Sing … Then Think: Musical Interventions and Nondeliberative Forms of Practice in Social Work Groups

ABSTRACT

The positive effects of music have been demonstrated worldwide in many fields including social work, psychology, medicine, and education. Musical interventions including music listening, lyric analysis, and singing have also been found effective in group work. This article, guided by Norma Lang’s nondeliberative theory, aims to provide the “why,” “when,” and “how” of incorporating music into social work groups. It also provides the reader with a toolbox of musical interventions and the encouragement to utilize these “artful, actional, and analogic” activities in group work.     

Norma Lang’s Use of Nondeliberative Approaches: Through a Multidimensional Lens of Activity in Social Work Groups

ABSTRACT

This article is intended to enter into a conversation with the significant work done by Norma Lang on nondeliberative approaches in social work with groups, and, in particular, her use of these approaches in working with people who have limited social skills. The intention is to locate significant strands of her conceptualizing, teaching, and practice within a discussion of the concept “activity”—a concept that social work with groups has uniquely contributed to social work theory and practice. It is proposed that aspects of “activity” can be more fully understood and analyzed using a number of intersecting dimensions: interaction, purpose, meaning, and analog.     

Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease: Issues and Implications for Social Work Practice

Owing to recent medical advancements, people with Down Syndrome (DS) are now able to live considerably longer lives and thus experience a variety of complex issues as they age. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) frequently occurs in older adults who have DS, but few practice guidelines exist to inform social work practice with older adults who have this dual diagnosis. This commentary will highlight the connection between these two conditions within a neurobiological framework and discuss implications for practice based on the available literature on this intersection of ability status, cognitive status, and age.     

Understanding Young People and Prostitution: A Foundation for Practice?

Correspondence to Ian Shaw, School of Social and Administrative Studies, University of Wales Cardiff, 50 Park Place, Cardiff CF1 3AT, UK. Summary The practice and research literature on young people and prostitutionreflects a number of methodological challenges. This paper offersa focused review of the literature in the context of those challengesand attempts to draw conclusions that are strong enough to providea reflective and strategic approach to service planning andimplementation. Definitional issues are discussed, particularlyin relation to estimates of prevalence. The robustness of pastresearch designs and associated causal inferences are questionedand a synthesis of current explanatory accounts is offered.Risk in relation to prostitution is explored. Past service responsesare examined and a rationale for future responses is developed.     

Using a Group Work Practice Standards Inventory to Assess the Impact of a “Social Work Practice with Groups” Course

This article describes the design and delivery of a group work course that has as its primary purpose the meeting of group work practice standards. This multisection course uses a common course syllabus and a team approach to ensure the fidelity of course implementation. The recent development of a standards-based inventory of competencies in social work with groups, which measures the perceived importance of, and confidence in performing practice standards, led to the decision to administer the inventory to the authors' students at the beginning and end of the course to see if students were in fact making significant progress in the group work practice skills articulated in the standards. The results indicated that students were significantly more confident in their group work practice skills; however a few areas, particularly the development of middle-stage skills, were in need of further attention.     

Calculating China’s Historical Economic Aggregate: A GDP-centered Overview*

Since the 1990s, thanks to the concerted efforts of domestic and international scholars, the research on China’s historical GDP that began in the 1930s has received widespread attention, and is becoming a widely discussed issue at the forefront of research on world economic history. At the same time, several scholars at home and abroad have also voiced a call for more theoretical and empirical reflection within this line of research. Diversification of methods, systematic reconstruction of historical data, and international comparisons represent three emerging trends in future research on this subject. By encouraging and leading these trends, Chinese scholars can assume a greater role in international research on economic history.     

A Brave New World of Personalized Care? Historical Perspectives on Social Care and Older People in England

Social care policy for older people in England continues to generate extensive discussion around the need to break with the past and to deliver a personalized response to need. This article explores the extent to which this represents a complete break with the past by looking at four key reports from the past, namely the Rucker Report (1946 ) on the break up of the Poor Law, the Seebohm Report (1968 ) on the personal social services, the Griffiths Report (1988 ) on community care and The Royal Commission on Long Term Care ( Sutherland Report, 1999 ). Each is interrogated in terms of how social care is defined, how services are to be delivered, how quality is understood and the assumptions made about who will be able to access services. This analysis is used to draw out key continuities in policy assumptions such as the primacy of family and the ongoing debate about ‘What is social care?’ and how it can be distinguished from health care. The article also argues that the voluntary sector has always been seen as a ‘key player’ in social care. Finally, the analysis of the four reports is used to trace the ever changing role of local authorities in the planning, purchase and provision of social care services for older people.     

A Clash in Perspective? A Study of Worker and Client Perceptions of Social Work

Summary This study explores in a small sample of a worker's own clientswhether clashes in perspective occur between clients and socialworker, and how this is linked with satisfaction and dissatisfaction.Dissatisfied clients did not share a framework with the worker,but felt blamed and criticized by her, and the worker's ownbehaviour at the contract setting stage contributed to this.In contrast, satisfied clients and the worker appeared to havea positive shared perspective of the treatment process.     

