Kids Of Divorce And Suicide: New Study Shows Link
The Huffington Post Amy Lee Posted: 01/24/11 02:38 AM
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Read More: Divorce, Divorce Suicide Children, Esme Fuller-Thompson, Suicide, University Of Toronto, Divorce News
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Children with divorced parents are at an increased risk of suicidal thoughts, with boys especially vulnerable to the effects of marital breakups.
These new findings were revealed by the recent study, "Suicidal Ideation Among Individuals Whose Parents Have Divorced," conducted by Esme Fuller-Thompson, a professor at the University of Toronto.
Using a sample of 6.647 adults, 695 of whose parents had divorced before they were 18, Fuller-Thompson found that men from divorced households were three times as likely to have seriously considered suicide, while women had an 83 percent higher chance of having done the same.
Even when Fuller-Thomson adjusted for additional factors like parental abuse and addiction, which often accompany divorce, men still had twice the likelihood of having had suicidal thoughts. These findings suggest that divorce can have seriously adverse effects on children. We asked Esme Fuller-Thompson to help illuminate her study and its implications.
What was the most surprising finding of the study?
We're certainly not the first [group] to find a link between parental divorce and suicidal ideation. We were looking at gender differentiation--whether adult sons and adult daughters have different [responses]. Both men and women are at increased risk of suicidal ideation--at some time in their life they've seriously considered suicide. When you look at it carefully, and we had a big sample, what we found was that the association between parental divorce and suicidal ideation disappeared when I took out women who had also experienced parental addictions and abuse. But for men, the relationship still existed. Men who had experienced a parental divorce that had not been exposed to those other childhood factors still were at greater risk for suicidal ideation.
Why might boys be more affected than girls?
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Probably loss of the male role model, the father figure. The majority of children of divorce are raised by their moms. There are a portion of children who have very limited contact with their dad. The loss of a male role model is very significant for young men who are developing their gender identities. When you look back at the general literature, that seemed to be the one that popped up, but we don't know for sure.
Are there some differences between men and women generally in terms of suicidal thoughts?
Women have higher rates of suicidal ideation, while men are more likely to complete suicide. They tend to take steps such as shooting or hanging themselves. Women will attempt, but with drugs where you can catch them if you get it in time. In the general population, whose parents haven't divorced, among males 5.5 percent had seriously considered suicide, among females 8.7 percent. But when I looked at men who've experienced parental divorce, I had 17.5 percent. For females it went to 17.5 percent too, but compared to norms, women had a higher baseline to start with.
What's the link between having divorced parents and exposure to other negative factors?
Basically, parental divorces are higher if there's an addicted parent, and childhood physical abuse is higher in blended families. The majority of children of divorce don't become suicidal, or are exposed to these stresses, though they have a higher chance of exposure.
What were some limitations of your study?
We don't have all the intense details I would like to have. Though the parents had to divorce before the kid was 18, though one would expect the timing of the divorce would affect their experience--we didn't have access to that information, or things like, how much contact the child had with the father afterward, or when exactly the suicidal thoughts occurred.
What can divorced parents take from this?
I don't want everyone to panic, every divorced mom to go into an apoplectic fit! The vast majority of divorced children have never been suicidal. It's just one factor among many. You want it to be replicated many times before you really know what's going on. It seems to indicate that health professionals should use this as one more screening tool, particularly among men, particularly if they're depressed. We need to think a little more creatively about how to build resilience in children as they're experiencing parental divorce.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
and that's an understatement
"I am going to back to Washington and meet with the president of China. He is a dictator. He can do a lot of things through the form of government they have," Reid told KSNV television.
"Maybe I shouldn't have said 'dictator,' but they have a different type of government than we have – and that is an understatement," said Reid, who had been asked about the prospects for cooperation in divided Washington.
"Maybe I shouldn't have said 'dictator,' but they have a different type of government than we have – and that is an understatement," said Reid, who had been asked about the prospects for cooperation in divided Washington.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
'HEROISM IS FOUND NOT ONLY ON THE FIELDS OF BATTLE'
'HEROISM IS FOUND NOT ONLY ON THE FIELDS OF BATTLE' Barack Obama
Jack Kennedy would be proud. "War will exist until the distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige as the warrior does today." — John F. Kennedy ..
