Over-chastisement, Child Non-compliance and Parenting Skills: A Behavioural Interventiaon by a Family Centre Social Worker

Summary This single-case study describes a behavioural interventionby a Family Centre social worker with a family whose two eldestchildren had been registered on the Child Protection Registerfollowing an incident of over-chastisement by their mother.Working in partnership with the parents. a behavioural assessmentand intervention was undertaken over a four month periood. Theassessment suggested that child non-compliance was a centralproblem behaviour and that mother and child were caught in atrap where each negatively reinforced the other's aversive,coercive behaviour, since these behaviours were successful interminating the other's unwanted or aversive behaviours. Theintervention aimed to increase child compliance and reduce childdefiance using a positive reinforcement programme, and to increasethe mother's child management skills using a parent trainingprogramme. The results showed that child compliance with maternalinstructions increased significantly and that this was maintainedat eleven month follow-up. Also, mother's use of command negativedecreased significantly; this improvement was also maintainedat eleven month follow-up.     

Towards the Use and Development of Games for Social Work Practice

Summary This paper reviews games that may be of use to social workersin their work with individuals, couples, families and groups.A typology of games is presented, which categorizes games accordingto their structure and their function. Games are seen as eitherunstructured or structured, and as stressing either cognitiveor behavioural goals. Selected games are presented in more detailas examples and others are presented in brief in an annotatedbibliography. Issues relating to designing games are discussedas well as issues in applying games to social work practice.     

The Effectiveness of Behaviour Modification with Families

Summary The literature would have us believe that behavioural procedurescan be applied extremely effectively to a wide range of familyproblems. As with any other therapeutic approach there are,however, a wide range of specific and non-specific factors whichwill determine whether or not a behavioural approach is successful.This paper sets out to examine some of these and also attemptsto draw a few conclusions about the effectiveness of behaviourmodification with families, especially when it is practisedin a routine clinical setting.     

The Educational Progress of Children In and Out of Care

Dr Jane Aldgate, Department of Social and Administrative Studies, University of Oxford, Barnett House, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2ER. Summary Results are reported from the first of three rounds of testingassociated with a longitudinal study comparing the educationalprogress and behaviour of a group of foster children with thatof a ‘control’ group. The latter comprised youngsterswho have never been in care but whose families have receivedsocial work help. The educational attainment of both groups was generally foundto fall below the national average. Both groups also manifestedrelatively high levels of behavioural problems, although suchproblems appeared more in evidence among the social servicesgroup. Data which describe the current home environments of the twogroups, and which may subsequently help to account for theirrespective levels of educational progress, are also presented.     

Bedtime without Battles: Using a Behavioural Approach to Establish Bedtime Routines: Giving Parents of Nursery and Primary Age Children a Focus for their Difficulties

Summary Twelve children (age range 3–10 years) who had been referredto the Reading Child and Family Guidance Clinic with a varietyof presenting problems, but who were also reluctant to go tobed, were offered the opportunity to try to establish a bedtimeroutine. It was felt that a behavioural approach, focussingon one major problem area, would have a generalized therapeuticsignificance within the family. Using a contract and rewardssystem, in nine cases a non-argumentative bedtime was establishedwithin 4 weeks and this remained at follow up 6–8 weekslater. In one of these cases the routine broke down but waslater re-established. In three cases the initial response wasencouraging but the parents were unable to persist with theplan. In most cases the benefits of having a less tired childand a less tired parent reduced the severity of other problemareas of behaviour.     

Working with Sex Offenders: A Social Skills Training Group

Summary The paper presents an account of a group of sex offenders ina local prison. Nine sessions of social skills training weregiven with the aim of facilitating relationships within theprison and possibly after release.     

Family Structure as a Factor in the Adjustment of Adopted Children

Summary An analysis of the relationship between five types of adoptivefamily structure and the adjustment of adopted children, whenseven to seven and a half years of age, indicates that the presenceof a natural child born after adoption to a previously childlesscouple is associated with serious behavioural dysfunction inthe adopted child. In this type of family the proportion ofboys so maladjusted is 10 times greater than in the modal familytype comprising adopted children only. In terms of specificmanifestations, a greater proportion show habit and sleep disturbance,and problems of behaviour and eating. The findings are discussedcritically, and potential fertility is suggested as a criterionfor the selection of applicant couples who should be counselledto defer their adoption.     

