Family Health History Tools as Communication Resources: Perspectives from Caucasian,Hispanic, and Pacific Islander Families

Many tools facilitate gathering family health history (FHH) information. Public health initiatives have focused on improving FHH communication. Research indicates that tools remain largely unused in non-clinical settings and people tend to refrain from engaging in FHH communication. Research also indicates that cultural and family relationship factors influence FHH communication and tool use. This study investigated FHH tools as resources for FHH communication within Caucasian, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander families. Interviews with 10 family dyads from each racial/ethnic group included opportunities for participants to evaluate two FHH tools. Using structurating activity theory, the qualitative analysis revealed that participants viewed the tools as a structure for FHH information, a guide for how to communicate about FHH, and a source for stories about family health. Results are discussed in terms of how family system elements and social structures shape perceptions and use of FHH tools. Conclusions include implications for research and practice.     

Illuminating the Black Box From Within: Stakeholder Perspectives on Family Drug Court Best Practices

This article describes a mixed-methods, concept mapping study in an urban family drug court (FDC) designed to identify keys to FDC success from stakeholders’ perspectives. Participating FDC team members and clients developed a set of items they deemed integral to an FDC, thematically clustered the items, and then rated their relative importance. Using these data, cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling generated 6 themes perceived as contributing to positive outcomes. Resultant concept maps revealed that, compared to team members, clients view relational aspects of the FDC as more important. The findings point to implications for future research and social work practice.     

The Conceptualization and Measurement of Listening

Although far more emphasis has been placed on sending messages than upon receiving them, some researchers have focused on listening and on receiving. In this paper, the authors adopt the position that although listening, as a theoretical concept, may in some meaningful sense be real and measurable through a variety of instruments, inadequate attention has been given to the development of a consensus regarding its conceptualization. In support of this position we first review inconsistencies in current definitions of listening and then discuss problems in measurement. On the basis of our review, we conclude that considerable ambiguity exists concerning conceptualization of the listening construct, and that further investigation of measurement issues involved in the theory of the receiving component of listening should be undertaken.     

Impact of the Most Frequently Reported Traumatic Events on Community Mental Health Clients

This survey of 354 community mental health clients examined the relative impact of client self-reported events that they deemed “most traumatic” for predicting posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) symptom severity. Results of the voluntary survey revealed the most traumatic lifetime events to be (in descending order of frequency): sudden death of a loved one, sexual abuse, physical abuse, suicide attempt, and having been in a serious/life-threatening accident. These factors were then tested for gender differences, and regression models were developed to test the predictive power of traumatic events relative to primary diagnosis, psychosocial well-being, other key psychiatric indicators, and drinking to cope with negative emotions. Results demonstrated that sexual abuse was reported to be among the strongest predictors of PTSD symptom severity. Separate regression models also revealed important gender differences. Implications for social work assessment of seriously mentally ill clients are suggested.     

IX. Children referred by the schools to the Worcester child guidance clinic 1

Abstract

The level of job rewards for social workers has been correlated with the quality of service to clients. A purposive quota sample of 127 Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers in Massachusetts employed in three settings completed the Job Role Quality Scale. Respondents found Decision Authority, Flexibility, and Impact (sense of helping others) most rewarding. Private practitioners reported a significantly higher level of reward than respondents in public and private agencies. Administrative interventions directed toward increasing job rewards and decreasing job concerns, may reduce social work staff turnover and enhance the quality of service to clients.     

Exploring the Relationship Between Trust in Government and the Provision of Social Services in Countries of the Global South: The Case of Palestine

ABSTRACT

Using a data set combining two surveys that were conducted by Birzeit University in Palestine, the study investigates the role that trust in government plays in the provision of social services in Palestine (N= 1,314). The relationship between trust in government and selected sociodemographic characteristics is also explored. Results from the bivariate and regression analyses performed reveal that perceived trust in government is significantly related to government performance and a respondent's gender, income, education, and political affiliation. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

The Place of Single Session Family Consultations: Five Years’ Experience in Canberra

Open Day, in the form of two half day single session family clinics, has operated weekly in the ACT Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service since April 1993 and over a thousand families have been seen. Clinicians are often resistant to the concept of single sessions and frequently overestimate the amount of assistance that clients feel they require. However in an era of sharply increasing demand for services, selective use of single family sessions for milder problems, screened by a telephone intake process, has value to both families and workers. Telephone follow-ups of 100 families in 1994 and 70 families in 1996 found that single session family interviews were well accepted by the large majority of families seen. Clinicians see the program as reducing pressure from clients for early attention, enhancing client motivation when seen at crisis times, providing readily available consultation support from peers, increasing learning opportunities and building inter-disciplinary team work.