Jack Kennedy would be proud. "War will exist until the distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige as the warrior does today." — John F. Kennedy ..
The mold hates light. The inborn serfs hate courage and decency.
The "technological enemy" of WikiLeaks is not the US - but China, according to Assange.
"China is the worst offender," when it comes to censorship, says the controversial whistleblower. "China has aggressive and sophisticated interception technology that places itself between every reader inside China and every information source outside China. We've been fighting a running battle to make sure we can get information through, and there are now all sorts of ways Chinese readers can get on to our site."
Maria
12 January 2011 at 15:10
The mold hates light. The inborn serfs hate courage and decency.
"China is the worst offender," when it comes to censorship, says the controversial whistleblower. "China has aggressive and sophisticated interception technology that places itself between every reader inside China and every information source outside China. We've been fighting a running battle to make sure we can get information through, and there are now all sorts of ways Chinese readers can get on to our site."
Maria
12 January 2011 at 15:10
The mold hates light. The inborn serfs hate courage and decency.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
the dangers of being armed
But before we embrace Zamudio's brave intervention as proof of the value of being armed, let's hear the whole story. "I came out of that store, I clicked the safety off, and I was ready," he explained on Fox and Friends. "I had my hand on my gun. I had it in my jacket pocket here. And I came around the corner like this." Zamudio demonstrated how his shooting hand was wrapped around the weapon, poised to draw and fire. As he rounded the corner, he saw a man holding a gun. "And that's who I at first thought was the shooter," Zamudio recalled. "I told him to 'Drop it, drop it!' "
But the man with the gun wasn't the shooter. He had wrested the gun away from the shooter. "Had you shot that guy, it would have been a big, fat mess," the interviewer pointed out.
Zamudio agreed:
I was very lucky. Honestly, it was a matter of seconds. Two, maybe three seconds between when I came through the doorway and when I was laying on top of [the real shooter], holding him down. So, I mean, in that short amount of time I made a lot of really big decisions really fast. … I was really lucky.
But the man with the gun wasn't the shooter. He had wrested the gun away from the shooter. "Had you shot that guy, it would have been a big, fat mess," the interviewer pointed out.
Zamudio agreed:
I was very lucky. Honestly, it was a matter of seconds. Two, maybe three seconds between when I came through the doorway and when I was laying on top of [the real shooter], holding him down. So, I mean, in that short amount of time I made a lot of really big decisions really fast. … I was really lucky.
more dead birds
Birds Fall From Sky In California, Thousands Of Dead Fish Found In Chicago
The Huffington Post Travis Walter Donovan First Posted: 01/11/11 11:03 AM Updated: 01/11/11 12:31 PM
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Over 100 birds were found dead along a California highway this past weekend, and thousands of dead fish were reported along Chicago's lakefront prior to that. A smaller incident of around 30 dead birds was also reported in Missouri.
According to the AP, the dead birds found along Highway 101 in California "were intact and had not been shot." Thousands of gizzard shad, a member of the herring family, were found dead in Chicago's harbors, many floating in ice, The Sun-Time reports. Even more abnormal, according to wildlife experts, was the sight of Canada geese and mallards munching on the dead fish, something not ordinarily a part of their diet.
California and Illinois join countless other states that have seen mass animal deaths in the past weeks. Thousands of dead birds and fish were reported in Arkansas within 100 miles of each other, and then days later hundreds more dead birds turned up 300 miles away in Louisiana. Reports of similar incidents continued, with dead birds turning up Kentucky and millions of dead fish appearing in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay.
The incidents haven't been isolated to the U.S., as hundreds of dead birds were discovered in Italy, and dozens of birds fell from the sky in Sweden. Massive fish kills were reported in Brazil and New Zealand, while England experienced an estimated 40,000 dead crabs washing onto its beaches.
Various wildlife officials attest that the events are unrelated, and are not uncommon. Multiple explanations have been suggested as likely causes for various incidents. Experts believe the dead birds in Italy suffered from indigestion after overeating, while fireworks have been blamed for bird deaths in Arkansas, Louisiana and Sweden. Unusually cold weather has been speculated as the culprit in many of the fish and crab deaths, with some suggesting the same for the bird incidents.
As for the latest reports of birds falling from the sky in California and dead fish washing ashore in Chicago, officials are currently uncertain as to what could be responsible.
