Notes that enhancement of social support networks for people with chronic mental illness is important thrust of case management services. Presents conceptual framework of social network interventions and discusses obstacles to enhancing natural support systems. Highlights need for community resource development, especially in the building of…

A recent national survey of sexual behavior in the United States, whose initial funding was controversial, reveals few surprising results. It reveals information about homosexuality, sexual abuse, how couples first meet, and how individuals' sexual choices are constrained by the social networks in which they operate. (MSE)

Telephone interviews with 300 elderly Montreal residents found that 67 percent use shopping malls to fulfill social and leisure needs. Predisposing variables (age, gender, education, and loneliness) and environmental/encouraging variables (design and ambiance of the malls) were found to be related to this activity. (SK)

Examined predictors of stability and change in informal support networks of frail elders and primary caregivers. Data from 1982 and 1984 National Long Term Care Surveys and 1982 Informal Caregivers Survey revealed that changes in network size and intensity of help occurred in response to changes in health and functional status of frail elder, not…

Observation of nine subjects with mild intellectual disabilities working in competitive employment settings revealed that subjects' social networks lacked complexity, with few interconnections among the network modes. Major sources of social support emanated from the family and organizations catering to people with disabilities. Social support…

Profile of demographic structure and family relationships among national sample of three-generation African-American families revealed important variation across generations in demographic (age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic status, and region) and family (affection and support) factors. One of most unique features of three-generation…

Study aims to examine the linkage between social support provided to children in the context of the family and the quality of children's friendships outside the family and to then determine whether family support and friendship quality contribute to the child's self-esteem. Across ethnic groups, family support was predictive of friendship quality…

Overview of the origins, development, rapid diffusion, and current usage of the concept of social capital in the literature. Focuses on three approaches to operationalizing the concept: those of James Coleman, Pierre Bourdieu, and Robert Putnam. Discusses social capital as a resource, as goal-oriented, and as a contributor to social control and…

Presents findings from a recent field study in which ethnographic methods and social network theory were used to investigate the flow of human services information (HSI) among nurses, the elderly and other attendees at foot clinics. Discusses four categories of contextual factors in terms of their impact on participants' information behavior and…

Teachers must learn to discriminate between caring and toxic brands of lounge conversation (summarized in a table). The way that beginning teachers praise, accept, ignore, or refute comments is critical in developing their roles within the school setting. Their enthusiasm can help students and jaded colleagues. (MLH)

In this article, the author presents Web sites about teen use of online social networks and age-appropriate resources. These resources can be used for teaching students ways in which to use these networks safely and ethically. Among other things, "Social Network Service" entry in Wikipedia, offers a description and a "List of Social Networking…

This study sought a clearer understanding of the aggressive behaviours and conflict resolution experiences of teenage girls. The participants were 39 Year 10 girls attending a single-sex school in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. The girls participated in a novel letter writing methodology designed to shadow adolescents' existing use of…

Obituaries can reveal much about the way a profession is conceived and structured in the popular imagination. This article examines obituaries of librarians in the "New York Times" between 1977 and 2002 to determine how librarians were presented to the general public by a major newspaper. Although librarianship is a female-intensive profession,…

In this study, the authors investigated the efficacy of the Youth-Nominated Support Team-Version 1 (YST-1), a psychoeducational social network intervention, with 289 suicidal, psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents (197 girls, 92 boys). Adolescents were randomly assigned to treatment-as-usual plus YST-1 or treatment-as-usual only. Assessments…

The objective of this study was to examine the links between coping and attachment. In a longitudinal study of 112 participants, coping behavior was assessed at five points in time during adolescence (starting at the age of 14 years) and early adulthood. In addition, at the age of 21 years, state of mind regarding current and earlier attachment…