Risk on Elder Abuse and Mistreatment - Instrument: Development,psychometric properties and qualitative user-evaluation

Prevalence data of elder abuse from social and health services only present a tip of the iceberg. A large amount of situations of abuse is left undetected. Professionals often lack knowledge and skills on the topic of abuse. Consequently, this paper focuses on supporting professionals to prevent and assess elder abuse by developing and testing the Risk on Elder Abuse and Mistreatment Instrument (REAMI), using a mixed method design. Quantitative data from a widespread screening among 1920 older clients of home care are analysed with exploratory and confirmatory analysis. In addition, 24 professionals who have used the REAMI have been qualitatively interviewed about their practical experience and critical reflection on the instrument and its use. These interviews were transcribed and content analysed. Findings provide evidence of good internal reliability and internal validity of the REAMI and its three dimensions: 1) risk factors of the older person, 2) risk factors of the environment, 3) signals of abuse and mistreatment. Users report an increase of knowledge and awareness among staff, satisfaction with the possibilities for prevention and the user-friendliness and brevity of the REAMI. However, some users are missing a follow-up protocol: what to do when risks are assessed? In the discussion, the argument is developed that the REAMI can be used to examine risk at elder abuse, although an overarching protocol to support prevention and intervention which embeds the detection instrument is needed.     

Generational differences in knowledge,recognition, and perceptions of elder abuse reporting

This study investigated the extent to which age, knowledge, attitudes toward aging, and perceptions of elder abuse influence elder abuse reporting trends. Using hypothetical scenarios, facts on elder abuse, reporting barriers, ageist attitudes, and other measures, survey data were collected from university students and elderly attendees at multiple senior centers. There were no generational differences in the cumulative rating severity score across all scenarios. However, students were more likely to report the abusive behavior to authorities. Abuse knowledge, recognition and severity, ageist attitudes, and perceived barriers were significantly correlated with a higher reporting score. Although students viewed financial exploration and self-neglect as less serious, when it came to physical and sexual abuse the decision to report to the authorities was comparable for the two groups. For both age groups, the unclear and inconsistent definitions of elder abuse and lack of sufficient proof were considered the major barriers to consistent reporting protocols. Compared to students, seniors were more likely to think reporting an abusive situation would only make things worse and, as a result, favored keeping the abuse private among family members. The majority of seniors also felt others in their own age group would deny the abuse if reported.     

Influence of measurement errors on HIV risk behavior analysis: A case study examining condom use among drug users

Multiple indicators of HIV risk behaviors are not yet well developed in the field of drug abuse and AIDS prevention, with most research relying on single‐item measures. Weak or inconclusive statistical analyses often result from measurement errors. This study illustrates the problems of biased statistical estimates when single‐item measures with measurement errors are used. Using HIV risk behaviors among injection drug users as an example, this study shows the impact of measurement error on statistical results in path analysis. The results suggest that more attention is needed to address the issue of measurement reliability in survey data. Measurement error should be taken into account in analyzing HIV risk behaviors, and appropriate multiple indicators for a full range of HIV risk behaviors should be developed to deal successfully with the “errors‐in‐variables” problem.     

Elder Abuse in Japan

ABSTRACT

Perceptions of elder abuse were examined in Japanese women (n = 100) and men (n = 46). Japanese women and men both emphasized physical aggression, followed by neglect and blaming, when giving examples of extremely abusive behavior. Physical aggression was also the most frequently mentioned type of moderate elder abuse, followed by neglect, economic maltreatment, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, blame, and psychological abuse. Japanese women provided significantly more psychological neglect responses than verbal aggression responses when giving examples of mild abuse. Paired samples t tests revealed that physical abuse responses were given significantly more often as examples of extreme abuse than of moderate or mild abuse. Findings have implications for addressing the conflict between changing family relationships and traditional cultural values—such as filial piety—in Japanese society.     

AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE SELF‐RESPONSIBILITY FOR WELLNESS IN OLDER ADULTS

Literature relating to the well‐being of older adults was reviewed to identify indicators relevant to the construct of self‐responsibility for wellness. The wellness model proposed by Travis (1981) has produced a variety of concepts which can be useful in improving the quality of life for older adults. The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument which would assess an individual's self‐responsibility for wellness. A 47‐item instrument developed for this purpose was evaluated by experts in gerontology and psychology. After revision and reevaluation it was field‐tested on a sample of 180 older adults (60 years of age and over). In order to take preliminary steps in establishing the validity and reliability of this instrument, the data were evaluated and an item analysis conducted to identify poor items. Cronbach's coefficient alpha was also computed (α = .90). A test‐retest correlation coefficient was computed, and an analysis of variance was performed to test for the relationship between self‐responsibility for wellness and demographic variables obtained during the field test.

The field testing of the instrument served as an educational needs assessment study. Evidence has been provided that there is a significant need for education programs which can provide training in the wellness skills as assessed by the instrument.     

USING SERVICE-LEARNING RESEARCH TO ENHANCE THE ELDERLY'S QUALITY OF LIFE

Through the implementation of sound Service-Learning (SL) projects, research populations seldom involved in academic endeavors, such as the elderly, can be recruited into innovative studies that are likely to improve their quality of life. However, conducting such SL interventions, although important, may be discouraged by the multiple methodological challenges that are likely to be posed by these studies, and by the delicate nature of some of the issues in question. To address the need to develop novel SL gerontology applications, this article proposes topics for SL professors to consider for future research on older adults. Furthermore, it offers preliminary recommendations on ways to minimize the possible methodological challenges inherent in the implementation of these innovative studies, based on a new SL research model. Upper-division SL undergraduate or graduate classes could involve students in advanced SL applications to target some of the complex issues discussed herein, such as abuse (of all types) perpetrated against elderly women, and sexuality in older age. All parties involved in these prospective SL projects, including elderly clients, their health providers and administrators, students, and professors, are likely to benefit from the proposed research.     

对提高开放教育教学质量的探讨

如何提高开放教育的教学质量是开放教育工作者长期研究的课题,调查发现目前的开放教育普遍存在形成性考核作业设置不适合开放教育学生现状;导学与考试相分离;兼职教师比例过高,责任不到位等现状。保定电大提出提高教学支持服务水平;增加形考作业覆盖面;提高教师自身素质,充实专业教师队伍等措施提高教学质量。并结合基层电大的实际条件对办好开放教育教学进行了展望。     

Scrutinizing a Survey-Based Measure of Science and Mathematics Teacher Knowledge: Relationship to Observations of Teaching Practice

There is a clear need for valid and reliable instrumentation that measures teacher knowledge. However, the process of investigating and making a case for instrument validity is not a simple undertaking; rather, it is a complex endeavor. This paper presents the empirical case of one aspect of such an instrument validation effort. The particular instrument under scrutiny was developed in order to determine the effect of a teacher education program on novice science and mathematics teachers’ strategic knowledge (SK). The relationship between novice science and mathematics teachers’ SK as measured by a survey and their SK as inferred from observations of practice using a widely used observation protocol is the subject of this paper. Moderate correlations between parts of the observation-based construct and the SK construct were observed. However, the main finding of this work is that the context in which the measurement is made (in situ observations vs. ex situ survey) is an essential factor in establishing the validity of the measurement itself.     

强化管理 提高仪器设备使用效率

针对研究型大学仪器设备的管理,在提高大型精密仪器设备的使用率、完好率和经济效益问题上采取了一系列措施,利用大型精密仪器设备开展教学实践,课外科技活动,科学研究、面向社会组织技术培训等,积极拓展学生的知识面,提高学生的实践能力、科研能力及综合素质。在保证高质量、高水平完成各项教学工作的基础上,充分利用现有的大型精密仪器设备,使得实验室的仪器设备得到充分有利用,在人才培养中发挥了较好的作用。     

怀化市60-69岁老年人身体素质对比分析

通过文献资料法、实验法、数据统计法对怀化市2005年与2010年国民体质监测数据中60—69岁老年人身体素质,包括力量、柔韧、平衡和灵敏素质加以研究分析,从各项指标的变化趋势了解怀化市60-69岁老年人2005年与2010年整体身体素质的动态变化．研究结果表明：怀化市2010年60—69岁老年人身体素质较2010年同龄老年人各项指标中,力量素质明显比2005年高;柔韧素质方面,2010年较2005年有所提升,但是没有显著变化,年龄越大柔韧素质越弱;60—69岁老年人的平衡素质随年龄增长而逐渐提高,同龄老年人2010年较高于2005整体水平;老年人的灵敏素质除64岁变化显著外,其他年龄无显著变化．     

