Few research studies have examined social work practitioners and their licensure practices and pathways, or how policies affect licensure choices. Pathways to licensure, particularly the process of movement from graduati...Few research studies have examined social work practitioners and their licensure practices and pathways, or how policies affect licensure choices. Pathways to licensure, particularly the process of movement from graduation to licensure, along with the type of license, and the length of time a license is held were analyzed using administrative data from a state agency responsible for professional licensure administration and two schools of social work in the same state. The analysis prioritized the review of individuals who have held or do hold multiple licenses. Results indicated (a) that the majority of people who pursue licensure do so shortly after graduation; (b) that once licensed, graduates maintain their licenses for long periods of time; (c) that the majority of graduates do not pursue licensure; and (d) that policy contexts and opportunities for licensure at different levels affect licensure decision making. The analysis resulted in detailed information regarding the decisions graduates are making to pursue their licenses, the impact of policy on licensure pathways, the intersection of jurisdictional policy and license mobility, and the process of how social workers move through various levels of licensure.
Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH)-an interdisciplinary field dedicated to advancing understanding of early relationships, socioemotional development, and cultural and contextual influences on caregiving-of...Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH)-an interdisciplinary field dedicated to advancing understanding of early relationships, socioemotional development, and cultural and contextual influences on caregiving-offers essential tools for social workers to support the well-being of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families. Even though social worker Selma Fraiberg was a founder of the field, and social workers are central to the work of assessment and intervention with young children and their caregivers in many settings, few schools of social work offer training in IECMH, and few social workers are familiar with its core principles, scholarship, and intervention approaches. In this article, faculty members from four U.S. social work programs address the vital role of IECMH in social work training, research, and practice as well as issue a call to the field to recover and renew commitment to a practice perspective and knowledge base with roots in social work. Twenty-five years ago, Social Work published a similar call, but the request has gone largely unheeded. The authors examine the changing landscape and argue that it is more important and timelier than ever for social workers to learn and integrate the relationship-based approach to promotion, prevention, intervention, and treatment offered by IECMH.
As the United States faces the repercussions of the current opioid epidemic, it is important for social workers to be able to identify risks for poor birth outcomes in infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Alt...As the United States faces the repercussions of the current opioid epidemic, it is important for social workers to be able to identify risks for poor birth outcomes in infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Although some studies have identified single risk factors, no studies have tested associations between total amount of risk (that is, cumulative risk) and birth outcomes in infants with NAS. Authors examined 318 mothers who used opioids during pregnancy and their infants' birthweight, length, head circumference, and Apgar scores (which measure overall infant health after birth). All infants were admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit in Appalachia and were diagnosed with NAS. Authors found that high cumulative risk during pregnancy was associated with lower birthweight and Apgar scores one and five minutes after birth as well as shorter length and smaller head circumference at birth. Social workers are encouraged to assess for the quantity of prenatal adversity experienced by the mothers they serve and to consider multicomponent, comprehensive community-based interventions to reduce cumulative risk.
Family members (who are overwhelmingly women) providing caregiving for individuals with mental illness (MI) are known to experience significant burden. Little research, however, has addressed how such burden can affect c...Family members (who are overwhelmingly women) providing caregiving for individuals with mental illness (MI) are known to experience significant burden. Little research, however, has addressed how such burden can affect caregivers' personal time and perceived isolation. Using data from a survey of 1,505 family caregivers of adults with MI, authors examined the extent to which factors related to caregivers, care recipients, caregiving, and treatment are associated with caregivers' perceived isolation and the mediating role of caregivers' inadequate personal time. A series of multivariate logistic regression models and Sobel testing were performed. Half of caregivers perceived being isolated. Perceived isolation was positively associated with care recipients having a serious mental health problem, coresiding, effects of stigma, and caregivers having inadequate time for themselves. Perceived isolation was negatively associated with the ability to rely on others for help, caregivers being satisfied with the amount of community mental health services, and caregivers having received education on caregiving. Caregivers having inadequate time for themselves was most strongly related to perceived isolation. Female caregivers were more likely to experience isolation; however, this relationship was mediated through caregivers having less time for themselves than preferred. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for social work practice.
