Search

This study is based on the assumption that adolescents from cultural backgrounds influenced by Islam have first-hand knowledge of the same sources of information on sexual behavior as their native-born peers. We worked from the premise that the processes inherent to cultural integration and adolescence have a propensity to create a marked cultural gap between first and second generation immigrants. We also hypothesize that these shared sources of information, as well as the cultural difference between generations will result in a common body of knowledge, thus leading to a reduction in the differences between young people from immigrant backgrounds and their native counterparts. The specific status of women in societies influenced by Islam, and the hyper-control which is exerted on them, is expressed through the unreserved submission of adolescent girls to patriarchal values, leading to a gap between these girls and the adolescent boys from the same group. Our purpose in this study is to examine factors which both separate adolescents and bring them together in one particular area – that of representations and sexual experience. Accordingly, we compared findings on this divide by distributing a questionnaire to two groups of young people aged between 13 and 20 (average age: 17.3, standard deviation: 3.11). The first group (G1) was made up of 115 adolescents from immigrant backgrounds (Algerian, Moroccan, Tunisian or Turkish), from geographical areas strongly influenced by Islamic culture. The second group (G2) was a control group made up of 115 French adolescents whose culture comes under the sway of Christianity and the legacy of the Enlightenment. Feedback obtained from the questionnaire shows that birth or early arrival in the host country notwithstanding, young adolescents from the various cultures influenced by Islam stand in sharp contrast to those born into cultures influenced by Christianity (G2). Differences between the groups are even more striking in girls than in boys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract The article addresses the use of notions of gender equality and non-discrimination in the discussions concerning the practice of Islamic veiling by the European Court of Human Rights as well as by French authorities in relation to the recent adoption of the law banning full face veils in public spaces in France. The author argues that the use of the rhetoric of gender equality without the required knowledge and understanding of the justifications for and discussions about this practice existing within Islam is in both cases very inadequate and leads to results opposite to those they intended to promote. Based on insights into the discussions of Muslims about the practice of veiling the author makes some proposals for a more adequate approach to this practice both from the point of view of women's status as well as from the point of view of relationship between Islam and the West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ambient air samples were collected, from 2006 to 2008 at three rural and two urban sites in Centre Region (France) and analyzed for 56 currently used pesticides (CUPs), of which 41 were detected. The four CUPs most frequently detected were the herbicides trifluralin, acetochlor and pendimethalin and the fungicide chlorothalonil, which were found with frequencies ranging between 52 and 78%, and with average concentrations of 1.93, 1.32, 1.84 and 12.15ngm−3, respectively. Among the detected pesticides, concentrations of eight fungicides (spiroxamine, fenpropimorph, cyprodinil, tolyfluanid, epoxiconazole, vinchlozolin, fluazinam, fludioxinil), two insecticides (propargite, ethoprophos), and one herbicide (oxyfluorfen) are, to our knowledge, reported for the first time in the literature. The majority of the CUPs showed a seasonal trend, with most of the detections and the highest concentrations occurring during the spring and early summer. The most important pesticides detected were related to arable crops and fruit orchards, the main cultures in this region, highlighting the fact that the main sources come from local applications. Minor differences were found in the profiles of pesticides within rural areas and between rural and urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To expand our knowledge of regional fine particles in Central France (Centre-Val de Loire region), a field observation study of PM 2.5 was carried out at Verneuil site (46.81467N, 2.61012E, 180 m.a.s.l.) from 2011 to 2014. The mass concentrations of water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and biomass burning tracer (Levoglucosan) in PM 2.5 were measured. Annual average PM 2.5 mass concentrations were 11.8, 9.5, 12.6 and 10.2 μg·m − 3 in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively, three of four higher than the WHO guideline of 10 μg·m − 3 . Secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) and organic matter (OM) appeared to be the major components in PM 2.5 in Verneuil, contributing 30.1–41.8% and 36.9–46.3%, respectively. Main chemical species were observed in the following order: winter ≥ spring > autumn > summer. Backward atmospheric trajectories were performed using Hysplit model and suggested that the PM 2.5 pollutants caused by atmospheric transport were mainly originated from European inland, mainly east to north-east areas. During the observation period, five pollution events were reported and indicated that not only the polluted air masses from central Europe but also the biomass burning from East Europe significantly influenced the air quality in Verneuil site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rational emotive behavior therapy originally considered the concept of frustration intolerance in relation to different beliefs or cognitive patterns. Psychological disorders or, to some extent, certain affects such as frustration could result from irrational beliefs. Initially regarded as a unidimensional construct, recent literature considers those irrational beliefs as a multidimensional construct; such is the case for the phenomenon of frustration. In order to measure frustration intolerance, Harrington (2005) developed and validated the Frustration Discomfort Scale. The scale includes four dimensions of beliefs: emotional intolerance includes beliefs according to which emotional distress is intolerable and must be controlled or avoided as soon as possible. The intolerance of discomfort or demand for comfort is the second dimension based on beliefs that life should be peaceful and comfortable and that any inconvenience, effort or hassle should be avoided. The third dimension is entitlement, which includes beliefs about personal goals, such as merit, fairness, respect and gratification, and that others must not frustrate those non-negotiable desires. The fourth dimension is achievement, which reflects demands for high expectations or standards., Methods: The aim of this study was to translate and validate in a French population the Frustration and Discomfort Scale developed by Harrington (2005), assess its psychometric properties, highlight the four factors structure of the scale, and examine the relationships between this concept and both emotion regulation and perceived stress. We translated the Frustration Discomfort Scale from English to French and back from French to English in order to ensure good quality of translation. We then submitted the scale to 289 students (239 females and 50 males) from the University of Savoy in addition to the Cognitive Emotional Regulation Questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale., Results: The results showed satisfactory psychometric qualities. After removing five items from the original scale, the internal consistency appeared satisfactory for both the full scale (α=0.86), and the four sub-dimensions, with alphas ranging from 0.64 to 0.71. Although these values are lower than those from the original tool (Harrington, 2005), they are very close to the validation data in other languages (Ozer et al., 2012). Interestingly, the FDS score was related to the Perceived Stress Scale and non-adaptive emotion regulation factor but not to the adaptive emotion regulation factor. However, the factorial analyses do not unambiguously support the original four factors structure proposed by Harrington (2005)., Conclusion: Reliability as well as convergent and divergent validity indicate that the French version of the Frustration Discomfort Scale is a relevant measure of frustration intolerance. However, divergent validity has not been completely demonstrated. The validation data is more congruent with a one-dimensional factor structure than with the original four-dimensional structure. Frustration intolerance could therefore be understood as a unitary concept., (Copyright © 2015 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)