This study represented an original investigation of those factors which serve to facilitate and impede the amount parents participate on behalf of their children enrolled for treatment in specialized children's mental health programs located in the State of Florida. Factors that were considered include: (1) individual and social background characteristics of parents, their children, and child-care workers; (2) individual worker and parent perceptions of the participation situation; and (3) the extent to which these were in agreement. The literature on organization-client relations provided the theoretical context for the study. Key concepts utilized include: participation, involvement, and consensus. The amount that parents participate in their children's treatment was posited to relate to the consensual nature of worker-parent involvement. The degree of consensus between them was based on the extent to which their perceptions were in agreement with respect to reasons for parental participation, sources of the child's problem(s), patterns for appropriate parental participation, means used to obtain this participation, and an understanding between them in relation to why and how parents generally participate. / The data were gathered by means of a cross-sectional survey of parents and their child-care workers from programs representing preschool, school/latency, and adolescent age children. A total of 130 parents and their child-care workers, representing 13 different agencies from nine of Florida's 11 Health and Rehabilitative Service Districts completed self-administered questionnaires in the presence of the author. / Four major research questions inquired as to whether mean percentage of kept appointments by parents of all levels of children's age would be associated significantly with: (1) certain individual and social background characteristics of parents, their children, and child-care workers; (2) certain worker and parent perceptions of and expectations for the parents' participation; (3) the degree of agreement (or consensus) between these perceptions and expectations and, (4) the extent to which the significant dimensions of worker-parent consensus would be conditioned by significant individual characteristics and perceptions of the study's target populations. / The results of data analysis indicated that most of the significant relationships occurred at the preschool level. Generally, the findings suggested that individual characteristics, perceptions, and agreement on these provide additional information for understanding parental participation. The amount parents participated on behalf of preschool age children was associated with the consensual nature of worker-parent relations. This in turn was contingent on not only the inclusion of certain individual characteristics related to the problem for which the child was referred but on the individual perceptions of workers and parents, and agreement between these in relation to why and how parents participate. Discussion centered around agency-worker versus parent responsibility for the matching of agency services with client needs. A negotiated approach to parent participation was suggested. It was recommended that future research verify or explore further for important attributes of the worker-parent relationship that relate to parental participation behaviors. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-08, Section: A, page: 3725. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

The months following treatment for alcoholism are crucial ones and the incidence of relapse is high. Many alcoholics lack the support systems and social skills for smooth reentry and readjustment to a sober existence in a community that is often alien. / A structured training program was designed to address a number of specific issues related to aftercare and posttreatment functioning of alcoholics. Components of the training program included: identification and utilization of community resources, identification of alternative activities, development and maintenance of social support systems, and identification and resolution of potential relapse situations. The training consisted of eight 1-hour sessions. The subjects were 92 white male alcoholic inpatients at the Alcohol Dependence Treatment Unit at Bay Pines VAMC. Patients who agreed to participate in the study were randomly assigned to the training group (n = 43) or the traditional treatment control group (n = 49). Pretreatment data included sociodemographic information, drinking history, subjective rating of drinking problem, support systems availability and occupational functioning. Follow-up was conducted 9 months after discharge from the in-patient treatment program. Data collected at follow-up included reported drinking behavior since discharge, social/occupational functioning, subjective rating of drinking problem, support systems utilization, participation in aftercare. Data were categorized and analyzed using Chi Square and t-tests. Significant differences were found in controlled drinking behavior between the two groups. The author concluded that the training program may be more effective, relevant and appropriate if implemented postdischarge rather than during inpatient treatment. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: B, page: 2603. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

Leon County, Florida, was studied in an attempt to answer the general question: "What is the likelihood of successful implementation of a community-based support systems of care for the chronically mentally ill?" / Recommendations by the 1978 President's Commission on Mental Health and by th / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-03, Section: A, page: 1216. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

