This is a study of women, their social roles and their alcohol dependence. Using biographical interviewing, the lives of 50 female alcoholics are traced through the process of their alcohol dependency. Two groups of women are studied; those who have been alcohol free for at least one year and those who continue active drinking. The qualitative research approach is rooted in phenomenology and the human sciences. / The examination of social roles contributes to understanding the interaction of the women with their social environment and suggests that their alcohol dependence is attributable to their social situation. Two aspects of role enactment, role alteration/loss and role dissatisfaction were themes throughout the lives of these women. As children, the women frequently experienced an alteration in demands placed on them for role performance. The most startling finding in this report was the prevalence of child abuse, particularly sexual abuse, in this sample of women. During their childhood years the women reported much disruption within their homes and generally remembered a traumatic childhood. Parental conflict and alcoholism were common occurrences. As children, the women felt lonely, unloved and alienated within their families and the community. / Similar issues of role alteration, loss and dissatisfaction followed into adult life. The women most often cited a disruption in a partner relationship as precipitation to their problem drinking. Limited economic opportunities contributed to low education, high unemployment and the absence of meaningful work. The oppressive conditions faced by the women influence not only the onset and progression of their alcoholism but their opportunities for recovery as well. Most of the sober women entered the recovery process with little family support. Membership in the self help group, Alcoholics Anonymous was a distinctive feature of the women who had achieved sobriety in this study. / The findings pertaining to the social condition of the women indicate a response from a feminist perspective. These are not women who have innate psychological deficiencies that need fixing but women who are disadvantaged by society. They display incredible strength and resilience. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-10, Section: A, page: 3158. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

This study examined the extent to which four groups of social workers empirically evaluated their practice and also identified client, agency and practitioner factors that affect practice evaluation activities. A total of 317 social workers from four different groups were surveyed. / Data were collected by a self-administered mail questionnaire. The instrument was designed to obtain information regarding the respondents' training in and knowledge of single-case methodology, as well as the respondents' current use of the technology. In addition, questions were asked about the respondents' agency context regarding support for practice evaluation activities as well as the characteristics of both the social work practitioner and the clients served. / The findings revealed significant differences between the four groups of social workers regarding the extent to which they empirically evaluated their practice. The most common single-subject designs used by the respondents were the single-subject pretest-posttest design and the AB design. / Four significant predictors of practice evaluation were also identified in this investigation. These predictors were: (1) the practitioners' level of agreement with integrating research procedures into clinical practice; (2) the amount of formal coursework taken while in graduate school; (3) the effectiveness of training in empirical clinical practice; and (4) the level of supportive contingencies within the agency for the empirical evaluation of practice. / Recommendations for future training and research are offered, including the need to integrate efforts of Schools of Social Work and their respective field training placements in the area of empirical clinical practice. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-03, Section: A, page: 1056. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

A social work intervention model using behavioral rehearsal, assertiveness training and positive reinforcement was developed to promote safety belt use among young children. An experimental analysis was then conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention package. The sample included 16 children between the ages of 4 1/2 and 8 years of age who were attending a private day school in Tallahassee, Florida. All children who were observed to consistently not use seat belts during a one week pre-experimental period were selected to participate in the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and a multiple baseline design across groups was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Group data and individual data were collected and reported. / Results showed significant differences for both groups between baseline and treatment conditions which could be attributed to the intervention package. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-03, Section: A, page: 1061. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

