‘Clan’ and ‘Family’: Transformations of Sociality among the Wampar, Papua New Guinea

Changes in what anthropologists understand “clan” to refer to, and the social relations that many sociologists think of as constituting a “nuclear family” are at the centre of this article. It is based on ethnography among Wampar speakers in north-eastern Papua New Guinea (PNG). Among the Wampar, different, sometimes conflicting, transitions relevant to the emergence of the family as an accentuated social entity can be observed; yet all are a result of Christianisation and the local effects of capitalism. Nominally patrilineal clans (sagaseg), after a period when they seemed to have a somewhat diminished social significance, are again crucial social units: a result of the government’s requirement that statutory Incorporated Land Groups (ILGs) form the sole legal basis of compensation for land use. At the same time, there has been an increasing emphasis on the nuclear family, which, along with the aspiration for modern lifestyles (and their associated consumption patterns) and education for children, has reconfigured the gendered division of labour. Ideals of companionate marriage and values specific to the nuclear family have become much more critical to social practices. In some families, traditional notions of descent have lost importance to such an extent that some young people are no longer aware of their sagaseg membership. Wampar men and women discuss these conflicting tendencies and argue about the different values that ground them. Which argument prevails often depends on the specific position of the person confronting them.

A Survey on Knowledge, Prevention, and Occurrence of Sexually Transmitted Infections among Freshmen from Four Italian Universities

Background. The peak of sexually transmitted infections (STI) among adolescents/young adults suggests a low level of prevention. In order to assess whether the level of sexual health education (SHE), received by several channels, was effective at improving sexual behaviors, we conducted a survey among freshmen from four Italian universities. Methods. This observational cross-sectional study was conducted with an anonymous self-reported paper questionnaire, administered during teaching lectures to university freshmen of the northern (Padua, Bergamo, and Milan campuses) and southern (Palermo campus) parts of the country. Knowledge of STI (a linear numerical score), knowledge of STI prevention (dichotomous variable: yes vs. no) and previous STI occurrence (polytomous variable: “no”; “don’t know”; “yes”) were the outcomes in the statistical analysis. Results. The final number of freshmen surveyed was 4552 (97.9% response rate). The mean age of respondents was 21.4 ± 2.2 years and most of them (70.3%) were females. A total of 60% of students were in a stable romantic relationship. Only 28% respondents knew the most effective methods to prevent STI (i.e., condom and sexual abstinence), with a slightly higher prevalence of correct answers among females (31.3%) than males (25.8%). Students with history of STIs were 5.1%; they reported referring mostly to their general practitioner (GP) (38.1%) rather than discussing the problem with their partner (13.1%). At multivariable analysis, a significantly higher level of STI knowledge was observed in older students (25+ years of age), biomedical students, and those from a non-nuclear family; lower levels were found among students of the University of Palermo, and those who completed a vocational secondary school education. Those who had less knowledge about the most effective tools to prevent STIs included males, students from the University of Palermo, students registered with educational sciences, economics/political sciences, those of foreign nationality, and those whose fathers had lower educational levels. The risk of contracting STI was significantly lower only in students not in a stable relationship (relative risk ratio, RRR = 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 95%CI = 0.48; 0.94), whereas such risk was significantly higher in students with higher STI knowledge (RRR = 1.15; 95%CI = 1.08; 1.22). Discussion and Conclusions. University freshmen investigated in this study had poor knowledge of STIs and their prevention. Unexpectedly, those with higher levels of knowledge had an increased risk of STIs. There were no educational interventions—with good quality and long-term follow-ups—that increased the confidence that such SHE programs could have population level effects. A new high-quality study is therefore required to assess the effectiveness of an intervention generating behavioral changes; increasing only knowledge may not be sufficient.

