The Pacific Islander American racial group is smaller in terms of numbers relative to other racial groups and yet one of the fastest-growing in the United States. The complexity of their lives exceeds the implications of...The Pacific Islander American racial group is smaller in terms of numbers relative to other racial groups and yet one of the fastest-growing in the United States. The complexity of their lives exceeds the implications of such small numbers, yet it reflects the contribution of their transnational ties and relationships in the Pacific and increasing multiple cultural identities as Pacific Islander Americans. Although this identity provides potential opportunities, challenges and struggles in navigating dual cultures and systems is a reality. Thus, commitment to culturally relevant social work practice with transnational Pacific Islander Americans is imperative. Social work practices that acknowledge and integrate indigenous ways of knowing and doing with consideration to the duality of their transnational identities will produce better outcomes. Emphasis on Pacific Islander cultural strengths is fundamental to generating positive health and mental health outcomes as these strengths have sustained Pacific Islanders through experiences of colonization, immigration, and historical trauma. This article discusses the multiple dimensions of the transnational experiences of Pacific Islander Americans and the implications for culturally relevant social work practice, policy, and research.
The efficacy of reminiscence and life review (LR) therapy in alleviating depression among older adults is well established. However, providers in nonresearch settings might implement these interventions inadequately, and...The efficacy of reminiscence and life review (LR) therapy in alleviating depression among older adults is well established. However, providers in nonresearch settings might implement these interventions inadequately, and such settings rarely can evaluate their outcomes using control groups. Alternatively, evaluators in such settings can calculate a within-group effect size and then compare it with average within-group effect size benchmarks derived from the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) supporting the intervention's effectiveness. This study developed these within-group effect size benchmarks. A search of RCTs from five systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and more recent RCTs published through 2016, yielded 25 studies that met inclusion criteria. Hedge's g for LR recipients and waitlist controls were .598 and -.20, respectively, and .568 and -.012 for reminiscence theory. These benchmarks offer an approach for evaluating the implementation of LR and reminiscence therapy when control groups are infeasible.
In recent years, community-academic partnerships (CAPs) have gained traction in academia as a method for bridging the research-to-practice gap and reducing health disparities for marginalized populations. The field of so...In recent years, community-academic partnerships (CAPs) have gained traction in academia as a method for bridging the research-to-practice gap and reducing health disparities for marginalized populations. The field of social work may be well poised to enhance its ability to engage in partnerships and research around partnerships given its emphasis on conducting practice research and its historical roots in boundary spanning. In this article, the author begins by defining collaborative partnerships between academics and community stakeholders and then states specific advantages and challenges to collaborative partnerships in the field of social work. Throughout, the author explains how the historical foundations of the field (for example, acting as boundary spanners, advocating for marginalized individuals) place social workers in an ideal position to become leaders in the development, sustainment, and strengthening of CAPs. The author details the ways in which social work researchers can use the field's unique history to enhance the development and sustainment of CAPs. The article concludes by encouraging the field to use standardized terminology, methodology, and evaluation procedures when conducting CAPs and providing strategies for social work researchers who wish to increase their ability to develop and sustain CAPs within their own institutions.
Epistemic injustice occurs when therapists implicitly and explicitly impose professional and institutional power onto clients. When clients have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, this very fact further complicates and highli...Epistemic injustice occurs when therapists implicitly and explicitly impose professional and institutional power onto clients. When clients have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, this very fact further complicates and highlights the power disparity within the helping relationship. Inspired by the work of critical philosopher Miranda Fricker on epistemic injustice, and using critical theories of language and knowledge, this article analyzes audiotaped session transcripts between a client with a history of psychosis and a social worker in an outpatient mental health agency. Findings illustrate two main discursive interactional patterns in everyday clinical social work encounters: (1) how the therapist's utterances claim disciplinary power and construct the client's testimony in alignment with an institutional agenda, while pre-empting the client's lived experience; and (2) how the client, though actively resisting, is managed to perform the identity of being a mentally ill person. The authors close with suggestions of how to avoid these mishaps and work toward epistemic justice in mental health practice.
Introduced in 2013 by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, the Grand Challenges for Social Work (GCSW) implicitly embrace a public health perspective. However, the lack of a specific overarching concep...Introduced in 2013 by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, the Grand Challenges for Social Work (GCSW) implicitly embrace a public health perspective. However, the lack of a specific overarching conceptual framework creates a challenge for moving the GCSW from concept to practice. In this article, authors propose that public health social work (PHSW) provides a unifying framework for moving the GCSW from concept to practice. Authors undertook a review of the literature, including a review of published literature and all Web sites and other Web materials focused on the GCSW. Three GCSW were selected to illustrate the utility of PHSW and the social work health impact model (SWHIM): (1) stopping family violence, (2) eradicating social isolation, and (3) achieving opportunity and justice. Using a wide-lens PHSW approach, the illustrations focus on actions that can influence populations through strengthened environments and multilevel interventions. The public health field reflects the rigorous science behind the theoretical models, community-based approaches, and attention to effects of social determinants of health at the population level. Because health and inequalities are the focus of many of the GCSW, incorporating both public and population health, together with the SWHIM, can help provide structure to achieve collective goals.
