A Framework for Cultivating and Increasing Child Welfare Workers’ Empathy Toward Parents

ABSTRACT

Much emphasis has been placed on child welfare workers’ skills and attributes when working with parents involved in the child welfare system; however, few studies have examined the potential benefits of using an empathic approach to interacting with parents. Child welfare workers may have negative perceptions of parents involved in the child welfare system and might have a tendency to reflect these attitudes and value judgments in their practice. The lack of empathic understanding and communication between workers and parents impacts service implementation and the success of family interventions. Increasing the workers’ ability to empathize with parents can enhance their relationship while increasing parent participation in services and ultimately family reunification. This article will discuss specific ways to cultivate and increase child welfare workers’ empathy for parents by enhancing workers’ emotional response and self/other-awareness, ability to perspective take, emotion regulation, and their ability to make appropriate decisions. Implications for application to practice and training are discussed as is the need for future research to validate the proposed framework for increasing child welfare workers’ empathy toward parents.     

Mindfulness in parenting adolescents:love breeds love,hate breeds hate

ABSTRACT

After several years of intensive parental skills training for parents of adolescents, extra topics were arising that were not covered in the program’s curriculum. Stress, uncertainness, and strong emotions in dealing with adolescents and how to make positive contact were important issues that parents were still concerned about when leaving the group. This article describes the experiences of how extramindful parenting group training was used after the formal parenting skills training group ended. Parents were then learning to listen to the child with full attention, emotional awareness of the self and child, self-regulation in the parenting relationship, and self-compassion.     

Association of Personal Distress With Burnout,Compassion Fatigue,and Compassion Satisfaction Among Clinical Social Workers

ABSTRACT

Studies of empathy and empathy-related responding show that while some people respond to observing the suffering of another with a prosocial concern and urge to help the suffering person, others have an aversive, avoidant response that is primarily self-focused and aimed toward relieving their own distress rather than helping the other person. This self-focused response, labeled personal distress, is associated with various social and psychological problems. This article discusses the concept of personal distress and describes a study of licensed clinical social workers (n = 171) that examines the relationship of personal distress and three other aspects of the empathy construct with compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. Results of ordinary least squares multiple regression analyses indicate that the model of empathy components and control variables explain 20% to 23% of the variance in the dependent variables. Personal distress is the only component of the empathy construct with significant associations with the dependent variables. Higher personal distress is associated with higher compassion fatigue and burnout and lower compassion satisfaction among clinical social workers. Implications for future research and for social work education are discussed.     

Examining fostering readiness in treatment parents

Preservice trainings have the potential to improve treatment parent and youth outcomes, yet researchers have noted the lack of empirical research on the effectiveness of these trainings. Preservice outcomes are typically collected immediately after training completion, with little to no follow‐up assessments at other time points. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal changes treatment parents experience throughout preservice training and after a youth is placed in their home. Secondary data analyses were performed on an archival data set (N = 57) that included demographic information and training participant scores from two standardized measurements that examined their fostering readiness before and after preservice trainings as well as after a youth was placed in the home: Personal Dedication to Fostering Scale and Willingness to Foster Scale. Analyses revealed significant changes for treatment parents' personal dedication to fostering, but no significant changes for their willingness to foster. Treatment parents' fostering readiness scores were compared to a normed sample of foster parents and were found to be significantly higher for their personal dedication scores but not for their willingness to foster. The findings suggest certain treatment parent outcomes may change as a result of preservice training and experience with youth, but additional measurements and outcomes should be examined.     

Experiences of Caregivers in a Dementia Simulation Program

Abstract

Objectives: Simulation-based training has been used in health care to increase clinical knowledge and skills and understanding the experience of others. There is a lack of research in exploring experiences of caregivers of people with dementia in a dementia simulation program and its potential benefits on caregivers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore experiences of caregivers of people with dementia who participated in a dementia simulation program, called Dementia Live?.

Methods: Fourteen caregivers were interviewed after participation in DL, and thematic analysis using NVivo 11 software was used.

Results: Three themes emerged, including: (i) the Dementia Live? as an eye-opening experience; (ii) the perceived benefits of the Dementia Live? on themselves; and (iii) recommendation of the Dementia Live? to other caregivers.

