bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing Spiritual Competency with Native Americans: Promoting Wellness through Balance and Harmony
Authors: Limb Gordon E. , Hodge David R.
Published: April 2013

Native Americans tend to hold culturally unique beliefs about the origin of problems and the ways in which those problems can be ameliorated. For most Native American tribal communities, spirituality is interconnected with health and well-being. Accordingly developing some degree of spiritual competency is essential for work with Native American clients. Consequently this paper discusses the relationship between spirituality and health, highlighting the roles that balance and harmony play in fostering health and well-being in many tribal cultures. Also discussed are common spiritual beliefs and practices, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, areas of potential value conflict, and practice suggestions to enhance spiritual competency when working with Native Americans.
A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Ethnic Socialization among International Adoptees
Authors: Mohanty Jayashree , Newhill Christina
Published: April 2013

Although the number of U.S. families who choose international adoption has grown dramatically over the past decade, concern remains about separating such children from their racial/ethnic/cultural groups of origin. Existing literature has primarily focused on African American or immigrant children's ethnic socialization experiences with little attention given to ethnic socialization of international adoptees. This paper describes a theoretical framework for understanding ethnic socialization among international adoptees and examines the applicability of existing models for understanding developmental and psychosocial outcomes for adopted minority children. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.
Assessment and Formulation: A Contemporary Social Work Perspective
Authors: Dean Ruth G. , Poorvu Nancy Levitan
Published: April 2013

Assessment and formulation, the gathering of information about a client, and the conceptualization of the client or situation are the essential elements that mark a thoughtful approach to client care. This process has been shaped over time by changes in orientations to knowledge, new theories, new practices, and political and institutional pressures. Currently, there is an intense debate concerning the nature of social work practice, especially the assessment and formulation process. In this context, we review traditional approaches to formulation in light of contemporary understandings and trends. We present a model for formulation that highlights multiple ways of knowing and includes ecological, cross-cultural, psychodynamic, systemic, biological, and spiritual components. Social justice is the value that is foundational to the process.
Challenges of Street-Level Child Welfare Reform and Technology Transfer: The Case of Team Decisionmaking
Authors: Crampton David S. , Crea Thomas M. , Abramson-Madden Anne , Usher Charles L.
Published: April 2013

Team Decisionmaking (TDM) involves a meeting of community representatives, family members, and social workers who review every decision to remove children from their parents or change of placement, including reunification or adoption. Even when the leadership of child welfare organizations mandates the use of TDM, implementing TDM is very challenging. To understand these challenges, a research team visited five diverse communities and conducted 74 focus groups and interviews involving 180 administrators, caseworkers, community partners, supervisors, and TDM facilitators. This article reviews the findings of this TDM study through previous research on street-level bureaucracy and technology transfer. The results suggest successful TDM implementation requires attention to the discretion of street-level caseworkers and the organizational constraints they face.
Early Intervention in Poor Families Confronted with Alcohol Abuse and Violence: Impact on Families’ Social Integration and Parenting
Authors: Dumaret Annick-Camille , Constantin-Kuntz Marie , Titran Maurice
Published: April 2013

To help families challenged by transgenerational problems, substance abuse, and violence, support strategies require professionals who understand their specific needs and inspire trust. Such support, provided by a group consisting of professionals, volunteers, and families, was assessed by a follow-up study. The outcome of 22 families was observed an average of 7 years after their participation in the group ended. Results show that most parents recovered a significant degree of social autonomy and developed the capacity to nurture their children. Alcohol abuse, violence, and child neglect decreased significantly. Such an intensive approach enhances individual and professional practices and prevents adverse childhood experiences, thus reducing welfare costs. But such support systems require accessible structures in order to avoid discontinuities in care.
Family Needs in Child Neglect Cases: A Cluster Analysis
Authors: Chambers Ruth M. , Potter Cathryn C.
Published: April 2013

Whereas research has identified risk factors for neglect, there has been little attention to examining subgroups of neglecting families. The purpose of this study was to see what types of parental, family, and poverty-related needs were present in child neglect cases and to determine if coherent clusters of needs could be identified. A case record review of 160 substantiated child neglect cases from a public child welfare agency were reviewed, and cluster analysis with step-down bivariate analyses was used to determine groupings. Results revealed three distinct subgroups of family needs: low needs, substance abuse, and economic/domestic violence/mental health. The need for integration of interventions for these subgroups, and potential directions for such integration, are discussed.
Appropriate Bereavement Practice after the Death of a Native American Child
Authors: Cacciatore Joanne
Published: April 2013

