bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influences on the Cultural Self-Efficacy of Community Health Nurses
Authors: Bernal Henrietta , Froman Robin
Published: March 2007

This paper presents the results of factor and regression analyses conducted on the Cultural Self-Efficacy Scale to determine the underlying conceptual structure, and relationship to demographic variables. The Cultural Self-Efficacy Scale was first used with a sample of 190 community health nurses in Connecticut. It has an estimated total scale internal consistency of .97. In 1988, data were collected to examine cross-cultural self-efficacy of nurses working in a variety of settings, including health departments. The principal factor analysis revealed a four factor structure that is conceptually meaningful. Taken together, the four factors accounted for 90% of the total scale variance. Regression analyses showed significant relationships between perceptions of efficacy and demographic variables of race, education, and experience.
Cultural Context, Health and Health Care Decision Making
Authors: Wenger Anna Frances Z.
Published: March 2007

Decisions about health promotion and illness prevention occur within a cultural context that is influenced by the contemporary context of community and family in addition to the ethnohistorical and language contexts, worldview and sociocultural factors of the particular culture and the available folk and professional health care resources. Using information about the health and care beliefs and values and health care decision making process in negotiating culturally congruent nursing and health care interventions is imperative, especially in a world with limited health care resources and an increasing demand for recognition of cultural diversity. This article uses data on health and health care decision-making from an ethnonursing study of the Old Order Amish to demonstrate the role of cultural context in health care practices and decision making. Leininger's cultural care theory and Hall's conceptualization of high context culture were used to investigate these phenomena. High context features of the Old Order Amish culture are used to explain how Amish are actively involved in decisions and actions taken to promote health and prevent and treat illnesses using a broad array of folk, alternative and professional services simultaneously. As nurses learn to involve clients in decisions and actions using the guiding principles of cultural care preservation, accommodation and repatterning they will provide culturally congruent care for Amish and other culture-specific groups.
Building Healthy Communities with Immigrants and Refugees
Authors: DeSantis Lydia
Published: March 2007

Immigration fueled by large population shifts across international borders will be an ongoing phenomenon throughout the world for the foreseeable future. Forces raising concern for the development of healthy immigrant communities in the United States are the scapegoating of immigrants as the cause of many of the problems of society, a growing lack of tolerance for diversity, and the need for rapid acculturation. A construct of what constitutes healthy communities for immigrants is discussed. The construct is built around the concepts of convergent stereotyping, solidarity, and agency. To help build healthy communities, transcultural nurses must assist other nurses and health care providers to function from a transcultural posture to develop culture competence, reconceptualize how immigrants are viewed, avoid reductionism of the immigrant experience into a psycho-emotional phenomenon, and actualize human development as part of community development.
Meanings and Practices of Health among Married Thai Immigrant Women in Sweden
Authors: Lundberg Pranee C.
Published: March 2007

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and explain the meanings and practices of health among Thai immigrant women in Sweden with Swedish husbands. In agreement with Leininger’s theory of cultural care, data were collected through observation-participation and ethnographic interviews with 10 key informants and 16 general informants living in Uppsala. The principal meanings of health of the Thai immigrant women were abstracted from the raw data using structural analysis. They were found to be (a) state of well-being, (b) absence of illness, (c) ability to perform daily role activities, and (d) adaptation to their new life situation. The principal factors for the promotion of health among these women were (a) mental support from family, (b) nutrition, (c) physical exercise, (d) no smoking, and (e) modest drinking. Knowledge among health care professionals of meanings and practices of health, such as those found here, is vital for the provision of culturally congruent care in a multicultural society such as Sweden.
Are Girls Getting More Violent?
Authors: CHESNEY-LIND MEDA , PARAMORE VICKIE V.
Published: March 2007

Public discussion regarding youth violence is at an all-time high, and this is particularly true of girls' violence. Girls have long been forgotten when juvenile crime is discussed. However, recent statistics showing dramatic increases in the arrests of girls, particularly for traditionally male-dominated offenses (such as assault and robbery), have prompted some to report that girls are getting more violent. Using data from reported juvenile robbery incidents for the City and County of Honolulu during two specific time periods, this research addresses the question, are girls getting more violent? The data indicate that despite claims that youth have become increasingly violent, no major shift in the pattern of juvenile robbery occurred over the two time periods. Instead, it appears that less serious offenses, particularly those committed by girls, are being swept up into the criminal justice system.
Top Criminals/Top Criminologists
Authors: WRIGHT RICHARD A. , BRYANT KEVIN M. , MILLER J. MITCHELL
Published: March 2007