This article describes the development, validation, and responses to the first administration of the Religious/Spiritually Integrated Practice Assessment Scale-Client Attitudes (RSIPAS-CA). A total of 1,047 U.S. adults r...This article describes the development, validation, and responses to the first administration of the Religious/Spiritually Integrated Practice Assessment Scale-Client Attitudes (RSIPAS-CA). A total of 1,047 U.S. adults responded to an online survey administered by Qualtrics, which included the RSIPAS-CA for secondary analysis. Of those, 245 indicated they were either current or former mental health clients and thus were asked to complete a 10-item instrument assessing clients' attitudes toward integrating religion and spirituality (RS) in mental health treatment. A confirmatory factor analysis showed the current sample's data approached an adequate fit, and the instrument's reliability was considered very good (α = .89). Descriptive analyses indicated that clients have mixed views regarding who should initiate the discussion of RS, but a majority responded favorably toward integrating RS in practice. The article ends with a general comparison between client responses to the current survey and clinical social workers' responses to the practitioners' RSIPAS. It also discusses implications for research based on the scale development and implications for practice and education, based on client preferences.
A memory clinic used two key approaches in developing a patient and family handbook: partnership with people with memory loss and strengths-based social work practice. Social worker coeditors of the handbook intentionall...A memory clinic used two key approaches in developing a patient and family handbook: partnership with people with memory loss and strengths-based social work practice. Social worker coeditors of the handbook intentionally sought guidance from people with mild to moderate memory loss regarding handbook content, design, and overall tone. A focus group, three sessions of a review group, e-mails, and personal interviews were used to solicit and review input from participants. The editors also incorporated content contributions in the form of essays, quotations, and an original poem from people with memory loss, alongside contributions from clinic staff, university faculty, and community service providers. People with memory loss provided input in five areas: response to a new diagnosis, coping with memory loss, messages to other newly diagnosed people and health care professionals, available community resources, and recommendations for handbook design. The development process reinforced a key message of the handbook: People with memory loss exhibit ongoing strengths, which help them participate in life. The process also ensured that the handbook content and design would be relevant and applicable to its users. The handbook is now regularly distributed as a primary patient education tool in the memory clinic and community programs.
This article reports on findings from a representative survey of Californians (N = 946) and their perception of social work and its professionals. Analysis of the survey data indicates that the public holds a generally p...This article reports on findings from a representative survey of Californians (N = 946) and their perception of social work and its professionals. Analysis of the survey data indicates that the public holds a generally positive view of social work and its "helping" nature, although social work is considered one of the least prestigious professions. Respondents primarily associated social work with child protection and behavioral health roles, and less often with tasks such as community organizing, promoting social justice, and crafting social policy. Implications are considered for renegotiating the identity of social work and foregrounding social justice.
This investigation applied a cross-sectional comparative methodology to examine the levels, predictors, and consequences of religious struggles among a multinational sample of 706 Muslims recruited in three universities...This investigation applied a cross-sectional comparative methodology to examine the levels, predictors, and consequences of religious struggles among a multinational sample of 706 Muslims recruited in three universities in Israel/Palestine, Turkey, and Malaysia. Participants were asked to provide demographics and complete measures of religious struggles, satisfaction with life, and generalized anxiety. Three main findings emerged from the study: (1) In general, participants reported low levels of religious struggles; (2) Turks scored significantly higher than both Palestinians and Malaysians on religious struggles; (3) higher levels of generalized anxiety were predicted by higher levels of religious struggles among Malaysians only, and lower levels of satisfaction with life were predicted by higher levels of religious struggles among Palestinians and Turks only. These findings suggest that the links between religious struggles and health and well-being among Muslims are complex, and call for a nuanced detailed analysis of the religious struggles phenomenon among this population.
A small body of literature has identified cross-age peer mentoring (CAPM) as an effective mentoring model that is reciprocal in nature, affecting the outcomes of both mentees and mentors. To date, however, much of the at...A small body of literature has identified cross-age peer mentoring (CAPM) as an effective mentoring model that is reciprocal in nature, affecting the outcomes of both mentees and mentors. To date, however, much of the attention and research focused on CAPM models have been conducted within school settings and few have described programs with an emphasis on disconnected young adults. This current study reports on the findings of a process evaluation that used qualitative methods to examine the impact of a cross-age group peer mentoring program on educationally disengaged young adults serving as mentors. For mentors, benefits of engaging in the CAPM program included (a) giving back, (b) preventing idleness, and (c) creating a sense of community. The results suggest that CAPM has the potential to serve as an intervention model for programs working with disengaged young adults. The article concludes with a discussion on implications for social work practice.
