bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Trafficking from the Philippines to Malaysia
Authors: Saat Gusni
Published: April 2009

Trafficking in and trading of human beings is one of the phenomena of urbanism. This article presents a simple ‘explanatory model for human trafficking through urbanism’. Human trafficking, which is the biggest global illegal business after drug trading, has been declared an organised crime by the United Nations (UN). In order to crack down on these illegal businesses, the UN, in collaboration with many affected nations, has undertaken various measures, but has unfortunately met with little success. Trafficking in human beings continues to persist and the main players continue to accumulate considerable wealth through the exploitation of their victims. This article therefore explores the underlying forces responsible for human trafficking and presents an Explanatory Model for the Sustainability of Human Trafficking. The model draws from a case study of human trafficking from the Philippines to Malaysia.
Filipino Nurses in the United States
Authors: Hayne Arlene N. , Gerhardt Clara , Davis Jonathan
Published: April 2009

Solutions to the nursing shortage in North America include the recruitment of international nurses. This descriptive study examines strategies to facilitate the cultural adaptation, job satisfaction, and perception of role and social support of a group of recruited Filipino nurses. Instruments used were the Nursing Work Index—Revised Edition and Occupation Stress Inventory—Revised Edition. Results indicated that the investment in promoting the well-being of recruits in both social and work contexts positively benefits job satisfaction and spills over into related areas of satisfaction and positive adaptation. The literature study also focuses on areas of cultural competence in the context of transcultural nursing.
Moral Development Among Court-Ordered Batterers: Evaluating the Impact of Treatment
Authors: Buttell Frederick P.
Published: April 2009

Objective: This study evaluated the impact of a standard cognitive-behavioral group treatment program on altering levels of moral reasoning among court-ordered batterers. Method: The study employed a nonequivalent control group design in examining the moral reasoning level of 32 adult men, 84% African American, court ordered into a standard group treatment program for domestic violence offenders. Results: Analysis of the pretest data indicated that the entire sample of batterers was employing a level of moral reasoning two standard deviations lower than adults in general. In addition, analysis of the posttest data demonstrated that there was no significant increase in moral reasoning at the conclusion of the treatment program. These findings indicated that the current treatment program was ineffective in influencing moral reasoning. Conclusion: Implications of the findings for providing a culturally relevant theoretical framework to approach intervention with court-ordered batterers are explored and discussed.
A Comparison of Live Instruction and Interactive Televised Teaching: A 2-Year Assessment of Teaching an MSW Research Methods Course
Authors: Petracchi Helen E. , Patchner Michael E.
Published: April 2009

Objective: This study evaluated the performance and experiences of distance learning students enrolled in a graduate-level foundation social work research methods course. Method: Students who received face-to-face instruction in a media-readied classroom on the main campus of the university were compared with their remote classmates who simultaneously received course instruction at a regional campus via interactive television (ITV). Students’ performance in the course was evaluated. In addition, students’ attitudes toward distance education as well as their experiences in this course were assessed and compared. Results: The findings illustrate there were no statistically significant differences in students’ performance or attitudes and only minor differences in the assessment of their experiences in the course. Conclusions: With no statistically significant differences found in students’ performance or experiences, ITV appears to be a viable technological option for schools of social work to deliver research methods courses.
Assessing Willingness to Care for Persons With AIDS: Validation of a New Measure
Authors: Abell Neil
Published: April 2009

Objective: This article describes the development and validation of the Willingness to Care Scale, a multifactorial measure assessing the experiences of informal caregivers for persons living with AIDS (PLAs). Willingness to care describes one’s attitude toward providing emotional, instrumental, and nursing support. Method: Interviews were conducted with 155 caregivers of PLAs on caregiving and psychosocial concerns. Results: Strong evidence was found for factorial and content validity and reliability. Conclusion: The tool may be used by social workers to assess the potential for and monitor the functioning of task-focused caregiving relationships. Issues in sampling for HIV/AIDS research are discussed.
The State of the Profession
Authors: Wong Janlee
Published: April 2009

Issues about social work’s legitimacy have changed since Flexner’s time. The author’s own experiences over a 30-year social work history have emphasized the need for social work to play an important role in social policy change rather than a drive to determine whether social work is truly a profession. Social workers have become an increasingly diverse socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural group that views the profession as a legitimate economic and professional ladder. Although well established as a practice profession, social work continues to struggle with a lack of recognition from other professions and in the public policy sector. In the early 20th century, social work sought academic and theoretical recognition as a profession; it now needs to achieve professional recognition in the form of salaries, working conditions, and public policy influence.
Looking at the Social Work Profession Through the Eye of the NASW Code of Ethics
Authors: Brill Carol Kopeikin
Published: April 2009

