Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Forward To Our Origins: Social Work Skills And Political Action In The Current Crisis, Bertram A. Weinert

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The last decade of the 19th century and the years prior to World War I was an exciting and fruitful period in United States history. It was a time of unrest, but characterized by vigorous discontent, not cynicism or despair. There was an aggressive optimism that fostered confidence in social action, even to the belief that poverty could be abolished. The failure to achieve that goal remains our burden today, but to have begun the struggle then was a significant step. It was the developing profession of social work that initiated that battle against poverty.

Self-Esteem And The Elderly : An Exploratory Study Of A Residential Population In A Home For The Aged, Vernon E. Hoffer

Dissertations and Theses

The two primary purposes of this exploratory study were (1) to establish the theoretical tenability of focusing on the maintenance of self-esteem as a means for enhancing the quality of life in the institutionalized elderly, and (2) to identify factors related to self-esteem in a home for the aged sample.

Literature reviewed relative to the importance of self-esteem, its development, and its maintenance or change indicated that (1) self-esteem is related to personal satisfaction and effective social functioning: (2) self-esteem develops and is maintained or changed as a function of factors in an individual’s immediate interpersonal environment; and (3) institutionalization …

A Descriptive Study Of The Pragmatic Issues In Obtaining An Abortion Among Sixty-Five Women At Lovejoy Specialty Hospital, Portland, Oregon, Barbara E. Bordner, Wendy Green, Susie Milberg

Dissertations and Theses

In view of the current diversity of public opinion concerning the legalization of abortion in this country, it appears timely that a study of the pragmatic issues faced in obtaining an abortion be undertaken. The researchers see this as a step toward narrowing the lag between the enactment of the abortion law and the delivery of services that allow the right of abortion to be an accessible choice for women.

There has been a change in public opinion, regarding the right of abortion, only recently. In 1960, a public opinion poll showed that fewer than 15 percent of the population …

Psychiatric Emergency Services In Oregon, Maren L. Hersrud, Karalee Kiser, Catherine M. Knox

Dissertations and Theses

Psychiatric emergency services are recognized as an essential component in the provision of mental health care. This study describes the delivery of psychiatric emergency services in selected Oregon comm.unities. The theoretical framework was developed to consider the problem of psychiatric emergency service delivery from the perspective of the individual experiencing the emergency, the social milieu, and the health care system. The literature describing psychiatric emergency service programs, the characteristics of those who use these services and the roles of direct service providers was reviewed. On the basis of the review a study was undertaken to describe the delivery of psychiatric …

Social Impact Assessment At The Neighborhood Level, William H. Triest

Dissertations and Theses

This paper originated as a result of one of the stated objectives of the Salem Primary Prevention Project. That project, operating jointly with Marion County Community Mental Health, Salem School District 24J and the City of Salem’s Community Development Department, has had as one of its stated objectives, the development of a mechanism to review the impact of planned change at the local level.

For several years both the staff and Advisory Committee for the Primary Prevention Program had wrestled with the complexity of developing such a review or assessment mechanism. Existing literature on social impact assessment appeared to deal …

A Survey Of Neighborhood Attitudes Toward The Mentally Retarded And Community Group Homes, Fred T. Cooprider

Dissertations and Theses

This paper will cover the following subject areas: a brief history of attitudes toward and treatment of the retarded, to give an historical perspective to current developments; a review of current research of attitudes toward the retarded; a statement of the research question and the research design; the results of this research; and a concluding discussion.

An Investigation Of The Combined Effect Of Agency Support And Professional Social Workers' Training On The Type Of Family Therapy Practiced By Agency-Based Social Workers, Betsy Marsh Mccartor, Margaret Labby

Dissertations and Theses

All persons are born into some form of family unit. The traditional family is a unit of people who live together over periods of time and have ties of marriage and kinship. Even if that unit is separated, as in death or adoption, qualities of one's personhood are closely connected with forebears and parents. Whether for good or bad, the family profoundly affects the individual.

