bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fathers' Unaccounted Contributions: Paternal Involvement and Maternal Stress
Authors: Harmon Dana K. , Perry Armon R.
Published: April 2013

Mothers are often children's primary caregivers. Fathers have historically been viewed as marginally involved, leaving mothers with a disproportionate share of parenting responsibilities and stress. Although more researchers are examining fathers' roles and behavior within the family, relatively little is known about how their involvement impacts mothers' parenting stress. This study investigated the ways in which fathers' contributions and mothers' perception of them affect maternal parenting stress. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study, hierarchical regression analysis revealed that in addition to mothers' and children's characteristics, the level of perceived emotional parenting support that fathers provided to mothers predicted maternal parenting stress. Implications for family practitioners working with low-income and minority populations are included.
Stories of Successful Reunification: A Narrative Study of Family Resilience in Child Welfare
Authors: Lietz Cynthia A. , Strength Margaret
Published: April 2013

Family resilience literature discusses the strengths helpful to families when overcoming adversity. This study looks at the resilience of 15 families whose children were removed due to child maltreatment, but who achieved reunification and maintained improved functioning over time. Qualitative methods guided by the narrative tradition were used to elicit stories of successful reunification. Findings uncovered 10 strengths evaluated by these families as highly influential in their ability to achieve reunification, remain intact, and maintain healthy functioning. Although extensive literature exists regarding barriers to reunification, this research provides understanding regarding successful outcomes from the perspectives of parents. The study also lends support to the applicability of the construct of resilience for families involved in child welfare services.
“So I Just Took Over”: African American Daughters Caregiving for Parents with Heart Failure
Authors: Thornton Nancy , Hopp Faith Pratt
Published: April 2013

This article examines the experiences of African American women who are caring for a parent with heart failure. Seven adult daughter caregivers completed in-depth, qualitative interviews, and a phenomenological approach was used for data analysis. Results suggest the presence of caregiving stressors, including heart failure symptoms and comorbidity, caregiving duties, social–emotional stressors, and distrust of the health system. Relevant coping strategies included valuing the caregiving role, coordinating care with siblings, taking charge, and spirituality. Social workers can play a critical role in supporting and advocating for caregivers of persons with heart failure, helping them to cope with stressors associated with advanced illness, connecting families with culturally acceptable services, and facilitating communication between families and health care providers.
Research with Indigenous Cultures: A Case Study Analysis of Tongan Grandparents
Authors: Vakalahi Halaevalu F. O. , Ihara Emily S.
Published: April 2013

This article discusses lessons learned about designing culturally informed and respectful research with indigenous peoples through the analysis of a case example, Tongan grandparents. These lessons have implications for educating ethical social work students and better informing the work of educators, researchers, and practitioners. Research issues with indigenous peoples include the need for inclusion of research team members from the culture in study and an understanding of cultural protocols and expectations. Framing this article is the work of Linda Tuhiwai Smith and guidelines from prominent research and assessment organizations that address multicultural issues in relation to research with indigenous cultures, ethical responsibilities to marginalized populations, and protection of basic human rights. Exploration, analysis, discussion, and generation of implications for education, future research, and practice are shared.
No Foster Child Left Behind: Child Welfare Policy Perspectives on Education
Authors: Gustavsson Nora S. , MacEachron Ann E.
Published: April 2013

Youth in foster care are at risk for negative educational outcomes, yet child welfare can only indirectly address these outcomes. The educational policies of the No Child Left Behind Act and Blueprint for Reform, President Obama's proposed plan to revise the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, reaffirm the positive role for multilevel parental involvement in achieving gains for disadvantaged youth. After reviewing what is known about the educational outcomes for youth in care, we examine both child welfare and educational legislation in terms of the needs of vulnerable youth. The conclusion offers recommendations on how parental involvement may be utilized as a potentially powerful force for change for youth in care, as well as specific actions state agencies and individual schools can take to support foster youth.
Parenting Practices as Mediators of the Effect of Mothers' Community Violence Exposure on Young Children's Aggressive Behavior
Authors: Zhang Saijun , Eamon Mary Keegan
Published: April 2013

The authors analyzed data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to investigate the direct and indirect effects of mothers' community violence exposure on young children's aggressive behavior. The findings indicate that mothers' community violence exposure was positively associated with psychologically and physically aggressive parenting and child aggression. Aggressive parenting practices were positively related to child aggression, and partially mediated the effect of mothers' violence exposure on child aggressive behaviors.
Family Relationships and Latina Teen Suicide Attempts: Reciprocity, Asymmetry, and Detachment
Authors: Gulbas Lauren E. , Zayas Luis H. , Nolle Allyson P. , Hausmann-Stabile Carolina , Kuhlberg Jill A. , Baumann Ana A. , Peña Juan B.
Published: April 2013

