Change trajectories of aggressive behavior among children in long-term residential care

This study examined change trajectories of aggressive behaviors among children in long-term residential care in Israel and identified various child-, family-, and placement-related predictors of the change trajectories. Records of 799 children (average age at the beginning of the four years = 10.4, 33.1% female) in their first four consecutive years in care were analyzed using the TRF aggressive behavior subscale (Achenbach, 1991) to measure the outcome variable. Children’s and parents’ characteristics and placement-related factors were used to explain variance in change trajectories. Latent Class Growth Analyses identified four aggressive behavior trajectories: ‘stable-low’ levels of aggressiveness over time (45% of the children), ‘stable-high’ levels (13%), ‘improvement’ (20%), and ‘deterioration’ (22%). Predictors of less resilient trajectories (i.e., stable-high or increasing aggressiveness) included mothers’ difficulties and disabilities, children’s attendance of special education classes, more intensive type of care, and non-immigrant status. The Attachment Theory, Life Course Perspective theories, and the General Strain Theory are used to interpret some of the findings of the study. Identifying the factors that predispose children to certain patterns of change may help direct resources to children at risk of having high or increasing levels of aggression while in residential care.     

Student LMS use and satisfaction in academic institutions: The organizational perspective

The present paper examines student use of and satisfaction with the Learning Management System (LMS), and how these dependent variables are correlated with organizational variables at one Israeli university. Data on 1212 course websites was gathered in 2007 from the LMS warehouse, the student-management database, the instructor–management database, and satisfaction questionnaires. The findings indicate varied use of LMS, a high level of satisfaction, and low significant correlation between use and satisfaction. As for the organizational variables, course content was found to significantly correlate with use and satisfaction; course size, instructor status and forum existence showed significant correlation with LMS use; and course discipline had low correlation with satisfaction. Further studies and practical implications are discussed.     

The interrelationship of job satisfaction and similarity in philosophic view within academic departments

This study used a questionnaire to determine the effect on job satisfaction of the similarity in philosophic view between faculty members (N=198) and their department chairperson (N=30) in four-year colleges and universities in the Midwest. On the basis of the data collected in this study no relationship was found between level of job satisfaction and similarity in philosophic view between the faculty members and the department chairperson of an academic department.     

They also do it: Internet use by older adults living in residential care facilities

The Internet has gained much importance as a resource for older adults during recent years, for example, as a resource for maintaining lifelong learning. However, available studies targeting the adoption of the Internet have mostly focused on young-old, healthy, and community-dwelling adults. To our knowledge, no study has yet examined Internet use among individuals living in residential care facilities (RCF), that is, old–old adults with a range of functional impairments. We provide data on the Internet use in a large sample of 1,212 residents (mean age, 87.9 years) living in 24 RCFs in Zurich, Switzerland. We found that 14% of residents used the Internet, a very similar proportion as previously reported in a Swiss survey of older adults in private households. However, when stratified according to age, individuals aged 65–84 years in RCFs had lower Internet use compared with community-dwelling older adults (21% versus 65%, respectively). No difference was observed among individuals aged ≥85 years. Compared with non-users, Internet users were more likely to be younger, male, living for a shorter duration in RCF, not living alone in the institution, and healthier and functionally unimpaired. Internet users also described themselves as having higher autonomy and satisfaction with life. In conclusion, Internet use has reached (at least in Switzerland) the long-term care sector and appears to play a significant role in the lives of a considerable portion of RCF residents.     

Predictors of learner satisfaction in an academic computer conference

This study tested the Adult Distance Study Through Computer Conferencing (ADSCC) model developed by Eastmond (1994), to determine if learner readiness, online features, and CMC‐related learning approaches are associated with learner satisfaction in an academic computer conference. All three variables were correlated with learner satisfaction and online features emerged as the best predictor of learner satisfaction. Results indicate interrelationships between the three variables. The ADSCC model was a good predictor of learner satisfaction. It provided a useful framework for understanding learner satisfaction by showing how to categorise the different components that influence satisfaction in an academic computer conference.     

Breaking the cycle of intergenerational abuse: the long-term impact of a residential care program

OBJECTIVE: The number of youth in residential care programs who have been abused is high. The relationship between childhood abuse victimization and adult intimate partner violence (IPV) is well documented. This study compared the rates of IPV 16 years after individuals had participated in a long-term residential care program with individuals accepted to the program who did not participate. The IPV rates for these two groups were also compared to national normative data. METHOD: Information on adult functional outcomes was obtained from former residential care and comparison youth via a confidential survey that was administered either by telephone or by mail. Analysis was limited to respondents who were currently married or involved in a marriage-like relationship (n=131; 92% male). RESULTS: The IPV rates for the sample were 9.3% for those who stayed in the residential program less than 18 months and 6.5% for those who stayed more than 18 months, neither of which were significantly different from the national norm of 8.4%. The IPV rate for the comparison group was 26.1%, which was significantly higher than the national norm. Regardless of length of program stay, respondents who were maltreated in childhood had a 14.5% IPV rate, which was significantly lower than the estimated 36-42% rate projected for individuals with similar backgrounds. CONCLUSION: We conclude that time spent in a treatment-oriented residential care program was associated with lower adult IPV rates. Specifically, the skills taught in a long-term, treatment-based residential program (e.g., healthy interpersonal relationships, self-government) may have a long-term beneficial impact for adolescents at high risk of adult IPV.     

