bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Optical Fiber Sensor for Measurement of Dynamic Structural Response
Authors: Feng Maria Q.
Published: March 2007

This paper reports the development of and an experimental study on an optical fiber sensor for monitoring civil infrastructure systems. This optical sensor employs a vibrating wire whose tension can be modulated by external force, strain, or vibration and transformed into the change of frequency of wire vibration. The frequency of wire is detected by light sent to and reflected from the wire through an optical fiber cable. Compared to other optical fiber sensors developed so far, the proposed sensor has two significant advantages: one is that the sensing head is a vibrating wire (rather than an optical fiber), which can sense a specific physical quantity without being inter fered by miscellaneous effects; the other is that the wire vibration is a well understood and reliable physical phenomenon and its frequency is optically measured and transmitted without attenuation or distortion through the optical fiber to recording and other devices. These advantages make the sensor extremely simple, reliable and robust, and hence more readily deployable in civil infrastructure ap plications. Three prototypes have been developed and their static and dynamic characteristics have been experimentally tested. One of the prototypes was embedded into a concrete specimen to measure its strain and the result agrees with that from a conventional strain gauge. The experimental study with prototypes demonstrates the high performance of the developed optical sensor in terms of accuracy, high frequency range, and other characteristics.
The Measurement of Cohesion in Work Teams
Authors: Carless Sally A. , De Paola Caroline
Published: March 2007

This study examined a work-adapted version of the Group Environment Questionnaire. The sample consisted of 120 employees of an Australian public sector organization who worked in teams. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine four alternate models. None of the models examined fit the data, thus the scale was revised. Subscales of the work-group characteristics scale were used to demonstrate the construct validity of the revised scale; regional managers’ratings of work-group performance were used to examine the criterion-related validity. The findings showed that task cohesion compared to social cohesion and individual attraction to the group was the strongest correlate of all the variables examined.
Creative Problem Solving
Authors: Hare A. Paul , Naveh David
Published: March 2007

Examples of creative problem solving are drawn from the negotiations by delega tions from Egypt, Israel, and the United States at Camp David in 1978. Bales's "Field Diagrams" are used to show the relationships of the participants, in an example of social-emotional creativity, and of the images, in an example of task creativity, in a three dimensional social-psychological space (forward-backward, positive-negative, and upward-downward). The five levels of creativity identified by Taylor are used to rate decisions, ranging from those at the lowest level that bypass the issues to those at the highest level that introduce a new definition of the situation.
Religious Conversion and Social Evolution Clarified
Authors: Bakken Timothy
Published: March 2007

In the context of current social trends and the development of "cults, " it is noted that cult formation involves escape from temporal existence, rather than mastery over it, and that conversion to alternative religious groups may be traced to psychosocial, rather than doctrinal influences.
The Group Attitude Scale
Authors: Evans Nancy J. , Jarvis Paul A.
Published: March 2007

This article reports the development of an instrument to measure attraction to group and discusses several studies designed to assess its reliability and validity. The Group Attitude Scale is a 20-item self-report measure constructed following an extensive survey of the literature in the area of attraction to group. Final selection of items was based on data obtained from 178 members in 26 groups. In three studies, coefficient alpha has ranged from .90 to .97 at various points in the life of the participating groups. GAS scores are significantly related to interpersonal attraction among group members, group attendance, and termination anxiety. Scores on the GAS also correlate significantly with process consultants' assessments of members' levels ofattraction to group and to scores on the cohesion subscale of the Group Environment Scale (Moos et al., 1974). Implications for research and practice are discussed.
The Dynamic of the Group Shadow in Intergroup Relations
Authors: Gemmill Gary
Published: March 2007

The proposition that members of a group unconsciously displace the shadow of the group onto other groups to reduce feelings of internal conflict and threat within the group is examined. The discussion focuses on describing characteristics of the group shadow, as well as its psychodynamic function within and between groups. Research- able propositions derivable from the dynamics of the group shadow are presented.
Sex Differences in the Relationship Between Self-Monitoring and Leader Behavior
Authors: Anderson Lynn R. , McLenigan Margaret
Published: March 2007

A laboratory study and afield survey found that Snyder's Self-Monitoring Test was significantly correlated with task-oriented leadership behavior (including Fiedler's Least Preferred Coworker Scale) only for female group leaders. There were no significant correlations between self-monitoring and social-emotional behavior of either male or female group leaders in either study. It was suggested that self- monitoring ability should enhance the enactment of nontraditional roles as in the case of women in leadership roles. Implications for self-monitoring and leadership training in groups are discussed.
Testing A Personal Construct Theory Model Of The Experimential Learning Process
Authors: Beck John E.
Published: March 2007

