Constructing social work identity based on the reflexive self

Summary In this article, the social work identity is conceptualizedbased on concepts of the self (Benjamin, 1995; Foucault, 1988),rather than concepts associated with ego psychology. Socialwork students, teachers and practitioners have historicallyattempted to gain a sense of ego mastery and control by theacquisition of theory to enhance skill-based practice expertise(Austin, 1952; Zetzel, 1953; Bandler, 1960; Memmot and Brennan,1998). In so doing, they have attempted to manage anxiety asa means to enhance learning. Traditional social work functionssuch as acceptance, non-judgemental attitudes, and empathy (Biestek,1957; Woods and Hollis, 1990) have been utilized to encouragepractitioners to manage their feelings related to difference.We argue, however, that the social work identity is enrichedwhen social workers allow their selves to be in a state of disassemblyin the presence of the other (Smith, 1997). When social workersexperience their selves as complex and dialogical, they aremore open to the influence of the other (Bakhtin, 1993). Wemake the case for practitioners to work on a reflexive selfrather than attempting to achieve ego control through the managementof anxiety.     

Confluence: The Nature of Technology and the Remaking of the Rhône

Jeremy Goldberg, Women, Work, and Life Cycle in a Medieval Economy. Women in Work and Yorkshire c. 1300–1520 (1992), xiii + 406 (Clarendon Press, Oxford, £45.00).

David Shaw, The Creation of a Community. The City of Wells in the Middle Ages (1993), xiii + 334 (Clarendon Press, Oxford, £40.00).

Joan Larsen Klein (ed.), Daughters, Wives and Widows. Writings by Men about Women and Marriage in England, 1500–1640 (1992), xviii + 329 (University of Illinois Press, Urbana and Chicago, $37.50, paperback $14.95).

Linda Pollock, With Faith and Physic. The Life of a Tudor Gentlewoman, Lady Grace Mildmay, 1552–1620 (1993), viii + 179 (Collins &; Brown, £25.00).

Lawrence Stone, Broken Lives: Separation and Divorce in England, 1660–1857 (1993), xviii + 355 (Oxford University Press, Oxford, £16.95).

G. J. Barker‐Benfield, The Culture of Sensibility: Sex and Society in Eighteenth‐Century Britain (1992), xxxiv + 520 (University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, £39.95).

Lynn Hunt, The Family Romance of the French Revolution (1992), xvi + 213 (Routledge, £19.99).

Anne Hardy, The Epidemic Streets. Infectious Diseases and the Rise of Preventative Medicine, 1856–1900 (1993), xiii + 325 (Clarendon Press, Oxford, £40.00).

Robert Fox and Anna Guagnini (eds), Education, Technology and Industrial Performance in Europe, 1850–1939 (1993), xi + 302 (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, £35.00).

Thomas Childers and Jane Caplan (eds), Re‐evaluating the Third Reich (1993), xvi + 270 (Holmes &; Meier, New York and London, £35.00, paperback £13.95).

J. Arch Getty and Roberta T. Manning (eds), Stalinist Terror: New Perspectives (1993), viii + 294 (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, £35.00, paperback     

Paternal involvement in fragile,African American families: Implications for clinical social work practice

Abstract

Changes in family formation and structure mandate reassessment and realignment of traditional parenting roles and arrangements. Adaptation to these changes has been truncated along racial and socioeconomic status lines. Poor African American families and especially fathers in fragile families are most vulnerable and are in need of individual and structural assistance to achieve expected personal and societal role development. The “person‐in‐environment” perspective of clinical social work offers an organizing framework for interventions designed to improve paternal role and family functioning.     

Disaster Research in Social Work

SUMMARY

Disaster research in social work has deep roots in the profession'S history of disaster relief, social work'S mission to create resources and make them accessible to people, and the profession'S service to vulnerable populations. Social workers have important and unique contributions to make to disaster research through their expertise in ecological approaches, prevention, stress and coping, and promoting change in micro and macro systems. Disaster research in social work borrows primarily from psychology and sociology, and is conducted in clinical, organizational, and community contexts. Further social work research on disaster promises improved theory, measurement, and practice in situations of collective Stress.     