Using qualitative data collected from adolescent Latinas and their parents, this article describes ways in which family relationships are organized within low-income Latino families (n = 24) with and without a daughter who attempted suicide. Based on a family-level analysis approach, we present a framework that categorizes relationships as reciprocal, asymmetrical, or detached. Clear differences are identified: Families of nonattempters primarily cluster in reciprocal families, whereas families with an adolescent suicide attempter exhibit characteristics of asymmetrical or detached families. Our results highlight the need for detailed clinical attention to family communication patterns, especially in Latino families. Clinicians may reduce the likelihood of an attempt or repeated attempts by raising mutual, reciprocal exchanges of words and support between parents and daughter.
Identity Construction in Centenarian Human Service Agencies: Coherence amid Change
Authors: Netting F. Ellen , O'Connor Mary Katherine , Fauri David P.
Published: April 2013

Three central and enduring themes related to the construction and reconstruction of the organizational identities of 24 charitable organizations in a Southern city are examined: communicating founding legends, adapting language to the times, and structurally responding to change. These themes within the stories of these organizations are retold throughout their histories, legitimizing their images within their communities and weaving identities into the agencies' coherence. The study reveals the importance of emergent change as accommodations and adaptations occur, the interfacing of multiple identities, and the potential of community images when tied to early identities. Connotations for organization practice and survival depend on sustaining a delicate balance between enduring collective identities and a changing community context.
Parenting a Child with a Disability: The Role of Social Support for African American Parents
Authors: Ha Jung-Hwa , Greenberg Jan S. , Seltzer Marsha Mailick
Published: April 2013

This article examines (a) the impact of having a child with a disability on parents' mental and physical health among urban-dwelling African Americans and (b) the extent to which positive and negative social interactions with family members other than the spouse moderate the impact of child's disability on parental adaptation. Analyses are based on a probability sample of African Americans living in Milwaukee, Wisc. The analytic sample includes 48 parents of children with a disability and 144 comparison group parents of nondisabled children. Results showed that having a child with a disability is associated with more somatic symptoms. However, the negative consequences of the child's disability on parents' mental health are reduced when parents receive greater positive support from family.
“They're There for You”: Men's Relationships with Companion Animals
Authors: Risley-Curtiss Christina , Holley Lynn C. , Kodiene Sulamita
Published: April 2013

Most people in the United States living with companion animals consider them family members (GfK Roper, 2009), however little is known about what this means. This study explores the beliefs about and experiences with companion animals of 12 men from various ethnic and social class groups, national origins, and geographic settings. Findings include that most men considered their pets to be members of the family, though not necessarily on a par with human members. Men's attitudes and relationships appeared to vary by race/ethnicity, social class, type of geographic community, and national origin. Implications are offered for social work practice and research so that social workers might develop more accurate assessments and effective interventions by taking these relationships into account.
Lost Leavers: Uncovering the Circumstances of those without Welfare and without Work
Authors: Ovwigho Pamela C. , Kolupanowich Nicholas J. , Hetling Andrea , Born Catherine E.
Published: April 2013

An increasing number of people no longer enrolled in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) experience periods of “disconnection” after exiting the welfare program. The present research, based on data from a large longitudinal state welfare leaver study, explores the circumstances and characteristics of welfare leavers who receive no formal employment earnings but do not return to cash assistance for at least 1 year after exiting welfare. Using a variety of administrative program data and welfare caseworker notes, the size of the various subgroups within the disconnected population and their possible needs were examined. Cluster analysis revealed 6 important subgroups with differing needs and barriers. The findings focus on policy implications, particularly in relation to the Congressional reauthorization of TANF.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Cross-Cultural Examination of the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief (TRIG)
Authors: Nam llsung , Eack Shaun M.
Published: April 2013

Grief is an important psychological response to loss and it is frequently encountered by clients served in diverse areas of social work practice. Despite its importance, little is known about the different aspects of grief that clients experience and the degree to which these dimensions are consistent across White and minority groups. This study examined the dimensionality of the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief (TRIG) and its stability across minority and non-minority individuals using confirmatory factor analysis. The findings highlight the multidimensionality of grief across diverse client groups, hold important implications for social work practice, and point to the utility of the TRIG for rapidly assessing grief in a variety of social work practice settings.
Credit Card and Mortgage Debt: A Panel Study, 2004 and 2008
Authors: Caputo Richard K.
Published: April 2013