Native Americans and other minorities are statistically overrepresented in the thousands of infants and young children who die every year. Many of these deaths are unpreventable, sudden, and unexpected. Unique rituals and beliefs affect the way Native American families respond to these types of deaths. This paper is a guide for social workers and other caregivers. It examines best practices for culturally competent care and conveying respect for the Native American family. It is vital for social workers to educate, support, and advocate for families of culture in an aware, but not presumptive, style that allows reconciliation between two very different cultures. A case example is provided to illustrate important implications for culturally competent care when a child dies.
Fathers’ Experience of Parenting with a Mental Illness
Authors: Reupert Andrea , Maybery Darryl
Published: April 2013

In comparison to mothers, there is a lack of research on fathers with a mental illness. Consequently, 11 men with a mental illness were interviewed about their parenting experiences and needs. Although none of the participants were living full time with their children, fatherhood was considered an important part of their self-image. However, the stigma associated with mental illness, as well as men's fear of losing access to their children, meant that they “suffered in silence.” Many described an overemphasis on their pathology in the community, with some reporting that their mental illness was used as a way of keeping them away from their children. Implications for practice conclude the article.
Choosing Family: One Mother's Journey through Recovery from Cocaine Addiction
Authors: Sorbo Adriana , Beveridge Peigi , Drapeau Martin
Published: April 2013

This inquiry explored recovery from drug abuse from a mother's perspective. Women's experiences of treatment and recovery are unique from men's, and mothers’ experiences have been studied little (Poole & Dell, 2005). During three interviews, the participant was encouraged to deeply explore her experience of recovery as a woman and mother. This project used both Consensual Qualitative Research (Hill, Thompson, Hess, et al., 2005) and the Wish and Fear List (Perry, 1997). These two types of analysis provided complementary views of the participant's experiences. The themes of mothering, recovery, and identity development–-and the proportions of wishes and fears expressed at two phases in the participant's recovery journey–-are discussed.
Creating a System of Care for Children's Mental Health in a Native American Community
Authors: Werrbach Gail , Withers Marjorie , Neptune Elizabeth
Published: April 2013

This article describes the creation of a system of care in children's mental health by the Passamaquoddy Tribe located in Princeton, Maine. The history of this Native American community; the impact of oppression, historical trauma, and contemporary economic, health, and educational inequities on child and family health well-being; and the barriers to providing culturally competent child mental health services are reviewed. Descriptions of the key components and core concepts of the system of care are presented along with case examples highlighting the array of services. Finally, implications for practice in the creation of culturally competent systems of care within Native American communities are discussed.
Restorative Justice: A Systematic Review of the Social Work Literature
Authors: Gumz Edward J. , Grant Cynthia L.
Published: April 2013

Restorative justice is an alternative paradigm for dealing with the effects of crime and wrongdoing that seeks to bring healing to victims, offenders, and the community. Although a key element of social work's ethical code is the obligation to work toward social justice, this has been viewed primarily as efforts to ensure a fair distribution of resources and opportunities. Yet justice is also restorative in nature–-seeking to restore and enhance victims, offenders, and communities to fuller functioning. This article systematically reviews 80 social work peer-reviewed articles dealing with restorative justice. The role of social workers in restorative justice programs remains largely unknown. Suggestions are made for enhancing social work practice in the restorative justice arena.
Getting Out: Factors that Influenced Abused Wives’ Decisions to Leave Their Abusive Spousal Relationships in Singapore
Authors: Khng Joan N. W. , Ow Rosaleen
Published: April 2013

Abused wives who left their abusive relationships help us to understand the factors that enabled them to decide on leaving. This article reports the decision-making phase (as part of a larger study) through the experiences of two ethnic Chinese, one Indian Muslim, and five Malay Muslim women in Singapore. Using an ecological perspective, the study found the urgency of their abusive situation and a change in awareness regarding the impact of the abuse on their children and themselves were the main factors influencing the decision to leave. Feedback from external support networks and religious beliefs contributed to the cognitive shift that a negative person–environment fit existed. Implications of these findings for social work practice and social policy are discussed.
Adolescents’ Internalizing Behaviors after Extreme Violence Exposure: A Comparison of Race and Gender for African American and Asian American Youth
Authors: Chen Wan-Yi
Published: April 2013

