Social networks: A village of support for single mothers

The purpose of this study was to expand the literature by investigating the perception of social support by single mothers who sought online support through social media. This study explored sources of social support in single mothers using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) to examine if income, education level, or type of marital status is related to sources of social support among single mothers who utilized online support. The study also investigated statements regarding support from family, friends, and significant others that were ranked highest by single mothers who utilized online support. Results revealed that participants received sufficient amounts of social support from family, friends, and significant others, with income accounting for 12% of the variance in social support subscale scores and no significant differences with regards to education level or type of marital status. Results also indicated that three of the four most strongly rated items on the MSPSS related to social support from friends. This study invites mental health providers and researchers to consider the value and utilization of social media networks for single mothers.     

The school-to-work transition of people with mental handicap in Hong Kong

The purpose of this study was to examine the school-to-work experience of people with mental handicap in Hong Kong. Fourteen young adults with mild mental handicap participated in in-depth interviews. An interview guide was utilized which included topics related to the participants' vocational preferences, work motivation and post-school placements. Data were analyzed according to a constant comparative method and content analysis. Three-quarters of the participants expressed job preferences. Three-quarters of the participants had taken a vocational training program unrelated to their job preferences. Half of the participants who had taken up open employment had not obtained their preferred jobs. None of the participants who had completed vocational training obtained job placements that matched their vocational training programs. All of the participants except five were not involved in making independent decisions regarding employment. The need to improve the quality of vocational services and empower people with mental handicap to take up self-determining roles are discussed.     

The social support. Social dissupport continuum

A person's network embodies "the good, the bad, and the ugly" of all social relationships. The nature of these relationships may be conceptualized as a continuum between social support and social dissupport. Social support, as a product of relationships that facilitate growth, generates self-esteem and assists in assuming appropriate societal roles. Social dissupport represents those relationships that hinder growth and/or promote disintegration. Clinically, nurses either formally or informally assess the degree of social support, but neglect the overall social support/dissupport ratio. The MSNI profiles the person's perception of social support/dissupport on four levels of social relationships and is an efficient instrument in assessing who is in the social network, what is provided, perceived helpfulness, and expectations. Preliminary use of the instrument with parents of the long-term mentally ill, acutely and long-term mentally ill clients, students, and a variety of clients of graduate students enrolled in a crisis intervention course are promising. Thus, nurses must be prepared to confront their clients' perceptions of the professional's role and to modify and adapt those interactions to facilitate goal achievement.     

Social Support and Loss During Adolescence

Abstract

This article describes perceived differences in social support between adolescent boys and girls who have experienced the death of a friend or relative in the last year. The article also evaluates the relative contribution of five sources of social support on adolescent girls' and boys' reports of their self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and disruptive school behavior. Boys and girls do report different levels of social support from different sources. However, the results suggest that the sources of support needed to maintain mental health and school functioning in the face of a loss are the same for boys and girls.     

Social and psychological resources among homeless youth: protection against risk for physical victimization?

ABSTRACT

This study examines child physical abuse, social and psychological resources, and street physical victimization among 150 homeless youth from the Midwest. Path analyses results show that males have higher self-efficacy than females, while older youth and those who experienced less child physical abuse reported higher self-esteem. Self-efficacy and self-esteem were positively associated with social support as was being younger and having experienced less child physical abuse. Younger respondents reported fewer difficulties obtaining basic necessities, and those who had less trouble finding these necessities experienced less street physical victimization. Females, younger youth, and those who experienced less child physical abuse reported lower rates of physical victimization. Agencies should be aware that many youth experiencing homelessness have trouble obtaining basic necessities, which increases risk for victimization. Moreover, the ability to obtain necessities appears to override the influential role of social support, further affirming the foundational importance of agencies helping youth meet their basic needs.     

