Reunifying Families Affected by Maternal Substance Abuse: Consumer and Service Provider Perspectives on the Obstacles and the Need for Change

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study which examined the views of chemically dependent mothers, child welfare service providers and substance abuse service providers regarding the obstacles to family reunification and recommendations for change. Implications for practice, policy and research are discussed, with special reference to the mandates of the Adoption and Safe Families Act.     

Reconceptualizing Substance Abuse Treatment in Therapeutic Communities: Resiliency Theory and the Role of Social Work Practitioners

ABSTRACT

Although therapeutic communities (TC) have achieved promising results in the treatment of substance abusers, several areas have been identified which might further enhance TC treatment effectiveness. Two of these, resiliency theory and the role of social work practitioners, are discussed. Resiliency theory provides a framework for re-conceptualizing interventions as they apply to therapeutic communities. Resiliency is explicated and illustrated via a case study of a therapeutic community TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers), a non-profit TC in Durham, North Carolina. A number of contributions that social work practitioners can make to TCs are described.     

Child Sexual Abuse,Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,and Substance Use: Predictors of Revictimization in Adult Sexual Assault Survivors

This study examined the unique effects of child sexual abuse simultaneously with post-traumatic stress disorder symptom clusters, problem drinking, and illicit drug use in relation to sexual revictimization in a community sample of female adult sexual assault victims. Participants (N?=?555) completed two surveys a year apart. Child sexual abuse predicted more post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in adult sexual assault victims. Post-traumatic stress disorder numbing symptoms directly predicted revictimization, whereas other post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (reexperiencing, avoidance, and arousal) were related to problem drinking, which in turn predicted revictimization. Thus, numbing symptoms and problem drinking may be independent risk factors for sexual revictimization in adult sexual assault victims, particularly for women with a history of childhood sexual abuse.     

Differences in Perceptions of Child Sexual Abuse Based on Perpetrator Age and Respondent Gender

Child sexual abuse changes the lives of countless children. Child sexual abuse victims experience short and long term negative outcomes that affect their daily functioning. In this study, undergraduate students' perceptions of CSA were obtained using vignettes with an adult or child perpetrator and a general questionnaire. Results indicated participants receiving the child-on-child vignette were less likely to rate the vignette as abuse, saw the abuse as less severe, and assigned less blame to the perpetrator than participants reading the adult-on-child vignette. On a general questionnaire, male participants saw child-on-child abuse as less severe and more encouraged by society than did female participants. The information can be utilized by professionals in treatment planning and preventing revictimization at disclosure.     

Processes Employed by Social Work Practitioners in Child Welfare for Exchanging and Using Knowledge

Organisations in the health and social services sector expend a considerable amount of energy promoting the implementation of better practices and research data use in their establishments. In the field of social work, several studies suggest that social work practitioners do not make great use of scientific knowledge and tend to favour knowledge acquired from their colleagues or through their own occupational experience. However, interactions between types of knowledge are rarely analyzed in explanations proposed by the scientific literature. Based on research conducted with social work practitioners in child welfare, this article discusses the different ways that they acquire knowledge.     

Perceptions of Child Sexual Abuse in a Hypothetical Cybersexploitation Case: The Importance of Perpetrator Honesty,Outcome Type,and Respondent Gender

This study investigated perceptions of child sexual abuse in a hypothetical cybersexploitation case. Men were predicted to be more negative toward the victim than were women. Victims were predicted to be more negatively judged when they consented to sex than when they did not and when they were lied to than when they were not. Two hundred and seventy-six respondents read a sexual abuse depiction in which the perpetrator's disclosure about his age (being honest from the outset, lying, or refusing to disclose when questioned) and the final outcome of the meeting (consensual verses nonconsensual sexual intercourse) were varied between subjects. Respondents then completed a 17-item attribution scale. ANOVAs revealed broad support for the predictions. Results have implications for education about cybercrime.     

Perceptions of Blame and Credibility Toward Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Differences Across Victim Age,Victim-Perpetrator Relationship,and Respondent Gender in a Depicted Case

This study investigated victim culpability, credibility, and assault severity in a hypothetical sexual abuse case. A 2 (respondent gender)?×?3 (victim age)?×?3 (perpetrator type) between-subjects design was employed. Members (391) of the U.K. general public read the depiction of a female child assaulted by an adult male perpetrator. Respondents then completed an attributions questionnaire. Findings showed that male respondents were less positive toward victims and considered the victim less credible than female respondents. Younger victims (aged five years) were considered more credible than older children (aged 15 years). Victims of strangers were considered more positively and more credible than victims of someone known to them (their father or a family friend). Suggestions for future work are proposed.     

A Survey of Problematic Sexualized Behaviors of Children in the New York City Child Welfare System: Estimates of Problem,Impact on Services,and Need for Training

ABSTRACT

Forty-eight of 52 (92%) agencies contracted with the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS) responded to a survey about problematic sexualized behaviors (PSB) of children in different levels of care within the child welfare system. Results revealed that almost all agencies reported PSB within their foster boarding home and residential treatment centers. A majority of agencies perceived PSB to be a significant problem for which staff and families were not sufficiently trained. These findings highlight many avenues for advocacy, clinical intervention, and staff development.     

Qualitative Study on the Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: Perspectives of Children,Caregivers, and Professionals in Indian Context

ABSTRACT

With an alarming increase in reported cases of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) in India, the present study was conceived in an attempt to unearth the impact of CSA from the perspective of children, their caregivers, and the professionals dealing with them using qualitative research methodology. The secondary objective of the study was to discuss the clinical implications of the obtained findings for conducting culturally sensitive psychological assessment and intervention for CSA in India. Thus, in-depth interviews with 11 children and 7 Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) with 21 caregivers and 27 professionals were conducted. A total of 59 sample participants were recruited, and a thematic analysis was done. Six broad themes were identified from 223 generated codes-impact on behavioral, emotional, cognitive functioning and academics, psychopathology, biological, and social functioning. Four essential recommendations were concluded from the study, i.e., multidimensional impact assessment as a mandatory clinical practice, developing and utilizing culturally sensitive assessment & intervention protocols, incorporation of family-focused approach and multidisciplinary treatment team approach to ensure the holistic well-being of each chilsd in India.