Theoretically, the most prominent consequence of infertility may be the loss of a valued social role: parenthood. Moreover, the emotional distress that may be experienced when parenthood is thwarted by infertility may reflect the subjective importance of this goal. Also, the desire to be a parent may be influenced by social forces which may affect females more than males. Thus, this investigation was guided by the question: Is the degree of importance one places on being a parent as a personal goal in one's life, and one's gender, related to emotional distress in males and females with primary infertility? / Emotional distress was indicated by scores on standardized instruments which reliably measured depression, a self-esteem problem, marital dissatisfaction, sexual dissatisfaction, and state anxiety. A new instrument, the Emotional Reaction to Childlessness Scale (ERTC), reliably measured the magnitude of a personal emotional reaction to involuntary childlessness. / Thirty-three male and 62 female members of an infertility support network, and 52 males and 65 females from medical practices returned usable questionnaires. Major findings were that close to a half of all subjects were clinically depressed and over a third were experiencing state anxiety. Moreover, there was a statistically significant but weak additive relationship between the degree of importance placed on being a parent, and gender, and depression and state anxiety scores. Overall, females had higher levels of depression and state anxiety, but support group membership accounted for most of the variance in these scores. A third of all subjects were experiencing a self-esteem problem. As having a rewarding career became more important as a personal goal, both male and female self-esteem problem scores significantly decreased. In addition, moderate to high ERTC scores were positively associated with moderate to high depression and state anxiety scores. / Implications of the results for social work practice emphasized the development of coping skills through self-regulation of cognitions and emotions. It was also recommended that additional research in this area be based on longitudinal or prospective designs rather than surveys which gather retrospective data. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-05, Section: A, page: 1883. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

A comparative study of 210 Vietnam Era veterans who are currently serving in the U.S. military Reserves. Two major groups--Vietnam combat veterans and Vietnam Era veterans with no combat experience--were compared on measures of depression, anxiety, problems with family relations, and alcohol abuse. Incidence of post-traumatic stress disorders symptomatology as described in the DSM-III was evaluated within the group of combat veterans. / A simple additive model which describes a direct and positive relationship between degree of combat exposure and current incidence of problems with adult psychosocial functioning was shown to be inadequate. Preservice psycho-social problem levels were shown to be a more important predictor of post-combat difficulties than the degree of exposure to combat in Vietnam. / There were no statistically significant and nontrivial differences between combat veterans and non-combat veterans on each of the measures of adult psycho-social functioning. Although a large proportion of combat veterans reported a high level of problems shortly after their tenure in Vietnam, the incidence of problems had decreased dramatically over the years since Vietnam. The findings contradict past claims that post-traumatic stress disorder represents an ongoing, severe problem for large numbers of Vietnam veterans. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-02, Section: A, page: 0658. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

A thought experiment, comparative data analysis, and reanalysis of published data were used to demonstrate that the concomitant, integrated use of single case design and group comparison methods provides more information about the effects of a social intervention than use of either methodology alone. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-05, Section: A, page: 1881. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

An exploratory study to determine how child sexual abuse was defined at installation Air Force Family Advocacy Programs, characteristics of reported child sexual abuse cases, and differences in cases labeled "suspected" and "established." All 121 Air Force Family Advocacy Officers were mailed questionnaires which addressed the bases' definitions of child sexual abuse and characteristics of cases reported in 1985. Data were collected from 58 bases on 376 cases. Findings indicated that the Family Advocacy Programs lacked a uniform definition of child sexual abuse. Contrary to Air Force regulation, 37% of the programs did not limit services to cases involving abuse by perpetrators who were in caretaker relationships with their victims. Variations in characteristics of cases from those previously reported included: younger ages of victims (M = 8.56), a higher percentage of male victims (22%), and a high rate of cases initially reported by victims and non-offending parents (66%). At least 25% of isolated incidents of abuse (perpetrated by perpetrators known to victims) involved anal/genital penetration, suggesting a progression of sexually abusive behaviors may not be an essential aspect of case validation. Recommendations for revision of Family Advocacy Program regulations, enhancement of program services, and areas for future research were identified. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-08, Section: A, page: 3191. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

