Types of union participators over time: Toward a person-centered and dynamic model of participation

Previous research on union participation has been disjointed, with no clear consensus on the definition and nature of participation. Additionally, few studies have examined how participation changes over time, with those that have finding mixed results regarding its stability. We propose that these mixed and inconsistent findings are due largely to past research focusing on overall levels of participation, ignoring differences in how individuals participate. To remedy this, we adopted a person-centered approach to identify different types of union participators. Using a large sample of union members, we conducted latent transition analysis and found six union participator classes: high participators, leadership participators, formal union promoters, informal union promoters, silent supporters, and non-participators. In addition, we examined how individuals changed membership across two time points (separated by 6 years), antecedents of class membership (role tenure and union commitment), and outcomes (freerider intentions and actual financial contributions to the union's political action fund). The six classes differed uniquely, in terms of the ways people participate, changes in how people participate over time, what predicted class membership, and how class membership impacts two outcomes. The current study demonstrates that person-centered approaches can both clarify previous conflicting findings within the participation literature and predict meaningful outcomes.     

思考今日之地中海空间

随着伊斯兰教的传播,一个新的世界进入地中海沿岸。一个裂口撕开了,一直延续至今。——亨利·皮雷纳[1]说明是否应该以蕴涵着一种历史哲学——尽管其价值有待评估——的历史现实主义的名义认为,探索或者激活历史地存在于地中海空间的意义问题的一切尝试都注定陷入唯灵论的幻想、唯心主义的思辨、怀旧的追忆[2]?抑或尽管缺乏人道主义方案的世界化凯旋推进,但依然可以在地中海思想和文化史中辨认出某些理性的态度、精神的追求、创造性想象的作品、传播文明的先知、圣人、思想家、艺术家和英雄的见证,他们足以丰富、阐明、启迪、保障新的争取人…     

The effects of two methods of training and sequencing on structuring and relationship skills of family therapists

Abstract

This study was an attempt to evaluate two methods of training family therapists (n = 26). Specifically, this research evaluated the relative effectiveness of observation-feedback (OF) and skill-based (SB) training methods, as well as OF-SB and SB-OF sequences of training on the acquisition of structuring and relationship skills. The only significant finding was that the OF-SB sequence resulted in significant gains in the acquisition of relationship skills. Implications are discussed for the training of family therapists.     

Wilāyah (authority and governance) and its implications for Islamic bioethics: a Sunni Māturīdi perspective

Juridical councils that render rulings on bioethical issues for Muslims living in non-Muslim lands may have limited familiarity with the foundational concept of wilāyah (authority and governance) and its implications for their authority and functioning. This paper delineates a Sunni Māturīdi perspective on the concept of wilāyah, describes how levels of wilāyah correlate to levels of responsibility and enforceability, and describes the implications of wilāyah when applied to Islamic bioethical decision making. Muslim health practitioners and patients living in the absence of political wilāyah may be tempted to apply pragmatic and context-focused approaches to address bioethical dilemmas without a full appreciation of significant implications in the afterlife. Academic wilāyah requires believers to seek authentication of uncertain actions through scholarly opinions. Fulfilling this academic obligation naturally leads to additional mutually beneficial discussions between Islamic scholars, healthcare professionals, and patients. Furthermore, an understanding derived from a Māturīdi perspective provides a framework for Islamic scholars and Muslim health care professionals to generate original contributions to mainstream bioethics and public policy discussions.     

The psychological impact of facial changes in scleroderma

The physical disabilities associated with scleroderma are well known but the psychological impact of the condition has received less attention. Few studies have examined appearance related issues, most notably of the face. The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychological impact of facial, aesthetic and functional changes in scleroderma. One hundred seventy-one patients with a clinical diagnosis of scleroderma were recruited into the study. Digital photographs were objectively graded into groups based on severity of disfigurement as judged by an observer. Facial movement was recorded using a modified House-Brackmann Grading Scale. Psychological evaluation comprised the Derriford Appearance Scale short-form (DAS), the Noticeability and Worry score and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Severity of disfigurement predicted decreased mouth opening, the extent to which participants judged their appearance as noticeable to others, and the level of appearance-related concern as measured by the DAS24. There was an inverse relationship with age. Facial changes were ranked as the most worrying aspect of the condition. This study shows facial disfigurement impacts on patient with scleroderma independent of functional changes related to systemic disease. The major difficulty is with the perceived noticeably of the condition to other people and the resulting self-consciousness in social encounters.     

THE BEGINNING OF HUMAN LIFE: ISLAMIC BIOETHICAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract. In January 1985, about 80 Muslim religious scholars and biomedical scientists gathered in a symposium held in Kuwait to discuss the broad question “When does human life begin?” This article argues that this symposium is one of the milestones in the field of contemporary Islamic bioethics and independent legal reasoning (Ijtihād). The proceedings of the symposium, however, escaped the attention of academic researchers. This article is meant to fill in this research lacuna by analyzing the proceedings of this symposium, the relevant subsequent developments, and finally the interplay of Islam and the West as a significant dimension in these discussions.