Cow as co-therapist: Utilization of farm animals as therapeutic aides with children in residential treatment

Using a mixed methodological approach, this exploratory study investigates the experiences of children who are placed in a residential treatment center that utilizes farm animals as one of its treatment approaches. The findings indicate that the children utilized the farm animals, like one would utilize the services of a therapist. Respondents indicated that they spoke to the animals, without fear that what they said would be repeated; that they visited the animals to feel better when they felt sad or angry; and that they learned about nurturing and caring for other living things. This article highlights a unique and novel approach to treatment that has not, as yet, been fully explored by the child welfare profession.     

THE CLINICAL AND THEORETICAL IMPACT OF A CONTROLLED TRIAL OF FAMILY THERAPY IN ANOREXIA NERVOSA

The paper discusses the practical and theoretical implications of the results of a controlled treatment trial. Family therapy was compared with individual, supportive psychotherapy for the management of severe eating disorder. Family therapy was markedly more effective in achieving improvement in one of four subgroups of patients: (a): those with early onset, short duration; (b) early onset, duration more than 3 years; (c) late onset, after the age of 18 years; (d) those with bulimia nervosa. The therapies used are described, as are the changes in clinical practice arising from the study. Theoretical considerations concerning notions of family structure, the family life-cycle and symptomatic and family change are also discussed.     

Social-indicator model building: A multiple-indicator design

The purpose of the paper is to illustrate and apply a technique for building social-indicator models when concepts are measured by multiple indicators. The multiple-indicator approach discussed in the paper is based on the work of John L. Sullivan in which multiple-partial correlation is used in block-recursive model building. Sullivan's approach is based on the earlier work of Hubert M. Blalock with partial correlation. The multiple-indicator approach is initially considered by explaining the function of multiple-partial correlation and illustrating the utility of the statistic in sociological analysis. The model building approach is first illustrated in the case of a four-variable model measured by single indicators. An elaboration of the design is presented in the case of a six-variable model in which the variables are measured by multiple indicators (two indicators per variable). The multiple-indicator approach is then applied to assess the goodness-of-fit between data and a macrosociological health model. Procedures for assessing fit are presented and discussed. Finally, several advantages and disadvantages of the multiple-indicator approach to model building are considered.     

Therapeutic Processes in Clinical Supervision

Transference enactments play a central role in clinical supervision regardless of whether supervisors or supervisees consciously recognize them. Supervisors who intuitively or purposefully respond correctively to transference enactments facilitate both personality change and professional development. Consequently, supervisees relate more thoughtfully and more empathetically in both their therapeutic and personal relationships.     

A FINITE AUTOMATON MODEL OF BEHAVIOR AND LEARNING

This paper builds some bridges between economics, psychology and cybernetics by showing how a theory of learning when put into finite automaton terms yields insights about how learning is related to doing in a market enviornment.     

County government resources associated with dependent-adult abuse investigations in Iowa

This study evaluated on a county level the association of Iowa's domestic dependent-adult abuse investigations with the location of adult protective services (APS) offices, rurality, government resources, felony charges and prosecutions, child abuse reports, and census demographics. In 2003, the rate of dependent-adult abuse investigations for Iowa was 0.70 per 1,000 population age 18 and older. Higher rates of child abuse investigations, felony prosecutions, sheriff's annual salary, and lower rates of child abuse substantiations are associated with higher rates of dependent-adult abuse investigations and substantiations.     

Profiles of behavioral problems in children who witness domestic violence

Unlike previous investigations of shelter-based samples, our study examined whether profiles of adjustment problems occurred in a community-program-based sample of 175 school-aged children exposed to domestic violence. Cluster analysis revealed three stable profiles/clusters. The largest cluster (69%) consisted of children below clinical thresholds for any internalizing or externalizing problem. Children in the next largest cluster (18%) were characterized as having externalizing problems with or without internalizing problems. The smallest cluster (13%) consisted of children with internalizing problems only. Comparison across demographic and violence characteristics revealed that the profiles differed by child gender, mother's education, child's lifetime exposure to violence, and aspects of the event precipitating contact with the community program. Clinical and future research implications of study findings are discussed.     

Measuring changes in interagency collaboration: an examination of the Bridgeport Safe Start Initiative

This paper describes the evaluation of interagency collaboration in a network of child-serving providers as part of the evaluation of the Bridgeport Safe Start Initiative (BSSI). In line with the system of care approach, the objectives of BSSI included reducing fragmentation of efforts and delivering integrated services to families of young children exposed to or at risk of exposure to family violence. Interagency collaboration was examined via social network and focus group data collected at three time points starting at baseline. Network analysis findings suggest that over time the network structure became consistent with BSSI's vision of an ideal collaborative network structure. Focus group findings, however, present a more complex picture of the status of collaboration. This paper sheds light on approaches and challenges to measuring interagency collaboration in a service delivery system and communicating social network analysis findings to stakeholders in a way that is accessible and useful.