Carol M. Lewis

Runaway and Pregnant: Risk Factors Associated with Pregnancy in a National Sample of Runaway/Homeless Female Adolescents

PURPOSEnHomeless youth are at particularly high risk for teen pregnancy; research indicates as many as 20% of homeless young women become pregnant. These pregnant and homeless teens lack financial resources and adequate health care, resulting in increased risk for low-birth-weight babies and high infant mortality. This study investigated individual and family-level predictors of teen pregnancy among a national sample of runaway/homeless youth in order to better understand the needs of this vulnerable population.nnnMETHODSnData from the Runaway/Homeless Youth Management Information System (RHY MIS) provided a national sample of youth seeking services at crisis shelters. A sub-sample of pregnant females and a random sub-sample (matched by age) of nonpregnant females comprised the study sample (N = 951). Chi-square and t tests identified differences between pregnant and nonpregnant runaway females; maximum likelihood logistic regression identified individual and family-level predictors of teen pregnancy.nnnRESULTSnTeen pregnancy was associated with being an ethnic minority, dropping out of school, being away from home for longer periods of time, having a sexually transmitted disease, and feeling abandoned by ones family. Family factors, such as living in a single parent household and experiencing emotional abuse by ones mother, increased the odds of a teen being pregnant.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe complex problems associated with pregnant runaway/homeless teens create challenges for short-term shelter services. Suggestions are made for extending shelter services to include referrals and coordination with teen parenting programs and other systems of care.

EFFECTS OF OFFICE INTERIOR COLOR ON WORKERS' MOOD AND PRODUCTIVITY

The experiment was designed to examine the effects of a red versus a blue office environment on a typing task and mood. Empirical evidence in this area is sparse, but the prevailing view is that “warm” colors ate more arousing than “cool” colors. The 36 paid subjects were given the task of typing business forms for 20 min. in either a monochromatic red or blue office space and then asked to fill out the Eight State Questionnaire. In the second half of the experiment, subjects either returned to the same-colored office or moved to the different-colored office where the same procedure was followed but with alternate business forms and an alternate form of the questionnaire. Significant main effects found were for the number of errors made on the typing task; the subjects who moved to the different-colored office made more errors than those subjects who remained in the same-colored office. On the questionnaire, group differences were not statistically significant, but the mean anxiety and stress scores were higher for the subjects who remained in the red office, the mean depression score was higher for the subjects who remained in the blue office, and the mean arousal score was higher for those subjects who switched to the different-colored office.

Effects of nine monochromatic office interior colors on clerical tasks and worker mood

A pre- and post-between groups experimental design with nine treatment groups was conducted to determine the effects of interior office colors on subjects clerical task performance, mood, and color preference. A total of 675 subjects participated in the study. The dependent variables were proofreading performance tasks, six mood states, and color preference. Independent variables were nine office colors, two saturation levels (high or low), two value levels (dark or light), warmth or coolness of the colors, and gender. The data were analyzed by using multivariate analyses of covariance and analyses of variance. The results showed that subjects made significantly more proofreading errors in the white office than in the blue and red offices. Females performed significantly better than males. Moreover, the saturation of the colors seemed to be a salient predictor of differences between females and males. Females indicated more depression, confusion, and anger in low-saturated office colors (white, gray, beige), whereas males reported more depression, confusion, and anger in the high-saturated office colors (green, blue, purple, red, yellow, and orange). Further, subjects revealed that they would be least likely to work in the orange and purple color offices and prefer to work in the beige and white offices. Implications for future research on the effects of colors on office worker performance and mood are discussed.

Impact of three interior color schemes on worker mood and performance relative to individual environmental sensitivity

Effects of three office color schemes (red, blue- made environment has been meeting our basic shelter needs for centuries. Today, buildings serve other pur- green, and white) were examined for 90 workers mood and productivity, taking into account individual differ- poses, such as education, entertainment, and work activi- ties. Even with an affinity for nature, it has become in- ences in environmental sensitivity (high screeners vs. low screeners). Matched on relevant variables, subjects were creasingly important to realize that individuals exist within enclosed structures for most of their lives. There- assigned to one of three offices. Workers performed office tasks for 4 consecutive workdays. Workers in the red fore, understanding how spaces affect individuals is nec- office reported more dysphoria than workers in the blue- essary for personal well-being. Perhaps, most important green office. Low screeners reported more dysphoria in are the effects of the work environment, the place where the red and white offices than high screeners. High individuals spend most of their waking hours. screeners performed better on office tasks in the red office This research was begun with the hope of being able to and poorer in the blue-green office than low screeners. understand more fully how color within the work environ- The results for performance are discussed as an extension ment affects worker mood and performance. The purpose of the Yerkes-Dodson principle, while the results for was to determine the effects of three different interior color mood tended to support previous findings. q 1997 John schemes on mood, speed, and accuracy on proofreading

Preventing bullying and sexual harassment in elementary schools: The expect respect model

SUMMARY The Expect Respect Elementary School Project, funded by the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, established a model for the primary prevention of dating violence by addressing bullying and sexual harassment on public school campuses. This three-year project was based on the belief that when bullying and sexual harassment go unchecked in elementary schools, these behaviors condition students to accept mistreatment in their peer relationships, laying the foundation for abuse in future dating relationships. The Expect Respect Project assisted six public elementary schools in Austin, TX in taking a whole school approach to stopping bullying, sexual harassment and gender violence by providing staff training, classroom education, parent education, assistance with policy development, and support services. Data from the first year of implementation showed students in the intervention schools had a significant increase in their: (1) ability to identify sexual harassment; (2) awareness of school policy to protect them from sexual harassment by other students; and, (3) willingness to intervene on behalf of another student. This article represents the projects findings from the first year of implementation.

