Journal of Social Science Studies

13-31

Authors: Yosi Yaffe, David Burg

Corporal punishment is the physical punitive measures of parents against children with devastating consequences when bordering on child abuse. This has even led to legislation against corporal punishment while controversy and criticism divides researchers and practitioners as to the prohibition against moderate and functional corporal punishment which may act as an effective method of education. Limited research exists on corporal punishment and its effect on the emotional aspects of children and investigation is required due its inherent and immense cultural importance. We studied the relationship between corporal punishment in the context of parenting style and anxieties in pre-adolescent children from northern Israel (age= 11.5 ± 0.56 yrs, n = 101). A positive association between general level of parental punishment and elevated anxieties was elucidated, mainly for the children of authoritarian parents. In addition, within this group children who experienced high levels of corporal punishment were more anxious. In contrast, this was not observed in children of authoritative parents. Results reported here indicate the apparent moderating role parenting style has on corporal punishment in the context of anxieties in children and conclude that while high level of corporal punishment is harmful, moderate corporal punishment may be harmless to children in specific parenting contexts.

47-65

Authors: Surhan Cam

Systematic research into underemployment is limited in Britain and specific analyses of its relation to work-status are largely missing from the academic debate. The present study explores the impact of work-status on underemployment along with references to demographic indicators. We examine Labour Force Survey data through logistic regressions. Our results fit into what one might call a conditionally gendered top-down model: As measured by work-place characteristics, work-contracts and occupational levels, one’s status at work inversely correlates with the likelihood of underemployment. Such a top-down propensity largely reflects a decline in demand for lower skills in the UK since the beginning of the recession in 2008. The model also has a gendered character which helps explain a relatively higher rise in female underemployment amid the economic downturn. However, this character rather takes a conditional form due to opposite gender disparities in different work settings. In female-dominated works including sales, customer services and part-time jobs, for example, women’s underemployment is lower than men’s, but it is higher in elementary occupations, especially because of glass-ceiling.

85-111

Authors: Hajara Umar Sanda

This study explores pregnant women’s major sources of information on Antenatal Care services (ANC), their media preferences of ANC programmes, their appropriate timing as well as the challenges they face in use of the media in Kano state. The study was informed by the inadequacy of health information from the media, which results to the under-utilization of ANC services by pregnant women. This has serious negative implications on maternal health and mortality. Focus group discussion was the main methodology used in the study and was complimented with In-depth interviewing and document analysis. Findings reveal that the dominant theme was the use of Radio as the major source of information on ANC services as well as other sources like health workers and social gatherings among others. In addition, the pregnant women demonstrated good knowledge and awareness of ANC services but some of them do not attend ANC even though they are aware while others are not even aware at all, of the importance of utilizing ANC services. The data further shows that the pregnant women preferred media programmes in which a health expert discusses ANC and maternal health issues. Similarly, their preferred timing for the ANC programmes is 4.00 pm and they shared substantial challenges which tend to inhibit their media usage, which influences ANC utilization. The study recommends that media ANC programmes should target men as partners in progress in all matters related to maternal health. Also, the government and other wealthy individuals should establish more community radios with priority to ANC and health related programs.

125-135

Authors: Mekam Maheshwar, Vijayapushpam T., Sylvia Fernandez Rao

This article reports a content analysis of health-and nutrition-related claims used in food advertisements in popular children’s television channels of India. The authors analyzed 793 food ads ran for a total duration of 20,260 seconds in a span of 7 days in two television channels. Their research shows that nutrient content claims (i.e., ones that focus on a specific nutrient component such as “low in fat”) are the most predominantly used, followed by general nutrition claims, structure/ functional claims, and healthy claims. The least used category is health claims, in which the advertised food is linked to reduced risk of a disease or health problem. Researchers analysis suggests that healthy foods are not advertised nearly as much as unhealthy foods, which continue to be a major public health concern. This seems to suggest a pressing need for marketing promotions that focus on healthier food options, particularly targeting vulnerable populations such as children.

146-162

Authors: Monique Constance-Huggins

The 1996 welfare reform act has refocused our attention on the factors that could help or hinder exit from welfare. Researchers have examined a number of factors but have placed little attention on social capital. This study examines the effects of social capital on the likelihood of welfare use and exit among single women. The study is based on single women using data from the Making Connections database. Results indicate that social capital is related to welfare use and exit. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.

