PERSPECTIVES OF INTERRACIAL DATING AT A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE UNIVERSITY

This study examined the viewpoints and experiences of college students with regard to interracial dating. Thirty-five black students and 35 white students in attendance at a predominantly white university participated in face-to-face interviews. Black men and white women expressed more favorable attitudes toward interracial dating compared with black women and white men. Some white females downplayed the significance of interracial relationships, going so far as to suggest it is a nonissue, apparently unaware that it is an issue of concern to many students, especially black females. The concept of white privilege is discussed as an explanation for white students' perspectives. Students who dated interracially faced social consequences, including negative reactions from peers and family members. Findings reveal that the dating landscape differs for students based on their race and gender. In particular, the dating pool appears to be limited for black females at the institution under study.     

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ATTITUDES,BELIEFS, AND BEHAVIORS OF STUDENTS TOWARD SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE

Social workers will inevitably encounter survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault in their work. In this study we explore how education, training, and personal or professional experiences influence students' attitudes, beliefs, and behavior toward survivors. Results indicate that education and/or training decreases students' blaming attitudes and beliefs supportive of myths and increases their screening behavior. Additionally, professional experience and indirect personal experience was found to predict screening behavior, whereas direct personal experience did not show any significance. These results provide much needed information for schools to better prepare students to work with survivors of violence.     

Integrating a Practice Orientation into the Research Curriculum: The Effect on Knowledge and Attitudes

Abstract

A panel study of an MSW research curriculum was conducted to evaluate the effect of integrating a practice orientation into the research courses. The study followed a cohort of 60 students throughout their tenure in the program. Information on students' knowledge, attitudes, and experiences with research was collected at four points in time. The findings indicate that students became more favorable in their attitudes toward research and that they became more knowledgeable about research methods and statistics. Students also reported that they planned to engage in activities that are characteristic of empirically-based practice. These findings support the curriculum changes of the past decade that have moved to close the gap between research and practice.     

The Effect of Parental Gender Roles on Students' Attitudes Toward Lesbian,Gay, and Heterosexual Adoptive Couples

All of Canada's provinces and territories legally recognize the right of gay and lesbian couples to adopt children; however, widespread acceptance of this practice has not been documented. Using an experimental design, with 506 university students, the present study assessed (1) attitudes toward gay, lesbian, and heterosexual adoptive couples; (2) the sex of the child to be adopted; (3) gender role characteristics of the adoptive couple; and (4) predictors of attitudes toward adoption by same-sex couples. Using vignettes describing potential adoptive couples, the results revealed that gay and lesbian couples were rated significantly less favorably than heterosexual couples when asked about outcomes for the adoptive child. Participants were more likely to approve of child placements with lesbian adoptive couples whose gender role characteristics emulated the traditional masculine/feminine dyad as compared to lesbian couples in which both partners displayed feminine characteristics. Statistically significant predictors of negative attitudes toward adoption by lesbian couples were religiosity and non-essentialist beliefs about homosexuality as well as endorsement of modern homonegative attitudes predicted negative attitudes toward adoption by gay male couples. Targeted education for social workers and adoption agency workers should be developed to ensure objective assessments of prospective same-sex adoptive couples regardless of their gender role characteristics.     

A Comparison of Pro- and Anti-Nudity College Students on Acceptance of Self and of Culturally Diverse Others

This study examined if college students supportive of social nudity would differ from students opposed to social nudity on self-acceptance and acceptance of culturally diverse others. Using data from 384 participants, pro- and anti-nudity groups were formed based on students scoring in the upper (n = 59) and lower (n = 64) quartiles on a measure assessing attitudes toward social nudity. Hypotheses were partially supported. Results indicated that pro-nudity students significantly differed from anti-nudity students on comfort with their bodies' appearances, but not on self-acceptance. Pro-nudity students also were significantly more accepting of other religious groups and gays and lesbians compared with anti-nudity students, but they did not differ on their attitudes toward the disabled. A trend was noted indicating that pro-nudity students were less prejudiced toward ethnically dissimilar others compared with anti-nudity students. Follow-up exploratory analyses suggested that pro-nudity students' increased openness to sexuality in general accounted for the two groups' discrepant views toward religiously dissimilar others and gays and lesbians. Pro-nudity students' relative tolerance for cultural diversity is discussed.     

Modeling Adoption Attitudes: Recalled Maternal Warmth,Affection for Children,and Parenting Motivation

We tested a model for predicting adoption attitudes: that remembered parental warmth is associated with more positive attitudes toward adoption and that this relationship is mediated by motivation to parent and liking of children. One hundred and eighty-seven university students participated in the study. Controlling for participant gender and adoption experience, the model was supported for maternal warmth, but not for paternal warmth. Specifically, the relationship between recalled maternal warmth and more positive attitudes toward adoption was mediated positively by liking of children and negatively by motivation to parent. The results implicate both childhood experiences and contemporary motives and preferences in adoption attitudes.     

