Substance Abuse,Homelessness, Developmental Decision-Making and Spirituality: A Women's Health Issue

ABSTRACT

A qualitative methodology was used to examine the relationship between homeless women's spirituality, substance abuse, moral reasoning and developmental decision-making. Findings indicated that a lack of development in spirituality and the ability to make decisions in childhood is related to homeless, addicted women's inability to maintain abstinence and achieve social independence. Spirituality impacted decisions to abstain from substance abuse and increased the women's social independence. Findings suggest that treatment needs to incorporate spirituality, family of origin, and the development of skills for independent decision-making. The authors propose that childhood maltreatment, homelessness and substance abuse impede spiritual development. Therefore, substance abuse treatment needs to include a focus on spirituality and moral reasoning in the recovery process.     

A comparative analysis of Norwegian and American social workers’ views about inclusion of religion and spirituality in social work

ABSTRACT

This article presents results from a comparative analysis of national surveys of Norwegian and American social workers’ views and practice with regard to inclusion of religion and spirituality in their professional work with clients. Findings include views about professional values, educational preparation, raising the topics of religion and spirituality with clients experiencing oppression, and use of related interventions. Overall, American social workers are more likely to address religion and spirituality than Norwegians. International comparative statistical and conceptual analyses consider influences of differences in practice settings, respondents’ age and length of experience, and cultural contexts.     

Setting the Agenda

Abstract

Foreign funding for women's non-governmental organizations (NGOs) during democratic transition plays a crucial role in shaping values and attitudes within civil society. Concepts of feminism, gender equality and the role of women in democratic politics are affected by the discourse established by foreign funders. In this article, the role of US and Nordic gender policies are examined in the Estonian context using a feminist constructivist framework. I explore the effects of neoliberal versus social-democratic gender policies and conclude that, while funding for women's NGOs serves to create a necessary discourse on women's equality, these policies may actually serve the funders' needs to gain geopolitical influence in the region.     

Spiritual Transformations in Clinical Relationships Between Social Workers and Individuals Living with Disabilities

Abstract

Some individuals living with disabilities have expressed a need to have spirituality recognized within clinical relationships. Social workers and other professionals have not responded to this need and therefore, there is a growing difference between what individuals with disabilities need and what clinicians, including social workers, are providing. Jean Vanier is a Canadian who has spiritual wisdom gained from over 40 years of living with people who have disabilities. Applying insights from both Vanier and transformational learning theory, this paper demonstrates that Vanier's approach is an important resource as social workers integrate spirituality into the clinical relationship with disabled individuals.     

Mental Health Professionals' Exposure to Clients with Problematic Internet Experiences

ABSTRACT

This paper examines clients' exposure to problematic Internet experiences among a national sample of 2,098 social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and other mental health professionals. This analysis finds that mental health professionals are working with clients experiencing a range of problems related to Internet use. However, these professionals have generally not been exposed to training or information in the professional literature on the topic of working with clients with problematic Internet experiences. We identify several areas in which additional training is needed and review practical implications for mental health professionals.     

Safe Motherhood in the Context of Nepal

ABSTRACT

Nepal ranks low on the Human Development Index and has a high maternal mortality rate. Various factors contribute to the high rate of maternal mortality and include a shortage of health care professionals, limited access to basic maternal health care, poverty, illiteracy, women's low social status, a poorly developed transportation system, a limited communication system, political conflict, and a diverse population. Interviews with pregnant women, observational data, and national statistics provide the basis for suggestions provided by the author. These include upgrading and opening new maternal care facilities, integrating midwives into local health services, providing education on women's health needs during pregnancy, and improving public awareness of the availability of maternal care services.     

Mapping Strategic Engagements: WOMEN'S MOVEMENTS AND THE STATE

Abstract

Given that all women's movements share a unique relationship to the State – their exclusion from political power, often legally and occasionally constitutionally underpinned, has this exclusion shaped women's movements' strategies, which have had as their general goal women's political inclusion? Some similarities are evident across types of women's movements and across nations. In this article, I discuss the ‘strategic dilemmas’ that women's movements are likely to face, and I attempt to identify the range of strategic responses employed by feminist movements. I begin with a definitional distinction between women's movements and feminist movements, followed by a discussion of women's relationship to the State. I identify similarities across feminist movements in four strategic dimensions: (1) movement autonomy vs state involvement; (2) insider vs outsider positioning; (3) separatist vs coalitional stances; and (4) discursive and influence-seeking politics. These strategic dimensions shape different opportunities for women's movements across different state configurations, offering openings for some types of women's movements that may be unrecognized or unexploited by others. The article concludes with speculations concerning women's movements' strategic action in the context of state reconfiguration.     

