Liora Findler

The Multidimensional Attitudes Scale toward Persons with Disabilities (MAS): Construction and Validation.

This study presents the development of a new instrument, the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS). Based on the multidimensional approach, it posits that attitudes are composed of three dimensions: affect, cognition, and behavior. The scale was distributed to a sample of 132 people along with a self-esteem measure and a frequently employed attitude scale, the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Scale (ATDP). The construct and concurrent validity of the questionnaire was demonstrated by reliability and factor analyses, as well as by comparison with the ATDP scale. Principal component factor analysis revealed three correlated but distinct factors. Results show that women hold more positive behavioral attitudes than men. Interestingly, men with high self-esteem were found to hold more positive cognitions than men with low self-esteem. Results indicate the importance of a multidimensional approach both for the construction of sound instruments and for professional interventions aimed at modifying attitudes toward persons with disabilities.

The Challenge of Workforce Management in a Global Society

Abstract Social work managers are increasingly challenged by the growing need to effectively manage workforce diversity and to create a welcoming and inclusive organizational environment. This is particularly important in light of the disproportional representation of women and members of minority groups in human service organizations and the gap between diversity of the client population versus the diversity of the staff. With social identity theory and inclusion-exclusion conceptual framework as a backdrop, this study tests a comprehensive theory-based model of the relationship between diversity, organizational culture, and employee outcomes. Using structural equations modeling, the proposed model was tested in a representative sample of one hundred and fourteen employees in a high tech company in Israel. The results point to significant paths between diversity and organizational-culture variables and between organizational-culture variables such as fairness, inclusion, stress, and social support to employee outcomes of well-being, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Within the context of globalization, implications for social work management practices are drawn, particularly for implementing policies and practices that promote an inclusive organizational culture and a sense of belonging, satisfaction, and commitment in employees.

The Role of Grandparents in the Social Support System of Mothers of Children with a Physical Disability

The structural and functional dimensions of perceived social support were examined, with particular emphasis on the importance of grandparents as support providers to the mothers of children with special needs. Forty-seven mothers of children with cerebral palsy and 43 mothers of children without such a disability (comparison group) were interviewed in their homes using the social support network list (Kazak & Wilcox, 1984), a special version of a support functions scale (Dunst, Trivette, & Deal, 1988), and satisfaction with social support (Vaux & Harrison, 1985). The results indicate that differences between the two groups were found only in the structural dimension of network size. However, no differences in the analysis of the functional dimension and satisfaction from support were revealed. In both research groups, grandparents were highly ranked in comparison with other support providers, and a clear hierarchy was revealed; maternal grandmothers were perceived to be the most important figures providing more emotional than instrumental support and received the highest score in terms of satisfaction from support. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Proximal and distal effects of mortality salience on willingness to engage in health promoting behavior along the life span.

The current studies examine proximal and distal mortality salience effects on the willingness to engage in health-promoting activities and explore the roles of age and self-esteem. In Study 1, 164 participants completed a self-esteem scale, were assigned to a mortality salience or a neutral condition, and then completed a scale, tapping their willingness to engage in health promoting activities. Findings revealed that in the proximal mode, mortality salience led the young and middle-aged adults to report higher willingness to promote health behaviors, whereas older adults tended to show a lower willingness to promote their health compared to the control condition. In Study 2, a total of 251 participants completed the same series of questionnaires, including a distracting task immediately after the mortality salience manipulation. Findings revealed that, in the distal mode, whereas death reminders did not affect young adults, mortality salience led middle-aged participants to express higher willingness to conduct health-promoting behaviors than in a control condition. The mortality salience induction did not affect older adults with high self-esteem, but led low self-esteem individuals to report higher willingness to promote their health. The differences between the reactions of the different age groups in both the defense modes are discussed in view of the terror management theory.

Personal Growth in the Wake of Stress: The Case of Mothers of Preterm Twins

ABSTRACT In a longitudinal study conducted in Israel, the authors compared mothers of preterm twins (n = 64) with mothers of full-term single babies (n = 75) and twins (n = 72). The authors examined the contributions of internal resources (mothers attachment style, mental health, sociodemographic characteristics), external resources (perceived maternal grandmothers support, mothers marital adaptation), and features of the event itself (infant temperament, additional stressful life events, mothers feelings toward her baby or babies) in proximity to the birth, to personal growth 1 year following the birth. Although mothers of preterm twins reported the highest level of negative feelings toward their infants and the lowest level of mental health, they also experienced the greatest personal growth. Younger age and lower level of education, along with higher perceived support from maternal grandmothers contributed to higher personal growth. It seems that in the wake of stress, even mothers who display lower personal resources can rely on their environmental resources and experience personal growth.

