Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Postpartum Depression Among Low-Income Mothers Of Color: A Womanist Perspective, Rebecca S. Rouland Polmanteer, Robert H. Keefe, Carol Brownstein-Evans

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The ideals of “good mothering” are constructed by various social policies and institutions. Many mothers from traditionally oppressed groups may find them difficult to achieve. The intersections of multiple forms of oppression create harsh circumstances for mothers from minority groups that can contribute to postpartum depression (PPD). Left untreated, PPD can have long-lasting negative effects on the mothers’ and their children’s well-being. Despite the growing research on PPD that finds striking disparities in prevalence by race, ethnicity, and socio-economic class, virtually all of the research has focused on mothers from privileged backgrounds and none has used a well-established theory to …

Social Investments, Asset Building, And Social Development— The State Of The Art: A Special Issue In Honor Of James Midgley, David K. Androff, Mary Caplan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

First Paragraph:

Social investment and social development approaches seek to promote human well-being by harmonizing social welfare with economic development (Midgley, 2014). Social development emerged from diverse traditions, including postcolonial social policy, international development, and institutional approaches to the welfare state; over the last two decades this approach has risen to prominence as a key policy and practice perspective around the globe. The social development perspective has yielded policy innovations and catalyzed practice models such as developmental social work (Midgley & Conley, 2010). From the 1995 World Summit on Social Development, subsequent Millennium Development Goals, and the current Sustainable Development …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 45 No. 4

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Social Development, Asset Building, And Social Investment: The Historical And International Context, James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article provides an historical background to the special issue by tracing the evolution of social development, asset building and social investment in different parts of the world. These approaches transcend remedial and service-oriented interventions and seek to promote progressive social change. They also stress the importance of investing in people and communities, and focusing on their strengths rather than deficits. The historical evolution of these three approaches in different countries and world regions is described, and their key features are highlighted. The article compares these approaches and considers some of their implications for social welfare, pointing out that they …

Asset Building As Social Investment, Michael Sherraden

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Inclusive asset building as a social policy innovation is a relative “newcomer” in policy discussions and research. The context is that since the middle of the 20th century, many countries implemented asset-building policy that is not inclusive, serves mostly the well-off, and is highly

regressive. In the United States, for example, the largest policy mechanisms are in tax benefits for home owning and saving for retirement. Altogether in the United States, such policies transfer about $500 billion dollars per year to the non-poor, most of this to the top 10%. This of course exacerbates inequalities in wealth and social development. …

Institutional Structuralism As A Process To Achieve Social Development: Aymara Women's Community Project Based On The Working With People Model In Peru, Adolfo Cazorla, Xavier Negrillo, Viviana Montalvo, Victor L. De Nicolas

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Institutional Structuralism draws on different social and economic institutions and seeks to mobilize them through an approach known as “managed pluralism” (Midgley, 2013). It also works as a process to promote social development for everyone. The state should usually play a key role in this process, although this is not always the case. This article analyzes a process which has been ongoing since 2007 promoted by a university institution with the Aymara Women’s Community in Peru to harmonize social welfare with economic development; taking into account the Working with People model through its three components: ethical-social, political-contextual and technical-entrepreneurial. The …

Social Protection In Africa: Beyond Safety Nets?, Leila Patel

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social protection is one of the most recent, yet fastest growing social policy instruments in low and middle income countries to end poverty. At least 50 countries in Africa have non-contributory social protection programmes targeting poor and vulnerable households and individuals. Are these social policies an extension of residual social policies, or do they signal new directions in social policy in the Global South? This article reviews the theoretical approaches that inform social protection policies as well as their practical application in different African countries. The analysis suggest that there is a changing trend towards more expansive social investment-oriented poverty …

Asset Building And Property Owning Democracy: Singapore Housing Policy As A Model Of Social Investment And Social Justice, James Lee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper discusses a fundamental issue that continues to haunt Western welfare states: despite rising levels of social expenditures and a rigorous social investment-oriented social policy, poverty and acute social inequalities persist. Using the concept of Property Owning Democracy (POD) advanced by John Rawls, this paper argues that an asset-based housing policy might be able to improve social justice and reduce poverty. Using Singapore’s housing system as an example, this paper illustrates the connection between asset building and POD, and suggests that Singapore’s housing system, to some extent, fulfills the requirements of Rawls’ theory of justice in terms of maintaining …