In search of quality criteria in peer assessment practices

With the increasing popularity of peer assessment as an assessment tool, questions may arise about its measurement quality. Among such questions, the extent peer assessment practices adhere to standards of measurement. It has been claimed that new forms of assessment, require new criteria to judge their validity and reliability, since they aim for specific goals and address different aspects of learning. But although new criteria have been formulated, little is known about how they are deployed and operate in actual peer assessment practices. This study intends to explicate the quality criteria relevant to the context of peer assessment. We conducted a survey in vocational education on peer assessment quality criteria applied in classrooms. Fifty-six teachers using peer assessment rated several quality criteria as relevant to their teaching practice. The findings suggest that peer assessment practices entail many of the quality criteria recognized in measurement and evaluation, although in an embedded way: the generic quality criteria are tuned or adapted to the peer assessment setting. The findings also show that peer assessment is very much in the hands of the teacher, who organizes and orchestrates the appraisal process in which students receive clear guidelines to appraise one another's work. Our results indicate that quality criteria hardly differ from the function peer assessment serves in classrooms, either within a summative or formative evaluation context. By gaining insight on the specific criteria of peer assessment and their precise purposes, we believe it becomes possible to help teachers improve its measurement quality.     

The fidelity of formative assessment implementation: issues of breadth and quality

The paper examines the breadth and quality of formative assessment implementation of 202 mathematics and science teachers who participated in a two-year, school-based professional development programme that focused on formative assessment. Results are triangulated using three sources of data: baseline and end-of-Year 2 data from an annual survey, logs that were completed daily at six two-week time points and reflections on formative assessment techniques that the teachers wrote weekly during the log collection periods. The data indicate that while teachers made significant improvements in some areas, certain aspects of formative assessment are less emphasised and there are some patterns around quality of implementation that suggest more targeted professional development is warranted.     

Is child sexual abuse declining? Evidence from a population-based survey of men and women in Australia

OBJECTIVE: Substantiated cases of child sexual abuse (CSA) in the United States have declined significantly over the past decade. This may, or may not, reflect change in the underlying rate in the general population. This study examines age-cohort differences in the prevalence of self-reported CSA experiences of men and women aged 18-59 years in a community-based sample from a comparable western nation. METHOD: In April 2000, we completed a cross-sectional, telephone-based survey of a randomly selected national sample of men and women in Australia. Volunteers (876 males, 908 females) answered a range of questions about health status and sexuality, including unwanted sexual experiences before the age of 16 years. Of selected adults with publicly-listed telephone numbers, 61% agreed to participate. There were few differences between the volunteers and the Australian population on demographic variables and health indicators. RESULTS: Non-penetrative CSA was twice as common among women (33.6%) than men (15.9%). Approximately 12% of women and 4% of men reported unwanted penetrative experiences. CSA was reported significantly less often by younger males, with a linear decline from the oldest to youngest men. Among all females who had intercourse before age 16, older women were much more likely than younger women to say they were an unwilling partner on the first occasion. If first intercourse occurred at age 16 or later, there were no age-cohort differences in risk of first-time abuse. Self-reported "openness" and "comfort" during the telephone interviews was not systematically related to prevalence of CSA. CONCLUSION: These population-based findings provide evidence of a decline in the underlying rate of CSA in Australia. Although every measure of CSA inevitably is flawed to some extent, these trends in self-report complement official statistics that show substantial decline in recent years.     

