How well do evidence-based universal parenting programs teach parents about psychological maltreatment?: a program review

Objective

Psychological maltreatment (PM) is a widespread form of child maltreatment both in high-risk and maltreating families as well as in the general population of parents, yet there are no intervention programs that target it directly. The current study was designed as the first step in a larger program of research concerning educating parents about PM. In this study we evaluated the content of universal parenting programs to assess whether they include content on PM. Three questions were addressed: (1) Which types, if any, of PM were included in the content of these programs? (2) Which programs, if any, have content about each of the types of PM? (3) What are the implications for the development of PM curricula for parents?

Method

Ten evidence-based, manualized, universal parenting programs identified from SAMHSA or a comparable model program registry were rated on how well their content covered 18 types of psychological maltreatment (PM), as defined by the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, APSAC ( [Bingelli et al., 2001] and [0160] ). Each type of PM was coded along several dimensions which resulted in two summary scores: (1) Does the program contain content designed to teach parents what not to do in regards to the 18 psychologically maltreating behaviors and (2) Does the program contain content designed to teach parents what to do instead?

Results

Content related to most PM types were not included in the curricula, especially regarding “what not to do” and not one program was rated as having content related to teaching all 18 types of PM.

Conclusions

Existing parenting programs do not currently cover content for teaching community parents about psychological maltreatment.     

Let’s Talk About Men: Some Suggestions on How We Can Include Men in Conversations About Gender Roles in Librarianship

Nine years ago, I did not imagine listing gender issues as one of my core research interests. Now I cannot imagine my research revolving around anything else. The way I study gender though, has taken a rather startling turn away from women to focus (sometimes uncomfortably) on men. What follows is an argument about why studying men and masculinities can make us better librarians. I argue that studying men broadly is important, and librarians should explore methods and strategies for studying a specific type of men: well-educated, white men with established careers in libraries. While my narrative is highly personal, it is based on 9 years of research and reflection about how librarians discuss gender and professional identity.     

Inclusive Inquiry: Student–teacher dialogue as a means of promoting inclusion in schools

This article traces the development of Inclusive Inquiry, a new approach to the promotion of inclusion in schools. It explains how this builds on a programme of research carried out by the authors over a period of 20 years. Central to the approach is dialogue amongst teachers and their students about how to make lessons more inclusive. This involves children becoming researchers who learn how to use research techniques to gather the views of their classmates, as well as observing lessons. The approach was refined as a result of a 3-year action research study carried out with a network of eight secondary schools, in three European countries. It was then trialled in 30 primary schools, in five European countries. In each country a team of university researchers supported, recorded and analysed the action research as it occurred, using observations, interviews and surveys. The article provides an analysis of the impact on the thinking and practices of teachers, and on the attitudes and engagement of students in learning. It is argued that Inclusive Inquiry is an approach that facilitates dialogues that can lead to transformations of practices and thinking, and the development of inclusive schools. Some of the challenges involved in using the approach in schools are identified.     

The role of LEAs in developing inclusive policies and practices

Mel Ainscow and Peter Farrell (from the Faculty of Education, The University of Manchester), Dave Tweddle (Senior Assistant Education Officer, Oldham MBC) and George Malki (research assistant) report on the findings of their DfEE-funded study into LEAs' (local education authorities') policies andpractices on inclusion.     

Communicating variations of blackness: An intersectional trans and intersex Africana studies perspective

Courses: This unit is intended for courses that center inquiries in critical communications, including communications studies, Africana studies, ethnic studies, and women, gender, and sexuality studies.

Objectives: The purpose of this course is to illuminate silences around race, gender, and sexuality and interrogate absences in communication studies and other interdisciplinary fields. This course asserts an intersectional framework for radically inclusive pedagogies and centers voices often marginalized and discounted.