The Use of Humor and Storytelling with African American Men: Innovative Therapeutic Strategies for Success in Counseling

In recent years, the use of culturally appropriate humor as a tool for change within the parameters of counseling has grown within the literature. In comparison, the art of storytelling has had little attention within the literature as a tool for strategic change. This article outlines a framework for the use of humor and storytelling as innovative approaches for successfully counseling African American men. In addition, the growing research on the socialization of men is used to assist in the development of culturally appropriate strategies that help African American men utilize their inherent strengths within the counseling process.     

A comparison of the home learning environment of families at risk of socio-economic disadvantage to national norms in Ireland

The present study investigated the home learning environment of three to five-year-old children (n?=?429) living in an area designated as socio-economically disadvantaged, involved in the Area Based Childhood (ABC) programme, compared to a nationally representative sample of three-year-old children (n?=?9793), from the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) Study. Statistical analysis of the frequency of engagement in home learning activities across both samples, revealed a significant difference in the environments to which children are exposed, with families from the GUI sample engaging more frequently in these activities than families from the ABC sample. Among the family demographic factors investigated, parent's age and household type were significantly related to the frequency of engagement in home learning activities. Based on these findings, policy and practice implications are discussed.     

Are Older Adults Prepared to Ensure Food Safety During Extended Power Outages and Other Emergencies?: Findings from a National Survey

Natural disasters and other emergencies can cause an increased risk of foodborne illness. We conducted a nationally representative survey to understand consumers’ knowledge and use of recommended practices during/after extended power outages and other emergencies. Because older adults are at an increased risk for foodborne illness, this paper presents findings from a sample of older adults (n = 290). Only 17% of respondents reported they are fully prepared to keep food safe during an extended power outage. Respondents identified lack of cogitation (42%), storage space (19%), and concern (27%) as barriers to not being fully prepared. Of those who had experienced a recent power outage, less than 40% followed the recommended practices of discarding frozen foods that had thawed and discarding refrigerated, perishable foods. Additionally, 21% to 36% of respondents reported they tasted food to determine whether it was safe to eat. Awareness and likelihood of following recommended practices were higher among women than men. Many older adults are not following recommended practices to ensure food safety during/after extended power outages and other emergencies. Educational materials need to address barriers and be tailored to specific locations and subpopulations of older adults. Educators and public health officials can use the survey findings to address gaps in older adults’ knowledge and practices and to help reduce the risk of foodborne illness among older adults.     

A case example of assessment and evaluation: Building capability in a corporate university

One corporate university makes measurement a priority by dedicating resources and assigning responsibilities to a centralized analytics function: the assessment, measurement, and evaluation team. As more measurement became a focus for learning and business leaders alike, the more the team became motivated to take a critical look at how it was approaching assessment, measurement, and evaluation activities and how it could leverage its capabilities, technology, and processes to have a greater reach across the organization.     

An interview study of college freshmens’ beliefs about their academic motivation

An important aspect of metacognition, one potentially affecting much of students’ academic efforts, was tapped in this study. College students’ beliefs about their academic motivation were elicited systematically using ethnographic interviewing. We reasoned that students are very conscious of their decisionmaking regarding academics, and thus, they would be able to report on many of the factors affecting their academic motivation. In general, the students reported that many factors affect their academic motivation, specifically, many more factors than have been considered in previous theoretical analyses of academic motivation, with students perceiving that interactions between motivational factors often are critically determinative of academic efforts and achievement.     

Youth’s Sibling Relationships Across the Course of a Parent’s Military Deployment: Trajectories and Implications

The present exploratory study explored the trajectories and implications of at-home (military unaffiliated) parents’ perceptions of youth’s sibling relationships across the course of a parent’s military deployment. Participants included 109 families with at least two siblings (older sibling and younger siblings age: M = 10.85, SD = 3.92 and M = 7.89, SD = 3.58, respectively) and one parent serving in the National Guard. Data were collected via in-home interviews, at six time points across the deployment cycle. A series of multilevel models revealed increases in sibling disharmony during the months a deployed parent was away, but showed signs of recovery in the year after they returned. Increases in sibling disharmony were positively associated with increases in youth’s externalizing behaviors above and beyond the effects of parenting.     

The exercise and affect relationship: evidence for the dual-mode model and a modified opponent process theory

This study examined the relationship between exertion level and affect using the framework of opponent-process theory and the dual-mode model, with the Activation-Deactivation Adjective Checklist and the State Anxiety Inventory among 14 active and 14 sedentary participants doing 20 min of treadmill exercise at speeds of 5% below, 5% above, and at lactate threshold (LT). We found a significant effect of time, condition, Time × Condition, and Time × Group, but no group, Group × Condition, or Time × Group × Condition effects, such that the 5% above LT condition produced a worsening of affect in-task compared with all other conditions whereas, across conditions, participants experienced in-task increases in energy and tension, and in-task decreases in tiredness and calmness relative to baseline. Posttask, participants experienced mood improvement (decreased tension, anxiety, and increased calmness) across conditions, with a 30-min delay in the above LT condition. These results partially support the dual-mode model and a modified opponent-process theory.