The family is an important unit. Many stresses impinge upon it. The church and extended family are less influential on the family today. The school is less influential. Where does the family turn for support? …

Motivational Factors Behind Repetitive Abortions, Kelly Osmont, Ellen Wolfford

Dissertations and Theses

This practicum intends to explore the motivational factors behind repeat abortions. The underlying assumptions of this study include: (1) women have abortions; (2) women have repeat abortions. Based on these assumptions, the two research questions are (1) are there significant factors in the causation of repeat abortions, and (2) what are the implications regarding the lack of information and service to women which have a direct relationship to repeat abortions.

Self-Report Of Illicit Adolescent Drug Use: A Methodological Discussion, Mario Bolivar, Judy Casey, Susan Goldsmith, Stanley Hahn

Dissertations and Theses

In this paper we will discuss our unsuccessful attempt to conduct a self-report study of delinquent behavior in an urban multi-racial high school in Portland, Oregon. Much of this report reflects our preparation in conducting a self-report study and our analysis of why if failed.

The contention of this study is that delinquent behavior, and not juvenile delinquency is the major problem facing youth serving agencies and the public. The purpose of this study is an attempt to refine an often used method of measuring delinquent behavior – the self–report.

Favoring a self–report technique of data collection rather than an …

Toward An Understanding Of Men And Masculinity: Some Dimensions Of The Social Construction Of Knowledge In Social Work Professional Journals, Robert Bailey, Denny Patella

Dissertations and Theses

This work is an attempt to critically evaluate the way men and masculinity have been portrayed in and through social work journals and to develop an annotated bibliography of the professional periodical literature as it relates to the masculine gender role. It is also an analysis of authorship in order to determine differential participation by the sexes in social work journals. These analyses will be used to assess the current status of “masculinity” and gender role issues in the profession and to suggest areas of future growth.

A Model For Decision Making: A Systems Approach, Eleanor Weitman

Dissertations and Theses

This paper addresses itself to the problem of the analysis of the decision making processes in the area of Human Resources Planning.

Social Profile Of The Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area, Terry L. Cross

Dissertations and Theses

The objective of this research study is to identify the Metro area in such a manner as to give planning personnel a composite picture of the area. Such a picture should not only give physical and statistical data but should also provide a feeling for the area and its parts. The reader of this report should be able to perceive from it the conscience of the community. It should show strengths and weaknesses of the communities, methods of solving problems, intra-and inter-community relationships and roles and community identity. It should be concerned ·with how well the community (and subparts) meets …

Social Work Intervention And Patients' Utilization Of The Kaiser Health Care System, Pegi Sten, Liz Swint Young

Dissertations and Theses

This study was an analysis of social work practice in a medical setting: analyzing the work of a medical social worker in an outpatient clinic located in a metropolitan area. The primary purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate the performance of a medical social worker in a Kaiser-Permanente outpatient clinic and to determine if there were possible associations between social work intervention and patient utilization of existing services offered by the Kaiser Health Care system, also referred to herein as Kaiser. Specifically, the study attempted to determine if there were quantitative changes in patient contacts, and utilization of …

The Therapeutic Community: Treatment As Viewed By Former Addicts, Barbara Ward, Robert York

Dissertations and Theses

The research effort is an outgrowth of the authors exposure to the field of drug treatment in general, and therapeutic communities in particular. Both were acquainted with people who were graduates of therapeutic communities, and had been involved in m.any discussions concerning the relative merit of therapeutic communities as opposed to other methods of drug treatment.

Cpacs Happenings (December 1976 Newsletter), College Of Public Affairs And Community Service, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

CPACS Newsletters

The College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) newsletter that reported on the news, collaborations, events, and general happenings of the UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service. This newsletter has had many names and variations over the years including SPACS Newsletter (1973); Newsletter of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (1973-1974): Happenings (1974-1980s); and the current e-newsletter titled the CPACS Collective (2021-)

Housing As A Process Of Community Development, Gary D. Askerooth

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this essay, I shall outline a strategy that could lead to the initial stages of developing a society in which human needs are not dependent on residuals from the market. By using cooperative, mutual selfhelp methods to develop local community power, we may provide examples applicable to other sectors as well.