177-197

Authors: Daniel Mider

Political violence is a complex phenomenon that is induced by numerous factors. The article focuses on trying to identify and organize the sources of political violence. Three groups of determinants of political violence can be distinguished on the basis of the examined social science literature. The first group of determinants of political violence – referred to as structural determinants – is examined by researchers within the social structure. Cultural patterns and norms operating within the dominant culture or subculture form the second group of sources of violence, referred to as cultural determinants of violence. The third group – individual or socio-psychological determinants of violence in politics – could be observed in individual factors, usually subjective, related to emotions.

224-235

Authors: Huda Mohamed Mukhtar Ahmed

The present study investigates the impact of youth bulges on the armed conflicts in Sudan. It uses the 2008 census data on 25 states and builds a logistic regression model for the analysis. Relative risk analysis is also used to measure the association between the two variables. The impact of youth bulge on the armed conflict is not clearly detected, however, the impact of secondary school attendance rate for males and the access to clean drinking water is found to be statistically highly significant.

249-272

Authors: Mebratu Belete Beka, Eshetu Genemo Daga, Ejigu Demeke Doboro, Tesfatsion Dominiko

Though some studies have examined risk factors, protective factors and resilience among children by foreign researchers, no study as yet has been documented with regard to the above concerns in Wolaita community children. The major objectives of this study were examining variables which put children at risks and protective factors that help to buffer against risks and stressors in order to foster resilience among second cycle primary school children. With this regard, the study assessed 369 boys and girls in grades seven and eight. The independent t-test and ANOVA analysis indicated no statistically significant differences and effect of gender among boys and girls concerning vulnerability to risk factors and their success stories with regard to resilience respectively. The Pearson’s r computation showed positive significant relationship between parental educational status and overall resilience among other background variables. Moreover, the research yielded positive significant relationships among resilience components and overall resilience. Age of respondents found to have significant effect on their hardiness and resourcefulness among other resilience components and also the presence of siblings at home showed significant effect on children’s resourcefulness. Further ANOVA analysis showed that parental educational and occupational statuses’ significant effect on children’s hardiness, purpose, overall resilience and hardiness, resourcefulness and overall resilience respectively. Lastly, regression analysis manifested that age of children and parental educational status found to be significant predictors of child resilience and vulnerability to risk factors. Among protective variables included in the study; parents, family, teachers and schools were found to be strong predictors of child resilience. The important implication of this research finding is while the research on risk and protective factors is important to guide practice and the way interventions are provided, always all the stakeholders should remember that risk, protection and resilience will vary depending on the individual child, family and their unique situation. What is a risk or a protective factor for one child will not necessarily be for the other.

17-30

Authors: Kuan Chen Tsai

A demand for fostering creativity has become a universal discourse across different nations, reflecting globalization of economic activity. Teachers play a key role in promoting creative thinking through appropriate approaches in the classroom. Because a number of studies indicate that most creativity research focuses on children rather on adults, the purpose of this meta-analytic study is to investigate the effects of creativity training on adults. It is hoped that by providing evidence-based findings, adult educators could consider fostering creativity in adult classrooms. The results confirm the findings of previous meta-analysis indicating that creativity training is effective on adults. The magnitude of this finding indicates creativity training is promising for increasing adults’ creative thinking.

44-56

Authors: Kwame Asamoah, Emmanuel Yeboah-Assiamah, Alex Osei-Kojo,

There is a general perception that Ghana has achieved remarkable success in democratic consolidation by conducting six general elections in the Fourth Republic without widespread violence since 1992. Yet, the kind of tensions and acrimony that surround her elections are issues that cannot be glossed over. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana paved the way for free speech and expression, which has been strengthened by the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law. Most political actors tend to abuse the freedom of speech enshrined in the Constitution by using abusive words and insulting their political opponents especially on the airwaves and during political campaigns. The persistent use of intemperate language affects the quality of policy discourse and also creates tension at every election year. Faced with the use of indecorous language at every election year, a common feature of elections in Ghana is the numerous appeals for peace from all sections of society. The use of indecent words by political actors thus poses a serious threat to Ghana’s democratic dispensation as it can escalate into serious conflict with social, political and economic ramifications. This article examines how the use of indecent language can be detrimental to the developmental agenda of the country. The paper adopts content analysis to examine some of the statements by some key stakeholders during the 2012 general elections. A major finding of the study is that there is excessive use of abusive words on airwaves and political campaigns. Another finding of the study is that election periods in Ghana is characterized by clarion calls for peace and calming down tensions. The article recommends that key political actors must set practical leadership example, for their supporters to emulate by using decorous words before, during and after each election.