Time management as a moderator of relations between stressors and employee strain

The purpose of this study was to examine whether time management behaviours moderated relations between stressors (role conflict, role overload, work-family conflict, and family-work conflict) and strain, as measured by scores on the General Health Questionnaire. It was predicted that use of time management behaviours would be negatively associated with strain. These relations, however, were expected to be mediated by feelings of control over time. It was further predicted that the use of time management behaviours would attenuate stressor-strain relations. Data collected from 525 employed men and women indicated, as predicted, that use of time management behaviours was negatively associated with strain. These relations were partially mediated by feelings of control over time. Moderator tests failed to provide support for time management behaviour as a moderator of stressor-strain relations. Implications of findings are discussed and future directions for time management research are suggested.     

Phase type stress–strength models with reliability applications

The stress–strength model has attracted a great deal of attention in reliability analysis, and it has been studied under various modeling assumptions. In this article, the stress–strength reliability is studied for both single unit and multicomponent systems when stress and strength distributions are of phase type. Phase-type distributions, besides their analytical tractability, are a versatile tool for modeling a wide range of real life systems/processes. In particular, matrix-based expressions are obtained for the stress–strength reliability, and mean residual strength for an operating system. The results are illustrated for Erlang-type stress–strength distributions for a single unit system and a system having a general coherent structure. An example on the comparison of two multi-state units in stress–strength ordering is also presented.     

老年个案工作问题的分析及解决思路——低保户孤寡老人的个案研究

传统孤寡老人的个案工作注重个人的觉醒和充权的培养以达致恢复老人身份认同和认知能力以适应社会发展的需要,从而改善自我困境。但是,传统的思想却忽视了其问题的形成的根本原因,即结构性问题。由于结构性问题是贯穿于问题的始终,因而分析孤寡老人的问题形成及探讨解决思路需要置身于结构性的背景中,从其关系网络、家庭结构、互动关系对其角色和能力影响角度去考量。     

心理弹性研究对危机干预工作的启示

危机干预和心理弹性的研究都是从危机情境出发,前者关注危机导致个体的不适应症状,后者关注危机中积极适应的个体。本文通过对心理弹性这一领域研究成果的梳理,并探讨传统危机干预的特点和模式,总结心理弹性研究对危机干预工作的启示：打破所有经历创伤情境的人都需要干预的假设,凸显评估的重要性;将负面情绪内化的个体更需要危机干预;重视情绪表达在危机干预中的作用;加强目标、计划在危机干预中的作用;在危机干预中提升当事人的心理弹性。     

Gender Role Identity and Stress in African American Women

Abstract

Womanism is a feminist perspective that has recently been appropriated for social work practice with African American women (Littlefleld, in press). It emphasizes the centrality of gender role in African American women's psychosocial adaptation, and asserts that the archetypal gender role for this group incorporates both nurturing and economic providing functions. This gender role fluidity has been characterized both as a source of strength (Billingsley, 1992; Hill, 1999) and strain (Lewis, 1989; McAdoo, 1985). The present study empirically investigated the relationship between gender role identity and stress in African American women to clarify its adaptive value. The Bem Sex Role Inventory was used to classify subjects into groups based on the degree to which they identified themselves with stereotypically masculine and feminine traits. Women who endorsed high levels of both masculine and feminine traits experienced lower levels of stress than did other women. The findings indicate that gender role identity is a factor in African American women's psychosocial well-being, and that mainstream gender role norms may not be adequate for analyzing the experiences of this group.     

Intergenerational Issues in Long Term Planning

No abstract available for this article.     

The role of service users in problem formulation and technical aspects of social research

The importance of the practitioner-researcher relationship in problem formulation derives from the need for relevance to the issues faced by practitioners. This paper argues that if research is to be relevant to the issues faced by service users, they too must be involved in problem formulation. There is a substantial literature on the moral case for user involvement in research but relatively little about the technical benefits. The paper sets out some distinctions in the meaning of user involvement in different models of social research, and, drawing on examples of user-led and user-controlled research, suggests not only that problem formulation benefits from user involvement but that several other key technical aspects of social research may also be improved.     

Enhancing Wellbeing in Social Work Students: Building Resilience in the Next Generation

The need for social workers to be resilient is widely emphasised. Although enhancing resilience in social work trainees presents a challenge to educators, they are nonetheless responsible for developing professionals who are able to cope with the emotional demands of the job. This paper argues that building resilience in the future workforce should be a key element of social work education. However, as little is known about the competencies and support structures that underpin resilience or the extent to which resilience protects the wellbeing of trainees, an evidence-based approach is required to inform curriculum development.

Recent research conducted by the authors of this paper has highlighted the protective nature of resilience in social work trainees. Emotional intelligence and associated competencies, such as reflective ability, aspects of empathy and social confidence, were found to be key predictors of this important quality. The important role played by social support from various sources was also emphasised. The present paper summarises this research, and presents interventions based on the findings that have the potential to promote resilience and wellbeing in social work trainees. Also considered are ways in which the curriculum might be further enhanced to provide trainees with an internal ‘tool-box’ of strategies that will help them manage their wellbeing more effectively in their future career.     

Military Veterans Sharing First‐Person Stories of War and Homecoming: A Pathway to Social Engagement,Personal Healing,and Public Understanding of Veterans' Issues

What power, meaning and value may exist within a soldier's first‐person war story? Former Marine captain Tyler Boudreau, quoted below, suggests that constructing a personal narrative of the traumas of war and homecoming, then “asking questions” of the story, can provide a veteran with a “chart.” If this is so, can that chart help one along the road to healing from those traumas, especially when that story is shared with others? Could there be dangerous turns or pitfalls on the journey? How can a public sharing of narratives of wartime experiences help audiences to better respond to those veterans and families who must cope with a difficult transition from the battlefield to home? What guidelines can be used effectively to train and prepare storytellers for their role? In this collaborative article, strengthened by the clinical wisdom of various consulting clinicians, we examine these questions through the lenses of two programs that provide veterans opportunities to share their war stories publicly. They include the Veterans Education Project (VEP) and the “100 Faces of War Experience” project (100 Faces).     

Secondary Traumatic Stress of Service Providers who Practice with Survivors of Family or Sexual Violence: A National Survey of Social Workers

Past research demonstrates that professionals helping survivors of family violence or sexual assault are at risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress. Although social workers frequently provide services to these families, the risk of exhibiting secondary traumatic stress symptoms has rarely been investigated. Using a national sample (N >= 154), this research project examines the prevalence and severity of secondary traumatic stress among social workers who assist survivors of family violence or sexual assault. Implications for social work practice are also discussed.