Comprehensive intervention for homeless, street living youth that addresses substance use, social stability, physical and mental health issues has received very little attention. In this study, street living youth aged 14 to 22 were recruited from a drop-in center and randomly assigned the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) or treatment as usual (TAU) through a drop-in center. Findings showed that youth assigned to CRA, compared to TAU, reported significantly reduced substance use (37% v. 17% reduction), depression (40% v. 23%) and increased social stability (58% v. 13%). Youth in both conditions improved in many other behavioral domains including substance use, internalizing and externalizing problems, and emotion and task oriented coping. This study indicates that homeless youth can be engaged into treatment and respond favorably to intervention efforts. However, more treatment development research is needed to address the barriers associated with serving these youth. Keywordshomelessness; adolescents; substance abuse; treatment; community reinforcement approach (CRA) Treatment Outcome for Street-Living, Homeless YouthAlthough research focusing on chronic runaways and homeless youth is increasing, there is a void of treatment evaluation studies with this group. Clements, Gleghorn, Garcia, Katz, and Marx (1997) note the importance of examining street based youth as separate from more stable, shelter residing youth given the higher levels of risk behaviors among street living youth. Street living youth often do not access other institutional settings (shelters, foster care, treatment centers) or family for assistance because these systems are not perceived to meet their needs (Marshall & Bhugra, 1996). In sum, differences among street living and shelter residing youth suggest the need for different intervention foci. Different challenges are posed and different treatment strategies are needed when addressing substance use and motivation for change in a youth whose basic needs are met (shelter-residing youth) than for a youth who has trouble finding enough food to eat, a place to sleep and receiving needed medical care. Scope of the ProblemAlthough estimates are crude given that these youth do not make it into standard school or population surveys, estimates of the number of youth who leave home prematurely each year Corresponding Author Natasha Slesnick, Ph.D. Human Development and Family Science The Ohio State University 135 Campbell Hall; 1787 Neil Ave Columbus, OH 43210 Ph: 614-247-8469 FAX: 614-292-4365 Email: Slesnick.5@osu.edu 2 Using an inverse transformation of the use of hard drugs variables made the scores more normally distributed. The untransformed scores had a skewness of 1.82 and 3.02 and kurtosis of 2.49 and 8.65 for each of the assessment points (intake, 6mfu). The transformed scores skewness was 0.42 and 0.42 and kurtosis was -1.51 and -1.78 for each of the assessment points (intake, 6mfu).

New parents’ Facebook use was examined from a social capital perspective. Surveys regarding Facebook use and parenting satisfaction, parenting self-efficacy, and parenting stress were completed by 154 mothers and 150 fathers as part of a larger study of dual-earner, Mid-western U.S. couples making the transition to parenthood. Results indicated that mothers used Facebook more than fathers, and that mothers perceived an increase in use over the transition. When more of mothers’ Facebook friends were family members or relatives, and when fathers reported connecting with more of their Facebook friends outside of Facebook, they reported better parental adjustment. For mothers, however, more frequent visits to Facebook accounts and more frequent content management were each associated with higher levels of parenting stress.

John Dewey and L. S. Vygotsky share similar ideas concerning the relationship of activity and learning/development, especially the roles everyday activities and social environment play in the educational process. However, the two theorists are far apart in their conception of the relationship between process and goals in education. Dewey concentrates on means in education, believing that it is the ability of the individual to question through experience that is most important for the human community. Vygotsky, while recognizing the importance of (especially cultural) process in education, sees social and cultural goals as being integrated into social pedagogy. This paper compares Dewey and Vygotsky on three key points that relate directly to educational processes and goals. First, the two theorists are compared on the role of social history and the tools it produces. Dewey sees social history as creating a set of malleable tools that are of use in present circumstances. Vygotsky believes that tools developed through history have a far more lasting impact on the social community. Second, the two theorists are compared in their conceptualizations of experience/culture. Dewey sees experience as helping to form thinking, whereas Vygotsky, in his cultural historical theory, posits culture as the raw material of thinking. Third, the two theorists are compared on their perspectives on human inquiry. Dewey sees the child as a free agent who achieves goals through her own interest in the activity. Vygotsky suggests there should be greater control by a mentor who creates activity that will lead the child towards mastery. These differences are then explored in terms of how they might impact actual classroom strategies and curriculum.

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This article traces the development of the “second” and arguably more well-known “genre” of participatory action research (PAR). The article argues that the origins of PAR are highly distributed and cannot really be traced back to the ideas of a single person or even a single group of researchers. Instead, the development of PAR is tied to social movements of the 20th century, in particular land reform, anticolonialism, and need for a new research methodology, occurring simultaneously across multiple continents. The origins of PAR have little to do with the action research that developed in the United States. For that reason the PAR referent can sometimes be confusing or even misleading. We suggest that the second PAR also be recognized through its mirror concepts of vivencia, praxis, and conscientization—PAR/VPC. We discuss the core underpinnings of PAR/VPC and its evolution with strong ties to the sociopolitical context of developing societies and their fight for liberation. We also suggest our reflections of future of PAR/VPC with integration of feminist perspectives and inclusion of youth in the education movement.

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