Social Work Commons^™

Book Review: How To Give Financial Advice To Couples, Alycia Degraff, D. Bruce Ross

Journal of Financial Therapy

How to Give Financial Advice to Couples is a financial advisor’s must-read text. Kingsbury allows the reader to become familiar with the daunting area of couple dynamics in this unintimidating and easy read.

Narrative Financial Therapy: Integrating A Financial Planning Approach With Therapeutic Theory, Megan A. Mccoy, D. Bruce Ross, Joseph W. Goetz

Journal of Financial Therapy

The article serves as one of the first attempts to develop an integrated theoretical approach to financial therapy that can be used by practitioners from multiple disciplines. The presented approach integrates the components of the six-step financial planning process with components of empirically-supported therapeutic methods. This integration provides the foundation for a manualized approach to financial therapy, shaped by the writings of narrative theorists and select cognitive-behavioral interventions that can be used both by mental health and financial professionals.

2013 Membership Profile Of The Financial Therapy Association: A Strategic Planning Report, Sarah Asebedo, Megan A. Mccoy, Kristy L. Archuleta

Journal of Financial Therapy

A second profile of the Financial Therapy Association (FTA) membership was conducted to continue the development of financial therapy as a new area of practice and study. The FTA was established in 2010 as an effort to bring together practitioners and researchers from diverse disciplines to share in a common vision of financial therapy. This profile report depicts the demographic profile (e.g., age, education, gender, occupation, income) and perspectives of members who participated in the survey commissioned by the FTA Strategic Planning Committee in 2013. The results of the membership profile survey highlight the future directions of and the challenges …

Journal Of Financial Therapy Editorial, Volume 4, Issue 2, Kristy L. Archuleta

Journal of Financial Therapy

This is the editorial for Volume 4, Issue 2, featuring the 2013 Financial Therapy Association membership profile, articles on narrative financial therapy and Hoarding Disorder, two professional financial therapy profiles, and a book review.

Hoarding Disorder: It’S More Than Just An Obsession - Implications For Financial Therapists And Planners, Anthony Canale, Bradley Klontz

Journal of Financial Therapy

Compulsive hoarders feel emotional attachments to their money and possessions, making it difficult for them to spend or discard accumulated items. Traditionally, hoarding has been seen as a symptom of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). However, hoarding behavior can be a problem in its own right, without someone meeting the diagnostic criteria for OCD or OCPD. Despite being a mental health disorder that poses a serious public health problem, social costs to the public, and strain on families, there is little empirical work that has examined Hoarding Disorder (HD) from a financial perspective. As with …

Practitioner Profile: An Interview With Amanda Clayman, Lmsw, Cfsw, Amanda Clayman

Journal of Financial Therapy

Amanda Clayman, is a Licensed Master of Social Work and a Certified Financial Social Worker who helps individuals, couples, and families bring money into balance. Since 2006, Amanda has led the Financial Wellness Program at The Actors Fund, a national non-profit human services agency that supports professionals in performing arts and entertainment. She maintains a private financial wellness counseling practice in New York City and is a public speaker on life and money topics. Amanda's work has been featured in media outlets, such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, SELF magazine, REAL SIMPLE magazine, Women's Health, Parenting, …

Researcher Profile: An Interview With Russell James, Jd, Phd, Cfp(R), Russell James

Journal of Financial Therapy

Russell James is a professor and the CH Foundation Chair in Personal Financial Planning in the Department of Personal Financial Planning at Texas Tech University, where he is also the Director of Graduate Studies in Charitable Financial Planning. His research is focused on encouraging generosity and satisfaction in financial decision-making.

Do Organizational Culture And Climate Matter For Successful Client Outcomes?, David A. Patterson Silver Wolf (Adelv Unegv Waya) Phd, Catherine N. Dulmus Phd, Eugene Maguin Phd, Maria Cristalli

Brown School Faculty Publications

Objectives: The existing literature on the impact of workplace conditions on client care suggests that good cultures and climates provide the best outcomes for clients. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between organizational culture and climate and the proportion of children and youth successfully discharged from a large organization in New York State. Method: Thirty-three child and youth programs with existing culture and climate data evaluated outcome information from 1,336 clients exiting its services. Results: Programs reported as having bad culture and climate yielded superior client outcomes, measured as discharge to a lower level of …

Testing Pathways Linking Exposure To Community Violence And Sexual Behaviors Among African American Youth, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Exposure to community violence and HIV sexual risks are two major public health concerns among youth. This study tests various pathways linking exposure to community violence and sexual behaviors among African American adolescents. Using a sample of 563 (61 % females) African American youth attending high school we examined whether problematic psychological symptoms, low school engagement, and/or negative perceptions of peer norms about safer sex functioned as pathways linking exposure to community violence and sexual behaviors. Major findings indicated that, for boys, the relationship between exposure to community violence and sexual début and sexual risk behaviors were linked by aggression. …

