Exploring gender and elder abuse from the perspective of professionals

We conducted an online survey of professionals working in two Canadian provinces to learn about their knowledge of elder abuse from a gender-based perspective. A total of 169 professionals (90% women) completed a survey in either French or English. Five topic areas emerged from the analysis: the influence of gender on the risk of abuse; types of abuse detected; knowledge gaps; capacity to respond to gender-based abuse; and awareness of resources. To gain further insight into these results, we conducted three focus groups with a total of 24 professionals. Professionals held relatively little recognition of, or knowledge about, gender related to elder abuse. Our results indicate the need to develop educational and awareness raising opportunities for professionals who work with abused older adults in both French and English to identify and respond to the unique needs of older women and men.     

Enhancing Health-Conscious Behaviors Among Clients in Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

The physical health of substance abuse clients significantly deteriorates because of the client’s prolonged abuse of alcohol and other drugs and accompanying behaviors. The purposes of this study are (a) to understand how substance abuse clinicians think about the health needs of their clients, (b) to identify the mechanisms through which clinicians seek to enhance health-conscious behaviors among their clients, and (c) to identify how substance abuse clinicians view their role in enhancing health-conscious behaviors among their clients. A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth, semistructured interviews with substance abuse clinicians (N = 16) from 4 substance abuse treatment centers. Using the theory of planned behavior as a framework for understanding the promotion of health-conscious behaviors in substance abuse treatment, the findings suggest that substance abuse clinicians are capable of enhancing health-conscious behaviors among clients in substance abuse programs.     

A Follow-up Study of Homeless Women

This article presents an in-depth analysis of the changes observed in 25 homeless women with drug and alcohol abuse problems participating in a case management program. Participation in the program ranged from 6 to 44 months. Thirty-two percent of all participants’ situations were considered to have improved, while 20% remained stable. Less improvement was noted in the situations of women followed for 3 years or more (14.3% improved, 28.6% stable). Domains showing the most improvement were housing, financial situation, and substance abuse. Deterioration was primarily attributable to physical and mental health problems. These findings could indicate that although a case management program can initially contribute to improving the living conditions of its clients, acquisitions are difficult to maintain over an extended period. Health and substance abuse play a crucial role in the deterioration process.     

Culturally Competent Substance Abuse Treatment for Asian/Pacific Islander Women

Summary

In response to the urgent need for substance abuse treatment among pregnant and postpartum Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI) women, heath care and social service providers in a rural community of Hawaii established a culturally based, women-centered residential treatment program. The program was designed to address barriers that often prevent A/PI women from engaging and completing treatment. Treatment included Hawaiian healing practices or deep cultural therapy, provision for newborns to live with their mothers, infant health-care services, parent education, and infant-mother bonding guided by kupu-na (elders) of the community.

Analysis of twenty-one in-depth interviews revealed factors that A/ PI women participants found vital to their treatment process: having their children with them in a non-punitive, mutually respectful treatment milieu; working with consistent, competent residential staff and culturally-sensitive interdisciplinary professionals; and involvement in a range of substance abuse interventions, including cultural healing practices.

Findings underscore the importance of learning about and affirming women's lived-experiences and cultural contexts in the development of culturally competent practice models, interventions, research procedures, and policies that focus on the complex needs of chemically dependent pregnant and parenting women (Brindis & Theidon, 1997).     

The Gender Gap in Attitudes About Childlessness in the United States

Acceptance of childlessness has increased since the 1970s, with women reporting greater acceptance than men. Using the National Survey of Families and Households (1987 – 1988; N = 10,648) and the General Social Survey (1994; N =1,395), we examined this gender gap as it relates to both structural and sociocultural factors, including religion, gender attitudes, and other attitudes about gender and family. Women were more likely than men to hold positive attitudes about childlessness, and women’s less traditional attitudes about marriage, gender equality, and women’s employment only partially explained this difference. In the childbearing ages, positive attitudes were strongly related to intentions to remain childless and showed a greater gender gap at higher education levels. The findings highlight important differences in men’s and women’s experiences of family, work, and gender issues.     

