Biomedical subjects

Michael A Ellis

Publications and source records attributed to Michael A Ellis.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Racial differences in social support: kin versus friends.

Social support was examined among 290 Black and White women recruited from the community. We hypothesized that (1) social support, adjusted for social class, would not vary by race and (2) social support would be related to well-being. Standardized measures were administered, examining support provided by friends versus kin separately. Multivariate models showed that Black women reported similar numbers of kin and fewer friends than Whites, while satisfaction with support did not vary by race. Measures of social support were generally associated with well-being. These findings question earlier reports that Black women have stronger kin support than White women, suggesting that clinicians should not assume that Blacks can rely on kin for social support.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Introducing evidence-based practices into substance abuse treatment using organization development methods.

BACKGROUND: Dissemination of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in addiction settings is a national priority. We tested Organization Development (OD) methods for dissemination. METHODS: Using OD in two addiction treatment programs we developed an organization-specific treatment plan using employee work teams with the goals of changes in organizational policies and procedures and improvement in practitioner skills. RESULTS: OD was effectively applied, but EBPs were premature for these addiction programs because they first needed to address more fundamental aspects of client-clinician interaction and agency treatment philosophy. CONCLUSION: The OD approach in addiction treatment is complementary to other technology transfer efforts by being: (a) "organization-centered," engaging practitioners at all levels; (b) "needs-focused," addressing concerns of the particular organization; (c) flexible in its responsiveness to readiness for change; and (d) relatively affordable. However, before absorbing EBPs, substance abuse treatment organizations must develop strengths in delivering fundamental aspects of care.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗

PubMed2006

Childhood sexual abuse among Black women and White women from two-parent families.

Differences in childhood sexual abuse (CSA) between Black women and White women are explored in a community sample of 290 women raised in two-parent families.A self-administered questionnaire and a face-to-face interview assessed CSA characteristics, aftermath, and prevalence as well as family structure and other childhood variables. Siblings served as collateral informants for the occurrence of CSA. Overall, comparisons of the nature, severity, and aftermath of CSA showed similarities by race; some differences, for example, in age of onset, are potentially relevant for the planning of prevention programs. Logistic regression models examined effects of childhood variables on CSA prevalence. Initial analyses showed a higher CSA prevalence among Black women (34.1% [45] of Black women vs. 22.8% [36] of White women) that was attenuated when family structure (e.g., living with two biological parents throughout childhood or not) and social class were considered. Of interest, differences in family structure remained important even among these two-parent families. Understanding the dynamics of abuse by race and family structure will facilitate the design of more targeted CSA prevention programs.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Predicting long-term outcomes for women sexually abused in childhood: contribution of abuse severity versus family environment.

OBJECTIVE: Child sexual abuse (CSA) has been associated with adverse adult psychosocial outcomes, although some reports describe minimal long-term effects. The search for explanations for the heterogeneous outcomes in women with CSA has led to an examination of a range of CSA-related factors, from the severity of individual CSA incidents to the childhood family environment. This study compares three factors for predicting adult outcomes: a multidimensional CSA Severity Scale, the presence or absence of CSA, and family environment. METHODS: The effect of CSA on adult outcomes was examined among 290 community-dwelling women raised in intact families. Standardized measures and a focused interview were used to collect data, with siblings as collateral informants. RESULTS: Comparison of a multidimensional CSA Severity Scale to a dichotomous measure of the presence or absence of CSA showed that the Severity Scale did not have greater predictive value for adult outcomes than the dichotomous measure, nor was it as parsimonious. Childhood family environment scales added significantly to the predictive ability of the dichotomous measure. CONCLUSION: The specific characteristics of a CSA experience may be less important than the occurrence of CSA and the family environment of women for predicting long-term outcomes.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mediating factors for the long-term effects of parental alcoholism in women: the contribution of other childhood stresses and resources.

The primary aim of this study was to identify the stresses and resources in childhood that mediate the relationship between parental alcoholism and adult outcomes in women. Adult outcomes included alcohol problems and measures of psychosocial adjustment. Standardized measures and a face-to-face interview were used to collect data on 290 community-dwelling women, with siblings as collateral informants. Mediation analysis showed that the effect of parental alcoholism on several adult outcomes was indirect, mediated by the other stresses and resources examined. Contextual models such as those presented here are helpful in understanding the long-term effects of childhood environment on women.

Adult↗