Strengths of Gay Male Youth: An Untold Story

This exploratory study found that gay male youths develop strengths that enable them to successfully cope with the challenges and stresses associated with their overall development. These internal and external resources were (1) protective in nature, (2) indicated the presence of resilience, and (3) assisted participants in managing their sexual orientation in adolescence. Bivariate analysis revealed participants had positive self-esteem and an internal locus of control comparable to, or better than, youths overall. Age, social support from gay, lesbian, and bisexual friends and from family, and a preadolescent sense of difference were significantly correlated with self-esteem and/or locus of control.     

Linguistic Acculturation and Context on Self-Esteem: Hispanic Youth Between Cultures

Immigrant adolescents must negotiate two cultures: the host culture and their native culture. This study explored how self-esteem is moderated by the effect of linguistic acculturation and context. An ordinary least-squares regression model, controlling for fixed effects, produced results supporting the hypothesis that linguistic acculturation moderates the effect of context on self-esteem. The self-esteem of Hispanic adolescents who were less linguistically acculturated was found to be more favorable when with family than with friends and the reverse was found for the more linguistically acculturated participants. Adolescents in the middle of the linguistic acculturation process had the widest variance in self-esteem between times they were with their families and times in other contexts; they experienced more positive self-esteem with anyone but family. Findings underscore the need to better understand the complex process of linguistic acculturation and its effects on self-esteem. This research also demonstrates the practical utility of a fixed-effects model for reducing bias in cross-cultural research.     

Social support characteristics among nonclinical African-American and Filipino-American parents with school-age children

This study is the first phase of a project to develop a culturally-appropriate, family-mediated social support intervention program. This phase consisted of in-home interviews with 26 African-American (AF) and 26 Filipino-American (FA) parents who were not receiving counseling or social services for parent-child conflict, and self-reported adequate personal and family functioning. In general, parents were college educated and employed full-time and had house-hold incomes of over $25,000. On average, AF parents were 35 years old, with 4 people in the household, including 2 children (mean AGE = 10 years). FA parents were older, averaging 45 years, and had 6 people in the household, including 3 children (mean AGE = 12 years). Mean scores on standardized measures reflected high self-esteem and positive attitudes toward their children and families. Social network size averaged 32 and 38 members for AF and FA mothers respectively, and 24 and 29 members for AF and FA fathers. Most parents reported that fewer than 50% of their network members knew each other. Data also suggested that parents reported a generally positive orientation to utilizing support resources, and favorable perceptions of and satisfaction with support form family and friends. Analyzes revealed that only functional support variables were significantly associated with parent well-being. Study limitations, service implications, and further research directions are discussed.     

Through Adversity Comes Strength: Volunteering and Self-Esteem Among People with Physical Disabilities

The goal of the present study was to examine differences in self-esteem between volunteers with physical disabilities and their counterparts who do not volunteer. Another goal was to examine the contribution of the characteristics of the volunteering experience (motives for volunteering, satisfaction with the rewards of volunteering, and the quality of relationships with beneficiaries) to explain self-esteem among volunteers with physical disabilities. The research sample included 160 Israeli participants with different physical disabilities. Of these, 95 volunteered and 65 did not volunteer. Participants who volunteered had higher self-esteem than those who did not. The findings highlight the compensatory role of volunteering for people with disabilities: The contribution of volunteering to enhancing self-esteem was mainly evident among participants with poor socioeconomic resources (low education, low economic status, and unemployed). Egoistic and altruistic motives for volunteering as well as satisfaction with the rewards of volunteering contributed to explaining self-esteem.     

The Effect of Social Work Education and Self-Esteem on Students' Social Discrimination of People with Disabilities

Social work education on disability content has become more important due to political changes in the last two decades. The United States protected people with disabilities from discrimination in community and employment settings with the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. These changes have empowered people with disabilities to become more independent; however, social workers primarily fulfill roles as case managers, and often make decisions for people with disabilities. This is not consistent with the empowerment perspective embedded in the disability movement. Most social work schools have minimal courses covering disability content. Previous research and the Self-Esteem Hypothesis indicate that social work education, social proximity to people with disabilities, self-esteem and other demographic characteristics are associated with social discrimination, or attitudes, toward people with disabilities. Social work students (n = 73) participated in a survey in the last semester of their program to assess how these characteristics were associated with their attitudes towards people with disabilities. A multiple linear regression revealed that social work education preparedness to work with people with disabilities, an MSW education, self-esteem, and having a friend with a disability were significantly associated with students' social discrimination towards people with disabilities.     