Relying on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 cohort, this article examines the pervasiveness and depth of credit card and mortgage debt in 2004 and 2008 (N = 3,966). Findings indicate that (a) significant majorities experienced either credit card debt, mortgage debt, or both; (b) debtors increased as a proportion of the population between 2004 and 2008; (c) mortgage-related debt, but not credit card debt, was disproportionately distributed along sociodemographic characteristics (married, more affluent, and more educated) and by attitudinal dispositions (locus of control and self-esteem); and (d) separated/widowed/divorced persons and never married persons were more economically vulnerable, having higher mortgage debt-to-income ratios of more than 1.5 to 2 times their income.
Changing the Meaning of Help: Clinical Approaches to Reducing Stigma among Suicidal Young Adults
Authors: Downs Marilyn F.
Published: April 2013

Reducing stigma associated with mental health concerns is a key objective of suicide prevention policies. Although the primary aim of these efforts is to promote help-seeking, the problem of stigma does not necessarily end when a person crosses the threshold to treatment. Internalized stigma can affect meanings attached to experiencing a problem or needing help, adding to the burden of mental health difficulties. Perceived stigma by others can inhibit positive social connections and exacerbate social isolation. This article draws on cognitive and relational-cultural theories to discuss psychological and interpersonal consequences of mental illness stigma for depressed and suicidal young adults. Clinical approaches to addressing stigma are illustrated with a case vignette of a 19-year-old male college student.
Latino Students and Spiritual Release Time Programs: Does Releasing Students from Class for Spiritual Instruction Impede Academic Achievement?
Authors: Hodge David R.
Published: April 2013

The Latino population is growing rapidly in the United States. In keeping with the devout spirituality that animates Latino culture, one program that appeals to many Latino families with school-age children is release time, a little-known program that allows children to be released from class to receive spiritual instruction. The increasing use of high-stakes standardized testing has placed pressure on schools to eliminate spiritual release time programs due to concerns that excusing students from class may hinder their academic achievement. This study sought to test the assumption that releasing Latino students from class to receive spiritual instruction results in lower test scores relative to their nonparticipating peers. The results suggest that release time enhances rather than inhibits academic achievement.
Fathering the Children of Teenage Mothers: The Need for Procreative Consciousness and Responsibility
Authors: Dudley James R. , Herring Melvin H. , Cradle Keith , Pace Melanie Rose
Published: April 2013

Teenage birthrates remain higher in the United States than any other developed country. While there is broad consensus that teenage pregnancy is a major societal problem, the fathers of these children usually receive little attention. The purpose of this study is to provide understanding about the procreative consciousness and responsibility of 14 young fathers. The findings indicate that they have not learned much, if anything, about sex from their parents or schools. Their sexual activities seem to reveal little concern about preventing unwanted pregnancy. Yet, the reality of new offspring in their lives seems to awaken some deeper parental instincts and more conscientiousness about the connections among sex, pregnancy, and parental responsibility. Numerous suggestions are offered to help young fathers.
Family Adaptation to Chronic Illness in a Society in Transition: The Rural Arab Community in Israel
Authors: Katz Ruth , Lowenstein Ariela
Published: April 2013

The study illuminates the unique cultural context for caregiving in a society in transition—the rural Arab community in Israel. The 10 families in the study were forced to adapt to a stressful situation—the chronic illness of an elderly homebound parent. The advent of the illness, family resources, modes of reactions, and family adaptation were explored through semi-structured interviews of four members of each family: the ill elder, his or her spouse (the primary caregiver), and two secondary caregivers, usually a son and daughter-in-law. These data indicate that household arrangements, type of community, and perceived support were the main resources. Perceptions of the illness, patterns of decision-making, modes of interaction and caregiver adaptation were the main themes that emerged. Four styles of family interaction were identified: “unilateral decision,” “Rashomon,” “working machine,” and “roundtable.”
Dare to Say “I”: The Personal Voice in Professional Writing
Authors: Swenson Carol R.
Published: April 2013

Dare we say “I” in scholarly social work writing? This article gives an affirmative answer. I argue, in fact, that important knowledge and wisdom will be lost if we do not do so. This article is a blend of forms. Part professional memoir, part personal essay, review of the literature, and exhortation, the article is a reflection on the status of nontraditional writing in social work. In other disciplines, this blend of forms is sometimes called “personal and scholarly perspectives.” I discuss some of the theoretical arguments for including the personal voice, give illustrative examples, describe a memoir along with reader responses, and offer suggestions for undertaking and evaluating first-person writing.
Maltreatment and Families’ Receipt of Services: Associations with Reunification, Kinship Care, and Adoption
Authors: Cheng Tyrone C. , Li Allison X.
Published: April 2013