The Huffington Post Travis Walter Donovan First Posted: 01/11/11 11:03 AM Updated: 01/11/11 12:31 PM
Email Comments 196
Over 100 birds were found dead along a California highway this past weekend, and thousands of dead fish were reported along Chicago's lakefront prior to that. A smaller incident of around 30 dead birds was also reported in Missouri.
According to the AP, the dead birds found along Highway 101 in California "were intact and had not been shot." Thousands of gizzard shad, a member of the herring family, were found dead in Chicago's harbors, many floating in ice, The Sun-Time reports. Even more abnormal, according to wildlife experts, was the sight of Canada geese and mallards munching on the dead fish, something not ordinarily a part of their diet.
California and Illinois join countless other states that have seen mass animal deaths in the past weeks. Thousands of dead birds and fish were reported in Arkansas within 100 miles of each other, and then days later hundreds more dead birds turned up 300 miles away in Louisiana. Reports of similar incidents continued, with dead birds turning up Kentucky and millions of dead fish appearing in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay.
The incidents haven't been isolated to the U.S., as hundreds of dead birds were discovered in Italy, and dozens of birds fell from the sky in Sweden. Massive fish kills were reported in Brazil and New Zealand, while England experienced an estimated 40,000 dead crabs washing onto its beaches.
Various wildlife officials attest that the events are unrelated, and are not uncommon. Multiple explanations have been suggested as likely causes for various incidents. Experts believe the dead birds in Italy suffered from indigestion after overeating, while fireworks have been blamed for bird deaths in Arkansas, Louisiana and Sweden. Unusually cold weather has been speculated as the culprit in many of the fish and crab deaths, with some suggesting the same for the bird incidents.
As for the latest reports of birds falling from the sky in California and dead fish washing ashore in Chicago, officials are currently uncertain as to what could be responsible.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
And I think that people who are unbalanced are especially susceptible to vitriol."
Sheriff Clarence Dupnik: Arizona 'Mecca For Prejudice & Bigotry'
Posted: 01- 8-11 11:18 PM
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Read More: Arizona Sheriff Giffords Shooting, Arizona Sheriff On Shooting, Arizona Sheriff Shooting, Clarence Dupnik, Clarence Dupnik Arizona, Clarence Dupnik Arizona Bigotry, Clarence Dupnik Arizona Prejudice, Gabby Giffords, Gabby Giffords Shooting, Gabby Giffords Shot, Gabrielle Giffords, Gabrielle Giffords Shooting, Gabrielle Giffords Shot, Gabrielle Giffords Shot At, Giffords, House Of Representatives, Politics News
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After Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head and number of others were wounded or killed in a shooting in Tucson, Ariz. on Saturday, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said that the state has "become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."
Addressing the tragedy at a news conference, the sheriff said that law enforcement had reason to believe that Giffords was specifically targeted in the attack. He added that evidence suggests one suspect -- 22-year-old Jared Loughner, who is already in custody -- likely did not act alone.
"When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous," said the sheriff. "And unfortunately, Arizona I think has become sort of the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."
When asked by a reporter if Giffords being shot could have been motivated by "prejudice and bigotry," Dupnik responded, "All I can tell you is that there's reason to believe is that this individual may have a mental issue. And I think that people who are unbalanced are especially susceptible to vitriol."
While speaking, the sheriff said that himself it included, "it's not unusual for all public officials to get threats." However, he said the sentiment doesn't come without consequences.
"And that's the sad thing of what's going on in America," he explained. "Pretty soon, we're not going to be able to find reasonable, decent people who are willing to subject themselves to serve in public office."
Posted: 01- 8-11 11:18 PM
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Read More: Arizona Sheriff Giffords Shooting, Arizona Sheriff On Shooting, Arizona Sheriff Shooting, Clarence Dupnik, Clarence Dupnik Arizona, Clarence Dupnik Arizona Bigotry, Clarence Dupnik Arizona Prejudice, Gabby Giffords, Gabby Giffords Shooting, Gabby Giffords Shot, Gabrielle Giffords, Gabrielle Giffords Shooting, Gabrielle Giffords Shot, Gabrielle Giffords Shot At, Giffords, House Of Representatives, Politics News
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After Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head and number of others were wounded or killed in a shooting in Tucson, Ariz. on Saturday, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said that the state has "become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."