Exploring The Effects Of Multi-Level Protective And Risk Factors On Child And Parenting Outcomes In Families Participating In Healthy Start/Healthy Families Oregon (Hs/Hfo), Peggy Nygren

Dissertations and Theses

While many studies focus on the links between multiple risk factors and negative outcomes such as child maltreatment, less is known about the influence of protective factors in the face of risks. The theoretical base of this study was a social ecological model of interactive influences including individual parent, family, and neighborhood level factors to predict outcomes. Protective Factor Index (PFI) and Risk Factor Index (RFI) predictors were developed to explore potential multi-level protective factor buffering effects on key child development and parenting outcomes. Participants were first time mothers enrolled in a randomized controlled study of the Healthy Start/ Healthy …

Family Structures Of Homeless Men, Lauren Olson

Social Work Student Works

I spent the semester exploring the family structures of homeless men in Minneapolis through interviews and participant observation. Originally, I was curious if differences in family structures affected men before, during and after being in a state of homeless. Specifically, I asked men about their family situations growing up, as well as the families they've created as adults. Through interviews with informants I was hoping to discover connections between how family structures and relationships as a child affected their relationships today. By creating meaningful friendships with the homeless men and staff within in Minneapolis, I was able to make a …

"Leads" To Expanded Social Networks, Increased Civic Engagement And Divisions Within A Community: The Role Of Dogs, Catherine Simpson Bueker

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Dogs play a distinct role in their impact on human relationships and processes because of the unique role they play in American society, existing in a liminal space of "almost" human. Both the level of emotional attachment and the requisite daily care make dogs important players in bringing humans in contact with one another and mediating human relationships. This study examines the role that dogs play in mediating relationships between and among humans. By analyzing 24 in-depth interviews, as well as Letters to the Editor, editorials, and other items in a local newspaper, and observing public meetings around dog usage …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 40, No. 4 (December 2013)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

REDEFINING SOCIAL WELFARE: CONNECTIONS ACROSS SPECIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE: REDEFINING SOCIAL WELFARE: CONNECTIONS ACROSS SPECIES - Christina Risley-Curtiss
• HUMAN CONSEQUENCES OF ANIMAL EXPLOITATION: NEEDS FOR REDEFINING SOCIAL WELFARE - Atsuko Matsuoka and John Sorenson
• THE IMPACT OF COMPANION ANIMALS ON SOCIAL CAPITAL AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE: SETTING RESEARCH, POLICY AND PROGRAM AGENDAS - Phil Arkow
• RELATIONAL ECOLOGY: A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING THE HUMANANIMAL BOND - Jennifer M. Putney
• CHILDREN'S IDEAS ABOUT THE MORAL STANDING AND SOCIAL WELFARE OF NON-HUMAN SPECIES - Gail F Melson
• EXPANDING THE ECOLOGICAL LENS IN CHILD WELFARE PRACTICE TO INCLUDE OTHER …

Expanding The Ecological Lens In Child Welfare Practice To Include Other Animals, Christina Risley-Curtiss

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Sixty-nine million U.S. households have companion animals and most of these families consider these animals to be family members. Research shows that children have powerful emotional connections with animals that can be both beneficial and harmful. Considerable research findings report that violence against animals often co-occurs with, indicates, or predicts other forms of family violence, including child abuse. A companion animal may be an abused child's confidante, and separation from that animal through foster care may be a source of stress and grief for that child. Child welfare agencies are slowly acknowledging some animal-human relationships, especially in regard to animal …

Relational Ecology: A Theoretical Framework For Understanding The Human-Animal Bond, Jennifer M. Putney

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This qualitative study investigated the perceived impact of companion animals on the psychological well-being of lesbian women over age 65. Twelve women, ranging in age from 65-80, were interviewed with a semi-structured interview guide. Four thematic findings are highlighted: love and attachment, animals in transitional spaces, challenges and rewards of caregiving, and preparation for death. The author offers the term "relational ecology" to explain how animals contribute to well-being. This integrates the growth task model of human development, object relations theory, liminality, and deep ecology.

Cross-Reporting Of Interpersonal Violence And Animal Cruelty: The Charlotte Project, Dennis D. Long, Shanti J. Kulkarni

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The overlapping nature of interpersonal violence and animal cruelty is well established, however historically each issue has been addressed by distinct and separate protective systems. An innovative community-based project is described that utilized crosstraining as a mechanism to foster collaboration between human services and animal control agencies. Findings are useful for professionals and community stakeholders interested in facilitating the cross-reporting of interpersonal violence and animal cruelty.

