Sadness and Chronic Illness: A Conversation with Bruce Perham

Bruce Perham is a social worker and narrative therapist who works at Alzheimers Australia Vic., the peak body representing the interests of people affected by dementia. He previously worked at an adoption agency, the Spastic Society (now Scope), and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Bruce trained in family therapy in Melbourne and in narrative therapy with Michael White at the Dulwich Centre. Bruce has created an extensive range of written and video resources for people with dementia and MS and their family members. He describes how his family of origin, his resultant personal struggles as an adult, and narrative therapy, have profoundly influenced his work with people with chronic illness and their families, in particular, his approach to sadness.     

The Wayward Girl Revisited: Understanding the Gendered Nature of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Traditional explanations of delinquency have mostly focused on male offending. While men were the primary subjects of criminological research as well as the central focus of the justice system, gender was rarely explicitly examined, and consequently, girls often went unnoticed. Today, however, female juvenile offenders' visibility both in research and in the system has changed. This essay reviews feminist theorizing of girls' delinquency, with a concentrated focus on the 'pathways' perspective; the scope of girls' lawbreaking; and their historical and contemporary experiences inside and outside the juvenile justice system. This essay concludes with an examination of two promising girl-specific juvenile justice initiatives.     

Teaching Note—Teaching Intersectionality: Transforming Cultural Competence Content in Social Work Education

Intersectionality has been gaining momentum among social workers as a framework to allow a fuller understanding of the complexity of diverse social identities and the impact of social structures on power, privilege, and oppression. However, the application of intersectionality to teaching in social work education has been relatively absent in the literature. This article describes a 3-hour graduate-level classroom exercise designed to increase knowledge and proficiency of intersectionality. Critical self-reflections of the participants’ experiences are provided to illustrate the evolving growth and awareness that can result from the educational process using this framework. Examples and suggestions for reading assignments and classroom activities are offered. Implications for social work education and future directions are discussed.     

Sexual Risk Behavior in Young Adulthood: Broadening the Scope Beyond Early Sexual Initiation

A robust link between early sexual initiation and sexual risk-taking behavior is reported in previous studies. The relationship may not be causal, however, as the effect of common risk factors is often not considered. The current study examined whether early initiation was a key predictor of risky sexual behavior in the 20s and 30s, over and above co-occurring individual and environmental factors. Data were drawn from the Seattle Social Development Project, a longitudinal panel of 808 youth. Early predictors (ages 10 to 15) and sexual risk taking (ages 21 to 24 and 30 to 33) were assessed prospectively. Early sexual initiation (before age 15) was entered into a series of probit regressions that also included family, neighborhood, peer, and individual risk factors. Although a positive bivariate relation between early sexual initiation and sexual risk taking was observed at both ages, the link did not persist when co-occurring risk factors were included. Behavioral disinhibition and antisocial peer influences emerged as the strongest predictors of sexual risk over and above early sexual initiation. These results suggest that early sexual initiation must be considered in the context of common antecedents; public health policy aimed at delaying sexual intercourse alone is unlikely to substantially reduce sexual risk behavior in young adulthood.     

Posttraumatic Stress and Mental Health Functioning of Sexually Abused Children

This study examined the relationship between levels of posttraumatic stress and overall mental health functioning of fifty-three sexually abused children. This study analyzes the relationships between the mental health functioning of sexual abuse victims and PTSD, using data collected from the Non-Offending Parents Project. Unlike numerous earlier studies, standardized instruments (the Child Assessment Schedule and the Child Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index) were used for data collection. Data analysis supported the hypothesis that the posttraumatic stress level of children who have been sexually abused is associated with level of child mental health functioning. Nearly all the children in the study were experiencing a clinical level of posttraumatic stress, and were diagnosed as having PTSD. Child Assessment Schedule subscale areas which were related to posttraumatic stress level included worries, physical complaints, moods, school functioning, family, and fears.     

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Seropositive Homeless Men: Behavioral and Social Characteristics

Homeless persons living in US. innercities are at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HW) infection, but few studies have examined the continued risk behaviors of HIV infected homeless men. We investigated the sexual behavior of 32 homeless men who had tested HIV seropositive. Twenty-five percent of HW positive men reported a history of injection drug use, 34% had sex with men, over 40% had participated in commercial sex, and 59% had been treated for a non-HIV sexually transmitted disease. HIV seropositive men also reported recent sexual behavior, with 62% having sex in the previous month and 50% currently sexually active. Condom use was inconsistent among seropositive men; 44% of vaginal and 50% of anal intercourse occasions in the preceding three months did not involve condoms, and 28% of HW seropositive men did not use a condom during their most recent sexual encounter. Substance use was frequently associated with unprotected sexual behavior among HW seropositive men. Finally, measures of life satisfaction showed that HIV seropositive men were most satisfied with their relationships, mental health, and spiritual well being. These data suggest a need for intensive behavioral.interventions tailored for homeless HW infected men and we recommend that existing substance use treatment and holistic care be incorporated into behavioral interventions for HW infected men.     

The major tasks of adolescence: Implications for transition planning with youths with cerebral palsy

Adolescents with cerebral palsy are presented with unique challenges as they make the transition to adulthood. There are a number of considerations that need to be addressed in a collaborative manner by rehabilitation professionals, educators, parents, and adolescents to facilitate the transition process. This article (a) explores the challenges that youths with cerebral palsy encounter as they attempt to accomplish the developmental tasks of adolescence and (b) discusses how those tasks can be integrated into transition planning. An overview of the medical aspects of cerebral palsy is also provided.     

Resistive training and long-term function in older adults

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 24-month moderate-intensity resistive-training intervention on strength and function in older adults. A repeated-measures experimental research design was employed as a sample of 55 apparently healthy, older, community-dwelling volunteers (30 exercisers- 25 women and 5 men; 25 comparisons- 16 women and 9 men) were evaluated for strength of 5 muscle groups that influence lower extremity movement and physical function. Strength and function were evaluated at 6-month intervals. The findings from this study indicate that a moderate-intensity resistive-training program increases strength in older adults and that the strength benefits are retained for the duration of the intervention. Furthermore, a long-term strength-training program can increase independent-function skills in older adults and might therefore aid in prolonging functional independence.