Addressing the tragedy at a news conference, the sheriff said that law enforcement had reason to believe that Giffords was specifically targeted in the attack. He added that evidence suggests one suspect -- 22-year-old Jared Loughner, who is already in custody -- likely did not act alone.
"When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous," said the sheriff. "And unfortunately, Arizona I think has become sort of the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."
When asked by a reporter if Giffords being shot could have been motivated by "prejudice and bigotry," Dupnik responded, "All I can tell you is that there's reason to believe is that this individual may have a mental issue. And I think that people who are unbalanced are especially susceptible to vitriol."
While speaking, the sheriff said that himself it included, "it's not unusual for all public officials to get threats." However, he said the sentiment doesn't come without consequences.
"And that's the sad thing of what's going on in America," he explained. "Pretty soon, we're not going to be able to find reasonable, decent people who are willing to subject themselves to serve in public office."
Friday, January 7, 2011
oops lets not forget who these guys are
GOP Congressmen Face Criticism From Watchdog Groups For Skipping Oath For Fundraiser
ALAN FRAM | 01/ 7/11 05:12 PM |
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Read More: 112th Congress, Gop Swearing-In, House Gop Swearing-In, Mike Fitzpatrick, Mike Fitzpatrick Swearing-In, Pete Sessions, Pete Sessions Swearing-In, Politics News
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WASHINGTON — Democrats and congressional watchdog groups accused Republicans on Friday of illegally holding a campaign fundraiser in the Capitol complex during this week's swearing-in ceremonies for lawmakers.
One group said it would ask House ethics officials to investigate, but there were no immediate indications that they would take formal action.
A spokesman for the GOP congressman who sponsored the event denied that he had used it to raise campaign money, and said funds collected were for the costs of buses that ferried people to the reception. While at the reception, the two Republican lawmakers – Mike Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Pete Sessions of Texas – missed their swearing-in ceremony on the House floor. They subsequently cast six votes each that House Republicans later had to nullify.
The salvos between the parties underscored the raw political feelings accompanying the start of the new Congress, in which Republicans took control of the House after four years in the minority and strengthened their hand in a Senate still run by Democrats.
Fitzpatrick held an event on Wednesday in the Capitol Visitor Center that his campaign called "Mike Fitzpatrick's Swearing In Celebration," according to copies of the announcement provided to The Associated Press by the Sunlight Foundation, which favors open government. Also attending the event was Sessions, who heads the House GOP's campaign arm.
The invitations said buses would provide round-trip transportation from Pennsylvania and cited a price of $30 per person. An accompanying form repeatedly describes the money as a "contribution," and attendees are asked to write their checks to Fitzpatrick's campaign committee.
"The $30 was for the cost of the bus, that's it," Fitzpatrick spokesman Darren Smith said in an email. "The reception in the CVC was free and open to anyone who showed up, including over 100 constituents who drove down on their own."
Fitzpatrick is technically a freshman, though he previously served one term in Congress from 2005 to 2007. He represents several Philadelphia suburbs, including prosperous Bucks County.
Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said that holding a fundraiser in the Capitol Visitor Center violates the law banning campaign fundraising on federal property. Sloan said her group would ask the Office of Congressional Ethics to look into the reception.
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"You're not allowed to solicit contributions. I don't care why," she said.
The law allows members to hold swearing-in receptions in House offices, paid for by campaign contributions, but not fundraisers.
The ethics office can conduct preliminary reviews of potential ethics problems and make non-binding recommendations to the House ethics committee about whether it should pursue a formal investigation. Jim Steinman, spokesman for the office, said its bipartisan board considers information it receives but could not predict what action they might take.
Aides to the bipartisan House ethics committee, which oversees lawmakers' behavior, did not return two telephone messages seeking comment.
Meredith McGehee, policy director for the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, which monitors campaign finance practices in Washington, said Fitzpatrick seemed to have broken campaign finance laws. She said the ethics office should examine the congressman's reception to spell out for lawmakers what types of events they can hold on congressional property.
"I don't look at this and say, 'My God, how venal,'" she said. "I say, 'Here's a guy who misses his own swearing-in and then goes and reads the Constitution.' How ironic. It does show how much the money system has become wrapped up in being a member of Congress."
Jennifer Crider, spokeswoman for the House Democratic campaign committee, said serious questions are raised "when a Republican member of Congress and the chairman of the National Republican Congressional committee in charge of helping him get elected were at an event in the U.S. Capitol where camp funds were solicited to attend."