Dimensions of child sexual abuse before age 15 in three Central American countries: Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of sexual abuse during childhood or adolescence varies depending on the definitions and age categories used. This study examines the first national, population-based data available on child sexual abuse that occurs before age 15 in three countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. This study uses comparable indicators and measures of sexual abuse for the three countries to document the prevalence of abuse, types of perpetrators, and the association of child sexual abuse with recent intimate partner violence. METHODS: Child sexual abuse was defined as sexual abuse that first occurs before age 15. Nationally representative data from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras were used. In El Salvador, separate questions on forced intercourse and non-penetrative sexual abuse were asked. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed using STATA Version 8SE. RESULTS: The prevalence of child sexual abuse varied from 7.8% in Honduras to 6.4% in El Salvador and 4.7% in Guatemala. In all three countries, the overwhelming majority of women who reported child sexual abuse first experienced the abuse before age 11. Perpetrators tended to be a family member, a neighbor, or an acquaintance. Bivariate and multivariate analyses indicated that women who experienced child sexual abuse in Guatemala and Honduras were about two times more likely to be in violent relationships as women who did not experience abuse. This relationship was not significant in multivariate analyses for El Salvador where the prevalence of intimate partner violence was the lowest. CONCLUSIONS: Child sexual abuse in Central America is clearly a problem with the prevalence between 5% and 8%. Child sexual abuse can have long-term negative health impacts including exposure to intimate partner violence in adulthood. Programs to prevent abuse and treat victims of child sexual abuse are needed in Central America.     

基于网络的形成性考核改革与实践

基于网络的形成性考核是开放教育改革过程中的重要举措,对提高开放教育学员的学习质量有重要作用。基于网络的形成性考核目前还处于探索和完善阶段,如何进一步深化形成性考核改革,提高形成性考核质量是当前急需解决的问题。     

Students’ formative assessment perceptions,feedback use and mathematics performance in secondary schools in Tanzania

This study investigates the impact of secondary school students’ perceptions of mathematics teachers’ formative assessment practices and feedback delivery on their feedback use, and mathematics performance. The sample consisted of 2767 Form 3 (Grade 11) students from 48 secondary schools in Tanzania. Surveys and focus group discussions were used to measure students’ perceptions of formative assessment, feedback delivery, and feedback use. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) of survey data showed that students’ perceptions of the quality of teacher feedback delivery and perceived scaffolding positively predicted students’ feedback use whereas perceived monitoring negatively predicted feedback use. In turn, students’ feedback use positively predicted their mathematics performance to a small extent. Content analysis of focus group discussions illustrated that most students valued their mathematics teacher’s assessment practices. The findings imply that in Sub-Saharan African educational systems the quality of teacher feedback delivery and promotion of student feedback use can improve students’ mathematics performance.     

A study of the relationship between student communication interaction and sense of community

This study developed a quantitative methodology to ascertain lead indicators of student sense of community whilst undertaking a course of study. Study participants (N = 464) were drawn from students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate Education units within a large Australian metropolitan university. Through juxtaposing student online behaviours with an online survey, the data demonstrates that students and study units with greater frequencies of communication interactions possess stronger levels of sense of community as determined by Rovai's [Rovai, A.P. (2002b). Development of an instrument to measure classroom community. Internet and Higher Education, 5(3), 197–211.] Classroom Community Scale (CCS). As a result of the identification of this relationship utilising a quantitative process, education practitioners and managers now possess the formative evaluative tools and indicators necessary to gauge student sense of community on an ongoing basis. Therefore, education managers and practitioners have the capacity to monitor and alter the learning and teaching practices designed and implemented to promote community among the student cohort in a just-in-time environment.     

Older Women and Lower Self-Rated Health

Several studies have found that older women report lower self-rated health than men. However, it is not clear why older women are more likely to report poor self-rated health than older men. Data for this study came from a national cross-sectional survey, Mental Health and Quality of Life of Older Malaysians (MHQoLOM). Included in the survey were 2980 respondents consisting of Malaysians aged 60 years and over, with both men (n = 1428) and women (n = 1552) represented. Results of t-tests showed older men expressed significantly higher levels of self-rated health and self-esteem than women (p < .01). Separate multivariate regression by gender revealed that age, life-threatening problems, and self-esteem were highly significant predictors of self-rated health among older men and women and explained 18.4% of variance in self-rated health for men and 18.2% for women. In the last step we examined the main effects of gender on self-rated health using General Linear Models (GLM) Univariate by adjusting for age, life-threatening problems, and self-esteem. Results showed an insignificant difference in self-rated health between older men and women (F _(1,2715) = 2.26, P = 0.13) only after adjusting for self-esteem. It can be concluded that self-esteem affects responses to self-rated health of older men and women.