Social Work Commons^™

Editorial, Volume 11, Issue 2, Kristy L. Archuleta

Journal of Financial Therapy

In this issue, we present four scholarly articles, two book reviews, and two professional profiles. The scholarly articles address a range of issues across diverse populations.

Save, Even If It’S A Penny”: Transnational Financial Socialization Of Black Immigrant Women, Bertranna A. Muruthi, Kimberly Watkins, Megan A. Mccoy, Kenneth J. White, Amanda Stafford Mcrell, Michael Thomas, Abiola Taiwo

Journal of Financial Therapy

The purpose of this study is to investigate Black-Caribbean and African women’s transnational financial socialization. Analysis of the data show 1) financial socialization in the country of origin: (a) parents stressed the importance of saving, (b) learned about money management explicitly, (c) learned about money management through observation, (d) learned by observing parent’s struggle; and 2) the impact to women’s financial navigation in the U.S.: (a) not receiving financial education, (b) unexpected financial stressors in the U.S., (c) difficulty saving, (d) the need for more financial education. Implications for mental health and financial practitioners and researchers are provided.

Integrating Financial Therapy Within Family-Owned Businesses: A Theoretical Case Vignette With Recommended Strategies For Consulting With Copreneurs, Josh W. Harris, Rob Stephens, Derek Sensenig, Stefanie Pickard, Megan A. Mccoy, Richard Kahler

Journal of Financial Therapy

Broadly speaking, finances are often one of the most strenuous aspects of a relationship. One potential contributing factor to financial conflict experienced by couples are having different beliefs or attitudes towards money, coined previously as money scripts (Klontz, Kahler, & Klontz, 2008). Differing money scripts between partners can cause a breach in understanding of their partner's internal experience around money that may lead to misunderstanding and conflict. This may be magnified for copreneurs, or romantic partners, who integrate a personal and working relationship within a business’s ownership structure. In this unique arrangement of personal and professional relationships, the traditional lines …

Book Review: The Less People Know About Us, Tiyani Rodrigo

Journal of Financial Therapy

The Less People Know about Us is an autobiographical book written by Axton Betz-Hamilton. The book focuses on her own experiences of child identity theft and the elder financial exploitation perpetrated by a loved one. Inspired by this experience, Dr. Betz-Hamilton went on to receive a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies and has since dedicated her research to the area of child identity theft. This book review evaluates the organization of the book exploring the usability of the book for practitioners in the field of financial therapy. The Less People Know about Us was enjoyable to read due …

Book Review: Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything, Tracy E. Kasing

Journal of Financial Therapy

Book Review of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything.

Flooding Schools: School Mental Health Providers And The Climate Crisis, Erik J. Reinbergs, Sarah Fefer

International Journal of School Social Work

This study provides an example of using a problem-solving model to explore the impact of the climate crisis on schools. Using publicly available climate change and flooding prediction data, we estimate that by 2100, assuming a “medium” climate change scenario, more than 1677 schools in the coastal United States are expected to flood every year and more than 2262 schools are expected to flood every 10 years. Within the data, “medium” is defined as warming levels that will lead to an estimated five feet of sea level rise by the year 2100. Limitations in the data suggest these numbers are …

Rules, Roles, And Practices: Exploring School Social Worker Preparation For Practice, Kimberly M. Knox, Stacy Gherardi, Allison Stoner

International Journal of School Social Work

At present, there is significant variability in the United States in regards to pre-service education and licensing requirements for school social workers. Studies have suggested that this variability impacts practice and may limit perceptions of the profession. The state of New Mexico requires a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree in order to practice as a school social worker but does not require any school-specific coursework, fieldwork, or training. This mixed-methods study describes findings from a survey of 84 school social workers in New Mexico which assessed perceptions of their preparation for practice. Quantitative survey items suggested that participants felt …

An Item Response Theory Analysis Of The Scoff Questionnaire In A Seventh Grade Population, Gerald J. Bean

International Journal of School Social Work

Eating disorders continue to be of concern to school social workers and health and counseling services staff in schools. There is a substantive need for scales that can help to measure both the extent to which eating disorders exist in a school population and to measure risk for specific students. Given that an eating disorder can be chronic and life-altering, early detection of risk is critically important. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a popular eating order screening scale—the SCOFF Questionnaire—in a seventh-grade population using Item Response Theory methods. Epidemiological studies have suggested that …