How Rehabilitation Professionals Define the Concepts of Spirituality and Religion When Working with Individuals with Disabilities

ABSTRACT

Recently, some helping professionals have called for the inclusion of spirituality and religion in practice. This has created an important debate. As a result, it has become apparent that individual educators and practitioners are unclear about what is meant by these concepts as they relate to practice. This study utilized in-depth interviews to understand the essential meanings that fifteen rehabilitation professionals assigned to the concepts of spirituality and religion in their practices with individuals with disabilities. Two essential themes developed for spirituality, and three developed for religion. Implications for the future use of these concepts in practice are discussed.     

An Inclusive Definition of Spirituality for Social Work Education and Practice

A formidable body of recent literature advocates the incorporation of spirituality into the bio-psycho-social framework of social work education and practice. No consistent conceptualization of spirituality has been developed, however, that can be used with all clients and that is fully consonant with social work values as taught in schools of social work. Certain culturally derived perspectives regarding spirituality have been endorsed in social work literature in a way that does not fully honor each client's view of the nature of existence. This article proposes an inclusive definition of spirituality for social work education that considers every client's perceptions regarding what is unknowable as equally valid. Case examples, suitable for classroom education, are presented.     

Voices of Hispanic Caribbean Women

Abstract

Few studies on Caribbean women in the United States are based on women's realities or view these issues from their perspective and even fewer compare Caribbean women living in the United States to each other. Gender as an important factor of emigration experience has been neglected. This article presents (1) the results of a qualitative study describing changes in Caribbean women's lives after living in the United States for a period of ten or more years, and (2) a discussion of problems confronted by Latinas in a society different from their native countries of origin. The voices of Caribbean women on the process of migration, family values, and work experiences, are analyzed from a gender perspective. Implications for human services professions practice and recommendation for future research are also presented.     

Coverage of Women's Issues in Social Work Journals: Are We Building an Adequate Knowledge Base?

Abstract

The authors of this article conducted a review of selected social work journals published between 1982 and 1991 to determine the coverage given to women's issues during this period. Because this study was similar to one conducted for the previous decade, the authors were able to analyze trends over time as well as differences among various journals. The findings indicate that articles focusing on women's issues comprised less than 10% of all articles published in the sampled journals during the decade. The study also found that women authored over 75% of the articles and books on women's content, but that only about 15% of the articles women write are on women's issues.     

Religiosity as a Predictor of Successful Post-Treatment Abstinence for African-American Clients

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of religiosity as a predictor of post-treatment abstinence. A sample of 96 African-American clients receiving community-based outpatient alcoholism treatment were interviewed at treatment entry and three months later. Achieving complete abstinence was predicted from client gender and 17 other predictors, including 6 substance-related factors, 7 psychosocial and health variables, and 4 religiosity/spirituality measures. Bivariate analyses showed that abstainers drank less prior to treatment, had more prior formal treatment and AA involvement, practiced their religion more regularly, and scored higher on measures of both spirituality and extrinsic religiosity. In addition, women were more likely to achieve abstinence. Forward entry binary logistic regression revealed that, controlling for client gender and pre-treatment consumption, only regular practice of one's religion/faith significantly predicted abstinence. Recommendations include (1) the need for research to evaluate if the current findings can be generalized across race/ethnicity and religious affiliation and (2) directing more attention to clients' religiosity in alcoholism treatment.     

Personal Reflections on Closeted Helping Professionals

Abstract

The author discusses the situation of closeted professionals whose “private” lives inadvertently cross paths with homosexual students or clients. Personal vignettes highlight the dangers of encounters with “closeted” professionals for homosexual clients and students. Particular attention is given to the long-term impact upon clients and students, who are viewed as more vulnerable than professionals. Reflections upon sociopolitical implications of the “closet” are noted, especially recent retrenchment of media concern for homosexual issues as professionals have retreated to the “closet.”     

