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Full-Text Articles in Social Work

A Multicase Study Exploring Women’S Narratives Of Infertility: Implications For Counselors, Staci L. Born, Christin L. Carotta, Kristine Ramsay-Seaner Mar 2019

A Multicase Study Exploring Women’S Narratives Of Infertility: Implications For Counselors, Staci L. Born, Christin L. Carotta, Kristine Ramsay-Seaner

Staci Born

Infertility affects 6.7 million women in the United States (Chandra, Copen, & Stephen, 2013). Women’s experiences with infertility are not only influenced by biological health factors, but also by social, cultural, and personal variables. Given the prevalence and complexity of infertility, additional research is needed to further examine the nuances of women’s experiences. The purpose of this multicase study, as informed by four individual cases, was to explore how women construct their infertility narratives. Review of reflective journals found five common elements: (1) Emotional Rollercoaster, (2) Mind-Body (Dis)Connection, (3) Secret Identity, (4) Supportive vs. Constrained Communication Patterns, and (5) Fatalistic- …


The Social Class And Mental Illness Correlation: Implications Of The Research For Policy And Practice, Christopher G. Hudson Jun 2018

The Social Class And Mental Illness Correlation: Implications Of The Research For Policy And Practice, Christopher G. Hudson

Christopher Hudson

Ongoing efforts to unravel the causal issues involved in the correlation between socioeconomic status and mental illness suggest that the hypothesis of a recursive or interactive relationship may be the most tenable, at least with the psychoses. Implications of this research are explored, with particular attention paid to the mental health costs of economic policies, the principles with which states allocate mental health resources, and the use of this knowledge-base in service planning.


Patterns Of Residential Mobility Of People With Schizophrenia: Multi-Level Tests Of Downward Geographic Drift, Christopher G. Hudson Jun 2018

Patterns Of Residential Mobility Of People With Schizophrenia: Multi-Level Tests Of Downward Geographic Drift, Christopher G. Hudson

Christopher Hudson

This study tests the geographic drift hypothesis that the negative SES-MI correlation results from individuals first developing conditions such as schizophrenia and then moving frequently because of their disability to low income and urban areas, and to neighborhoods with high concentrations of SMI persons. This is a secondary analysis of hospital records of 1,667,956 individuals in Massachusetts, USA, between 1994 and 2000. It employs a longitudinal cohort design and techniques of multi-level modeling. Downward geographic drift of those with schizophrenia was found to be small, but greater than other groups examined. The small level of drift was best explained by …


Changing Patterns Of Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization Under A Public Managed Care Program, Christopher G. Hudson Jun 2018

Changing Patterns Of Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization Under A Public Managed Care Program, Christopher G. Hudson

Christopher Hudson

This study evaluates changes in patterns of acute psychiatric hospitalization under Massachusetts' Medicaid-funded Mental Health and Substance Abuse (MMHSA) carve-out program. The data consists of the Case Mix Database, for FY 1996 and FY 1997, compiled by the state's Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, on all acute hospital episodes in the state. Key comparisons involve hospital utilization during the nine months preceding the 1996 implementation of the current expanded carve-out program and the subsequent 15 months of its implementation. Secondary comparisons are made between patients funded by the state's two major Medicaid programs, its behavioral carve-out and its …


The Social Problem Of Depression: A Multi-Theoretical Analysis, Rich Furman, Kimberly Bender Jun 2016

The Social Problem Of Depression: A Multi-Theoretical Analysis, Rich Furman, Kimberly Bender

Rich Furman

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the social problem of depression from a multi-theoretical perspective. It explores depression through the lens of two psychologically based theories of human behavior, existential theory and cognitive theory, as well as through the vehicle of two sociological theories, Marxist theory and the theory of oppression. By understanding how each of these theories explains depression, social workers may be helped to see the complexity of treating the problem. It is the belief of the authors that social work literature, which is often dominated by reductionist, quantitativelybased research studies, has increasingly ignored theoretical explorations …