Despite a growing interest in the relationship between religion and spirituality (RS) and mental health across helping professions, less is known about clients' perceived relevance of these areas. This article describes...Despite a growing interest in the relationship between religion and spirituality (RS) and mental health across helping professions, less is known about clients' perceived relevance of these areas. This article describes the development and validation of the Relevance of Religion and Spirituality to Mental Health (RRSMH) scale, and responses to the first national survey of clients' perceived relevance of RS to mental health. Specifically, a sample of 989 U.S. adults who saw a mental health care provider in the last month responded to an online survey that included 27 new items to measure clients' perceptions of the relevance of RS to mental health, both positive and negative. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the sample's data had an adequate fit to the final 12-item model, and the instrument's overall reliability was very good (α = .96). Descriptive analyses indicated that clients view RS as both supportive and relevant to their mental health. The RRSMH scale may be used in mental health research and practice settings. Authors recommend that RS be assessed and included in treatment planning, where appropriate, and addressed in training for mental health professionals.
Maternal depression affects 10 percent to 17 percent of mothers in the United States. Women of color, particularly Latina women, may be at an elevated risk for adverse consequences of maternal depression. However, scant...Maternal depression affects 10 percent to 17 percent of mothers in the United States. Women of color, particularly Latina women, may be at an elevated risk for adverse consequences of maternal depression. However, scant research addresses cultural experiences and perceptions of maternal depressive feelings. This study included interviews with 30 Latina immigrant mothers who were living in rural or small towns in the Midwest. Data were analyzed in Spanish using a thematic network approach. Authors identified three themes in relation to the experiences that Latina immigrant mothers described around sadness and depressive feelings: (1) normalization of feelings of sadness, (2) lack of social support that exacerbates feelings of isolation and sadness, and (3) traditional gender roles that compromise disclosure of feelings. The results from this study indicate that it is critical to increase support, provide culturally grounded discussions around mental health among Latina immigrant women, and continue these conversations beyond the perinatal period.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is a federal block grant to the states, with a required state contribution. Although often viewed as a cash assistance program with work requirements and service...The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is a federal block grant to the states, with a required state contribution. Although often viewed as a cash assistance program with work requirements and services targeted at extremely low-income families with children, only about one-quarter of all state and federal TANF funds are now used for traditional cash aid. Uses of funds vary widely by state, and alternatives range from refundable tax credits to support of state child welfare systems. In this article, the author examines the relationship between state categorical TANF spending and key social, political, and economic characteristics using data from 2015 to 2017 and multilevel linear models. Racial and ethnic demographics of the cash assistance caseload are associated with differences in spending, with states with larger proportions of the caseload composed of people of color devoting a lower percentage of effort to traditional benefits and more to alternative cash transfers. Changes in unemployment rate within states are associated with greater spending on basic assistance and reduced spending on alternative transfers. These findings indicate that, although TANF cash benefits spending may be economically responsive within the program's overall flexible structure, spending patterns raise issues of equity for disadvantaged families.
International migration has emerged as one of the most controversial phenomena of the 21st century. The complexity and implications of global migrations require that social work practitioners and researchers have access...International migration has emerged as one of the most controversial phenomena of the 21st century. The complexity and implications of global migrations require that social work practitioners and researchers have access to data-informed research and critical analyses. However, the content of recent social work research on international migration has not been adequately examined to assess whether and to what extent this substantive area is being addressed. This article explores how social work research published in five leading social work journals-Health & Social Work, Research on Social Work Practice, Social Service Review, Social Work, and Social Work Research-is advancing our understanding of international migration and where it may be lacking. Focusing on articles published between 2007 and 2016, the authors analyzed content addressing immigrants and refugees. The content analysis indicates that social work research is making a strong contribution in the area of mental health but is not adequately addressing critical dimensions of stratification, including race, ethnicity, and legal status. Authors also find ambiguity in how "immigrant" is defined and in the generation(s) addressed. Authors argue that maximizing social work's contributions requires offering more nuanced definitions of the immigrant populations addressed and paying greater analytical attention to dimensions of inequality.