This study compares African American and Asian American adolescents in their rates of extreme community violence exposure and consequent internalizing behaviors. Using information from a national longitudinal survey this study found substantial violence exposure rates for both groups. Also, gender differences in exposure rates and adolescent reports of internalizing behaviors after violence exposure were detected. Male African American adolescents had the highest exposure rate, while female Asian American adolescents reported the highest level of internalizing behaviors. These findings suggest further research is needed to better understand the effect of violence exposure on various ethnic minority adolescents. Moreover, social workers and other professionals involved in adolescent services could use these results to improve outreach methods to vulnerable adolescents.
Custodial Grandparent Empowerment: Models of Practice
Authors: Joslin Daphne
Published: April 2013

Numbering more than 2.4 million, custodial grandparents in the United States are 60% more likely to be poor than are noncustodial grandparents. Social inequities that accompany marginal income compound child-rearing challenges faced by kinship families. Empowerment is proposed as a framework to inform research, program development, and advocacy on behalf of custodial grandparents to promote collective and self-efficacy in problem solving, mediate negative health effects of stress, and participate in collective action and advocacy. Empowerment components at the individual, organizational, and community levels are outlined. Four empowerment practice models with custodial grandparents are reviewed, including a case study. Implications for professionals in human services are discussed.
Contemporary Family Relationships and Life Values: A Comparative Analysis of Men and Women in Israel
Authors: Kulik Liat , Erantal Tali
Published: April 2013

The study aimed to examine gender differences in attitudes toward contemporary family life and dyadic relations in Israeli society. In addition, the relationships between those attitudes and life values were examined. The research sample included 82 Israelis (36 men and 46 women) in a broad age range. Family life attitudes were examined in the following areas: gender roles, divorce, homosexuality, blended families, cohabitation, and planned orphanhood (posthumous fertilization). The women expressed more liberal attitudes than men toward gender roles, homosexuality, and planned orphanhood, but no gender differences were found in the other attitudes examined. Among men, most life values correlated with attitudes toward homosexuality; among women, most life values correlated with attitudes toward divorce.
Intimacy in Poverty's Midst: Marriage, Intimate Male Relationships, and TANF-Reliant African American Women
Authors: Bowie Stan L. , Dias-Bowie Yvonne , Fields Becky , Bryant Samanda D.
Published: April 2013

This longitudinal study examined attitudes toward marriage and intimate male relationships among female, welfare-reliant African American heads of household ( N = 20). Respondents were selected through a purposive and snowball sampling technique. Most were single and 23–49 years of age, and typical families included 4 children. Respondents educational levels ranged from 10 to 14 years, and they had been on welfare an average of 6.2 years. Ethnographic data were collected by repeated interviews for 40 months from 1997 to 2000. Subjective and attitudinal outcomes among respondents appeared to be influenced by differential socioeconomic and life circumstances. Implications are discussed regarding public welfare policies, the impact on low-income families, and the federal Healthy Marriage Initiative.
Wives and Mothers at Risk: The Role of Marital and Maternal Status in Criminal Activity and Incarceration
Authors: Berry Marianne , Johnson Toni , Severson Margaret , Postmus Judy L.
Published: April 2013

As the numbers of women entering prison are increasing, more attention is being paid to the social circumstances of criminally involved women. Crime research has highlighted the familial roles of women more than men, focusing on the social and personal roles of women. This study examines a cross-sectional sample of 423 women in one state, assessing the associations of motherhood and intimate partnership with criminal activity. The study finds that criminal activity, particularly economic crime, is highly related to motherhood. Economic crime is predicted by having a higher number of young children, while both economic and violent crimes are predicted by a woman's history of victimization; marriage does not reduce these risks.
A Place to Call “Home”: Exploring the Experiences of Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Recipients in Their Efforts to Find Housing
Authors: Teater Barbra
Published: April 2013

A policy goal of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program consists of enabling recipients to select housing and neighborhoods of their choice through the promotion of residential mobility, yet prior evaluations of the program have failed to explore the experiences of recipients with regard to finding housing. This study incorporated qualitative data collection methods to gather the experiences and perspectives of HCV program recipients in their efforts to find housing. The data analysis revealed six prominent steps, which together illustrate the housing search process of the recipients. Implications for social work practice with recipients and housing service providers are discussed with particular focus toward implementing housing counseling services.
The Perceptions and Satisfactions of Youth in Residential Care with Two Caregiving Models
Authors: Jones Loring
Published: April 2013