Dsm-5: The Delayed Demise Of Descriptive Diagnosis, Tomi Gomory Jan 2015

Dsm-5: The Delayed Demise Of Descriptive Diagnosis, Tomi Gomory

Tomi Gomory

In 1980, DSM-III adopted a descriptive approach to psychiatric diagnosis, creating checklists of unwanted behaviors to define and use as required criteria when posing each of several hundred diagnoses. The objective of this novel approach was to validate psychiatry as a scientifically legitimate branch of medicine, by enabling research into hopefully homogeneous groups of patients to pinpoint the implicit hypothesized physiological causes of the disorders the patients were presumably sharing. In each subsequent revision of the DSM including the DSM-5, however, no physiological criteria of any sort are included for any diagnosis, confirming the empirical failure of this attempt to …


The Controversy Over Antidepressant Drugs In An Era Of Evidence-Based Practice, Jill Littrell, Jeffrey Lacasse Dec 2014

The Controversy Over Antidepressant Drugs In An Era Of Evidence-Based Practice, Jill Littrell, Jeffrey Lacasse

jill l littrell Dr.

Questions regarding the efficacy of antidepressant drugs have been a recent focus of attention in the national news both in print and in the television media. Many clients will have questions regarding what they can believe and how they can address mood problems. Social workers constitute a greater percentage of the mental health work force than any other profession. Thus, social workers will probably be asked by clients about these issues. This article presents information on the efficacy of antidepressants for both the short and long term. It covers adverse effects and withdrawal symptoms. Clients' self-determination should be honored. However, …


Perspectives Emerging From Neuroscience On Why People Become Addicted And What To Do About It, Jill Littrell Dec 2014

Perspectives Emerging From Neuroscience On Why People Become Addicted And What To Do About It, Jill Littrell

jill l littrell Dr.

This paper reviews the new ideas emerging from neuroscience regarding the question of why some people are compelled to use drugs. During the process of drug exposure, the brain’s motivational system is changed in ways that co-opts the individual’s motivational system. Changes in the brain’s motivational structures along with changes in the brain’s self-regulatory structures compel an individual to drug use. Ways to reverse those changes in an addicted brain have been identified, as have ways to enhance self-regulatory control. The information from neuroscience offers a new perspective on “loss of control” as well as offering implications for treatment.


Medicalization Of Mental Disorders: 1970- To The Present, W. Joseph Wyatt Jun 2014

Medicalization Of Mental Disorders: 1970- To The Present, W. Joseph Wyatt

W. Joseph Wyatt

A thirty-five year escalation of emphasis on biological causation has rendered, for many, medications as the treatment of choice for mental disorders. Non-drug treatment may be cast aside, as a result.


Empowering Counseling Program Description, Katherine Tyson Mccrea May 2013

Empowering Counseling Program Description, Katherine Tyson Mccrea

Katherine Tyson McCrea

No abstract provided.


U.S. Cultural Involvement And Its Association With Co-Occurring Substance Abuse And Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Youth In The Dominican Republic, Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen, Juan B. Peña Jun 2011

U.S. Cultural Involvement And Its Association With Co-Occurring Substance Abuse And Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Youth In The Dominican Republic, Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen, Juan B. Peña

Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen

We examined the relationship of US cultural involvement with substance abuse and sexual risk behavior profiles from our nationally representative sample of public high school students in the Dominican Republic. Using a novel methodological approach to control for selection bias, we examined explanations for the so-called Latino or Hispanic immigrant paradox. A latent class regression analysis with manifest and latent covariates found that US cultural involvement indicators were independent and robust predictors of increased risk of co-ocurring substance abuse and sexual risk behaviors. Implications for prevention efforts targeting risk behaviors among Latino/a adolescents in the US and abroad are considered.


Information Placed In Trust: Older Gay Men And Social Workers On Talking About Sexual Identity In Aged Care, Mark Hughes Jan 2011

Information Placed In Trust: Older Gay Men And Social Workers On Talking About Sexual Identity In Aged Care, Mark Hughes

Professor Mark Hughes

As more men who openly identify as gay approach older age, it is important for health and aged care professionals to consider the appropriateness of talking with these men about their sexual identity. This paper reports findings from a pilot study that examined how sexual identity should be acknowledged in aged care practice. The paper draws on qualitative data from two focus groups; one with older gay men and one with social workers. An analysis of the themes that overlapped the two groups highlighted the extent to which participants thought sexual identity should be discussed openly, the value placed on …


In Memoriam: James A. Inciardi, Professor Of Sociology & Criminal Justice And Director Of The Center For Drug & Alcohol Studies At The University Of Delaware, Wendee Wechsberg, Duane C. Mcbride, Hilary Surratt Jan 2011

In Memoriam: James A. Inciardi, Professor Of Sociology & Criminal Justice And Director Of The Center For Drug & Alcohol Studies At The University Of Delaware, Wendee Wechsberg, Duane C. Mcbride, Hilary Surratt

Duane McBride

No abstract provided.