Fitzpatrick was among dozens of members of Congress who helped read the Constitution aloud on the House floor on Thursday, which GOP leaders engineered in a bow to the conservative tea party voters who helped them win a House majority in November.
The House voted 257-159 on Friday to nullify the votes cast by Sessions and Fitzpatrick. Retracting their votes didn't affect any outcomes. The two were sworn in Thursday.
ALAN FRAM | 01/ 7/11 05:12 PM |
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Read More: 112th Congress, Gop Swearing-In, House Gop Swearing-In, Mike Fitzpatrick, Mike Fitzpatrick Swearing-In, Pete Sessions, Pete Sessions Swearing-In, Politics News
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WASHINGTON — Democrats and congressional watchdog groups accused Republicans on Friday of illegally holding a campaign fundraiser in the Capitol complex during this week's swearing-in ceremonies for lawmakers.
One group said it would ask House ethics officials to investigate, but there were no immediate indications that they would take formal action.
A spokesman for the GOP congressman who sponsored the event denied that he had used it to raise campaign money, and said funds collected were for the costs of buses that ferried people to the reception. While at the reception, the two Republican lawmakers – Mike Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Pete Sessions of Texas – missed their swearing-in ceremony on the House floor. They subsequently cast six votes each that House Republicans later had to nullify.
The salvos between the parties underscored the raw political feelings accompanying the start of the new Congress, in which Republicans took control of the House after four years in the minority and strengthened their hand in a Senate still run by Democrats.
Fitzpatrick held an event on Wednesday in the Capitol Visitor Center that his campaign called "Mike Fitzpatrick's Swearing In Celebration," according to copies of the announcement provided to The Associated Press by the Sunlight Foundation, which favors open government. Also attending the event was Sessions, who heads the House GOP's campaign arm.
The invitations said buses would provide round-trip transportation from Pennsylvania and cited a price of $30 per person. An accompanying form repeatedly describes the money as a "contribution," and attendees are asked to write their checks to Fitzpatrick's campaign committee.
"The $30 was for the cost of the bus, that's it," Fitzpatrick spokesman Darren Smith said in an email. "The reception in the CVC was free and open to anyone who showed up, including over 100 constituents who drove down on their own."
Fitzpatrick is technically a freshman, though he previously served one term in Congress from 2005 to 2007. He represents several Philadelphia suburbs, including prosperous Bucks County.
Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said that holding a fundraiser in the Capitol Visitor Center violates the law banning campaign fundraising on federal property. Sloan said her group would ask the Office of Congressional Ethics to look into the reception.
ADVERTISEMENT
"You're not allowed to solicit contributions. I don't care why," she said.
The law allows members to hold swearing-in receptions in House offices, paid for by campaign contributions, but not fundraisers.
The ethics office can conduct preliminary reviews of potential ethics problems and make non-binding recommendations to the House ethics committee about whether it should pursue a formal investigation. Jim Steinman, spokesman for the office, said its bipartisan board considers information it receives but could not predict what action they might take.
Aides to the bipartisan House ethics committee, which oversees lawmakers' behavior, did not return two telephone messages seeking comment.
Meredith McGehee, policy director for the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, which monitors campaign finance practices in Washington, said Fitzpatrick seemed to have broken campaign finance laws. She said the ethics office should examine the congressman's reception to spell out for lawmakers what types of events they can hold on congressional property.
"I don't look at this and say, 'My God, how venal,'" she said. "I say, 'Here's a guy who misses his own swearing-in and then goes and reads the Constitution.' How ironic. It does show how much the money system has become wrapped up in being a member of Congress."
Jennifer Crider, spokeswoman for the House Democratic campaign committee, said serious questions are raised "when a Republican member of Congress and the chairman of the National Republican Congressional committee in charge of helping him get elected were at an event in the U.S. Capitol where camp funds were solicited to attend."
Fitzpatrick was among dozens of members of Congress who helped read the Constitution aloud on the House floor on Thursday, which GOP leaders engineered in a bow to the conservative tea party voters who helped them win a House majority in November.
The House voted 257-159 on Friday to nullify the votes cast by Sessions and Fitzpatrick. Retracting their votes didn't affect any outcomes. The two were sworn in Thursday.
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