Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender, Employment And Psychosocial Well-Being, David C. Congdon

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although authors are increasingly addressing the specific needs of men and women at work, no theory based comparison of how employment affects their psychosocial well-being has been available. A six dimensional index was developed to explore a social exchange model of the associations among employment, psychosocial well-being, and worker productivity for men and women. Findings based on two samples of 41 (instrument pretest) and 143 (model test) employed and unemployed union workers suggest strong reliability and validity estimates for the index, support for the model, high explanatory power, and different results for men and women. Implications for further research and …

Perceived Stress, Social Support And Survival: North Carolina Farm Operators And The Farm Crisis, Michael D. Schulman, Paula S. Armstrong

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The current farm crisis draws attention to the sources and consequences of the stress process among farm operators. Using panel data from statewide surveys of North Carolina farm operators collected during a period of economic and ecological crisis, the relationships among perceived stress, social support, and survival in agriculture are investigated. Analyses reveal that while the level of perceived stress has no relationship with survival, social support has a significant impact upon both social psychological (plans to remain in farming) and behavioral (continuing as a farm operator) dimensions of survival in agriculture. Perceived social support increased plans to remain in …

Child Support Enforcement Reform: Can It Reduce The Welfare Dependency Of Families Of Never-Married Mothers?, Ann Nichols-Casebolt, Marieka Klawitter

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Among all groups of single-parent families, those created by a birth to an unmarried woman have the least likelihood of receiving child support and the greatest risk of becoming dependent on welfare. Wisconsin data indicate that child support reform-specifically the immediate income assignment-is improving child support payment performance. But the modest increases in payments to nonmarital children will have little effect on their welfare recipiency. The fathers of these children lack the economic resources to aid their families much in the short term. However, cost effectiveness should not be the only criterion used in enforcing child support. It is important …

Women In Blue-Collar Occupations: An Exploration Of Constraints And Facilitators, Kris Kissman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study reports on some of the variables which facilitate and impede work satisfaction among women in nontraditional occupations. A small sample of women working as machinists, pipe fitters, carpenters, electricians, technicians, and construction workers reported that sexual harassment on the job impeded their work satisfaction. Respondents' perceptions of equality in pay and promotion on the job, and congruence between work and domestic roles, served to enhance work satisfaction. Age was related to a sense of competence, perception of equality on the job, and congruence between work and domestic roles. Social support significantly enhanced work satisfaction.

The Use Of Volunteers By Governmental Social Services In Israel, Ram A. Cnaan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article studies an important aspect of coprovision in social service agencies. It focuses on how social welfare departments utilize the resources of volunteers. An indepth study of 14 Local Departments of Social Service (LDSS) in Israel identifies several issues regarding the use of volunteers that have theoretical and practical implications not only for social services but also for other government service organizations engaged in coprovision.

Of Berry Pickers, Shanty Boys, And The Jack Pine Bird: Patterns Of Settlement And Subsistence In Nineteenth Century Oscoda County, Rose Lockwood Moore

Masters Theses

The provisions of the Homestead Act of 1863 (U.S. Congress 1862a) required a settlement pattern of dispersed single families on small tracts of land, which, in turn, affected the subsistence strategies available to the homesteaders. The interaction of federal land legislation with the ecosystem of southern Oscoda County resulted in marked spatial and temporal differences between the tracts that were homesteaded as opposed to those acquired for their timber. A sample population of quarter sections was analyzed in terms of the physical and biotic environments, date of entry, and use. The analysis confirmed that the timber lands were located on …

Performance And Satisfaction Ratings By Nurses, Supervisors, And Patients In Jordanian Government And Private Hospitals, Diab Mousa Al-Badayneh

Dissertations

This is a study of performance and satisfaction ratings by supervisors, patients, and nurses in the Jordanian government and private hospitals. Comparisons of total performance ratings scores as well as individual performance items were made between (a) registered nurses vs. supervisors and registered nurses vs. patients within government and private hospitals and in all hospitals combined^ (b) combined as well as separate ratings of registered nurses, supervisors, and patients between government and private hospitals; and (c) total performance ratings scores only between registered nurses vs. supervisors and registered nurses vs. patients within each hospital. Comparisons of total satisfaction ratings scores …

A Theoretical Integration Of Robert Kegan's Developmental Psychology And Heinz Kohut's Self Psychology, Wilmar Vanderpol