The work reported in this article is part of a larger research project to test the validity of a personal construct theory model of learning from experience in sensitivity training groups (Beck, 1980a, 1980b). This article is concerned with the defensive responses that participants make to the invalidation of the constructs that they apply to themselves, the training situation, and their relationships with other participants. Two major dimensions of defensiveness are outlined: hostility and constriction. Hypotheses about the relationship between these defensive processes and measures of participants' construct system structures and other variables are presented and tested.
Theory and Practice
Authors: Di Salvo Vincent S. , Nikkel Evelyn , Monroe Craig
Published: March 2007

The literature regarding small group behavior poses an interesting anomaly. On the one hand, the professional literature emphasizes the contribution of small group participation to organizational effectiveness. On the other, there is disquieting evidence of dissatisfaction among organizational members regarding their experiences in groups. This study examines the nature of this implicit disparity, suggests sources of group members' dissatisfaction, and discusses theoretical and practical implications for students of small group behavior.
Implications of Feedback Research for Group Facilitation and the Design of Experiential Learning
Authors: Wing Kennard T.
Published: March 2007

Despite extensive research on feedback and almost complete agreement on its power to effect learning, there is little theoretical understanding of the concept. Its ultrabroad definition and difficulties operationalizing both its causal mechanisms and the learning it supposedly effects have hampered understanding. The particular language used favors certain explanations and lines of research over others. Implications for group facilitation and the design of experiential learning programs are discussed.
Collaborative Production of Proposals in Group Decision Making
Authors: Sabourin Teresa Chandler , Geist Patricia
Published: March 2007

This study suggests that argument as a language game in group interaction can be analyzed, using a discourse-analytic approach, to inform small group scholars about the relationship between influence and decision outcomes. To accomplish its purpose, the study analyzes a decision-making episode in an organizational group and focuses upon one specific speech act, the proposal. As a speech act, the proposal is central to the decision-making quality of the group in that it entails the structural expansion necessary for consensus-seeking discussion. The article shows how the development of the proposal in group interaction can satisfy the requirements for effective group decisions as outlined by Hirokawa (1988).
Activism through Self-Help Group Membership
Authors: Chesney Barbara K. , Chesler Mark A.
Published: March 2007

This article explores some of the dynamics of a special andfast-growingform of small group phenomenon-the self-help group. Specifically, the article analyzes the role of self-help group membership as a majorfacilitator of activismforparents of children with cancer Few studies of self-help groups have compared members with nonmembers, let alone related membership to reported life change. Using datafrom 93 parents of children with cancer, this article assesses the relationships between parents' demographics, coping styles, self-help group membership status, and reports ofpositive changes in parents'activism-their active involvement in improving the medical system caring for their children. Findings indicate that although individual parents' active coping styles are linked to increased activism, self-help group membership clearly plays the most important role in explaining the variance in this aspect ofparents ' life change. In contrast to much of the existing literature, discussion and implications focus not only on the individual activism that may be related to self-help group membership but also on the potentialforsocial activism or collective effort that groups can enhance.
Membership Matters
Authors: Arrow Holly , Mcgrath Joseph E.
Published: March 2007

A framework for integrating diverse aspects of membership dynamics is outlined, and 10 propositions about membership change and its impact on group structure, process, and performance are presented. Data from a longitudinal study of 22 small (3-to 5-person) groups are used to test some of the propositions. Groups that had an experimentally imposed temporary member (a "guest") and groups with spontaneous membership changes, such as absences, performed better on a task requiring reflection about the group's internal processes than did groups with a stable membership. No such effect wasfoundfor performance on other types of tasks. Some evidence was found for higher cohesiveness among groups with changing attendance compared to groups with greaterweek-to-weekstability. However, groups with a history of member change felt less positive about their groups when a guest replaced a regular member than did more stable groups. Groups with guests reported spending more time on task and less time dealing with conflict than did groups with no guests. Similar effects werefoundfor groups meetingface-to-face and via computers. Implications for work groups and other types of small groups are discussed
Relative Group Size and Cognitive Representations of Ingroup and Outgroup
Authors: Mullen Brian , Johnson Craig , Anthony Tara
Published: March 2007

Two studies examined cognitive representations of ingroups and outgroups of varying relative group size. These cognitive representations were examined in the context of the category verification paradigm, wherein subjects have to decide the category membership for prototypic and nonprototypic exemplars of (ingroup and outgroup) social categories. The results of both studies confirm the prediction that the smaller group is subject to greater prototype cognitive representation, whereas the larger group is subject to greater exemplar cognitive representation. Discussion considers the implications of these results for some paradoxes of intergroup behavior, andfor stereotyping in general.
Analysis of Variance Versus Bootstrap Procedures for Analyzing Dependent Observations in Small Group Research
Authors: Burlingame Gary M. , Kircher John C. , Honts Charles R.
Published: March 2007