Video conferencing applications in social work: Work locally,think globally

Abstract

Video conferencing is a technology that facilitates the provision of high quality education, health-care and consultation to clients and families served by rural area health professionals via visual and audio transmissions. It also plays an important role in the education, and training of rural health professionals and the development of a multidisciplinary team dialogue between rural and metropolitan partners. This paper describes our experience of a video conferencing program conducted at the Goulburn Valley Mental Health Service and St George's Older Persons Mental Health Service. We have found a number of benefits of this technology for clients, their families and for health professionals themselves. The development of expertise in the use of video conferencing technology has empowered social workers in their work places. Video conferencing has been extended to other aspects of social work practice. A pertinent example of this is the use of video conferencing in Guardianship and Administration hearings for patients who would otherwise be unable to attend because of health problems (physical, mental and mobility).     

Fostering transnational dialogue: Lessons learned from women peace activists

Abstract

Given the incredible diversity of the anti-globalization movement, developing inclusive and participatory spaces is an enormous challenge. Inequities in power, resources, and experience between Northern and Southern activists are of particular concern to a movement that values democratic participation. Dialogue is seen as a critical new way of addressing conflicts within the movement. For three decades, women's organizations dealt with similar issues at the UN World Conferences on Women. It was not until the 1990s that a global women's movement emerged. This paper, which is based on a qualitative study of women's peace organizations gathered at the Fourth UN World Conference on Women in 1995, addresses the development of positive coalition dynamics. The focus on individual activist stories fills in gaps left by studying organizations as units of analysis or on transnational movements as a whole. My research shows that if transnational activists use constructive approaches, conflict can assist in building coalition dynamics necessary for effective and equitable cooperation. I conclude that a commitment to respond to conflict in a constructive manner is as important for coalition building as formal processes or mechanisms that foster dialogue.     

Utilizing Social Work Skills to Enhance Entrepreneurship Training for Women: A Ghanaian Perspective

ABSTRACT

This article describes a women's entrepreneurship exchange program that was designed and facilitated with the cooperation of various governmental and nongovernmental entities in Ghana for Ghanaian women. The article briefly reviews the entrepreneurship development literature from an international perspective and discusses the Entrepreneurship Program as a targeted approach for empowering and sustaining women's economic situation in Ghana. Emphasis is placed on understanding the impact of cultural and social networks and the women's ability to succeed as entrepreneurs through the use of social work skills.     

College Women's Sexual Decision Making: Cognitive Mediation of Alcohol Expectancy Effects

Abstract

Objective: Alcohol has been linked to a variety of risky sexual practices, including inconsistent condom use. Due to the high rates of alcohol consumption among underage college women, greater understanding of the role of alcohol in young women's sexual decision making is warranted. Participants and Methods: Female underage (18- to 20-year-old) social drinkers (N = 94) participated in an experiment in which they projected themselves into a written hypothetical sexual situation with a new partner. One half of the situations portrayed alcohol consumption; one half did not involve alcohol consumption. Their appraisals of the situation's sexual potential, impelling and inhibiting cognitions, and sexual behavior intentions were assessed. Results: Results revealed that alcohol's expectancy effects on young women's unprotected sexual intentions were mediated by their cognitive appraisals of the situation. Conclusions: These findings indicate that alcohol expectancies and their influence on women's sexual decisions should be incorporated into sexual risk reduction efforts.     

Predicting the Use of Spiritually-Derived Interventions in Social Work Practice

Abstract

Although research has grown considerably on spirituality and social work practice in recent years, there has been little investigation of what practitioners actually do with their clients and what influences their practice behaviors. Current findings from a random sample of 204 licensed clinical social workers indicate considerable focus on religion and spirituality in both assessment and intervention, with over two-thirds of the sample reporting that they had utilized 14 different spiritually-derived techniques with clients. In addition, analyses reveal four factors most predictive of the use of such techniques including: practitioner attitudes, the percentage of clients presenting religious/spiritual issues, the percentage of clients for whom religion plays a detrimental role, and the level of practitioner participation in religious or spiritual services.