Dissertations

Theory and research about psychological development tends to be dichotomized into two broad approaches that have never been integrated. The one is Piagetian-based cognitive-developmentalism, and the other is Freudian-based psychoanalytic developmentalism. The first predominates in academic research and application and the second in clinical research and therapy. This dissertation is a theoretical integration of the Piagetian-based theory of Robert Kegan with the Freudian-based theory of Heinz Kohut known as self psychology. A rationale for the integration of these two theories is given, along with an overview of each theory with respect to their developmental aspects. Analysis of their respective basic …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Differential Behavioral Strategies On Therapeutic Compliance: Making And Keeping Appointments, Shara Johnson

Dissertations

The present research grew out of a larger study, The Transgenerational Project for Parents and Children (TG) (Epps, 1986), which was conducted at the Howard University Child Development Center in Washington, D.C. This study provided the model for simultaneously addressing the needs of parents as well as their preadolescent children who exhibited specific learning disabilities that significantly decreased achievement levels. The present research compares the effectiveness of combining behavioral strategies, which previous research has shown to individually contribute toward enhancing patient compliance, in order to increase parental compliance with referrals for child psychotherapy.

Twenty-one parents or guardians of children whose …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of A Linear And An Exponential Performance-Pay Function On Work Productivity, Shezeen Oah

Dissertations

This study examined how work productivity was affected by the way in which individual monetary incentives were related to performance. Two types of relationships, or performance-pay functions, were compared: a linear function in which a specific per piece incentive was provided for each piece completed in excess of a performance standard and an exponential function in which the amount of the per piece incentive accelerated as productivity increased. Forty college subjects were randomly assigned to one of the two pay conditions. Each subject participated in 15 forty-five minute sessions. Subjects performed a computerized work task that simulated the job of …

Effects Of Performance Feedback And Goal Setting On The Productivity And Satisfaction Of Clerical Workers, Leslie Ann Wilk

Dissertations

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Performance Management (PM) intervention designed to improve the productivity and job satisfaction of clerical employees in a university admissions department. During the first phase of the intervention, supervisors applied a PM program which included an individualized daily goal setting and verbal feedback program. During phase two, graphic display of individual performance levels was added to the goals and verbal feedback program. Productivity was measured via daily self reports of tasks completed. Job satisfaction was assessed by taking measures prior to and following the intervention using the Work …

Demographic Characteristics, Rehabilitation Outcomes, And Family Concerns Of Individuals Who Are Older And Blind, John E. Crews

Dissertations

This study was conducted to create a description of the demographic characteristics, rehabilitation outcomes, and concerns of the family members of a group of people who are older and blind. The sample for this study included 112 people who were blind and over the age of 55. In addition, the study included a description of the concerns of 40 family members who had a spouse or parent who was older and blind.

Five instruments were used to gather data for this study. A survey instrument provided demographic data and reported levels of productivity for each client. A functional assessment form …

The Effects Of Anabolic Steroids On Measured Personality Traits Of Male Weight Trainers, Kraig Libstag

Dissertations

This research was undertaken to explore the effects of anabolic steroid use on the measured personality traits of male weight trainers. The use of these drugs by competitive and non-competitive athletes worldwide has grown to enormous proportions. Anecdotal case reports that discuss various psychological manifestations associated with the use of anabolic steroids by athletes have been presented in professional journals and in the popular press in recent years. However, there have been few studies that systematically examine the psychological consequences of steroid utilization.

The underlying assumption of this study was that anabolic steroids would affect the measured personality characteristics of …

Research And Theory On The Housing And Care Of Laboratory Pigeons And Rats, Dylan David Schmorrow

Masters Theses

This study was an experimental analysis of: (a) housing preference of laboratory pigeons and, (b) the effects of housing on laboratory rat health. Pigeon preference between containment cages and fly cages was determined on the basis of exit time from the containment cage to the fly cage. Rat health was determined by the departmental veterinarian. The rats were exposed to traditional and alternative methods of housing.

The findings from this study indicate that (a) on the basis of pigeons' preferences concerning size, it may be more appropriate to house pigeons in fly cages; and (b) alternative methods of care and …

Philosophical Disputes In Social Work: Social Justice Denied, Dennis Saleebey

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The debate in the social work academy about the pertinence of empiricist/positivist modes of knowing and doing is epistemological in character. It is the argument of this essay that prior ontological questions must be answered before the profession of social work can profitably enter this debate. These questions center on the nature of social work, the symbolic and moral essence of the social work enterprise and what the profession is becoming.