Small group investigators have been plagued by the problem of observational dependency. This problem exists when data collectedfrom members of the same group are more similar to each other than they are to data collected from another small group receiving identical treatment. Observational dependency can result in inflated Type I error rates. This study demonstrates the effect of different levels of observational dependency on Type I error rates for ANOVA and introduces an alternative statistical procedure to address the problem. Bootstrapping is shown to be superior to ANOVA in minimizing the effect of Type I error rates due to observational dependency.
Cohesion and Work Output
Authors: Prapavessis Harry , Carron Albert V.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between group cohesion and individual work output (effort) in sport teams. Results showed that athletes who scored high on the Individual Attractions to the Group Task (AGT-T) Scale from the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) worked harder (predicted from a bag of expired air at the end of training and expressed as apercentage relative to the maximal volume of oxygen consumption) than athletes who scored low on the ATG-T The results extend previous research that has shown that cohesion is positively associated with individual adherence in sport teams and exercise classes. Recommendations forfuture research are discussed.
Groupand Individual Training
Authors: Hollingshead Andrea B.
Published: March 2007

Recent reviews suggest that the effectiveness of various training methods are contingent on team and individual competencies, task requirements, andfeatures of the work environment (Baldwin & Ford, 1988; Cannon-Bowers, Tannenbaum, Salas, & Volpe, 1995). Two experiments compared the effects oftaskpractice--as either individuals or in groups-on subsequent group and individual perfonnance on a complex cognitive task. Experiment I examined the effects of task practice on group performance, whereas Experiment 2 examined the effects of task practice on individual performance. In both studies, sets offour persons worked as individuals or in groups on two practice problems before theirfinal performance on a third problem. In general, the more members practiced as a group, the better they performed as a group. However, practicing individually or in groups did not have a significant effect on individual performance. Future research should address whether these findings are generalizable across training methods, tasks, types of groups, and work environments.
Information Sharing in Face-to-Face, Teleconferencing, and Electronic Chat Groups
Authors: Graetz Kenneth A. , Boyle Edward S. , Kimble Charles E. , Thompson Pamela , Garloch Julie L.
Published: March 2007

Laboratory groups attempted to reach consensus on a simulated business problem. Members of 4-person groups received information on whether three proposed systems met each of IO desired criteria. Cast as a hidden profile problem, the information was distributed unevenly within the group. Groups communicated using one ofthreeformats:face-to-face, teleconference, or electronic chat. As predicted, cognitive workload was significantly higher andfewer correct decisions were obtained in the electronic chat condition versus the other twoformats. The electronic chat medium limited participants' ability to coordinate and verify information. Electronic chat should be combined with collaboration technology or groupware that facilitates information storage, organization, and processing.
The Relationship between Faculty Group Development and School Productivity
Authors: Wheelan Susan A. , Tilin Felice
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between teacher perceptions of faculty group effectiveness and development and actual levels of productivity in 10 elementary, middle, and high schools. The results suggest that a strong relationship exists. Faculty groups functioning at higher levels of development have students who perform better on standard achievement measures.
Phases of Development in the Systems-Centered™ Psychotherapy Group
Authors: Agazarian Yvonne M.
Published: March 2007

The systems-centered approach to group psychotherapy systematically weakens the restraining forces at the boundaries of each subphase and phase of group development, so that the inherent system drive toward therapeutic development and transformation will be released in the group-as-a-whole, its members, and its subgroups. The SCT methods of functional subgrouping, boundarying, vectoring, and contextualizing are introduced as strategies to reduce both the restraining forces to group development and the symptomology that has brought members into the therapy group.
Software Team Formation and Decay
Authors: Mcgrew John F. , Bilotta John G. , Deeney Janet M.
Published: March 2007

B. W. Tuckman’s model of small group development proposes that groups progress through four formative stages widely known under the mnemonic “forming, storming, norming, performing.” This article analyzes 10 small software development teams classified by age, size, managerial and technical skill, reporting and communication structure, and process performance as assessed under the capability maturity model. Software development teams differ from the experimental groups studied by Tuckman and others in that they often remain together for years to develop, maintain, and enhance a product. The data suggest the need for an extended stage model of team formation that includes analogous decay stages: denorming, de-storming, de-forming. The data support a pattern of increasing and decreasing performance that mirrors the formation and dissolution of teams.
The Experience of Culture in Multicultural Groups
Authors: Millhous Lisa M.
Published: March 2007