A descriptive survey of 340 healthy, midlife (ages 39-55), predominantly white, professional, Southern women was conducted to determine the ability of four major variables, knowledge of physical changes that affect sexuality, knowledge of factors that affect sexual expression, cumulative menopause experiences and levels of general wellbeing to predict attitudes toward menopause. Two dimensions of menopause attitudes or perceptions were measured. There were attitudes toward menopause as benefit/liability, and attitudes toward menopause as major/minor life event. Based on reports of prior research, age, education, family income, number of children living at home, and menopause status were used as rival explanatory variables. Data were analyzed by Pearson Product Moment correlation and multivariate techniques. / Attitudes toward menopause as benefit and attitudes toward menopause as major life event are negatively associated. The best predictors of attitudes toward menopause as benefit are education (negatively associated), sexual knowledge-physical changes and menopause status (both positively associated). For employed women, family income and number of children at home are also significant negative predictors, while occupational status is a positive predictor. / Perceptions of menopause as a major/minor life event are more successfully predicted by the study variables than are attitudes toward menopause as benefit. Sexual knowledge-physical changes (negatively associated), wellbeing and age (positively associated), are the best predictors of perceptions of menopause as a major/minor life event. For employed women, sexual knowledge-expression is also a significant predictor. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-10, Section: A, page: 3874. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

This study addresses the contradictory results obtained in previous research regarding the relationship between locus of control and individuals who abuse alcohol. An alternative construct, control discrimination accuracy, is suggested as a means to address the previous contradictory results. Through the development of the Control Discrimination Accuracy Typology, the construct focuses on the accuracy of control discriminations rather than on the locus of control construct's focus on perception of the location of reinforcers. / Three measurement scales were developed to make assessments of individual's control discrimination accuracy. Evaluation of the instruments revealed adequate reliability as well as adequate content, discriminant, construct, and factorial validity. Cutting scores for the scales were developed for examination of group differences. The scales were administered to random samples of active duty Air Force members classified at various levels of drinking behavior: (1) alcoholic, (2) problem drinker, (3) non-problem drinker, and (4) non-drinker. / The main findings are: (1) Air Force active duty individuals diagnosed as alcoholic had statistically significant greater problems with control discrimination accuracy than random sampled Air Force active duty members, (2) control discrimination accuracy can function as a construct in aiding efforts to discriminate between problem and non-problem drinking groups, (3) hierarchical regression analyses indicated control discrimination accuracy explained greater proportions of variance between problem and non-problem drinking groups than the examined demographic and drinking behavior variables, and (4) the four developed Control Discrimination Accuracy Types were superior to the dichotomous locus of control orientations in characterizing individuals who abuse alcohol. Evaluation and intervention utilities for the control discrimination accuracy construct are discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-10, Section: A, page: 3873. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

This study (1) investigated the effects of unit structure on the wife's reported marital satisfaction, (2) determined if there was an association between various work environment variables of the soldier, and his wife's reported marital satisfaction, and (3) analyzed the relationship between the wife's desire as well as the husband's desire for him to remain in the Army, and her reports of marital satisfaction. An ex post facto criterion-group design, posttest only group design, and several one group posttest only designs were used in the testing of the study's 10 hypotheses. Five hundred and ten soldiers and their wives participated in the project. / The results of study indicated there was no relationship between the type of unit structure, COHORT/NONCOHORT, and the wife's reported marital satisfaction during a stressful period or nonstressful period. It was also determined that there was a negative relation between the wife's reported marital satisfaction and the following variables: (1) number of days the soldier was in the field per month, (2) number of weekends the soldier worked per month, (3) number of hours the soldier worked per day, and (4) level of concern Junior Enlisted personnel believed their supervisors had for their welfare and problems. The monthly income of the soldier moderated the effects of the weekends worked per month and the number of children in the family moderated the effects of the reported concerned leadership. It was also found that wives who had no children under the age of 12 reported lower marital satisfaction when their husbands desired to get out of the Army. Whereas, wives with 1 child under the age 12 reported higher satisfaction when their husbands desired get out. Although, all the above relationships were statistically significant at the .05 level or lower, none individually accounted for more than 5% of the variance in the wives' reports of marital satisfaction. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-03, Section: A, page: 0748. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.