Miriam Mulsow

Domestic Violence against Women in Cambodia: Husband’s Control, Frequency of Spousal Discussion, and Domestic Violence Reported by Cambodian Women

This study sought to examine the effects of husband’s control and frequency of spousal discussion on domestic violence against Cambodian married women, using the 2005 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey data. The sample included 1,707 married women, aged 16–49 (M = 35.14). Structural Equation Modeling showed that husband’s control positively predicted both emotional and physical violence. Frequency of spousal discussion positively predicted emotional violence, an association consistent with the idea that a husband holding patriarchal beliefs would interpret women’s more frequent discussion as a violation of Cambodian norms for quiet, submissive wives. Frequency of spousal discussion and husband’s control were positively correlated. The role of gender issues in husband’s control and frequency of spousal discussion are discussed with respect to violence in the lives of Cambodian women.

The Importance of ADHD Subtype Classification for Educational Applications of DSM-V

Objective: An examination of the academic achievement of children with ADHD by stimulant treatment status must consider this heterogeneity of the disorder. With the dissemination of the final wave of data, the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study presents an opportunity to examine the academic achievement of students with ADHD using a large, community-based, and nationally representative sample over 4 years. Method: In Study 1, the association between stimulant treatment and academic achievement is examined over 4 years. In Study 2, the association between stimulant treatment and academic achievement is examined acknowledging the influence of subtype symptoms of ADHD using growth mixture modeling. Results: Results indicate significant differences in academic achievement according to long-term stimulant treatment status within each subtype symptom class. Conclusion: Research should acknowledge the influence of subtype symptoms when examining outcomes such as academic achievement. The upcoming DSM-V should consider the results as indicating the educational relevance of ADHD subtype classification. (J. of Att. Dis. 2010; 13(6) 573-583)

Teaching Program Evaluation: Three Selected Pillars of Pedagogy.

Two challenges often associated with teaching program evaluation at the graduate level are the need to incorporate practical skills development and being limited to a one-semester-long course offering. The existing literature provides some information concerning a practical application component; however, there is almost no discussion of pedagogy or, more specifically, the selection of teaching strategies for a program evaluation course. This article explains and analyzes a pedagogical framework that has been used to teach program evaluation at a research university. The concepts and practices described may help those who plan to teach about program evaluation and other courses involving practical application components, particularly in an adult learner context. The article consists of four sections: (a) analysis of the pedagogical framework, (b) brief overview of the course, (c) explanation of how the pedagogy was integrated into the course, and (d) conclusions.

The importance of perspective: evaluation of hospice care from multiple stakeholders.

The literature on hospice care and palliative medicine lacks a focus on the combined and concurrent assessment of services. This deficiency is problematic because research findings are then limited in their scope and applicability to particular stakeholder groups. The current study used the perspective of 72 participants and service delivery personnel of a home-based hospice program to address this perceived problem and limitation in the literature through a program evaluation of the multiple perspectives on a single hospice organization. Interviews were analyzed by stakeholder group and then across stakeholder groups to extract themes. Results include a description of the quality of service delivery and participant satisfaction, areas of current weakness, and ideas for potential growth and development for the program. Findings from this study are compared with previous research on hospice care and the implications of the results to the provision and continued development of hospice care are discussed.

Building Support for Recovery into an Academic Curriculum: Student Reflections on the Value of Staff Run Seminars

Collegiate recovery programs, such as the one administered by the Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery (CSAR) at Texas Tech University (TTU), are expected to provide recovering students with support for both recovery and academic success. In addition to the support provided by a community of fellow recovering students, community members receive resources from specific program services that are delivered primarily by CSAR administration and staff. This chapter presents a program evaluation of one of the major program components of the CSAR program: The Seminar for Recovering Students (Seminar). The goal of this evaluation was to provide information about how students were experiencing Seminar and the value they perceived they were drawing from it. As the Collegiate Recovery Community had grown dramatically, from approximately 25 to over 80 students, under the direction of Dr. Kitty Harris, the CSAR administration believed it was particularly important to determine whether existing program components, such as Seminar, which were designed at time before the expansion of the CRC, were meeting the needs of current community members. This chapter reviews the findings from this evaluation and provides a measure of social support for recovery in the collegiate context piloted during this project modifiable for use in similar recovery maintenance programs.

An Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Attention Deficit Scales for Adults with Outpatient Substance Abusers

A growing body of research has established a high co-morbidity in the rates of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance abuse. The co-occurrence of these two conditions and the negative impact of untreated ADHD on the course and treatment of substance abuse highlights the need for ADHD assessment in individuals seeking substance abuse treatment. In this article, we investigated the clinical utility of the Attention Deficit Scales for Adults (ADSA) in a sample of substance abusers in an outpatient treatment program by assessing its sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and likelihood ratios at two potential cut-off levels (161 and 181) using a DSM-IV based ADHD diagnosis as the criterion. The ADSA had strong reliability (Cronbachs alpha. 93; Guttman split-half. 92) and correlated well with DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Sensitivity and specificity of the device were relatively strong at both cut-off levels, as were the positive and negative predictive values.

Perceived family resources based on number of members with ADHD.

Objective: This study examines how the number of family members with ADHD affects other family members’ perceived resources. Method: A total of 40 adolescents diagnosed with ADHD and their mothers, fathers, and adolescent siblings living in the household participated. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze family-level data from a total of 130 participants. Results: Mothers reported more resources when only the target adolescent had ADHD and more nonsupportive factors when more than one member of the family had ADHD. Fathers reported more supportive factors when only one member of the family had ADHD. Conclusion: Parents reported greater resources and strengths when only one adolescent family member had ADHD; however, family members had varying viewpoints. The ADHD Family Scale examined issues specific to ADHD, compared with general family stress and resource scales, and may be a useful tool for examining the impact of ADHD on all members of a family.

Cambodian Parental Involvement: The Role of Parental Beliefs, Social Networks, and Trust.

The role of social capital (parental beliefs, social networks, and trust) as a predictor of parental involvement in Cambodian children’s education was examined, controlling for human capital (family socioeconomic status). Parents of elementary students (n = 273) were interviewed face to face in Cambodia. Teacher contact scored highest, followed by responsiveness, home involvement, and school meetings. Multiple regressions showed that parents’ social networks (relatives’ influence on academics), trust between people, academic aspirations, gender role attitudes, and fatalistic beliefs predicted some types of parental involvement. Gender role attitudes predicted parent-school responsiveness differently by corresponding gender of parents and children (father-daughter and mother-son), suggesting that fathers are less likely to be responsive to school for their daughters, and mothers for their sons. Results suggest that educators working with Cambodian/Cambodian American parents need to be proactive, taking into consideration parents’ beliefs system and identifying resources within families and communities that can be used to increase parents’ participation interest.

Treatment of Comorbidity in Families

SUMMARY Half or more of all people presenting for treatment for alcohol disorders will also have an additional current or past psychological disorder. The presence of a comorbid disorder makes design and implementation of a treatment plan more complicated, completion of treatment less likely, and the odds of relapse greater. In addition, the presence of a comorbid disorder creates added stress on the social support network of the client, in particular, the clients family. In many cases, the stress reaches a level that leads to a cutoff between the client and family. However, when the family is still actively involved in the clients life, the family members may be able to provide much needed assistance in diagnosis, treatment, and support for abstinence. Current studies indicate that, in order to increase the likelihood of successful treatment, most comorbid disorders should be treated concurrently with alcohol disorders.

Effects of Gender, Sexual Victimization, and Duration of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse on Treatment History

Abstract The separate and combined influences of sexual victimization, gender, and the summed duration (years) of alcohol and other drug abuse on treatment history were examined, using regression analyses. Sexual victimization was reported by 6.9% of males and 37.4% of females in treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse. Results indicated that gender and sexual victimization were both linked to the summed years of alcohol and other drug abuse, which was linked to treatment history. Women who had experienced sexual abuse had lengthier and more troubled treatment histories. Implications for treatment are discussed.