Mental illness and unemployment are both well documented in the literature as potentially having harmful and even detrimental impacts on individuals' lives. However, less is known about the intersections of mental illnes...Mental illness and unemployment are both well documented in the literature as potentially having harmful and even detrimental impacts on individuals' lives. However, less is known about the intersections of mental illness and unemployment in the U.S. immigrant population. This study examined whether unemployment is a predictor of mental illness in a sample of immigrants in the United States (N = 3,732). Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a three-wave, nationally representative dataset. Multivariate logistical regression analysis examined whether the main effects of a negative employment status were associated with a mental health diagnosis at Wave 2. Negative employment status was a significant predictor of all mental health diagnoses in the multivariate logistic regression models. The results from this study indicate that unemployment is associated with mental health problems among immigrants. This article presents discussion and implications for social work practice, policy, and research.
Despite gender being central to any given social issue and the profession of social work's commitment to social justice, gender and gender inequality remain tangential to mainstream social work goals as partially indicat...Despite gender being central to any given social issue and the profession of social work's commitment to social justice, gender and gender inequality remain tangential to mainstream social work goals as partially indicated by the Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative led by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. Feminist methodologists prioritize the investigation of gender inequality by elevating the voices of oppressed groups, particularly women, using qualitative and mixed-methods studies, focusing on structural social change, and emphasizing the need for intersectional inquiry. Feminist and other critical methodologies frame structural inequality as central to the examination of all social issues and research questions. This study investigates the extent to which gender and gender inequality are investigated in mainstream social work research. Specifically, drawing on 404 research articles from three mainstream social work journals, this research relies on content analysis to demonstrate the dearth of studies examining gender and gender inequality in mainstream social work research. This work also presents opportunities for social workers to position gender as central to understanding persisting structural inequalities of the 21st century and work toward a more equitable social order.
Reproductive justice is an intersectional social movement, theory, and praxis well aligned with social work's mission and values. Yet, advancing reproductive justice-the right to have children, to not have children, to p...Reproductive justice is an intersectional social movement, theory, and praxis well aligned with social work's mission and values. Yet, advancing reproductive justice-the right to have children, to not have children, to parent with safety and dignity, and to sexual and bodily autonomy-has not been a signature area of scholarship and practice for the field. This article argues that it is critical for social work to advance reproductive justice to truly achieve the grand challenge of closing the health gap. The article starts by discussing the history and tenets of reproductive justice and how it overlaps with social work ethics. The authors then highlight some of the ways by which social workers have been disruptors of and complicit in the oppression of individuals, families, and communities with regard to their reproductive rights and outcomes. The article concludes with a call to action and recommendations for social work to foreground reproductive justice in research, practice, and education efforts by centering marginalized voices while reimagining the field's pursuit of health equity.
In this qualitative study, authors examine women's sexual risk and protective factors based on their experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) and positioning within society relative to power. This analysis examines...In this qualitative study, authors examine women's sexual risk and protective factors based on their experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) and positioning within society relative to power. This analysis examines sexual risk and protective factors across intersectional identities-including gender, race, socioeconomic conditions, and age-among women survivors of IPV. The sample (N = 28) included women of diverse ages (range = 22-60 years) and races (57 percent White, 14 percent African American, 11 percent Hispanic, 7 percent Native American, 7 percent multiracial, and 4 percent South Asian). Findings demonstrated that IPV experiences differentially affect women's sexual health according to intersectional identities and across various levels of environmental context by influencing the (in)stability of their lives and their experiences of (dis)empowerment. This analysis offers a nuanced understanding of how social workers can support women in planning for their own sexual health and safety and shows how an intersectional feminist framework enriches our understanding of the grand challenge to "build healthy relationships to end violence."
Targeted screening for sexual abuse is needed for social workers to accurately identify those at risk. Drawing on a cumulative disadvantage framework, this study investigates how parental addictions, parental mental illn...Targeted screening for sexual abuse is needed for social workers to accurately identify those at risk. Drawing on a cumulative disadvantage framework, this study investigates how parental addictions, parental mental illness, and exposure to domestic violence, both individually and cumulatively, are associated with childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Two waves of regionally representative data were analyzed. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted using the 2010 Brief Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) (n = 9,241 men, n = 13,627 women) and replicated using the 2012 BRFSS (n = 11,656 men, n = 18,145 women). The 2010 data indicated that 8.5 percent of men who had endured all three childhood adversities reported that they had experienced CSA, compared with 0.6 percent of men who did not experience any of these adversities. Levels of CSA for women in 2010 were 28.7 percent for those experiencing all three risk indicators, and 2.1 percent for women with no risk indicators. Results were similar in the BRFSS 2012. Those with two or more risk factors had between five- and eightfold higher odds of CSA. Social workers may be able to decrease false positives if they screen for CSA based on the presence of two or more risk factors.
