Developing Self-Care Practices in a Trauma Treatment Course

This article describes the development of self-care practices of social work students who were part of a larger study of students’ experiences in a graduate course on the treatment of trauma. Consensual qualitative research methods were used to analyze 17 participant journals submitted at 4 times during the course. Findings indicated that students benefited from being introduced to evidence-based practices for mediating the stress of trauma education, including journaling and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Although students reported struggling with developing effective self-care practices, they demonstrated an ability to integrate self-care into their professional practice behaviors. The authors review recommendations for research and pedagogy of self-care practices in courses on trauma treatment.     

Gambling Behaviour in Adolescents with Learning Disorders

The present study examined the prevalence of disordered gambling behaviours in a community-based sample of adolescents (N = 532) living in eastern central Ontario. Of particular interest was examining the hypothesis that adolescents with learning disorders are at elevated risk for disordered gambling. Rates of disordered gambling in male adolescents with learning disorders were found to be significantly higher than adolescents without learning problems, even after controlling for negative affectivity and ADHD symptomatology. The implications for treatment and intervention of gambling problems in adolescence are discussed.     

Participation in LGBTQ Organizations in Colombia: Motivations and Impacts

Studies on sexual minorities have shown the positive impact of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or queer (LGBTQ) community on the well-being of individuals. Few studies, however, have been interested in the role that LGBTQ organizations specifically play. Using a qualitative approach, this article examines individuals’ motivations to participate in LGBTQ organizations and how they think such participation impacts their lives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 self-identified LGBTQ adults living in the Andean region of Colombia. Thematic analysis with inductive coding was used, and six themes were identified. Within these, two findings are particularly relevant to the existing literature. First, organizations play an important role as educational spaces where individuals can learn about their sexual identity. Second, organizations can also impact families of origin by promoting a better understanding and acceptance of participants’ sexual identity, and by promoting solidarity with LGBTQ community members.     

Use of visitors’ perception in urban reserves in the Buenos Aires metropolis

Urban nature reserves (UR’s) fulfill unique functions for society and are irreplaceable, satisfying human needs particularly in urban and periurban areas. The aim of this paper was to use a perception based approach to analyze whether the urban nature reserves in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires, Argentina were principally used by visitors according to their main conservation mission. Five hundred written surveys designed to evaluate users’ profile and their perceptions of the selected reserves were conducted during the summer of 2009 to visitors selected at random. Collected data was analyzed by multivariate analyses. The results discriminated two groups (1 and 2) of reserves showing that people chose to visit a nature reserve for two contrasting motivations: the contemplation of nature (group 1) or active recreation (group 2). Both groups of reserves, the respondents participated in environmental programs. All respondents knew about plants whereas knowledge of the fauna was related to the visitors’ level of education. In all reserves respondents considered that nature enhance the quality of human life in the first place, and valued biodiversity en second place. Visitors in group 1 considered nature as very important, while respondents in group 2 thought that is important as a place for having fun. Our findings can potentially assist administrators to understand better how visitors perceive the reserves.     

Book reviews

The Significance of Schooling: Life‐Journeys in an African Society. Robert Serpell, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993. 361 pages, $59.95.

Response to Patricia M. Greenfield's Review of The Significance of Schooling: Life‐Journey's in an African Society

Artifical Experts: Social Knowledge and Intelligent Machines. H. M. Collins. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, 1990. 266 pages, $15.95 (paper).     

Adoption Competent Clinical Practice: Defining Its Meaning and Development

The need for adoption competent mental health services has been well documented. However, the term “adoption-competent” has lacked a standardized, broadly accepted definition. This article reports findings from two related studies. The first examines how adoption competencies are demonstrated in practice by clinicians participating in an evidence-informed adoption competency training program. The second is an online survey designed to determine whether members of adoption kinship networks agree with a definition of an adoption competent mental health professional developed by experts. Both studies contribute to our understanding of what constitutes “adoption competent” clinical practice.     

Gender and post-conflict civil society

Abstract

Women have historically participated in revolutionary/liberation movements. A consensus among scholars working in the field suggests that once the broader aims of the movement have been achieved, women's public role and the concern for gender differentiated interests diminish in the post-conflict society. The aim of this study is to apply this hypothesis using the case study of Eritrea. Eritrea offers an opportunity to study a modern, successful revolutionary movement that relied heavily upon women's contributions both as support personnel and as front-line soldiers. Preliminary evidence suggests that Eritrea is following the pattern of many other post-conflict societies. Several questions are addressed here: Does the hypothesis which suggests women's participation is welcomed during a revolutionary struggle, but discouraged in post-conflict society, hold true in the Eritrean case? What role did women play in Eritrean independence and what role do they currently play? Have the reforms enacted by the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) carried forward under the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)? What role does women's inclusion play in creating a viable civil society? How has the generational aspect of women's military service affected society's overall perception of women?     

Lessons Learned From Using Adobe Connect in the Social Work Classroom

Adobe Connect is synchronous web conferencing software available to colleges and universities. This pilot study sought to understand student and faculty participation in use of this software as part of an already established hybrid master's level social work curriculum. This software was utilized in two courses: concentration year field practicum and advanced social work practice. Student feedback and satisfaction are presented. Lessons learned for using such software are explored.     

A Psychoanalytic Reading of Transsexual Embodiment

Theories of transsexuality developed by cultural theorists tend to ignore the psychic dimension of subjectivity. This article draws on Lacanian psychoanalytic theory, transsexual and transgender theory, and autobiographical narratives to reflect on what ought to be included in a psychoanalytically informed theory of transsexuality. Highlighting the work of Jay Prosser (1998), I discuss the importance of sexed embodiment, the problem of sociopolitical and biological reductionism, and the need to analyze, not to pathologize or to normalize, complex psychosexual processes. I suggest that the refusal to construct psychoanalysis and surgery as mutually exclusive constitutes the promise of recent clinical practice.     

Good Intercultural Practices in Social Services Projects

ABSTRACT

This article reflects part of the results obtained from a wider research project aimed at the elaboration of a “Map of Good Intercultural Practices” in several areas of social intervention in Andalusia, Spain. It also reports the results obtained from the analysis portion related to the participating projects within the social services. Intercultural assessment was conducted at the level of institutional intervention through a 32-item questionnaire that was sent to 139 intercultural project-leading institutions measuring intercultural sensitivity. A definition of the fundamental concepts of “interculturality” and “good practice” is given to support the foundations of “good intercultural practice” (GIP). Such definitions help in the design and validation of a GIP Scale that was used in the analysis of 60 social services projects with an intercultural component. The results obtained underline the relevance of aspects such as intercultural empathy and show significant differences between the social services and other intervention sectors. Future research is proposed that studies GIP scale in other intervention sectors such as the private and public sector. Also, the transferability of the instruments and methodology used makes it possible that the research presented in this article is conducted in other geographical areas.