The Obligation to Tear Through the Veil: An Analysis and Transformation of Mankind’s Insufficient Complacency Through the Novels of Jenny Offill

This thesis explores the ways in which we as humans are alienated by the fundamental social structures of our world and how the novels of Jenny Offill offer a possible remedy. With a specific focus on the psychological and evolutionary aspects of womanhood and motherhood, this text attempts to illustrate the ways in which these novels address the imposing weight of such fundamental structures in the 21st century. Through an analysis of the nuclear family, this thesis examines the debilitating and profound existence of women, and more specifically, mothers. Offill’s novels present a profoundly clear picture of the modern world as it depicts the reality and ramifications of psychoanalytic and evolutionary theory. This work demonstrates how Offill’s texts attempt to remedy the core dissonance of our binary-laden human existence with clarity and realization rather than acceptance of an oversimplified past and a debilitating future.

Child Day Care Center Use and Mental Stress of Working Mothers

Background: Some of the working mothers use child day care center (CDCC) for their children to reduce their mental stress. This study was designed to assess the association between mental stress of working mothers and child day care center use. Methods: This comparative cross sectional study was conducted among 106 working mothers of whom 53 were CDCC users and 53 were non-users from January to December, 2019. Data were collected by face to face interview by a semi-structured questionnaire. Mental stress was estimated by Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Data were analyzed by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Quality control checks for data were done. All ethical issues were maintained strictly in different stages of the study and informed written consent was taken from each individual. Results: Mean (±SD) age was 32.92(± 2.901) and 33.55(± 3.160) years in CDCC users and non-users respectively. Average monthly family income was Tk.191698.11 in CDCC users and Tk. 209433.96 in non-users. Majority (67.9%) of the CDCC users lived in nuclear family while 67.9% of the CDCC non-users lived in joint family. Mothers had significantly higher (85.5%) stress who had maid servant in comparison to mothers who had not and mothers had higher (75.0%) stress who suffered from illness compared to mothers who did not suffer and it was significant (p<0.05). Both low (61.5%) and moderate (59.4%) stress were significantly higher among CDCC users while high stress (83.3%) was significantly higher among CDCC non-users. Chance of having low stress was high (OR=8.0) in mothers who were CDCC users than mothers who were CDCC non-users. Conclusion: CDCC non-users had high level of mental stress than the CDCC users. CDCC should be established with every organization to reduce the mental stress of working mothers. JOPSOM 2021; 40(1): 59-65

Predictors of Psychological Impact Among the Healthcare Workers Exposed to Covid-19 Cases in a Tertiary Hospital of Bangladesh

Background: The unprecedented global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 creates considerable psychological problems among the health care workers (HCW). The present study aimed to determine the predictors of psychological impact (in terms of depression, anxiety and stress) among the HCWs exposed Covid-19 cases in Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Dhaka. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at CMH Dhaka among purposively selected 390 HCWs. Data were collected through face-to-face interview using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire with validated and reliable tools. The study was conducted in the Combined Military Hospital Dhaka from 15 July 2020 to 30 September 2020. Results: Among the 390 respondents, 21.6%, 43.1% and 24.1% had depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, respectively. Being married (OR=0.391, 95% CI=0.160-0.953), graduate (OR=2.977; 95% CI=1.181-7.509) and attending 41-80 patients per day (OR=1.996; 95% CI=0.965-4.125) was significantly associated with depressive symptoms. In respect of anxiety, being graduate (OR=2.788, 95% CI=1.228 -6.333) and HSC qualified (OR=2.714, 95% CI=1.073-6.869), staying in family accommodation (OR=2.720, 95% CI=1.136 - 6.516), with nuclear family (OR=0.459, 95% CI=0.281-0.750), smoker (OR=1.827, 95% CI=0.987 - 3.384), doctor (OR=0.362, 95% CI=0.173- 0.758), having service length <20 years (OR=2.229, 95% CI=1.158 - 4.289), service in current place of posting for <20 months (OR=0.460, 95% CI=0.241-0.880), attended 41-80 patient daily (OR=1.720, 95% CI=0.933 - 3.169) and performing overtime duty (OR=2.568, 95% CI=1.609-4.099) were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms. Being graduate (OR=2.249, 95% CI=0.866-5.844), with nuclear family type (OR=0.423, 95% CI=0.249-0.721), having duty place at emergency (OR=2.135, 95% CI=0.902-5.053), being a nurse (OR=0.364, 95% CI=0.162-0.819), having service length <10 years (OR=2.570, 95% CI=1.207-5.472) and performing overtime duty (OR=2.214, 95% CI=1.3101-3.742) were significantly associated with stress symptoms. Conclusion: Psychological problems among the HCW found very common in our study which needs psychological crisis interventions to protect the mental health of HCWs. JOPSOM 2021; 40(1): 1-13

