Adams, Portia E. “Understanding the Different Realities, Experience, and Use of Self-Esteem Between Black and White Adolescent Girls”. Journal of Black Psychology. 36:3 (2010): 255-276. Sage Journals Online. Web. 14 Nov. 2010.
Portia Adams hoped to illustrate the different experiences of black and white adolescent girls in regards to self-esteem. This study, in regards to self-esteem, tests the locus of control model (how an individual perceives and responds to their efforts based on whether they have internal or external controls) and the contingency of self worth theory (an individual’s self-esteem depends on the sources and environment influencing the individual). The sample studied included four hundred fifty three black and one thousand nine hundred two white adolescent girls. The results of the study showed that, overall, black adolescent girls have higher self-esteem than white adolescent girls. Also, for the black adolescent girls studied, self-esteem was lower if the girl lived in the Northeast, had an absent mother in the home environment, and experienced external, personal control. Portia Adams also illustrates how social support plays a big role for the self-esteem of an adolescent girl, despite their race. In regards to the black adolescent girl, religion seems to play a more important role that for whites and this could explain how social support from many social institutions has increased the self-esteem for black adolescent girls. This research is extremely important because it illustrates the need for social institutions to realize that individuals experience self-esteem differently based on a multitude of factors, including their race. Adolescents, in general, are vulnerable in regards to developing a high self-esteem. If social institutions are aware of the imbalance of self-esteem, based on race, then proper prevention methods, such as self-esteem building programs targeting specific racial groups, can be developed. This research can also be used by other researchers as a stepping stone to expand and develop more studies showing how self-esteem varies amongst other racial groups as well.
Covan, Eleanor Krassen and Elizabeth Fugate-Whitlock. “Emergency Planning and Long-Term Care: Least Paid, Least
Powerful, Most Responsible”. Health Care for Women International. 31:11 (2010): 1028-1043. Informaworld. Web. 14 Nov. 2010.
As noted in the article, “disasters can occur anywhere” and proper emergency strategies and planning should be developed to combat disaster situations. Krassen and Fugate-Whitlock discuss how the UNCW Gerontology program teamed up with the Cape Fear Area Agency on Aging and the New Hanover County Department of Emergency Management to form a special task force to address how to safely and properly handle disaster situations in regards to patients at long-term care facilities. There seems to be a lack of consensus and awareness about what to do with these individuals when a disaster strikes. The articles stresses how though people hope and assume that proper strategies are carried out for long-term patients during disaster situations, this is not always the case. Resources and transportation during disaster situations seems to be a major problem for personnel who care for long-term patients during a disaster. With this in mind, though their are disaster drills conducted in a long-term care facility, there seems to be a lack of awareness about what to do with long-term care patients if the roof caves in. Also, the article illustrates how an evacuation plan can differ. For some long-term care facilities, the most capable patients (those that can walk or manage a wheelchair without much assistance) are evacuated first whereas other facilities evacuate the most feeble patients (bed-ridden) first. Another interesting fact, in regards to long-term care responsibilities, there is still a consensus that women should carry the burden of disaster planning. This article illustrates a general problem in the lack of consensus when it comes to properly caring for a long-term patient during a disaster. It is scary to think that an individual entrusts their life or the life of their loved one in the hands of individuals who are not properly prepared to protect and serve them during a disaster. The safety of Long-term care patients should be considered first, along with children, when a disaster strikes because both of these groups depend on other individuals to ensure their safety and protection.
Kinard, Brian R. and Cynthia Webster. “The Effects of Advertising, Social Influences, and Self-Efficacy on Adolescent Tobacco Use and Alcohol Consumption”. The Journal of Consumer Affairs. 44.1 (2010): 25-43. EBSCOHost. Web. 14
Nov. 2010.
The research conducted by Brian Kinard and Cynthia Webster focused on the variables that strongly influence an adolescent’s choice to smoke tobacco products and consume alcoholic beverages. This study is unlike previous studies because instead of just focusing on one variable, Kinard and Webster wanted to test how variables work together to influence an adolescent’s choice to participate or refrain from such behavior. Kinard and Webster chose to focus on the influences of advertising, parents, peers, and self-efficacy (an individual’s perception of their self-control). The study sample consisted of one hundred one adolescents who each smoke more than forty eight cigarettes a month. After examining the respondent’s perceptions of the influencing variables, the following results were concluded: advertising, parents, peers, and self-efficacy can work simultaneously to influence an adolescent’s choice to smoke or drink alcohol. Parents and peers have the strongest influence on the adolescent’s choices. One of the hypotheses proposed by Kinard and Webster was disproved: advertising is not as strong of an influence as they originally thought. Also, the results showed that males and Caucasians are the most likely to engage in smoking. This research is extremely important because, as Kinard and Webster suggested, it can help parents and social institutions (public policy programs, consumer protection programs, etc.) address and prevent the problem of adolescent smoking and alcohol use. Prevention strategies are extremely important, at all levels of society, to prevent this risky behavior. The article illustrates how certain forms of advertising have made the behavior more appealing and more kid-friendly. Everyone remembers the cute, cartoon Joe Camel advertisements that were very appealing to children and adolescents of all ages. Also, as Kinard and Webster states, adolescents with parents that consume alcohol are extremely more likely to consume alcohol themselves. This article helps to stress how many variables need to be considered to prevent adolescent smoking and drinking.
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