Predicting Attitudes Toward Lesbian and Gay Parent Families Among Portuguese Students from Helping Professions

The authors' goal was to characterize predictors of attitudes toward lesbian and gay parent families (LGPF), held by students enrolled in psychology, social work, medicine, nursing, elementary, and preschool education programs in Portugal. The authors examined the predictive value of students' (n = 600) sociodemographic characteristics when assessing their attitudes toward LGPF. Participant's gender, interpersonal contact with lesbians and gay men, gender role attitudes had indirect effects on attitudes toward LGPF, through attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. Understanding characteristics associated with attitudes toward LGPF may inform decisions in terms of the education and training of helping professionals.     

College Students' Perception of Philip Morris's Tobacco-Related Smoking Prevention and Tobacco-Unrelated Social Responsibility

This study examined the effects of 2 Philip Morris corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs—a tobacco-related smoking prevention versus a tobacco-unrelated program—on college students' perceived CSR motive, attitudes toward Philip Morris, and behavioral intentions to support the company. Using 2 college student samples in the United States and South Korea, this study found that the tobacco-unrelated program and a positively perceived CSR motive elicited more positive responses about CSR values, attitudes toward CSR activities and the company, and behavioral intentions to support Philip Morris. Korean college students were more likely to perceive Philip Morris's CSR activities as mutually beneficial and to support Philip Morris than were American college students.     

Community Social Structure and Issue Differentiation: A Study in the Political Sociology of Welfare

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze a case of cross-cultural interaction as it bears on attitude formation and attitude change. Three hypotheses on the relationship between interaction, perception, and attitude are tested. Two sets of survey data on the Arab students' experience in the United States were collected before and after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. In absence of conflict (before the war) the Arab students' attitudes toward Americans seemed to be a function of (a) the students' perception of Americans' attitude toward the Arabs, and (b) the extent to which the students interact with Americans. Under conditions of crisis or conflict, however, the students' attitudes toward Americans seemed to be mainly a function of how they perceived Americans' attitudes toward the Arabs.     

The Practice of Group Work,Edited by William Schwartz and Serapio R. Zalba. New York: Columbia University Press, 1971. 284 Pages, $10.00 Hardbound

A study of teaching methods for the first graduate course in social work research is reported in this paper. Three approaches involving different levels of student responsibility were compared in terms of their ability to increase the critical assessment abilities of students, their attitudes toward research and the course, and their assessments of the instructor. It was found that the differing methods had effects on all the variables except that concerning students' attitudes toward research. Considering the variables here under study, a lecture/student presentation approach was judged most productive of the three methods of instruction     

Caucasian Parents and Korean Adoptees

Abstract

This study explored the transracial adoption experiences of Caucasian parents who adopted children from Korea. Self-report data from parents of 117 adoptive families were used to compare mothers and fathers' perceptions in three key areas: parent reasons for adopting, family adjustment related to the adoption, and racial identity of adoptees. On the topic of adoptee's racial identity, parents' perceptions were compared over a seven-year period. Overall, mothers and fathers' perceptions were more similar than different, and parents appear to downplay their Korean children's race. The findings have implications for post-adoption training for transracial adoptive families.     

Attitudes,Perceptions and Concerns of Student Social Workers: First Two Years of a Longitudinal Study

A longitudinal study was initiated by the authors in September 2001 to monitor the changing attitudes, perceptions, concerns and experiences of 32 social work students during their two‐year MSW training at University College Dublin, subsequently following the students into their first three years of practice. This paper reports on the findings from the first two years of the study, exploring how much the attitudes of the respondents changed towards different areas of social work practice while they were full‐time students. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been collected by means of mixed method questionnaires, taken at four points over a two‐year period, and a focus group. Issues examined included the students' changing perceptions of stress, job satisfaction and levels of expertise in different areas of social work practice. The study also monitored their willingness to work in specific areas of social work after graduation. Statistical analysis revealed that students consistently rated social work in the areas of child protection and welfare as requiring high levels of expertise, but they associated the area with higher levels of perceived stress and lower levels of job satisfaction. These attitudes remain relatively stable throughout their two‐year professional training. However, the study revealed greater changes in the students' willingness to work in different areas. For example, specialist family services such as fostering and child/adolescent became more popular choices for future work settings. This change was noted to have occurred between the start and end of the course. Also noteworthy was that general medical, probation and welfare showed the most negative change.     

Response to Nettie Scott and Spencer Zeiger

This study of 285 BSW students over a 4-year period examines the students' initial attitudes toward learning research and identifies associated characteristics. In contrast to social work students' reputation of being “research reluctant,” findings reveal considerable variation, with a large portion of students reporting overall positive attitudes. Ordinary least squares regressions revealed that women and students with less statistical knowledge are more fearful of research courses, while older students and those with greater levels of social work empowerment find research courses to be more appealing. The study findings suggest 3 pedagogical principles upon which various teaching strategies may be based.     

