The thesis compares education attainment levels and the returns of education investments of three native-born ethnic groups, Mexican Americans, non-Hispanic whites, and African Americans. Using two ordinary least square (OLS) regression models and data from the 2000 5% Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), the analysis determines if lower levels of earnings and occupation prestige status among native-born Mexican Americans are the result of low levels of education or are attributed to lower returns on their education. The first model compares income earned across the ethnic groups while the second model compares occupational prestige status across the three groups. The study shows that Mexican Americans continue to have the highest levels of high school dropouts and as a whole continue to lag behind whites in education attainment especially among the higher levels of education beginning at the college degree level. However, the results from the multiple linear regression analyses provide a positive outlook for Mexican Americans who attain higher levels of education receiving comparable or greater returns on their human capital investments. First, the results suggest that any additional year(s) of education attainment above a high school diploma provides greater returns for Mexican Americans given the anemic state of higher education levels for this ethnic group. Second, attaining a college degree has the greatest effect on labor market outcomes. Finally, the results do provide empirical evidence of structural discrimination especially in the case of African Americans with respect to income earned. In addition, at the professional degree attainment level whites receive greater returns in income despite having the same level of education and occupation prestige status when compared to Mexican Americans and African Americans.

Occupation provides valuable information on premorbid ability in dementia. Not only is occupation related to cognitive and brain reserve, but premorbid sub-symptomatic impairment may influence prospective career choice. Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) patients with professions dependent upon one hemisphere have demonstrated contralateral degeneration. The present work was the first group study to examine the relationship between atrophy in FTLD and occupation. Chapter one reviews methods for quantifying occupations and introduces the Occupational Information Network database. This database provided quantified occupation attribute data and enabled subsequent multivariate analyses. A principal component analysis yielded five factors that parsimoniously summarized verbal, physical, mechanical, mathematical and visuospatial occupational demands, some with hypothesized neuroanatomical substrates. Chapters two and three tested the hypothesis that occupation characteristics systematically relate to origin of atrophy in FTLD. In a multi-centre chart review of 588 patients, occupation information was related to location of atrophy. Patients with unilateral right atrophy had higher verbal scores than patients with unilateral left or bilateral atrophy. Thus, occupation selection occurring in early adulthood is related to lateralized brain damage in patients who develop FTLD decades later. The finding suggests that verbal occupations may have been pursued due to incipient right-hemisphere functional impairment. Alternatively, long-term engagement of verbal processes contributed to left-hemisphere reserve, right-hemisphere dysfunction, or both. In a subgroup of well-characterized patients with quantified brain imaging data, chapter three replicated and extended these findings. The lateralization effect was limited to the temporal lobes and included both verbal and mathematical ability. This pattern may reflect shared attributes between mathematics and language processing, which are mediated by left-temporal lobe structures. Patients whose professions placed high demands on language had relatively preserved left temporal lobes and atrophy originating in the right temporal lobes at disease onset whereas patients with less challenging linguistic occupations were more susceptible to the onset of atrophy in the left-temporal lobe. In chapter four, the hypothesized relationship between occupational attainment and global degeneration was supported. Patients with highly skilled occupations had less atrophy than patients with lower-skilled occupations. Notably, specific occupational attributes were predictive of brain volume after controlling for demography and disease progression. Overall, a relationship between occupation and FTLD is supported.