Conclusions: Dementia simulation programs such as the Dementia Live? may help caregivers to have more empathy, understand better about the behaviors and feelings of people with dementia, and to use strategies that can help when working with people with dementia. Further experimental research is needed to examine effectiveness of the dementia simulation program on caregivers and people with dementia.     

Webster‐Stratton Incredible Years Basic Parent Programme (IY) in child care placements: residential staff carers' satisfaction results

The aim of the present study was to investigate residential child care staff satisfaction with their involvement in the Webster‐Stratton Incredible Years Basic Parent Programme (IY). In an exploratory, not randomized study, 27 professionals from two different short‐term Portuguese residential child care centres (IG1, n = 15; IG2; n = 12) completed weekly IY evaluations and an overall satisfaction questionnaire at the end of their participation in the IY intervention. The weekly level of satisfaction was assessed with regard to each of the programme's components (content, DVDs, group leaders, group discussion). At the last session, they filled out a questionnaire aimed to evaluate the levels of satisfaction regarding the programme overall, the teaching format, the group leader(s) and the usefulness of specific educational techniques they learned. Data indicated that residential staff carers were highly satisfied with the weekly sessions and with the overall usefulness of the intervention programme. Results are discussed in terms of implications and future research directions.     

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.     

An investigation of foster parent training needs

The training foster parents receive in America, pass the initial training required to certify them to take children into their homes, is not standardized. The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (H.R. 3443) requires prospective foster parents to be trained, but it provides only general guidelines for the training content. The training offered differs by state. This research examines what a group of foster parents attending a state foster parent association conference felt they needed in the area of training, to help them fulfil their role. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Foster parents were surveyed and ranked their training needs based on 10 pre‐identified needs. They also responded to an open‐ended question about their training needs. Foster parents ranked training to enhance their ability to help the child adjust in their homes and manage challenging behaviours as most needed. The qualitative data suggested that foster parents have additional needs and some are not related to training, such as the need for respite services.     

Children's Anger, Emotional Expressiveness, and Empathy: Relations with Parents' Empathy, Emotional Expressiveness, and Parenting Practices

In Roberts and Strayer (1996 ) we described how emotional factors were strongly related to children's empathy, which in turn strongly predicted prosocial behavior. This paper focuses on how these child emotional factors, assessed across methods and sources, related to parental factors (empathy, emotional expressiveness, encouragement of children's emotional expressiveness, warmth and control) for a subset of 50 two‐parent families from our earlier sample. Parents reported on their emotional characteristics and parenting; children (5 to 13 years old; 42% girls) also described parenting practices. Children's age and parenting factors accounted for an average of 32% of the variance in child emotional factors, which, with role‐taking, strongly predicted children's empathy. In contrast to earlier, less comprehensive studies, we found important paths between parents’ and children's empathy, mediated by children's anger. These countervailing pathways largely neutralized each other, resulting in the low correlations usually seen when parents’ and children's empathy are examined in isolation. Thus our findings are an important confirmation and extension of the theoretically expected link between parents’ and children's empathy.     

Evaluating Group Work within a Summer Camp Intervention for Children and Adolescents with Asthma

Findings suggest that residential camps and group work within camps are highly valued by children and their parents. Children predominantly valued recreational and educational aspects of camp programming whereas parents emphasized appreciation for the safety that a condition-specific camp can offer a child with illness. Within the camp program, group work and peer support were integrally provided along with clinical monitoring and health teaching. A psychoeducational approach was implemented in which group participants engaged in sessions addressing self-care strategies and constructive ways to integrate childhood asthma in daily life. Participants identified the residential camp setting as a promising environment for group work among children and adolescents with asthma. Implications and recommendations are discussed.     

Parents' perceptions of a group‐based parenting programme in families with child protection and other family support services in a real‐life setting

The aim of this study was to assess parents' satisfaction and perceived usefulness of the Incredible Years® (IY®) parenting programme in the Child Protection Services (CPS) context, where children's behaviour problems are common. Evidence‐based programmes are rarely offered in CPS, and little is known about how they are perceived by parents. We compared parents (N = 62) with (N = 43) and without (N = 19) CPS contact regarding their satisfaction with the IY® parenting programme, with information gathered from weekly and final evaluation forms. The attendance rate of parents to the weekly sessions (max 19) was also calculated. Comparisons between CPS and non‐CPS clients were analysed using multilevel models. Satisfaction scores ranged between 5.8 and 6.2 (max 7) for all studied domains. Mean attendance rate to the group sessions was 11.5 (SD 5.9), and 74% of participants attended at least nine out of 19 sessions. No group differences emerged in satisfaction or attendance between CPS and non‐CPS parents. Parents in CPS committed well to the programme and found it as useful as parents without CPS contact. IY® appears to be acceptable to parents involved in CPS, and their engagement to the programme can be considered as reasonably good.     