Cross‐Cultural Comparison of the Effects of Optimism,Intrinsic Motivation,and Family Relations on Vocational Identity

This study explored the effects of optimism, intrinsic motivation, and family relations on vocational identity in college students in the United States and South Korea. The results yielded support for the hypothesized multivariate model. Across both cultures, optimism was an important contributing factor to vocational identity, and intrinsic motivation partially mediated the link from optimism to vocational identity. In addition, family relations moderated the mediation effect of intrinsic motivation with American students but not Korean students. With Korean students, family relations moderated the direct link from optimism to vocational identity. These results have significant implications for counseling to promote vocational identity development for diverse college students.     

Disability citizenship and digital capital: the case of engagement with a social enterprise telco

ABSTRACT

This paper uses as its base a key initiative involving a not-for-profit organisation (NPO), government start-up funding and a social enterprise which evolved through three phases. The purpose of the initiative was the development of a smart phone technology platform for people with disability. The paper’s purpose is to answer questions about the ways in which the mobile technology, seen here as assistive technologies, supported the development of disability citizenship and active citizenship. Data were collected through in-depth interviews conducted at three points in the 13-week programme during which participants with disability received customised support for their phone and training in its use, at no cost. Fifteen participants volunteered to take part in the research project, along with their significant other and service provider. Key themes were identified in the preliminary analysis. Exploring these using Ragnedda’s ([2017]. The third digital divide: A Weberian approach to digital inequalities. Abingdon: Routledge) three levels of digital divide, and Wilson’s ([2006]. The information revolution and developing countries. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press) categories of access allowed a series of philosophical, ethical and human services management questions to emerge, challenging the optimism with which the digital economy is presented as a solution to issues of inequality. Although the mobile technologies were very successful as assistive technologies for some participants, the findings reinforced the potential for such technologies to further entrench aspects of social exclusion. They also identified ways in which the shift in the role of the NPO to social entrepreneurship, and its relationships with government and private enterprise, had the potential to undermine the exercise of disability citizenship by turning participants into consumers.     

Social isolation and sexual abuse among women who smoke crack

The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of social isolation and its relationship to sexual trauma in a sample of Black women who smoke crack cocaine. Using a convenience sample of 115 Black women with a history of smoking crack cocaine, participants were interviewed for 2 to 4 hours and asked a variety of questions about their health, relationships, sexuality, and drug use. Bivariate and multivariate logistical regressions were used to predict whether the women reported being socially isolated. While social isolation was not necessarily a common experience among the sample, it was found that women who had been sexually abused were three times more likely to report being socially isolated than women who had not been sexually abused. In addition, social isolation was more common among women who had been abused by a family member, who had been abused when they were young, and who had been abused for a long period of time. However, multivariate analyses revealed that the age at which the sexual trauma occurred was the most salient predictor of social isolation in adulthood. Implications for drug treatment are discussed.     

Integrating Computational Thinking into Social Studies

Abstract

Computational Thinking (CT) has recently been addressed as one of the key skills for the twenty-first century. Integrating CT into different subject areas of K-12 education is also now widely accepted to improve the quality of instruction. In that sense, it is important to enable educators and researchers to recognize how to integrate computational thinking into K-12 classrooms and to study how students learn to think computationally in social studies courses. Besides, providing good practice on CT helps to develop common ground for the teaching of computational thinking in social studies subject areas. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for social studies teachers with regard to how CT can be integrated into K-12 classrooms for social studies. Moreover, a practical implementation idea is also suggested based on this framework. This paper is expected to provide an insight to social studies teachers who want to integrate CT into their classroom in the future and support them in teaching context.     