The Demise Of The Catastrophic Coverage Act: A Reflection Of The Inability Of Congress To Respond To Changing Needs Of The Elderly And Their Families, Linda Boise

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper considers the recent demise of the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988 in the context of the needs of the elderly and their families. Although the surtax imposed on middle and upper income elderly was the ostensible reason for the anger this Act generated among the elderly, other factors related to the concerns and needs of the elderly and of their families also prevented it from being supported. This article discusses the characteristics of the Catastrophic Coverage Act as a continuation of the historical bias of Medicare in favor of acute medical care and as an effort by …

The Effectiveness Of Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (Rest) On Reducing Chronic Low Back Pain, David D. Smith

Dissertations

A number of studies have demonstrated that both progressive relaxation training and biofeedback are effective in reducing chronic low back pain. Floatation-REST (restricted environmental stimulation therapy), a relatively new method developed for relaxation, has demonstrated promising results and appears to be particularly well suited for the low back pain patient. The primary hypothesis of this project was that REST would reduce pain as evidenced by changes in physiological, behavioral and self-report measures commonly associated with chronic pain reduction. A secondary hypothesis was generated after the first of three experiments: that employment would be an important variable in determining the effectiveness …

The Effects Of Combining Behavioral Counselling With Nicotine Fading And Smoke Holding In Medically At-Risk Adult Smokers, Terry Steven Bradford

Dissertations

The present study examined the effects of nicotine fading and a taste aversion procedure during behavioral treatment for smoking cessation. Nine subjects were initially assigned to one of two groups. Informed consent and physician waivers were obtained. Behavioral counseling was provided with the objective of subjects becoming self-control agents. After baseline, patients were taught to apply nicotine fading techniques. Subjects also received instruction and practice in goal setting and in using alternative responses, relaxation, and so forth. Three consecutive daily sessions of smoke holding were then done, during which subjects were instructed to stop smoking, followed by maintenance sessions. Results …

Changing Family Environments Of Delinquent Adolescents Using Paradoxical Therapy Techniques, Steven G. Townsend

Dissertations

Resistance and opposition have long characterized the adolescent population in general and the population of delinquent offenders specifically. Family therapy has been used successfully to change delinquent families and paradoxical techniques have been used successfully to treat resistant clients suffering from a variety of symptoms. This two-factor randomized study examined the effects of three treatment conditions, e.g., 6 months probation (control group), probation plus family therapy without an ending paradoxical directive, and probation plus family therapy with an ending paradoxical directive. These treatments were applied to first offender and repeat offender groups of delinquents and their families on individual perceptions …

The Effects Of Sex Role Orientation On Countertransference Behavior, Scott T. Luppe

Dissertations

The occurrence of countertransference within the therapeutic relationship has been examined from clinical and empirical perspectives, and considerable insight has been gained regarding the operation and monitoring of these phenomena. Empirical investigation has shown that these attitudes and behaviors can be quantified, and that therapists' increased understanding of the presence of countertransference can result in less countertransference behaviors (Schlesinger, 1984; Robbins & Jolkovski, 1987).

The therapist's sex role orientation is an attribute that has never been considered in relation to countertransference. Bem (1974) and Spence, Helmreich, and Stapp (1975) have proposed conceptualizations for understanding differences in sex role issues and …

The Relationship Between Private And Commercial Vehicle Driver Records And Accidents In Michigan, Robert E. Maki

Dissertations

The primary objective of this study was to determine whether previous accidents and citations are reliable predictors of future tractor-trailer heavy truck accidents in Michigan. In addition, the background material on accident trends shows how heavy truck safety policy was formed at the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Historically, accident prediction models have been able to explain only small portions of the accident experience. More recent studies have tended to show that previous citation and accident experience were good predictors of commercial vehicle accidents. Most studies have suffered from an admitted lack of exposure data and incomplete accident statistics.

Through the …

Norman N. Goroff - In Memoriam, Shimon S. Gottschalk

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Norman was a radical humanist - not a secular humanist, but a spiritual one. His definition of self was inextricably intertwined with his affirmation of life and of all humanity. He loved all of us, and in turn, he taught us all how to better love each other.

