A Systemic Analysis of the Dynamics and Organization of Urban Street Gangs

Street gangs function as ongoing, open social systems in relation to their surrounding sociocultural context. Fundamentally, gangs are comparable to some family systems. In fact, most gangs do consider themselves to be “families.” The same concepts used to describe family systems may also be applied to street gangs. Street gangs usually exhibit a highly complex organization, structure, process, and functionality. All of these aspects intertwine within and around the gang to form a web of interconnectedness and continuity. To better understand street gangs and provide effective intervention plans, they must be viewed from this systematic and holistic perspective.     

Sexual Discretion: Black Masculinity and the Politics of Passing

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between religious orientation and attitudes towards two contentious issues about human sexuality in the Church of England, by studying the broad range of people found attending an Anglican cathedral carol service. A sample of 381 individuals who attended a carol service at Worcester cathedral in December 2009 thoroughly completed the New Indices of Religious Orientation (NIRO). The scales were found to be reliable for the sample. The same participants responded to two statements relating to their attitudes towards gay marriage and the appointment of homosexual men as bishops. Both men and older people are found to report higher levels of negative attitudes towards both issues. Strong positive correlations are found between intrinsic religious orientation and negative attitudes towards gay marriage and gay bishops; these remain after controlling for age and sex. After further controlling for intrinsic and extrinsic orientation, it is found that quest orientation is positively associated with favourable views towards both issues. Areas for further research are identified.     

Messiah the Lawgiver: The Torah of the Messiah on Divorce and Remarriage

This paper explores Matthew's presentation of Jesus as the new Moses, and will proceed in four steps. First, we will examine the relationship between law-giving and the offices of prophet and king in the Hebrew Bible as well as the writings of the community at Qumran. Second, we will examine in detail Matthew's Jesus-as-Moses theme. Third, we will offer a paradigmatic example of how one aspect of Torah is reworked by Jesus, namely that of divorce and remarriage, and fourth, we will offer some interpretive guidance for future research that would seek to apply Jesus's teaching on divorce and remarriage in a Western context.     

The Relationship,If Any,Between Marriage and Infidelity

SUMMARY

Infidelity has been hypothesized to be caused by any number of factors, including unhappy marriages. The current article explores the myths about infidelity and its treatment. Advice is offered to those treating affairs, and to those interested in successful marriages.     

Getting a New Lease on Life

Abstract

A significant number of marriages today arc interchurch, that is, marriages in which each spouse belongs to a different Christian church or denomination. The limited research on interchurch couples suggests that they are more at risk for divorce than same-church couples. A qualitative study and a national telephone survey were conducted by the Center for Marriage and Family at Creighton University to better understand interchurch marriages. Based on findings from these studies, clinical implications for premarital counseling with interchurch couples are presented. The findings suggest not only how to work with interchurch couples, but how religion can potentially impact all couples regardless of their denominational affiliation.     

Feeling in Love Is Not Enough

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to review recent findings in neuroscience for offering suggestions for further revisions of marriage education programs. Suggestions include paying more attention to the history of each partner; understanding the attachment styles of each partner; using both explicit and implicit learning; helping couples understand the role of emotions in rational decision making; promoting activation of the left hemisphere of the brain; focusing on process instead of content; increasing religious experiences and spirituality; the use of humor, absurdity and unordered material; and creating self-directed, technologically advanced modules that can be used as periodic checkups.     

An Environmental Enrichment Programme to Promote Adaptive Responding in Two Children with Multiple Disabilities

Abstract

An environmental enrichment programme was used for two passive children who had visual and hearing impairments and profound intellectual disabilities. The enrichment items, selected through stimulus preference assessments, were accessible contingent on simple adaptive responses. Data showed that both children increased their adaptive responding (thus reducing their passivity) during the programme. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

共同养育研究及对儿童适应的影响

共同养育有别于个人养育, 在家庭系统中关注多个养育者共同抚养儿童的方式; 研究不同于婚姻关系、亲子关系的共同养育对儿童适应的独特贡献将有助于全面理解儿童在家庭生态系统中的成长过程。目前, 研究者们对共同养育的概念和内涵尚未有一致的界定, 共同养育的测量方法也未成体系。同时大量实证研究表明, 共同养育不仅直接影响儿童适应, 也通过亲子系统和婚姻关系系统间接影响儿童发展。未来的研究应结合中国社会文化背景下的特殊家庭类型如留守儿童家庭、离婚家庭、隔代养育家庭、服刑人员家庭的特点对共同养育的基本理论(如不同类型共同养育内部结构、评估体系等)问题以及对儿童适应影响的工作机制进行深入探讨。