The Relationships Between Internalized Heterosexism, Spirituality, And Mental Health In Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Young Adults, Jon Raymond Bourn

Masters Theses

Minority stressors like internalized heterosexism have been found to be related to suicidality among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals (e.g., Savin-Williams & Ream, 2003). Additional research is needed, however, to better understand the factors that may serve as moderators (i.e., protective factors) in the relationships between minority stressors and negative mental health outcomes, such as depression and suicidality (e.g., Szymanski et al., 2008). The current study attempted to examine the relationships between internalized heterosexism and two negative mental health outcomes associated with suicide, psychache (defined as unbearable psychological pain) and depression, in a sample of LGB young adults. Given …

The Role Of Culture In Making Psychiatric Diagnosis: Hwabyung (火病) And Neurasthenia (神經衰弱), Jonghyun Lee

2013 New England Association for Asian Studies Conference

The Role of Culture in Making Psychiatric Diagnosis: Hwabyung (火病) and Neurasthenia (神經衰弱)

My paper looks at two psychiatric illnesses and discusses their social and cultural dimensions. The two illnesses to be compared are the Korean affliction called hwabyung, and the once-popular Western malady labeled neurasthenia, a common ailment in 19th century America.

Neurasthenia was defined as “a disorder characterized by feelings of fatigue and lassitude,” which is caused by the nervous system. That definition could fit most people at some time or another. Hwabyung, on the other hand, means “fire illness.” Koreans believe that chronic distress can …

Poverty Knowledge, Coercion, And Social Rights: A Discourse Ethical Contribution To Social Epistemology, David Ingram

David Ingram

In today’s America the persistence of crushing poverty in the midst of staggering affluence no longer incites the righteous jeremiads it once did. Resigned acceptance of this paradox is fueled by a sense that poverty lies beyond the moral and technical scope of government remediation. The failure of experts to reach agreement on the causes of poverty merely exacerbates our despair. Are the causes internal to the poor – reflecting their more or less voluntary choices? Or do they emanate from structures beyond their control (but perhaps amenable to government remediation)? If both of these explanations are true (as I …

Toward A Client-Centered Benchmark For Self-Sufficiency: Evaluating The ‘Process’ Of Becoming Job Ready., Philip Young P. Hong

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how service providers, clients, and graduates of a job training program define the term self-sufficiency (SS). This community-engaged, mixed method study qualitatively analyzes focus group data from each group and quantitatively examines survey data obtained from participants of the program. Findings reveal that psychological transformation as a ‘process’ represents the emic definition of SS—psychological SS—but each dimension of the concept is reflected in varying degrees by group. Provider and participant views are vastly different from the outcome-driven policy and funder definitions. Implications for benchmarking psychological SS as an empowerment-based ‘process’ measure of …

Livelihood Security Among Refugees In Uganda: Opportunities, Obstacles, And Physical Security Implications, Karen J. Norris

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project was designed to investigate the challenges refugees face in securing a livelihood, and to understand the extent to which the United Nations, the government of Uganda, and various aid groups are able to assist refugees in achieving self-reliance, and the capacity that refugees have to empower themselves. It also endeavors to expose any disparities between nationality groups, and the impact of these differences. Furthermore, this project aims to explore the impact of refugee livelihood security on regional physical security and community stability.

Research for this study was conducted in Kyangwali and Nakivale Refugee Settlements in Uganda, as …

Family Histories And Multiple Transitions Among Homeless Young Adults: Pathways To Homelessness, Kimberly A. Tyler, Rachel M. Schmitz

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This study explored the early family histories of homeless young adults, the types and number of transitions they experienced, and their pathways to the street. Intensive qualitative interviews were audio taped and transcribed with 40 homeless young adults 19 to 21 years of age in the Midwest. Findings show that family backgrounds were generally characterized by substance use, child maltreatment, and witnessing violence, all of which provide social context for understanding why so many of these young people opted to leave home in search of an alternative living situation. The current findings also reveal that while some young adults ran …

Brief Research Report: Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Hiv Status Among African American Women In Washington, Dc, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: African American women living in Washington, DC have one of the highest Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence rates in the US. However, this population has been understudied, especially as it relates to factors associated with HIV status. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined sociodemographic factors that were associated with having a negative or positive HIV status among a sample of 115 African American women between the ages of 24 and 44 years. We assessed such factors as age, education, sexual orientation, household income, sources of income, number of children, length of residency tenure in Washington, DC, and level of HIV-prevention …