Beliefs and Behaviors of Pregnant Women with Addictions Awaiting Treatment Initiation

Substance use during pregnancy poses clear risks to children’s healthy development. However, women with addictions face unique barriers to accessing substance abuse treatment and often delay or avoid treatment seeking. The objective of this study was to examine women’s beliefs about the impact of use on the developing baby and to examine the protective behaviors that women with addictions engage in during the period of time between when they first find out they are pregnant and when they begin substance abuse treatment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 women who were either pregnant or postpartum and who had used illicit substances during pregnancy. All participants were currently receiving inpatient substance abuse treatment services to address their addiction and were asked to retrospectively report on their experiences. Interviews were transcribed, imported into a qualitative data analysis software, and iteratively coded for themes. Women reported being concerned about the impact of substance use on the developing baby, in particular, about the physical and long-term developmental consequences of prenatal exposure. Given these concerns, women described trying to protect the baby from harm on their own, outside of accessing traditional treatment services. They sought information anonymously, increased their engagement in health-promoting behaviors, and decreased their use of alcohol and other drugs. The results suggest that women who use alcohol and other drugs during pregnancy are often motivated to protect their baby from harm and are engaging in harm reduction behaviors prior to accessing treatment services.     

Why do children placed out-of-home because of parental substance abuse have less mental health problems than children placed for other reasons?

The purpose of this paper was to compare children placed out-of-home because of parental substance abuse (PSA) with children placed for other reasons (NPSA), and to explore the association between PSA and mental health problems in a Norwegian sample of 6- to 12-year-old children in out-of-home care (N = 109). Several group differences were found related to the children themselves, their families and the Child Welfare case. The PSA children had less total difficulties, conduct problems and emotional problems than the NPSA children assessed by the teachers on the Revised Rutter Scale. However, both groups had far more mental health problems than children in general. The most important variable explaining the group difference in all subgroups of mental health problems was the extent of prosocial behavior in the children, but being placed for behavioral problems also explained a significant part of total difficulties and conduct problems. Variables like gender, discipline problems and socioeconomic conditions did not have a significant effect. The conclusion of the study was that prosocial behavior might be regarded as an important protective factor against mental health problems, which is an argument for investing in programs focusing on enhancing the placed children's mastering strategies.     

Gender differences in client–provider relationship as active ingredient in substance abuse treatment

The client–provider relationship is increasingly evaluated as an active ingredient in the delivery of substance abuse treatment services. This study examines gender differences in client–provider relationship as an important treatment ingredient affecting retention in treatment and reduced post-treatment substance use. The study uses data collected for the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (NTIES), a prospective, cohort study of U.S. substance abuse treatment programs and their clients. Data on individual characteristics were collected at the pre-treatment interview; on client–provider relationship and services received at treatment exit; and on post-treatment drug use at 12 months post-treatment. The analytic sample consists of 3027 clients from 59 service delivery units (1922 men and 1105 women). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the structural relations and causal connections between relationship and service variables and treatment outcome variables. Results indicate that a positive client–provider relationship is related directly to longer duration and reduced post-treatment drug use for the total sample and for men analyzed separately. For women, a positive client–provider relationship was related directly to treatment duration and only indirectly to reduced post-treatment drug use. The findings point to the significance of including client–provider relationship in service delivery models – both as a therapeutic element as well as an element facilitative of matching services to specific client needs.     

Index of Volume 4, 2002

This article links a theoretical debate within poststructural feminisms – whether feminist politics can be pursued without hegemonic representations of women and gender – to the practice of transnational feminist organizing in the World Conference against Racism (WCAR) in Durban in 2001. It goes beyond the traditional analysis of ‘adding’ gender to a mega world conference and asks the critical question of what

gender signifies in this instance of UN politics. The article argues that feminists’ strategic use of the concept of ‘gender as intersectionality’ marks a paradigm shift from the predominant monolithic representation of gender as women, being equal to or different from men, in international human rights frameworks. It puts the issue of diversity among women at the forefront of the intergovernmental WCAR. Far from entailing an abandonment of feminist politics, as some poststructuralist feminists have suggested, it is argued that opening up ‘gender’ for unlimited signification in

the case of WCAR marks the beginning of a new phase of transnational feminist mobilization.     

