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Relationship between Hair Cortisol and Perceived Chronic Stress in a Diverse Sample
Get PDFHair cortisol (CORT) is a biomarker of chronic stress via long-termalterations in hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis activity. Relationships to perceived stressmeasures, however, have rarely been specifically investigated. A diverse sample of 135 adults participated in a study assessing relationships between chronic stress indicator CORT to perceived stress and health indicators. CORT was not correlated to single perceived domain indices but with a global stress composite. Differences in objective and subjective measures were found for sociodemographics: racial/ethnic identity, sex and socioeconomic status (SES). Race by SES interactions predicted both CORT and perceived stress, but produced a complex and partially unanticipated pattern of results. For minorities, low and high SES showed the highest CORT, with mid-SES showing the lowest CORT; there was little change in perceived stress at all levels of SES. For non-minorities, mid-SES showed the highest CORT, with decreases in both CORT and perceived stress in high SES. The unanticipated findings of deleterious outcomes for high SES minorities highlight the importance of investigating potential stressors and moderators, including perceived discrimination and social identity. Moreover, these results suggest that CORT may not always correlate with single stress indices but may provide a global assessment of chronic stress, with implications for the allostatic load literature
Relational Psychophysiology and Mutual Regulation during Dyadic Therapeutic and Development Relating
Get PDFHuman experiences of empathy and presence are quintessential in therapeutic as well as intimate relationships. The work on relational psychophysiology has informed psychotherapeutic research by illustrating how early life physiological concordance between mother and infant are critical in mutual dyadic regulation. These processes cross several developmental domains, including biological, affective, social, and self-identity. By examining physiological concordance, this research has propelled our understanding of mutual regulation into the more expansive understanding of dyadically expanded states of consciousness. The core of the therapeutic relationship inherently engenders expanded opportunities and reorganization of the client, as well as the therapist. By incorporating the views of nonlinear dynamic systems theory, this model views the human as an open dynamic system, consisting of interrelated domains of functioning (i.e., physiological, emotional, cognitive/symbolic, and social/behavioral), where each is an agent in mutual regulation and growth. Fine-tuning the mutual regulation model by bringing in relational psychophysiology and dynamic systems theory offers an expanded understanding of intimate human relationships, including early systemic development between mother and infant, as well as therapist-client effectiveness
What\u27s Best For Women: Examining the Impact of Legal Approaches to Prostitution in Cross-National Perspective and Rhode Island
Get PDFThis research analyzes legal approaches to prostitution on a cross-national level in order to determine if legal methods that regulate prostitution have an effect on prostitution. In order to examine these concepts, legel approaches were first identifed in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Following this analysis, the effects of these legal approaches are reported. Instead of working from a strictly sociological standpoint, this project focused greatly on the legal aspects that affect prostitution
Why Our World Needs Social Work
No full textIn January came the disquieting and painful news that Chicago’s famed Hull House, founded more than 120 years ago by social work pioneer and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams, closed its doors due to persistent and relentless financial woes. For social workers who truly grasp the profession’s storied history and inspiring mission, news of the shuttered Hull House hit like an unexpected and destructive tornado, tearing asunder a lifetime’s worth of memories and precious possessions. In important respects, Hull House has served as social work’s spiritual home and totem
Eye on Ethics: Managing Boundaries in Small Communities
No full textSocial workers who provide professional services to members of their own religious and faith communities also face significant boundary issues. Their children’s classmates and playmates may be the offspring of the social workers’ clients. It is not unusual for social workers in rural communities to have no choice but to have their car serviced by the one transmission specialist in town, who happens to be a client. The one local electrician may end up servicing her social worker’s home to address a sudden power outage
Living in an Age of Technology: College Students\u27 Perception of the Role of Genetic Engineering and Reproductive Technology in Today\u27s Society
Get PDFThis study examines attitudes about prevalent issues in genetics and reproduction among the college population. Eighteen interviews were conducted with students at Rhode Island College. Respondents were asked questions about their moral standpoints concerning utilizing genetic engineering for disease control and aesthetic purposes, employing assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), regulation of such procedures, and also about media sources for which they have heard of these topics. Findings suggest that, generally, participants felt that genetic engineering for health issues is permissible, yet reprehensible for the purpose of aesthetically designing a baby, though four students (three of which were female) found the enhancement of physical traits enticing. There was overwhelming support, among all respondents, for the usage of ARTs for infertile couples, single women and gay couples. Also, utilizing ARTs to conceive was thought to be acceptable if an individual is a responsible caretaker, and the government should only go as far as to regulate for safety precautions. The most dominant sources of media responsible for the dissemination of information among this population were television and the internet. Results were interpreted in terms of Bourdieu’s theory of capital and Weber’s value-rational action theory
What about Me? An Examination of Identity Formation Among Beginning Educators
Get PDFOver the past decade, I have been an athlete, a stage manager, an actor, a parliament member, a treasurer, a resident assistant, a tour guide, a ballroom dancer, and very involved with music, participating in marching band throughout high school as well as my college wind ensemble. Of all those roles, the only one that has stuck is my most recent—teacher. I decided that I wanted to be a teacher in fourth grade, and I have grown to be very passionate about it. But even in that regard, the question “what is right?” continued to linger. What if I am not the right type of teacher? Does that even exist
Experiences of Male Teachers in the Elementary Grades
Get PDFTeaching in the elementary grades is a profession generally seen more suited for women. However, an increasing number of elementary schools are recruiting more males to apply to teach grades K-6. The purpose of this study was to listen to the stories of males in the elementary grades and to understand the experiences, advantages or disadvantages of being a male teacher in the elementary grades. Ethnographic methods, such as interviews, field notes, observations, were used. Eight male teachers with varying backgrounds from six elementary schools were interviewed. In conclusion, the domination of females in the field is still present. A large majority of the male teachers noted that they were hired purely based on gender. Physical contact with the students was a major concern with these teachers; however the response to male teachers by students and their families was positive towards having a male teacher
Labor Rights, Human Rights and a Critical Sociology of Law
Get PDFArguing for a transnational labor movement increasingly poses transnational labor rights as transnational human rights. Sociologically, how can such transnational labor rights be secured by institutions at a global level? Moving from human rights to transnational social rights? A seemingly aporia between the concepts of labor rights and human rights can be dialectically mediated by the tradition of a critical sociology of law in yielding a critical sociology of rights