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Strain is an indivisible part of the military experience. Despite the well-documented association between strain and deviance in civilian settings, however, whether common forms of strain in the military produce deviant reactions among soldiers has yet to be established. In this study, we investigate the associations among various forms of strain and deviant behaviors among military service-members. Additionally, we examine the effects of mediating mechanisms linking strain to deviance through the lens of General Strain Theory (GST). We found that strain factors were all positively associated with each deviant behavior. Among the mediating factors, anger partially mediated the relationships between strain and all three deviant behaviors, while depression partially mediated only the relationship between strain and heavy alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposes of this study are to examine how social learning processes and social structure correlate with delinquency among Turkish adolescents and to articulate to what extent Akers's social structure and social learning (SSSL) theory explains delinquency in Turkey, which is a different cultural context from Western countries in terms of family structure, level of collectivism or individualism, religion, belief systems, and norms. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing the first study testing Akers's theory in the Turkish context. Analyses, relying on a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework, showed that the social learning process accounted for a substantial amount of variation in explaining adolescent delinquency. We also found that social learning process somewhat mediates social structural effects on delinquency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A large body of empirical studies has shown that cigarette use has detrimental consequences. Along with its adverse health effects, it is also associated with negative outcomes for social institutions, including the military. Objectives: Utilizing a Social Learning Theory (SLT) framework, this study attempts to explore the associations among cigarette use and elements of social learning in a military setting, including differential association, differential reinforcement, and definitions favorable to smoking. Methods: We draw upon unique data from the Cadet Smoking Survey (CSS) conducted in 2015 at the Turkish Military Academy (n = 378), and utilize binary logistic regression as the analytic strategy. Results: The findings reveal that the smoking habits of fathers and peers, as well as cadets' own definitions that make smoking justifiable, were strong positive predictors of Turkish cadets being cigarette smokers. The links between smoking and parental reaction or peer reinforcement, however, were not robust. Conclusion/Importance: The results of this study partially support the assumptions in SLT and suggest that military units might serve as venues for facilitating learning regarding cigarette use. The implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed below. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to suicidal behavior (ESB) through social networks is often associated with an increased risk of suicidality, but empirical research—largely limited to the Western populations—has produced mixed results. Using survey data, we examined (a) the association between ESB and suicide attempt, and (b) the exacerbating role of ESB on gender differences in suicide attempt risk among Turkish adolescents (N = 2035). ESB was significantly associated with increased risk of suicide attempt, and it contributed to the higher attempt risk among girls. Suicidal behaviors spread through social networks via ESB, and suicide contagion exacerbates the existing gender differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although numerous studies have confirmed the relationship between welfare states and social capital, their arguments have been contradictory. Some argue that strong welfare states crowd out social capital, while others consider the welfare state as a stimulator of social capital. However, research focusing on both the arguments simultaneously and considering whether or not welfare states can both make and break social capital is almost unavailable. Also, individual attitudes toward the welfare state have mainly been the neglected part of this research tradition. Concordantly, findings of this study suggest that regardless of the strength of the civil society, a welfare state can both crowd out and crowd in social capital. While the comprehensiveness of the welfare state plays a part in stimulating or rather unlikely destroying social capital, it is actually the particular design, implementation of the welfare policies, and legitimacy of the state officials that make or break social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of alcohol use among adolescents is alarming, given the potential negative social and health consequences of this behavior. In Turkey, a secular Islamic country where little research has been conducted on adolescents’ alcohol and drug use, such research is urgently needed. Objectives: The present study drew on Hirschi’s social bonding theory and Agnew’s general strain theory to examine the role that family plays in Turkish adolescents’ alcohol use. The family is a source of both resources and strain. It is a key institution at all life stages and especially during adolescence. Our study asked whether and how family-related strain and bonding variables explained the current alcohol use of one group of Turkish 10th-grade students. Methods: The study data came from the Youth in Europe research project; the cross-sectional data were collected in 2008 in Bagcilar, Turkey. Our final sample numbered 2,090 participants. Results: This study generally showed participants’ alcohol use to be explained to a degree by family-related strain and bonding variables. Conclusions: Our results confirmed that in Turkey, the family does shape adolescents’ alcohol use. The findings will clearly be useful during design and enhancement of prevention programs meant to deter Turkish adolescents from alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Drawing from Robert Agnew's General Strain Theory, the purpose of this study is to examine the effect of sexual abuse on deviant behaviors, such as suicide, smoking, drinking, drug use, violent crime, and property crime, among Turkish adolescents. The article also aims to understand the mediating role of negative emotions, including depression and anger, as well as gender differences in this relationship. Findings from a series of analyses demonstrate that the experience of sexual abuse is significantly related to the likelihood of engaging in most of the deviant behaviors. In addition, the mediating role of negative emotions, particularly anger, was highlighted in the findings. Furthermore, the effect of sexual abuse on deviant behaviors was relatively greater for Turkish males compared with Turkish females. The current study contributes to the literature on the consequences of sexual abuse by considering them within the unique Islamic-Western cultural context of Turkey. Overall, findings suggest that this particular form of strain has a substantial impact on deviant behaviors among Turkish adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data drawn from the 2008 Youth in Europe Survey, the current study examined alcohol consumption among Turkish adolescents through the lens of Agnew's general strain theory (GST). Although considerable attention has been paid to alcohol consumption among adolescents, extant research has remained limited to Western countries. Similarly, much of the support for GST was derived from research conducted in the United States. The current study explores factors associated with alcohol consumption in Turkey and tests the generalizability of GST. Results from ordinal logistic regression analyses indicated that, except for family strain, specific kinds of strain were significantly associated with drinking behavior without any mediating effect that could emanate from students’ negative affective states. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although numerous studies have confirmed the relationship between social bonds to pro-social others and delinquency in Western countries, research focusing on the same relationship in non-Western countries is scarce. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by examining the relationship between social bonds to pro-social others and several types of delinquency among high school students in Turkey. Results showed that the extent of an adolescent's social bonds with his/her parents, peers, and schools had significant and diverging effects on delinquency. We also found bonds to parents and peers to have moderating effects on how school bonds affect delinquency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The advantages of empowering direct care workers (DCWs) within nursing homes (NHs) are well documented. Our objective is to identify factors that create DCW empowerment as this has not received adequate attention. Method: The data come from a larger study focused on the empowerment of DCWs in NHs. A self-administered instrument was completed by 372 DCWs within 11 NHs in the north Texas region. Cluster analysis and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression were performed. Results: Feedback from nurse management to DCWs was positively associated with shared decision-making (SDM) and ranked highest followed by information exchange, trust in management, and wages linked to performance. Discussion: SDM may be enhanced where nurse management shares relevant information with the DCWs, listens to their ideas, provides explanations when DCW suggestions are not used, and does so in a supportive environment. Organizational characteristics of importance include linking wages to DCW performance and providing an accessible training program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]