Effect of flipped classroom model on academic achievement,academic satisfaction and general belongingness

Learning Environments Research - The effect of the flipped classroom model on students’ academic achievement, academic satisfaction, and general belongingness was investigated using an...     

Psychological need satisfaction and academic stress in college students: mediator role of grit and academic self-efficacy

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Students, who are trying to complete academic activities in an educational environment, are objected to academic stress. Research results indicated...     

Abuse of children in foster and residential care

OBJECTIVE: There have recently been many debates in the UK about how to provide good care for children placed away from home. Professionals have realized that the level of child abuse in foster care and children's homes is high. This research examines the characteristics of physical and sexual abuse of children in foster and residential care in a city in England. The number of cases of abuse reported by pediatricians in this group was compared to the number reported by the same pediatricians for the population of Leeds as a whole. METHOD: This is a retrospective study of 158 children, fostered or in residential care who were involved in 191 episodes of alleged physical and/or sexual abuse assessed and reported by pediatricians over a 6 year period from 1990 to 1995 in Leeds, England. Details of the child including the reason for placement in care, their physical and mental health, abuse characteristics, including perpetrator and case management were studied. RESULTS (see Table 1): 158 incidents of abuse in 133 children in foster/residential care are described. In foster care, 42 children were physically abused, 76 were sexually abused, and 15 experienced both forms of abuse. In residential care, 12 children were physically abused, 6 were sexually abused, and 6 experienced both forms of abuse. In foster care 60% of sexual abuse involved girls and 60% of physical abuse involved boys. In residential care almost twice as many boys as girls were reported to be abused. Foster carers perpetrated the abuse for 41%, natural parents on contact for 23%, and children 20% of incidents. A significant proportion of abuse was severe with 1 death, 8 children with burns, 18 with genital, and 34 with anal penetration. Long-standing emotional, behavioral and learning difficulties were common. Most children (80%) had been abused prior to entry into care. Foster children were 7-8 times and children in residential care 6 times more likely to be assessed by a pediatrician for abuse than a child in the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Children in foster or residential care form an at risk group for maltreatment. Their special needs include additional measures to protect them from abuse.     

Ethics in the mentoring of gerontologists: rights and responsibilities

This article examines professional codes of ethics as they apply to the mentoring of gerontology students, supervisees, or proteges. Ethics codes from the disciplines represented in professional gerontology were evaluated according to the specificity of their ethical mentoring guidelines. Three levels of specificity were identified. General "do no harm" statements are most common. Clear, explicit guidelines or rules are much less frequent. Where explicit mentoring guidelines exist, they focus on the use or misuse of the power of the professional/mentor in the mentoring relationship. Specific suggestions regarding the rights and responsibilities of both parties in the mentoring relationship, reflecting both formal ethics codes and the authors, experiences, are made.     

Relationships between social support,job autonomy,job satisfaction,and burnout among care workers in long-term care facilities in Hawaii

This study examined the effects of social support, job autonomy, and job satisfaction on burnout among long-term care workers in Hawaii, USA. Data were collected from 170 care workers working at long-term care facilities in Hawaii. The study variables included demographic data, burnout, social support, job autonomy, and job satisfaction. The study findings support the association between social support, job autonomy, job satisfaction, and burnout among care workers at long-term care facilities. Social support, job autonomy, and job satisfaction were negatively and significantly associated with the level of burnout of care workers in Hawaii. Furthermore, the findings suggest the need to develop policy and practice considerations for reducing burnout risks among care workers in order to improve quality of care.     

The effects of background,coursework, and involvement on students' grades and satisfaction

Research during the 1970s and 1980s identifies grades and satisfaction with college as important educational outcomes, both in their own right and because of their relationship to other outcomes such as persistence. Building on previous research, this article examines the relationship between grades and satisfaction using a latent variable model that includes a variety of factors found to influence grades and satisfaction. The covariance structure analyses indicate that the model provides an accurate representation of the data and explains a substantial proportion of the variance in satisfaction and grades. Results suggest that satisfaction exerts a stronger influence on grades than grades exert on satisfaction. These findings suggest that popular recursive models of educational outcomes should be reevaluated, and that non-recursive models may provide a more accurate representation of educational effects.Presented at the Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Louisville, KY, May 13–16, 1990. CARD Research Report No. 90-05.     

