Advancing child and youth care: A model for integrating theory and practice through connecting education,training, and the service system

This article presents a comprehensive model for enabling connections to be made between theory and practice in the field of child and youth care, based on an analysis of current training and education in the field and a multi-step concept of theory-to-practice and practice-to-theory. The model presents a logical sequence of activities that generate and convey knowledge from two sources. One is formal empirical and research information; the other is the conceptualization of practitioners' direct experience. Both are reinforced by trainers and educators with dual connections with practice and training and education settings. The paper stresses that academic programs are a significant component of any profession, in that they are responsible for collecting and codifying emergent knowledge gathered from multiple sources.There is nothing so practical as a good theory. —Kurt Lewin (quoted in Hunt, 1987, p. 4) There is nothing so theoretical as good practice. —David Hunt (1987, p. 11)An earlier version of this paper was the winner of the 1989 Albert E. Trieschman Prize Competition, published author category, for the best original contribution to the literature of child care.     

Ultraviolet and volatility loss of herbicides

Herbicide 2,4-D formulated as a urea-type polymer was readily destroyed by long-wave uv (356-nm) irradiation, whereas conventional 2,4-D was more resistant. The opposite relationship was noted for polymeric and conventional formulations of dicamba. Polymerized 2,4-D was more resistant to thermal degradation (60°C) than non-polymerized formulations. Ultraviolet degradation of polymerized 2,4-D was eliminated by the incorporation of RYLEX-H and UVINUL D-50, industrial uv absorbers. Exposure of polymeric dicamba to 60°C heat, followed by trapping of the volatile component, indicated that 21 percent was lost by thermal degradation and 46.6 percent by volatilization. Comparable values for non-polymerized dicamba were 37.9 and 60.1 percent.     

The need for “psychological parents” by children in residential treatment

The literature on the socialization of children is reviewed. It is concluded that a major factor contributing to conduct problems in children is the lack of effective child caring at home. The special adult-child relationship which differentiates biological from psychological parenting is described. Implications for the residential treatment of children are discussed.     

Financial “Rules” for Child and Youth Care Managers

Contemporary realities demand that child and youth care managers cast off their traditional avoidance of all things financial. This article offers a jargon-free list of twelve financial rules for thriving in turbulent times. Grounded in a concept of client-centered, results-based agency performance, rules include promoting an entrepreneurial spirit throughout the organization, destroying the taboo on open discussion of financial matters, slashing program development time, and spending lavishly on recruitment and universal staff training.     

Percutaneous absorption of N,N-dimethylformamide in humans

Summary Skin penetration fo N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) liquid or vapour was studied in volunteers. Exposure to liquid DMF was performed in two ways: in a dipping experiment, one hand was dipped up to the wrist in DMF for 2–20 min, while in a patch experiment, 2 mmol DMF was applied to the skin and allowed to be absorbed completely. The period of exposure to DMF vapour (50 mg · m^–3) was 4 h. The DMF metabolites N-hydroxymethyl-N-methylformamide (MF), N-hydroxymethylformamide (F), and N-acetyl-S-(N-methylcarbamoyl)cysteine (AMCC) were monitored in the urine. Liquid DMF was absorbed through the skin at a rate of 9.4 mg · cm^–2 · h^–1. Percutaneous absorption of DMF vapour depended strongly on ambient temperature and humidity and accounted for 13%–36% of totally excreted MF. The results suggest that skin absorption of liquid DMF is likely to contribute to occupational exposure substantially more than penetration of DMF vapour. The yield of metabolites after transdermal DMF absorption was only half of that seen after pulmonary absorption. Elimination of MF and F but not that of AMCC was delayed, which supports the contention that AMCC should be used instead of MF as the most suitable biomarker of DMF in cases where percutaneous intake can occur.     

What is a normal family? Common assumptions and current evidence

The social and applied human sciences have been built upon the assumption that the normal family consists of a first-marriage conjugal couple cohabiting with biological children. It is taken for granted that the wife should be responsible for child and domestic work, and that the husband should be the family's economic provider and ultimate authority. In the professional literature such traditional family structure is often described as normal in the sense of most common, as well as normal in the sense of well-functioning. Current psychological, sociological, anthropological and historical studies, however, do not support the assumption that the traditional nuclear family is the most natural, common, and/or healthy form of family arrangement. The idealization of the traditional nuclear family has had implications for theory, research, mental health practice, and social policy. Scientists and practitioners have been slow to recognize pathology in traditional nuclear families. Families other than traditional nuclear ones have been rendered invisible or pathologized. It is time for contemporary social and applied human sciences to recognize that the traditional nuclear family is a culturally- and historically-specific construct. It is also time for contemporary social and applied human sciences to develop an account of, and a research agenda about, families that take into consideration their variations across time, place, social class, ethnicity, and culture.     