This article examines what the NASW (National Association of Social Workers) Code of Ethics says about issues faced by contemporary social work practice and considers its implications for the acceptance of social work as a profession. How social work measures up to Flexner’s attribute of a profession “altruistic in motivation” is examined in greater depth. Concern is raised about the growing gap between social work practice and social work ethics. Social workers’ acting more assertively on the social justice responsibilities contained in the code is seen as crucial for the future of the profession.
The Use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in the Treatment of Traumatic Stress and Complicated Mourning: Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes
Authors: Sprang Ginny
Published: April 2009

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the differential effects of treatment on a complex of symptomatology that includes grief, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and self-esteem by comparing eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and guided mourning (GM) treatments. Method: Twenty-three EMDR clients and 27 GM clients completed measures designed to assess psychosocial and behavioral symptoms of loss before and after treatment and at a 9-month follow-up period. Results: Out of the five psychosocial measures of distress, four (State Anxiety, Impact of Event Scale, Index of Self-Esteem, and PTSD) were found to be significantly altered by type of treatment provided, with EMDR clients reporting the greatest reduction of PTSD symptoms. Data from the behavioral measures revealed similar findings.
Helping Children to Help Themselves: A Case Study of Enuresis and Nail Biting
Authors: Ronen Tammie , Rosenbaum Michael
Published: April 2009

Objective: The Self-Control Dual Intervention Model, which is based on cognitive self-control principles, is presented. Method: In the first stage, the client is taught self-control skills and how to apply them to the referred problem, and in the second stage, the client is encouraged to independently apply these skills to another problem with minimal guidance from the therapist. The authors describe how SCDIM is used with a 10-year-old boy whose referred problem was enuresis and the other problem was nail biting. Results: While being treated for enuresis, the child was taught by the therapist self-control skills, which he later applied to resolving his nail-biting problem with minimal help from the therapist. Conclusion: The case study demonstrates how self-control training can promote children’s independent functioning via the ability to apply learned skills to other, future problematic areas.
Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Self-Report Family Inventory: Findings Based on a Longitudinal Study
Authors: Shek Daniel T. L.
Published: April 2009

Objective: The psychometric properties of the Chinese Self-Report Family Inventory (SFI) over time were examined. Method: The Chinese SFI was administered to 756 Chinese parents and their adolescent children (N = 378) on two occasions separated by 1 year. Results: The Chinese SFI was internally consistent in different samples at different times. Factor analyses revealed that two factors were abstracted from the scale (Family Health and Family Pathology), and they could be replicated in different samples at different times. Conclusions: The temporal stability of the psychometric properties of the Chinese SFI is supported by the present findings. This study demonstrates the importance of utilizing longitudinal data based on different samples to examine the psychometric properties of measures of psychosocial and family functioning in the social work context.
The Reliability and Validity of the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale
Authors: Reed-Ashcraft Kellie , Kirk Raymond S. , Fraser Mark W.
Published: April 2009

Objective: The internal consistency and construct validity of the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale (NCFAS) are reported. The NCFAS is an instrument designed for family assessment and outcome measurement in family preservation services and child welfare. Method: Internal consistency data from 288 participants cases were analyzed. Construct validity data from 126 participants were analyzed, comparing NCFAS scores with those of the Child Well-Being Scales, the Family Inventory of Resources for Management, and the Index of Family Relations. Results: For the internal consistency component, 3 of 5 original factors were supported, and a fourth factor emerged. Cronbach’s alpha ranged from .71 to .94. For the construct validation component, 5 of 6 relationships were statistically supported, with concurrent validity correlations ranging from .26 to .71. Conclusions: The internal consistency and construct validity of the NCFAS are supported by these findings.
The Sociometrics Program Archives: Promoting the Dissemination of Evidence-Based Practices Through Replication Kits
Authors: Card Josefina J.
Published: April 2009

It is important that psychosocial interventions that have been shown to be effective in changing risky behavior be disseminated, so that they can be replicated and their effectiveness evaluated in a new setting. This article describes an innovative method for promoting the dissemination of evidence-based practice through replication kits. Three problem-focused collections of promising prevention programs, the Program Archive on Sexuality, Health and Adolescence, the HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Archive, and the Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Program Archive, are used to illustrate this technique for improving information exchange between social work research and practice. The productive research-to-practice feedback loop described in this article can be generalized to any other content area for which standard intervention protocols or curricula have been or could be developed.
Empirically Based Marital and Family Interventions for Alcohol Abuse: A Review
Authors: Thomas Cecilia , Corcoran Jacqueline
Published: April 2009