Examining Organizational Functioning Through the Lens of Complexity Theory Using System Dynamics Modeling

ABSTRACT

The methodologies associated with complexity theory might serve as an adjunct to some of our more traditional behavioral social science research methods. While the latter has a well-established history in social work, the approaches related to complexity theory are just now gaining a foothold. One such approach is system dynamics modeling. This article will describe the application of system dynamics modeling to a well-known early intervention program. The manner in which it complements traditional research approaches will be discussed, and its unique contribution to understanding the organizational aspects of complexity theory will be highlighted.     

“Her Anger Frightens Me!” Using Group-Work Practice Principles and Feature Films in Teaching Clinical Practice in Mental Health

ABSTRACT

Combining group-work practice principles and the arts (feature films) can contribute to more effective teaching and enhance student clinical practice competency. By treating teaching as a form of group work and introducing a feature film into the classroom group, an instructor can reduce student-learning anxieties, teach core clinical concepts and skills, and enhance the classroom’s socioemotional climate. Vignettes demonstrate how this approach to teaching enriched students’ learning in an introductory clinical social work class on adult mental health.     

Developmental impact of combat exposure: Comparison of adolescent and adult Vietnam veterans∗

Abstract

This study was undertaken to find whether differences existed between two age groups of Vietnam veterans with PTSD, in terms of their social readjustment. A group of 57 men were divided by two age ranges to reflect two distinct periods of identity formation‐adolescence and early adulthood. The social readjustment measures which were examined included: (1) Substance abuse history; (2) history of legal infractions; (3) work history; (4) interpersonal relationships; and (5) peer relationships.

It was found that the younger soldiers have had a more difficult post‐Vietnam readjustment than their older cohorts. The results lend support to the idea that unsuccessful completion of Erikson's developmental phase of identity vs. role confusion may create problems with one's capacity for love, work and relationships. Specifically, when developmental tasks of late adolescence are not completed because of events such as war, one may suffer difficulties in handling adult responsibilities later in life.     

The role of the social worker in family care of mental patients

The Therapeutic Powers of Play. Charles Shaefer (Ed.). (Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 1993.)

A Silent Sorrow—Pregnancy Loss: Guidance and Support for You and Your Family. Ingrid Kohn, M.S.W. &; Perry‐Lynn Moffitt (with Isabelle A. Wilkins, M.D.). (New York: Dell Publishing, 1992.)

In the Midst of Winter: Systemic Therapy with Families, Couples, and Individuals with AIDS Infection. Gillian Walker. (New York: W. W. Norton &; Company, 1991.)     

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Bipolar Disorder: Implications for Clinical Social Workers

ABSTRACT

The purposes of this review article are to orient clinical social workers to cognitive-behavioral theory, intervention, and research on bipolar disorder (BD); identify pros and cons of applying cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to social work clients with BD; and identify specific implications for clinical social work practice. Of the 545 articles that were obtained via the systematic review, 18 studies were identified as being potentially eligible for inclusion, and 9 of those studies ultimately satisfied the inclusion criteria. The results of each study were summarized via identifying statistically significant (p< .05) differences that existed between experimental cohorts who received CBT (plus pharmacotherapy) and control cohorts who received treatment as usual. Outcomes showed CBT cohorts as having significant improvement over their respective control groups. The review's implications for clinical social workers and the need for future research are discussed.     

RAP Therapy: A Group Work Intervention Method for Urban Adolescents

ABSTRACT

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) places a premium on the development of cultural competence among practitioners. To this end, the present study highlights how social work practitioners, specifically group work leaders, can utilize elements of the culture of urban adolescents to develop effective group work intervention strategies. The article compares adolescent participants' perceptions of usefulness of traditional group therapy and similar group work sessions using RAP music as a conduit to support prosocial skills development. A nomenclature of three adolescent groups was tested: violent offenders, status offenders, and a control condition of high school students with no criminal history. Findings were unequivocally in favor of the RAP therapy as a tool for advancing prosocial behavior.     