Research on multicultural groups has typically extended monocultural group research rather than building on prior cross-cultural research. This article brings together the literature on cross-cultural and multicultural groups to look at the experience of Russian-American collaboration. In this exploratory study, American (n = 17) and Russian (n = 18) informants described their experiences in on-going, business-related small groups. Qualitative and descriptive analysis suggested that cultural differences did impede collaboration, although mutual benefits to heterogeneous groups were also identified. The strongest cultural factor appeared to be the influence of external stakeholders on the group. These findings suggest that future research on multicultural groups needs to use a more complex approach to combine the findings of several bodies of literature.
The Influence of the Group with Elderly Exercisers
Authors: Estabrooks Paul , Carron Albert V.
Published: March 2007

This study examined the relationship of group cohesion to attitude and control beliefs toward exercise in a sample of older adults within the broader framework of the theory of planned behavior (N = 179, 27% male, average age = 67 years, SD = 7.77). Perceptions of task and social cohesion were assessed as well as attitude toward exercise, perceptions of control over attendance, and exercise intention. Following the assessment of the cognitive variables, exercise attendance was monitored for 4 weeks. Results revealed that task cohesion was related to perceptions of control (p < .05), whereas social cohesion was related to attitude toward exercise (p < .05). In turn, perceptions of control were related to intention to exercise (p < .01), and intention to exercise and perceptions of control were related to exercise class attendance (p < .01). Contrary to predictions, task cohesion did add to the prediction of attitude, but attitude was not related to exercise intentions.
A Dynamic Simulation Game (UNIGAME) for Strategic University Management
Authors: Barlas Yaman , Diker Vedat Güçlü
Published: March 2007

The authors present an interactive simulation model on which the academic aspects of university management can be analyzed and alternative management strategies tested. The model focuses specifically on long-term, dynamic, strategic management problems, such as growing student/faculty ratios, poor teaching quality, and low research productivity. It yields numerous performance measures about the fundamental activities in a university: teaching, research, and professional project activities. Results suggest that the university management game (UNIGAME) promises to be a useful technology to support strategic decision making and a laboratory for theoretical research on how to best deal with strategic university management problems.
A Review of Policy Exercise Interactive Learning Environments
Authors: Tsuchiya Shigehisa , Tsuchiya Tomoaki
Published: March 2007

The most successful corporations of the next decade will be those that include learning as a key element within the organization. This is because the problem of ambiguity is conspicuous and change has become both pervasive and persistent. The rate at which individuals and organizations learn may be the only sustainable competitive advantage. The challenge, then, is to discover new management tools and methods to accelerate organizational learning. In this article, the authors clarify the theoretical meaning of the learning organization using their model of double-loop learning and, based on several case studies, claim that policy exercise, a managerial support system using gaming/simulation, can prove to be a powerful methodology in creating a learning organization. Policy exercise can provide interactive learning environments based on systems thinking, which is essential for organizational double-loop learning. The paucity of empirical study on double-loop learning shows among other factors the difficulty in observing and analyzing change in interpretative frameworks. Because it is a cognitive process, such change can hardly be observed from the outside. In the cases reported in this article, the authors had the opportunity to get involved in the process of the change within the organization.
The Role of ABSEL in the Development of Marketing Simulations in Collegiate Education
Authors: Fritzsche David J. , Burns Alvin C.
Published: March 2007

This article traces the development of marketing games from the early hand-scored games through the three major computer platform evolutions: mainframes, microcomputers, and Windows-based PCs. It contends that the Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning (ABSEL) has made significant contributions to these developments by serving as a forum for game users and developers to share concerns, needs, and developments.
The Design and Redesign of Gaming Simulations on Health Care Issues
Authors: Greenblat Cathy Stein
Published: March 2007

The problems of designing gaming simulations are discussed. Concrete examples illustrate the specific problems. The problems include the following: changes in the modeled system (both medical and social aspects) that render the game of historical interest only, adapting a basic design for use in different countries and cultures, and reproduction and dissemination of game materials.
Informal Communications
Authors: Gosenpud Jerry
Published: March 2007

ABSEL News and Notes was formed as Simulation and Games became the official journal of ABSEL in 1982. Its purpose has been to give ABSEL members the opportunity to present news and views concerning business simulation and experimental exercise theory and practice. Therefore, member contribution is encouraged and can be sent in the form of short articles, position papers, requests for information, or letters. Material should be sent to Jerry Gosenpud, ABSEL News and Notes, Management Department, University of Wisconsin— Whitewater, Whitewater, WI 53190.
The Impact of Goal Setting on Team Simulation Experience
Authors: Fandt Patricia M. , Richardson Woodrow D. , Conner Hughlon M.
Published: March 2007

