Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Adolescent Health Risk Problems: The Role of School Engagement

Maternal depressive symptoms disrupt positive youth development, though the pervasiveness of this disruption is understudied. Additionally, it remains unknown whether prosocial factors such as adolescent school engagement may buffer against this risk factor. Using multigenerational, longitudinal data spanning ten years from an ethnically diverse sample of mother-child dyads (66% Black, 17% Hispanic, and 17% White), this study examines the effect of maternal depressive symptoms in late childhood (ages 8–13) on the development and progression of offspring depressive symptoms, substance use, and delinquent behavior during adolescence (ages 14–17). Further, the study examines whether school engagement moderates the ill effects of maternal depressive symptoms. Mother-son (n?=?212) and mother-daughter (n?=?215) dyads are compared to assess for similarities and differences between male and female offspring. The results indicate that offspring of mothers with greater maternal depressive symptoms are more likely to display higher levels of depressive symptoms, substance use, and delinquency throughout adolescence, although important nuances emerge across outcome and child sex. Additionally, while school engagement itself is associated with reduced depressive symptoms, substance use and delinquency among adolescents, it is not profound enough to offset the risk posed by maternal depressive symptoms. The findings of this study reinforce the pervasive, negative, intergenerational impact of maternal depressive symptoms and has implications for prevention and intervention efforts for adolescent health risk problems.

     

Do Judicial Responses to Restraining Order Requests Discriminate Against Male Victims of Domestic Violence?

Every state in the United States authorizes its courts to issue civil orders of protection for victims of domestic violence. Ideally, restraining orders should be available to all victims. However, consistent with the patriarchal paradigm, research suggests that judicial responses to domestic violence temporary restraining order (TRO) requests may be sex-differentiated. This paper reports on a study that explored equal protection issues in family law by evaluating gender and violence profiles of a random sample of 157 TRO petitions involving intimate partners, dating couples, and married persons in a California district court. The majority of cases involved allegations of low or moderate levels of violence perpetrated by male defendants against female plaintiffs. Although there were no systematic differences in level of violence as a function of plaintiff sex, judges were almost 13 times more likely to grant a TRO requested by a female plaintiff against her male intimate partner, than a TRO requested by a male plaintiff against his female partner. Further analyses revealed that this sex differentiation was limited to cases involving allegations of low-level violence.

William R. Keech: in Memoriam

Public Choice - We analyze the non-contributory health insurance program (“green cards”) in Turkey with RDD (Regression Discontinuity Design) and show that more citizens receive green...     

Research and development project selection in the public sector

This article argues for an innovative methodology to appraising (ex ante) longer-term strategic research and development (R&D) investments. This methodology reflects the inherent value of such R&D in terms of opening up opportunities (but not obligations) for investment in new technological areas with potentially substantial returns. Although corporate R&D managers and public administrators describe the merits of long-term research on these grounds, only recently has the qualitative argument been replaced by the foundations of a methodology capable of quantifying this inherent value of R&D. Such a methodology could also facilitate a transition toward the use of more appropriate discount rates other than the unvarying rates of traditional methodologies.     

A comparison of fatal with non-fatal knife injuries in Edinburgh

Assault using a knife is a common problem in the United Kingdom. Between February 1992 and December 1996, 120 individuals died or received hospital treatment in Edinburgh after being assaulted with a knife. Twenty individuals (17%) died as a result of their injuries. Comparison of the survivors with non-survivors revealed both groups to have similar age and sex distributions, but those who died had significantly more severe injuries when scored according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale. Eight individuals died of unsurvivable chest injuries at the scene of the attack and of the remainder, only five reached hospital with signs of life. Analysis of hospital treatment using TRISS methodology revealed there to be two unexpected survivors and no unexpected deaths. The risk of death appears to depend mostly upon injuries sustained and also to a lesser extent upon other factors such as alcohol consumption and the presence of a bystander capable and willing to request emergency medical assistance. There does not appear to be much potential to save lives by improving hospital treatment for those assaulted with a knife in Edinburgh. Instead, greater focus needs to be placed upon rapid transfer to hospital and upon restricting the possession and use of knives.     

Ensuring the validity of police use of force training

This research examined the skills and abilities required of officers to effectively manage situations where the use of force may be required. The research also considered the nature of training required to facilitate the development of these skills/abilities. Seventy Western Australia Police officers participated in focus groups. Identified skills/abilities fell into seven categories: Aware, Assess, Approach, Act, Automatic, Appraise and Adapt. With regard to developing proficiency in these skills, officers emphasised the importance of relevant, applied and dynamic training, debriefing and the use of scenarios/role plays. The research highlights the need to change the scope of annual refresher training from the appropriate and effective application of force to the effective management of situations in which the use of force may be required, in their entirety. Findings also highlight the need to change the focus of training from performance and assessment to continued skill development (i.e. practice and learning).     

In-your-face Watergate: neutralizing government lawbreaking and the war against white-collar crime

Crime, Law and Social Change - Ample official evidence exists that the Trump administration was the most corrupt in modern American history. Donald Trump’s overall pattern of behavior not...