Numerous studies recently have appeared that identify the most-cited authors and works in the general criminology and criminal justice literature and in several specialty areas, although no previous citation study has specifically examined the white-collar crime literature. Through an analysis of 46 articles and textbooks appearing from 1990 to 1999 in the area of white-collar crime, we list the 62 most-cited authors and the 21 most-cited works. The lists of the most-cited authors and works in white-collar crime are compared to general lists taken from leading criminology and criminal justice journals and introductory textbooks. Our analysis shows that numerous influential authors and works in the specialty of white-collar crime have been overlooked by general citation studies of leading journals and textbooks.
The Exclusionary Rule in the Year 2000: Due Process Reborn?
Authors: Kaci Judy Hails
Published: March 2007

Since its inception the Exclusionary Rule has been controversial. Originally founded on judicial integrity, it is now almost exclusively viewed as having validity only if it is a deterrent. Neither rationale has been satisfactorily established through empirical research. Based on recent precedents, it is extrapolated that the recently established "good faith" exception to the Exclusionary Rule will grow. Three possible versions of the Exclusionary Rule for the year 2000 are presented: (1) "good faith" will apply to all police conduct; (2) only intentional conduct or deliberate indifference will result in suppression; (3) or due process will re-emerge as the constitutional basis for suppression.
Project Green Hope, a Halfway House for Women Offenders: Where Do They Go From Here?
Authors: Calathes William
Published: March 2007

This article provides a detailed description of Project Green Hope: Services for Women, Inc., a halfway house for women offenders and the only residential facility in New York City which serves both parolees and women referred by the courts. It also analyzes the effectiveness of ProjectGreen Hope by reporting on a non-experimental study involving women placed in the program by the courts as an alternative to incarceration over an approximately 2 1/2 year period.
Exporting RICO To Eastern Europe: Prudent or Irresponsible?
Authors: Martens Frederick T. , Roosa Steven B.
Published: March 2007

Can wemake judgements today about the Mechanism of Power and the technology of the most important decision-making without recognizing that favorable conditions for corruption not only have not vanished but have increased many fold? Hundreds of billions of rubles and billions of dollars are circulating now in the criminal world in the states of the former USSR. Furthermore, it is known that half of all profits made in the criminal sphere are spent bribing officials at all levels, including those of law enforcement agencies. On whom, then, do political decisions depend in the final analysis? How are they determining our future. Lev Timofeyev (1992: 9).
Development of a Shape Memory Material Actuator for Adaptive Truss Applications
Authors: Maclean B.J. , Draper J.L. , Misra M.S.
Published: March 2007

A shape memory material actuator is being developed to provide active vibration and shape control for large, adaptive space structures. Shape memory alloys have the ability to generate high recovery stresses (>700 MPa) over large strains (> 6 % ), providing potential payoffs for their use in lightweight actuator designs and adaptive com posite structures. However, the utility of these alloys has been limited in past programs due to lack of adequate material characterization studies to optimize mechanism or composite performance, lack of material property stability during transformational cycling, and the dependence on heat transfer rates for rapid cycling capability. In this study, Cory and McNichols' theory of nonequilibrium thermostatics (NET) was applied to quantify and correlate shape memory material behavior for a binary NiTi alloy. NET was then em ployed as a design tool to develop an actuator, utilizing 24 0.5 mm dia. wires (280 mm long) acting against a biasing spring (with stiffness of 305 N/mm), with nominal opera tional stroke of ± 3 mm and force of ± 1000 N. NET state equation parameters were mea sured after stabilizing the NiTi wire pack properties using isothermal transformational cy cling. Isotonic testing in an oilbath was then used to correlate actuator performance with the NET predictions over the design range of force, length, and temperature. Finally, elec trical resistance heating was employed using closed-loop feedback control to assess actua tor response time and mechanical performance in both ambient and vacuum environments. The design methodology employed in this program should provide a viable approach for optimizing the performance of a shape memory actuator specific to its application.
Application of Adaptive Structure Concepts to Construction of Space Systems in Orbit: Concepts and Formulation
Authors: Natori M.C. , Park K.C. , Chiou J.-C. , Namba Haruyuki
Published: March 2007

Application of adaptive structures concept to construction of large space structure systems in orbit is studied. Adaptive structure elements for space construction are introduced, and they provide necessary shape change functions for parts of a total structure. The formulation for dynamics of structures including these elements by using a modular multibody analysis is introduced.
Properties of Zeolite- and Cornstarch-Based Electrorheological Fluids at High Shear Strain Rates
Authors: Kollias A. , Dimarogonas A.D.
Published: March 2007

The mechanical and electrical properties of zeolite- and cornstarch-based ER fluids are explored using a concentric cylinder viscometer. With cylinder radius to gap size ratio on the order of 400, we achieved shear strain rates ranging from 3000 to 20,000 sec-1. Two different volume fractions of zeolite and cornstarch suspensions in silicone oil were tested at a constant temperature of 30°C. The shear stresses and electric resistivity of the fluids were computed from experimental measurements as functions of shear strain rate.

