TY - JOUR A1 - Bünning, Mareike A1 - Hipp, Lena T1 - How can we become more equal? BT - public policies and parents’ work–family preferences in Germany JF - Journal of European social policy N2 - This study examines how public policies affect parents' preferences for a more egalitarian division of paid and unpaid work. Based on the assumption that individuals develop their preferences within a specific policy context, we examine how changes in three policies affect mothers' and fathers' work-family preferences: the availability of high-quality, affordable childcare; the right to return to a full-time job after having reduced hours to part-time and an increase in the number of 'partner months' in parental leave schemes. Analysing a unique probability sample of parents with young children in Germany from 2015 (N = 1756), we find that fathers would want to work slightly fewer hours if they had the right to return to a full-time position after working part-time, and mothers would want to work slightly more hours if childcare opportunities were improved. Full-time working parents, moreover, are found to prefer fewer hours independent of the policy setting, while non-employed parents would like to work at least some hours. Last but not least, our analyses show that increasing the number of partner months in the parental leave scheme considerably increases fathers' preferences for longer and mothers' preferences for shorter leave. Increasing the number of partner months in parental schemes hence has the greatest potential to increase gender equality. KW - work-family policies KW - parental leave KW - childcare KW - working time KW - regulations KW - parenthood KW - working hours KW - gender equality KW - preferences KW - capabilities framework Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1177/09589287211035701 SN - 0958-9287 SN - 1461-7269 VL - 32 IS - 2 SP - 182 EP - 196 PB - Sage Publ. CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scheel, Tabea A1 - Hoeppner, Dorothea A1 - Grotevendt, Anne A1 - Barthlen, Winfried T1 - Clowns in Paediatric Surgery: Less Anxiety and More Oxytocin? A Pilot Study JF - Klinische Pädiatrie : clinical research and practice in pediatrics N2 - Background Hospital stays and medical interventions are accompanied by worries and anxiety in children and parents. Recent studies show that hospital clowns may reduce anxiety and enhance well-being. However, so far studies are based solely on subjective measures and clowns are usually not integrated in medical routine. With this pilot study, we aim to provide both psychological and physiological evidence of positive effects of clowns’ interventions in hospitalized children. Patients/Method In a consecutive randomized intervention-control group design with 31 children aged 4 to 13 years, 17 patients were accompanied by a clown prior to surgery or during ward round (intervention group) and 14 were not (control group). Saliva samples for oxytocin measurement were taken from all patients before hospitalization (T1) and prior to surgery or after ward round (T2). Self- and parents-reports were obtained at T1, T2 as well as at time of discharge from hospital (T3) regarding children’s anxiety (STAI), worries and well-being. Clowns evaluated their success in cheering up the child. Health professionals were asked for their acceptance of clowns in hospitals. Results Children in the intervention group had lower anxiety ratings and a higher oxytocin concentration at T2 as compared with T1; the control group showed no changes. Parents rated the well-being of their children higher if their child had clown’s contact and were more willing to recommend the hospital. The staff judged the clowns as helpful for patients. Discussion Consistent psychological and physiological results suggest the positive impact of a clown’s intervention in hospitalized children. KW - hospital clowns KW - medical routine KW - oxytocine KW - psychological well-being KW - anxiety KW - childcare Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-106854 SN - 0300-8630 SN - 1439-3824 VL - 229 SP - 274 EP - 280 PB - Thieme CY - Stuttgart ER -