Individual socialization or politocultural context? The cultural roots of volunteering in Switzerland

Volunteering rates in Switzerland vary substantially across language regions. In this article, we investigate the cultural roots of this variation by presenting and empirically testing two different conceptualizations of how linguistic culture is related to individual volunteering. Whereas the first perspective perceives the individual as belonging to a particular language community and its norms and values as crucial for individual volunteering, the other sees the linguistic culture mainly as an important context in which an individual lives and which therefore influences individual volunteering. Empirically, we base our analysis on new survey data from 60 Swiss communes and apply a Bayesian multi-level analysis in order to disentangle the linguistic group from contextual effects. Our analysis supports the view that cultural patterns of civic self-organization can indeed explain regional volunteering behaviour in Switzerland. Whereas the propensity to volunteer is generally highest in German-speaking Switzerland, our findings reveal that it is the group of French speakers that exhibits the highest propensity to volunteer when controlling for language region.

Educational Technology-Benefits and Barriers

Statement of Problem: The second background paper for the Medical School Objective Project (MSOP), defined Educational Technology (ET) as the use of information technology to facilitate student’s learning.1 Medical schools as a group have made limited progress in accomplishing the recommended educational technology goals and there had been much greater use of such technology in basic sciences courses than in clinical clerkships. We will explore the positive and negative implications of incorporating ET into the educational experience of TMC schools. [See PDF for complete abstract]

Von der Volksschule in den Beruf: Ein integratives Modell der beruflichen Motivation beim Übertritt in das Erwerbsleben

Ziel Motivation ist ein Kernkonzept für das Verständnis von arbeitsbezogenem Verhalten. In der bisherigen Forschung wurde Motivation jedoch meist fragmentarisch untersucht. Mit dem Ziel, die theoretischen Grundlagen weiterzuentwickeln, schlagen wir einen neuen theoretischen Rahmen zur Erklärung der arbeitsbezogenen Motivation vor. Theoretischer Rahmen und Forschungsstand Als theoretische Grundlage nutzen wir die Motivational Systems Theorie sowie ein Modell der proaktiven Motivation. Basierend auf diesen Modellen verstehen wir arbeitsbezogene Motivation als ein System sich gegenseitig verstärkender Komponenten: Zielen, Emotionen, sowie persönlichen Wirkungsüberzeugungen (Ford & Smith, 2007). Methoden Aufgrund einer Integration von Literatur zur Berufswahl, proaktiven Motivation sowie Karrieremanagement wenden wir das Motivationsmodell auf den Übergang von der Schule in das Berufsleben an. Wir postulieren, dass dieses motivationale System durch soziale, persönliche und Umwelt-Variablen beeinflusst wird (z.B. erlebte soziale Unterstützung, berufliche Vorbilder, Persönlichkeitsvariablen, schulische Leistung). Wir erwarten, dass Schüler und Schülerinnen einen erfolgreicheren Übergang von der Schule in das Berufsleben haben, wenn sie autonom verankerte Ziele, die Erwartung von positiven affektiven Zuständen am zukünftigen Arbeitsplatz, weniger Hindernisse in ihrer Berufswahl sowie eine höhere berufliche Selbstwirksamkeit aufweisen. Daten Die Hypothesen werden zwischen 2013 und 2015 mit einer Multi-Kohorten Studie von ca. 800 Schweizer Jugendlichen längsschnittlich mit etablierten Messinstrumenten untersucht. Die erste Welle der Datenerhebung findet aktuell statt und an der AEPF-Tagung 2013 werden erste Ergebnisse daraus vorliegen. Geplante Analysen Mit Hilfe einer konfirmatorischen Faktorenanalyse werden wir die empirische Realität des theoretischen Modells überprüfen. Multiple Mediationsanalysen werden eingesetzt, um die direkten und mediierten Effekte von Person- und Umwelt-Variablen auf Motivation und Berufserfolg zu evaluieren. Wissenschaftliche Bedeutsamkeit der Studie Ein integratives Konzept der Motivation im Übergang von der Schule in den Beruf erweitert das theoretische Verständnis wichtiger Prädiktoren eines erfolgreichen Übergangs. Zudem bietet es vielfältige Implikationen für Praxisanwendungen in den Bereichen Berufsberatung und Berufswahlunterricht.