Although the cornstarch ER fluids indicated anomalous behavior, the zeolite ER fluids were found to be more stable under high shear strain rates and electric fields and were characterized by a Bingham viscoplastic model-like behavior. Dynamic yield stress was increased in proportion to a power of the electric field. The higher the volume fraction of dispersions, the higher the yield stress. Plastic viscosity, as defined by the Bingham model, remained unchanged with the variation of elec tric field for a fixed volume fraction.

This work was motivated by the need for applications to rotor-bearing control, where for usual bearings, the shear rate is much higher than the maxima of most of the published experimental results. Moreover, for high shear rates, the validity of the Bingham model was questioned by many authors without specific experimental justification, which is attempted here for two different kinds of dispersed particles.
Reduction of Tip Vibration of a 2-D Flexible Manipulator
Authors: Pal Chinmoy , Ohtsubo Hideomi
Published: March 2007

This article deals with the mathematical modeling by finite element analysis and ex perimental verification of a 2-D single link flexible manipulator with rotational and translational degrees of freedom. Dynamic response, calculated by numerical analysis and verified by expen ments, revealed that the rotational torque at the hub and the vibration of the tip to which the payload is attached can be reduced significantly by the translational movement of the arm. This is a result of better distribution of the moment of inertia of the whole system while carrying a payload from the starting point to the destination point.
Static Behavior of Piezoelectric Laminates with Distributed and Patched Actuators
Authors: Brooks Stephen , Heyliger Paul
Published: March 2007

Distributions of displacement, stress, electro-static potential and electric displace ment are presented from an exact solution for piezoelectric composite laminates in cylindrical bend ing. Examples establishing the static behavior of a laminate under distributed and patched mechanical and electrical loadings are considered for several parametric cases. These results pro vide initial indications of the basic response and parametric behavior of laminates composed com pletely or in part of embedded piezoelectric layers.
Further Studies of the Dynamic Response of a Simply Supported Beam Excited by a Pair of Out-of-Phase Piezoelectric Actuators
Authors: Rivory Jerome F. , Hansen Colin H. , Jie Pan
Published: March 2007

The response of a simply supported beam excited by a pair of out-of-phase piezoelec tric actuators perfectly bonded to the beam surface, is modelled analytically and measured ex perimentally. The analytical model follows the approach of Pan et al. (1992) and corrects errors in that work. Other analytical models are reviewed and it is shown that two equivalent force transfer mechanisms, either two counteracting uniform surface strain distributions or two counteracting uni form moment distributions, can be used in the models to describe the beam response at resonance, for in this condition, the free edge condition of the piezoelectric actuator does not affect the strain field. The analysis shows that this current model agrees with other modelling approaches, but ex periments show that away from resonance, significant differences in the beam response are found due to the influence of the free edge condition of the piezoelectric actuator. However, none of the previously published papers nor the model discussed in this paper account for the force transfer mechanism due to the free edge of the piezoelectric actuator. The modelling technique postulated in this paper however will readily lend itself to be used when a more accurate extensional strain model is available.
Smart Ceramics for Broadband Vibration Control
Authors: Kumar S. , Bhalla A.S. , Cross L.E.
Published: March 2007

The broadband control of compliance coefficient S33 of a hard ceramic has direct applications in active vibration control. A collocated smart system consisting of ceramic sensor, actuator and a feedback amplifier is developed with 3.5 kHz bandwidth of compliance control without using filter in the feedback circuit. It is found that modified lead titanate with very low planar coupling coefficient kp is most suited as a sensor material for this type of system. The require ments of the feedback amplifier for such a system are discussed and an amplifier design presented. The bandwidth of compliance control is experimentally determined by bench tests using a B and K shaker.
Collective Task Responsibility Allocation
Authors: Rantilla Adrian K.
Published: March 2007

This article explores differences in individual- and group-level allocation of responsibility for task performance following positive and negative performance feedback. In two studies, 330 participants completed and received veridical feedback for a verbal performance task. A group identity measure showed higher levels of group identification in groups with face-to-face interaction compared with those that did not interact. On several measures, both individual-and group-level responses exhibited the classic self- or group-serving response pattern (higher internal attributions for success than for failure). Empirical evidence documents and further refines understanding of a group-serving response pattern in several types of actual collectives.
Implicit Contracts Regulating Small Group Leadership
Authors: Zamarripa Perrin Orr , Krueger Dorothy Lenk
Published: March 2007