Occupation provides valuable information on premorbid ability in dementia. Not only is occupation related to cognitive and brain reserve, but premorbid sub-symptomatic impairment may influence prospective career choice. Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) patients with professions dependent upon one hemisphere have demonstrated contralateral degeneration. The present work was the first group study to examine the relationship between atrophy in FTLD and occupation. Chapter one reviews methods for quantifying occupations and introduces the Occupational Information Network database. This database provided quantified occupation attribute data and enabled subsequent multivariate analyses. A principal component analysis yielded five factors that parsimoniously summarized verbal, physical, mechanical, mathematical and visuospatial occupational demands, some with hypothesized neuroanatomical substrates. Chapters two and three tested the hypothesis that occupation characteristics systematically relate to origin of atrophy in FTLD. In a multi-centre chart review of 588 patients, occupation information was related to location of atrophy. Patients with unilateral right atrophy had higher verbal scores than patients with unilateral left or bilateral atrophy. Thus, occupation selection occurring in early adulthood is related to lateralized brain damage in patients who develop FTLD decades later. The finding suggests that verbal occupations may have been pursued due to incipient right-hemisphere functional impairment. Alternatively, long-term engagement of verbal processes contributed to left-hemisphere reserve, right-hemisphere dysfunction, or both. In a subgroup of well-characterized patients with quantified brain imaging data, chapter three replicated and extended these findings. The lateralization effect was limited to the temporal lobes and included both verbal and mathematical ability. This pattern may reflect shared attributes between mathematics and language processing, which are mediated by left-temporal lobe structures. Patients whose professions placed high demands on language had relatively preserved left temporal lobes and atrophy originating in the right temporal lobes at disease onset whereas patients with less challenging linguistic occupations were more susceptible to the onset of atrophy in the left-temporal lobe. In chapter four, the hypothesized relationship between occupational attainment and global degeneration was supported. Patients with highly skilled occupations had less atrophy than patients with lower-skilled occupations. Notably, specific occupational attributes were predictive of brain volume after controlling for demography and disease progression. Overall, a relationship between occupation and FTLD is supported.

Canadian professions have, paradoxically, lost prestige at least in a relative sense, despite being the prototype for the expanding new economy. The early 1990s saw a transition from the old economy to a new economy emphasizing a highly educated and knowledge-focused workforce that values flexibility, innovation and risk. Professions exemplify the knowledge-intensive and education-centered traits emerging in the new economy particularly well. This research examines factors that influenced changes in the prestige ratings of professions during the 40-year period between 1965 and 2005. Occupational prestige and census data collected in 2005 are used to measure the impact of changes in education, income, and the gender composition of professions on the prestige levels. Abbott’s “professional purity” thesis is also used to examine the effects of people-complex versus data-complex practices on prestige ratings. The influence of rater characteristics is also examined in terms of prestige allocation to professions. Finally, using a lawyer survey, the prestige associated with areas within the legal profession is examined in a study of internal stratification. Professions experienced a relative gain in occupational prestige over this 40 year period; however, professions did not gain as much in comparison to all occupations. In predicting 2005 occupational prestige between 1965 and 2005, the change in income, data and people-complex tasks, gender of incumbents, and the gender of the rater all impact the prestige that professions receive. Women’s increase in numerical representation within professions increases the 2005 prestige ratings of professions. In predicting 2005 prestige, female raters attributed significantly more and male respondents attributed significantly less prestige to professions. Gender significantly predicted the level of law an individual practiced and the distribution of gender across specializations also suggests that the legal specializations where many women work are less prestigious than men’s specializations.

Canadian professions have, paradoxically, lost prestige at least in a relative sense, despite being the prototype for the expanding new economy. The early 1990s saw a transition from the old economy to a new economy emphasizing a highly educated and knowledge-focused workforce that values flexibility, innovation and risk. Professions exemplify the knowledge-intensive and education-centered traits emerging in the new economy particularly well. This research examines factors that influenced changes in the prestige ratings of professions during the 40-year period between 1965 and 2005. Occupational prestige and census data collected in 2005 are used to measure the impact of changes in education, income, and the gender composition of professions on the prestige levels. Abbott’s “professional purity” thesis is also used to examine the effects of people-complex versus data-complex practices on prestige ratings. The influence of rater characteristics is also examined in terms of prestige allocation to professions. Finally, using a lawyer survey, the prestige associated with areas within the legal profession is examined in a study of internal stratification. Professions experienced a relative gain in occupational prestige over this 40 year period; however, professions did not gain as much in comparison to all occupations. In predicting 2005 occupational prestige between 1965 and 2005, the change in income, data and people-complex tasks, gender of incumbents, and the gender of the rater all impact the prestige that professions receive. Women’s increase in numerical representation within professions increases the 2005 prestige ratings of professions. In predicting 2005 prestige, female raters attributed significantly more and male respondents attributed significantly less prestige to professions. Gender significantly predicted the level of law an individual practiced and the distribution of gender across specializations also suggests that the legal specializations where many women work are less prestigious than men’s specializations.