Explanations for unsuccessful weight loss among bariatric surgery candidates.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to analyze subjective explanations for unsuccessful weight loss among bariatric surgery candidates. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 909 bariatric surgery candidates (78.2% female, average body mass index [BMI] 47.3) at a university center from 2001 to April 2007 who answered an open-ended question about why they were unable to lose weight. We generated a coding scheme for answers to the question and established inter-rater reliability of the coding process. Associations with demographic parameters and initial BMI were tested. RESULTS: The most common categories of answers were nonspecific explanations related to diet (25.3%), physical activity (21.0%), or motivation (19.7%), followed by diet-related motivation (12.7%) and medical conditions or medications affecting physical activity (12.7%). Categories related to time, financial cost, social support, physical environment, and knowledge occurred in less than 4% each. Men were more likely than women to cite a medical condition or medication affecting physical activity (19.2% vs 10.8%, P = 0.002, odds ratio [OR] = 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.28-2.99) but less likely to cite diet-related motivation (7.1% vs 14.2%, P = 0.008, OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.26-0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that addressing diet, physical activity, and motivation in a comprehensive approach would meet the stated needs of obese patients. Raising patient awareness of under-recognized barriers to weight loss, such as the physical environment and lack of social support, should also be considered. Lastly, anticipating gender-specific attributions may facilitate tailoring of interventions.

Progenitor cell therapies for traumatic brain injury: barriers and opportunities in translation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) directly affects nearly 1.5 million new patients per year in the USA, adding to the almost 6 million cases in patients who are permanently affected by the irreversible physical, cognitive and psychosocial deficits from a prior injury. Adult stem cell therapy has shown preliminary promise as an option for treatment, much of which is limited currently to supportive care. Preclinical research focused on cell therapy has grown significantly over the last decade. One of the challenges in the translation of this burgeoning field is interpretation of the promising experimental results obtained from a variety of cell types, injury models and techniques. Although these variables can become barriers to a collective understanding and to evidence-based translation, they provide crucial information that, when correctly placed, offers the opportunity for discovery. Here, we review the preclinical evidence that is currently guiding the translation of adult stem cell therapy for TBI.

Commentary on "A Needs Assessment Examining Low-Income Fathers’ Barriers to Participation in Parenting Programs"

The article provides insight on issues serving as barriers to low-income fathers' involvement with their children and with parenting programs.

Low-Income Fathers’ Barriers to Participation in Family and Parenting Programs

This exploratory study used semi-structured focus groups to examine: 1) where and from whom fathers obtain information about parenting; 2) the types of parenting services men are aware of, and their attitudes about participating in such services; and 3) fathers’ perceived norms about the acceptability and utility of various parenting practices. Low-income men (N = 17) were recruited from a human services agency in Detroit, Michigan. Four major themes emerged. First was the need for male-focused community resources for fathers. Second was that men were aware of and used positive disciplinary strategies. Third was emphasis on fathers’ positive and effective communication, with male children in particular. Finally, men suggested that constructive and concrete activities, such as engaging with children in activities or mentorship programs with other adult men in the community, were preferable to traditional parenting class such as those offered through Child Protective Services.

Motivation as a predictor of drinking outcomes after residential treatment programs for alcohol dependence

OBJECTIVES: Patients' motivation to change their substance use is usually viewed as a crucial component of successful treatment. The objective of this study was to examine whether motivation contributes to drinking outcomes after residential treatment for alcohol dependence. METHODS: Our sample included 415 Swiss patients from 12 residential alcohol treatment programs. We statistically controlled for important predictors, such as sex, employment, alcohol consumption before admission, severity of alcohol dependence, severity of psychiatric symptoms at admission, and alcohol-related self-efficacy at discharge. Abstinence, alcohol consumption, and time to first drink were used as primary outcome measures and were assessed 1 year after discharge from treatment. RESULTS: Action-oriented motivation to change substance use had a modest impact on drinking outcomes. At the 1-year follow-up, only the Taking Steps subscale of the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale and alcohol-related self-efficacy were found to be significant predictors of abstinence and the number of standard drinks. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of action-oriented motivation at admission to residential treatment is modest but still relevant, compared with other outcome predictors. It may be useful to focus treatment on improving action-oriented motivation to reduce substance use

Relations between adolescents' self-evaluations, time perspectives, motivation for school and their achievement in different countries and at different ages

The present study focused on the relations between the self-efficacy, social self-concept, time perspectives, school investment and academic achievement of students in four different European countries and in different adolescence periods. A total of 1623 students completed questionnaires. The relations between the concepts proved not to be specific to the Western or to the former Communist bloc countries studied. The expected general decline in investment and academic achievement over the adolescence period showed up in all four countries studied. Contrary to our hypothesis, however, this decline could not be explained by growing influences of either social self-concept or time perspectives regarding personal development on their investment. In fact, the effects of social self-concept were strongest for the youngest adolescence group. Students’ social self-concept was the best predictor for their investment, while self-efficacy proved to predict academic achievement best in all adolescence periods.