This study of mono- and intercultural decision-making groups ascertains the kind of leadership rule structure apparent in each group type before and after group interaction. Further, a stochastic analysis of decision making is conducted to illuminate some of the differences between group types in leader communication over time. Each monocultural group presented an internally consistent set of leadership rules prior to group interaction; however, each intercultural group initially presented internally varied rules. Fewer message types and interact patterns are used in the intercultural than in the monocultural groups. Intercultural groups also use more evaluative responses and fewer reciprocal communication behaviors.
The Contextual Organization Model for Processing and Evaluating (Compe)
Authors: Handfinger Robert
Published: March 2007

Searching for a model to investigate, understand, process, and evaluate human experience has been a pervasive quest throughout history. The author proposes a five-stage processing model, the Contextual Organization Model for Processing and Evaluating (COMPE), based on an analysis of stage theories in group development. This five-stage model is actually a 5 X 5 X 5 - ∞ paradigm, and the contextual concerns of Introduction, Purpose, Interpersonal Consideration, Experience, and Perspective are paralleled by the contextual questions of What?, Why?, Who?, When?, How?, and Where?, which have been intuitively used in a wide range of settings. The intersection of these stages and phases provides contextual solutions in the form of a matrix composed to 25 sections. The five potentially "universal" stages have been shown to have an analogous relationship to the stages of theories in many fields of psychology including the theories of Piaget, Kohlberg, Freud, Erikson, Maslow, Jung, Aristotle, Guilford, Kubler-Ross, Thorndike, and Festinger.
Determinants of Punitive Responses To Socially Proscribed Behavior
Authors: Gouran Dennis S. , Andrews Patricia Hayes
Published: March 2007

This study investigates the severity of the sanctions group members recommend in judging socially proscribed acts in terms of the seriousness of the act, attribution of responsibility, and the status of the offender. The data were not totally consistent with the hypothesized relationships. As anticipated, moderately serious acts were sanc tioned less severely than those judged to be seriously deviant. Moreover, the greater the attribution of personal responsibility for the acts, the more severe the sanctions. Status, however, failed to reveal a mediating influence in the judgmental process under investigation. This appears to be the result of a loss ofstatus suffered by the high-status offender.
Developmental Aspects of Nonverbal Behavior in Small Group Settings
Authors: Mabry Edward A.
Published: March 2007

Observational data on nonverbal behaviors in small groups are analyzed to assess whether such behaviors significantly change within or across group meetings Results show that kinesic limb movements (arm placements on the lap with palms up or palms down), posture (sitting upright or leaning back), eye shifts toward or away from direct eye contact, and body orientation (angle) relative to another interactant significantly changed across five group sessions. Discussion focuses on relating results of nonverbal behavioral changes to patterns reported for distributions of verbal interaction behavior.
Group Versus Individual Problem Solving and Type of Problem Solved
Authors: Smith Herm W.
Published: March 2007

This article summarizes over 10 years of research on the effects of disjunctive versus conjunctive and multistage versus single-stage problem solving in a classroom setting. By a comparison of real classroom work triads with nominal groups, it is shown that the real triads perform at the level of four-member nominal groups on conjunctive tasks but are not superior on disjunctive tasks. Group participation has a demonstrable effect on individuals: persons working in groups are less likely to drop out of class and tend to give higher subjective ratings of motivation to learn the materials, to perform better on independent tests of classroom material, to know more classmates at the end of the course, and to score higher on the Raven's Progressive Matrices Test than students who do not work in groups.
To Delinquency and Back
Authors: Hazani Moshe
Published: March 2007

This article describes and analyzes the movement from cotiventional to delinquent behavior of very young boys, which was followed by their movement from delitnquent to conventional behavior. Forty-eight boys livitng in a Jerusalem slum were longitudinally followed for three years. The article describes how boys from highly problematic families, with delinquent older brothers, were attracted to delinquent gatherings atnd subsequently indulged in delinqueticy. After a local rabbi created a group devoted to Jewish religious studies, however, about hialf of them quit the delinquent gatherings, joined the rabbi s group, and ceased delinquent behavior. The boys 'movement to deliniquency is explained in terms of an integration of the control theory and the differential-association theory of delitiquency, and so is their movement back to conventionial behavior. Boys from non-highly problematic families were foutid to exhibit different patterns of behavior, which are explained withlin the same theoretical framework The practical implicatiotns of the rabbi s treatment of delinquency are discussed.
Evaluating Individual Group Member Satisfaction as a Situational Variable
Authors: Keyton Joann
Published: March 2007