With the election of Donald Trump, policies antithetical to our clients' well-being, in areas as diverse as criminal justice, the environment, health care, and immigration, are being proposed at a rapid rate. Many of the...With the election of Donald Trump, policies antithetical to our clients' well-being, in areas as diverse as criminal justice, the environment, health care, and immigration, are being proposed at a rapid rate. Many of these policies are being transmitted through executive orders (EOs), a mechanism for exercising executive power less familiar to social workers. This article analyzes EOs issued by the Trump administration during its first five months, describing their purpose, content, and potential for policy change. Strategies for resistance and points of intervention for social workers and other advocates are also identified.
In 2015, over 15 percent of U.S. households with children were food insecure at some point during the year. The largest program created to address food insecurity in the United States is the Supplemental Nutritional Assi...In 2015, over 15 percent of U.S. households with children were food insecure at some point during the year. The largest program created to address food insecurity in the United States is the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). However, research has suggested that safety net programs such as SNAP may be underutilized by eligible families. This secondary data analysis examined receipt of SNAP benefits among 2,249 SNAP-eligible participants in a South Carolina home visiting program. Benefit status was obtained at program enrollment and six months post-enrollment. Results showed that 15.6 percent of home visiting program participants without SNAP benefits at program enrollment were receiving benefits by six months post-enrollment. Unmarried caregivers were least likely to obtain SNAP benefits. Programs such as home visiting can be important to ensuring that eligible families receive federal assistance promoting food security, and targeted efforts to overcome barriers to SNAP enrollment continue to be important.
This article addresses the importance of breastfeeding for the social work profession. Because breastfeeding is a critical component of maternal and child health, persistent racial and socioeconomic breastfeeding inequal...This article addresses the importance of breastfeeding for the social work profession. Because breastfeeding is a critical component of maternal and child health, persistent racial and socioeconomic breastfeeding inequality is a social justice issue in need of social work commitment. Even while breastfeeding rates have been increasing in the United States there are some groups of mothers who initiate breastfeeding less frequently or have trouble with sustaining breastfeeding for recommended lengths. These mothers and their babies thus miss out on the ample benefits of this nurturing interaction. Using social work's unique disciplinary perspective and commitment to social justice, the authors place essential understanding of breastfeeding health benefits within the core values of the National Association of Social Work ethical code. The practice context for early breastfeeding intervention with mothers and families is discussed with acknowledgment of the maternal-child health focus at the root of the profession. Recognition of the potential of contemporary social work to advance breastfeeding equity through practice, scholarship, and action positions breastfeeding support activities as integral to meeting the grand challenges of the social work profession.
The study describes multiple steps taken to develop and test the Latino Immigrant Family Socialization (LIFS) scale. Scale items were developed based on qualitative interviews, and feedback on the items was solicited fro...The study describes multiple steps taken to develop and test the Latino Immigrant Family Socialization (LIFS) scale. Scale items were developed based on qualitative interviews, and feedback on the items was solicited from content experts including an academic, practitioner, and a group of promotoras (or lay health workers). The scale was completed by 300 Latino immigrant parents in the state of Arizona. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a six-factor model. The six factors were cultural socialization, adapt, advocate, value diversity, promote mistrust, and educate about nativity and documentation. Follow-up studies are needed to continue the measurement validation process and assess how strategies are used in conjunction with each other, the application of the six strategies across different policy contexts, and how the ethnic-racial socialization process supports children's health and well-being.
Studies indicate that helping professionals are disproportionately affected by behavioral health problems. Among social workers, the nature and scope of these problems are understudied. This article reports the findings...Studies indicate that helping professionals are disproportionately affected by behavioral health problems. Among social workers, the nature and scope of these problems are understudied. This article reports the findings of a 2015 survey of 6,112 licensed social workers in 13 states regarding their problems with mental health; alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; and gambling. To ascertain whether these problems preceded or developed during their social work careers, the periods of time when these issues were experienced were identified. Results indicate that 40.2 percent of respondents reported mental health problems before becoming social workers, increasing to 51.8 percent during their social work career, with 28 percent currently experiencing such problems. Nearly 10 percent of the sample experienced substance use problems before becoming social workers, decreasing to 7.7 percent during their career. Analyses by race or ethnicity, sex, and age identified between-group differences in the prevalence of these problems. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for the social work profession.
Over the last decade there has been an increased focus on improving father engagement to improve child and family outcomes. Recent research suggests that child and family outcomes improve with increased fatherhood engage...Over the last decade there has been an increased focus on improving father engagement to improve child and family outcomes. Recent research suggests that child and family outcomes improve with increased fatherhood engagement. This exploratory study examined risk and protective factors associated with approval of family violence among a sample of low-income fathers (N = 686) enrolled in a responsible fatherhood program. The program goals include increasing father involvement and economic stability and encouraging healthy relationships-with a focus on preventing intimate partner violence. Toward these aims, this study explored factors associated with fathers' self-reported approval of family violence. Understanding the prevalence of risk and protective factors in this population and factors associated with fathers' potential for family violence is important in developing programs to address responsible fatherhood and healthy relationships.