Redefining Success: A Qualitative Investigation of Therapeutic Outcomes for Noncompleting Drug Court Clients

ABSTRACT

Utilizing a convenience sample from a drug court program, the authors investigated the benefits of treatment for noncompleting drug court clients (n = 30). Using an as-treated design, the qualitative investigation assessed whether noncompleters received any benefit from their drug court experience. In-depth interviews were conducted to determine both benefits gained and reductions in harm that occurred as a result of drug court participation. Data analysis was guided by the grounded theory method. Outcomes of coding indicated that participants' motivation and self-efficacy were enhanced through the intervention. Further, participants reported that their relationships with family, therapists, or peers were improved as a result of their involvement with drug court. Individuals in the study sample reported abstinence or decreased substance use, as well as improvements in employment and/or educational attainment. Participants’ perceptions of barriers to program completion were also noted. Study outcomes suggest that expansion of a harm reduction approach in social service practice may have utility for drug-abusing populations. Limitations of the research, including lack of generalizability, are discussed. Further research of harm reduction effects with a larger, heterogeneous sample size is recommended.     

The impact of familism on future care planning for Korean parents caring for their children living with disabilities

ABSTRACT

Future care provision is a pervasive concern of parents with children living with disabilities. This article aims to provide an overview of the impact of familism on future care planning for Korean parents. For this qualitative study, data were collected using semi-structured interviews with parents (n = 9) and professionals (n = 9). Using conventional analysis, the study revealed there is strong emphasis on familial care with minimal governmental service provision and intervention; ultimately, this has a negative impact on the planning process. In support of the planning process taking its place as a standard phase of caring, a number of recommendations are made.     

An Ecological Systems Comparison Between Homeless Sexual Minority Youths and Homeless Heterosexual Youths

ABSTRACT

This study examined risk and protective outcomes by comparing homeless sexual minority youths to heterosexual homeless youths regarding family, peer behaviors, school, mental health, stigma, discrimination, substance use, and sexual risk behaviors. Structured interviews (N = 147) were conducted with individuals aged 16 to 24 years old in Toronto. Bivariate analyses indicated statistically significant differences between homeless sexual minorities (n = 66) and their heterosexual counterparts (n = 81) regarding all variables: family, peer behaviors, stigma, discrimination, mental health, substance use, and sexual risk behaviors, with the exception of school belonging. Implications for future research are suggested.     

Promoting Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem for Multiethnic Sexual Minority Youth: An Evidence-Informed Intervention

ABSTRACT

Sexual minority youth face multiple challenges, yet research regarding evidence-informed practice strategies for this population is limited. This study describes the pilot efforts of Strengths First, the first strengths-based intervention created specifically to promote self-esteem and self-efficacy among multiethnic sexual minority youth. A pretest–posttest design was used to gather preliminary data from program participants (n = 162) about the potential effectiveness of the program during a 2-year period that ranged from the inception of the program in June 2008 to September 2010. Significant increases in self-esteem and self-efficacy were found. Implications for social service research and practice are discussed.     

Validating a Korean Version of the Drug Abuse Screening Test-10 (DAST-10)

ABSTRACT

There are no screening instruments for adults in the Korean language that are specific to drugs other than alcohol and tobacco. The purpose of this study is to validate the Korean version of the Drug Abuse Screening Test-10 (DAST-10). The Korean version of the DAST-10 was validated with 1,000 adults including general adults and at-risk adults. The results indicated that the Korean version of the DAST-10 was unidimensional similar to its English-language counterpart and showed satisfactory internal consistency reliability and convergent validity. The results also showed that the Korean version demonstrated optimal performance at a cutoff score of 2, which is the same as that of its English-language counterpart. It is expected that as the development of Korean-language instruments measuring alcohol problems contributes to the expansion of related research, the development of the Korean version of the DAST-10 will facilitate research on various topics related to substance abuse in Korea. Validation with Korean adults identified as substance abusers is needed to improve the ability of the Korean version to correctly identify substance-abusing adults.     