Group member satisfaction has a long history in the study of group process. Conceptual and methodological problems have hampered the continued development of this construct. This article examines satisfaction of individual members in task groups and provides an alternative conceptualization and methodology for the construct. Grounded data illustrate the need to conceptualize satisfaction and dissatisfaction as separate constructs, not just polar opposites. Both of these then need to be examined as to their universal and situational impact on group process.
A Convergent Validity Model of Emergent Leadership in Groups
Authors: Anderson Steven D. , Wanberg Kenneth W.
Published: March 2007

The study involved the use of two different methods of measuring emergent leadership: self-reference and other reference. The use of both self-perceived and other-perceived leadership measures introduced a convergent validation model into the research design. Results indicated that the two measures are significantly related and have similar construct validities. When using both self-report and other-report data, the correlates and patterns of prediction hold up for both types of data. It can be concluded that the predictors of emergent leadership are similar under a variety of leadership measurement strategies. However, the criterion measures, self-perceived leadership and other-perceived leadership, may represent variations of emergent leadership, and both may be needed to understand more fully the leadership emergence phenomenon.
Effects of Gender and Communication Content on Leadership Emergence in Small Task-Oriented Groups
Authors: Hawkins Katherine W.
Published: March 2007

This investigation examined the role played by gender and communication content in the leadership emergence process in small, task-oriented groups. Six hours of transcribed group interaction from a sample of the group deliberations of six mixed-sex groups engaged in a 4-month long decision-making project served as the database for the analysis. A simple regression analysis identified task-relevant communication as being the sole significant predictor of emerged leadership. Production of task-relevant communication explained more than 48% of the variance in emerged leadership. Subsequent analysis revealed that no significant gender differences existed in the production of task-relevant communication. Implications of these findings for the study of gender, communication, and leadership are presented.
Placement of Authority and Communication Patterns in Workplace Groups
Authors: Carletta Jean , Garrod Simon , Fraser-Krauss Heidi
Published: March 2007

Group discussion is typically made up of a series ofpairwise conversations. Using a corpus of workplace meetings in which decision-making authority is placed either in one individual or in the group as a whole, we demonstrate that both kinds of discussions are dominated by such conversations. However, in the groups with one authoritative individual, the same pairings recur, some people say more than others, and the authoritative individual dominates and controls the discussion, no matter how many people are present. In the groups that hold authority jointly, participation is more equal and more pairings are represented, but these properties degrade as discussion size increases. Current management theory about teams suggests that groups that have joint authority make better and more innovative decisions but that teams should be kept small. The theory of output/input coordination links these suggestions with the communication pattern differences observed.
Reflexivity, Effectiveness, and Mental Health in BBC-TV Production Teams
Authors: Carter Susan M. , West Michael A.
Published: March 2007

The performance of 19 BBC-TVproduction teams was examined over an 18-month period, using audience appreciation ratings and managers' assessments of performance. Alternative models were tested to account for variations in team effectiveness and team member mental health. Reflexivity-the extent to which the team reflects on and modifies itsfunctioning-bestpredicted team effectiveness, whereas climatefor innovation predicted team member mental health. Larger teams (over 10 members) tended to have poorer climatesfor innovation and poorer team member mental health.
Computer Environment for Interventional Neuroradiology Procedures
Authors: Li Zirui , Chui Chee-Kong , Anderson James H. , Chen Xuesong , Ma Xin , Hua Wei , Peng Qunsheng , Cai Yiyu , Wang Yaoping , Nowinski Wieslaw L.
Published: March 2007

This article addresses the design and development of a computer-based medical simulation system (NeuroCath) for training and patient-specific planning of interventional neuroradiology procedures. NeuroCath includes three main components: vascular extraction and modeling, instrument navigational simulations, and realistic human-computer interfaces. As the basis of the simulation, the vascular model is constructed from images obtained from different modalities such as X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, and computerized tomography data. The model takes into account topological, geometrical, and physical properties of the patient’s vasculature. A finite element method–based physical model is constructed to simulate the behavior of interventional radiological instruments and devices within vessels during the interventional radiology processes. Realistic human-computer interfaces are provided in accordance with the actual interventional radiology environment. These interfaces include the video monitors displaying the simulated X-ray images and the haptic apparatus providing physicians with realistic tactile feedback encountered in the catheterization procedures.
The Emerging Field of Simulation & Gaming: Meanings of a Retrospect
Authors: Klabbers Jan H. G.
Published: March 2007