Agonistic antibody to CD40 boosts the antitumor activity of adoptively transferred T cells in vivo

CD40, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, is broadly expressed on antigen-presenting cells and other cells, including fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Binding of CD40 and its natural ligand CD40L (CD154) triggers cytokine secretion, and increased expression of costimulatory molecules is required for T-cell activation and proliferation. However, to our knowledge, the use of agonistic antibodies to CD40 to boost adoptively transferred T cells in vivo has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine whether anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody (mAb) in combination with interleukin (IL)-2 could improve the efficacy of in vitro-activated T cells to enhance antitumor activity. Mice bearing B16 melanoma tumors expressing the gp100 tumor antigen were treated with cultured, activated T cells transgenic for a T-cell receptor specifically recognizing gp100, with or without anti-CD40 mAb. In this model, the combination of anti-CD40 mAb with IL-2 led to expansion of adoptively transferred T cells and induced a more robust antitumor response. Furthermore, the expression of CD40 on bone marrow-derived cells and the presence of CD80/CD86 in the host were required for the expansion of adoptively transferred T cells. The use of neutralizing mAb to IL-12 provided direct evidence that enhanced IL-12 secretion induced by anti-CD40 mAb was crucial for the expansion of adoptively transferred T cells. Collectively, these findings provide a rationale to evaluate the potential application of anti-CD40 mAb in adoptive T-cell therapy for cancer.

Early Intervention for Alcohol Use Prevention and Vehicle Safety Skills: Evaluating the "Protecting You/Protecting Me" Curriculum.

ABSTRACT The present study reports the evaluation results of the “Protecting You/Protecting Me” (PY/PM) alcohol use prevention and safety curriculum for third, fourth, and fifth graders when taught by high school peer leaders. The primary goal of the PY/PM prevention program, developed by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), is to prevent injury and death of children due to underage consumption of alcoholic beverages and vehicle-related risks, especially as passengers in vehicles in which the driver is not alcohol-free. Two classrooms for each grade were randomly assigned to receive either the Intervention or serve as a Comparison in four sites in Texas. From pre-test to post-test, 259 surveys were matched (Intervention n = 128, Comparison n = 131). A 6-week follow-up survey was also completed with 120 Intervention students. The results showed the Intervention group made significant improvements, relative to the Comparison group, in Vehicle Safety Skills, Intentions not to Ride with an Alcohol Impaired Driver, Media Literacy, and Knowledge about Brain Development. Additional findings showed some individual differences by gender and grade and that the interventions effect varied in a few areas depending on pre-test score, gender, and grade. Overall, the curriculum benefits students by influencing their attitudes toward advertisements, increasing their intentions not to ride with a driver who has been drinking, developing their skills to protect themselves when they have no other option but to ride with an alcohol impaired driver, and improving their knowledge about the developing brain.

Fighting stigma: An adolescent mother takes action.

Like many recent high school graduates 18-year-old Charlie Rose eagerly anticipated the start of her freshman year in college. One of a select few accepted to Plan II the nationally ranked honors program at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin Charlie declared a premed-math double major. She dreams of a career working with the uninsured as an obstetrician-gynecologist. Similar to her Plan II peers she has a record of high academic achievement during high school (she was a Hispanic-National Merit Scholar high school salutatorian and recipient of more than

Clinical Challenges in Addressing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) with Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents

100000 in scholarships) which is complemented by an impressive list of extracurricular activities (working for two nonprofit organizations and clocking more than 300 hours of volunteer work annually for various causes). Unlike most of her peers though Charlies most important extracurricular activity is mothering Cae her toddler son. Charlie caught the attention of researchers at the UT Center for Social Work Research when she participated in a focus group that evaluated support services for pregnant and parenting teenagers in the Austin area. Struck by her intelligence resourcefulness energy and independence they were inspired by her passion for social justice and commitment to dispelling the stigmas that are associated with teenage mothers. Charlie who moved out of her parents home at age 14 represented living proof that with ample social support teenage mothers can be successful parents students employees and members of the community. (excerpt)

Using a risk and resilience framework and feminist theory to guide social work interventions with adolescent mothers

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been identified as a significant issue for pregnant and parenting adolescents. This study thematically analyzed data from focus groups with service providers (nu2009=u200943) who work with pregnant and parenting adolescents to learn about barriers and strategies for addressing IPV. Service providers described four primary barriers to addressing IPV with their adolescent clients: adolescent clients’ definitions of love, intergenerational relationship patterns, cultural norms about gender and violence, and developmental-contextual considerations. Service providers also indicated that they respond to adolescents’ IPV related concerns by taking steps to identify IPV, building working relationships, and taking appropriate follow-up action. Results suggest that providers can benefit from increased training and skill development in working with IPV, as well as working in interdisciplinary, collaborative teams to increase effectiveness with challenging cases. Programs should consider integrating IPV prevention initiatives that target broader social norms. Future research should pilot and test the effectiveness of targeted IPV training and programmatic interventions with service providers who work with this population.