Mixing Up the Goulash: Essential Ingredients in the “Art” of Social Group Work

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the connection between social group work and creativity. Parallels are drawn between the techniques and discipline of the creative artist and those of the social group worker. Four prominent themes of group work are discussed in relation to the work of the artist: empathy, accessibility to a range of emotions, maintaining a sense of humor, and full use of self within the group environment. Examples from a range of group populations are used to highlight the four identified “ingredients” in the art of social group work practice.     

Remembering Katy: A Reflection on Social Work with Groups’ Founding Coeditor Catherine P. Papell (1916–2013)

This article reflects on the remarkable career of one of the founders and first coeditors of Social Work with Groups. Catherine (Katy) Papell made outstanding contributions to social work—especially to social work with groups for which she was a passionate advocate. In addition to editing this journal, she was a group worker, educator, activist, historian, writer/theorist, mentor, and role model. In the process she became a beloved friend to many and will be greatly missed.     

Social Work Students’ Perceptions of Themselves and Others: Self-Esteem,Empathy, and Forgiveness

ABSTRACT

This study examined how 86 social work students attending a university in Florida viewed themselves and others in relation to self-esteem, empathy, and forgiveness. The study used a cross-sectional, self-administered survey. Results indicated female students reported a higher level of emotional empathy than that reported by male students. Significant relationships were also noted between forgiveness of others and the age of the respondent and ethnicity. Self-esteem was a significant predictor of forgiveness of self and forgiveness of others; and empathy is a significant predictor of forgiveness of others. The study identified the need for social work educators to help students develop a strong sense of self and an understanding of others. Future research is suggested to explore how the timing of a transgression affects forgiveness of self and others.     

Four Methods That Should Be Mastered in the Study of the Historical Experience of the People’s Republic of China

研究中华人民共和国历史经验需要掌握一定的科学方法。既要研究新中国不同时 期的经验, 又要把各个历史时期的经验联系起来研究; 既要研究新中国各个领域的历 史经验, 又要从宏观层面对历史经验作综合研究; 既要研究新中国历史中的成功经 验, 又要注意对失误和挫折进行研究; 既要用今天的眼光研究新中国历史的经验, 又 要把经验放到特定的历史条件下研究。

关键词: 中华人民共和国历史经验 “文化大革命” 计划经济

It is necessary to master certain scientific methods in studying the historical experience of the People’s Republic of China; that is, we should study the experience of different periods of New China and at the same time study the experience of various historical periods as related to one another; we should study the successful experience of New China and at the same time study its errors and setbacks; and we should view the historical experience of New China from today’s perspective and at the same time study it by placing it under given historical conditions.     

Differences by Race in Social Work Students’ Social Distancing,Treatment Options,and Perceptions of Causes of Mental Illness

ABSTRACT

Research has shown that racial and cultural differences are related to the degree of social distancing associated with mental illness, beliefs about what causes mental illness, and what treatment options are best; however, there is little information on how this may manifest in social workers’ perceptions of these issues. This cross-sectional survey analyzed the differences in perceptions by race of 835 students enrolled in social work classes in the United States. Results indicated that individuals who self-identify as African American/Black expressed the greatest social distance concerning mental illness. Whites were most likely to endorse the use of medication and were least likely to normalize mental illness. The most frequently endorsed mental health provider varied according to racial/ethnic groups. Our findings show that future research may be needed to further investigate the conceptualization of the role of social work among different groups. The need for self-reflection and keeping biases in check are discussed as implications for social work practice and education. Suggestions for working with diverse clients, including religious diversity, are offered as well.     

Innovation Awareness and Social Responsibility in Social Science Studies: A Survey of the Symposium on Social Sciences and Social Problems in Contemporary China

Since adopting a policy of reform and opening, Chinese society has seen tremendous changes. What opportunities does this social reality bring to social science? How may to social science serve it? Studying these     

The Power of Learning and Men’s Stories in Engaging Abusive Men in the Change Process: Qualitative Study Across Programs

This study draws upon input from facilitators (n = 8) and a sample of men who committed acts of domestic abuse (n = 14) from two urban programs. A key finding of the research was that “learning things and motivation to learn” was an important factor keeping men engaged in treatment. Men also reported that hearing other mens’ stories was a motivator for change. These findings validated the importance of open-ended groups with an educational format. They also suggest that men already in treatment can be of value to others just beginning the treatment process by sharing their stories of change.     

The Trans-Theoretical Model of Change: A Reliable Blueprint for Assessment in Work with Children and Families?

Correspondence to John Corden, 1 Brockfield Road, Huntington, York YO31 9DX, UK. Email: John_Corden{at}msn.com Summary In this paper, the authors consider the promotion of Prochaskaand DiClemente’s transtheoretical model of change (theTTM) to the assessment of parenting capacity, within the literaturewhich supports the Framework for Assessment. A number of criticismsof the model, originating from within its original area of applicationare reviewed, and considered in the context of the assessmentof parenting. The authors go on to raise certain questions aboutthe validity of transferring this model from the field of addictivebehaviours to that of parenting and child protection.