The author presents a framework for addressing the state of the art and science in the field of gaming and simulation and an overview of topics covered by the articles that fit into this scheme. Many empty cells still have to be addressed. Such a synthetic perspective on inquiry allows the gaming and simulation community to accumulate understanding on the field by looking for commonalities. Differences between a disciplinary and transdisciplinary revieware explored from the viewpoint of knowledge development in the social field of power. In that respect, designers and facilitators of games and simulations have to cope with putting their institutions at risk, as the form of knowledge generated through gaming and simulation (i.e., their social capital) may not count as recognizable currency. The articles give ample evidence of the related obstacles in research, teaching, and practice. Nevertheless, the articles show what has been accomplished and which major puzzles gamers still need to address to improve professional practice in research and education, in management and governance.
Me—The Slow Learner
Authors: Thatcher Donald C. , Robinson M. June
Published: March 2007

The article begins with a brief consideration of the origins of ME-THE SLOW LEARNER, the nature of learning, and the process of debriefing. The experience of the simulation since it was originally designed is then explored. This includes a participant observer report. The SAGSET '87 session is then considered, based on debriefing some of the main points which frequently arise during the debriefing of the simulation. This includes some consideration of the ethics of using non-role-play simulations. A brief description of two sessions in the Netherlands is followed by the conclusion which concentrates on the role of emotion in the promotion or inhibition of learning, and on the complex nature of the learning cycle in simulations of this kind
On the Propriety of Forecasting Accuracy as a Measure of Team Management Ability: A Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Wolfe Joseph
Published: March 2007

It has been suggested that a management team's forecasting ability serves as the major evaluation standard in business games. This suggestion is explored through an examination of the field's empirical research and a laboratory exploration. Little support was found for the use of the criterion as suggested. Forecasting accuracy increased over time but, for the poorer performing companies, good management was not unequivocally associated with accurate forecasts, and low forecast errors were not systematically associated with high profits.
Thirty-Something Years of International Business Simulations
Authors: Thorelli Hans B.
Published: March 2007

Informal leader of the teams which developed the INTOP and INTOPIA simulations, the author provides a rhapsody of gaming experiences since 1958.
Recollections on 25 Years of Simulation/Gaming
Authors: Wolfe Joseph
Published: March 2007

First exposures to business games are recalled Research on the teaching effectiveness of games began early in the authors career. These studies have often disturbed both those inside and outside the business gaming movement. Great advances have been made in the technology available to support computer-based simulations, but the basic structure and models employed in business gaming have remained fundamentally the same. Although games and experiential learning are mature teaching technologies in North America, many exciting opportunities exist for their application in the world's post-Communist countries and Third World nations.
Modeling and Simulating Organizational Coordination
Authors: de Vreede Gert-Jan , van Eijck Daniel T.T.
Published: March 2007

Coordination is a key issue in the design of organizational structures and processes. In this article, the authors propose a body of concepts that support the modeling and computer simulation of organizational processes and organizational coordination. Based on these concepts, three aspect models are described that each highlight different (coordination) aspects and facilitate a multiperspective analysis of an organization's processes and their coordination: the interaction model, the process model, and the actor model. A case study is used to illustrate these concepts and aspect models. Furthermore, a way of transforming the concepts into a computer simulation is formulated. Experiences show the potential applicability of the modeling concepts. Finally, directions for further research are indicated.
Motivating Students to Engage in Experiential Learning: A Tension-To-Learn Theory
Authors: Burns Alvin C. , Gentry James W.
Published: March 2007

The authors describe a tension-to-learn theory of experiential learning and incorporate a motivation construct that is needed to overcome student inertia, which may restrict participation. The theory is based largely on Loewenstein's manageable gap perspective of curiosity as well as on the role that absorptive capacity plays in providing the learner's knowledge base. The theory posits that if a learner perceives a manageable gap between the base and the target learning and if the target learning is relevant to the learner's value system, strong internal tension-to-learn will result. At the same time, learning must be legitimized, and internal learning-based legitimization mechanisms are more powerful validation processes than are external performance-based ones. The authors note that some experiential learning situations can deter tension-to-learn because learners may perceive mastery of the exercise's operation as unmanageable.
The Development of an Instrument to Measure the Restrictiveness of Children's Living Environments
Authors: Thomlison Barbara , Krysik Judy
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to establish content validity and reliability in assessing the restrictiveness of children's living environments and to develop an instrument that has practical utility to measure restrictiveness. The primary method employed in the study was an expert panel approach. An initial 12-person expert panel was identified to generate a description of the concept of restrictiveness and a list of possible living environment circumstances. A subsequent 64-member expert panel independently rated the restrictiveness of each living environment situation on a 7-point category partition scale ranging from not very restrictive to very restrictive. The expert panels consisted of interdisciplinary professionals engaged in placement planning and decision making regarding children's places of living. Test-retest reliabilities and coefficient alpha indicated the existence of a reliable and consistent assessment of restrictiveness. The process resulted in a valid, reliable, and brief instrument for rating the restrictiveness of 34 children's living environments.
Review Article : Strategies to Compete for Federal Grant Funding for Research on Social Work Practice
Authors: Leukefeld Carl G. , Ries Joanne B.
Published: March 2007