Training Mental Health Professionals in Child Sexual Abuse: Curricular Guidelines

This study explored whether counseling practices with women survivors of child sexual abuse reflect the belief that women do not sexually abuse children. Canadian therapists (n?=?164) who work with women survivors of child sexual abuse were surveyed about their beliefs about what constitutes child sexual abuse, who commits child sexual abuse, and their practices regarding inquiries about abusive behavior. A majority self-reported that they ask women and think it is important to ask but most believe that clients will not spontaneously self-disclose inappropriate sexual thoughts or behaviors. How broadly or narrowly therapists defined child sexual abuse was not related to self-reported therapeutic discussion. Therapists demonstrated differential gender beliefs about child sexual abuse perpetration, but this did not relate to self-reported counseling practices. Implications for therapist education are discussed.     

Socioeconomic resources,gender traditionalism,and wife abuse in urban Russian couples

Until recently, Soviet data restrictions led to limited knowledge about wife abuse in Russia. This study adds to emerging research on Russian domestic violence by testing hypotheses derived from resource theory on the effects on wife abuse of husband's absolute resources versus spouses’ relative resources. Analysis of data from the 1996 National Survey of Russian Marriages (N= 664) shows support only for the influence of husband's absolute socioeconomic resources (education, employment status, and occupational rank). As in U.S. studies, intergenerational patterns of wife abuse and husband's alcohol use have notable effects on wife abuse. The findings suggest that although resource theory may partly explain wife abuse in urban Russia, spouses’ relative resources and husband's gender traditionalism currently have little influence.     

A follow-up study of homeless women

This article presents an in-depth analysis of the changes observed in 25 homeless women with drug and alcohol abuse problems participating in a case management program. Participation in the program ranged from 6 to 44 months. Thirty-two percent of all participants' situations were considered to have improved, while 20% remained stable. Less improvement was noted in the situations of women followed for 3 years or more (14.3% improved, 28.6% stable). Domains showing the most improvement were housing, financial situation, and substance abuse. Deterioration was primarily attributable to physical and mental health problems. These findings could indicate that although a case management program can initially contribute to improving the living conditions of its clients, acquisitions are difficult to maintain over an extended period. Health and substance abuse play a crucial role in the deterioration process.     

The impact of mental health issues, substance use, and exposure to victimization on pregnancy rates among a sample of youth with past-year foster care placement

The purpose of this study is to (1) compare youth entering substance abuse treatment with and without a history of foster care placement to determine any differences in mental health, substance use, and exposure to victimization, and (2) determine if mental health, substance use, and/or exposure to victimization predict past pregnancy among the sample with a history of foster care placement. The pooled dataset consisted of 17,124 adolescents (12-17 years of age) who completed the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs at intake for substance abuse treatment in 2009. Of these, 366 (2.1%) reported having been in foster care in the past year. When compared with a non-foster care sample, the foster care sample reported significantly higher internal mental distress scores, behavior complexity scores, and general victimization scores, after controlling for race, gender, and level of care. Problems associated with substance use did not differ between groups, though regular tobacco use was present at a higher rate in the foster care sample. Multivariate logistic regression results revealed that, within the foster care sample, internal mental distress and gender predicted past pregnancy. There may be room for intervention within substance abuse treatment centers for youth with a history of foster care, who may be at risk for pregnancy if their levels of internal mental distress are high.     

Appalachian Women’s Use of Substance Abuse Treatment: Examining the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations

The Gelberg–Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations was applied to understand vulnerable Appalachian women’s (N = 400) utilization of addiction treatment. A secondary data analysis included multiple multivariate analyses. The strongest correlates of treatment utilization included ever injecting drugs (OR = 2.77), limited availability of substance abuse treatment facilities (OR = 2.03), and invalidated violence abuse claims (OR = 2.12). This study contributes theory-driven research to the greater social work addiction literature by confirming that vulnerable domains related to substance abuse treatment utilization warrant unique considerations compared to nonvulnerable domains. Findings also highlight the importance of understanding the unique role that cultural factors play in treatment utilization among Appalachian women. Inferences relevant to clinicians and policymakers are discussed.     

