Are They Family or Friends? Social Support Instrument Reliability in Studying Older Lesbians

We know little about the support needs and health of older lesbians because participant sexual identity has typically not been identified in aging studies. The Lubben Social Network Scale, Revised (LSNS-R) is found widely reliable for testing perceived social support among elders but has never been tested with an exclusively lesbian population. This pilot tested the instrument with an exclusively lesbian population in the Midwest. Our analysis suggests it may not be reliable with this population, even with minor modifications that were made. Further examination adding a category for “family of choice” is warranted and supported by the originator of the tool.     

Interdisciplinary Social Work and Law

Collaboration between social workers and lawyers has been of particular interest to schools of social work due to the increasing frequency with which social workers intervene with clients involved in the legal system. This article presents an educational model specifically designed to teach the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively with domestic violence. The model provides training in collaborative practice between social workers and lawyers while integrating domestic violence content with the relevant legal regulations and procedures and social work interventions. The article describes course content, teaching techniques, and student assessment, and discusses special challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration.     

Rape on Campus: Community Education and Services for Victims

Abstract

Rape is an issue which must be addressed by college health workers. It is prevalent on college campuses in overt and subtle forms, and requires interventions on several levels. This paper describes community and professional education and training, victim counseling and advocacy, police liaison, and medical services, all of which are provided within a context of ongoing collaboration among agencies involved.