Trading The Picket Fence: Perceptions Of Childbirth, Marriage, And Career, Wanda Parham-Payne, Bette J. Dickerson, Tekisha Dwan Everette

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

While there was a slightly lower rate of out-of-wedlock births in 2009, 41 percent of all births were to unmarried women. Although there has been an increase across the board among older age groups, Black women continue to have children out of wedlock at a disproportionately higher rate than White and Asian women. This is of particular interest, considering African-American women are increasingly attaining higher levels of education in comparison to previous generations of African-American women. As such, the perceptions of childbirth, child-rearing, and marriage among a sample of African-American women matriculating within a postsecondary setting are explored.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 40, No. 3 (September 2013)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND DISCONNECTION FROM WELFARE AND WORK: ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF PUBLIC HOUSING AND TENANT-BASED RENTAL SUBSIDIES - Andrea Hetling and Hilary Botein
• SUICIDE WITHIN UNITED STATES JAILS: A QUALITATIVE INTERPRETIVE META SYNTHESIS - Laura Frank and Regina T P. Aguirre
• WELFARE REFORM IN THE STATES: DOES THE PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE LEGISLATORS IN STATE LEGISLATURES AFFECT WELFARE REFORM POLICIES? - Lee W. Payne
• SOCIAL SECURITY: STRENGTHEN NOT DISMANTLE - Michael M. 0. Seipel
• TRADING THE PICKET FENCE: PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDBIRTH, MARRIAGE, AND CAREER - Wanda Parham-Payne, Bette J. Dickerson, and Tekisha Dwan Everette
• BEYOND PROFESSIONAL EMERGENCIES: …

Between Stonewall And Aids: Initial Efforts To Establish Gay And Lesbian Social Services, Michael G. Lee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Little has been written about gay and lesbian communities' efforts to address health and human service concerns prior to the HIV/AIDS crisis. This article analyzes content from The Advocate along with organizational documents from the early 1970s to explore the health issues addressed by these fledgling providers. Major concerns identified include social adjustment to a gay or lesbian identity, chemical health, sexual health, and family supports. These findings depict a service context strained by funding instability, workplace turmoil, neighborhood hostility, and high levels of consumer needs that would later come to characterize the complex nature of AIDS service work.

Project Ngage: Network Supported Hiv Care Engagement For Younger Black Men Who Have Sex With Men And Transgender Persons, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Young Black men who have sex with men and transgender persons (YBMSMT) aged 13-29 carry the nation's highest burden of new HIV infections. Studies indicate that YBMSMT have poor retention in care, which is associated with reduced medication adherence and increased virologic failure. Objective: Project nGage is a randomized controlled (RCT) trial evaluating the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a brief, dyadic intervention designed to promote adherence to HIV primary care in safety-net clinics. Network visualization is used to identify and engage a support confidant (SC) from participants' social networks. A social work interventionist then meets with the SC …

A Mixed Methods Multiple Case Study Of Implementation As Usual In Children’S Social Service Organizations: Study Protocol, Byron J. Powell, Enola K. Proctor, Charles A. Glisson, Patricia L. Kohl, Ramesh Raghavan, Ross C. Brownson, Bradley P. Stoner, Christopher R. Carpenter, Lawrence A. Palinkas

Social Work Publications and Other Works

Background

Improving quality in children’s mental health and social service settings will require implementation strategies capable of moving effective treatments and other innovations (e.g., assessment tools) into routine care. It is likely that efforts to identify, develop, and refine implementation strategies will be more successful if they are informed by relevant stakeholders and are responsive to the strengths and limitations of the contexts and implementation processes identified in usual care settings. This study will describe: the types of implementation strategies used; how organizational leaders make decisions about what to implement and how to approach the implementation process; organizational …

Fearless: Nadejiah Towns, Nadejiah Z. Towns

SURGE

This week we would like to recognize Nadejiah Towns ’15 as a fearless fighter against poverty. This summer she has served as a Heston intern for the South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP) and has spent the majority of her time with the Work Ready program, a “welfare to work” organization that helps low-income community members gain the skills needed to by obtaining a reliable, professional job and become self-sufficient.

The Impact Of Social Integration On The Lived Experience Of Resilience Among Women Who Lived In Poverty During Childhood, Nedra R. Peter

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis is a study of the lived experience of poverty and resilience among women who lived in poverty during childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of social integration on resilience to the adverse effects of poverty. This investigation was conducted as a retrospective study. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, seven women who lived in poverty during childhood were interviewed in semi-structured interviews lasting 60 to 90 minutes. These interviews, along with a member-checking meeting, were the primary method of data collection. Data was analyzed through thematic analysis informed by van Manen (1990, 1997). The …