Religious homophobia: The experiences of a sample of lesbian,gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Ireland

This paper presents the findings of an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of the experiences of religious homophobia among a sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Ireland. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 LGBT-identified people in Dublin (age range early 20s to 50s; six male and four female), of whom five identified as religious and five as atheist. IPA generated the overarching theme of Religious Homophobia which was experienced and responded to differently by religious and atheist participants. Findings were that, while participants lived in an increasingly pluralistic Irish society, the negative dividend of religious homophobia created intrapsychic tension for participants and led some to abandon religion altogether. Nevertheless the experiences of participants point to the changing nature of Irish society which is characterised by increased diversity, openness and respect for minority rights including LGBT rights.     

Accidental Communities: Race,Emergency Medicine,and the Problem of PolyHeme®

This article focuses on emergency medical care in black urban populations, suggesting that the classification of a “community” within clinical trial language is problematic. The article references a cultural history of black Americans with pre-hospital emergency medical treatment as relevant to contemporary emergency medicine paradigms. Part I explores a relationship between “autonomy” and “community.” The idea of community emerges as a displacement for the ethical principle of autonomy precisely at the moment that institutionalized medicine focuses on diversity. Part II examines a clinical trial for the blood substitute PolyHeme^® (Northfield Laboratories, Inc., Evanston, IL). It illustrates the ways in which bias in research paradigms and Institutional Review Board decisions attach to the notion and utility of the language of “community.” The conclusion's contemporary anecdote makes apparent the vitality of the issues of prehospital emergency medical care and the ways in which decisions and practices fall too easily into a narrative of culturally biased treatment.     

Toward a Reconstruction of Medical Morality

At the center of medical morality is the healing relationship. It is defined by three phenomena: the fact of illness, the act of profession, and the act of medicine. The first puts the patient in a vulnerable and dependent position; it results in an unequal relationship. The second implies a promise to help. The third involves those actions that will lead to a medically competent healing decision. But it must also be good for the patient in the fullest possible sense. The physician cannot fully heal without giving the patient an understanding of alternatives such that he or she can freely arrive—together with the physician—at a decision in keeping with his or her personal morality and values. In today's pluralistic society, universal agreement on moral issues between physicians and patients is no longer possible. Nevertheless, a reconstruction of professional ethics based on a new appreciation of what makes for a true healing relationship between patient and physician is both possible and necessary.     

Multicultural Issues in Evidence-Based Interventions

SUMMARY

School psychologists involved in the delivery of psychological and educational interventions face the challenge of identifying interventions that will work within their schools. The evidence-based intervention (EBI) approach has received attention as a promising way to identify effective interventions. The national Task Force on Evidence Based Interventions in School Psychology (sponsored by the American Psychological Association Division 16 and the Society for the Study of School Psychology, and endorsed by the National Association of School Psychologists) has developed coding criteria to review, evaluate, and identify efficacious interventions. This paper expands the work of the Multicultural and Diversity Committee of the EBI Task Force and offers direction for school psychologists in selecting and implementing interventions appropriate for their settings. We explore the meaning of EBIs in the context of a diverse world and discuss the cultural considerations that are necessary to responsibly adopt an EBI perspective. The paper is organized into three sections where we (a) examine EBIs from a multicultural perspective, (b) describe recent advances in infusing a multicultural perspective into EBI work and the Procedural and Coding Manual for Review of EBIs, and (c) offer a set of guidelines for making decisions about implementing an EBI in a new setting.     

Organizational Identification and Perceived Intra-School Conflict Among Secondary Special Education and General Education Teachers

The relationships between the organizational variables-teacher assignment (general education or special education) and primary organizational identification (teachers' individual schools or respective district-level departments) and perceived organizational conflict were investigated. Four-hundred and fifty-four high school teachers—382 general education and 72 special education—responded to a three-part questionnaire. Both general education and special education teachers identified with both the school and the district-level departments to a greater than neutral level; the general education teachers identified more with their local schools than their district-level departments and the special education teachers identified equally with both their local school and the district-level department. Significant correlations between teacher organizational identification and perceived conflict were found for both groups of teachers—as the identification increased, the perception of conflict decreased. No significant differences were found in comparisons of general education and special education teachers on the identification or perceived conflict variables. Conclusions, with alternative causative factors, and recommendations for enhancing relationships between general educators and special educators are provided.     

Combining Explicit Timing with an Interdependent Group Contingency Program to Decrease Transition Times

ABSTRACT

A sixth-grade teacher and consultant serving as a behavioral specialist developed, implemented, and evaluated the Timely Transitions Game (TTG), a procedure designed to reduce room-to-room transition times. The TTG combined several procedures that have been shown to alter student behavior including explicit timing procedures and an interdependent, group-oriented reward program with randomly selected criteria. Five transition times were measured and recorded each day. At the end of the school day, the teacher randomly selected a transition and a criterion (seconds taken to transition). If the class completed the randomly selected transition in less time than the randomly selected criterion, they earned a letter. When students earned enough letters (e.g., the five letters that spell M-U-S-I-C), they received access to the reward (e.g., listening to music during independent seat-work). Results indicated immediate and sustained decreases in transition times following the implementation of the intervention. Although methodological concerns prevent drawing cause-and-effect conclusions, the current study shows how educators can adapt and combine empirically validated strategies and procedures to remedy presenting problems.     

The Influence of Religiosity,Family-of-Origin,and Self-Efficacy on Depression in Older Adults

ABSTRACT

In this study, the influence of religiosity, self-efficacy, and family-of-origin on depression was examined. In addition, the associations of race, gender, and age on these variables were analyzed. A total of 81 older persons, 56% white and 44% black, and approximately the same number of males and females, were recruited from public housing, a senior citizens organization, and a private community dwelling. Results indicated that a number of associations were significant between race, gender, religion, and age. No gender or race differences were associated with self-efficacy or depression. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to examine the role of self-efficacy, family-of-origin, and religiosity on depression of older adults. Significant causal effects were found for the influence of religiosity and family-of-origin on self-efficacy and the influence of self-efficacy on depression.     

Dwelling and Seeking in Late Adulthood: The Psychosocial Implications of Two Types of Religious Orientation

SUMMARY

This article summarizes quantitative findings and presents two illustrative case studies showing how religious dwelling and spiritual seeking evolve over the adult life course and relate to psychosocial functioning in late adulthood. The data come from the Institute of Human Development (IHD) longitudinal study of men and women. Religious dwellers tend to emphasize traditional forms of religious behavior whereas spiritual seekers emphasize innovative religious practices. In the IHD study, the religious involvement of the dwellers tended to be highly stable over the life course whereas spirituality gained in salience in the second half of adulthood. In late adulthood, religious dwelling was associated with maintaining close and warm relations with others and communal involvement, and during times of adversity, religiousness served as a buffer against the loss of life satisfaction. Spiritual seeking was associated with an emphasis on personal growth, creativity, and acquiring new knowledge. Spiritual growth was particularly characteristic of introspective individuals who in early adulthood experienced stressful life events.     

Baptist Perspectives on Faith-Based Initiatives and Religious Liberty

SUMMARY

Baptist perspectives are presented on recent policy efforts that could increase the opportunities for religious organizations to receive public monies for the planning and delivery of human services. A distinctive Baptist principle is religious liberty, a tenet of faith that contributes to several Baptist writings that consider the risks of church-state relationships in human service activities. Political and philosophical perspectives are considered in a discussion of services that Baptists provide and an understanding of these services as faith-based initiatives. The ElderCare Program of Buckner Baptist Benevolences in Texas and other services are discussed as models of faith-based initiatives for older adults.