Maximizing The Impact Of An Alternative Agency, Miriam Galper, Carolyn Kott Washburne

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In the late 1960's and early 1970's the energy for change generated by the civil rights, black power and women's movements strongly affected many professionals working in social welfare agencies. Individually or with others in agencies, caucuses and unions, these radical professionals began to question the services provided by their agencies, the social and political functions of those agencies, and the part they played in their agencies. They began to critique the social welfare system in the United States and to develop some perspectives on what social services could be like if the country were truly committed to improving human …

The Rank And File Movement: The Relevance Of Radical Social Work Traditions To Modern Social Work Practice, Leslie Leighninger, Robert Knickmeyer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social work, like many fields, has sometimes suffered from an inadequate and distorted understanding of its own history. A profession's inattention to its past is an unfortunate thing. As Clark Chambers has noted, the study of social work history provides models for social work practice and yields insights into social processes (31 11-22). Works like Cloward and Piven's Regulating the Poor have demonstrated the rich potential of the social welfare case study for social analyses (4). In addition, examination of goals and motivations of specific social workers in the past have served to further our understanding of professional issues and …

Comunication Disturbances In A Welfare Bureaucracy: A Case For Self Management, Robert E. O'Conner, Larry D. Spence

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The survey data in this study of 1313 caseworkers and income-maintenance workers of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare provide some elements of a description of white-collar alienation in government bureaucracies. We interpret our findings to indicate that the hierarchical communication network of this department operates to deny implicitly the worth and intelligence of workers. As perceived by employees, the general pattern of message construction, message transmission and message acknowledgment takes no account of their needs for information and validation nor does it allow the information generated at the work place to be fed back to the administration. Thus, the …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 4, No. 2 (November 1976)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

ISSUE EDITOR: JEFFRY GALPER, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Editorial - pp. 164
• The Rank and File Movement: The Relevance of Radical Social Work Traditions to Modern Social Work Practice - LESLIE LEIGHNINGER & ROBERT KNICKMEYER - pp. 166
• Communication Disturbances in a Welfare Bureaucracy: A Case for Self-Management - ROBERT E. O'CONNOR & LARRY D. SPENCE - pp. 178
• The Politics of Drug Addiction: A Comparison of United States and Chinese Drug Policies Since 1949 - RICHARD FORTMANN - pp. 205
• Housing as a Process of Community Development GARY D. ASKEROTH - pp. 218
• Central Appalachia: A Peripheral Region …

The Politics Of Drug Addiction: A Comparison Of United States And Chinese Drug Policies Since 1949, Richard Fortmann

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

During the past decade the increase in drug use and drug addiction in the United States has been viewed with growing alarm. Drug addiction has been compared to a contagious disease, an epidemic which is raging in our cities and towns. Although the rhetoric has become more dramatic, the drug problem is certainly not a new one. This paper is concerned with the historic failure of United States policies to eliminate or even to contain drug abuse and drug addiction. It is the central thesis of this paper that drug addiction is a social disease, and as such is symptomatic …

Radicalism In Casework, Philip Lichtenberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social casework seems always in tension between some inherent tendency to be radical in a social and political way and a comparable drive to hold on to the established modes of life that are conventional and conservative. The profession has never pretended to be value-free, and within the values held forth resides this tension to which I refer. Similarly, social casework has long been a socially activist field -- as simple comparison with any other accepted profession readily demonstrates -- and in its assertive endeavors this same combination of radical and conservative tendencies can be identified. To a radical, such …

Social Work Practice As Collective Experience, Harvey Finkle, Jeffry Galper, Philip Lichtenberg, Jack Sternbach

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This is an account of four workers in the human services who have developed an ongoing collective experience. The four of us, all white, professional social workers, drew together in the late Spring, 1972. We were all involved in academic life, primarily as social work professors, although one of us was detaching himself from academic life at that time.