The Variable Nature of the Gender Gap in Political Knowledge

ABSTRACT

Previous research demonstrates that long-standing gender gaps in political knowledge are often a function of measurement artifacts. This article examines two potential measurement issues – question content and format – to determine whether gender differences in knowledge are sensitive to decisions we make when choosing and constructing knowledge measures. Using an original survey from the 2014 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES), we demonstrate that, while expected gender differences exist when we ask traditional knowledge questions, these gender gaps are ameliorated when we employ items that measure knowledge about women in politics. We also examine gendered response patterns regarding “don’t know” responses, which can deflate women’s knowledge levels. Finally, we examine the determinants of political knowledge for women and men, and uncover an important role for political interest in shaping women’s knowledge levels. These results suggest that scholars should take steps to create political knowledge measures that can most accurately gauge the political capacities of women and men.     

A Screening,Brief Intervention,and Referral to Treatment Collaborative: Impact for Social Work Students

Screening brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is a clinical intervention empirically linked to reductions in substance usage. However, less is known on how to effectively train social work students on SBIRT. This study examines the impact of a SBIRT training administered to BSW and MSW students (N=228) at the University of Oklahoma. Based on exposure to the training, our evaluation measured changes on students’ objective knowledge of how to perform SBIRT and in attitudes toward practicing with substance users. Results indicated exposure to the training was associated with robust gains across variables and across classes. Such results suggest that the proffered SBIRT training is an effective means to educate social work students on substance abuse practice.     

Implementation of an intimate partner violence screening program in a university health care clinic

Abstract

Objectives: To examine whether an intimate partner violence (IPV) screening program is related to a positive change in health care providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of IPV screening. Participants: Eleven health care providers at a university health care clinic participated in the IPV screening program. Methods: A one-group pretest-posttest design was used to examine whether an IPV screening program was related to a change in health care providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of IPV screening. Results: Findings indicated that there was a significant difference (p?<?000) between the posttest scores and the pretest scores on the Domestic Violence Healthcare Provider Survey Scale. Domain analysis of the scale revealed a significant difference in perceived self-efficacy (p?=?.001), system support (p?=?<.002), victim provider safety (p?=?.015), and beliefs of blaming victims (p?=?<.004). No statistical difference was found in professional role resistance/fear of offending (p?=?.158). Conclusions: A university health care clinic IPV screening program was related to a positive change in health care providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of IPV screening.     

Closing the Need-Service Gap: Gender Differences in Matching Services to Client Needs in Comprehensive Substance Abuse Treatment

Despite the broad recognition in social work that services are more effective when they are tailored to individual client needs, we have only limited evidence of the impact that services matched to client needs have on treatment outcomes. This study examines gender differences in the impact of matched services, access services, and outcome-targeted services on substance abuse treatment outcomes by using data collected from 1992 through 1997 for the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study, a prospective, cohort study of substance abuse treatment programs and clients. The analytic sample consists of 3,027 clients (1,105 women and 1,922 men) who reported needed services from 59 treatment facilities. Findings from the study indicate that overall programs have only limited success in targeting services to client needs, but when they do, receipt of substance abuse counseling and matched services predicts both remaining in treatment and reduced posttreatment substance use for both women and men, but especially for women.     

For Women,Breadwinning Can Be Dangerous: Gendered Resource Theory and Wife Abuse

To explain wife abuse, we offer a refinement of relative resource theory, gendered resource theory, which argues that the effect of relative resources is contingent upon husbands’ gender ideologies. We use data from the first wave of the National Survey of Families and Households (N =4,296) to test three theories of wife abuse. Resource theory receives no support. Relative resource theory receives limited support. Gendered resource theory receives strong support. Wives’ share of relative incomes is positively related to likelihood of abuse only for traditional husbands. The findings suggest that both cultural and structural forces must be considered to understand marriage as a context for social interactions in which we create our gendered selves.