The school adjustment of South Asian immigrant children in the United States

This study examined the school adjustment process among South Asian children who had immigrated to the United States with their parents, and who had below-average grades. Both risk and protective factors for dropping out of school were explored in the context of the traditions, familial values, and social norms of South Asians. Data were collected from 75 parents and 75 children in separate semistructured interviews. Content analysis revealed three major themes: congruence of the parents' and school's views on the value of education, congruence of the parents' and children's beliefs that education is the tool to achieve goals, and determination of the children to achieve goals. The low level of proficiency in English was found to be a critical factor in low achievement and school failure. It was concluded that parental encouragement to succeed, in conjunction with teachers' efforts, can be used to facilitate children's school adjustment. Strategies for assisting immigrant children are discussed.     

Diversity in the United States power elite

In his classic sociological analysis The Power Elite, published in 1956, sociologist C. Wright Mills depicted a group of white Anglo-Saxon Protestant men who ran the corporate, political and military elites in the United States. This article looks at this power elite 40 years later to consider the extent to which diversity has occurred. Each of these three institutions (the corporate, the political, and the military) is examined to see if jews, women, African-Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and homosexuals have penetrated into the highest circles. The patterns that appear across all categories of newcomers are discussed, as is the extent to which the arrival of some newcomers has led to changes in the behavior of the power elite.     

The mental health of university students in the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

There are increasing concerns globally about the mental health of students. In the UK, the actual incidence of mental disturbance is unknown, although university counselling services report increased referrals. This study assesses the levels of mental illness in undergraduate students to examine whether widening participation in education has resulted in increases as hypothesised by the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists. Patterns of disturbance across years are compared to identify where problems arise. Students (N=1197) completed the General Health Questionnaire-28 either on the first day at university or midway through the academic year for first, second and third year students. Rates of mental illness in students equalled those of the general population but only 5.1% were currently receiving treatment. Second year students reported the most significant increases in psychiatric symptoms. Factors contributing to the problem are discussed.     

Counselling psychology in the United Kingdom

Counselling psychology within the UK has grown over the last three decades, adapting to many changes in the field of applied psychology, whilst remaining true to its core values and humanistic origins. The identity of counselling psychology is strongly rooted in a relational stance and applied psychology, where attention to psychological formulation is given to improve psychological functioning and well-being. This article outlines a brief history of counselling psychology in the UK, the training process, credentialing and looks at some important challenges and future directions for counselling psychology in the UK. A proportion of the members from the British Psychological Society’s division of counselling psychology (DCoP, N = 148) took part in the study. Participants provided demographic, training, employment, workplace and career pathway information obtained through an online questionnaire distributed to all DCoP members. On the whole, DCoP members are working in a variety of areas within the UK and the findings of this article contribute to the international study comparing counselling psychology across the globe.     

Cancer counselling in the United Kingdom

Abstract

A national survey of 289 people from a variety of professions (nurses, social workers, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, etc) involved in counselling cancer patients and their families within the United Kingdom obtained a response rate of 82%. The primary findings discussed in this paper cover a range of issues, including the working conditions and responsibilities of the counsellors, what professional qualifications they possess, the extent and availability of supervision and support, as well as the types of counselling intervention employed. Particularly disturbing was the fact that only 25% of our sample had any recognised formal counselling qualification and that 75% did not belong to any professional counselling organisation. In view of the wide diversity of qualifications, salary scales, responsibilities and working conditions and practices amongst the respondents, we propose that the National Health Service (NHS) should establish clearer guidelines as to the minimum acceptable qualifications for people employed as oncology counsellors, and that more adequate provision and resources are made available for training and supervision.     

Forensic telepsychiatry in the United Kingdom

Forensic telepsychiatry remains in its infancy in the United Kingdom. This article sets out to describe how it can be used within a community forensic service, and the future challenges ahead in the United Kingdom. It looks at relevant academic, governmental, and legal resources and is designed as a scholarly reflection by clinicians rather than as a formal literature review.     