The thesis compares education attainment levels and the returns of education investments of three native-born ethnic groups, Mexican Americans, non-Hispanic whites, and African Americans. Using two ordinary least square (OLS) regression models and data from the 2000 5% Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), the analysis determines if lower levels of earnings and occupation prestige status among native-born Mexican Americans are the result of low levels of education or are attributed to lower returns on their education. The first model compares income earned across the ethnic groups while the second model compares occupational prestige status across the three groups. The study shows that Mexican Americans continue to have the highest levels of high school dropouts and as a whole continue to lag behind whites in education attainment especially among the higher levels of education beginning at the college degree level. However, the results from the multiple linear regression analyses provide a positive outlook for Mexican Americans who attain higher levels of education receiving comparable or greater returns on their human capital investments. First, the results suggest that any additional year(s) of education attainment above a high school diploma provides greater returns for Mexican Americans given the anemic state of higher education levels for this ethnic group. Second, attaining a college degree has the greatest effect on labor market outcomes. Finally, the results do provide empirical evidence of structural discrimination especially in the case of African Americans with respect to income earned. In addition, at the professional degree attainment level whites receive greater returns in income despite having the same level of education and occupation prestige status when compared to Mexican Americans and African Americans.

Texte remanié de: Th. doct.--Droit--Perpignan, 1996. / Bibliogr. p. 465-490. Index.

Motherhood has been described as an identity, a role, and a way of participating in life (Arendell, 2000; Farber, 2004). Motherhood has also been described as 'work', the care taking, nurturing and teaching of children (Francis-Connolly, 2000). Mothers with arthritis have reported difficulty in the tasks of parenting and household work (Allaire et al., 1991; Backman, Kennedy, Chalmers & Singer, 2004; Barlow, Cullen, Foster, Harrison & Wade, 1999; Grant, Cullen & Barlow, 2000; Reisine, Grady, Goodenow & Fifield, 1998), however, we know little about how a mother experiences these challenges. While the subjective experience of being a mother and having a disability is intrinsically linked to participation, health and social interaction (Farber, 2004), research has not been conducted on how mothers with arthritis experience mothering in the presence of arthritis, and how this experience affects their participation, identity and social interaction. This narrative research study asks "How is being a mother and doing motherhood activities affected by your arthritis?" Study objectives include: 1) Describe mothers' experiences of nurturing, teaching and caring for their children. 2) Describe how mothers understand and explain the effect of arthritis on their role of mother. 3) Describe whether or not this understanding changes how mothers participate and interact in their community. Narrative inquiry was used to explore the experiences of eight married mothers with inflammatory arthritis who have at least one child (aged 0-18) living at home. Purposive sampling allowed representation of families from different communities, with children of different ages. Data collection included two in-depth interviews, participant observation, document review, and fine art painting. Data was coded and analyzed using narrative inquiry techniques (Coffey & Atkinson, 1996; Riessman, 1993; Sandelowski, 1991). Overarching storylines are presented as narratives that describe the mother's experiences of identifying with the role of mother, participation, fatigue and the social context in which mothering occurs. This study contributes to the sparse body of literature on the impact of arthritis on participation in maternal practices and social interaction, informing health professionals about the experience of mothering with arthritis.

Young adulthood is generally a time when an individual completes a post-secondary education, decides on a career, and enters the workforce. When individuals are diagnosed with cancer during this stage in life, they often take time away from school or work to undergo treatment. The aim of this study was to collect data to get a richer understanding of the experiences of young adult cancer survivors who resumed an occupation of school or work following cancer treatment. Ten young adult cancer survivors were interviewed. An interpretative phenomenological approach allowed for the study of individuals’ lived experiences. An account of participants’ experiences is presented, organized by 4 master themes, “making the decision”, “actively adapting to changed lives”, “receiving support”, and “renewed sense of health and wellness”. These findings may be informative for cancer patients and survivors, as well as stakeholders, as they often have access to limited resources.

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