Do Marginalized Youth Experience Strengths in Strengths-Based Interventions? Unpacking Program Acceptability through Two Interventions for Sexual and Gender Minority Youth

ABSTRACT

Strengths-based interventions have potential to improve the wellbeing of sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY). This study examined the youth program acceptability of two strengths-based programs tailored for SGMY: ASSET (group counseling), and strengths first (SF) (care coordination). A mixed-methods approach was applied to secondary data extracted from client files (n = 247). Most participants were aged 15–18 (89%). Gender identities included woman (66%), man (30%), and transgender (<1%). Sexual orientations included bisexual (32%), lesbian (26%), gay (23%), and queer/pansexual (14%). Most participants identified as White, Hispanic (47%), Black, Non-Hispanic (17%), and Hispanic, No other race (19%). Program acceptability was measured using the 11-item Youth Acceptability and Strengths Scale. Quantitative analyses indicate program acceptability was high for SGMY participants and did not significantly differ across program type, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnoracial identity. There were no differences between strengths enhancement or client satisfaction between intervention types. Compared to group counseling, care coordination significantly increased problem-solving skills. Qualitative analysis identified that strengths-based interventions provided: (a) social support; (b) community; (c) confidence; and (d) positive mentors. Findings demonstrate the acceptability of strengths-based programming for SGMY. Strategies are provided to incorporate intervention program acceptability, yet future research is needed to explore youth acceptability.     

Understanding Children and Adolescents’ Victimizations at Multiple Levels: An Ecological Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT

This article examines children and adolescent exposure to violence in various contexts. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify the definitions and types of violence reported in studies on victimization using the ecological systems framework. Sources included research studies and/or reports from scholarly journals (n = 140), books (n = 9), conferences/workshops (n = 5), and Web sources, such as Uniform Crime Reports (n = 23). The findings indicated that research differed in terminologies, conceptual and operational definitions, sample sizes, and age group classification for children and adolescents. Furthermore, studies lacked focus on the co-occurrence and interrelatedness of victimization and how these factors might affect the outcomes. Many studies employed a cross-sectional design, which limits strong conclusions about the temporal order of victimization experiences and outcomes. Future research efforts need more consistency among researchers in conceptual and operational definitions and the use of more rigorous designs. Increased holistic assessments are critical for effective prevention and intervention strategies for at-risk children and adolescents.     

Clinical Home Visitation for Children With Externalizing Disorders: A Randomized Study

ABSTRACT

Clinical home visitation (CHV) was empirically tested in a randomized study to determine if it could reduce a child's externalizing behaviors while alleviating parental stress. Clinic-referred waitlisted young children (n = 33) with symptoms suggesting an externalizing disorder were randomly offered a CHV intervention composed of a developmentally guided dyadic-centered syllabus. Families were recruited to participate in an experimental (n = 21) or control group (n = 12). Mothers completed the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and the Child Behavior Checklist. Results of paired-samples t-tests indicated that postintervention aggression scores were significantly different from the pretest scores for the entire sample. The Difficult Child domain was the only significant PSI subscale. The results did not support definitive conclusions about CHV as an effective intervention to reduce an externalizing disorder or to alleviate parenting stress. Future research should include larger numbers of children with externalizing disorders pooled from the clinic-referred and community samples. To address the complexities involved in treating externalizing disorders, CHV could be offered as part of a multimodal intervention (e.g., CHV combined with parent and family education).     

Engaging on the ‘front line’: exploring how family support teams construct meaning in their work with young mothers

This paper explores the provision of family support services for young mothers within a Sure Start Children's Centre, drawing on data collected within a larger study. It identifies how the family support team attempted to build supportive relationships with young mothers between the ages of 16 and 19 years. The findings presented here draw on narrative interviews (n = 10) and focus group interviews (n = 2) with the family support team that included early years workers, family support workers and their managers. The findings captured how the participants actively resisted the stigma (Goffman 1963) of teenage motherhood in order to support young mothers in gaining the necessary skills and knowledge to care for their child. Drawing on the findings, this paper argues that the building of a supportive relationship enables a young mother to construct positive counter‐narratives about her parenting experience. This suggests that the family \to offer informal early support to young mothers who are at risk of more formal intervention. However, the complexity of this task should not be underestimated because in doing this, the family support team must at all times ensure the well‐being and safety of the child.     