The Moderating Effect of Living with a Child Before Incarceration on Postrelease Outcomes Related to a Prison-Based Parent Management Training Program

ABSTRACT

With the rapid growth in incarceration in the United States over the past few decades came dramatic growth in the number of the incarcerated parents with at least one minor child. Parental incarceration places extra stresses and strains on families and children. Almost all of those incarcerated will eventually be released. However, the majority of those released from prison will be rearrested within a year. Finding interventions that can decrease the likelihood of returning to crime and to incarceration are of utmost importance. Using a social bond theory framework, the authors examine the moderating effect of living with a child before incarceration on program outcomes related to a prison-based parent management training program. A significant effect was found. Implications for these findings are discussed for future research and practice.     

Tuning in to Teens: Improving Parent Emotion Socialization to Reduce Youth Internalizing Difficulties

Research in child development suggests that parents' emotional competence and emotion socialization practices are related to children's emotional functioning, including child internalizing difficulties. This research has not yet been translated into intervention or prevention programs targeting parents of older children and adolescents. The current study examined the efficacy of the Tuning in to Teens parenting program in improving emotion socialization practices in parents of preadolescents and reducing youth internalizing difficulties. Schools were randomized into intervention and control conditions. Data were collected from 225 parents and 224 youth during the young person's final year of elementary school (sixth grade) and again 10 months later in their first year of secondary school (seventh grade). Multilevel analyses showed significant improvements in parental emotion socialization and reductions in youth internalizing difficulties for the intervention condition. This study provides support for the efficacy of the TINT parenting program with a community sample.     

What does empathy sound like in social work communication? A mixed‐methods study of empathy in child protection social work practice

It is widely accepted that empathy is important for social work practice, yet there are multiple dimensions of empathy and comparatively few studies of empathy as a component of social work skill. To date, published studies have been quantitative, and as a result, we know little about how social workers demonstrate empathy in practice or what skilled empathic practice in child and family social work might sound like. This study contributes to the development of understanding of empathy as a social work skill through a mixed‐methods analysis of 110 audio recordings of meetings in a child protection service between workers and parents, applying a coding framework for analysis. Findings indicate that workers who demonstrate higher levels of empathy skill use more open questions and reflections in their communication with parents. Further, they demonstrate curiosity about and make efforts to understand parents' often difficult experiences, including a focus on emotions. That the majority of workers were found not to demonstrate a high level of empathy skill presents concerns to be considered by the social work profession. A deeper understanding of empathy presents an opportunity for an increased focus in organizations to enable workers to demonstrate empathy towards families they work with.     

Turning Doctoral Students into Faculty in Gerontological Social Work: The AGESW Experience

ABSTRACT

Developing faculty interested in aging may help social work meet the needs of our growing aging population. However, doctoral students need a variety of supports to complete PhDs and become gerontological social work faculty. This study explored one program’s role in supporting the development of social work doctoral students to faculty in gerontology. An e-mail invitation was sent to all former participants (2010–2016 cohorts) of the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGESW) Pre-Dissertation Fellows Program (PDFP). The 38-question online survey consisted of Likert-type scales, multiple answers, and one open-ended question per section about the program’s impacts on their academic career development in teaching, research, mentoring, and support. Forty-five respondents, representing all six cohorts, completed the survey. More than half reported that the PDFP contributed to their ability to publish their research (64.4%, n = 29), grow their professional network (86.7%, n = 39, and teach (55.5%, n = 25). Doctoral programs provided different experiences than the PDFP, including mentoring, methodological training, professional development, networking, and peer support. Results suggest the PDFP provides content recipients value that supplements instruction received in their institutions. The program’s ability to connect students to each other and to national leaders enhances their career development and socialization into academic roles.     

