Analysis of social innovation on social networking services

ABSTRACT

Social network services are allowing more social connectivity and making possible sharing information and knowledge of a different nature. This article analyses if social workers related to active social policies from Malaga province (Spain) are using social network services to share information and knowledge and if there is a mirror between online and offline relationships. Since it is an experimental model, through virtual ethnography and through social network analysis methodology, we observed the presence, connectivity and analysed the structure of relationships that keep 235 professionals from 52 organizations in Facebook®. Moreover, the model uses the statistical technique of modularity for detecting online communities, which are compared with distribution of professionals in their organizations. Results show how social network services applied to social intervention are massively and frequently used by professionals. On the other hand, the detected communities reflect existence of analogy between online and offline relationships. The online structure shows a high degree of cohesion and how certain professionals have higher capacity of influence and diffusion depending on position in the online structure. It argues about the opportunity to incorporate social network services towards social intervention as a manner of social innovation to improve cooperation and diffusion of information and knowledge.     

The Effect of Chair Yoga on Biopsychosocial Changes in English- and Spanish-Speaking Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Lower-Extremity Osteoarthritis

Chair yoga (CY), a mind-body therapy, is a safe nonpharmacological approach for managing osteoarthritis (OA) in older adults who cannot participate in standing exercise. However, there is no linguistically tailored CY program for those with limited English proficiency (LEP). This 2-arm randomized controlled trial compared the effects of a linguistically tailored yoga program (English and Spanish versions) on the outcomes of pain, physical function, and psychosocial factors compared to the effects of a linguistically tailored Health Education Program (HEP; English and Spanish versions). Participants with lower-extremity OA, recruited from 2 community sites, completed the Spanish (n = 40) or English (n = 60) version of twice-weekly 45-min CY or HEP sessions for 8 weeks. Data were collected at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 1- and 3-month follow-ups. English and Spanish CY groups (but neither HEP language group) showed significant decreases in pain interference. Measures of OA symptoms, balance, depression, and social activities were not significantly different between English and Spanish versions of CY and English and Spanish versions of HEP. It was concluded that the Spanish and English versions of CY and HEP were equivalent. Linguistically tailored CY could be implemented in aging-serving communities for persons with LEP.     

The design of socially optimal decisions in a consensus scenario

Several situations of conflict between basic social principles can crop up during a consensus searching process. The majority principle and respect for minority groups is a possible example of a conflictive situation between two social principles. In this paper, we outline a specific consensus searching scenario, where individual preferences are expressed by “pairwise” comparison matrices. The set of compromise consensuses between the majority and minority principles is determined using a procedure based upon an adaptation of Yu's p-metric distances. Finally, we use three different theoretical approaches – utility theory, p-metric distance functions and bargaining theory – to obtain the social optimum from the set of compromise consensuses. The links and differences among the three approaches are analysed. Finally, the working of the proposed theoretical framework is illustrated with the help of a forestry case study.     

Robustness issues under imprecise beliefs and preferences

Robust Bayesian analysis has been rapidly developing, specially in terms of sensitivity to the prior. We argue that these studies are insufficient in decision-making contexts. Consequently, we discuss what robustness issues should be of interest in those situations and provide answers in some important cases.     

Mixture of Maximal Quasi Orders: a new Approach to Preference Modelling

Normative theories suggest that inconsistencies be pointed out to the Decision Maker who is thus given the chance to modify his/her judgments. In this paper, we suggest that the inconsistencies problem be transferred from the Decision Maker to the Analyst. With the Mixture of Maximal Quasi Orders, rather than pointing out incoherences for the Decision Maker to change, these inconsistencies may be used as new source of information to model his/her preferences.     

Building relationships on social networking sites from a social work approach

ABSTRACT

Our current age of connectedness has facilitated a boom in interactive dynamics within social networking sites. It is, therefore, possible for the field of Social Work to draw on these advantages in order to connect with the unconnected by strengthening online mutual support networks among users.

The aim of this article is to examine whether ‘connectedness’ in social networking sites improves online social capital and resilience of social service users.

Through our analysis of social networks carried out on an experimental model, we observed the patterns of connectedness on Facebook of 50 social service end-users from Málaga, Spain. The detection of online communities through the modularity algorithm has allowed us to ascertain whether individuals’ offline realities mirror their online realities. At the same time, we examined the influence certain interactions (likes, comments, etc.) have on leadership through online ethnography. Finally, online social capital, understood as the combination of connectedness and online interaction, has been correlated with users’ resilience. The results reveal that both connectedness and interaction feed themselves and have correlations with resilience.     

A Bayesian approach for misclassified ordinal response data

ABSTRACT

Motivated by a longitudinal oral health study, the Signal-Tandmobiel^® study, a Bayesian approach has been developed to model misclassified ordinal response data. Two regression models have been considered to incorporate misclassification in the categorical response. Specifically, probit and logit models have been developed. The computational difficulties have been avoided by using data augmentation. This idea is exploited to derive efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. Although the method is proposed for ordered categories, it can also be implemented for unordered ones in a simple way. The model performance is shown through a simulation-based example and the analysis of the motivating study.     

Six Step Therapeutic Process to Facilitate Forgiveness of Self and Others

This theoretical article postulates a six step therapeutic process to facilitate forgiveness of self and others. The purpose of this article is to provide therapists with the therapeutic process that can be used to assist clients who are working through forgiveness and self-forgiveness. The combination of several therapeutic methods in a specific order might be effective in assisting clients to work through the forgiveness process in a systematic way. A case example that chronicles a client’s experience while working through forgiveness is provided. Lastly, a discussion of implications for practice and further research questions are presented.     

Reciprocal Relationship Between Resilience and Professional Skills: A Longitudinal Study With Social Work Students

ABSTRACT

This study analyzed the relationship between the resilience developed by social work students and the professional skills acquired during their university degree program. A longitudinal study was conducted over 4 academic years. Participants were 73 social work students at the University of Malaga (Spain). The results show a gradual increase in the development of resilience and in the acquisition of professional skills among the students during the 4-year period. Panel model analysis shows that the two processes were stable and reciprocal throughout the social work training process. The results suggest that resilience had a stronger effect on professional skills than the latter had on resilience. In conclusion, resilience is a relevant component of university training of future social workers.