Can We Afford not to Develop Social Work Practice?

Summary This paper outlines the main arguments for resources to be directedtowards developing practice methodology and skills. A reviewof recent research literature indicates that there are a groupof cases which take up much social work time and resources butthat this work lacks professional expertise and effectiveness.Outcome research in related fields is also reviewed. A synthesisof these studies' conclusions suggests that social workers couldbe effective though the essential skills are rare. The implicationsof these findings for the focus and nature of social work trainingare discussed.     

'Help, I Can't Cope with my Child'--A Behavioural Approach to the Treatment of a Conduct Disordered Child within the Natural Homesetting

Correspondence to Andrew Bunyan, 20 Cranmer Drive, Meadow Gardens, Syston, Leicester LE7 8HY. Summary This study describes the implementation of a behavioural approachto treatment in a family with a four year old child at seriousrisk of a buse, presenting problems of defiance, demanding,aggression, destructiveness and sleep irregularity. Followinga comprehensive assessment, positive reinforcement, extinctionprocedures and time out were systematically applied throughthe use of a home-based triadic model of intervention. Initialresults (and a follow-up study) have indicated a significantimprovement in the child's behaviour.     

Self-fulfilling Prophecies, Self-defeating Strategies and Change

Summary This paper sets out to describe and define ‘self-fulfillingprophecies’ and ‘self-defeating strategies’and discuss their relevance to understanding families. The conceptsare presented as a model for making sense of, and simplifying,the complex repeating sequences of behaviour seen in families.It is a model which has a behavioural and a cognitive componentand this may form a bridge between theories which concentrateon the ‘here and now’ and those which emphasizethe significance of history. Examples of the model are givenwith an analysis of the process of interaction. Certain featuresof self-defeating strategies are discussed, specifically howattempts to avoid a particular outcome can, in fact, precipitateit and how obsolete expectations can inhibit families from changing.Finally, some of the underlying assumptions of the model areexamined.     

Social Skills Training with Delinquents: A Look at the Evidence and Some Recommendations for Practice

Correspondence to Dr Clive Hollin, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT Summary Following an overview of the use of social skills training (SST)with delinquents, it is concluded that SST can be successfulin changing some aspects of social behaviour but that it haslittle effect on offending. A number of reasons for this ‘failure’are discussed: a failure by practitioners to utilize the fullSST model; and a failure, by practitioners and researchers,to explore the relationship between social skills and offending.Recommendations for both practice and research are made to remedyexisting shortcomings.     

Social Work with Failure-to-Thrive Children and their Families: Part I: Psychosocial Factors

Summary The problem failure-to-thrive is described and a brief reviewof the main causal theories is provided. Part I of this studydetails an investigation of psychosocial factors associatedwith non-organic failure-to-thrive in 17 children (comparingthem with two contrast groups). There were significant differences between the groups (interalia) in the adverse temperamental attributes of the index children,problems in the mother's feeding of their children and otheraspects of their interactions and relationships. The mothersshowed no specific psychopathology but were socially disadvantagedin various ways. The implications of these findings—preventiveand therapeutic—are discussed.     

Maintenance of the Effect of Training in Communication Skills: A Controlled Follow-Up Study of Level of Communicated Empathy

Correspondence to Per Nerdrum, Faculty of Economics, Public Administration, and Social Work, Oslo College, Tjernveien 12, 0957 Oslo, Norway Summary The long-term effectiveness of a communication skills coursewas tested in a controlled study of two matched groups of socialwork students. The program group participated in a 50-hour communicationskills training course in addition to ordinary concept training,while the control group participated in social work concepttraining only. In the follow-up period, the groups engaged insimilar field practice. Both groups were assessed with regardto level of communicated empathy both before and after the three-monthtraining, as well as at 18-month follow-up. At the end of thetraining period, the program group showed a significant increasein the level of communicated empathy, while the control groupdid not. The program group not only maintained, but slowly increased,its level of communicated empathy. The control group also showeda small increase after the training period, but the differencebetween the groups was maintained. The interaction of specificcommunication training and field practice after training inthe process of acquiring and maintaining increased levels ofcommunicated empathy is discussed.     