We examined matched services’ impact on reunification, kinship care, and adoption through secondary data analysis with a sample (extracted from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being) of 1,760 children who experienced foster care and their permanent caregivers. Permanent caregivers included biological parents, step parents, relatives, and adoptive parents. Event history analysis showed (a) reunification was likelier when permanent caregivers received housing and cash assistance, and less likely when they received other services (e.g., employment services, health care services); (b) kinship care was less likely when employment, mental health, or substance abuse services were received; and (c) adoption was less likely when employment, domestic violence, legal, or health care services were received. Maltreatment did not impact permanency significantly. Implications for social work are discussed.
Do Universal Parenting Programs Discourage Parents from Using Corporal Punishment: A Program Review
Authors: Voisine Sarah , Baker Amy J. L.
Published: April 2013

The curricula of 10 evidence-based, universal, group parent-training programs were examined to determine whether the topic of corporal punishment (CP) is explicitly discussed, whether the program explicitly discourages its use, what reason(s) are offered for refraining from its use, and what alternatives are offered. There was strong agreement among the program curricula that CP is both harmful to the child and an ineffective discipline strategy. Between two and five alternative discipline strategies were offered to parents. The variation among the programs with respect to both arguments against and alternatives to the use of CP makes it difficult to ascertain one critical feature or combination of features of the parenting programs for effectively reducing parent use of CP. Directions for future research and practice are offered.
The Impact of Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) on Family Outcomes
Authors: Huebner Ruth A. , Willauer Tina , Posze Lynn
Published: April 2013

Families with child maltreatment and parental substance use disorders are a growing population with complex needs. The Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) is an integrated model that pairs child protective service workers with family mentors and partners with treatment providers. This is a prospective naturalistic evaluation comparing rates of adult sobriety and child placement in state custody using provider-collected data merged with state administrative data sets. All families in the served and comparison groups had equal risks to child safety. Mothers achieved sobriety at 1.8 times the rate of typical treatment; children were placed in state custody at half the rate expected. These results support START as an effective integrated program.
Reforming Mental Health Services for Children in Foster Care: The Role of Child Welfare Class Action Lawsuits and Systems of Care
Authors: Oppenheim Elizabeth , Lee Rashelle , Lichtenstein Carolyn , Bledsoe Katrina L. , Fisher Sylvia K.
Published: April 2013

During the last 3 decades, implementation of systems of care and child welfare class action litigation have been common, often parallel, strategies used to improve the provision of mental health services for children. This article examines the extent to which the requirements of child welfare consent decrees and implementation plans include indicators of the system of care approach. A review of 10 selected child welfare lawsuits involving mental health services for foster care children was conducted. This review revealed that the principles guiding service provision were more predominant than indicators of interagency collaboration and coordination for services between child welfare and mental health. Findings suggest that building the foundation of systems of care—interagency collaboration—continues to be a challenge.
Ambiguous Reunification: A Way for Social Workers to Conceptualize the Return of Children after Abduction and Other Separations
Authors: Greif Geoffrey L.
Published: April 2013

Ambiguous reunification is suggested as a new way to conceptualize the process that families go through after lengthy separations. Using Pauline Boss's work on ambiguous loss, a revision of her framework is applied to families in which a child has been abducted. Practice implications for work with these families, as well as other families experiencing separation, are included.
Parental Expectations and Academic Success in the Context of School Climate Effects
Authors: Hopson Laura , Weldon Patricia
Published: April 2013

The authors apply ecological theory and models of risk and resilience in examining the associations among parental expectations, school climate, and academic performance. More specifically, this cross-sectional study conducted in a small urban school district examines how students' perceptions of school climate and parental expectations are related to grades. We also investigate whether school climate influences the relationship between parental expectations and academic outcomes. The findings indicate that parental expectations are strongly associated with grades after accounting for the effect of school climate. In addition, school climate moderates the association between parental expectations and grades. Parental expectations have the strongest association with grades among students who perceive a positive school climate. Implications for practice and school improvement planning are discussed.
Diversity as an Influence on Clients with Anxiety and Depressive Disorders: What the Responsible Social Worker Should Know
Authors: Nelsen Judith C.
Published: April 2013