Tasks And Impact Of School Social Work In Switzerland As Perceived By Teachers, Principals And School Social Workers – A Multilevel Analysis, Werner Wicki, Roland Künzle, Marianne Mueller, Uri Ziegele, Karin Stadelmann, Kurt Gschwind

International Journal of School Social Work

To investigate whether the perceptions of school-based professionals regarding the tasks and impact of school social work (SSW) converge or diverge, this study collected survey data among 638 teachers, 41 school social workers, 62 principals, and 23 special education teachers distributed over 92 Swiss schools. After constructing several scales measuring the tasks and the impact of SSW via principal factor analyses, ANOVA’s were carried out to compare the mean perceptions of the included professionals. To prove for related perceptions between teachers and school social workers multilevel analyses were performed by including additional exploratory variables such as school context and personal …

School Social Work In Vietnam: Development And Capacity Building Through International Collaboration, Leticia Villarreal Sosa, Nguyen Thu Ha

International Journal of School Social Work

International collaborations and exchanges have been a part of the social work profession since its beginning. The internationalization of social work is firmly established with the presence of multiple international social work organizations. In the specialization of school social work, there are opportunities for exchange through an international school social work conference held every two to three years. It was at this conference that the authors met to initiate a collaboration in support of the development of school social work in Vietnam. This paper discusses the collaborative efforts and project funded by a Fulbright Specialist grant to support the development …

Book Review: Advice That Sticks, Erin Bruce

Journal of Financial Therapy

Book Review for Advice that Sticks: How to give financial advice that people will follow written by Dr. Moira Somers

Understanding The Experiences Of Familiar Identity Theft Victims When A Parent Is The Perpetrator: A Pilot Study, Axton Betz-Hamilton

Journal of Financial Therapy

Incidents of familiar identity theft are becoming more common, yet limited research has explored the experiences of such victims, particularly those who had their identity stolen by a parent. In this qualitative pilot study, six participants shared their experiences during interviews. Data were analyzed using interpretive content analysis. The following preliminary themes emerged from the data: Not Filing a Police Report, Negative Impacts, Positive Impacts, Social and Demographic Factors, and Helpful Resources. Lessons learned regarding methods and suggestions for future research are provided.

Financial Help-Seeking Behaviors Of Young Adults, Christina E. Glenn, Stuart J. Heckman

Journal of Financial Therapy

The financial help-seeking behaviors of Millennials are explored and guided by the Family Financial Socialization conceptual model developed by Gudmunson and Danes (2011). Using data from the 1997 cohort of the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, a random effects probit model was used to estimate the probability of a respondent seeking financial advice at any point in time from 2006 to 2013. Results indicate personal and family demographic characteristics are associated with the decision to seek financial advice. Further analysis was conducted to determine the probability of seeking help from a financial professional. Among those who sought help, gender, marital …

Facilitating Racial Equity: Evaluating A Leadership Workshop Series For School Social Workers, Summer G. Woodside, Veronica Hardy

International Journal of School Social Work

This article provides an overview of a leadership training workshop series designed to provide professional development to Pre-K through 12th grade school social workers about racial equity and leadership. The series' objectives included promoting social workers’ understanding of and obligation to facilitating racial equity in schools, analyzing educational data through a racial equity lens, conceptualizing school social workers as influencers in addressing racial inequities in schools, and collaborating with school professionals of various disciplines to practice and implement evidence-based approaches for facilitating racial equity in schools. The authors conducted five workshops that were developed based on state school social work …

Ethical And Methodological Challenges Of Implementing Social Work Survey Research In Schools: A Perspective From The Suburban United States, Chrisann Newransky, Stavroula Kyriakakis, Karishma D. Samaroo, Delores D. Owens, Azahah Abu Hassan Shaari

International Journal of School Social Work

Many researchers view schools as the ideal setting to study social and behavioral interventions with youth. As trusted community-based organizations, schools are natural partners for social work researchers who focus on bridging the needs of the most vulnerable populations. Awareness and consideration of critical issues related to conducting research within the school system enables social work researchers to plan and conduct rigorous studies while developing sustainable partnerships with schools. This article outlines key ethical and methodological challenges of conducting school-based survey research, and shares lessons learned and recommendations from the evaluation of a dating violence prevention curriculum implemented in U.S. …