Suicide Prevention Training Program for Gatekeepers Working in Community Hospice Settings

Gatekeepers in community hospice settings encounter patients and caregivers struggling with suicidal thoughts. Limited guidance is available for training staff on the prevention of suicide in hospice care. This study evaluated one promising, evidence-based, suicide prevention program with a behavioral rehearsal practice session. A pre- and post-, one group design, was utilized to measure the training impact and educational needs of staff working in community hospice settings (N =39). Training increased awareness of the risk factors for suicide, as reported by nearly 80% of participants. Self-efficacy scores showed a statistically significant Increase, t(df = 35), ?9.59, p= .00 (two-tailed), from pretraining (n=36, M=2.21, SD= .65) to posttraining (n=36, M=3.03, SD=.56). Satisfaction and the need for additional devoted time for suicide prevention training were highly rated. Suicide prevention training programs can enhance self-efficacy, knowledge, and skills for gatekeepers working in community hospice settings.     

Functional Independence of Community-Dwelling Older Adults in China and South Korea

ABSTRACT

Population aging is occurring at an unprecedented pace in China and South Korea. This study intended to identify and compare factors associated with older adults’ functional status in China and South Korea using data from 2 national surveys. The study sample consisted of adults aged 65 to 79 years old drawn from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (2005; n = 4,898) and the Korean Longitudinal Study on Aging (2006; n = 4,152). The outcome variable, functional status, was defined as dependence in self-care tasks. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to assess the explanatory contributions of sociodemographics, health conditions, and health behaviors and activities to functional status. These Asian older adults shared certain commonalities in maintaining functional independence in their communities, and absence of diseases and higher cognition were associated with functional independence in both countries. Rural residence and outdoor activity were significant for Chinese older adults; for their South Korean peers, gender, employment status, drinking, and exercise were important. This study adds to a slowly growing body of knowledge of ways to improve the functional independence of community-dwelling older persons in these 2 Asian countries and beyond. More research is needed to identify cross-cultural and/or cross-country differences.     

Jean Valjean Bank in Korea: an innovative approach to poor defendants sentenced to pay fines

ABSTRACT

This study aims to introduce Jean Valjean Bank in South Korea which is an innovative approach supporting poor defendants who cannot pay fines and accordingly are imprisoned. In Korea, it is reported that we have more than 40,000 Jean Valjeans annually. As a civil movement against the unfair criminal justice system, a non-governmental organisation Human Rights Solidarity (Inkwon Yondae in Korean) opened Jean Valjean Bank in 2015. Jean Valjean Bank targets poor defendants who are not able to pay fines and who are confined to prison because of non-payment of fines. As of December 2017, the Bank has loaned KRW1,024 million to 545 persons with an average loan per participant of KRW1,879,700. The Bank reported that, among the receivers, 84 persons completed redemption and 277 persons are redeeming loans to the Bank. This study concludes with implications for reforms in criminal justice system in Korea.     

Using Photovoice to Identify Service Needs of Older African American Methadone Clients

ABSTRACT

This article presents findings from a photovoice project designed to identify service needs of older-adult African American methadone clients, as well as their current barriers to and supports for abstinence. The project involved 10 participants (aged 53 to 63 years old) recruited from a methadone maintenance program in a large Northeastern U.S. city. Thematic analysis techniques were used to analyze participants’ narratives of their pictures. Transportation emerged as a significant challenge to accessing services, and caregiving was a motivation for remaining abstinent. Future research should use similar participatory methods and engage a broader group of aging people struggling with substance abuse.     

Head Start,Prekindergarten, and Academic School Readiness: A Comparison Among Regions in the United States

ABSTRACT

Child care programs (including Head Start, prekindergarten [pre-K], and other center-based care) can differ, with patterns of use based on their location. Yet little research has examined how Head Start and pre-K programs affect children's academic school readiness, including vocabulary and reading skills at school entry, in the South as compared to other regions. To examine this further, secondary data (n = 2,803) collected in the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study were examined. Overall findings suggest, regardless of region, that Head Start and pre-K participants had higher academic skills at school entry than did their counterparts. In addition, when Head Start was compared to other center-based care and pre-K was compared to other care arrangements, both had larger effects on improving academic skills in the South compared with in other regions. These findings imply that Head Start and pre-K programs should target children who otherwise would receive nonparental non-center-based care. Future research should focus on why the effects of Head Start and pre-K vary between the South and other regions.     