This article examines the effects of goal setting on team experience while competing in a computerized business simulation. A randomly selected sample of 186 business majors from their required business policy course participated in the study. Cohesiveness, conflict, perceptions of success, and performance in the simulation were examined over a 6-week period that involved 12 quarterly decisions. The findings demonstrated that teams receiving the goal-setting intervention exhibited higher levels of cohesiveness and perceived success, while expressing reduced levels of conflict, than control teams.
Group Interaction and Business Game Performance
Authors: Jaffe Eugene D. , Nebenzahl Israel D.
Published: March 2007

Past research has shown that team cohesiveness is positively associated with performance in a business game. This conclusion was reached as the result of observations taken after games were completed What could not be discerned was whether cohesiveness was more important during the team formation at an early stage of the game, throughout the game, or toward the entt The research reported in this article examines cohesiveness as well as task-orientation effects on performance at two decision points of a game. Results show that teams which were more cohesive than task oriented at an early stage were more successful.
Modeling Radical Changes in Technology within Strategy-Oriented Business Simulations
Authors: Pray Thomas F. , Methé David T.
Published: March 2007

A review of business-policy simulations demonstrates that their focus is on strategic planning, but with a primary emphasis on "incrementalism. " They do not address "radical changes in technology " and the impact that such change may have on an industry. There is a need to provide students of strategy the opportunity to experience some of the complex issues of technology management. This article provides an approach to designing a technology-oriented game which requires student teams to analyze the risk, uncertainty, and the financial trade-offs associated with budgeting large sums of money to new product research and development. The article reviews the key strategic issues of technology management and includes a framework for modeling some of the issues. This framework is composed of five parts and involves both the demand and the cost side of a typical strategy simulation. The article concludes with a mini-simulation which demonstrates how the framework works and how the structure of an industry can be dramatically changed when a firm successfully introduces a unique product based on a new technology.
Advertising and Political Expenditures in a Spatial Election Game: An Experimental Investigation
Authors: Williams Kenneth C.
Published: March 2007

Most researchers agree that the role of money in politics is important, however, there is no agreement on the extent to which money influences electoral outcomes and governmental policies. One reason for this discord is that the existing research concentrates on aggregate level studies. Therefore, this literature cannot tell us anything about the effects of money on individual decision-making. Only recently have spatial models, which examine the interactions of individual decisions within an institutional context, begun to consider the importance of money and politics. However, as the case with most spatial models, there are no existing "real-world " data to test the hypotheses that are derived. Consequently, researchers have relied on laboratory experiments to test the robustness of these models. This essay presents a series of experiments that examine the effects of advertising and political contributions in a sequential spatial election game, given that candidates have equal resources and their positions are fixed. These conditions model the classical prisoner's dilemma game in which both candidates would be better off if they cooperated and choose not to advertise. The results showed that candidates who advertised the most, generally won the most elections.
Computerized Simulation in Social Science: A Personal Retrospective
Authors: Garson David
Published: March 2007

Social science computerized simulation is the subject both of great pessimism and great optimism. The case for each viewpoint is explored, emphasizing highlights of the past decade. In a concluding section, three forces that may further the diffusion of computerized simulation in social science are outlined: hypertext and hypermedia, graphical user interfaces and scientific visualization, and artificial intelligence and expert systems.
Mon Long Chemin Historique Vers Le Jeu De Formation D'adultes
Authors: Brougére Gilles
Published: March 2007

The author describes his work in the field of toys and play, particularly their relationship to education. He recounts how he moved from a preoccupation with the toy as object, through a deep interest in play as a contextualized activity, to a growing concern with simulation/games for adult training. This has brought a renewed breadth and depth to the first two areas, and his future interests will include an exploration of the relationships between play and simulation/games.
Prisoner's Dilemma: Reflections and Recollections
Authors: Rapoport Anatol
Published: March 2007

The author traces the roots of social trap situations (of which PRISONER'S DILEMMA is a prime example) to A. A. Cournot's duopoly model. The discovery of the game in 1950 has led to a wave of theoretical and experimental investigations, which still continues, shedding light on important aspects of social behavior and on the evolution of cooperation in the biosphere.
Controlling Information Access in Simulation Games
Authors: Yeo Gee Kin , Ho Philip Chin Leong
Published: March 2007

