Northampton Community College

About: Northampton Community College is a education organization based out in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 3410 authors who have published 4582 publications receiving 130398 citations. The organization is also known as: Northampton County Area Community College.

Shame as a social phenomenon: a critical analysis of the concept of dispositional shame.

Abstract: An increased clinical interest in shame has been reflected in the growing number of research studies in this area. However, clinically orientated empirical investigation has mostly been restricted to the investigation of individual differences in dispositional shame. This study reviews recent work on dispositional shame but then argues that the primacy of this construct has been problematic in a number of ways. Most importantly, the notion of shame as a context-free intrapsychic variable has distracted clinical researchers from investigating the management and repair of experiences of shame and shameful identities and has made the social constitution of shame less visible. Several suggestions are made for alternative ways in which susceptibility to shame could be conceptualized, which consider how shame might arise in certain contexts and as a product of particular social encounters. For example, persistent difficulties with shame may relate to the salience of stigmatizing discourses within a particular social context, the roles or subject positions available to an individual, the establishment of a repertoire of context-relevant shame avoidance strategies and the personal meaning of shamefulness.

Emotional abuse of children : issues for intervention

Abstract: This study is an examination of the emotional abuse of children, where it is the main or sole form of abuse. The ultimate aim of this applied social work project is to make a contribution to intervention in cases of psychological maltreatment. Intervention lacks credibility without some definition of the problem and an understanding of its prevalence, location and manifestation, as well as an appreciation of the type of intervention required. At the outset of the current project, an exploration of professional concerns, the wider context of child abuse and a review of the relevant literature revealed that, although defining emotional abuse has been partially addressed, there are substantial gaps and deficiencies in the knowledge of the prevalence, location, manifestation and intervention relating to emotional abuse. In order to facilitate intervention, these deficiencies were addressed in the current project. Both quantitative and qualitative data was required in order to address different aspects of the issues to be explored. Triangulation was therefore an integral part of the design, information being obtained from three sources: semi-structured interviews with child protection professionals, a population survey and in-depth interviews with adult emotional abuse survivors. The main outcome of the study was an increase in empirical knowledge in the areas of deficit and, consequently, a contribution to credible intervention. Specifically, a suggested operational definition and an indication of prevalence were both provided. Emotional abuse was found to occur in a broad range of families although it was more frequently located in those exposed to multiple stressors. It was most clearly manifested through behaviours which constituted a misuse of power. Concerning intervention itself, a notable contribution of the study was the identification of important life-lines for emotionally abused children. These provided the children with unconditional, positive regard and countered their sense of isolation and rejection

What Do Teachers Need to Know About Teaching? A Critical Examination of the Occupational Knowledge of Teachers.

Abstract: Various attempts to specify the nature of professions in general and of teaching in particular in relation to the knowledge that is needed for practice are considered. It is argued that there is no epistemic or moral criterion of professionalism that will sustain the claim of teaching to be a profession. The nature of teachers’ knowledge is examined and the relationship between theory and application is seen to be both crucial to and problematic in our understanding of the nature of teachers’ work. The implications of the discussion for teacher education are assessed.