Investing In Adoption: Exploring Child Development Accounts For Children Adopted From Foster Care, Amy Conley Wright

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Adoption is arguably the most powerful intervention available for children in foster care who are unable to be restored to their birth families. Adoption promises stability and a family for life, in contrast to foster care or guardianship, which are expected to end when the child reaches adulthood. In comparison to foster care, adoption is associated with better educational, financial, and social outcomes. However, because children adopted out of foster care have had adverse experiences, they may have additional support needs in later years. These unknown costs can be off-putting to potential adoptive parents, who may not be in the …

Human Rights-Based Social Investments, David Androff

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Human rights provide a normative framework for social policy. Social investments are required for a state to realize the rights of its people. For example, the human right to health requires a well-funded system of health care infrastructure with a well-trained workforce of health care professionals. However, the implications of human rights for social development policies have not been examined. This paper attempts to fill in this gray area by exploring a rights-based approach to social investment. Human rights-based approaches to poverty, health, mental health, child welfare, and older adults are analyzed for their implications for social investment policy proposals. …

Review Of Unmaking The Global Sweatshop. Rebecca Prentice And Geert De Neve (Eds.), Jacob Van Pelt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of: Rebecca Prentice and Geert De Neve (Eds.), Unmaking the Global Sweatshop. University of Pennsylvania Press (2017), 304 pages, $79.95 (hardcover).

Review Of Creative Teamwork: Developing Rapid Site-Switching Ethnography. By Pat Armstrong And Ruth Lowndes, Zhong Xin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of: Pat Armstrong and Ruth Lowndes, Creative Teamwork: Developing Rapid Site-Switching Ethnography. Oxford University Press (2018), 194 pages, $55 (hardcover).

Review Of The War On Kids: How American Juvenile Justice Lost Its Way. By Cara H. Drinan, Rong Bai, Robert Fischer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of: Cara H. Drinan, The War on Kids: How American Juvenile Justice Lost Its Way. Oxford University Press (2018), 215 pages, $27.95 (hardcover).

Review Of The Human Instinct: How We Evolved To Have Reason, Consciousness And Free Will. By Kenneth R. Miller, Daniel Liechty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of: Kenneth R. Miller, The Human Instinct: How We Evolved to Have Reason, Consciousness and Free Will. Simon and Schuster (2018). 294 pages. $26.00 (hardcover).

Computational Model For Behavior Shaping As An Adaptive Health Intervention Strategy, Vincent Berardi, Ricardo Carretero-González, Neil E. Klepeis, Sahar Ghanipoor Machiani, Arash Jahangiri, John Bellettiere, Melbourne Hovell

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Adaptive behavioral interventions that automatically adjust in real-time to participants’ changing behavior, environmental contexts, and individual history are becoming more feasible as the use of real-time sensing technology expands. This development is expected to improve shortcomings associated with traditional behavioral interventions, such as the reliance on imprecise intervention procedures and limited/short-lived effects. JITAI adaptation strategies often lack a theoretical foundation. Increasing the theoretical fidelity of a trial has been shown to increase effectiveness. This research explores the use of shaping, a well-known process from behavioral theory for engendering or maintaining a target behavior, as a JITAI adaptation strategy. A computational …

How Naturalized African-Americans Experience Racial Microaggressions In U.S. Federal Agencies, Casimir Yem Bilong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Civil Rights Act was enacted more than 5 decades ago, and its provisions forbade discrimination on the basis of race in hiring, promoting, and firing. Yet some researchers argue that racial discrimination issues are still prevalent in the United States. They contend that modern racial discrimination is more covert and takes the form of racial microaggressions, which are subtle conscious or unconscious insults and derogatory attitudes directed towards minorities. Researchers have not fully addressed the prevalence of racial microaggressions in U.S. workplaces, however. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of naturalized African-Americans …