It has been suggested that accessibility to different aspects of information provides different learning perspectives of participants and to maintain their interests. This article reports how a flexible control of such information access can be achieved easily with built-in routines provided in an integrated environment for the development of simulation game systems.
Real Markets in Computerized Top-Management Gaming Simulations Designed for Assessment
Authors: Thavikulwat Precha
Published: March 2007

Objective scoring, comprehensiveness, flexibility, and ease of administration are characteristics of computerized top-management gaming simulations (CTMGS) that suit them for the assessment of management education. These characteristics may be substantially enhanced by the inclusion of real markets. Support for real markets can be supplied by microcomputer local-area networks (LAN) and LAN-cognizant software. Additional advantages of real markets include relief to problems of team forming, decision cycling, hand-holding, end gaming, assignment evaluating, and debriefing. Three gaming simulations that incorporate real markets have been used in undergraduate courses. A great variety is possible in CTMGSs with real markets. The scores of CTMGSs with real markets are valid to the extent the markets appropriately reward business competencies.
Factors of Success of Simulations and Games: A Systemic Approach to the Evaluation of an Organization's Impact on the User
Authors: St-Germain Michel , Laveault Dany
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this article is to review the formal process of simulation and game activity as it may interact with formal and informal organizational variables in the school. In addition to procedures of evaluation occurring before and after simulation/gaming activity, this article also considers the impact of organizational variables and informal interactions at play in the adoption, implementation, and maintenance of simulation and game activity.
Playing it for Real
Authors: Jones Ken
Published: March 2007

Girls who tend to be sidelined in classroom discussions come into their own in simulations, and the personal changes can be profound. The walls of gender can crumble. In addition, simulations can shake the walls of ability and perceived ability. Teachers who have a low opinion of certain students can be pleasantly surprised to discover how able these students can be in a simulation. Simulations deserve to be treated seriously, not relegated to a Friday afternoon once a year
Games as Teaching Tools for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Authors: Gaudart Hyacinth
Published: March 2007

In Malaysia, some student teachers are trained specifically to teach English to speakers whose native language is not English. This article discusses the introduction of games as a teaching tool that student teachers can use when teaching English to speakers of other languages. The article describes some of the games that have been tried and tested, reactions of the student teachers to the games, and some of the problems that student teachers will face when attempting to use games in secondary schools in Malaysia.
Institutionalizing Elegance: When Simulation Becomes a Requirement
Authors: Katz Jerome A.
Published: March 2007

The field of entrepreneurship has moved to embrace, even institutionalize, simulations as a part of classroom instruction. Although this fact must be gratifying to proponents of simulationbased learning, institutionalization has posed pitfalls to the fields of simulation and entrepreneurship education. These are outlined and set in the emerging context of Internet-based simulations. The polemic concludes that the centrality of one’s passion for the human element of simulation remains the driving force to better simulation as a whole.
A Short-Form Scale to Measure Alcohol Abuse
Authors: MacNeil Gordon
Published: March 2007

This article reports the findings of a study undertaken to validate partially a new short-form scale, the Index of Alcohol Involvement (IAI), that was designed to measure the degree or magnitude of alcohol abuse. The purpose of the article is to provide basic psychometric characteristics of the IAI and to provide guidelines for administration and scoring.
The Effects of Group Treatment for Men Who Batter: An 18-Month Follow-Up Study
Authors: Edleson Jeffrey L. , Syers Maryann
Published: March 2007

Social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals are increasingly offering services to men who batter their women partners. This article describes the results of an experiment comparing three types of brief treatment groups offered in two differing intensities to batterers. Of 283 men who were randomly assigned to one of the six treatment conditions, 153 completed 80% or more of the assigned sessions. Eighteen-month follow-up interviews were conducted with 70 program completers or their partners. The results indicated that short-term, relatively structured group treatment tended to produce the most consistent successful results compared to an earlier study. Men's involvement with the courts and their lack of prior mental health treatment predicted lower levels of violence at the 18-month follow-up.
The Coping Skills Training Program for Parents of Children With Developmental Disabilities: An Experimental Evaluation
Authors: Gammon Elizabeth Ann , Rose Sheldon D.
Published: March 2007

This pretest-posttest no-treatment control group study was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of a social work intervention called the Coping Skills Training Program (CSTP) in helping parents deal with the problems they face raising children with developmental disabilities. The CSTP involved training in problem solving, achieving personal goals, interpersonal skills training, and cognitive restructuring-all presented in a group treatment format. The positive results demonstrate the value of teaching parents to set realistic, behaviorally measurable goals and argue for increased attention to the development of support networks. Finally, they demonstrate that a behavioral approach to skills acquisition can make a significant contribution to parents who daily face situations for which they may be ill prepared.
Measuring Parents' Perceptions of Mental Health Professionals
Authors: Cournoyer David E. , Johnson Harriette C.
Published: March 2007