Purpose and life satisfaction during adolescence: the role of meaning in life,social support,and problematic digital use

This study examined the characteristics of youth with different types of purpose in life, as well as the associations between adolescents’ life satisfaction, purpose in life, meaning in life, social support, and problematic digital use. The sample included 193 participants aged 14–18 who completed self-report questionnaires on life satisfaction, purpose in life, meaning in life, social support, and problematic digital use. The following purpose in life clusters were found: (1) other-oriented goals (n?=?33); (2) self-oriented goals (n?=?42); and (3) both other- and self-oriented goals (n?=?107). Adolescents with both self- and other-oriented goals had significantly higher life satisfaction, meaning in life, and social support compared to the other groups. Meaning in life and greater support from parents and teachers were significantly associated with greater life satisfaction. In addition, having other-oriented goals was associated with lower life satisfaction. Finally, support from parents (p?=?0.05) mediated the association between problematic digital use and life satisfaction. Findings are discussed in light of previous research and the theoretical and practical implications are examined.     

Mind the Gap! Students' Understanding and Application of Social Work Values

This paper discusses a research project that explored the development of student social workers' values during the first year of professional education at one Scottish university. Questionnaires, based on a vignette, and focus groups established baseline information at the outset of the study. These methods were reapplied a year later to identify the extent to which students' values framework had developed, and the factors that had supported this. The study revealed that, by the end of that year, students could both identify and apply values to support them in their work with individuals to a greater extent than they could those to help them challenge structural discrimination. The study also highlighted the need for university-based teaching, and practice learning experiences, to provide more opportunities for reflection and discussion to support the development of values in student social workers.     

Social Survey Research1 in Japanese Sociology

Abstract: In this paper, we look at the history of social survey development in Japanese sociology. First, the history of social research in Japan before World War II is explored. Second, the introduction of survey research to Japan during the American occupation after World War II is examined, and third, the present state and roles of social survey research in Japanese sociology is discussed. Social research was introduced as an administrative tool for the government. Sociology and social research were developed under British empiricism and American pragmatism, but Japanese academia has been based on a metaphysical approach. Social research introduced as a practical tool long had difficulty in being accepted by Japanese academia. For this reason, most sociologists in universities did not use social survey research for practical purposes, but pursued qualitative methodologies for analyzing data to gain academic prestige even after Social Stratification and Mobility (SSM) and Sabro Yasuda's research projects spread social survey methods in the field of Japanese sociology. Such academics did not think that findings acquired through qualitative case studies had to be confirmed through quantitative data to serve a practical purpose, nor did they believe that quantitative data could be better understood when examined along side qualitative data. Social survey methods have been opposed by those who have favored case‐study analysis methods in Japanese sociology. Needless to say, this opposition is fruitless. I propose that professional sociologists in Japanese universities should use social survey research for practical problems more frequently. This is the best way to establish sociology and social research as a science in Japanese society.     

Welfare State and Social Enterprise in Transition: Evidence from Serbia

This paper analyses welfare regime changes in Serbia and their impact on social enterprise development in the last two decades. We cover the period of significant transition-related reforms within the welfare state, with important implications on the position of these enterprises. Using data gathered from the qualitative field research, our study shows that there are two broad groups of factors that are important for development of the new generation of social enterprises, those that emerged in the last decade with an idea to foster entrepreneurial spirit and expanded into new domains other than those providing assistance to the marginalized groups. First, their decision to enter the social economy sector still depends on the environment created by the state. Secondly, their sustainability is affected by the factors typically found in any other enterprise of comparable scale like business skills, capacity to form networks and partner with relevant stakeholders.     

Examining the effects of social networks formed in a senior-oriented online community on older participants’ subjective well-being in China

In recent decades, the dramatic socioeconomic changes that have occurred in China have increasingly affected the social lives of older Chinese adults. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the social networks developed in an online community contributed to the subjective well-being of this age group. The underlying mechanism of this effect was examined by investigating a senior-oriented online community (OldKids). An online survey was administered to participants in the OldKids network. The results showed that the proposed theoretical model was effective in demonstrating that their participation in the OldKids network improved the participants’ subjective well-being through the mediation of perceived social support and feelings of social connectedness. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed in this paper.