The traditional approach to substance-abuse treatment involves the disease model, as promulgated through Alcoholics Anonymous. In this model, the message for relatives and friends of substance users is that their behavior cannot influence the user to either enter treatment or to reduce their substance use. The main emphasis instead is on helping relatives concentrate on their own lives and cultivating a sense of detachment from the drinker. However, a beginning empirical literature has developed on treatment with the relatives of substance users, which indicates that the relative may be able to affect the behavior of the substance user, although the effect of such treatment on the relative may be less consistent. This article will discuss findings of studies, which are organized according to whether relatives are treated alone or in a marital therapy context. Suggestions for further research in this area and implications for social work are discussed.
Validity of the Faces IV Family Assessment Measure
Authors: Franklin Cynthia , Streeter Calvin L. , Springer David W.
Published: April 2009

The Circumplex Model and its accompanying measure, the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES I, II, and III), are considered one of the state-of-the-art family assessment instruments in the field. A number of concerns, however, have been raised about the validity and reliability of the previous FACES measures and their ability to assess the Circumplex Model. Limitations of previous FACES measures have resulted in the development of the FACES IV measure. Tiesel and Olson recently completed the first reliability and validity study of the FACES IV measure. This article uses data from an adolescent population to further examine the psychometric properties of the new FACES IV measure. Reliability and validity analyses offer both corroborating and contradictory results when compared with the validity study conducted by Tiesel and Olson. Future directions for the development of FACES IV are discussed.
Combining Abuse and Neglect Investigations With Intensive Family Preservation Services: An Innovative Approach to Protecting Children
Authors: Walton Elaine
Published: April 2009

Objective: Evaluate an experimental model for enhancing child protective service (CPS) investigations by teaming CPS investigators with family preservation services (FPS) caseworkers. Method: Using a posttest-only experimental design, high priority cases referred to a state child welfare agency for abuse or neglect were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. During the interval between referral and case determination, families in the experimental group were served by a pair of caseworkers—CPS and FPS—who investigated the allegation and prepared a joint recommendation. Results: When compared 7 months later, families in the experimental group (a) had their children home for a greater percentage of time, (b) used a broader array of services, and (c) were more satisfied. Both CPS and FPS caseworkers felt that (a) better decisions were made, (b) families were strengthened, and (c) job satisfaction was greater. Conclusions: The model was effective and should be implemented on a broader scale.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy of Grief: A Review and Application
Authors: Malkinson Ruth
Published: April 2009

This article reviews outcome studies of grief therapy, with special attention to the cognitive perspective. Based on those studies, three observations on bereavement interventions are offered: (a) development of psychotherapy interventions has been strongly linked to theoretical conceptualizations and definitions of what constitutes normal, pathological, and chronic grief at different times after bereavement; (b) in most reported studies, generic non-bereavement scales were applied for measuring reduction of symptoms. By using such measures, a link between a decrease in symptoms and “recovery” following treatment may be suggested, while neglecting to assess the bereaved’s worldview using grief-specific measures; (c) in reviewed outcome studies, behavioral (desensitization, social reinforcement) and cognitive-behavioral (exposure, guided mourning) interventions are included among effective treatment modalities in cases of complicated grief. It is observed that although similar interventions have been applied, theoretical adherence has changed, implying a change not in the intervention itself but rather in the expected outcome.
The Multidimensional Adolescent Assessment Scale: A Validation Study
Authors: Mathiesen Sally G. , Cash Scottye J. , Hudson Walter W.
Published: April 2009

The Multidimensional Adolescent Assessment Scale is a tool for the assessment of the severity of personal and social problems in adolescence. It is composed of 16 subscales relevant to adolescent functioning, including depression; self-esteem; problems with mother, father, or family; personal stress; problems with friends or school; aggression; suicidal thoughts; feelings of guilt; confused thinking; disturbing thoughts; memory loss; and alcohol or drug use. The scale was designed for use by practitioners in a variety of disciplines to assess a comprehensive array of problem areas to facilitate diagnosis and targeted treatment planning. This article provides a description of the scale, explains the method of scoring, and presents the psychometric properties of the instrument.
Measuring Racial Climate in Schools of Social Work: Instrument Development and Validation
Authors: Pike Cathy King
Published: April 2009

Objective: This article reports the initial validation of an instrument designed to measure racial climate in programs and schools of social work. Method: An unduplicated sample of students from one school of social work (N = 182) responded to a survey of racial climate. Psychometric analyses were computed to determine the reliability and validity of the instrument’s scales. Results: The scales attained high levels of internal consistency reliability, had a stable factor structure for the items as they were hypothesized, and performed well in preliminary analyses of convergent construct and known-groups validity. Conclusions: The results provided initial evidence of internal consistency reliability and content, construct, factorial, and known-groups validity.
Initial Validation of a Spanish-Language Version of the Client Satisfaction Inventory
Authors: McMurtry Steven L. , Torres José B.
Published: April 2009