Integrated Cooperation Within A Grass-Roots Movement’S The Class Emphasis, John C. Leggett, Frances V. Mouldner

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Under what conditions is it possible for members of different racial groups to cooperate in an integrated sense to build a successful, working class, community based, mutual benefits association -- one with the long-term intent of organizing workplaces where mutual-benefits association members happen to work? Can this inter-racial cooperation occur at all levels of the organization? Given this long term possibility of unionization, an end product not too different from an association-union recently achieved by Caesar Chavez's "NFWA-UFVOC", what are the initial organizational prerequisites for successfully bringing together blacks, whites, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans and others within these local associations?

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 4, No. 1 (September 1976)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Editorial - pp. 3
• What Kind of Sociology is Useful to Social Workers? - ALFRED McCLUNG LEE - pp. 4
• Toward a Working Model for Community Organizing in the 1970's - JOHN L. MUSICK, NANCY R. HOOYMAN - pp. 14
• The Incremental Trail in Developing False Doctrine and its Consequences in the American Drug Scene - AVRON HEILIGMAN - pp. 19
• A Locality-Oriented Public Welfare Agency: A Case Study of Boundary Maintenance in a Hostile Environment - RAY H. MACNAIR, GRETA HAWTHORNE - pp. 27
• An Economic Analysis of Economic Inequality - JOHN P. HUTTMAN - pp. …

Towards The Development Of Theory: Cultural Pluralism Redefined, Antonia Pantoja, Wilhelmina Perry, Barbara Blourock

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The authors are attempting to move beyond the descriptive position, evidenced in the current writing, towards a theoretical approach to cultural pluralism. A series of definitions are presented concluding with the authors' definition of cultural pluralism - redefined. The new definition is discussed, as an operational concept, emanating from participants in the new cultural pluralism movement.

The current societal conditions that impede the realization of cultural pluralism are discussed in relation to a conceptual model, Criteria for Assigning Preferred or Unpreferred Status, that is used to explain our society's idealization of certain personal, social, and economic characteristics.

The authors conclude …

What Kind Of Sociology Is Useful To Social Workers?, Alfred Mcclung Lee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Both social workers and sociologists have been trying desperately for more than a century to live down their miscellaneous ancestry. Both are still embarrassed that their disciplines are rooted historically in the work of oldtime clergy, police, utopian philosophers, sentimentalists, reactionary manipulators, and radical thinkers and agitators. Nevertheless it was from those men's and women's concerns, their perceptions of social problems, their efforts at social amelioration and reform or revolution, and their inter-cult conflicts that the two corps of modern professionals sprang.

The Incremental Trail In Developing False Doctrine And Its Consequences In The American Drug Scene, Avron Heiligman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The trail of what has turned out to be the criminalization of drug taking behavior illustrates a major criticism of incrementalism in developing policy-- the acceptance and maintenance of specific values and attitudes. The effects of false doctrine accepted more than fifty years ago are with us today and will continue in their effect umtil a radical change is seen in our society. The purpose of this paper is to map the old trail, identify those times where false doctrine was accepted, and to present a radical alternative for the future.

A Locality-Oriented Public Welfare Agency: A Case Study Of Boundary Maintenance In A Hostile Environment, Ray H. Macnair, Greta Hawthorne

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Boundary maintenance activities are studied in a public welfare agency as a means of establishing the relationship between the nature of these activities and the essential character of a formal organization. Assaults on the agency are observed through a period of social change, in this case an extreme of racial succession among the staff and administration of the agency. Conclusions point to congruence between the character of the organization and its boundary maintenance activity. Skewed or incongruent boundary maintenance produces disorganization and confusion among participants. In the context of racial succession, universalistic patterns are recommended as a solution to the …

Phenomenological Social Science And Holistic Social Policy, Thomas D. Watts

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The reliability of positivistic social science knowledge poses seminal problems for social policy. Needed is more sound phenomenological and qualitative research within the conspectus of the twin theoretical movements of ethnomethodology and the Frankfurt School, towards the goal of a more holistic social science knowledge base as well as a more holistic social policy.