Mutual Aid During a Pandemic: A Group Work Class Example

ABSTRACT

The pandemic of 2020 had faculty pivoting quickly from face-to-face to remote teaching. Many of us had to manage this herculean task with little know-how and within a short time-frame. Best practices were unclear given the highly individualized circumstances in which students were now living. Group work within an educational framework is possible and can help students effectively manage the stresses resulting from sudden crisis situations. The key to group work as practiced by social workers is mutual aid and it was this process that emerged in an online class for undergraduate students. It was not planned yet evolved in large part due to students’ capacity for caring, empathy, and connection.     

Case studies of the families of schizophrenics 1

This case study examines therapeutic mechanisms in the work with the parents of a latency aged child, with child separation anxiety disorder, according to the DSM-5 classification. In this single–case study design, the mechanisms identified are practitioner-researcher’s intervention narratives within a theoretically informed framework that is shaped by the psychodynamic understanding of the causes and treatment for the child separation anxiety disorder. The study evaluates the process and the effectiveness of the practitioner-researcher’s treatment throughout the analysis of 11 sessions with the parents. These intervention narratives modified the often unconscious “aggressive” parental beliefs and attitudes toward the child. They also contributed to the progressive reduction and, finally, extinction of his separation anxiety disorder. The study finally demonstrates that, apart from the intervention on the current relationship dynamics between the parents and the child, parent work involves intervention in the emotional difficulties of the parents as well as intervention focused on the couple relationship problems, especially those that reinforce the separation anxiety of the child. The parents were treated in a Child and Adolescent Community Mental Health Centre in a major urban area in southern Europe, and they consented to the publication of anonymous information of the case.     

The DASH Pilot Project: Developing Community-Based Nutrition Education for Older Adults

ABSTRACT

Nutrition-related chronic health conditions among older adults are a growing concern. In this study, nutrition education materials were created for use in senior centers by graduate nutrition students. After the materials were presented, focus groups were conducted with participants (n = 62) to obtain feedback on the content and presentation. Findings related to the participant’s knowledge of nutrition-related information, strategies to improve future class sessions, and participant recruitment will be discussed. These findings will be useful to program administrators as they develop nutrition programs for older adults who are vulnerable to nutrition-related health problems.     

An Exploratory Analysis of Seven Child Welfare Workers who Confused SIDS with Child Maltreatment Fatalities: A Brief Research Report

Abstract

Previous research shows that child welfare workers (CWWs) have low levels of knowledge of risk factors for child maltreatment fatalities. Further, these gaps in knowledge leave CWWs with misconceptions about causes of deaths and the characteristics of the perpetrators. This brief research report focuses on CWWs’ gaps in knowledge with regard to CMFs and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and explores the socio-demographic characteristics of seven workers who confused fatal child maltreatment and SIDS. These workers were experienced professionals—who were in their middle-age, mid-career, and well-educated—and had been trained in how to recognize risk factors for CMFs. Implications for training and collaboration with other professionals are discussed, as well as the need for research to evaluate training efficacy.     

Noncompletion of Evidence-Based Parent Training: An Empirical Examination Among Families of Children in Foster Care

Child welfare have historically experienced high dropout rates. As evidence-based interventions (EBIs) spread to the child welfare field, treatment noncompletion could interfere with successful outcomes. Using a mixed methods approach, this study investigated the differences between completers and noncompleters, and reasons for treatment noncompletion of an EBI for families of children in foster care. The sample comprised 315 families randomized to receive Parent Management Training, Oregon Model (PMTO). Researchers examined clinicians' discharge notes to explore reasons for noncompletion. Using data collected from a battery of assessments, bivariate logistic regression compared completers and noncompleters on demographics, socioeconomic factors, children's social-emotional functioning, and parents' functioning. About one third of families were noncompleters. Single fathers and parents with lower socioeconomic status were more likely to drop out. By contrast, parents with lower functioning on child behavior and parenting trended toward higher completion rates. Formidable challenges were parental substance abuse and mental illness. Results suggest parent training may require tailoring for specific subgroups and pairing with strategies for enhancing early engagement and reducing treatment barriers. Future research is needed to include parents' views on noncompletion and to more closely examine the influence of specific factors, such as severity of parental mental illness and substance abuse.