Objective: To assess the psychometric properties of a Spanish-language version of the Client Satisfaction Inventory (CSIS), including both long and short forms. Method: Reliability and validity were examined using results from 244 clients in six agencies. Further tests of the short form were completed on 62 clients from three agencies. Results: Findings indicate that the same items comprising the short-form English-language version can be used as a short-form of the Spanish version, that both versions have factor structures comparable to their English-language counterparts, and both have high internal consistency. Evidence of good content and criterion validity for each version was also obtained, though total scores on both versions correlated moderately with measures of depression and anxiety. Conclusions: Both forms appear to have acceptable measurement characteristics and perform similarly to English-language versions, except for the question of whether they measure satisfaction independently of mood states. This and possible effects of cultural differences on assessing service satisfaction are discussed.
Optimizing Treatment Effects for Substance-Abusing Women With Children: An Evaluation of the Susan B. Anthony Center
Authors: Sowers Karen M. , Ellis Rodney A. , Washington Thomas Alex , Currant Marsha
Published: April 2009

Substance abuse among women is a significant national problem. Historically, the treatment of this condition has been difficult, but it has been even more challenging when the woman in treatment has had children. This article reports the results of an evaluation of the Susan B. Anthony Center (SBAC), a residential treatment facility for recovering women and their children. Researchers studied outcomes for 41 women who were first treated in a detoxification program, then referred to either SBAC or a day treatment program. Although random assignment to groups was not possible, the groups were comparable on four major demographic variables. The SBAC groups reported better outcomes on three psychosocial variables: abstinence, arrest, and employment. They improved their total score on the Functional Assessment Rating Scale substantially more than did the comparison group. Consumer satisfaction was also high.
Assessing the Effect of Family-Centered Out-of-Home Care on Reunification Outcomes
Authors: Lewandowski Cathleen A. , Pierce Lois
Published: April 2009

Objective: To assess the effect of Missouri’s Family-Centered Out-of-Home Care model on reunification, placement recidivism, and time in out-of-home care. Method: This study used a nonequivalent control group design. The sample included 374 families whose children were in foster care from 1994 to 1996 in the 11 pilot and 6 comparison counties. Results: Evaluative findings were mixed. Pilot county children spent somewhat fewer days in out-of-home care, whereas comparison counties reunified more children and experienced less placement recidivism. However, FCOHC was more successful with children who remained in care longer than 7 days. Conclusions: In spite of its rather limited results, the model shows promise of providing services that will decrease time in out-of-home care.
Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory: Issues of Reliability and Validity
Authors: Koob Jeffrey J. , Funk Joanie
Published: April 2009

Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (LSI) is a very popular assessment tool despite compelling arguments against its use. Provided is a summary of the salient issues concerning the LSI. Arguments against its use, including suspect methodology, misapplication of statistical procedures, logical inconsistencies in theory construction, and a general lack of support for reliability and validity are examined. In addition, current research studies supporting its continued popularity are presented. The authors conclude that it is important for social work researchers, educators, and practitioners to examine the psychometric properties of any instrument prior to making decisions based on unsubstantiated findings.
Social Work Scholarship and Gatekeeping: Reflection on the Debate
Authors: Reamer Frederic G.
Published: April 2009

This article responds to Pardeck and Meinert’s claim that editorial board members for the journal Social Work lack adequate records of scholarship. Pardeck and Meinert raise a number of compelling points about the qualifications of the journal’s editorial board members. The author argues, however, that Pardeck and Meinert’s results might be different if they broadened their definition of scholarship to include books and anthology chapters, and examined a more substantial time period. Furthermore, the author argues that many qualified editorial board members can be drawn from the ranks of accomplished scholars who are at a point in their careers where they devote more time to administrative and supervisory responsibilities than to writing for publication.
Shallow Science?
Authors: Kreuger Larry W.
Published: April 2009

After critiquing the methods Pardeck and Meinert use to assess scholarly output among a small sample of editorial board members, the author questions the expenditure of faculty time and energy on studies that are largely keyboard-driven expeditions used to spy on colleagues and their home institutions. Such is the stuff of shallow science.
Of Newsletters and Scholarly Journals
Authors: Epstein William
Published: April 2009