The South Asian Presence in the Ecumenical Movement

This article surveys the distinct role South Asian Christianity played in the modern ecumenical movement. It explores how the longevity, vitality, and diversity of Christianity in South Asia, coupled with the pluralistic ethos and inter‐religious context of the region, provided a conducive atmosphere for the ecumenical movement to take root in the early decades of the 20th century. The article argues that while there were outstanding ecumenical thinkers and path‐breaking church unity efforts in the region, what was most important was the emergence of new theological trends that reverberated across the ecumenical world, such as Dalit theology, tribal theology, and Urban and Rural Mission. While discussing these developments from a historical perspective, this article also tries to identify contemporary issues and challenges in these areas. Today, as the forces of religious nationalism, sectarianism, and fundamentalism are gaining ground in South Asia, the task before us is to realize anew the meaning of ecumenism.     

Philosophy of medicine in the United Kingdom

This report explores the relationship between philosophy and medicine in the U.K. We note that medical training involves very little formal instruction in philosophy and ethics, and that, with few exceptions, philosophers in the U.K. do not contribute to the instruction of physicians or the philosophy of medicine. However, reviewing the problems arising out of recent developments within scientific medicine we find a pressing need for future philosophical analysis in the following areas: psychiatry, organ transplantation, abortion, euthanasia, experiments on living subjects, consent, confidentiality, the relationship between medicine and political authority, and the provisions for social justice in medicine.     

Acculturation,Competence, and Mental Health Among South Asian Students in the United States

Among 199 South Asian international students in the United States, higher levels of depressive symptoms were predicted by higher perceived prejudice and lower self‐reported competence in work, personal/social efficacy, and intracultural behaviors. Relationships among the predictors and depressive symptoms differed by gender. Implications for theory, research, and mental health interventions are discussed. Entre 199 estudiantes internacionales Surasiáticos en los Estados Unidos, altos niveles de síntomas depressivos fueron pronosticado por el prejuicio mas percibido y el bajo alto informo de capacidad en el trabajo, en la eficacia personal/social y la funcion intracultural. Las relaciones entre los pronosticadores y los síntomas depressivos diferidos por el género. Las implicaciones para teoría, investigaciones, y las intervenciones mentales de la salud se discuten.     

The prevalence of loneliness among adults: a case study of the United Kingdom

Within contemporary Western (post) modern societies, loneliness is seen as a problem that is particularly associated with old age. Much less attention has been given to examining variations in loneliness across age groups. We examine patterns of loneliness across adults aged 15 years and older in the United Kingdom using data from the European Social Survey. We first consider the prevalence of loneliness among the adult population; then the relationship between loneliness and a range of key risk factors, and finally the relationship with age for each of our risk factors. Loneliness demonstrates a nonlinear U-shaped distribution, with those aged under 25 years and those aged over 65 years demonstrating the highest levels of loneliness. Depression is associated with loneliness for all age groups. Poor physical health is associated with loneliness in young adult and midlife but not later life. For those in mid and later life, the quality of social engagement is protective against loneliness, while for young adults it is the quantity of social engagement. This indicates that different factors may endow vulnerability (or protect) against loneliness at different stages of life and suggests that preventative strategies or interventions that reflect these variations need to be developed.     

The parenting of preschool children by older mothers in the United Kingdom

The parenting literature has focused on teenage motherhood but less is known about older mothers. In industrialized societies more women are giving birth later in life. The study examined whether there are any age trends in the use of discipline, home organization, provision of learning opportunities, maternal responsivity and mother child relationships treating maternal age at birth as a continuous construct. The sample was from two national UK cohorts with common assessments at three years (N = 24,610). Withholding treats or attention as discipline and parent/child conflict decreased as maternal age increased. Harsh discipline such as smacking was low for teenage mothers, highest in the mid-twenties after which it declined. Household chaos decreased with maternal age up to age 30 after which it was likely to be higher. Positive and responsive parenting generally increased with maternal age up to about age 40 after which it plateaued. Thus overall, while older motherhood is associated with medical risks for mother and child it should not present problems in relation to parenting during the preschool years.     