In a Secular Spirit: Strategies of Clinical Pastoral Education

The Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) model forthe provision of spiritual care represents theemergence of a secularized professionalpractice from a religiously-based theologicalpractice of chaplaincy. The transformation ofhospital chaplaincy into spiritual careservices is one means by which religioushealthcare ministry negotiates modernity, inthe particular forms of the secular realm ofbiomedicine and the pluralism of thecontemporary United States healthcaremarketplace. Spiritual is a labelstrategically deployed to extend the realm ofrelevance to any patient's belief system,regardless of his or her religious affiliation.Theological language is recast as a tool forconceptualizing the spiritual lens. Suchmoves transform chaplaincy from a peripheralservice, applicable only to the few religiouspatients, into an integral element of patientcare for all. Such a secularized professionalpractice is necessary to demonstrate therelevance and utility of spiritual care for allhospital patients in an era of cost-containmentpriorities and managed care economics.     

Dimensionen der Zufriedenheit im Alter

Zusammenfassung In einer Interview-Studie von 480 Betagten in städtischen Verhältnissen wurden neben anderen Fragen auch solche zur Zufriedenheit gestellt. Eine Faktoranalyse der Antworten erlaubt die Unterscheidung eines Faktors Depressivität von einem Faktor Zufriedenheit mit Sozial-kontakten und einer gesundheitlichen Dimension.

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Dimensions of satisfaction among old people

Summary In an interview study of 480 aged persons, questions on satisfaction with several aspects of life were included. A factor analysis allows to distinguish a factor relating to depressivity from a factor satisfaction with social contacts and a health-related dimension.

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Dimensions de la satisfaction des personnes âgées

Résumé Das une enquête d'un échantillon de 480 personnes âgées, des questions concernant leur satisfaction ont été inclues dans l'interview. Une analyse factorielle permet de distinguer un facteur associé à la dépressivité d'un facteur satisfaction avec les contactes sociaux et d'une dimension santé.

     

Biological aspects and self-evaluation of shiftwork adaptation

Summary Two male truck drivers working in a Brazilian cellulose plant and classifying themselves as well- and ill-adapted to a shiftwork schedule of 4 days-on and 1 day-off, participated in an autorhythmometric study. Psychophysiological self-ratings (calmness, stress and alertness), oral temperature measurements and urine collections (detection of K⁺,Na⁺ and 17-OH concentrations) were performed regularly during the waking period for 15 consecutive days during the shift schedule — the midday shift (11:00 to 19:00h), early-morning shift (03:00 to 11:00 h) and evening shift (18:00 to 02:00 h), including days-off. Cosine fitting of the data to a successive running one-day window revealed different individual temporal patterns, with the well-adapted subject showing a relatively stable phase relationship of the variables under study and the ill-adapted subject showing a less stable relationship. The different patterns could explain, at least partially, the fact that one subject feels adapted to shiftwork and the other not.Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Dr. Dr. Joseph Rutenfranz, former Director of the Institut für Arbeitsphysiologie, Dortmund, FRG, who contributed so much to the development of studies on occupational and environmental health     

Preschool programs for developmentally disabled children and their families: Are they meeting mothers' expectations?

This study examines the amount of agreement between preschool program staff and mothers of developmentally disabled children on the variables child-rearing values and amount of parental program contact. The findings indicate that although there is a high degree of consonance on child-rearing values, the two groups hold discrepant perceptions of the amount of parental program contact. Such discrepancies may be important indicators of mothers' level of program satisfaction.     

Air-borne B. subtilis enzymes in the detergent industry

Summary Air-borne dust was collected on stationary and portable filters in two factories producing biological detergents. In one factory (Factory A) the detergent base was mixed with enzyme (subtilisin) powder, and the handling of the enzyme was done without effective protection. In the other factory (Factory B) the enzyme was encapsulated in granules before mixing the with detergent base, and the production line was shielded to prevent the spread of dust.Both the amount of air-borne dust and the relative enzyme activity of the dust were greater in Factory A than in Factory B in spite of the considerably larger production of enzyme detergents in the latter factory. The workers studied in Factory A were, on the average, exposed to 5.4 GU (glycine units) per cubic millimetre in their breathing zones, and those studied in Factory B were exposed to enzyme activities about and below 1 GU/m³.Based on exposure measurements and medical examination of the exposed workers, a time-weighted hygienic limit value for subtilisins of 1 GU/m³ is proposed.     