Implications Of Conservative Tendencies For Practice And Education In Social Welfare, David G. Gil

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This essay explores the meanings, sources, dynamics, and ideological themes of conservative tendencies in societal evolution and traces the dominance of these themes and tendencies in social welfare practice and education. The essay also suggests approaches for moving beyond these tendencies in our society and proposes an agenda for transition policies. Finally, the essay examines principles and elements of social-changeoriented political action and their implications for practice and education in social welfare.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 17, No. 2 (June 1990)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

• NORMAN N. GOROFF: IN MEMORIAM - Shimon Gottschalk
• IMPLICATIONS OF CONSERVATIVE TENDENCIES FOR PRACTICE AND EDUCATION IN SOCIAL WELFARE - David G. Gil
• PHILOSOPHICAL DISPUTES IN SOCIAL WORK: SOCIAL JUSTICE DENIED - Dennis Saleeby
• ADVOCACY/EMPOWERMENT: AN APPROACH TO CLINICAL PRACTICE FOR SOCIAL WORK - Stephen M. Rose
• EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ADVOCACY AND CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING: IMPLICATIONS OF A STRUCTURAL APPROACH TO SOCIAL WORK - Maurice M. Moreau
• BACK TO OUR ROOTS: TOWARD A SPECIALIZATION IN SOCIAL JUSTICE - Linda Cherrey Reeser and Leslie Leighninger
• THE NEW CHRISTIAN RIGHT, SOCIAL POLICY AND THE WELFARE STATE - James Midgely
• THE DEMISE OF THE CATASTROPHIC COVERAGE …

Advocacy/Empowerment: An Approach To Clinical Practice For Social Work, Stephen M. Rose

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social Work has been embedded in a structural and ideological contradiction throughout its history. The profession, its employing institutions, and the problems confronted by its clients are all produced by the same political economy that pays its workers and supports its schools. Ideologically, the profession has avoided the confrontation implied by its dependency upon individual defect explanatory or causal analysis frameworks that constitute a betrayal of its real constituencies. An advocacy! empowerment paradigm is offered as an alternative.

Empowerment Through Advocacy And Consciousness-Raising: Implications Of A Structural Approach To Social Work, Maurice J. Moreau

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Empowerment of oppressed clients requires of social workers to act as advocates and to assist clients in changing the dynamics which contribute to self-oppression or the oppression of others. The paper explores a five-stage process wherein oppressed individuals contribute to the social order that devalues them and, in the process, also participate in the oppression of others. The practice implications of a structural approach to social work committed to client empowerment in each of these stages are described.

Back To Our Roots Towards A Specialization In Social Justice, Linda Cherrey Reeser, Leslie Leighninger

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article describes a proposed social justice curriculum and presents a case study of attempts to establish it in a graduate school of social work. The study is set in the context of the history of activism in social work and an analysis of societal and professional forces which may inhibit such activism. The rationale for a specialization in social justice is discussed along with the process and politics and developing the program and seeking its acceptance. The article describes specific types of resistance to a social change curriculum and possible strategies for dealing with such resistance.

The New Christian Right, Social Policy And The Welfare State, James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

While the campaigns of the New Christian Right on abortion, affirmative action, school prayer and other issues have been well documented, little is known about the movement's attitude towards state welfare programs. Identifying three distinctive sources of fundamentalist antipathy to the welfare state, this paper seeks to draw attention to interesting although unconventional ideas about social welfare that should be recognized and understood by scholars concerned with the study of social policy.

Discipline And Pacification In The Modern Administrative State: The Case Of Social Welfare Fraud, Alec Pemberton

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Foucault and Giddins emphasise the power of the modern "Administrative State", arguing that we now have at our disposal an enormous bureaucratic machinery for processing and controlling various problematical human behaviours. Australian data on fraud of the social welfare system are examined to throw light on Foucault's and Giddens' views. Figures relating to prosecution for fraud of both the Unemployment and Supporting Parents Benefits system in the last six years throw some doubt on the concept of a vastly powerful "Administrative State apparatus.'" Certainly a massive state bureaucracy has been established to apprehend cheats, yet the data show consistently that …

Detecting And Reporting Child Abuse: A Function Of The Human Service Delivery System, George E. Fryer Jr.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper reports the results of a regression analysis performed on 48, 499 reports of known or suspected child abuse submitted from 1974 through 1983 to the Colorado Department of Social Services Central Child Abuse Registry. Enrollments in human service programs, combined with events which precipitate enrollee use of services, and the presence of human service professionals and institutions are strongly related to the number of abuse cases reported.