Information Placed In Trust: Older Gay Men And Social Workers On Talking About Sexual Identity In Aged Care, Mark Hughes Oct 2010

Information Placed In Trust: Older Gay Men And Social Workers On Talking About Sexual Identity In Aged Care, Mark Hughes

Professor Mark Hughes

As more men who openly identify as gay approach older age, it is important for health and aged care professionals to consider the appropriateness of talking with these men about their sexual identity. This paper reports findings from a pilot study that examined how sexual identity should be acknowledged in aged care practice. The paper draws on qualitative data from two focus groups; one with older gay men and one with social workers. An analysis of the themes that overlapped the two groups highlighted the extent to which participants thought sexual identity should be discussed openly, the value placed on …


Author Guidelines For Reporting Scale Development And Validation Results In The Journal Of The Society For Social Work And Research, Peter Cabrera-Nguyen Jan 2010

Author Guidelines For Reporting Scale Development And Validation Results In The Journal Of The Society For Social Work And Research, Peter Cabrera-Nguyen

Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen

In this invited article, Cabrera-Nguyen provides guidelines for reporting scale development and validation results. Authors' attention to these guidelines will help ensure the research reported in JSSWR is rigorous and of high quality. This article provides guidance for those using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In addition, the article provides helpful links to resources addressing structural equation modeling, multiple imputation for missing data, and a general resource for quantitative data analysis.


Estudio Sobre El Comportamiento Y Salud En Los Jóvenes Escolares De La República Dominicana: Resultados De 2009, Juan B. Peña, Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen, Diana Chaves, Rosa Fernández Dec 2009

Estudio Sobre El Comportamiento Y Salud En Los Jóvenes Escolares De La República Dominicana: Resultados De 2009, Juan B. Peña, Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen, Diana Chaves, Rosa Fernández

Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen

This scientific report on risk behaviors among adolescents in the Dominican Republic (DR) was prepared for the DR Ministry of Education. The study used a stratified cluster design of public high schools in the DR with sample weights. The questionnaire included items from the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Results of this nationally representative survey were presented to a delegation from the DR Ministry of Education at Washington University's Brown School. This report was also presented at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo. Dr. Juan Peña, assistant professor at Washington University's Brown School, was the PI and is listed as …


Ergonomics: Safety Or Wellness Issue, William C. Mcpeck Apr 2009

Ergonomics: Safety Or Wellness Issue, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is an article I wrote for the worksite wellness newsletter of a local health related non-profit.


Book Review 22 Liberation From The Lie: Cutting The Roots Of Fear Once And For All, William C. Mcpeck Apr 2009

Book Review 22 Liberation From The Lie: Cutting The Roots Of Fear Once And For All, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of Liberation From the Lie: Cutting the Roots of Fear Once and for All by Eric Gross, BookSurge Publishing, 2009.


Book Review 21 The Immunity To Change By Robert Kegan And Lisa Laskow Lahey, William C. Mcpeck Mar 2009

Book Review 21 The Immunity To Change By Robert Kegan And Lisa Laskow Lahey, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization (Leadership for the Common Good) by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey,


Book Review 20 - The Tazie Effect By Heather Whittaker, William C. Mcpeck Mar 2009

Book Review 20 - The Tazie Effect By Heather Whittaker, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of the book, The Tazie Effect by Healther Whittaker, published in March 2009, by Penn-Tech Professionals.


Book Review 19 The Third Chapter By Sara Lawrence Lightfoot, William C. Mcpeck Feb 2009

Book Review 19 The Third Chapter By Sara Lawrence Lightfoot, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of the book The Third Chapter by Sara Lawrence Lighfoot which was published in 2009 by Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.