Parent satisfaction with the behavior of persons providing mental health services to their children is an emerging area of interest. Parent satisfaction may provide clues to high attrition rates for mental health programs that serve children and families. The research reported here addresses some of the methodological difficulties in measuring parents'perceptions of mental health professionals. The development of a scale, the Helping Behavior Checklist, is described. The methodology included employment of a panel of expert judges to establish content validity and a field test in a sample of parents to examine reliability and discriminant validity. Pre liminary findings from a group of 202 parents contacted through parent support groups are presented.
Reducing AIDS Risks Among Dually Disordered Adults
Authors: Hanson Meredith , Cancel John , Rolon Ana
Published: March 2007

Professional social workers are called on to assist many vulnerable clientpopulations. One such group consists of adults with coexisting substance use and mental disorders who are at risk for HIV infection. This article presents an evaluation of a social group work intervention designed to help dually disordered adults change sexual behaviors that increase their risk of HIV infection. Thirty clients attending a day treatment program for dually disordered adults agreed to participate in an AIDS awareness and prevention group. Using a nonequivalent control group evaluation design, clients were systematically assigned to either the first cycle of the group or to a waiting list. Findings demonstrated that, compared to persons on the waiting list, clients who received the preventive intervention improved their understanding of correct condom use, used condoms more often, reduced risky sexual practices, and were more assertive in sexual encounters. Behavioral changes were attributable to group involvement and not the clients' pregroup characteristics. This was a limited pilot evaluation. The results, however, should encourage social workers developing AIDS preventive interventions for a particularly vulnerable client population.
Estimating the Reduction in Nonresponse Bias From Using a Mail Survey as a Backup for Nonrespondents to a Telephone Interview Survey
Authors: Bowen Gary L.
Published: March 2007

Because low-income population groups are more likely than higher income groups to live in nontelephone households, the use of telephone interviews to survey low-income groups may result in relatively low contact rates. Other sample members may refuse an interview. Such nonresponse typically has an unknown effect on sample estimates. This article attempts to gauge the relative effects on sample estimates from using a mail survey as a supplemental data collection strategy for increasing the response rate of sample members from a low-income population group who either could not be reached by telephone or who refused to participate in a telephone interview. The assessment is conducted by using variables from the sampling frame and an unbiased comparison sample. Although the use of the mail survey increased response rates by 56%, this resulting increase had only a marginal effect on sample estimates. Implications of these findings for social work researchers and practitioners are discussed in the larger context of estimating and adjusting for nonresponse bias in survey research, and recommendations are suggested for further research.
Testing the Effects of Dietary Lecithin on Memory in the Elderly: An Example of Social Work/ Medical Research Collaboration
Authors: Safford Florence , Baumel Barry
Published: March 2007

A sample of 61 healthy volunteers (mean age = 65 years) participated in a study of the effect of lecithin on memory conducted by a gerontological social worker in collaboration with a physician specializing in neurological research. Forty-one subjects ingested 2 tablespoons of lecithin for 5 weeks whereas a control group of 20 subjects ingested a placebo for the same length of time. Memory function was established through a brief memory test and from a diary of memory lapses kept by the subject for 7 days prior to the experimental period and repeated during the 5th week. Analysis of the data found a significant improvement on memory test scores for the experimental group, which exceeded those obtained by the placebo group subjects. Participants receiving lecithin reported fewer memory lapses posttreatment than did the placebo subjects. Replication of the research with larger samples as well as an investigation of long-term effects, are recommended.
Theoretical and Practical Issues in Selecting a Measure of Family Functioning
Authors: Tutty Leslie M.
Published: March 2007

With the increasing interest in evaluating family therapy, self-reportfamily functioning measures remain a key method of assessing outcome. This article addresses two issues. First, common problems associated with self-report family measures are discussed. Second, because source- books of research instruments often do not provide sufficient information on the validity and reliability of measures, six commonly used family functioning measures (FACES III, Family Environment Scale [FES], Family Asessment Device [FAD], Family Assessment Measure [FAM-III], Index of Family Relations [IFR], and Self-Report Family Inventory [SFI]) are assessed from the point of view of the adequacy of their psychometric support and practicality of administration. Recommendations are made regarding the utility of each instrument in light of its strengths and weaknesses.
Child Protection Services: Comparison of a Referred Family Centre and a Field Social Work Service in South Wales
Authors: Pithouse Andrew , Lindsell Sarah
Published: March 2007