Former residents ( N = = 76) of a residential facility were interviewed 1 year after discharge to solicit their perceptions and degree of satisfaction with houseparent and child care worker models of caregiving. Youth expressed higher satisfaction with houseparents than child care workers. Houseparents were preferred because they provided consistency and a family atmosphere, and they were less likely to leave employment. However, some youth expressed dissatisfaction with house-parents because of greater demands for intimacy from them, and their resentment over someone trying to assume their biological parents role. Findings suggest that residential centers should consider using houseparents or redesign child care worker jobs so they contain some of the advantages that youth identified with houseparents.
Race and Ethnicity as Moderators of Neighborhood Bonding Social Capital: Effects on Employment Outcomes for Families Living in Low-Income Neighborhoods
Authors: Brisson Daniel , Roll Susan , East Jean
Published: April 2013

The concept of social capital is being applied to community-based antipoverty programs across the country. Despite its increased presence in program theory research on the process and effects of social capital are lacking. This study tests the direct and moderating relationships between race and ethnicity informal neighborhood bonding social capital, and poverty on employment for households in low-income urban neighborhoods. Findings reveal a direct and inverse relationship between informal neighborhood bonding social capital and employment, suggesting that social capital is not a cure-all for families living in low-income neighborhoods. Implications for social workers include carefully considering the types of social capital used in program theory and practice, and whether the specific types of social capital are appropriate for intended program outcomes.
The Internet and Social Work: The Next Generation
Authors: Giffords Elissa D.
Published: April 2013

This article explores the next generation of Internet technologies that are relevant to the field of social work and related disciplines. It describes Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, social networking sites, tags, folksonomy, and wiki mechanisms; it introduces readers to the virtual world, Second Life; and it provides a glossary of useful terms. These new phenomena increase the capacity for practitioners to obtain and share information by enhancing traditional ways of communicating. It discusses how the Internet is changing the means by which individuals form social relationships and acquire and utilize knowledge. This article also raises essential issues that are emerging from this medium, and it stresses the importance for practitioners to understand this new medium and to participate in online communities.
Clients’ and Professionals’ Experiences of Traversing Mental Health and Child Protection Systems: Implications for Practice
Authors: Darlington Yvonne , Feeney Judith A.
Published: April 2013

Support services for families where a parent has a mental illness need to address the well-being of both parent and child, and must operate across the boundaries of 2 traditionally separate service systems: child protection/family support and mental health. This article draws on survey data on child protection and mental health professionals’ attitudes toward parents with mental illness, as well as interview data from 4 parent–worker dyads in cases involving parental mental illness and child protection concerns. Together, the findings indicate the need for support services tailored to the needs of parents with mental illness. Specifically, these services must engage with mental illness-related issues such as limited insight, episodic unwellness, and the need for ongoing active support and follow-up.
Loss in Translation: A Model for Therapeutic Engagement and Intervention with Grieving Clients
Authors: Konrad Shelley Cohen
Published: April 2013

Bearing witness to grief is about accepting and experiencing suffering as an unavoidable aspect of loss. It also entails listening to and responding with clients in a way that affirms that their experiences have been heard and understood. This article describes a model for therapeutic engagement and intervention with grieving clients. The model is informed by contemporary grief and practice theories characterized by such qualities as emotional presence, reciprocity responsiveness, empathic expression, and meaning making. Case examples from the author's research and practice experience illustrate how these qualities contribute to what she describes as translational relationships that lead to transformations in clients’ self perceptions and assumptive worlds, and for some, to revived meaningfulness in a life changed by loss.
Strategies for Engaging Adults in Welfare-to-Work Activities
Authors: Vu Catherine M. , Anthony Elizabeth K. , Austin Michael J.
Published: April 2013

The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 reauthorized the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant program through 2010 and expanded work participation standards by putting increased pressure on states to meet stricter work participation rate requirements. If states fail to meet these requirements or make adequate progress, they will face potentially severe federal fiscal sanctions. This analysis presents the major findings from a literature review on engagement strategies for the welfare-to-work population, with implications for meeting participation requirements and helping families achieve self-sufficiency from a program perspective. Major findings of this review include an effective combination of the labor force attachment (LFA) and the human capital development (HCD) approaches, program models, and participant- and organization-focused strategies.
Prevalence and Patterns of Earned Income: Tax Credit use among Eligible Tax-Filing Families: A Panel Study, 1999-2005
Authors: Caputo Richard K.
Published: April 2013

This study expands our understanding of participation in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program among prime working-age individuals from EITC-eligible families between 1999 and 2005. It identifies gaps in program use over time such that outreach efforts might better target low-income working families to increase EITC take-up rates. Relying on National Longitudinal Survey data, findings indicate that more than one third (37.8%) of the population sample was EITC-eligible at least 1 year (3,034 of 8,033 individuals). Less than 20% of EITC-eligible families filed for the credit, and about half of these filed more than 1 year. Robust correlates of EITC use included lower income; larger families; separated, divorced, or widowed persons; and women versus their respective counterparts. Strategies to increase the EITC take-up rates are discussed.
The Effect of Privatization on Advocacy: Social Work State-Level Advocacy with the Executive Branch
Authors: Squillace Joe
Published: April 2013