Reckless driving and gender: an examination of a terror management theory explanation

A study, based on Terror Management Theory, examined the effects of mortality salience on young mens and womens behavioral intentions to drive recklessly. Participants ( N =206) reported on the relevance of driving to their self-esteem. Half of them were exposed to a mortality salience induction and the remaining to a control condition. Then they were asked about their willingness to drive recklessly in various scenarios. Findings showed that mortality salience led to higher intentions to drive recklessly than the control condition only among men who perceived driving as relevant to their self-esteem. No such differences were found among women. Results are discussed in light of the self-enhancing and cultural-worldviews-validating mechanisms proposed by the Terror Management Theory.

Gender and Attitudes Toward People Using Wheelchairs: A Multidimensional Perspective

This study aims to investigate the effect of observer’s gender and target’s gender on attitudes toward people who use wheelchairs due to a physical disability. Four hundred four Jewish Israeli students without disabilities completed the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS). Initially, confirmatory factor analysis was used to revalidate the MAS. Five factors of attitudes were confirmed: distancing behaviors, positive cognitions, negative emotions, interpersonal stress, and calm. Findings showed that an encounter with a person using a wheelchair raised more positive cognitions and less distancing behaviors, but also evoked more negative emotions, than an encounter with a person without a disability. In the case of an encounter with a person without a disability, men contributed to greater interpersonal stress among women, whereas women contributed to greater interpersonal stress among men. The multidimensional approach revealed that the effect of gender was mostly salient with regard to interpersonal stress.

Motivation for Military Service: A Terror Management Perspective

This study examined the effects of mortality salience on the motivation for military service in Israel using the terror management theory framework. Shortly before conscription into the army, 156 young men completed a self-esteem scale and were then randomly assigned to either a mortality salience condition or a control condition. The dependent variables were self-reported motivation to serve in the army and anticipation of physical and mental hardships. Mortality salience was found to be associated with a higher level of motivation for military service and a higher anticipation of physical hardships in the army than the control condition, but only for high-self-esteem respondents. The results are discussed in view of the self-esteem and worldview defense mechanisms proposed by the terror management theory.

Attitudes Toward Israel's Equal Rights for People With Disabilities Law: A Multiperspective Approach

Objective: To examine attitudes toward the new Equal Rights for People With Disabilities Law in Israel among members of specific professional groups. Study Design: An exploratory, descriptive, crosssectional survey, using convenience samples. Measure: The Disability Rights Attitude Scale—Israel (DRASI) was designed. Results: Factor analysis yielded 4 defined factors. The most positive attitudes were found for the factor of punishment, followed by accessibility, governmental support, and, finally, employment. The most positive attitudes were expressed by the social workers and the teachers, followed by the employers, the architects, and the lawyers. Conclusions: Findings shed light on the important role of professional identity in shaping the attitudes toward disability rights. Results may contribute to the development of appropriate rehabilitation and support services. In 1998, the Equal Rights for People With Disabilities Law (1998) was accepted by the Israeli parliament. Following the passage of legislation advancing the rights of persons with disabilities in the United States and other countries, this law is a major milestone, marking the beginning of a process of real legal and social change in Israeli society. The law that has been legislated includes only chapters regarding employment, public transport services, and the establishment of the commission office for the implementation of the Equal Rights for People With Disabilities Law. Issues of accessibility, education, health, leisure time, and more are included in the complete law proposal planned to be legislated in the future. In intention, this law is similar to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA; 1991). It, too, is a declaration that persons with disabilities should be enabled to be equal members of society (West, 1993). Thus, it also shares the ADA’s aim of achieving full inclusion for individuals with disabilities. In this sense, legislation such as Israel’s Equal Rights for Persons With Disabilities Law and the United States’ ADA constitute a clear message that society’s attitude toward persons with disabilities should be one of respect, inclusion, and support (Hernandez, Keys, Balcazar, & Drum, 1998; West, 1993).

Cancer patients, their caregivers and coping with loneliness

Four hundred and twenty-six participants volunteered to participate in this study. A total of 159 men and 281 women comprised the sample. The sample was composed of 99 cancer stricken patients, 97 caregivers, 124 participants from the general population, and 126 people who were related to them in a similar manner that caregivers were related to patients (i.e. spouse, intimate partner, child, family member, etc.). Utilizing the Loneliness Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSS), and the Sense of Coherence (SOC) questionnaires, it was found that significant differences among the four groups were found on Reflection and Acceptance, Self-development and Understanding, Social Support Network, Distancing and Denial, and on the Increased Activity subscales. Significant differences were not found on the Religion and Faith subscale. The findings are interpreted in light of the analyses of the other two measures which address the social support that patients and caregivers received and their SOC.