The purpose of this study was the development and initial testing of a theoretical framework and the accompanying methodology for relating dimensions of a particular type of interorganizational network to characteristics of a joint program emanating from that network. The interorganizational network was conceptualized as a social action system and identified as an interorganizational collectivity (IC). The joint program considered was one in the primary prevention of mental illness. This study does not represent a test of specific research hypotheses but rather represents an attempt to develop such hypotheses through the use of empirical findings. / The theoretical framework utilized posits a relationship of mutual influence between various characteristics of the IC on the one hand and various dimensions of its primary preventive joint program on the other. The influence between the IC and its joint program is seen as tempered by the effects of two categories of contingency variables: (1) the environment in which the IC operates and (2) the program-relevant attitudes and perceptions of persons comprising the "decider subsystem" of the IC. / A single interorganizational collectivity and program were selected for intensive study. Research and analysis procedures emphasized qualitative techniques as opposed to quantitative ones. These qualitative procedures emphasize explicit, previously identified decision rules to structure variable operationalizations and analyses. / Numerous hypotheses are offered which address the relationships between organizational dominance (the dimension of the interorganizational collectivity selected for special emphasis) and other study variables. / The program studied is referred to as the Kids In Need Program (a pseudonym). This program represented an effort to prevent the incidence of serious mental health problems of youngsters already experiencing educational handicaps (learning disabilities and/or educationally-relevant emotional handicaps). Study participants viewed these children as at high-risk for mental illness. Program activities emphasized educational services for both children and their parents, advocacy, and emotional support. Significantly, program sponsors from the various participating organizations tended to emphasize different combinations of processes/outcomes/targets/goals in their descriptions of the program. / Six organizations were identified as members of the Kids In Need IC. This IC included both service-provision agencies and voluntary associations, and exhibited marked contrasts in the extent to which various member organizations participated in the primary preventive programs. The IC itself exhibited a coalitional context with a preponderance of informal interorganizational linkages and an informally constituted leadership subsystem. Members of this "decider subsystem" were drawn primarily from the dominant organization of the IC, an organization regarded by study informants as critical for the decision making for all aspects of the primary prevention program considered in this research. Interestingly, this dominant organization was able to exercise its power with only one reported instance of interorganizational coercion. / The results of this study suggests that the theoretical framework can enhance our understanding of the relationships between organizations operating joint programs and characteristics of the programs themselves. For example, the relationship between variable degrees of interorganizational coupling and the extent to which a joint program exhibits a central focus is identified as a question meriting further research. / Limitations in the methodology used in this study are identified and recommendations offered for their refinement. The importance of previously identified decision rules for use with qualitative methodologies is emphasized. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-10, Section: A, page: 4498. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

Elderly persons' interactions might be colored by age-related stereotypes. This would occur if observers' attributions were affected by beliefs about the elderly as a group. This research investigated whether such a link between stereotypes and attributions exists during a dyadic interaction. It also examined the hypothesis that stereotypes operate as baselines against which subsequent evaluations could be made. / Undergraduate students served as subjects. They were presented with two different versions of transcripts: a standard version and one in which the speaker forgot common words and told an anecdote of a childhood experience. Half the subjects were told that the speaker was 30, the remainder that he was 65. After reading the transcript, subjects responded to structured questions about the speaker and his behavior during the interview. / It has been proposed that stereotypes would be reflected in the attributions. Results did not support this hypothesis. Verbal behavior, as given in the transcript, affected ratings of the likelihood that the speaker had chronic memory problems, was busy and absent-minded, and had a past orientation. Age did not affect these attributions. / Subjects' impressions of the speaker's cognitive functioning were affected by his speaking style. Speakers with memory difficulties were thought to have poorer cognitive functioning. Age and speech style interacted to affect ratings of activity, evaluation, and instrumentality. In all these areas, younger speakers with memory problems were viewed less favorably than those without. The opposite pattern was found for older speakers. Speech style had a more pronounced effect on the ratings of younger speakers. / Results suggest that clearly specified behavior may be more important than stereotypes in affecting an observer's explanation of an event. Age does seem to influence an observer's subjective impression, however. The strength of the expectancy that an individual will behave in a given way may also vary with age and may be responsive to stereotypes. / In everyday life, stereotypes may affect decisions about the elderly as a group. On an individual level, however, the elderly seem capable of overcoming stereotypic expectancies. They should thus be encouraged by the results of active and assertive involvement with others. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: B, page: 2604. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

An exploratory study of social workers, who are employed in the practice field of mental retardation in the United States of America, was conducted to obtain a "state of the art" assessment of this group of professionals. Along with the demographics of the social workers, data was collected regarding the reasons why they entered their present job in the field of mental retardation, and regarding the types of services these social workers were performing, e.g., casework, administration, etc. Finally data was also collected on the job satisfaction of the social workers by the use of a standardized instrument, and on the intention of these workers to remain in the mental retardation field as a career. After presenting descriptive summary statistics, inferential statistics were used to determine if the social workers' reasons for entry into their present job and/or their present services were related to the social workers' job satisfaction and future plans regarding remaining in the practice field of mental retardation as a career. / A review of relevant research literature provided for information about how people attempt to make career and occupational choices, and, more specifically, why people choose the profession of social work as their career. The writer found a paucity of research on why social workers enter mental retardation, however, there was research suggesting reasons why social workers do not enter this field of practice, e.g., low status, stigma, myths, etc. Literature concerning services was generally not up to date and tended to be very non-empirical. There was very little written material found concerning job satisfaction and career retention with respect to mental retardation. / The research design employed for the study was ex post facto, and, more specifically, the type of research was survey research. Two hundred social workers were chosen to be the sample that represented the population previously mentioned. One hundred were drawn from a list of 874 names provided by the American Association on Mental Deficiency, a national professional organization. Another one hundred were drawn from a massive list of names collected through a large letter writing campaign. In both cases, multistage sampling was utilized with care to maintain probability sampling techniques on a national level. The writer received 168 returned questionnaires (84%), and 165 were useable (82.5%). There was no second mailing. / The descriptive data indicated many interesting findings about the social workers in mental retardation. For example, over ninety percent were white; more belonged to the American Association on Mental Deficiency than the National Association of Social Workers; almost ninety percent were employed in the private sector; and almost ninety percent did not have a mental retardation course in their school of social work. / The inferential statistics were equally interesting. Career oriented social workers were higher in regard to job satisfaction than were occupation oriented social workers. Social workers, who predominately performed indirect services, were higher in regard to job satisfaction than were social workers, who predominately performed direct service. Career oriented social workers were more willing to remain in mental retardation as a career than were occupation oriented social workers. All the above relationships were statistically significant. Career oriented social workers were more willing to remain in mental retardation as a career, but it was not a statistically significant relationship. / Finally, implications of the findings for social work education were given. Schools of social work could improve the eventual services to mentally retarded individuals by developing more courses, specializations, and concentrations for their students. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-03, Section: A, page: 1214. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