Child Welfare Social Workers and Open Adoption Myths

Open adoption can have positive effects on the psychological well-being of adopted children. This study's purpose was to explore child welfare social workers' open adoption attitudes and their agreement with open adoption myths in predicting the relationship with their levels of openness toward open adoption. This study showed that open adoption attitudes, open adoption myths, and area of practice have an association with the levels of openness toward open adoption in a group of child welfare social workers. This information could be beneficial to policy makers and professionals who may be interested in increasing the facilitation of open adoption.     

Gender differences in public relations students' career attitudes: A benchmark study

Numerous articles have examined differences in men's and women's experiences in public relations, but few studies have explored students' perceptions of gender issues. This study fills that gap. A two-page survey instrument was completed during April/May 1997 by 430 students studying public relations at 17 different schools across the United States. There were no statistically significant differences in male and female students' desires to perform managerial activities, but there were statistically significant differences in several areas. Female students reported they expect to earn less money starting out and to be promoted more slowly than their male counterparts expect. Female students were more likely to believe that they will need to postpone having a family in order to advance in their careers. Additionally, female students reported they want to “do it all” — both managerial and technical activities. These findings have both positive and negative implications for the profession.Dr. Betty Farmer is an assistant professor of communication and public relations, and Ms. Lisa Waugh was a senior majoring in public relations at Western Carolina University at the time of this study. This research was funded by an Undergraduate Research Grant from Western.The findings from this study have both positive and negative implications for the profession. The data seem to support the need for continued focus on women's advancement issues, particularly in the area of young women's career expectations and young men's attitudes toward women in managerial positions.     

The nature of incoming graduate social work students' attitudes toward sexual minorities

Competent social work practice with sexual minorities requires educators to identify factors that can be addressed in the graduate social work curriculum to foster affirming attitudes among students. This study explored the attitudes incoming master of social work (MSW) students hold toward sexual minorities, utilizing a scale that addresses contemporary subtle biases toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people, rather than overt, fear- and morality-based objections measured in previous studies. We explored the role of race/ethnicity, age, sex, sexual orientation, religiosity, political ideology, perceived biological causation of sexual orientation, and LGB social contacts on students' attitudes toward sexual minorities. Multivariable linear regression results suggest that being African American/Black (versus White), older, and heterosexual (versus sexual minority), and greater religiosity (importance of religion and frequency of service attendance) and conservative political ideology, predicted less affirming attitudes, while greater endorsement for genetic causation of sexual orientation and exposure to LGB friends and immediate family members each predicted more affirming attitudes among our sample.     

Positive and Negative Aspects of Transracial Adoption: An Exploratory Study From Korean Transracial Adoptees' Perspectives

Participants, 92 Korean-born transracial international adoptees, responded to two open-ended questions designed to explore both positive and negative aspects of transracial adoption. Almost all of them reported experiencing both benefits and challenges, suggesting that transracial adoption is more complex than the polarized “success or failure” paradigm that underlies much of the transracial adoption research. Participants described negative features that are consistent with themes in the extant literature, including racism, alienation from their White families and peers, unfamiliarity with Korean culture, and identity confusion. They also described positive aspects that have been less frequently explored, such as greater learning and awareness and advantages of belonging to multiple cultures. Of interest, facets that some adoptees considered to be positive aspects of transracial adoption were considered by others to be negative aspects.     

Factors Related to Transracial Adoptive Parents’ Levels of Cultural Competence

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship of parents’ level of cultural competence with several factors. Exploratory regression analysis was utilized with a sample of transracial adoptive (TRA) parents of children born in Korea and China (n = 912). Results indicated that 16.2% of variance in a measure of TRA parents’ cultural competence was explained by families’ participation in postadoption support groups; parent's sex, that is, female; traveling to the child's country of origin for adoption; postadoption contact with adoption professionals; absence of biological children in the family; and families’ annual income over $75,000. Conclusions and implications for practice and research are discussed.     

Roots of Futility,by Norman A. Polansky,Robert D. Borgman,and Christine De Saix. Jossey-Bass,San Francisco, 1972. $9.50 Hardbound. 288 Pages

Abstract

This paper describes a study of first year graduate social work students' work in practica and assesses their transfer of practice evaluation knowledge and skills from the classroom to the field. The data are drawn from case material recorded by the students using a structured recording format. The paper addresses three central questions. What were the salient features of the students' practices? Did students apply practice evaluation knowledge to their work with clients? And, what variables influenced the ways that the students practiced? Recommendations for enhancing class and field integration and for increasing knowledge and skill transfer given the significant influence of the practicum instructor's orientation are discussed.