U.S. Individuals' Perceptions Of Government Electronic Surveillance After Passage Of The Usa Patriot Act, Floyd Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the implementation of the USA Patriot Act in October 2001, public trust in the U.S. federal government to protect individuals' right to privacy has been affected negatively. Many studies have addressed this topic, but few have delved deeply into the reasons behind the distrust. The purposes of this qualitative study were, to explore the perceptions and attitudes of U.S. citizens regarding the effect of the USA Patriot Act on their right to privacy, to determine whether a loss of trust in the government occurred, and to identify the factors contributing to the lack of trust. The theoretical foundation for …

Kenya's Constituency Development Fund, Free Secondary Education Policy, And Access To Secondary Education, Charles Kyalo Nzuki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the Free Secondary Education Policy (FSEP) on access to secondary school education in Kenya's Yatta sub-county have not been adequately explored in available public policy literature. Hence, this qualitative multiple-case study was designed to understand the effects of the 2 policies on both enrollment and dropout among secondary school age children in Yatta. The study was conducted in 1 mixed-boarding secondary school and 1 secondary day school in Yatta. The study was built on an adapted Huisman and Smits' theoretical model on dropout among students in developing countries. The data were …

The Impacts Of Religious Discrimination Towards Anxiety In Diverse Populations, Sharlaine Marie Ortiz-Diaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has indicated that outcomes of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation could stem from religious discrimination (RLGD). However, there remains an important gap in the current literature regarding RLGD impacts with non-Muslim populations. Further, the moderating effects of sex, race, and national origin (moderating variables [MVs]) have yielded mixed findings concerning anxiety (dependent variable). The intergroup anxiety theory and the integrated threat theory elaborate on perceived threats and potential anxiety of intergroup dynamics. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the role of religious preferences (independent variable), the MVs, and the RLGD-anxiety relationship. The sample consisted of …

Parental Characteristics And Parent-Child Relationship Quality In Families With Disabled Children, Tammy Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parenting can be very challenging, especially when raising a disabled child. Children with disabilities require more supports and are more likely to be abused. The parent-child relationship is an important factor in ensuring child welfare. Little research has focused on identifying the impact of parenting characteristics on raising a child with a disability. The purpose of this study was to examine whether parenting style, parenting competence, and parenting stress were predictors of parent-child relationship quality in parents of children with disabilities ages 3 to 12 years. This study was quantitative and used multiple linear regression to identify predictor variables of …

Domestic Violence And Demographic Variables As Predictors Of Resiliency Among Young Adults, Sylvanus O. Abraham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increased understanding of resilience may determine how human psychological development can result in positive outcomes despite adversarial situations. However, current studies have not provided a relevant predictive model that can adequately predict resilience, particularly among young adults exposed to domestic violence. Based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the purpose of this quantitative noncomparative study was to examine whether domestic violence, age, gender, ethnicity, individual emotional and physical abilities, types of domestic violence exposure, and frequency of domestic violence exposure could adequately predict resilience among young adults. Quantitative data were collected from 118 young adults in the Midsouth region of …

Incarceration Of Nonviolent Offenders At The High Court In Oyo State, Nigeria, Olugbenga Rotimi Akanji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nonuse of community correction in the Nigeria criminal justice system has led to increased recidivism, contributed to prison congestion, introduced the risk of prison victimization, and lacked the provision of a rehabilitative structure for nonviolent offenders. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to explore Nigerian judges' use of alternatives to incarcerations for nonviolent offenders. Dolinko retributive punishment theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. Ten participant judges comprised the study sample from a purposeful and criterion random sampling method. Data were collected from participants through structured interviews and were coded manually, sorted, and analyzed using the …

Awareness And Attitudes Of Young Nigerian Immigrants In The United States To Sickle Cell Screening And Premarital Genetic Testing, Timothy Atolagbe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The carrier frequency for sickle cell anemia among Nigerians, who account for a high percentage of African immigrants in the United States, is high, according to the World Health Organization. Even though sickle cell disease contributes $2.4 billion annually to U.S. health care expenditures, ascertaining the number of affected individuals in the U.S. is difficult because sickle cell is not a reportable genetic disease. However, according to the Census Bureau, the number of African immigrants continues to grow at a steady pace among the foreign-born immigrant population in the U.S. There is a lack of research on the contribution of …