Hard hats vs. soft hearts: The conflict between principles and reality in child and adolescent care and treatment programs

Much of child care in volves quick reactions based on one's automatic pilot derived from how we were parented. This paper is about two seemingly universal automatic pilot systems—the hard hats and the soft hearts. Hard hats are behavior management and modification oriented, while soft hearts are psychodynamically and counselling oriented. Typically, the hard hats tend to have the upper hand due to the nature of our culture, and they therefore have the effect of preventing the contributions of the soft hearts from being realized. That all too frequently sets up a dominant culture and a resentful minority situation. To correct this imbalance, a value orientation from the top which emphasizes mutual respect and utilization is suggested.Grateful acknowledgement is made to Ray Peterson for his helpful suggestions in the preparation of this paper.     

Correlation between vibration-induced white finger and symptoms of upper and lower extremities in vibration syndrome

Summary The correlation was investigated between the frequency of attacks of vibration-induced white finger (VWF) and numbness or coldness of the fingers and legs in patients with vibration syndrome. Some 1687 patients with vibration syndrome were examined and of these 342 chain-saw operators and 277 rock-drill operators had no disease other than vibration snydrome. Then subjects were matched by age and period of treatment within three years. In the last analysis, 20 in the VWF almost everyday group or in the never group, and 40 in the occasionally group were selected from the chain-saw operators, and from the rock-drill operators 32 in the VWF everyday or the never group and 64 in the occasionally group. The present study showed that, with the frequency of VWF attacks, patients had a higher prevalence of coldness not only in the fingers but also in the legs. These findings suggest a correlation between the severity of circulatory disturbances of the upper extremities and that of the lower ones in patients with vibration syndrome. Further studies on circulatory disturbances in the leg are required.     

Assessment of occupational exposure to 4,4′-methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline) “MOCA” by a new sensitive method for biological monitoring

Summary A new specific and sensitive method for the urinary determination of 4,4-methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA), a known carcinogen in rats, mice and dogs, has been developed. After a brief study on rats to determine some peculiarities in MOCA urinary excretion, this method was used to assess occupational exposure in French industrial firms. Both the manufacture of MOCA and its use as a curing agent in the production of polyurethane elastomers were surveyed. MOCA excretion levels were distributed from non-detectable (<0.5 g/l) up to 1600 g/l. Concentrations of N-acetyl metabolites, when present, were largely lower than MOCA levels. The results seemed to reflect workers' overall exposure fairly. Preventive measures following analytical determinations often led to an obvious lowering of excretion levels.     

Investigations on neurotoxicity of chemical substances at the workplace

Summary A cross-sectional study was performed in order to investigate the influence of chronic lead-exposure on the peripheral nervous system. We examined 148 male workers of a storage battery manufacturing plant, who had been exposed to lead metal and inorganic lead compounds for 1 to 28 years (mean 11 years). Fifteen workers with non-occupational risks of peripheral neuropathy (former diseases, alcohol abuse, medication) were excluded from the study. The investigation program comprised: case history, physical examination, analyses of blood- and urine-samples and determination of maximal motor, mixed and sensory conduction velocity (NCV) of the ulnar and median nerve of the right forearm. Objectively no worker showed any signs of health effects related to lead exposure. The Biological Monitoring included the determination of (1) Blood-lead level (Pb-B), (2) Free erythrocyte porphyrins (FEP), (3) -Aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) and (4) -Aminolevulinic acid in urine (ALA-U). Further time-weighted-average (TWA)-values of Pb-B were calculated on the basis of several determinations over the period 1975–1981. The following actual (TWA) median values resulted: Pb-B 53 g/dl (54 g/dl), ALA-U 5.6 mg/l (8.4 mg/l), FEP 2.0 mg/l (2.0 mg/l). The Biologischer Arbeitsstoff Toleranz Wert (BAT) of 70 g//dl for Pb-B was exceeded in 15 workers (11%), and of 15 mg/l for ALA-U in 30 cases (23%). In comparison with age-matched controls, the lead workers showed a mild slowing of NCV with mean values between 0.8 and 2.0 m/s. Multiple stepwise regression analyses revealed statistically significant correlations between the four NCV and age as well as Pb-B. There were better correlations by using TWA than actual data of Pb-B. Consideration of the results of the regression analyses, together with an evaluation of the individual neurophysiological status as a function of internal lead exposure, a dose-effect-relationship was found only in the case of Pb-B exceeding 70 g/dl. From our study it is concluded that chronic lead exposure resulting in blood-lead levels of below 70 g/dl is no occupational risk causing a functionally significant slowing of nerve conduction velocities.With Grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bonn (Project no. Va 23/19-1)     

