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. $35.00 hardcover, $21.95 papercover.

How Everyone Can Use The Michigan Electronic Library (Mel) To Teach Better, Maria A. Perez-Stable, Bruce Haight

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Wmu International News February 2009, Haenicke Institute For Global Education

WMU International News

In this issue:

Community celebration honors life of former president Haenicke

Universidad de Burgos and WMU celebrate a decade of study abroad

Funny Hats Ice Capades

WMU international researcher out to double the number of women in physics

Report from Shanghai

WMU CELCIS hosts writing class at University of Tokyo

Jared Edward Siang’ani spotlight

Battered Women, Children And The End Of Abusive Relationships, Angela M. Moe

Sociology Faculty Publications

Much work has focused on the interpersonal dynamics of violent relationships, but less is known about the specific turning points that prompt women at least to try to end them. Using a feminist standpoint method and phenomenological-based analysis of in-depth interviews with mothers in a domestic violence shelter, this article focuses on the role of children in women’s decisions to leave abusive partners. It discusses arriving at the decision, the logistics involved in leaving and planning for the future, and it presents policy and advocacy-based recommendations that are aimed at addressing the social welfare of women and children.