Dimensions of maltreatment and academic outcomes for youth in foster care

Childhood maltreatment is often associated with youth’s ability to successfully function in school. Youth with a history of maltreatment often receive lower grades and scores on tests of academic achievement, as well as demonstrate more negative behaviors in school, as compared to non-maltreated youth. However, there are many inconsistencies in previous studies examining the association between maltreatment and academic outcomes in youth. One potential reason for mixed findings within the literature could be a result of how maltreatment is measured and operationalized. The current study examined if the methods used to define and describe maltreatment contribute to the association between maltreatment and academic functioning in youth. Youth in foster care (N = 490, M_age = 13.13[3.09]) were recruited and information on their maltreatment history and academic functioning was obtained from official agencies, school records, and self-reported measures. Using a SEM framework when examining each dimension separately in the same model, results suggested that frequency maltreatment was more predictive of academic behavior, as compared to type and severity. No dimensions were associated with grades and significant findings were only observed for models using self-report data. However, when examined using a measurement model approach, maltreatment as a whole was associated with school behavior, which was found for both self-report and case file measurement models. The findings suggest a need for research on academic functioning to take a comprehensive approach when measuring and defining maltreatment as this may be a more robust and accurate predictor of academic functioning.     

The impacts of different types of workload allocation models on academic satisfaction and working life

Increasing demands on academic work have resulted in many academics working long hours and expressing dissatisfaction with their working life. These concerns have led to a number of faculties and universities adopting workload allocation models to improve satisfaction and better manage workloads. This paper reports on a study which examined the workload models in use across a large Australian university. Analysis revealed that the various models could be categorised into three types. The pros, cons and impacts of these three categories of model were compared from both a management and staff perspective. The study found that while models of all types can lay the foundation for equitable distribution of workload, some categories of model can have unintended consequences with negative effects on the work culture and hence staff satisfaction.     

Digital technology and caregiver training for older persons: Cognitive and affective perspectives

ABSTRACT

This research project included two studies that investigated (a) differences between technology use in tech-knowledgeable and less tech-knowledgeable older persons, (b) cognitive and affective variables and their association with the application of technology, and (c) the implications of these variables on the design of remote-delivered caregiver education. Study 1 findings suggested that high technology (e.g., Internet delivered education) reduced stress among the tech-knowledgeable group. In Study 2, which focused on the less tech-knowledgeable group, neither high technology (e.g., telehealth-delivered education) nor low technology (e.g., phone-delivered education) was associated with the cognitive and affective measures used in the study. Implications in the training of older caregivers with digital technology are discussed for negotiating the affective and cognitive features in remote delivered caregiver eduational protocols.     

The life satisfaction among older East Asian immigrants: sexual attitudes and knowledge

ABSTRACT

Sexuality in later life is an essential factor for quality of life among older adults However, little is known about the sexuality of older adult immigrants from East Asia who have experienced both Western and Eastern cultures. In addition, we have limited information about the mechanism of how sexual attitudes impact life satisfaction through knowledge of sexuality. To address these knowledge gaps, a cross-sectional research design was conducted by collecting data from older East Asian immigrants aged 60 or over in a large city in a Midwestern state. We analyzed 96 responses using exploratory factor analysis and mediation analysis. The results showed that older adult immigrants who had more open sexual attitudes were likely to possess accurate sexual knowledge. Older adult immigrants’ sexual knowledge mediated the relationship between their sexual attitudes and life satisfaction. The findings highlight the importance of lifelong sexual education for older adult immigrants and recommend social workers train in culturally sensitive approaches.     

大连市老年人体育锻炼现状研究

随着中国社会步入老龄化社会,老年人的体育锻炼现状引起了社会各方面的广泛关注,本文以大连市60岁以上的老年人为研究对象进行研究,分析了当前大连市老年人体育锻炼的现状,并就如何科学促进老年人体育锻炼提出了一些合理化建议,希望为大连市老年人体育健身的发展提供一些指导。     

Poly-victimization and psychopathology among Spanish adolescents in residential care

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of poly-victimization on symptom severity among adolescents being cared for by the child welfare system in a southwestern European country. The sample consisted of 127 youths (62 males and 65 females) aged 12–17 years (M = 14.60, SD = 1.61) who were recruited from short- and long-term residential centers. The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (Finkelhor, Hamby, Ormrod, & Turner, 2005) and the Youth Self-Report (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) were used to assess interpersonal victimization experiences and psychopathology, respectively. Victim (n = 68), low poly-victim (n = 48), and high poly-victim (n = 18) groups had comparable rates of psychopathology severity, with the exception of rule-breaking behavior, which was more severe among those with more victimization experiences (Cramer's V = .342). Poly-victimization was shown to be a significant predictor of clinically severe rule-breaking behavior, thought problems, and anxiety/depression symptoms. Among victimization types, sexual and electronic victimization significantly predicted withdrawn/depressed and aggressive behavior, and attention problems, respectively. The results of this study highlight the importance of assessing a wide range of victimization experiences among adolescents in care, since poly-victimization seems to underlie the serious psychological problems these youth present.