The aim of the present research was to experimentally test Blood and Wolfe's resource theory of family power according to which it is the comparative socioeconomic resources rather than tradition that form the bases of conjugal power. The technique used in two studies comprised presenting decision-making situations, in the form of scenarios contained in booklets, to male and female students at Florida State University and examine their perceptions of these situations. The scenarios depicted husbands and wives with comparatively greater, equal, and lesser resources (in terms of their occupational status) engaged in family decision-making. / Six decision tasks, including renting an apartment/buying a house, relocation because of a lucrative job offer, purchase of furniture, place of vacation, color preferences for the car to be bought, and TV program to be watched, were used to write the scenarios used in the two studies. / Study I addressed the question "what decision-making outcomes would be expected when decision-making situations were presented to subjects in scenarios with no outcomes. The question asked in Study II was what reasons subjects would assign to outcomes in scenarios when they were provided with their outcomes. In addition to writing their responses to scenarios with respect to their outcomes (Study I) and reasons (Study II), subjects also rated the importance of decisions to the couples. / The subjects often perceived a spouse with no obvious resources or with comparatively less economic resources as having his/her way on decision-making scenarios presented without their outcomes. They also perceived decision-making process often resulting into compromise and conciliation. Another finding of this research was that subjects perceived the scenarios to vary in importance. In short, the findings of this research lend minimal support to resource theory. According to the subjects' perceptions, such factors as whose domain of interest (husband's or wife's) a decision falls in, consideration for peace in the home, nature of entity involved, and personal qualities and sex roles appeared to be playing a more significant role than socioeconomic resources in patterning marital decision-making. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: B, page: 2598. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-09, Section: B, page: 4561. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.

This was a comparative study of the presenting symptoms, as reported by parents or parent surrogates, of Black American, Cuban, and White American children and adolescents at a psychiatric clinic. The sample consisted of 496 children, 18 years of age or younger, who were seen for the first time at the clinic during a two and a half year period. / The reported symptoms were viewed as being intimately related to the sociocultural setting of the child. The study attempted to describe and determine some of the factors that influenced the child's behavior. / Data were gathered from clinic records of interviews conducted by professional social workers with parents or parent surrogates. Data were collected on the first 3 presenting symptoms for each child and on the social characteristics of the children and their families. The symptoms were classified using the symptom list of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (1968) and the 22 most prevalent symptoms were chosen for study. / Major symptoms for Black American children in decreasing order were: underachievement, physical attacks, disobedience, stealing, and fighting. For Cuban children the modal symptom was underachievement, with fewer symptoms of disobedience, physical attacks, hyperkinesis and suicidal attempts. The major symptoms for White American children were underachievement, hyperkinesis, addictive behavior and stealing. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: A, page: 2861. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

This study evaluated the residential alcoholism treatment program located in the Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, Florida. The study utilized a pretest, posttest design and intensively followed 10 alcoholics through the treatment program and for six months after treatment. Seventy percent of the alcoholics studied remained sober for a period of six months, but the result fell short of the 80% standard established by the program, so the program was not considered successful. Along with the program evaluation, and utilizing the same research design, other variables were studied. Depression, hopelessness, assertiveness, and defense mechanism preference were researched in an effort to determine what role, if any, they play in an alcoholic's efforts at remaining sober after treatment. Levels of depression were found to be significantly lower for treatment successes. It was impossible however to discern from this study whether or not elevated levels of depression were a product or a cause of the drinking behavior. Levels of hopelessness were significantly reduced by the treatment process. The study suggested though that very low levels of hopelessness are associated with an alcoholic's returning to the consumption of alcohol. Measurements done in the area of assertiveness yielded no statistically significant results. It was observed, however, that alcoholics appear to become less assertive after they start drinking, rather than before they start drinking. The study produced a significant difference in the area of defense mechanism preference as treatment successes had significantly lower levels of denial at discharge than did treatment failures. Also, the study implied that with certain types of preferred defense mechanisms, the maintenance rather than the alteration of that mechanism might be more beneficial to the alcoholic trying to / maintain sobriety. Implications for practical application of the results and suggestions for further research are made. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-05, Section: A, page: 2300. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.