Social Work is a cautionary tale of what happens to a journal when it accedes to pressure for a professionally comforting publication. Pardeck and Meinert’s (1999) data make a strong case for dropping Social Work from the Social Science Citation Index and accepting it on its own merits: A membership association’s glorification of itself.
Scholarship, Inclusiveness, and Social Work
Authors: Browning Jane , Winchester Nancy
Published: April 2009

In response to Pardeck and Meinert’s critique of the scholarly attainments of the members of the Social Work editorial board, the authors defend the worthy journal’s editors and explain the criteria for selecting individuals to serve on the board. The authors also describe the NASW Press’s views of the roles of consulting editors.
Improving the Scholarly Quality of Social Work’s Editorial Board and Consulting Editors: A Professional Obligation
Authors: Pardeck John T. , Meinert Roland G.
Published: April 2009

The authors respond to a series of critiques of the article titled “Scholarly Achievements of Social Work‘s Editorial Board and Consulting Editors: A Commentary.” Most of the respondents agreed that the findings of the authors’ research concerning the editorial board and consulting editors were telling. By focusing on the respondents’ comments, the authors suggest that the data reported in their initial study are “compelling and disturbing.” New avenues of research on the topic of editorial boards are offered. Suggestions for improving the intellectual climate of the field of social work are also provided.
Practice Guidelines: Rapprochement or Estrangement Between Social Work Practitioners and Researchers
Authors: Wambach Kathryn G. , Haynes Dennis T. , White Barbara W.
Published: April 2009

The authors take issue with the claims made by Howard and Jenson and raise concerns regarding practice guidelines within social work practice, implications for social work education, and ethical issues. Cautions are made as to the role of the National Association of Social Workers in the development of practice guidelines. Collaboration is urged among social work professional organizations, schools of social work, social service agencies, and practitioners to meet the challenges of practice guideline implementation. Only with collaboration between the practice and research communities can practice guidelines serve as an opportunity to heal the chasm between practitioners and researchers.
Yes, but Cautiously
Authors: Steketee Gail
Published: April 2009

Attention by social work researchers and clinicians to empirically supported treatments is overdue. A distinction is warranted between research-supported interventions and expert consensus, in favor of the former. Social work researchers can contribute substantially to practice guidelines in the mental health arena, particularly in the areas of incorporating context and sample diversity. Caution is in order to prevent rigidity in formulating and adopting empirically supported practice guidelines.
Barriers to Development, Utilization, and Evaluation of Social Work Practice Guidelines: Toward an Action Plan for Social Work
Authors: Howard Matthew Owen , Jenson Jeffrey M.
Published: April 2009

The authors summarize and respond to the comments made by the respondents to their target article on practice guidelines. Among the issues addressed are the limited scientific foundations of selected practice guidelines, potential resistance from practitioners, costs of guideline development, poorly operationalized guidelines, the potential ineffectiveness of guidelines, ethical considerations, and contextual factors. The authors conclude with an action plan to promote the practice guideline movement within social work.
Evaluating the Effects of a Virtual Environment (Starbright World) With Hospitalized Children
Authors: Holden Gary , Bearison David J. , Rode Diane C. , Rosenberg Gary , Fishman Merri
Published: April 2009

The objective was to pilot test the impact of STARBRIGHT World (SBW)—a virtual environment for seriously ill, hospitalized children. The impact of SBW was assessed with a series of nine replicated single system designs. The outcomes were children’s pain intensity, pain aversiveness, and anxiety. The results were aggregated using meta-analysis. At the individual child level, 6 of 27 contrasts between the two conditions reached significance. Overall, there was a trend for the later participants to report greater impact in the SBW condition and this appeared to parallel the increase in the SBW system’s functionality. When the results were combined meta-analytically, the combined p value was less than .05 for pain intensity and pain aversiveness and slightly greater than .05 for anxiety. This study provided modest support for the effectiveness of SBW and demonstrates the use of meta-analysis with single system designs.
The Revised Caregiver Burden Scale: A Preliminary Evaluation
Authors: Gupta Rashmi
Published: April 2009

Objective: The purpose of the study is to empirically determine the factor structure of the original Stommel, Given, and Given (1990) 31-item Perceived Caregiver Burden Scale (PCB). Method: By telephone, 150 caregivers of the elderly were interviewed, and the data were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Results did not support all the 31 items in the five-factor theoretical structure but did suggest a 13-item three-factor model. In addition, this three-factor version evidenced high internal consistency among the subscales. The short revised version of the PCB-13 scale is an easy-to-administer screening tool for estimating burden. Conclusion: Although this scale should be validated further by replication, the scale has implications for social work practitioners. Practitioners are cautioned to use PCB-13 as an assessment tool, but they can supplement the short scale with other qualitative measures to screen Indian/Pakistani caregivers until further validation studies can be conducted.
The Fine Line Between Evaluation and Explanation
Authors: Scriven Michael
Published: April 2009