Third-party contracting has fundamentally changed the relationship clients and consumers of social services have with state government and its agencies. Because state legislatures have load-shed service delivery responsibilities onto third-party vendors, social workers need to be more involved with administrative officials in the executive branch. This descriptive analysis examines the role of the social worker and ways social workers can become engaged in effective state-level executive policy development. A model for practice is presented that seeks to contribute to existing literature through increasing social workers’ awareness and involvement in advocacy practice. Critical to successful advocacy is knowledge about key targets in the executive branch and their roles. Tactical strategies for advocacy, with examples, are included.
The Effectiveness of Kinship Services with Children Exposed to Partner Violence: Exploring a Dual Victim Treatment Approach
Authors: Raghunandan Shivon , Leschied Alan
Published: April 2013

This research presents kinship services as a dual victim treatment approach when serving children and their mothers in child welfare cases characterized by partner violence. The study examined the outcomes for children exposed to partner violence who were placed in either kinship or traditional foster care through a child welfare agency. Outcomes were understood through measures of the adjustment of children while in care, reunification with their birth parent(s), permanency and stability, and factors contributing to the development and maintenance of attachment. The findings indicate that children in kinship care demonstrate significantly more positive overall adjustment, greater permanency and stability, and higher reunification rates. Implications to service providers, particularly child welfare workers and partner violence practitioners, are discussed.
Narrative Therapy Group Interventions with Men who Have Used Abusive Behaviors
Authors: Béres Laura , Nichols Melissa Page
Published: April 2013

This paper reports on an exploratory study of a narrative therapy group for men who have used abusive behaviors. Twelve group sessions were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed from a phenomenological perspective, identifying and sorting the facilitators’ questions and comments into themes, deductively and inductively. We found that the facilitator with more training in narrative therapy usually asked questions and made statements from a narrative perspective, while the facilitator with less experience drew upon a variety of approaches. This highlights how, despite our commitments to facilitate groups from a particular perspective, it is difficult to research a “pure” theoretical approach. This is a preliminary step in documenting and examining the effects of narrative approaches.
Things One Learns on the Long Voyage of Life
Authors: Powell William E.
Published: April 2013

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past
Service Learning Collaborations: A Formula for Reciprocity
Authors: Lowe Laura A. , Medina Victoria L.
Published: April 2013

Service learning offers opportunities for both educational institutions and the community. To demonstrate the possibilities this pedagogy can offer, this article discusses a service learning experience partnering students with a hospice agency. Using mixed methodology, impact on students, patients, and staff are examined. Results indicate that students improved their attitudes toward the elderly, and death and dying; they also believed the experience caused personal and professional growth. Interviews with patients highlighted the importance of relationships and recognition, and staff identified benefits to students, patients, and the hospice agency. The conclusion is made that service learning is best perceived in a light of reciprocity and that this method of engagement offers opportunities for educators and practitioners. Finally, some tips are given for practitioners interested in developing such collaborations.
Ethical Issues in the Use of Prayer in Social Work: Implications for Professional Practice and Education
Authors: Sheridan Michael J.
Published: April 2013

One of the most controversial issues related to the use of spiritually-based social work interventions is the use of prayer by practitioners. The current study explores prayer-related activities and related decision making among a random sample of 204 licensed clinical social workers in a mid-Atlantic state in the United States. A substantial percentage of practitioners report praying for (55%) or praying/meditating with their clients (33%). Furthermore, practitioner responses to four clinical vignettes, reflecting Canda's (1990) suggested ethical guidelines for practitioner behavior, reveal that the majority do not adhere to such guidelines–-either in terms of personal comfort with the use of prayer or views about its ethical use. Implications for practitioners, administrators, and educators are presented.
The Meaning and Engagement of Spirituality for Positive Youth Development in Social Work
Authors: Cheon Jeong Woong , Canda Edward R.
Published: April 2013