While gender and culture affect everyone, these influences are especially important to understand when a client may have an anxiety or depressive disorder. Ways in which gender and sociocultural diversity can affect individuals' vulnerability to depressive or anxiety disorders, symptom presentation, personal and family response, treatment preferences, and resources for coping are reviewed. Also considered are implications for how social workers in varied settings can best assist clients with these disorders to receive the help they may need.
Natural Helping and Resilience in a Diné (Navajo) Community
Authors: Waller Margaret A. , Patterson Shirley
Published: April 2013

This article presents findings of a pilot study on natural helping conducted in the southwestern region of the Diné (commonly referred to as Navajo) Nation in Arizona. The sample included 25 individuals identified by community members as natural helpers. Researchers used the same procedures and interview instrument utilized in previous studies of large samples of European American natural helpers in the Northeast and Midwest. Overall, findings support earlier results with respect to how help was initiated, problem type, and helping style. Helpers generally offered help before it was requested and gave instrumental help with environmental problems. Diné natural helping differed from natural helping in other populations studied in the extent to which helping one's relations emerged as a central aspect of individual and community identity. Relationships between helpers and recipients were long-standing, as in earlier studies, but were characterized by a greater degree of closeness and a stronger sense of commonality and reciprocity. Accordingly, there was little sense of social distance between helpers and recipients. Recipients were also more likely to ask for help than recipients in earlier studies. Another difference between Diné respondents and those in earlier studies was the extent to which problems and their solutions were perceived in spiritual terms. Overall, findings suggest the importance of professional helpers recognizing community strengths, particularly informal helping, as a vital resource in Native American communities. Findings further suggest the advisability of collaboration between professional and natural helpers. Detailed implications for research and practice are provided.
Can the Intermediary System Work for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse?
Authors: Coughlan Felicity , Jarman Renette
Published: April 2013

In South Africa, an intermediary system is attempting to reduce the trauma and secondary abuse often experienced by child witnesses in court cases involving sexual abuse. By separating the child from the formal courtroom and allowing an intermediary to relay questions and answers to the child via closed circuit television, it was hoped that the stress of the experience for these children would be reduced while retaining the rights of the accused to cross-examine witnesses and to a fair trial. This article reports on a major urban court in South Africa where intermediaries (social workers) have refused to continue offering their services. It also reports on the challenges and difficulties associated with offering the services. The authors further argue that immediate action is required if the system is to be saved. They also suggest how to address the needs and concerns of the intermediaries, thus further developing and improving the existing system. The authors close with recommendations for systems in other locations that might be considering the use of intermediaries in similar situations.
Assessing African American Spirituality with Spiritual Ecomaps
Authors: Hodge David R. , Williams Trina R.
Published: April 2013

While there is increasing awareness that spirituality is a central dimension of human existence, there are few assessment instruments that operationalize spiritual strengths in a clinically useful manner. Further, instruments tailored specifically for African Americans, the population for whom spirituality may be most salient, have been almost completely lacking in the literature. Correspondingly, this paper develops a diagrammatic assessment instrument, spiritual ecomaps, for assessing African American spirituality. After delineating the theoretical components of a spiritual ecomap, practical suggestions are given for the instrument's use, including a number of possible interventions that flow from the assessment process. A case study is provided to familiarize the reader with the instrument. The paper concludes by offering suggestions for using the instrument for other populations in a culturally sensitive manner.
Girls Fighting Trouble: Re-Storying Young Lives
Authors: Kelley Patricia , Blankenburg Lou , McRoberts Judith
Published: April 2013

This study assessed the usefulness of narrative group therapy as part of a summer program for female adolescents who had broken the law, and it sought to gain greater understanding of this population. Mainly qualitative methods were used because there is little research on narrative approaches and an exploratory study was most appropriate. Other methods used, include interviews, pretesting and posttesting, and reviews of court records 6 months after beginning. Various means of assessment showed that narrative approaches were useful in helping these young women examine their lives, cope with problems, explore options, and assess possibilities. While several problem themes were isolated, solution and coping themes were also found, which were brought forth and highlighted in the sessions. These adolescents experienced the most improvement in the area of coping. Self-esteem and control were found to be important coping devices and were strong throughout.
Experiencing and Coping with Stress of Political Uncertainty: Gender Differences among Mental Health Professionals
Authors: Shamai Michal
Published: April 2013

This study aimed to investigate how mental health professionals experience and cope with the same stressor that affects their clients. It focuses on Israeli mental health professionals who live and work in the West Bank and were exposed to long periods of terror during the Palestinian uprising (the Intifada) and to the threat of possible relocation based on the Oslo Agreement.

