The Biologizing of Cognition, Development, and Education: Approach with Cautious Enthusiasm

In our commentary, we propose the current research from the field of developmental neuroscience can be incorporated within the theoretical perspectives advocated by evolutionary psychologists and advocates of the developmental systems approach. We then describe research on memory and the relationship between spatial-temporal reasoning and mathematical abilities as examples of literatures that have benefitted from the neuroscience approach. We conclude by expressing enthusiasm for the recent neuroscience findings, but caution that developmental neuroscience's focus on infancy and preschool children should not result in an overemphasis on early development and education at the expense of later development and education.     

Reclaiming Our Roots: The Influences of Media Curriculum on the Natural Hair Movement

This article, theoretically constructed on Gramsci's notion of cultural hegemony, explores the use of Black female hair as a cultural signifier in two media texts, specifically Adrienne Kennedy's play, Funnyhouse of a Negro, and Chris Rock's documentary, Good Hair, in specific media texts. Analysis of the verbal and visual rhetoric regarding a Black female aesthetic revealed associated themes of generational family influences and identity formation.     

Innovation in Practice: Preparing Doulas to Support Cesarean Births

Despite growing initiatives to support patient-centered labor and birth care, implementation of this care in the operating room is still limited. Doulas can be utilized in the operating room to facilitate evidence-based practices such as skin-to-skin contact for patients and newborns during cesarean birth. This article evaluates a curriculum and training method that was developed to educate doulas to provide safe and effective care during the cesarean birth experience. This intervention was found to be effective at improving doulas'' self-perceived confidence in skills essential to support cesarean births and may serve as a model for other institutions to address barriers to the implementation of patient-centered evidence-based care in the operating room.     

Meaningful Mathematics: A Social-Justice-Themed-Introductory Statistics Course

Abstract

As an interdisciplinary team, we set out to create an applied statistics course that would cover the traditional introductory statistics topics in a consistent framework of social justice. The goal was to motivate students to understand and learn math while deepening their understanding of the interplay, at local and global levels, between social and economic issues: for example, crime, victimization, political access, wealth, education, health, gender, and race. This paper describes the process of creating the course, the pedagogical decisions, the intentionality in topic presentation, samples of classwork, and student impressions of the semester-long course.     

Comparing maltreating fathers and mothers in terms of personal distress, interpersonal functioning, and perceptions of family climate

OBJECTIVE: This study compared perceptions of personal distress, interpersonal and marital problems, and aspects of family climate of maltreating fathers and mothers. METHODS: Subjects were 2841 offenders (1918 of whom were fathers or father-figures) who were identified and treated by the USAF Family Advocacy Program between 1988 and 1996. Independent variables for the analysis were parent sex (mother vs. father) as well as type and severity of maltreatment, history of repeat offenses, and history of abuse in childhood. RESULTS: Maltreating mothers were more distressed and reported more problems from individuals outside the family than maltreating fathers; fathers reported more rigid expectations for children, less cohesive families, and less organized families than did maltreating mothers. Regardless of parental sex, victimization in the family of origin was related to distress and unhappiness. Similarly, both victimization in the family of origin and history of repeated offenses were powerful predictors of a more negative family climate regardless of the offending parent's sex. No significant statistical interactions between parental sex and other independent variables were found when predicting personal and interpersonal distress, marital problems, or family climate. CONCLUSIONS: Studies rarely examine maltreating fathers except in the context of sexual abuse. Fewer still compare maltreating mothers and fathers. This study identified meaningful, though generally small, differences between maltreating mothers and fathers. Patterns suggest that maltreating mothers may tend to cope more poorly with personal distress, whereas maltreating fathers tend to operate in a family climate that is both distant and rigid, while holding inappropriate expectations for children's behavior. The absence of interactions between parental sex and the other independent variables included in the analysis indicate that these patterns do not vary by the history of victimization in the family of origin, the type or severity of child maltreatment, or the history of prior maltreatment in the family.     

Nature-Based Counseling: Integrating the Healing Benefits of Nature Into Practice

Research establishes a strong link between contact with nature and enhanced human wellness. Given the potential benefits of nature experiences on enhancing mental health, the authors advocate for a greater inclusion of nature-based approaches into professional practice. A case example and implications for practice are presented.     

Adding Haystacks to Our Needles? Assessing Changes in Collection Composition after the Introduction of Uncurated Packages

Although academic library print collections are traditionally carefully selected, collection strategies for online materials often involve the addition of large, uncurated packages of eBooks and other online materials. This study examines how adding such packages has altered the composition of one library’s collection in terms of publication date, format, and subject. It then utilizes WebPAC and Summon search results to understand how the collection is experienced by library searchers. Results show rapid growth in uncurated collections. Whereas WebPAC heavily favored newer items and eBooks from uncurated collections, Summon promoted print books from cultivated collections to a degree greater than expected.     

INTERGENERATIONAL SHARING SEMINARS: THEIR IMPACT ON YOUNG ADULT COLLEGE STUDENTS AND SENIOR GUEST STUDENTS

A 3‐month intergenerational program was developed on the premise that it is important for young adults, who are in the formative period of career development and direction, to experience the benefits of positive interaction with older persons. Program evaluation findings showed that participation not only influenced the young adults’ interest in gerontology, but also increased their willingness to accept older persons on social and academic levels. Positive changes were documented for the Senior Guest students and included more favorable attitudes toward young adult family members as well as toward the younger generation of college students in general.