The author argues that evaluation efforts such as outcome studies can be profitably undertaken in the absence of knowing how or why a program works. This is labeled black box evaluation. In gray box evaluation, one may discern the components of an intervention but not their principles of operation. And in clear box evaluation, the inner workings of an intervention are fully revealed. The professional imperative of the evaluator is to evaluate. To do this we do not need to know how the programs work or why they fail to work or even what their components are. (Abstract prepared by the Research on Social Work Practice editor.)
Group Membership as a Predictor of Service Use-Related Behaviors for Persons “on the Streets”
Authors: Pollio David E.
Published: April 2009

Objective: Although there is a consensus in ethnographic and service-related research that groups have an impact on service use among persons “on the streets,” to date there have been no studies directly examining this relationship. This study examines the role of group membership and service use in the service-using street population. Method: Differences on service use behaviors were compared for groups based on the streets and groups based in service systems for a sample of 146 individuals. Variables analyzed included service type (case management, group, or subsistence services) and current behaviors (substance use, illegal market involvement, current housing and employment status). Results: Findings suggest that the two group concepts are distinct and that each have use in predicting service type as well as substance use and illegal market involvement. Conclusion: Implications for service delivery and social work practice are developed from the findings, including highlighting the importance of group membership in the intervention process.
A Report on Progress in the Development of Research Resources in Social Work
Authors: Austin David M.
Published: April 2009

This report on progress deals with the development of research resources within the field of social work since the 1991 report of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Task Force on social work research. This report on progress describes the NIMH investment in research development, other national research development initiatives, research dissemination, research publications, research conferences, and research development in social work education programs. Significant research domains are identified; the status of doctoral education is analyzed; and major sources of current funding for social work research are identified. A second section of the report includes a series of recommendations for future action to support future research initiatives within social work.
Predisposing Factors Associated With Delirium Among Demented Long-Term Care Residents
Authors: Voyer Philippe , Richard Sylvie , Doucet Lise , Carmichael Pierre-Hugues
Published: April 2009

This was a cross-sectional study to investigate predisposing factors associated with delirium among demented long-term-care residents and to assess the cumulative effect of these factors on the likelihood of having delirium. Of the 155 participants, 109 (70.3%) were found delirious according to the confusion assessment method. Among these individuals, age (OR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.05-1.10) and severity of dementia (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.03-1.07) were the most associated factors of delirium. The likelihood of being in delirium increased with the number of associated predisposing factors present (OR = 1.67; 95% CI = 1.11-2.51). Associated factors identified were level of functional autonomy, pain, depression, behavioral disturbances, number of medications, dehydration, fever, and malnutrition. Identification of predisposing factors will help nurses in detecting those residents in long-term care settings who are at high-risk for delirium, as well as in designing preventive intervention strategies for delirium, based on these factors.
Mistaken Memories: Remembering Events That Never Happened
Authors: Gonsalves Brian , Paller Ken A.
Published: April 2009

Our memories can be accurate, but they are not always accurate. Eyewitness testimony, for example, is notoriously unreliable. Insights into both veridical and false remembering have come from recent investigations of memory distortion. Behavioral measures have been used to demonstrate false memory phenomena in the laboratory, and neuroimaging measures have been used to provide clues about the relevant events in the brain that support remembering versus misremembering. A central category of misremembering results from confusion between memories for perceived and imagined events, which may result from overlap between particular features of the stored information comprising memories for perceived and imagined events.
Multiple Sclerosis as a By-Product of the Failure to Sustain Protective Autoimmunity: A Paradigm Shift
Authors: Schwartz Michal , Kipnis Jonathan
Published: April 2009