The Magical Age of 10

Developmental processes of puberty and their cultural contexts in understanding the emergence of sexual subjectivity, especially sexual attraction, prior to gonadarche are critically examined. In particular, we consider the hypothesis that sexual attraction follows the onset of adrenal puberty, termed adrenarche, precipitating the development of stable and memorable attraction toward others approximately by the age of 10. In a prior study, the authors suggested that adrenarche is a significant source of this developmental change in sexuality (McClintock, M., and Herdt, G., 1996). The inferential evidence from New Guinea is compared with recent studies from the United States, including clinical findings on precocious puberty. We conclude with the question of whether the age of 10 is a human universal in the development of attraction and sexuality.     

Effect of instructions to simulate a back injury on torque reproducibility in an isometric lumbar extension task

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in test-retest reliability between maximal and simulated back injury efforts in an isometric lumbar extension task and to test the hypothesis that voluntary attempts to simulate a back injury would yield less consistent torque production than maximal efforts. Twenty subjects were asked to undergo lumbar extensor testing at seven different positions in a lumbar extension machine. Each subject was tested twice in a maximal effort condition and twice with instructions to simulate a back injury. The order of the conditions was counterbalanced across subjects so that half of the subjects performed the maximal effort tests first and half performed the simulated effort first. Results indicated high test-retest correlations at all angles in both conditions. There were no differences in test-retest reliability between effort conditions. Therapist ratings of consistency did not differ between conditions and therapists could not discriminate between conditions on the basis of effort consistency. In the simulated condition subjects produced reliable, submaximal torque plots consistent with previous data indicating similar reliability at submaximal levels. It was concluded that use of test-retest torque consistency as a measure of sincerity of effort is premature and may be misleading.     

Mutagenicity of 4,4′-methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline) “MOCA” and its N-acetyl derivatives in S. typhimurium

Summary 4,4-methylene-bis-(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA) and two identified urinary N-acetyl and N,N-diacetyl derivatives were tested in a Salmonella/mammalian microsome assay. No mutagenic activity was observed without rat liver S9 mix activation. In the presence of rat liver S9 mix, the chemicals were mutagens, but the mutagenicity of N-acetyl derivatives to strain TA 100 was reduced when compared to that of MOCA, and a greater amount of S9 was required to exhibit the mutagenicity of the N,N-diacetyl-MOCA. These data suggest that N-acetylation does not account for the mutagenic effectiveness of MOCA.     

Phase shift in temperature rhythm ffter transmeridian flight,as related to pre-flight phase angle

Summary Further analysis of temperature rhythms obtained in an earlier study of 38 subjects subjected to an 8-h eastward transmeridian flight showed that the extent to which the phase of the rhythm was shifted after the flight was related to the phase angle of the pre-flight rhythm. Late peakers shifted more than early peakers, and this difference between the two types was still as large after 12 days in the new time zone as on the first day. Because the phase-shift was an advance one, this meant that the pre-flight individual differences in phase-angle were abolished by the flight, and had not re-appeared by the end of the observation period. It is suggested that this may have been due to an increase in the rigidity of the routine in the post-flight stage of the study, and that a similar effect may also occur in a switch from day to shiftwork.     

Fumigant contamination during large-scale food sampling for analysis

Incurred fumigants were determined from twenty-two food items before and after routine large-scale preparation of samples to see if these or similar kinds of chemicals were entering the samples during the preparation. This preparation includes making the samples table ready before compositing them for analysis. The following five fumigant residues were determined by gas chromatography (GC): carbon disulfide (CS₂), carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄), chloroform (CHCl₃), methyl chloroform (CH₃CCl₃), and tetrachloroethylene (or perchloroethylene, PCE). The number of residues determined from each sample ranged from none to four. The amounts determined varied significantly between the before and after portions from several samples. Four samples gained at least one new residue during the preparation. Six lost most of the residues determined from the original before portions, and 12 contained essentially the same residues before and after the preparation, although the amounts varied between the two portions. In samples where the variant residues were detected in both portions, five showed a tenfold or greater increase of CHCl₃ or CCl₄ and two showed a ten-fold or lesser decrease of CH₃CCl₃ or PCE in the after portions.