This article presents several approaches and strategies that a school or college of social work might use in preparing competitive research grant applications. Emphasis is placed on enhanc ing research grant possibilitiesfor new social work faculty members. Specific strategies include multidisciplinary collaboration, creating a faculty research development initiative, providing faculty incentives, and creating a school research plan. In addition, recommendations for preparing a research application are presented. Thinking and knowledge are stressed as overriding ingredients for developing a grant application. A two-page written study outline is suggested as an approach for sharpening conceptual thinking as well as providing an opportunity to receive systematic feedback.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Social Skills Program for Preadolescents
Authors: Hepler Juanita B.
Published: March 2007

Peer relations play a major role in the social development of children and youth. Social workers are well aware of the potential negative consequences for children who are socially excluded, and they frequently work with these children concerning issues of truancy, academic performance, delinquency, and substance abuse. This article discusses the outcome of a social skills program designed to improve the social interactions offifth-grade children. Results indicated that the treatment group made significant gains on sociometric, observational, and self-perception measures. The importance of using school social workers and staff and integrating social skills programs into elementary school curricula is also discussed.
Training Public Assistance Workers in Policy and Interpersonal Helping Skills
Authors: Lindsey Elizabeth W. , Kropf Nancy P. , Carse-McLocklin Susan
Published: March 2007

Although social work has traditionally been concerned with economically disadvantaged populations, separation of income maintenance and public social services functions in the 1970s resulted in a decrease in social work influence and involvement in public assistance programs. In an effort to incorporate certain social work principles and practices into the public assistance function, a school of social work and a state agency collaborated to develop a program to train Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) and food stamp eligibility workers in policy and casework skills. The purpose of this article is to present findings of the evaluation of this innovative program. In addition to assessing the efficacy of training, this study also surveyed caseworkers' and supervcsors' attitudes about the use of certain interpersonal skills within the context of the eligibility determination interview. Data on the extent of policy learning and information on trainees' final course grades was also collected. Results indicate that the programs are effective in teaching both policy and casework skills. Caseworkers and supervisors have positive attitudes about the relevance of casework skills for the public assistance interview. Barriers to the use of casework skills are discussed, along with implications of the findings for future research and training programs.
The Short-Term Effects of Relocation on Continuing-Care Clients with a Psychiatric Disability
Authors: Cooper Brian K. , Pearce Ariel A.
Published: March 2007

This article reports on the short-term effects of relocation on a sample of predominantly aged continuing-care clients with a psychiatric disability. Clients were relocated from a large psychogeriatric hospital to community-based nursing homes and supported residential services (SRS). Clients relocated to SRS facilities significantly increased their emotional well-being and sociability. They also reported being happier in the community. In contrast, the clients relocated to nursing homes were more dependent and showed no improvement over time. There was no evidence of significant deterioration following relocation to nursing home or SRS facilities. Although the sample size was small, these preliminary findings suggest that relocation was not harmful, at least in the short term, to this group. Implications for social work research and practice are discussed.
The Hospital Social Work Self-Efficacy Scale: Initial Development
Authors: Holden Gary , Cuzzi Lawrence , Rutter Steve , Rosenberg Gary , Chernack Peter
Published: March 2007

The Hospital Social Work Self-Efficacy Scale (based on Bandura's social cognitive theory) was designed as an outcome measure of social workers'confidence regarding their ability to perform specific hospital social work tasks. The scale was developed during an evaluation of two types of social work field expenence (full-year placements vs. three sequential placements). Data supporting the reliability and validity of the scale are presented. Given continued support of its reliability and validity, the scale may have a variety of uses in studies of hospital social work. In addition, similar assessments of self-efficacy as an outcome may have utility in other fields of practice.
Research and Research Training in Social Work: Climate, Connections, and Competencies
Authors: Proctor Enola K.
Published: March 2007

This article focuses on factors proposed as necessary to move social work toward the development of more and better research. These factors include, first, research-supportive climates in schools of social work: Schools of social work need to ensure that the conduct of research is valued, time for its conduct is protected, and individual and organizational resources undergird it. Second, social work researchers require stronger connections to researchers in other disciplines, to practice settings, and to potential funders of research. Third, new levels of competence are required if social work researchers are to address increasingly complex social and interpersonal problems. Social work investigators must be well trained to use existing methods and to develop new methodologies. Implications are discussed for social work education.
Context as a Source of Meaning and Understanding
Authors: Hinds Pamela S. , Chaves Doris E. , Cypess Sandra M.
Published: March 2007