The sample included fourteen women and eleven men, representing about 15% of the Israeli mental health professionals who live and work among Jewish populations in the West Bank. Data were collected in April 1995 during the government of the left-wing regime, when the stress of possible relocation was very intense. The results, based on quantitative and qualitative analysis, indicate that being marginalized is an important aspect of creating the stress. Commitment to the goal was found to be the stronger variable affecting coping. As for gender differences, the quantitative results and part of the qualitative results supported the “role constraint” hypothesis. However, both males and females of the mental health professions were found to experience their response to stress and to use coping strategies according to the “socialization” hypothesis.
Public Welfare and Human Services: New Directions under TANF?
Authors: Hagen Jan L.
Published: April 2013

With the passage of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the nation's welfare system for poor women and their children was fundamentally transformed. These profound changes have the potential to dramatically alter the nature of state and local welfare agencies and to create new and expanded roles for human service workers, including social workers, both within public welfare agencies and other community agencies. This article reviews the major provisions of TANF and its implications for state welfare agencies and recipients. Roles for human service workers in public welfare are delineated for direct practice, management staff development policy analysis and advocacy, and research.
Strengths-Based Case Management the Application to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Authors: Whitley Deborah M. , White Kim R. , Kelley Susan J. , Yorke Beatrice
Published: April 2013

Strengths-based case management is an alternative service modality for work with individuals and families. This method stresses building on the strengths of individuals that can be used to resolve current problems and issues, countering more traditional approaches that focus almost exclusively on individuals' deficits or needs. This article expands the literature on the application of the strengths-based model by using a project that provides health and social services to grandparents raising their grandchildren. Based on anecdotal results, the strengths-based model appears to have value in fostering a sense of independence and self-assurance among grandparents, as well as enhancing their level of confidence to nurture and support their grandchildren. Suggested limitations and implications for family practice and future research are noted.
Reciprocal Relationships between Antisocial Behavior and Parenting: Implications for Delinquency Intervention
Authors: Stern Susan B. , Smith Carolyn A.
Published: April 2013

Although parents are often included in interventions with delinquent adolescents in community-based programs, attention to the effect on parents of living with challenging and antisocial children has been lacking in the literature. Recent research on reciprocal relationships and on the way delinquent adolescents affect parents can inform practice so that interventions are likely to be more acceptable to parents and more effective in addressing family interactions and youth behavior. We discuss implications for family treatment including assessing the impact of antisocial behavior on family members, decreasing inappropriate blame, developing collaborative relationships, increasing parent support, and planning for crisis management. We also consider implications for parent skills training and working through the juvenile justice system to be more responsive to parents' experiences in the service of better engagement, stronger family interventions, and improved services to delinquent youth.
Gendered Differences: Postmodern Feminist Perspectives and Young Women Identified as “Emotionally Disabled”
Authors: Walter Uta M. , Peterson K. Jean
Published: April 2013

Little consideration has been given to adolescent girls identified as having emotional disabilities in either the research or clinical literature. Social workers continue to use developmental theories that are based on males, and thus contribute to the persistent silence about the needs of this population. Feminist and postmodern perspectives can serve to highlight how dominant discourses around “gender,” “emotional disabilities,” and “psychological development” influence social work theory and practice with this population. This paper uses feminist and postmodern re-visions of developmental theories to deconstruct the current research and clinical practices with female adolescents and shows how these re-visions can inform our thinking about adolescent girls identified as having emotional or behavioral disabilities.
Harvest Festival
Authors: Earle Kathleen A.
Published: April 2013

Some Fugitive Pieces

Editorial Director's Note: The following brief essays, authored by Kathleen A. Earle, Andrew Malekoff, and Mary Tosher have not been peer reviewed as is customary in this journal. To reiterate a passage from Dr. Goldstein's opening editorial, these pieces “might well be considered ‘fugitive’ when compared with the standard forms of scholarly writing that serve as the mainstay of this journal.” Their inclusion is to exemplify the possibility that alternative literary styles might also add to and advance the knowledge base of the profession. We welcome your reactions.
Meaning-Centered Family Therapy: Treatment Elements and Dynamics
Authors: Lantz Jim
Published: April 2013

Meaning-centered family therapy is a treatment orientation that pays close attention to both family problems and the meanings and meaning potentials to be found in daily family and marital life. This article reviews the elements and dynamics in meaning-centered family therapy and overviews the practice of creative interaction between the meaning-centered therapist and the marital and family members requesting help. Case material Is provided to Illustrate the approach.
Social Work Assessment: Case Theory Construction
Authors: Bisman Cynthia D.
Published: April 2013