This article summarizes key findings from a 2-year case study in South Wales (U.K.) of social work intervention with 20 families where there was a likelihood of significant harm to children. Ten families received a family centre service; 10 had afield social work service. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the family centre by comparing the views of the 20 families and their social workers in respect of the perceived benefits and limitations of the respective services, and by comparing the outcome of these two services in the context of change in family dynamics and in any change in the legal or administrative status of the 20 families regarding their involvement in the local child protection system. The research findings focus on the views of parents or other adult carers only and indicate that those clients who attended the family centre were more likely to improve family functioning and to reduce their involvement with child protection services than those who received a field social work service only. The reasons for this are explored and conclusions are drawn on the likely ingredients of the family centre service that appeared to make for more effective intervention than field social work.
Gender Roles and/or Styles in Crisis: An Integrative Analysis of the Experiences of Fathers of Children with Cancer
Authors: Chesler Mark A. , Parry Carla
Published: March 2007

Despite a proliferation of research with families of children with cancer and gender differences in parental coping, few studies have explicitly explored the experiences of fathers of children with cancer. Using several different data collection efforts, including semistructured in-depth interviews and open workshops, this integrative analysis views fathers’ experiences through the lens of gender. Findings suggest that fathers’ experiences can be understood as influenced by gender identities, gender roles, and the gendered organization of support systems, employment, and health care institutions. The results suggest the need for interventions that provide fathers and entire families with the opportunity to develop new skills and coping strategies for dealing with the stresses and challenges of childhood cancer.
Biobehavioral Characteristics of a Culture-Bound Syndrome Perceived as Life-Threatening Illness
Authors: Bletzer Keith V.
Published: March 2007

A loss of consciousness for most of a 4-day period characterizes a culture-bound syndrome known as ha ko botika that occurs among the Ngawbere, an indigenous population of northwestern Panama. The afflicted person remains immobile and does not eat, drink, speak, or respond to stimuli after onset of illness; then the afflicted person gradually begins to resume normative functioning and returns to participation in Ngawbere society. The 4-day illness represents the classic, more extreme form of "dreaming illness" among the Ngawbere, who recognize a number of other, less serious health problems that they associate with disvalued dream motifs. The preventive measures performed for dreaming illness in general and the treatment used specifically for ha ko botika are described, and the biobehavioral implications of the occurrence and treatment of the latter are discussed.
Computing in Qualitative Analysis: A Healthy Development?
Authors: Richards Lyn , Richards Tom
Published: March 2007

In all fields where qualitative data are important, and especially in fields where rigorous qualitative analysis is demanded, computers are remaking methodology. Demand for, and faith in, computing for qualitative analysis is now strongly influencing health research. In this article, the authors argue for an evaluation of the impact of computer techniques and an opening of debate among developers and users of programs to address the purposes, power, and potential of computing in qualitative research. As a contribution to such a debate, these authors explore the original goals, design, and implementation of one approach to qualitative computing: NUDIST, a newly developed program for the mainframe and the Macintosh™ is introduced. In light of this, the ways in which old goals were achieved and the means by which the new goals imposed by users and critics may be met are discussed.
The Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease: Spouse's Perspectives
Authors: Morgan Debra G. , Laing Gail P.
Published: March 2007

Alzheimer's disease is a chronic illness in which the needs of the family can outweigh those of the impaired person. This study explored the impact of a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease from the perspective of the caregiving spouse in the first 6 months following diagnosis. During the process of data collection and analysis, two groups of caregivers emerged: for the grief group, the foremost problem was grief at the loss of a beloved partner and relationship; the major problem confronting the role strain group was coping with the increasing responsibilities of caregiving. The central determining factor was the quality of each couple's previous relationship. Findings are discussed in terms of differences in subjective and objective burden, and the article concludes with a look at the implications for health care professionals.
Researcher as Friend: Methods of the Interviewer in a Longitudinal Study
Authors: Watson Lynne , Irwin Jeanette , Michalske Sharon
Published: March 2007

This article reports on a study that was designed to document the experience of clients who were forced, after having been on a methadone maintenance program for 2 years or more, to begin paying in full for their treatment or to detoxify from the program. The 5-year follow-up study's longitudinal scope invited the authors to learn, and in some cases devise, strategies for establishing long-term rapport and trust with their respondents. The authors learned to interview clients in multitudinously diverse situations and discovered canny ways to pursue an elusive and transient study population. Most of all, they realized that the abstract notion of remaining completely uninvolved is not altogether possible or desirable. Unlike a short-term study in which investigators interview subjects once and never see them again, a longitudinal study creates bonds of friendship, concern, and sometimes even animosity between staff and respondents that make complete neutrality impossible. A discriminating empathy actually enhances an unbiased report.