Volunteerism Among Social Work Students During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Abstract

This study examined volunteer activities and predictors of volunteerism among graduate and undergraduate social work students (N = 416) from four universities in the Gulf Coast area following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The convenience sample drawn from all social work students at these universities included 89% females, and 52% of the students were in a master's level program. Sixty-one percent of the respondents were African American and 31% were non-Hispanic white. The majority of students volunteered (97%) despite experiencing a range of hurricane-related stressors. Multivariate analyses yielded a regression model that best predicted heightened volunteerism, which included age, school site, previous volunteer experience, hurricane-related stressors, altruism, and increased commitment to social work values (R ² = .35). The strongest predictors of volunteerism were stressor, increased commitment to social work values, and altruism (betas = .30, .26, and .21 respectively). The findings are consistent with previous research on volunteering in times of disaster and with current thinking about posttraumatic growth .     

Gerontological Social Work Student-Delivered Respite: A Community-University Partnership Pilot Program

ABSTRACT

This study describes a community-university partnership to support a gerontological social work student-delivered respite program, the Houseguest Program (Houseguest). Houseguest was designed using a community-engaged scholarship model of integrating research, teaching, and service. Houseguest was piloted with a small group of community-dwelling, coresiding dementia caregivers and care recipients. We examined caregivers’ experiences with student-delivered respite using qualitative data analysis. Thematic analysis produced 8 themes: (a) respite from full time caregiving role, (b) information on caregiving strategies, (c) no-cost supportive services, (d) opportunity for care recipients to socialize, (e) tailored activities for care recipients, (f) rapport-building between students and family dyad, (g) reciprocity between students and family dyad, and (h) program continuation. We conclude with a proposed community-engaged scholarship model for dementia caregiving. Through a community-university partnership, Houseguest reduced the impact of caregiver burden and created an opportunity for students to serve families affected by dementia through respite and tailored activities.     

Utilizing a Required Documentation Course to Improve the Recording Skills of Undergraduate Social Work Students

ABSTRACT

Baccalaureate social workers respond to documentation and record-keeping demands of regulatory organizations that oversee or fund social service agencies. Learning to accurately document client needs, progress, and service delivery outcomes is important in ensuring that clients are receiving effective services. Despite the importance of documentation skills, many undergraduate social work programs do not provide sufficient curriculum content on client record keeping. The authors report the results of a study that examined changes in baccalaureate social work students’ perceptions of their documentation skills after completing a required documentation course. The sample size included 101 students at pretest and 97 students completing the post-test. Statistically significant findings show students perceived an increase in knowledge in three areas of documentation: 1) formats, 2) content, and 3) writing skills. The authors discuss implications for social work education and practice.     

Social Work Education as Professional Socialization

Abstract

Professional socialization in social work is the subject of the panel study described in this article. It focuses upon the impact of different social work education programs upon the professional preferences of students in the United States and Israel. The findings indicate that significant change with regard to some of the variables did occur between the beginning and completion of studies. This generally took the form of a declinein preferences though a number of cross-culture differences were observed. The implications of the findings for the issue of professional socialization in social work are discussed.     

Virtual offender: a pilot project on nurturing social work students’ capacity to work with offenders

ABSTRACT

Although considerable literature conducted in the context of Western societies has concluded that the use of virtual reality (VR) technology can facilitate students’ learning, the applicability of this learning approach to nurturing social work students in the Chinese context remains uncertain. This pilot study empirically tests the effectiveness of VR technology in enhancing social work students’ perceived creativity and competence in working with offenders. The study uses mixed methods that include qualitative and quantitative procedures in a complementary manner. Survey data that capture the responses of 41 social work students collected in the pre-and post-test periods indicate a positive change in self-perceived confidence in handling offenders following the VR training session. The qualitative data generated from the focus groups echo the survey findings and provide insights into the use of VR technology in social work education. Issues and implications for innovative education in the social work profession are discussed.     