Autoimmune diseases are traditionally viewed as an outcome of a chaotic situation in which an individual’s immune system reacts against the body’s own proteins. In multiple sclerosis, a disease of the white matter of the central nervous system (CNS), the immune attack is directed against myelin proteins. In this article, the authors propose a paradigm shift in the perception of autoimmune disease. They suggest that an autoimmune disease may be viewed as a by-product of the malfunctioning of a physiological autoimmune response whose purpose is protective. The proposed view is based on observations by their group suggesting that an autoimmune response is the body’s own mechanism for coping with CNS damage. According to this view, all individuals are endowed with the potential ability to evoke an autoimmune response to CNS injuries. However, the inherent ability to control this response so that its beneficial effect will be expressed is limited and is correlated with the individual’s inherent ability to resist autoimmune disease induction. The same autoimmune T cells are responsible for neuroprotection and for disease development. In patients with CNS trauma or neurodegenerative disorders, it might be possible to gain maximal autoimmune protection and avoid autoimmune disease induction by boosting the immune response, using myelin-associated peptides that are nonpathogenic or antigens that simulate the activities of such peptides. In patients with multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases, where the aim is to block the autoimmune disorder while deriving the potential benefit of the autoimmune response, the effect of treatment should be immunomodulatory rather than immunosuppressive. In this article, the authors present a novel concept of protective autoimmunity and propose that autoimmune disease is a by-product of failure to sustain it. They summarize the basic findings that led them to formulate the new concept and offer an explanation for the commonly observed presence of cells and antibodies directed against self-components in healthy individuals. The therapeutic implications of the new concept and their experimental findings are discussed.
Book Review: Is Alzheimer’s Disease a Mitochondrial Disorder?
Authors: Cash Adam D. , Perry George , Ogawa Osamu , Raina Arun K. , Zhu Xiongwei , Smith Mark A.
Published: April 2009

Cell bodies of neurons at risk of death in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have increased lipid peroxidation, nitration, free carbonyls, and nucleic acid oxidation. These oxidative changes occur in all vulnerable neurons and are reduced in neurons that contain neurofibrillary pathology. In this review, the authors provide a summary of recent work that demonstrates key abnormalities that may play a part in initiating and promoting neuronal oxidative damage. Mitochondrial abnormalities are clearly involved as a source of reactive oxygen species that culminates in perikaryal oxidative damage. However, because mitochondria in AD do not exhibit striking evidence of oxidative damage, as would be expected if they produced free radicals directly, the authors suspected that abnormal mitochondria are responsible for supplying a key reactant, that once in the cytoplasm, releases radicals. Because abnormal mitochondria, H2O2and redox-active iron are juxtaposed in the same AD neuron, it has all the markings of a “radical factory.” The proximal causes of mitochondrial abnormalities likely involve reentry into the cell cycle, where organellokinesis and proliferation results in an increase of mitochondria and intermediately differentiated cells, with a consequent increase in turnover. Supporting this, the authors have considerable in vivo and in vitro evidence for mitotic disturbances in AD.
Book Review: Cellular Replacement Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease—Where We Are Today?
Authors: Redmond D. Eugene
Published: April 2009

The concept of replacing lost dopamine neurons in Parkinson’s disease using mesencephalic brain cells from fetal cadavers has been supported by over 20 years of research in animals and over a decade of clinical studies. The ambitious goal of these studies was no less than a molecular and cellular “cure” for Parkinson’s disease, other neurodegenerative diseases, and spinal cord injury. Much research has been done in rodents, and a few studies have been done in nonhuman primate models. Early uncontrolled clinical reports were enthusiastic, but the outcome of the first randomized, double blind, controlled study challenged the idea that dopamine replacement cells can cure Parkinson’s disease, although there were some significant positive findings. Were the earlier animal studies and clinical reports wrong? Should we give up on the goal? Some aspects of the trial design and implantation methods may have led to lack of effects and to some side effects such as dyskinesias. But a detailed review of clinical neural transplants published to date still suggests that neural transplantation variably reverses some aspects of Parkinson’s disease, although differing methods make exact comparisons difficult. While the randomized clinical studies have been in progress, new methods have shown promise for increasing transplant survival and distribution, reconstructing the circuits to provide dopamine to the appropriate targets and with normal regulation. Selected promising new strategies are reviewed that block apoptosis induced by tissue dissection, promote vascularization of grafts, reduce oxidant stress, provide key growth factors, and counteract adverse effects of increased age. New sources of replacement cells and stem cells may provide additional advantages for the future. Full recovery from parkinsonism appears not only to be possible, but a reliable cell replacement treatment may finally be near.
Synapse Loss and Regeneration: A Mechanism for Functional Decline and Recovery after Cerebral Ischemia?
Authors: Hasbani M. Josh , Underhill Suzanne M. , De Erausquin Gabriel , Goldberg Mark P.
Published: April 2009

Little is known of the mechanisms governing functional recovery after ischemic brain injury, and there is no clinical therapy established to restore neurologic function after ischemic injury is complete. Even so, pronounced spontaneous recovery of function is often observed in a subset of patients. Resolution of neurological deficits after ischemia must occur through replacement of lost tissue via production of new neurons, or through changes in the structure, function, or connectivity of surviving neurons. This review focuses on the neuronal synapse as a potential locus for functional recovery. Selective disruption of synaptic elements is a characteristic feature of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, such as that seen in ischemic stroke or cardiac arrest. Ischemic damage to synapses occurs even in the absence of neuronal loss, and therefore might underlie the clinical disability observed in patients following mild or transient ischemia. We review evidence that recovery of lost synapses occurs after ischemic injury and that this recovery may be a necessary step for restoration of neurological function. The process of synapse loss and recovery can be examined in neuronal cultures and experimental stroke models. Such studies may help to gain a better understanding of the extracellular factors and intracellular cascades that facilitate recovery of synapses, and may result in therapeutic approaches to improve function after cerebral ischemia.
Dopamine Receptors: Novel Insights from Biochemical and Genetic Studies
Authors: Schmauss Claudia
Published: April 2009

