‘Who do I turn to if something really bad happens?’ Key working and relationship-based practice in residential child care

ABSTRACT

This article explores the psychodynamics of relationship-based practice from the perspective of young people in residential care. This research involved qualitative semi-structured interviews with 10 care leavers, aged 18–24 years, who had been in residential care in Ireland. Drawing selectively from that research, this article reports their views and experiences of key-working and how relationship-based practice acted as a reparative method within their experiences of care and aftercare. Similar to previous research, this study underscores the necessity to ensure that children in care are cared for and supported by a trusted adult. In addition, based on this study, the role of a key worker appears capable of providing this ideal type of supportive relationship. It also highlights the importance of the care system working to provide consistency and support for the young people and confirms the importance of relationships with trusted adults, such as key workers.     

The feasibility of goal attainment scaling to measure case resolution in elder abuse and neglect adult protective services intervention

Objectives: This pilot study describes implementation procedures of goal attainment scaling (GAS) and examines the feasibility of using GAS to measure the multifarious intervention outcome of case resolution in elder mistreatment (EM) adult protective services (APS).

Methods: Substantiated EM victims (n = 27) were recruited prospectively from the State of Maine APS. An adapted GAS approach was implemented involving development of a pre-populated goal scale menu and web-based GAS application.

Results: The GAS menu comprised 18 goals and corresponding scales spanning several domains of case resolution: social support, service access, health/functioning, enhancing independence, and protective measures. The overall GAS process had mean length 33.8 min per case. The mean GAS summary t-score (54.3) aligned with theoretical expectations.

Discussion: Without a measure of case resolution, research cannot compare the effectiveness of different EM intervention models. Findings suggest that GAS is a feasible, client-centered strategy to measure the multifarious EM intervention case resolution outcome.     

Building the adult protective services system of tomorrow: The role of the APS national voluntary consensus guidelines

In 2015, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) established the first federal “home” for Adult Protective Services (APS). This leadership has included working collaboratively with state Adult Protective Service systems to ensure that older adults and adults with disabilities are afforded the same protections against abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation regardless of where in the country they live. As part of that leadership, ACL created draft Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State APS Systems. ACL undertook a process of public and stakeholder engagement and analyzed the resulting comments to improve upon the initial draft of the draft to arrive at the final version. This article examines the comments, including the concerns raised by the commenters about specific areas of the Guidelines, areas identified for future research, and reflections and opinions on the role of the federal government in guiding the development of the field of adult protection.     

The Marital Attitudes Scale: Assessing and Treating Ambivalent Clients

This article explores the complexities of the couple relationship commonly observed in the clinical settings of couple therapists. Whether described as the “push–pull” of the couple dyad, the mixed agenda couple, the couple that is leaning out versus leaning in, or the ambivalent couple, the literature suggests that this dynamic is to be assessed and explored before fully engaging in relational therapy or pursuing separation or divorce. The Marital Attitudes Scale is a 48-item self-report inventory that was normed with a clinical and nonclinical population at 2 clinical training sites. The inventory adheres to a cognitive-behavioral theoretical orientation with 4 subscales and a total score that measure cognitions, emotions, behaviors, schemas, and total scores relative to the ambivalence or the absence of commitment in the couple relationship. The instrument uses the frame of preambivalent, or committed to the relationship; ambivalent, ambivalently committed to the relationship; or postambivalent, no longer committed to the couple relationship. The inventory has evidenced good validity and reliability and is considered to be a useful inventory for assessing the degree of commitment to the relationship when a couple engages in therapy. This article explores the development of the inventory, its cognitive-behavioral theoretical orientation, the literature around the theme of marital dissolution, the concept of relational ambivalence, and the interface between assessment and therapeutic engagement.     

Sex and Drugs and Starting School: Differences in Precollege Alcohol-Related Sexual Risk Taking by Gender and Recent Blackout Activity

Research has demonstrated a link between alcohol use and multiple forms of risky sexual behavior, particularly among college-age individuals. Studies have also linked heavy alcohol use to other problems, such as impaired consciousness resulting from an alcohol-induced blackout, which may impact sexual decision making. However, research has rarely examined sexual risk taking (SRT) in relation to blackouts, nor has it examined this construct during the precollege transition (i.e., the interval of time between high school graduation and college matriculation). This study examined the intersection between alcohol-involved SRT, blackouts, and gender in a sample of precollege individuals with prior alcohol use (N = 229; 54% male, 63% White). Results indicated that, despite drinking less per occasion, women reporting recent blackouts were at increased risk for experiencing unwanted, unsafe, and regretted sexual behaviors compared to men with recent blackouts and their peers with no recent blackouts. Women with recent blackouts also reported differences in alcohol expectancies that may increase their risk for experiencing negative consequences while drinking, including higher social expectancies and lower negative expectancies of danger. Future directions for research and implications for precollege interventions are discussed.     

Exploring U.S. Social Work Students’ Sexual Attitudes and Abortion Viewpoints

Social workers frequently engage with sexual and reproductive health topics, yet a notable paucity of social work research exists regarding abortion. Informed by overlapping theoretical frameworks of human rights and reproductive justice, this study examined a large, nationwide survey of social work students in the United States (N = 504). Linear regressions indicated that students’ endorsements of permissive sexual attitudes and support for birth control are inversely associated with holding anti-choice abortion views. Moreover, distinct relationships were found among sociodemographic characteristics and abortion attitudes and knowledge, suggesting that social work education efforts regarding contentious reproductive and sexual health topics should also focus on nuances of cultural competence and diversity, as well as general human rights principles and professional ethics.     

Nursing-Home Resident Quality of Life: A Longitudinal Case Study Approach

Longitudinal quality-of-life (QOL) research incorporating multiple perspectives can add to knowledge about how nursing home residents experience QOL, but these methods are seldom used. This study employed interviews and participant observation to conduct multiple-perspective, longitudinal case studies of six residents. Close, reciprocal relationships with staff members, staff knowledge of residents, and autonomy were fundamental to QOL. Autonomy was experienced through choice and self-advocacy. Changes in QOL over time related to changes in resident health status, acclimation to the setting and family member availability. Study results may have implications for staffing and staff training.     

“If You Don't Like Gay Marriage,Don't Get One!”: A Qualitative Analysis of Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage in South Australia

ABSTRACT

Prejudice against sexual-minority groups has continuously declined in Australia over the past several decades, yet inequality in marriage policy that denies legal recognition of same-sex relationships remains. Social role theory suggests this may be due in part to traditional beliefs about gender roles that fuel concerns regarding the ability of same-sex couples to raise children because they violate these social norms and roles. The current study identified reasons behind support of, or opposition to, same-sex marriage. Data were collected from a community sample (n = 536) in South Australia through an open-ended question included on a larger survey. Content analysis suggested that gender role norms do play a part in negative attitudes toward same-sex marriage as well as perceptions of same-sex couples' ability to raise children. Our findings also revealed heteronormativity embedded in the responses of participants both for and against marriage equality. Implications for advocacy efforts focused on marriage equality, parenting by same-sex couples, and the focus for future research endeavours in this substantive domain are discussed.