Parental addiction, conflicts and marital disruption: perception of adult children of divorced parents

Divorce is a stressful event often combined with spouse conflict which significantly affects the way children experience the consequences of family reorganization. Various factors contribute to the impact of divorce on child development, one of the most decisive being the quality of parental relationship prior to, during and after divorce. The article addresses one main question how spouses’ conflict during the process of divorce is intertwined with a child’s experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 adult children (7 men and 13 women) from divorced families. Adults ranged in age 21 to 42 years old. Five to twenty years passed from their parents’ divorce. The results show that in the cases of violent parents’ relationships or family relationships with addiction prior to divorce, the participants experienced relief when the nuclear family dissolved; however, in most cases conflict between parents persisted after divorce, the child being torn between both parents. When the conflict between the parents is combined with various addictions, the consequences for the child are even more devastating. In most cases, children were left to themselves. The findings of this study can therefore contribute to creating various forms of educational, consulting, or therapeutic help.

Views and Anxiety Levels of University Students Regarding Distance Education during the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study was conducted to identify the views and anxiety levels of university students regarding distance education during the Covid-19 pandemic. The population of this descriptive and cross-sectional study consisted of the students studying at seven health-related departments at two state universities in Turkey. The data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researchers and the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI). The results revealed that 50.2% of the students were first-year students, 30% were studying at the first and emergency aid program, 79.3% had a medium-income level, 50.1% lived in a metropolitan area, and 83% had a nuclear family. 50.9% of the students were satisfied with the distance education system, 52.1% found the lessons given through the distance education method partially understandable, 46.7% found the lecturing styles partially plain and understandable, and 72.7% had exam anxiety. The SAI score of the students was found to be 59.0±5.30 (range 29–73), and 52.8% of them had a moderate anxiety level. While the level of anxiety in students varied significantly according to gender, department, and family income, no significant difference was found among the participants in terms of age, year of study, family type, place of residence, and the presence of chronic and psychological illnesses. The anxiety scores of those who were not satisfied with the distance education, who experienced exam anxiety, who understood the online lessons partially, and who attended the lessons were found to be significantly higher. The study demonstrated that university students experienced anxiety about distance education and exams during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Familia y Tecnociencia: ¿qué nos depara el futuro inmediato?

In this contribution we address the issue of family and technoscience. We define techno-science as knowledge applied to all areas of reality. We approach on the topic of the nuclear family and the couple and then we expose our previous contributions on family and human biotechnology and we update and expand our knowledge on it. We focus on the impact that the Covid-19 syndemic is having on family life and then we explain the impact that the latest advances in Genetic Engineering, especially Gene Editing (CRISPR) are taking into account. We expose the disputes that are generating both the cloning and the recent modification of embryos and we finally highlight the need to continue researching to achieve a harmonious and favourable relationship with techno-science. En esta contribución abordamos el tema de la familia y la tecnociencia. Definimos la tecnociencia como un saber aplicado a todos los ámbitos de la realidad. Nos aproximamos a la cuestión de la familia nuclear y la pareja y exponemos nuestras contribuciones anteriores en torno a la biotecnología humana y la familia que actualizamos y ampliamos. Nos centramos en el impacto que la sindemia de la Covid-19 está teniendo en la vida familiar y seguidamente explicamos la repercusión de los recientes avances de la Ingeniería genética especialmente de la Edición de Genes (CRISPR). Exponemos las disputas que están generando tanto la clonación como la reciente modificación de embriones y finalmente resaltamos la necesidad de seguir investigando para lograr una relación armónica y favorable con la tecnociencia.

