The responsiveness and equality of mental health care to Chicanos and Native Americans

An examination was made of the services received by Chicano and Native American clients in 17 community mental health facilities. Although these minority clients differed from Anglos in demographic variables, there was no evidence that they were rendered inferior or discriminatory services. However, failure to return for therapy was much higher among minority clients. Possible reasons for this failure to return are discussed. It is suggested that for ethnic group clients, equality of services may not mean responsive services.     

The expectancy model in the analysis of occupational preference and occupational choice

The differences between the factors related to occupational preference and occupational choice were explored for upper-division college students from business and psychology classes. The results strongly supported a valance-instrumentality-expectancy model in the context of occupational choice. Occupational preference was primarily a function of occupational valence, the multiplicative relation between the outcome valences and the instrumentalities of the occupations for these outcomes. Occupational choice was primarily a function of the force to choose an occupation, the multiplicative relaitonship between occupational valence and the expectancy of attaining an occupation and the expected costs of attaining an occupation.     

The use of structured experiences in family therapy

Structured experiences such as sculpting, psychodrama, rôle-play and growth games are frequently used in family therapy. This article puts forward a framework for the use of structured experiences which can be used in the context of a family session to ensure that the family will gain the maximum learning and change. Use of the framework is illustrated with examples from practice.     

Effect of first-grade classroom environment on shy behavior,aggressive behavior,and concentration problems

Investigates the effect of the first-grade classroom environment on the shy behavior, aggressive behavior, and concentration problems of 609 children in 19 East Baltimore public schools. First-grade classroom environment was assessed in terms of dominant pattern of classroom achievement and behavior. Structured teacher ratings assessed child shy behavior, aggressive behavior, and concentration problems at the end of first grade. Children in low-achieving classroom environments had significantly higher teacher ratings of shy behavior and aggressive behavior than children in mixed-achieving or high-achieving environments, even after controlling for potentially confounding child characteristics and classroom behavior environment effects. Analyses controlling for child characteristics and classroom achievement environment effects indicated that children in poor-behaving classroom environments also had significantly higher teacher ratings of shy behavior than children who were not in poor-behaving environments. Subgroup analyses indicated that repeaters in mixed-achieving environments had significantly higher levels of shy behavior compared with nonrepeaters, and repeaters in poor-behaving environments had significantly higher levels of aggressive behavior compared with nonrepeaters. Implications for prevention research are discussed.     

Case vignette -- mandated child abuse reporting

Case Vignette: Martha Harris has been a licensed mental health professional for nearly a decade. As she arrived at her office early this morning, the phone was ringing. Speaking in a tremulous voice, the caller stated, "I was given your name by my internist, Dr. Williams. I think my husband may be abusing our 5-year-old sexually. Can you help?" After a few minutes of conversation, Martha offers to schedule a prompt appointment. The caller interrupts and asks, "You won't have to report this will you?" As a mandated reporter under the state's child protection statute, Martha has no choice but to inform the authorities; she tells the caller, who immediately hangs up. Suddenly, Martha realizes that she does not have the name or any other identifying information about the caller. A call to Dr. Williams results in a response that the internist does not want to "get involved." Commentators on this case are Richard Bourne, JD, PhD, one of whose special areas of expertise is child protection and related professional obligations; Eli H. Newberger, MD, a pediatrician with a special interest in child maltreatment; and C. Sue White, PhD, one of whose primary interests is how clinicians may inappropriately use techniques to interview children suspected of child sexual abuse, causing contaminating influences to interfere with children's memories for their own experiences.     

Understanding public opinion relating to the establishment of community mental health facilities: implications of a discourse analytic approach

This paper demonstrates a novel approach to investigating the problem of public opposition to community mental health facilities. With the move towards community care, organizations setting up mental health facilities have encountered public opposition. It has been argued that this is due, in part, to the attitudes held by the public towards mentally ill people. A knowledge and understanding of attitudes towards this client group therefore has the potential to be of practical use to policy makers and practitioners who have a responsibility to consult on, and implement, community care for mentally ill people. The survey approaches and hypothetical situations used in previous British studies of community attitudes towards mentally ill people have, however, failed to take account of the rhetorical richness and complexity of the attitudes likely to be expressed in real‐life community care contexts. By contrast, the study reported in this paper used a discourse analytic approach to explore the views expressed about mentally ill people in a ‘hot situation’. Specifically, people's views were explored in the contexts of the arguments they used to challenge or advocate a supported accommodation project for mentally ill people in their community. This paper examines some of these arguments and discusses the theoretical implications for traditional approaches to attitude research. In conclusion, the potential practical utility of the findings is considered. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Effects of Numerical and Logical Group Size on Computer-Mediated Idea Generation

A laboratory experiment investigated the effects of numerical group size and logical group size (i.e., group heterogeneity in regard to task demands) on the performance of groups addressing an idea generation task while using computer-mediated communication. Six different numerical group sizes were studied, which ranged from 5 to 10 members. Logical size was manipulated by varying the amount of task-relevant information given to a particular group member. Larger logical group sizes (heterogeneous groups) were induced by distributing unique task-relevant information among group members; smaller logical group sizes (homogeneous groups) were induced by providing all task information to all members. A significant main effect for numerical group size showed that larger groups outperformed smaller groups. Numerical group size interacted with logical group size resulting in greater performance gains for increased numerical group size within heterogeneous groups. Average contributions per group member diminished with increased numerical group size for homogeneous groups and increased for heterogeneous groups.     

Testimony and evidence: a scientific case study of memory for child sexual abuse

Although case studies can provide insight into children's eyewitness memory, the typical lack of objective record limits evaluation of accuracy. In contrast, in this ‘scientific case study’, a detailed record of child sexual assault, documented by a ‘sex ring’ leader and confiscated by police, was available. In police interviews and courtroom hearings, four girls (8 to 15 years old at time of report) testified about sexual exploitation that involved eight adult men. The girls' allegations were compared with evidence contained in photographic and audiotaped records of the abuse. Overall, there was supportive evidence for about 80% of the allegations (85.6% of the alleged sexual acts; 42.9% of the alleged coercive acts; and 82.5% of the alleged preparatory acts). Levels of support for sexual act allegations were similar for all four girls, regardless of age, but the younger child made more unsupported allegations of coercive behaviour. Additionally, there were high levels of omission errors. Findings are discussed in the context of research on eyewitness testimony and child sexual abuse. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.