Gender Comparisons of Fat Talk in the United Kingdom and the United States

This study compared different forms of body talk, including ??fat talk,?? among 231 university men and women in central England (UK; n?=?93) and the southeastern United States (US; n?=?138). A 2 (gender) by 2 (country) repeated measures ANOVA across types of body talk (negative, self-accepting, positive) and additional Chi-square analyses revealed that there were differences across gender and between the UK and US cultures. Specifically, UK and US women were more likely to report frequently hearing or perceiving pressure to engage in fat talk than men. US women and men were also more likely to report pressure to join in self-accepting body talk than UK women and men.     

The richness of ordinary life: Religious justification among Chile's business elite

Based on the analysis of 75 in-depth interviews with managers and businessmen of Chile's main economic conglomerates, this article is concerned with the justification, on religious and moral grounds, of the establishment of a neo-liberal economic model during Augusto Pinochet's regime (1973-1989) and, most importantly, with the representation of business as a religious vocation. The value granted to wealth creation as a path to salvation, as formulated by the conservative religious movements Opus Dei and the Legionaries of Christ, is one possible response to the Church's call in Vatican II for the greater involvement of the laity in their cultures and societies. In the context of an increase in pluralism during the 1960s and 1970s, the perceived shift of the Catholic Church to the Left, and the threat that the political project of Salvador Allende's socialist government (1970-1973) posed to the elite's centenary lifestyle, the practice of more conservative forms of Catholicism has allowed for a restoration of the historical bond between the elite and its religious tradition. The case of Chile's elite can be seen as an example of an increase in pluralism which does not lead to a weakening of religious belief and practice, but to their strengthening.     

The richness of ordinary life: Religious justification among Chile's business elite

Based on the analysis of 75 in‐depth interviews with managers and businessmen of Chile's main economic conglomerates, this article is concerned with the justification, on religious and moral grounds, of the establishment of a neo‐liberal economic model during Augusto Pinochet's regime (1973–1989) and, most importantly, with the representation of business as a religious vocation. The value granted to wealth creation as a path to salvation, as formulated by the conservative religious movements Opus Dei and the Legionaries of Christ, is one possible response to the Church's call in Vatican II for the greater involvement of the laity in their cultures and societies. In the context of an increase in pluralism during the 1960s and 1970s, the perceived shift of the Catholic Church to the Left, and the threat that the political project of Salvador Allende's socialist government (1970–1973) posed to the elite's centenary lifestyle, the practice of more conservative forms of Catholicism has allowed for a restoration of the historical bond between the elite and its religious tradition. The case of Chile's elite can be seen as an example of an increase in pluralism which does not lead to a weakening of religious belief and practice, but to their strengthening.     

The Cypriot Community in the United Kingdom: Two Family Case Studies

The United Kingdom has the largest concentration of Cypriots outside Cyprus, equivalent to one-third of the island's population. The London Borough of Haringey has the largest concentration, 16% of its population being of Cypriot origin. Two cases are described of outreach work in an area lacking culturally appropriate services, where individuals suffer the stresses of being Cypriot in London, and the isolation and breakdown of communication within and between generations.     

The Development of Systemic Family Therapy for Changing Times in the United Kingdom

In sketching the position of couples and family therapy and systemic practice in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) we have provided what we can of the development of the contexts of training and practice; the content of some of the theories and their applications; and the external realities within which we currently operate. The UK has a well developed structure for training and practice in systemic couples and family therapy. The history is of enthusiastic adoption of therapies from international sources which are generally then incorporated into an overarching systemic framework. Family therapy in the UK is currently subjected to a variety of pressures but is well regulated and is in a strong position to continue making its contribution to the welfare of families.     

The political incorporation of South Asian elites in Britain

The article centres on the debate about the political importance of ethnic minorities and focuses on, first, the political participation of British South Asians at large and, second, the political activities of Asian elites specifically. Following a review of the evidence relating to mass electoral-based participation, the article then highlights the role played by Asian political elites in both setting and responding to the terms of the evaluative debate. A third section deals with the question of how Asian elites—political and other—respond to the key ideological positions of Britain's main political parties. This reopens the question of Asian political distinctiveness and how elites may contribute to debates about so-called Asian values in politics. The artcile concludes with a brief discussion of elite-based versus mass electoral-based strategies for achieving enhanced political leverage in the British system.