Spirituality is becoming recognized as an important source of strength within social work and the positive youth development field. However, social work innovations related to spirituality have mainly focused on adults. In order to increase focus on youth, this article integrates insights about spirituality from the positive youth development field and social work. First, it provides a conceptualization of spirituality in relation to youth. Second, the article explains the importance of spirituality for strengths-based social work that can enhance youth development by attending to issues of meaning and identity, development toward adulthood, risk factors, and personal and environmental religious and spiritual resources. It highlights spirituality-based helping practices that may be applicable to working with youth.
The Effect of Parental Remarriage following Parental Divorce on Offspring Suicide Attempt
Authors: Lizardi Dana M. , Thompson Ronald G. , Keyes Katherine M. , Hasin Deborah S.
Published: April 2013

Parental divorce during childhood is associated with an increased risk of suicide attempts for male but not female offspring. This study examines whether parental remarriage has a differential effect on suicide risk for male and female adult offspring. Using the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), the sample consists of respondents who experienced parental divorce ( N = 6,436). Multivariable regressions were estimated. Females who lived with a stepparent were significantly more likely to report a lifetime suicide attempt compared with females who had not. Clinicians should note that female depressed patients who have a history of childhood parental divorce and remarriage may be at more risk for suicide attempt than previously recognized.
Using a Risk and Resilience Framework and Feminist Theory to Guide Social Work Interventions with Adolescent Mothers
Authors: Kulkarni Shanti J. , Kennedy Angie C. , Lewis Carol M.
Published: April 2013

Adolescent mothers and their children are among the most vulnerable and challenging clients that social workers serve. With the profession's strong commitment to evidence-based practice in mind, we synthesize current research and theory within a framework that promotes enhanced awareness of the client, practitioner, and larger sociopolitical environment by utilizing risk and resilience and feminist practice approaches. These approaches complement one another and provide a strong conceptual and empirical base for intervention. First, we outline key risk and resilience factors, paying specific attention to potential cumulative trauma. Then we explore the feminist practice perspective as an organizing conceptual framework and empowerment tool for adolescent mothers. A case example illustrates the model in a hypothetical practice situation.
African American Grandmothers as Caregivers: Answering the Call to Help Their Grandchildren
Authors: Gibson Priscilla A.
Published: April 2013

African American grandmothers are increasingly assuming the role of “new mothers again” to care for their grandchildren whose parents are absent from the household. Why these older women decide to take on becoming a new mother again after their primary parenting days are over has not been clear. This article uses a phenomenological perspective to describe, in their own words, the experiences of 12 African American grandmothers and why they assumed the parental role for their grandchildren. Six interrelated themes emerged: (a) tradition of kinkeeping; (b) relationship with grandchildren; (c) distrust of the foster care system; (d) grandmother as only the resource; (e) strong relationship with the Lord; and (f) refusal of the grandchild's other grandmother to assist with caregiving. These themes are used as a guide to make recommendations to enhance the lives of grandmothers.
Resiliency and Social Support Networks in a Population of Mexican American Intimate Partner Violence Survivors
Authors: Roditti Martha , Schultz Pamela , Gillette Madeline , de la Rosa Ivan
Published: April 2013

This article discusses research conducted with Mexican American female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) and explores the survivors’ capacity for resiliency and the nature of their social networks. The study used a nonprobability convenience sample of survivors of IPV living in shelters in two southwestern border cities and asked these questions: How much is resiliency affected by mood? What parts of the IPV survivors’ social networks are most supportive? Dependent sample t tests demonstrated that increased resiliency is associated with decreased mood disturbance. Ordinary least squares regression indicated that perception of social support is directly related to number of friends/neighbors and size of formal network. Implications for practice are discussed.
To Hospitalize or Not: Making Difficult Decisions in Clinical Practice
Authors: Naumburg Carta
Published: April 2013

Working with clients in psychological crisis can be overwhelming. Clinicians may feel solely responsible for the safety of everyone involved, and making the right decision about whether or not to hospitalize a client is hard. The situations are complicated, and each option inevitably carries risks. There are many models for how to assess a clients safety, but at the end of the hour, clinicians are still left wondering exactly what to do. The concept of heuristical thinking is useful in that it describes how individuals use information to make decisions in ambiguous situations. When people know how they think in times of crisis, they can take concrete steps to make safe and effective choices for their clients and themselves.
A Life Course Approach to Understanding Poverty among Older American Adults
Authors: Rank Mark R. , Williams James Herbert
Published: April 2013

A relatively new strategy for studying the prevalence of poverty in America is to analyze it as a potential life course event. This approach is used in order to examine the likelihood of both income and asset poverty for individuals between the ages of 60 and 90. Nearly half of all elderly Americans will encounter at least 1 year of poverty or near poverty across these ages. In addition, 58% of those between the ages of 60 and 84 will at some point fail to have enough liquid assets to allow them to weather an unanticipated expense or downturn in income. The policy and practice implications of these findings are discussed.
Economic Human Rights Violations Experienced by Women with Children in the United States
Authors: Twill Sarah , Fisher Samantha
Published: April 2013