Association of Levels of Anxiety in Resident Doctors with Factors related to the Postgraduate Training in Teaching Hospitals

Objective: To assess level of anxiety, its associated factors and coping strategies in postgraduate trainees of public and private teaching hospitals of Karachi Study Design and Setting: It was a cross-sectional study. The data was collected from different major teaching hospitals February 2019 till April Methodology: A total of 230 postgraduate trainees were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire specifically designed for this study which included General Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale and Brief COPE Questionnaire. Data were analyzed on SPSS version 21. Chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression was performed and P-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant Results: Total 39.6% of the participants had no anxiety, 34.3% had mild, 16.1% had moderate while 10.0% had severe anxiety. Being single, nuclear family system and low monthly household income had higher odds of having severe anxiety (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR); 5.50, 95% CI 1.38,22.14, AOR; 2.50, 95% CI 0.83,7.51 and AOR; 3.17, 95% CI 0.96,10.49 respectively). Severe anxiety was also highly associated with irregular sleep pattern (AOR; 2.06, 95% CI 0.70, 6.06), no daily exercise (AOR; 5.01, 95% CI 1.21, 2.69) and lack of job satisfaction (AOR; 2.64, 95% CI 0.90, 7.90). The most frequently adapted coping strategies by participants who were found to have anxiety were, planning (89.9%), acceptance (87%) and religion (85.6%). Conclusion: Postgraduate trainees should be provided with psychological counseling and support at workplace to keep them mentally healthy to enhance their everyday performance in dealing and treating patients

A representação da mulher na família burguesa oitocentista: uma análise do romance Rio do Esquecimento, de Isabel Rio Novo / The representation of women in the nineteenth-century bourgeois family: an analysis of the novel Rio do Esquecimento, by Isabel Rio Novo

Resumo: O presente artigo tem como principal objetivo analisar e compreender a família nuclear burguesa oitocentista e como a figura feminina é representada no romance Rio do Esquecimento (2016), da escritora portuguesa contemporânea Isabel Rio Novo. A obra se desenvolve em torno de diferentes núcleos familiares e, por isso, optamos por analisar somente a personagem Maria Adelaide, da família Clarange. Frisa-se que o aporte teórico de nossa pesquisa é baseado nos circunscritos de teóricos que elaboraram estudos contundentes sobre a sociedade burguesa, a família nuclear e a figura feminina no século XIX, como: Hobsbawm (1977), Andrade (2013), Vaquinhas (2004), Kehl (2008), entre outros. Como resultado averiguou-se que a obra evidencia uma sociedade na qual predomina o autoritarismo masculino e a submissão da figura feminina no seguimento às regras sociais impostas pela sociedade machista e patriarcal, deixando de viver suas próprias escolhas e, consequentemente, sua liberdade, para expressar seus sentimentos e suas vontades, além de evidenciar a sociedade burguesa e como ela era obcecada pela aparência e pelas regras morais que muitos bravejavam e defendiam com orgulho, mas que uma grande parcela não as praticava, tornando ainda mais evidente a hipocrisia social.Palavras- chave: Família; Representação da mulher; Ficção portuguesa contemporânea; Isabel Rio Novo.Abstract: This article aims to analyze and understand the 19th century bourgeois nuclear family and how the female figure is represented in the novel Rio do Esquecimento (2016), by contemporary Portuguese writer Isabel Rio Novo. The work is developed around different family nuclei and, therefore, we chose to analyze only the character Maria Adelaide, from the Clarange family. It is emphasized that the theoretical contribution of our research is based on the circumscriptions of theorists who elaborated strong studies on bourgeois society, the nuclear family and the female figure in the 19th century, such as: Hobsbawm (1977), Andrade (2013), Vaquinhas (2004), Kehl (2008), among others. As a result, it was found that the work shows a society in which male authoritarianism predominates and the submission of the female figure following the social rules imposed by the macho and patriarchal society, ceasing to live its own choices and, consequently, its freedom, to express his feelings and his will, in addition to showing bourgeois society and how it was obsessed with appearance and moral rules that many proudly defended and defended, but that a large portion did not practice, making social hypocrisy even more evident.Keywords: Family; Representation of women; Contemporary Portuguese fiction.