The intent of health professions is to understand humans, their health, and other related phenomena and to use this understanding to promote meaningful life experiences. The ability to do this depends on knowledge of the multiple contexts in which these phenomena exist. The purposeful use of context is a central feature of thorough research and clinical assessments, and it allows for meaning to be shared and phenomena to be understood. This article offers a conceptual perspective on context, including a delineation of four nested contextual layers. Individual layers and combined layers of context have direct implications for research and practice.
The Condom in the Age of AIDS: Newly Respectable or Still a Dirty Word? A Discourse Analysis
Authors: Lupton Deborah
Published: March 2007

The condom has been the subject of much publicity over the past five years because of its role in preventing the spread of HIV: However, despite the attempts of health promoters and condom manufacturers to make condoms respectable, they still seem to suffer from stigmatization. This article discusses the representation of condoms in the Australian press. A discourse analysis approach is used to identify the prominent topics, the manifest and latent themes, and the rhetorical devices used in press accounts to portray condoms in the age of AIDS. The results provide some explanation for the continued lack of popularity of condoms by demonstrating the deep cultural anxieties and negative meanings that still surround them. Until these are challenged, it is unlikely that the general population will adopt the use of condoms to protect against the spread of AIDS.
The Career of a Medical Discovery
Authors: Batchelor Claire , Parsons Evelyn , Atkinson Paul
Published: March 2007

Myotonic Dystrophy is the most common form of adult muscular dystrophy and is characterized by muscle wasting and weakness. In 1991, the disease gene was cloned and sequenced by scientists in Cardiff, London, and else-where overseas. Whereas most studies of scientific breakthrough stop at the point of the "discovery," this article describes research that explored scientists' accounts of the career of that breakthrough, tracing the research within the specialty of molecular biology and the translation of the research into the service setting. Three main analytic themes are explored: the predictability of the discovery and its mediation by issues of skill and serendipity; the dialectical nature of competition and collaboration; and the career dynamics of the research group and the scientists who composed that group.
Some New Dying Trick: African American Youths "Choosing" HIV/AIDS
Authors: Tourigny Sylvie C.
Published: March 2007

The haunting voices of six African American young people family members of socioeconomically marginalized persons with HIV/AIDS, dominate this vulnerable ethnography. Initially enrolled as auxiliary respondents in a longitudinal research project centered on HIV/AIDS in inner-city Detroit, they joined family members as primary respondents when they seroconverted after deliberately seeking HIV exposure. Analysis integrates these behaviors with the growing feelings of futility and hopelessness born of the erosive despair of inner-city life that turns such phenomena as violence, gang membership, and crime inward, in a self-destructive pattern of symbolic violence that is likely to extract severe social consequences. Each youth tells his or her story from within the context of marginalization, insensitive social policies, and demanding caretaking responsibilities.
The Dialectic of Health and Suffering: An Ontological Perspective on Young People's Health
Authors: Lindholm Lisbet , Eriksson Katie
Published: March 2007

This study's aim is to understand the health of young people (ages 13 to 19) from an ontological perspective. The authors take an abductive research approach to understand the experience of health. Fifteen interviews are analyzed and interpreted by a hermneneutic method. From the viewpoint of the young, health is a process of becoming, which can be identified as a dialectic alternation between opposites: the experiences of having and not having something valuable, of being and not being somebody, and of becoming and not becoming an integral human being. Health as a dialectic alternation presupposes awareness, freedom, and different forms of strengths. Awareness of suffering gives depth to health. In the ontological sense, health and suffering reflect the dialectic between good and evil and between life and death.
Interacting Successfully in Corporate Culture
Authors: Southard Sherry G.
Published: March 2007

To assume their roles in corporate culture, business- and technical- communication students must understand the spoken and unspoken dis courses of corporate protocol and be aware of the intricacies of these discourses. Students must be knowledgeable about the correct corporate proto col for verbal as well as for nonverbal communication. Teachers can incorpo rate exercises into business- and technical-communication courses to increase students' awareness of and competence in navigating institutional politics. Learning how to interact successfully will enable students as new employees not only to survive institutional politics but to advance in their professions.
Who Owns My Work?
Authors: HERRINGTON TYANNA K.
Published: March 2007

The work for hire doctrine in intellectual property law is important to academics in rhetoric and technical communication. In this article, the author explains the doctrine and the way in which it works, explicates related case law, and suggests treatment of work for hire by instructors and administrators in rhetoric and technical communication.