In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations. Economic human rights are expressed in Articles 23, 25, and 26. The UDHR requires that poverty be seen not just as an unfortunate living condition but also as a violation of human rights. In this study, 20 women with children were educated about the UDHR and interviewed in order to understand their stories of poverty through the lens of rights violations. Implications for reframing poverty as a rights violations and how social workers can advocate for policies that promote the well-being of families are discussed.
Exploring Perceptions of Family Relationships by Individuals with Intellectual Disability and Psychiatric Disorders
Authors: Widmer Eric D. , Kempf-Constantin Nadine L. , Carminati Giuliana Galli
Published: April 2013

Based on social network methods, this article explores the ways in which individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and psychiatric disorders perceive their family relationships compared with the perceptions of those relationships by family members. A sample of 17 individuals with mild ID and psychiatric disorders, compared with a sample of 17 nonclinical individuals, perceived their family as presenting less emotional support and fewer influential relationships, but the same number of conflict relationships. For the most part, interviews with family members confirmed these results; however, a significant difference exists in perceptions of size and density between patients and their family members. We discuss the importance of these findings for research on family relationships of individuals with ID.
The Effect of Psychosocial Stressors on the Mental Health Status of African American Caregivers of the Elderly
Authors: Kingsberry Sheridan Quarless , Saunders Marlene A. , Richardson Agnes
Published: April 2013

Previous studies focused on African American caregivers of the elderly indicated that they experience less caregiver burden, stress, and strain than caregivers of other ethnic groups. But newer studies point to the stress, strain, burden, and depression among contemporary African American caregivers. A review of the literature reveals three key stressors: limited economic resources, multiple caregiving roles, and dwindling social support. These stressors appear to affect the mental health status and well-being of African American caregivers in negative ways. This article discusses in detail the stressors and their effect on the psychosocial functioning of a population at risk.
Ethical Standards in the NASW Code of Ethics: The Explicit Legal Model, and Beyond
Authors: Woodcock Ray
Published: April 2013

The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers loosely follows the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, but provides less protection for professionals. Social workers may benefit by adopting the Model Rules, with contrasting commentary where legal and social work practices diverge. That contrast would highlight social work's ethical advantages and demonstrate the need for nonlegal ethical principles (in economics, for example) that are underrepresented in the NASW Code of Ethics. Development of companion ethical statements (of social work economic ethics, for example) would give social workers improved ethical guidance. Such companion statements, possibly developed through empowered participation by the spectrum of social workers, may ultimately yield an empirically informed statement of definition and mission for the profession.
Back to Basics: A Critique of the Strengths Perspective in Social Work
Authors: Gray Mel
Published: April 2013

This article takes an in-depth look at the strengths perspective, examining its philosophical roots, its core characteristics (according to its key proponents), and its limitations. It suggests that the strengths perspective is underpinned by a mix of Aristotelianism, humanistic individualism, and communitarianism. The article highlights the synergies between the strengths perspective and contemporary neoliberalism and suggests the need to go back to basics to achieve some distance from the harsher aspects of welfare reform policy, which affect most domains of social work practice. It ends with some suggestions as to how the limitations of the strengths perspective might be addressed, in order to devise a more complete theory for social work practice.
No Longer on Speaking Terms: The Losses Associated with Family Estrangement at the End of Life
Authors: Agllias Kylie
Published: April 2013

Family estrangement is the physical distancing and loss of affection between family members, often due to intense conflict or ongoing disagreement. While the concept is rarely referred to in the research literature, it is not an uncommon issue raised in clinical practice. This article provides a brief overview of the literature pertaining to later-life intergenerational family estrangement, primarily between adult children and their parents. It then examines later-life family estrangement in relation to Boss's (2006) concept of ambiguous loss and Doka's (1989) ideas about disenfranchised grief. Finally, the article comments on the practice implications when working with elders experiencing family estrangement toward the end of life.
Resilient Workplaces: An Initial Conceptualization
Authors: van Breda Adrian D.
Published: April 2013

