Adolescents' moral dilemmas: The context

The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology which outlines the kinds of real-life moral dilemmas adolescents spontaneously present in open-ended semiclinical interviews. A coding procedure is introduced which delineates three aspects of these moral dilemmas, conflicts, context, and content, and an analysis is done of the category labeled context. One hundred forty-eight adolescents from two school settings were interviewed. The results show that the majority of both boys and girls in these samples describe moral conflicts in the context of a relationship, particularly involving friends. However, boys are more likely than girls to focus on the the self as the context of the moral dilemma with no other relational context present and significantly more girls than boys focus on relationships rather than self.The authors thank the Dodge, Klingenstein and Kendall Foundations for funding these studies.Her Ed.D. is from Harvard University, M.Ed. from Boston University, and A.B. from Ohio University. She was the Project Director for Carol Gilligan on a coed high-school study. Her present research interests are preservice teacher training and women's development.She is the Project Director of a longitudinal study of moral and social development in female children and adolescents and is the editor ofA Guide to Reading Narratives of Moral Conflict and Choice for Self and Moral Voice. Her Ed.D. is from Harvard University and B.A. is from Ottawa University, Ottawa, Kansas. Her research focuses on a developmental analysis of narratives of relationship in girls.Her B.A. is from Brown University and her research interests are in female development and children of alcoholics.     

Electro-acupuncture to prevent prolonged postoperative ileus:A randomized clinical trial

AIM:To examine whether acupuncture can prevent prolonged postoperative ileus(PPOI)after intraperitoneal surgery for colon cancer. METHODS:Ninety patients were recruited from the Fudan University Cancer Hospital,Shanghai,China. After surgery,patients were randomized to receive acupuncture(once daily,starting on postoperative day 1, for up to six consecutive days)or usual care.PPOI was defined as an inability to pass flatus or have a bowel movement by 96 h after surgery.The main outcomes were time to first fl...     

INTERNATIONAL ABDUCTION OF CHILDREN

Justice Kay discusses the abduction of children and the application of the Hague Convention from the Australian perspective. The article begins with an outline of the common law and the appropriate legislation. Signatory nations to the Hague Convention are listed and Australian case law reviewed. Statistics are also given regarding children who have been taken to what nations.     

Risk reduction in general practice and the role of the receptionist

Medical receptionists play a crucial role in any practice as they are usually the first points of contact for patients and the intermediaries through whom contacts with medical practitioners are made. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study of medical receptionists undertaken to explore their role in general practice, particularly in relation to activities involving direct patient assessment, monitoring, counselling and therapy. The findings highlight a number of significant issues in relation to the potential liability of receptionists, medical practitioners, medical centre owners and insurers.     

The mental health service crisis of neoliberalism -- an antipodean perspective

Major transformations in forms of governance of the liberal state have been wrought over the course of the last century, including the rise of neoliberalism and 'new public management.' Mental health too has witnessed change, with pharmacological treatment displacing residential care, a shift to community-based services, mainstreaming with general health care, and greater reliance on civil society institutions such as the family or markets. This article considers whether mental health law, and its court/tribunal 'gatekeepers' have kept pace with those changes. It argues that the focus of the liberal project needs to shift to measures which will better guarantee access to mental health services, and keep a more watchful eye on both 'hidden' coercion of people on community treatment orders, and passive neglect of human need.