Readiness for independent living of youth in residential childcare: A comparative study

Transition to adulthood is an accelerated and early process for care leavers that requires intensive preparation, training and support from child welfare services. This study aimed to explore the perceived readiness for independent living of a group of care-experienced young people preparing for leaving care in Spain and to compare it with the perceptions of their peers from the general population. A sample of 508 youth (50% women) aged 14–21 (M = 16.67; SD = 1.72) took part, of whom 279 were care experienced and 229 belonged to the general population in Spain. Participants' independent living skills, personal autonomy, self-efficacy and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed through an online survey using standardized instruments. Care-experienced young people displayed higher levels of life skills and autonomy in self-care, daily living at home and employment domains, but not related to making daily arrangements in their community. However, their educational level and self-efficacy levels were lower than in the comparison group. Work experience stood out as a significant predictor of care-experienced young people's life skills level. These findings support the importance of assessing life skills as an outcome of leaving care preparation services and providing care-experienced young people with real-life experiences to develop their life skills.     

Depression Among Korean Immigrant Elders Living in Canada and the United States: A Comparative Study

Korean immigrant elders in North America experience a high level of depression. This study explored the correlates of depression among a sample of 245 Korean immigrant elders living in metropolitan cities in Canada (n = 128) and a southwestern state in the United States (n = 117), using a stress-coping framework. Results revealed discrepancies between the 2 subgroups. Years since immigration and number of health concerns were positively associated, and English proficiency was negatively associated with depressive symptoms among Korean immigrant elders in the United States; only health status was significant among Korean immigrant elders in Canada. Implications of the study are presented.     

Effects of a Solution-Focused Program on the Reduction of Aggressiveness and the Improvement of Social Readjustment for Korean Youth Probationers

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this investigation was to explore appropriate intervention methods for helping Korean youth probationers reduce their aggressiveness and increase their social adjustment. This study examined the effectiveness of solution-focused group treatment with Korean youth probationers using a pre- and post-test control group design. The researcher randomly assigned the consented 40 participants either to an experimental group that received the solution-focused session or to a control group that took individual supportive sessions on a needed basis. The pre- and post-test scores of each group were compared using the Aggressiveness and Social Readjustment Questionnaire to confirm the levels of statistical significance between the two groups. Results indicate that solution-focused group treatment was followed by positive changes with the participants' aggressiveness and social adjustment problems. This study also suggests that a solution-focused program is an appropriate short-term intervention for Korean probation youth.     

Practice Evaluation of Community Initiatives for Social Service Delivery in a Deprived Neighborhood in Scotland

ABSTRACT

Improving social service in local communities is a complex undertaking. Over the past few decades, the performance and sustainability of community initiatives have been questioned, while such factors as a lack of funding, insufficient community involvement, unsatisfactory community service, and lack of awareness of the impact of community initiatives have restricted community development. From a case study of community operations in Scotland, this article provides insights into how social service delivery is organized in the absence of public capital. This study utilized data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with a sample of 76 participants from a deprived area in Scotland, including community management team members (n = 6), local residents (n = 52) and community partners (n = 18). The findings illustrated how participants of all ages, local organizations, policy makers, funders and media came together to create a cohesive and responsive community environment. Residents' needs and funders' demands were identified. Results further revealed that a Community Partnership Mechanism helped strengthen the social service network and create flexible social services. Service benefits included improved resident wellbeing in the context of less government intervention. Future implications include suggestions for government and other stakeholders involved in community reform to focus on service recipient skill building and tracking changes between the indicators and service provision.     

Resisting your good intentions: substance‐misusing parents and early intervention to support and monitor children in need

Children from substance‐misusing families face elevated risks in growing up well and safe. Early intervention is an opportunity for local authorities to offer support and keep a watching brief on children's welfare. However, the basis upon which agencies voluntarily engage with families in advance of major problems becoming evident is far from straightforward. This qualitative pilot study in Scotland followed professional decision‐making over 6 months (n = 20 professionals) with a small number of families (n = 6) defined as in need of supportive intervention. This support was allied with an intention to monitor the family situation, which, in these data, appeared to affect the willingness of families to engage with services. As services sought to increase their voluntary oversight, sometimes by threatening escalating involvement, so families by various means appeared to resist it. Successful early intervention is reliant on voluntary family participation and thus requires close attention to means of positive and motivated parental engagement to disarm resistance.