Resilience has become a mainstream concept in social work theory and practice. While resilience has been well applied to individuals and families, there has been virtually no application to the workplace, a social system that is central to the lives of employed people and their families. This article extrapolates the literature on the resilience of the family system to the workplace system. A provisional model of workplace resilience is proposed, incorporating the dimensions of stressor, risk factors, protective factors, and outcomes. Implications for occupational social work practice and research are detailed.
The Juggling Act: Managing Work-Life Conflict and Work-Life Balance
Authors: Jang Soo Jung , Zippay Allison
Published: April 2013

Family stressors linked to work–life conflict have intensified in recent years with a rise in dual-earner families, female-headed households, and total hours worked. Tensions associated with managing the demands of employment and home life may have negative effects on mental and physical health, as well as family and job satisfaction. This article reviews the theoretical and research literature on factors associated with work–life conflict, and examines the growing empirical literature regarding the effects of formal and informal public and employer-based policies available to facilitate work–life balance and well-being. Implications for family policy and practice are discussed.
Common Human Needs, Uncommon Solutions: Applying a Critical Framework to Perspectives on Human Behavior
Authors: Jani Jayshree , Reisch Michael
Published: April 2013

Based on postmodern and critical theories, this article presents an alternative framework–-the Transformational Integrative Multidimensional Evolutionary (TIME) model–-to understand human behavior and development. It acknowledges that while people may have common needs and life tasks, their definition of these tasks and their ability to accomplish them varies at different phases of their lives due to cultural, religious, historical, and structural factors. This framework neither rejects nor replaces existing theories as they are taught in social work curricula. Instead, it revises often unchallenged certainties about the life cycle, including the notion that development occurs only within certain stages and specific “normal” patterns, and corrects the tendency to categorize human behavior and isolate it from its sociocultural and historical context.
Adult Daughters of Battered Women: Recovery and Posttraumatic Growth following Childhood Adversity
Authors: Anderson Kim M. , Danis Fran S. , Havig Kirsten
Published: April 2013

This article details the recovery process, including posttraumatic growth, for 15 adult daughters of battered women. Using qualitative inquiry, participants' recovery was found to involve a cognitive restructuring of childhood misconceptions of themselves, their parents, and the trauma itself. Key to this transformation process, and consequently allowing for posttraumatic growth, was an interwoven process of meaning-making including two specific elements of understanding: the cause and effect of domestic violence and the significance of suffering from such exposure in childhood. Distancing from their parents, education on domestic violence, accessing therapeutic/support services, and having a spiritual connection contributed to enhanced insight and wisdom. Implications include providing professionals with conceptual insights regarding how to identify and support adult daughters' lifelong recovery and growth.
Borders, Police, and Jobs: Viewing Latino Immigration through a Social Spatial Lens
Authors: Cleaveland Carol
Published: April 2013

An estimated 10 million undocumented immigrants now live in the United States, prompting calls for law enforcement crackdowns and pleas for stringent immigration controls. Social workers and agencies lack the resources to address the needs of this population and are often hindered in service delivery efforts by local anti-immigrant ordinances. This article argues that the sociological theory of social space can be used within a person-in-environment analysis to scrutinize the imbalances of power propelling migration by impoverished populations worldwide and to frame approaches for work with this population at the mezzo and micro levels. Sociologist Henri Lefebvre's tripartite conceptualization of social space is advocated because of its potential to delineate the spatial practices inherent in the question of immigration.
A Family Group Work Application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy of Psychosis for Community Mental Health Settings
Authors: Casstevens W. J.
Published: April 2013

Recent interest in a recovery model for severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) has opened doors for implementing psychosocial interventions with this population and their families. Cognitive behavioral therapy of psychosis (CBTp) is one such intervention that has extensive empirical support. Community mental health (CMH) providers offer a potential venue for incorporating aspects of CBTp into treatment planning for adults with SPMI diagnoses. Including a family-oriented group work component of CPTp in CMH settings could both reduce family stress and simultaneously enhance available support for clients. This article reviews relevant psychosis-specific strategies of CBTp and describes how these might be combined to develop a psychoeducational program for adults with SPMI diagnoses and their family members.
Father Involvement among Young Hispanics
Authors: Robbers Monica L. P.
Published: April 2013

This study presents an analysis of young Hispanic fathers' involvement with their children during and following a fatherhood program. It was conducted through a teen parenting program and uses a nonprobability sample of young men who volunteered for the program. Results indicated that father involvement increased steadily and significantly from the program pretest to 2 years post program, there were no differences between father involvement for male and female children, and younger fathers differed from older fathers in their involvement with their children. Despite a number of study shortcomings, results bolster the argument that parenting programs are needed and useful, and highlight the need for more research on Hispanic parenting. Public policy implications and suggestions for further research are included.