To intervene effectively, social workers need to make sense of clients and their situations. A case theory approach to assessment provides a framework to formulate assessments that are clear and directly related to the real-world problems clients present Explaining the problem situation, case theory forms the foundation for selection of Intervention strategies and methods to achieve change. Building case theory requires practitioner abilities to form concepts, relate concepts into propositions, develop hypotheses, and organize these into a coherent whole. Including case background Information, observations and relevant professional literature, case theory presents an accurate and cogent comprehension of the client Two case examples of depression illustrate the important relationship among concepts, empirical referents, propositions, general theories, and Intervention, highlighting how case theory guides practice.
Lesbian Stepfamilies: A Unique Family Structure
Authors: Erera Pauline I. , Fredriksen Karen
Published: April 2013

This conceptual article examines the structure and dynamics of the lesbian stepfamily. It argues for adopting a strengths perspective by considering the lesbian stepfamily as a distinctive family style in its own right Drawing upon the research literature on heterosexual stepfamilies, the article reviews the similarities and differences between these family styles. These include: parents' gender; family variations; stereotypes and social attitudes toward nontraditional families; formal marriage; previous losses; residential and nonresidential family members; parenting; and ambiguous role expectations. The article advocates culturally-appropriate practice tailored to the needs of lesbians within their family systems and considers implications for social work research.
Families Affected by Substance Abuse: Implications for Generalist Social Work Practice
Authors: Mumm Ann Marie , Olsen Lenore J. , Allen Darlene
Published: April 2013

A generalist approach to practice with families affected by parental addiction is presented. Using a model program for working with parents and children who have been affected by substance abuse, the article illustrates the application of the problem-solving process to effect change at multiple levels, including individual, family, community, organizational, and policy-making levels. The authors describe assessment and intervention strategies at each of these levels and conclude with an evaluation of the project's success.
Miracles, Dreams, and Empowerment: A Brief Therapy Practice Note
Authors: Greene Gilbert J. , Lee Mo-Yee , Mentzer Richard A. , Plnnell Shelly R. , Niles Dan
Published: April 2013

When beginning therapy, most clients have a sense of powerlessness (sense of external locus of control) in some, if not most, areas of their lives. A person with a sense of powerlessness perceives forces outside themselves as having more to do with success In goal attainment than their own actions. Clinical intervention, therefore, should be empowering to clients. The miracle question is a key Intervention of solution-focused therapy. According to the miracle question, the source of client change is due to the miracle (something external to the client) and not something generated by the client. This article discusses a modification of the miracle question called the dream question. As a result of the dream question, clients can discover the solutions they are seeking within themselves and, thus, have a greater sense of personal power and Internal locus of control. Experience with the dream question so far has been quite positive.
A Systematic Qualitative Evaluation of Levels of Differentiation in Families with Children at Risk
Authors: Avnir Yeudit , Shor Ron
Published: April 2013

To increase the understanding of the dynamics within the parent-child relationship in families with children at risk the concept of differentiation was operationalized and applied to this population. The focus of this paper is on presenting the systemic qualitative framework assessing level of differentiation in parent-child relationships and illustrating how it can be applied within the context of social welfare services to assess changes in the parent level of differentiation and thus their approach to their children. The method was developed to evaluate change in parents' approach to their children resulting from a short term therapeutic group program aimed to treat parents whose child rearing practice are dysfunctional. Pre and post-treatment interviews were conducted with those participating in the program and examples were selected from their descriptions to illuminate application of the framework to content analysis of actual case studies. The results of this analysis indicated that this multidimensional operationalization of the concept of differentiation could provide a concrete and specific method for examining the ongoing daily events and problems in parent-child relationships on one hand and for capturing the complex issues in parent-child dynamics on the other. This method was found to be an accessible nonintrusive tool which researchers and practitioners could use for evaluating practices with families and children at risk.
Heed Your Calling and Follow it Far: Suggestions for Authors who Write about Spirituality or Other Innovations for Social Work
Authors: Canda Edward R.
Published: April 2013

This essay provides suggestions for authors who wish to write about spirituality or other innovations for social work. It recommends that authors integrate their life mission, professional commitments, creative process, and the practicalities of writing and publishing within a spiritually sensitive approach to social work.
Family Poverty and Public Dependency
Authors: Caputo Richard K.
Published: April 2013