Dopamine receptors are targets for drugs with antipsychotic potency, and they are also the primary target in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Molecular cloning has identified five genes that code for dopamine receptors. These receptors belong in two functionally distinct classes of G-protein-coupled receptors, known as the D1class of receptors (D1and D5) and the D2class of receptors (D2, D3, and D4). The diversity of dopamine receptor subtypes that belong to the same functional class, their high degree of structural similarity, and the lack of antagonists with selectivity for each of the individual subtypes have challenged studies on the function of the individual receptor subtypes. This review focuses on the recent progress made with studies on the expression and function of D1, D2, and D3receptors. It summarizes results of studies that suggest that these receptor proteins are expressed in monomeric and oligomeric forms and reviews results of a growing number of gene-targeting studies that begin to illustrate major differences in the phenotypes of D1-, D2-, and D3-mutant mice.
An Unsung Ally of Neuroscience: The Department of Veterans Affairs
Authors: Booss John
Published: April 2009

The annual appropriation for the Department of Veterans Affairs is substantially more than $40 billion. This is widely understood and appreciated as a grateful nation’s obligation to its veterans. What is less widely understood is the role of the VA in advancing clinical care, educating health care personnel, and supporting a diverse research portfolio. Clinical neuroscience is advanced in neurology, mental health, and geriatrics in VA, reflecting an aging population subject to neurodegenerative disorders and one in which mental illness is a significant factor. Spinal cord injury and research for new treatments for it are high priority areas within VA, and multiple sclerosis is also emerging as a priority. Research into stroke, Alzheimer disease, and Par-kinson disease is emphasized as is research on substance abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and chronic mental illness. VA plays a major role in the training of mental health and neurology residents, supporting approximately 20% of the positions nationally in neurology. Research career development pro-grams foster developing neuroscientists. This report emphasizes the importance of VA to academic biomedicine in general, and Neuroscience in particular.
The Multiplicity of Serotonin Receptors: Uselessly Diverse Molecules or an Embarrassment of Riches?
Authors: Roth Bryan L. , Lopez Estelle , Patel Shamil , Kroeze Wesley K.
Published: April 2009

A large number of 5-HT receptors (>15) have been identified by molecular cloning technology over the past 10 years. This review briefly summarizes available information regarding the functional and therapeutic implications of serotonin receptor diversity for neurology and psychiatry. 5-HT receptors are divided into seven main families: 5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, 5-HT4, 5-HT5, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7. Several families (e.g., 5-HT1 family) have many members (e.g., 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1D, 5-HT1E, 5-HT1F), each of which is encoded by a distinct gene product. In addition to the genomic diversity of 5-HT receptors, splice variants and editing isoforms exist for many of the 5-HT receptors, making the family even more diverse. Evidence that is summarized in this review suggests that 5-HT receptors represent novel therapeutic targets for a number of neurologic and psychiatric diseases including migraine headaches, chronic pain conditions, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, pervasive developmental disorders, and obesity-related conditions (Type II diabetes, hypertension, obesity syndromes). It is possible that sub-type-selective serotonergic agents may revolutionize the treatment for a number of medical, psychiatric, and neurological disorders.
Pathology of Glycosphingolipid Metabolism: The Molecular and Cellular Basis of Neurodegenerative Disease
Authors: Wendeler Michaela , Kolter Thomas , Sandhoff Konrad
Published: April 2009

Glycosphingolipids are ubiquitous constituents of eukaryotic plasma membranes. Genetically determined deficiencies in their catabolic pathways cause the excessive intralysosomal accumulation of these lipids and give rise to a group of inherited metabolic diseases, the sphingolipidoses. The progression of these disorders often involves severe degeneration of the nervous system, and for nearly all of them, no effective treatment is available to date. Here, we discuss the physiological functions of glycosphingolipids and the topology and mechanism of their metabolism. The molecular defects associated with these storage disorders as well as their pathophysiological consequences and potential therapeutic prospects are presented. Finally, the importance of recently available animal models for the investigation of pathogenesis and the evaluation of future therapy approaches is discussed.