Teen Depression, Stories Of Hope And Health: A Promising Universal School Climate Intervention For Middle School Youth, Michael S. Kelly, Peggy Kubert, Heather Freed

International Journal of School Social Work

This study describes the delivery of the Teen Depression: Stories of Health and Healing (TDSHH), a brief school-based depression awareness delivered for middle school students. The main objectives of the proposed evaluation were to examine the effects of TDSHH on middle school health students in the areas of knowledge about depression, willingness to seek help from adults and belief that adults can help. Two Chicago suburban middle schools agreed to be part of the TDSHH intervention study. In both schools, a pre/post-test wait-list control quasi-experimental design was used. Each student in the study (total N=223) completed a questionnaire that incorporated …

Tailoring Supports To Youth In Schools: One Approach To Identifying Needs And Targeting Intervention, Tasha Henderson, Samantha Bates, Dawn Anderson-Butcher, Anthony Amorose, Erica Magier, Tarkington Newman

International Journal of School Social Work

Youth experiences intersect along their race, gender, language and socioeconomic status, schools must consider the intersectionality in order to improve outcomes. The current study sought to understand if, and to what extent, different clusters of youth in one large urban high school perceive their psychosocial behaviors as well as social and interpersonal skills. Cross-sectional survey data from 1,164 high school youth were collected using four valid scales: Internalizing Behaviors, Externalizing Behaviors, Peer Relationships, and Social Skills. The analytic strategy was twofold. Cluster analysis was used to form homogeneous clusters of the 1,147 complete responses based on a combination of race/ethnicity, …

The Use Of Data In Decision Making For School-Based Social Work, Robert Lucio, Michael Campbell, Michael S. Kelly

International Journal of School Social Work

Industries are increasingly taking advantage of the access provided in the digital age to use data to inform business and practice-based decision making. The profession of social work has recently called for social workers to become more data-driven, through its Grand Challenge to leverage technology such as data-driven decision making for social good. School-Based Social Workers, who often work in educational contexts that demand they collect and use data are being asked to figure out ways to engage data to help promote evidence-informed practices and process level changes. Using a scoping review, this article looks at the state of the …

Researcher Profile: Kenneth White

Journal of Financial Therapy

Research Profile Kenneth White

Researcher Profile Interview: Christina Glenn, Christina Glenn

Journal of Financial Therapy

Researcher Profile Interview: Christina Glenn

Practitioner Profile Interview: Elizabeth Sterbenz, Elizabeth Sterbenz

Journal of Financial Therapy

Practitioner Profile Interview: Elizabeth Sterbenz

Editorial, Volume 11 Issue 1, Kristy L. Archuleta

Journal of Financial Therapy

Of any field, financial therapy is uniquely positioned to help people, whether individuals, couples, or families, strengthen, adapt, and improve their wellness during this time. Financial therapists are sensitive to cultural aspects of how money impacts clients’ everyday lives. Through our unique understanding and knowledge of the intersection of money, relationships, emotions, and ways of thinking and being, we can facilitate change and offer new perspectives of hope, connection, and personal growth. While none of the articles in this issue of the journal directly address the global pandemic, the research presented and profiles highlighted do offer new insights on topics …

Book Review: Surviving Debt Expert Advice For Getting Out Of Financial Trouble, Audrey Kernodle

Journal of Financial Therapy

Surviving Debt: Expert Advice for Getting Out of Financial Trouble is a comprehensive synthesis of techniques and advice from the nation’s consumer law experts that provides all the fundamental information needed to manage debt in the United States.

Social Work Students Acquiring Tools To Help Families Manage Their Household Finances, Ahuva Even-Zohar

Journal of Financial Therapy

The study examined the impact of a workshop for social work (BSW) students (n=134) aimed at teaching them to assess clients' financial situation and assist them in managing their household finances. Students' attitudes toward the role of social workers in providing material support and helping low-income families to manage their finances were found to be positive both before and after the workshop. Participation in the workshop increased their financial literacy and introduced them to tools that can assist them in helping families living in poverty to rehabilitate their financial situation. The students reported using these tools to a certain extent …

Practitioner Profile: An Interview With Tara Tussing Unverzagt

Journal of Financial Therapy

PRACTITIONER PROFILE

An Interview with

Tara Tussing Unverzagt