The author used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, survey year 1993, to identify determinants of public benefits among families above and below the official poverty line in 1992. The relative effects of sociodemographic and attitudinal/cultural characteristics were assessed to determine the likelihood of male and female respondents receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children, food stamps, and/or unemployment-compensation benefits. Results indicated that many sociodemographic characteristics exerted similar influence on men and women regarding the likelihood of using public assistance regardless of poverty status. Marital status and education were notable exceptions. Findings suggested that men and women used public assistance as a buffer against economic vulnerability and that increased education might be a less effective means to self-sufficiency than commonly thought. Antipoverty policy implications are discussed.
Teen Living Programs for Young Mothers Receiving Welfare: An Analysis of Implementation and Issues in Service Delivery
Authors: Collins Mary Elizabeth , Lane Terry S. , Stevens Joyce West
Published: April 2013

Changes in welfare programs are likely to have several important effects on populations served by social workers. While most attention has addressed the work requirement and time limits imposed by welfare reform, other aspects of the legislation also require attention. Living requirement legislation for teen parents receiving welfare has led the state of Massachusetts to develop Teen Living Programs (TLPs). TLPs are residential programs that allow teen parents to fulfill the living requirement when they are unable to live in the home of a parent or adult guardian. Data collected during program site visits to report on the implementation of the programs are used in this paper. This report identifies and analyzes issues related to service delivery that may be useful to social workers, policymakers, and program developers interested in supporting adolescent mothers affected by living requirement legislation. Analysis includes discussion of programming and staff, standardization of services, flexibility and individualized services, the residential model, and limitations of the program response.
From Parent Training to Community Building
Authors: Webster-Stratton Carolyn
Published: April 2013

For low-income families, particularly, parent-training programs need to be broadened and offered in communities in order to reduce isolation and strengthen support networks of families. Such an approach will lead not only to better parenting and fewer child-behavior problems, but also to greater collaboration with schools and more community building on the part of parents and teachers. The author describes a parent-training program's evolution from an initial goal of improving parenting skills in order to reduce children's conduct problems and promote their social competence to the broader goals of strengthening parents' social support and increasing their school and community involvement. Community-building strategies and processes embedded in the program designed to promote group cohesiveness and support networks are highlighted.
Assessing Client Strengths
Authors: McQuaide Sharon , Ehrenreich John H.
Published: April 2013

Clients and clinicians alike need to be aware of clients' potential sources of strength, coping, and resilience. The authors make the concept of strengths more concrete and provide tools to assist in assessing strengths. Client characteristics that represent strengths are drawn from the research literature. The notion of strength in the context of clients' personal history, their immediate social environment the larger societal matrix, the mix of individual characteristics, the challenges clients face, and the meanings clients ascribe to their experiences and situation are discussed. A self-report instrument that can be used to enlist clients and their significant others in helping identify clients' strengths is provided, and cases of its use are presented.
Viewing Alcohol and Other Drug Use Cross Culturally: A Cultural Framework for Clinical Practice
Authors: Amodeo Maryann , Jones L. Kay
Published: April 2013

The authors present a conceptual framework for cross-cultural investigation of alcohol and other drug (AOD) issues, including attitudes, values, and behaviors. Elements include cultural views of using alcohol and other drugs, life problems, seeking help, relapse, and recovery. Acculturation, subgroup identity, and migration are critically important variables in the framework. The framework can be used to view a single culture or to compare several and can help clinicians explore clients' earliest exposure to alcohol and other drugs, family and community messages regarding AOD use, and stigma and shame. It can stimulate clinicians' thinking about culturally specific intervention methods and family and community supports for recovery.
Social Work with Ambulatory Clients: The Wayfinding Domain
Authors: Taylor Brennen , Taylor Ann
Published: April 2013

Wayfinding services help ambulatory clients develop skills to travel independently to health care facilities. The authors review social work's contribution to ambulatory clients through wayfinding training. They assert that wayfinding services promote client compliance with ambulatory services and discuss wayfinding guidelines for travel between health facility and home.
The Family Assessment Wheel: A Social Constructionist Perspective
Authors: Mailick Mildred D. , Vigilante Florence W.
Published: April 2013

The family assessment wheel is a practical diagrammatic tool for use in therapy. Consistent with social constructionism, it suggests areas for inquiry. It stresses process as well as content, emphasizes family understanding and participation, and converts data gathering into an empowering process of discovery. The tool acknowledges the importance of the family's view of their experience within the context of their culture and community.
Parents' Views on Child Welfare's Response to Addiction
Authors: Akin Becci A. , Cregoire Thomas K.
Published: April 2013

The helping system often responds to parents recovering from addiction in a way that reinforces their powerlessness and may perpetuate their addiction. This study identified worker and agency qualities that contribute to parents' recovery and family reunification. The authors conducted a qualitative study of successful clients of the child welfare system who regained their children after recovering from addiction. These parents describe the importance of workers' understanding the context of addiction from the parent's perspective.