Rediscovery Of Self After Counseling For Female Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence, Tiffany Crayton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) have lost a sense of self while being with their abuser. But little or nothing has been published on the rediscovery of self after counseling among female survivors of IPV. The purpose of this phenomenological study which helped to guide the research question and the method of the study was to help bridge the gap in the professional counseling literature by exploring the rediscovery of self after counseling from the perspective of female survivors of IPV. The research question for this study examined the lived experiences of 7 women who …

Examining Outcomes And Mechanisms Of The Honest, Open, Proud Intervention In College Students With Mental Illness, Carol Hundert

Master's Theses

Emerging adulthood is a developmental stage involving many changes and transitions (Arnett, 2004). The instability during this time can cause significant distress, making this a period of increased vulnerability for the development of mental illness (Kessler et al., 2007). The rise in the incidence of mental illness on college campuses has caused an increased demand for mental health services (Kadison & Digeronimo, 2004). Unfortunately, college students face many barriers to treatment, including self-stigma (Eisenberg, et al. 2009). Honest, Open, Proud for college students (HOP-C) is a peer-led group-based intervention designed to reduce self- stigma in college students living with mental …

Review Of Technology, Activism, And Social Justice In A Digital Age By John G. Mcnutt, Joel Izlar

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Resiliency, Bajo Que Costó? How Young Undocumented Mexicans Navigate Trauma And Survival, Julia Mendes

Master's Theses

Under the Trump administration, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has become a "hot topic" in political discourse and in the media. Amidst this discourse, however, the stories of DACA recipients whose lives are drastically affected by this political drama are often overlooked. Furthermore, a problematic narrative has emerged labeling the "dreamers" as "good immigrants" who need to be saved at the expense of their families, relatives, and other undocumented immigrants who do not fit into the "dreamer" category. Another problematic aspect of current research is celebrating this aspect of "resiliency" that undocumented youth portray and ignoring the consequences this …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 45 No. 1

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Dimensions of Charity versus Development: The Century-Old Debate in the Profession of Social Work- Héctor Luis Díaz and Antonio López Peláez

Common Law, Charity and Human Rights as Responses to the Socio-Economic Crisis in Galicia, Spain Francisco- Xabier Aguiar Fernández, Santiago Prado Conde, and Carmen Verde Diego

Maximization vs. Inclusion as a Value Conflict in Development Work- Johnny Ramírez-Johnson, Héctor Luis Díaz, and Vijayan Kumara Pillai

Use of Technology, Pedagogical Approaches and Intercultural Competence in Development - Dee Ann Sherwood, Marian Tripplett, Sarah Hoyle-Katz, and Joy Langereis

The Debate on Minimum Income in Spain: Charity, Development or Citizen Right -Arantxa …

Maximization Vs. Inclusion As A Value Conflict In Development Work, Johnny Ramírez-Johnson, Héctor Luis Díaz, Vijayan Kumara Pillai

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article builds on previous research studies strongly suggesting that high levels of social capital are positively associated with the economic and political progress of community residents. As previously proposed by the authors of this article, such findings may encourage policy makers of government and non-governmental development organizations to concentrate their efforts and resources in communities whose residents have been identified as having high levels of social capital. Policy- makers may view pre-existing high levels of social capital among community residents as a factor likely to increase the level of success of their respective socio-economic development initiatives. Such course of …

The Debate On Minimum Income In Spain: Charity, Development Or Citizen Right, Arantxa Hernández-Echegaray, Javier Pacheco-Mangas

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The current retrenchment of social protection in capitalist welfare economies has triggered the expansion of aid-based practices in response to vulnerability, far removed from the ideals of social work. This study analyzes the practices and strategies of social workers that take part in regional minimum income systems (MIS) in Spain, using a qualitative approach that makes it possible to demonstrate leading professional discourses. Findings show a limited consolidation of regional policies on minimum income in Spain, resulting in significant regional disparities. Authors emphasize the need to increase social work’s participation in formulating policies aimed at inclusion and consolidation of local …