Worksite Wellness And The 10 Essential Public Health Services, William C. Mcpeck Feb 2009

Worksite Wellness And The 10 Essential Public Health Services, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This white paper examines how the 10 Essential Public Health Services being promoted by the CDC relate to worksite wellness.


Future Orientation Of Adolescents In Foster Care: Relationship To Trauma, Mental Health, And Hiv Risk Behaviors, Peter Cabrera, Wendy Auslander, Michael Polgar Jan 2009

Future Orientation Of Adolescents In Foster Care: Relationship To Trauma, Mental Health, And Hiv Risk Behaviors, Peter Cabrera, Wendy Auslander, Michael Polgar

Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen

Future orientation has been found to protect against risk behaviors in adolescents from diverse backgrounds. However, no studies have specifically examined future orientation as a potential protective factor against HIV risk behaviors in foster care adolescents. In this study, 343 foster care adolescents were interviewed about their future orientation, mental health, trauma histories, and cognitions related to HIV risk behaviors. Results indicated variability in future orientation, but there were no significant differences by race, gender, and age. Future orientation was significantly associated with mental health, trauma, HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and number of sexual intercourse partners. Furthermore, externalizing behaviors …


An Examination Of The Persistence Of The Residual Child Welfare System In The United States: Addressing Charges Of Radical Theoretical Myopia With Implications For Social Work Practice, Peter Cabrera Jan 2009

An Examination Of The Persistence Of The Residual Child Welfare System In The United States: Addressing Charges Of Radical Theoretical Myopia With Implications For Social Work Practice, Peter Cabrera

Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen

The United States follows what has been termed a residual approach to its public child welfare system. This article describes the residual model and contrasts it with the policies of other industrialized nations. It also explores the causes and persistence of the residual model in the United States through the lens of structural-functionalist theory. By doing so, this article attempts to respond to critics of structural social work who maintain that it is overly reliant on conflict theory and has nothing to offer in terms of distinct practice methods. Suggestions for a structurally informed social work practice are made.


Book Review 17 Me, Myself, And Why? The Secrets To Navigating Change By Lisa A. Mininni, William C. Mcpeck Oct 2008

Book Review 17 Me, Myself, And Why? The Secrets To Navigating Change By Lisa A. Mininni, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of Me, Myself, and Why? The Secrets to Navigating Change by Lisa A. Mininni which was published in 2007 by PM Publishing.


Book Review 18 Make Room For Happiness By Steven Melemis, William C. Mcpeck Oct 2008

Book Review 18 Make Room For Happiness By Steven Melemis, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my review of Make Room for Happiness: 12 Ways to Improve Your Life By Letting Go of Tension. Better Health, Self-Esteem and Relationships by Steven Melemis, published by Modern Therapies in 2008.


Book Review 16 Wellness Leadership: Creating Supportive Environments For Healthier And More Productive Employees By Judd Allen, Ph.D., William C. Mcpeck Aug 2008

Book Review 16 Wellness Leadership: Creating Supportive Environments For Healthier And More Productive Employees By Judd Allen, Ph.D., William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of Wellness Leadership: Creating supportive environments for healthier and more productive employees by Judd Allen, Ph.D. which was published in 2008 by Healthycultures.com.


Book Review 13 The Art Of Happiness: A Handbook For Living By The Dalai Lama And Howard C. Cutler, M.D., William C. Mcpeck Jun 2008

Book Review 13 The Art Of Happiness: A Handbook For Living By The Dalai Lama And Howard C. Cutler, M.D., William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by The Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D. and published by Riverhead Hardcover in 1998.


Book Review 15 The Future Of Management By Bill Breen And Gary Hamel, William C. Mcpeck Jun 2008

Book Review 15 The Future Of Management By Bill Breen And Gary Hamel, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of The Future of Management by Bill Breen and Gary Hamel, published by Harvard Business School Press in 2007.


Book Review 14 The Art Of Happiness At Work By The Dalai Lama And Howard C. Cutler, M.D., William C. Mcpeck Jun 2008

Book Review 14 The Art Of Happiness At Work By The Dalai Lama And Howard C. Cutler, M.D., William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of The Art of Happiness at Work by The Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D., published by Riverhead Trade in 2004.