The Role of Physical Context,Verbal Skills,Non‐parental Care,Social Support,and Type of Parental Discipline in the Development of ToM Capacity in Five‐Year‐Old Children

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of family context on the performance of 5‐year‐old children (N = 70) in theory of mind (ToM) tasks. The children's performances were assessed during individual sessions held at school. Children's verbal skills were assessed using the Peabody picture vocabulary test (PPVT). Interviews were also conducted with parents in the family home in order to gather sociodemographic data and to assess diverse variables of the family context. In addition to confirming the important role played by children's verbal skills in ToM, the results also supported a potential influence of family context in ToM development through variables, such as quality of non‐parental care or level of social contact and support. The educational implications of these results are discussed in relation to family intervention.     

Developing creative solutions to the problems of children and their families: communicative reason and the use of forum theatre

The paper represents a further development of work previously reported in this journal by Spratt & Houston (1999) and Spratt et al. (2000) . The authors have sought to develop ways of understanding current social work with children and families in line with the critical theory of Jurgen Habermas. This analysis has been complemented by an adoption of the methodology of the radical dramatist, Augusto Boal. In synthesizing Habermas's analysis of communicative discourses with the consciousness raising methodology of Boal, the authors have already demonstrated the effectiveness of this hybrid in problem‐solving exercises with social workers. The present paper reports on an application of this developing theory to practice, utilizing the centrepiece of Boal's method, forum theatre. A forum theatre project, concerned with the issue of bullying, is described and evaluated. It is argued that the project provides an exemplar of an innovative, democratizing and effective methodology that might profitably be utilized in social work with children and families. Finally, suggestions are made as to how these ideas could be developed in practice.     

An Ethical Dilemma in Elder Abuse

Abstract

While most elder abuse is perpetrated by family members, some may be performed by strangers. When the elderly victim reaches out to the social agency but then refuses services, an ethical dilemma is created for the social worker. Conflicts arise among social work values and the ethical principles of autonomy and paternalism, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. A model of ethical justification is applied that explains the possible decisions in this case. The actual resolution of the dilemma is accomplished through a social work practice principle.     

Mindfulness,meditation, and breathing exercises: reduced anxiety for clients and self-care for social work interns

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to identify and describe a teaching tool that supports social work student success in the classroom and in field placement. The project introduced mindfulness, meditation, and breathing techniques to 2nd-year master of social work (MSW) students in a group classroom setting and engaged students as they applied those techniques in their internship settings with clients. Students were introduced to mindfulness, meditation, and breathing techniques through lecture, experimental exercises, video clips, and case studies and used the group setting to learn to use those tools to add trauma-informed mindfulness interventions to the clinical techniques they concurrently practiced in field placement. Students learned methods to incorporate those interventions into their psychotherapy/counseling sessions with clients and discovered that mindfulness-specific interventions also helped regulate their own autonomic nervous systems, contributing to decreased anxiety. Thus, mindfulness skills taught in social work programs have significant multidimensional benefits; engaging a group classroom setting to learn to utilize mindfulness, meditation and breathing techniques can reduce stress and anxiety for clients and promote adaptive self-care skills for MSW students.     

Target Specificity of Subjective Relationship Measures: Understanding the Determination of Item Variance

The present study was conducted to test the ability of two subscales from the Friendship Quality Questionnaire (FQQ; Parker & Asher, 1993 ) to discriminate between different target friendships. This was done by testing for mean differences between targets, and by using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to examine the factor structures for these measures when the responses for different targets were considered together. Participants were 293 Italian middle‐school students. Both subscales (Validation and Caring, and Conflict and Betrayal) showed mean differences between the best friend and the second and third best friends, but only the validation and caring subscale demonstrated differences between the second and third best friends. Factor analyses showed that for both subscales some items were able to discriminate between friends whereas others were not. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated the existence of target‐specific factors, as well as a common ‘individual differences’ factor. Practical and theoretical issues regarding the different sources of item variance are discussed.