The Beckford Report: A Critical Appraisal

Correspondence to Nigel Parton, Department of Behavioural Sciences, The Polytechnic, Queensgate Huddersfield HDI 3DH. Summary This paper provides a critical analysis of the Beckford Reportand its implications for social work and the personal socialservices. Four interrelated themes are explored: the relationshipbetween social work practice, statutory responsibilities andthe law; the attitudes of social workers towards children andfamilies; the social work skills required; and the assumptionsthat are made about child abuse and the role of social workers.This is then related to recent research findings in the areaof policies and decision making in child care. It concludesby arguing that the report is in great danger of misdirectingour attentions from the major issues concerned with social workwith children at risk.     

Social Gerontology and Social Work

Summary This paper reviews developments in the study of ageing as anindividual and social experience and it considers recent studiesof practical services for the elderly. In so doing it aims tohighlight the ways in which social work skills and helping techniquescan be developed. It also relates the findings of studies ofservice delivery to the elderly to the development of futurepolicy.     

Changing Behaviour in a Residential Group Setting for Elderly People with Learning Difficulties

Correspondence to Ms K. Cigno, Department of Social Policy and Professional Studies, University of Hull, Hll HU6 7RX. Summary Group living is not an easy situation for residents and staff.A client with a long history of institutionalized care and aggressivebehaviour proves to be a challenge to care staff who attemptto improve the quality of her life and that of her fellow residentsthrough a behavioural intervention aimed at reducing the numberof disruptive incidents and increasing the use of social skillsand activities for this client. The results indicate a lesseningof incidents of ‘unreasonable behaviour’ and anincrease in self-esteem. The appropriateness of this approachto elderly clients' problems is discussed.     

Are Young People in Correctional Institutions Different from Community Students Who Have Never Been Convicted?: Differences in Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviours

Correspondence to Byoungduk Sohn, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Oxford, Barnett House, 32 Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2ER, UK. E-mail: byoungduk.sohn{at}linacre.ox.ac.uk Summary By comparing the prevalence of emotional and behaviour healthproblems among institutionalized juvenile offenders with thatamongst a non-offending sample of adolescents, this study indicatescommon characteristics of the perceived emotional and behaviouralproblems, and describes risk factors pertinent to persistentjuvenile offending. Familial backgrounds, behavioural and emotionalmeasures were collected through self-report surveys. Resultsshowed that young people in secure units claimed significanthigh levels of emotional and behavioural problems and that thoseproblems were associated with their disadvantaged familial socio-economicbackgrounds and perceived parenting factors. Various policyimplications are recommended to tackle problems amongst thesedisadvantaged young people in correctional institutions in Korea.In particular, for those working with young people in correctionalinstitutions in the UK, the findings highlight the importanceof culturally relevant programmes.     

Shared Learning for Doctors and Social Workers: Evaluation of a Programme

Correspondence to John Carpenter, Tizard Centre, Institute of Social and Applied Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7LZ Summary This paper reports a shared learning programme for final yearsocial work and medical students which was designed in the lightof social psychological studies of intergroup behaviour (theContact Hypothesis). Key features included institutional supportfor the programme and opportunities to work as equals in pairsand small groups on shared tasks in a cooperative atmosphere.Topics included alcohol abuse, dealing with psychiatric emergencies,deliberate self-harm and community senices for people with learningdisabilities. A comprehensive evaluation of the effects of the programme onone cohort of 85 participants revealed that overall attitudestowards the other profession had improved and that each sawthe other as more professionally competent at the end of theprogramme. Participants reported increased knowledge of theattitudes, skills, roles and duties of the other professionand of how to work together more effectively.     

Adopted Children in Care

Correspondence to David Howe, School of Economic and Social Studies, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ. Summary Four local authority social services departments were surveyedto determine the number of adopted children who were currentlyin their care. The biographical characteristics of these childrenand the reasons for them entering care are reported. The adoptivedimension is discussed as a possibly relevant factor in theassessment and treatment of these children and their families.It is concluded that appropriate practice in this field requiresspecialist skills and understanding.     

Social Work with Immigrants and Refugees: Developing a Participation-based Framework for Anti-Oppressive Practice

Summary This Research Note represents the first in a two part series,dealing with the experience of social work with immigrants andrefugees in Finland. In this part, the author identifies keyideas and outlines research findings in the major area of employment,including a discussion of the skills and abilities which socialworkers need and can contribute in this area. The next issueof the Journal will present research evidence in relation toa range of community and cultural questions which arise fromthis work, concluding with further discussion of successfulsocial work in this field.