Child Homicide in the City of Los Angeles

SUMMARY

Homicide is the only leading cause of child death which has increased in rank in the past 30 years. This investigation describes the deaths of 0-14 year olds which were classified as homicides by the Los Angeles Police Department from 1980 to 1989. Special focus is given to suspect-to-victim relationship and victim race/ethnicity because of their relevance to prevention and program planning. Family members were suspects in 49.8% of the cases (mother, 14.5%; father, 13.6%; mother's paramour, 8.5%; male and female caretaker, 11.1%; other family members, 2.1%). Few differences emerged among the Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White child victims. Non-Hispanic White victims had the highest proportion (67.7%) and Hispanic victims had the lowest proportion (42.7%) of within-family suspects. Prevention implications include the need to focus on the actions of male caregivers and the observation that the substance and content of prevention programs (e.g., an emphasis on reducing blunt force trauma to young children) can be consistent across race/ethnic groups.     

Resilience to Childhood Abuse and Neglect in College Students

This study examined the prevalence of a history of childhood maltreatment in a college sample and identified the relationship between being maltreated as a child and later college adjustment in men and women. Results indicate that men who had been maltreated in childhood had more resilient outcomes in college than women who had been maltreated in childhood. Negative life events and protective factors acted as mediators in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and college adjustment for women, and protective factors acted as a moderator in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and college adjustment for men.     

Can organizational justice mitigate the negative effects of shift work and fixed-term employment?

The present study examined whether organizational justice moderates the association of shift work and employment type with patient-related stress, stress symptoms, and musculoskeletal symptoms. Cross-sectional survey data from 1270 Finnish female elderly care staff aged 18–69 years was used. Analyses of covariance were used to examine the associations adjusted for age,marital status, education, and tenure. Organizational justice was associated with lower levels of patient-related stress, stress symptoms, and musculoskeletal symptoms. Organizational justice mitigated stress symptoms related to working night shift and three shifts. In addition, organizational justice mitigated the patient-related stress associated with working on fixed-term contracts. Organizational justice was also able to alleviate musculoskeletal symptoms associated with working on permanent contracts. Thus, we found evidence for organizational justice being able to mitigate the negative effects of shift work and employment type. Promoting organizational justice in organizations with shift work and lots of fixed-term contracts is of importance.     

Risk Factors for Educator-Targeted Bullying: A Social-Ecological Perspective

This study investigated educator-targeted bullying (ETB) in a South African school setting from a social-ecological perspective. Seven survivors of ETB were interviewed using open ended questions. The data were content analysed for themes. The main findings of the study were: (1) bullies are undisciplined individuals who lack parental support; (2) school and classroom management styles may encourage ETB; and (3) a lack of positive values in the community and a disregard for authority figures perpetuate ETB. Survivors of ETB perceived to lack support from colleagues, school management, and parents of the offending learners.     

Book Review

Experienced military air traffic controllers (25 respondents, males = 15, females = 10, years of experience = less than one year = 5 respondents, more than one year but less than three years = 11 respondents and more than three years = 9 respondents) participated in this study to determine whether self-directed team learning exists within their air traffic control teams and to understand the impact of self-directed team learning on the air traffic control work environment. Data on self-directed team learning and learning approaches were collected using a Self-directed Team Learning Questionnaire (SDTLQ) and a Learning Approaches Questionnaire (LAQ). These data were analysed using an inductive reasoning mode for qualitative data analysis and quantitative data analysis followed a supporting deductive reasoning mode. Triangulation as a technique was used to determine whether multiple sources of data agreed and to obtain better, cross-checked insights (Burgess, 1985). Results revealed that these air traffic controllers and air traffic control teams investigated in the study do indeed function within self-directed working, training and learning environments. The quality of team performance was influenced by self-directed team learning initiatives. Furthermore, the quality of self-directed team learning relied upon the effectiveness of air traffic control team performances.     

同性恋成因的理论探讨

关于同性恋的成因,人们分别从两个角度进行了分析,其一是生理角度,学者们探讨了三个方面的因素：遗传因素、大脑结构和激素水平。其二是心理社会角度,精神分析学说强调恋母情节导致了特殊的母子关系,从而引起性心理异常,形成同性恋。行为主义心理不主张重视伙伴关系、偶然的机遇以及特殊的经历在同性恋形成中的作用。     

中学生人际冲突解决策略取向及影响因素研究

本研究针对中学生常见的人际冲突问题 ,分别设计了与教师、家长、同学冲突的 9种情境 ,考察 1 80名初一至高三的学生在不同情境中解决冲突的策略取向、防御机制发展以及影响策略取向的因素。实验表明 :( 1 )总体上中学生更倾向于选择协商策略解决人际冲突 ,退让或服从策略以及对峙性策略运用的多寡与具体情境因素或冲突对象有关。对峙性策略多出现在与教师和家长的冲突情境 ,而退让策略较多出现在与同学的冲突中。 ( 2 )随着年龄的增长和社会化的发展 ,学生逐渐采用成熟性防御机制替代不成熟性防御机制以促使问题得到更好解决。初、高中学生在运用成熟性防御机制方面差异显著。 ( 3 )文化背景及个性特点与策略取向有关。     

Training for paraprofessional counsellors: Evaluating the meaning and impact of a common factors approach

A group of 12 people participated in a short (40 hours) counselling training programme for paraprofessional counsellors, which emphasised the importance of common factors in accounting for therapeutic effectiveness. The general framework, language and skills of a brief, solution‐focused approach was used as a means of translating the theoretical/conceptual ideas of the common factors model into specific counsellor behaviours and also to provide structure and focus for counselling sessions. A pluralist methodology was employed to assess the personal meaning of the training for participants and the impact of the training on the development of counselling skills and awareness. Results indicated the training impacted positively on the development of counselling skills and ability to handle difficult client behaviours but less so on personal values and ability to deal with process issues. The majority of participants believed the training contributed positively toward their personal development.     

中学生个性因素及其与学业成就关系的探讨

研究者基于个性对个体成功具有重要影响的观点,假设中学生的个性对其学业成就具有预测性。采用儿童14种人格因素问卷对145名初中生进行测试,并对14种人格变量进行因素分析,得到了自我控制能力因素、精神状态因素、合作与创新精神因素、社会能力因素和智力性因素等5个因子。再利用这5个因子与学生的期末成绩(语、数、外总成绩)进行全纳回归分析,结果发现:与非智力的个性因素相比,智力性因素对中学生的学业成就可以进行更为有效的预测。     

Drawing to reconstruct: Pilot study on acknowledging prisoners' internal and external resources in a penitentiary institution

Since the first offender rehabilitation treatments, all theoretical approaches have been focusing on reducing risk factors that may influence recidivism, without satisfactory results. Recent resilience research has instead shown the important mediating or moderating role of protective factors and provided the theoretical principles for the Good Lives Model Comprehensive. This holistic model suggests the importance of integrating the reduction of risk factors with the reinforcement of protective factors in offenders' treatment programs. This combined action is considered the main condition through which offenders are motivated to change their life and develop a sense of agency on their current life conditions. This article presents a pilot study, aimed at analyzing the feasibility of a psychosocial intervention, based on graphic workshops. The purpose of the intervention is helping prisoners strive toward adaptation in jail, and facilitating the redesign of their life beyond bars. Drawing activities allowed prisoners to enhance their own internal and external resources, and recognize risk and protective factors that could influence their successful reintegration into society. The main limit of this study is directly linked to the setting of the penitentiary institution where the study was conducted, which is characterized by a high prisoners' turn over.