Many social workers go into private practice, providing crucial mental health services; however, there is a dearth in the scholarship outlining the social work student training for these career options. It may be argued...Many social workers go into private practice, providing crucial mental health services; however, there is a dearth in the scholarship outlining the social work student training for these career options. It may be argued that social work students receive little or no clinical training on how to run a private practice providing psychotherapy services. To mend this pedagogical shortcoming, a private practice field education placement is a legitimate teaching opportunity to prepare social work students to meet the mental health needs of individuals, families, and the public. Authors drew on borderlands theory described by Gloria Anzaldua as a contested space that focuses on "both and" thinking, which resonated with a sense of navigating a border filled with cultural tension between private practice and social work. Five social workers explore their unique experiences of a private practice field education placement using borderlands theory as a lens. Qualitative analysis of autoethnography narratives resulted in six themes: (1) benefits to private practice site, (2) preparation for social work, (3) private practice is social work, (4) balanced picture, (5) practicum landscape, and (6) learning opportunities. The article concludes with recommendations for social work education and research.
Recent reports have highlighted disparities in representation of Black men within research, calling for more work to be done with this group. The authors take up this call by exploring whether adherence to masculine norm...Recent reports have highlighted disparities in representation of Black men within research, calling for more work to be done with this group. The authors take up this call by exploring whether adherence to masculine norms influences mental health outcomes among young Black men. The sample included survey responses from 18- to 30-year-old Black men (N = 273) enrolled at five colleges and universities in the midwestern United States. Two theoretically relevant subscales from the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (that is, self-reliance and emotional control) were used to measure adherence to masculine norms, and depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis results indicate that the model fit the data well. Furthermore, self-reliance was associated with higher rates of depressive symptoms (β = .358, p < .001), but emotional control was not (β = .137, p = .099). Study findings suggest that depression treatment interventions should be tailored to incorporate aspects of masculinity that are most salient to young Black men. In addition, social work researchers, clinicians, and service providers are uniquely positioned to contribute to the promotion of mental wellness among this underserved population and should be prepared to attend to young Black men's mental health needs.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects a substantial number of individuals and their families. Early diagnosis followed by intensive behavioral services is critical to reducing social communication deficits and behaviora...Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects a substantial number of individuals and their families. Early diagnosis followed by intensive behavioral services is critical to reducing social communication deficits and behavioral challenges. Research has continually demonstrated health disparities with Latinx families that perpetuate lower ASD prevalence rates, later ASD diagnosis, and limited access to treatment compared with white children. Moreover, Latinx children who are diagnosed with ASD receive less intense and fewer treatment services. Given the number of Latinx children and those with ASD, social workers are likely to encounter the intersection throughout their careers. Thus, it is critical for social workers to have general knowledge about autism and the complexity of accessing diagnostic and treatment services. In this article, the authors review the literature on Latinx children and ASD, and identify opportunities for social workers to be innovative in their use of frameworks, theories, and practice approaches to reduce disparities in ASD diagnosis and treatment among Latinx children.
The landscape of relationships, gender, and sexuality continues to change rapidly across the world. This includes recognition of relationship styles such as polyamory, in which individuals have multiple romantic relation...The landscape of relationships, gender, and sexuality continues to change rapidly across the world. This includes recognition of relationship styles such as polyamory, in which individuals have multiple romantic relationships with the knowledge and consent of all involved. In the academic literature on polyamory, social work perspectives are noticeably absent. Thus, a scoping review concerning social work, counseling, and polyamory was conducted to assess knowledge from the last decade and to contribute to the field. The themes that arose were the need for clinicians to examine their biases toward monogamy and polyamory, including perceptions of insecure attachment and a lack of commitment in polyamorous relationships. The literature also recognizes that polyamorous individuals often have fluid identities and sexual orientations. Finally, social workers have a duty to create a safe environment for polyamorous clients because of widespread societal stigma. As social work values client self-determination and examination of societal discourses, the field would benefit from further research into polyamory; this article is just the beginning.