Social Work Commons^™

Applying The "Unmotivated" Label To Clients In Social Service Agencies, Ben-Zion Cohen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study, based on the responses of a sample of 245 public-sector social workers, explores the factors associated with labelling clients "unmotivated." The variables examined relate to clients, workers, agencies, and the interactions among these elements. Multiple regression analysis reveals that the best predictor variables are client-related. The client most likely to be rated by the social worker as lacking in motivation is of lower socioeconomic status and is perceived as believing that he or she does not require much professional intervention. The research supports the argument that clients who workers believe are unreceptive to their professional styles are likely …

The Immobility Of Low-Paid Workers, Marshall I. Pomer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper extends the labor segmentation perspective on unequal job access. Analyzed here are Census data on the occupational mobility of low-paid workers during the period 1965 to 1970. Upward mobility, defined as movement from a low-paid to a mainstream stratum, is far more common for white men than for women and blacks-even after controlling for differences in age, education, and type of low-paid job. A worker's particular low-paid occupation also strongly affects chances of entering the mainstream stratum. The dominant paradigm for quantitative research on social stratification is questioned, and social policies are suggested.

Public Preferences Concerning Future Directions In Social Security, David L. Klemmack, Lucinda L. Roff

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using data collected from a probability sample of 1030 adult Alabamians, this study segmented respondents among those favoring limited expansion, maintenance, and limited contraction of the social security retirement program. Those favoring some expansion in the system tended to be less well educated and affluent, and more likely to be retired, nonwhite, and to identify themselves as Democrats than did those favoring maintenance or some limited contraction of the system. The findings suggest the potential for cleavages among the population, based primarily on socioeconomic status, in ongoing discussions about the system's future.

Tracing The Conception And Meaning Of The Age Discrimination In Employment Act: Where Are We With Mandatory Retirement?, Monica Ferrelli

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper addresses the political development of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. The historical origin, amendments, and arguments for or against the act are also presented. The implications of social work practice with our vastly increasing retired and aging population is finally discussed.

Students' Views On The Future Of Social Work, Donald E. Maypole, James G. Mccullagh

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The need for the social work profession to understand the meaning of socio-economic and political trends has never been more important than at present. However, the application of future projection technology has lagged behind this need. The authors studied the views of students from eighteen universities and colleges on present socioeconomic trends, as represented by future specific scenarios. The implications of the future scenarios are discussed in relation to social justice, social work practice and education.

Verbal Strategies That Succeed When Job Performance Fails Or How To Eschew Social Work Through Convincing Conversation (A Pocket Guide For The Weary), Michelle Waters, Paula Dressel

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The seemingly endless parade of literature on burnout among social service workers is the source of inspiration for this pocket guide. With the creative tailoring of some of the following vignettes to local situations, it will be almost impossible for you, the service worker, to achieve burn-out. Daily interactions with your clients and your co-workers can be accomplished with the greatest of ease, and services delivered with no muss or fuss. If the situation demands it, perhaps you can avoid clients altogether. With current retrenchment in social services, you have been asked repeatedly to do more for your clients and …

Pre-Retirement Attitudes And Financial Preparedness: A Cross-Cultural And Gender Analysis, John H. Behling, Esther S. Merves

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The purpose of this research was to examine the differences between males and females across three different cultures in terms of financial resources for retirement years and pre-retirement attitudes and intentions.

Social Reproduction And Learned Helplessness In A Dying Community, Michael Hibbard

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper reports some of the findings of a broad-based community study of a small Oregon town that depends for its existence on one timber mill--a single plant in a declining industry. The community has been in decline for at least the last decade and prospects for reversal are not good.

Specifically, this paper explores the forces that shape the response of high school students and young adults who have grown up in the community to the decline, using survey, ethnographic, and archival data. Despite a clear understanding of the economic plight of the community, young people are not prepared …

Homelessness And De-Institutionalization, John J. Conklin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The nation faces a social problem caused by the discharge of chronic mentally ill patients to the community through a process known as "deinstitutionalization." Frequently hcmeless, these individuals require many community supports and have aroused public sentiment. A review of current literature is used to validate these observations. The University of Connecticut has initiated a practicn training project to educate "case managers" in serving the hcmeless mentally ill. From an historical perspective, this study outlines the evolution of deinstitutionalization and the identification of treatment models applied to this process.

The Social And The Emotional In The Etiology Of Childhood Lead Poisoning, Harris Chaiklin, Barbara S. Mosher

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Childhood lead poisoning has been characterized as a silent epidemic. Significant social, emotional, and economic factors play a role in its etiology. Differential intervention in this problem is predicated on understanding the relative role of these causes.

Black And White Social Work Faculty: Perceptions Of Respect, Satisfaction, And Job Permanence, Larry E. Davis

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A survey of Black and white faculty in predominately white schools of social work was conducted. The purpose of the survey was to examine qualitative job experiences of these faculty. The researcher attempted to assess how Blacks and whites perceive themselves being responded to as faculty members. This paper reports responses to two sociometric questions: 1) To what extent do social work faculty view themselves as being respected and 2) How satisfied, overall, are they with their faculty positions? Moreover, because much of the expressed concern for minority and female faculty has had to do with their retention, faculty perceptions …

Lay Counseling: A Preliminary Survey Of Who, What And How, James R. Seaberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The results of a preliminary survey of lay counseling are presented. Lay counseling is a concept which the author has previously defined and discussed in this journal. Now data are brought to bear in elaborating the nature of this phenomenon which is a vital element of the mental health maintenance and rehabilitation process. The survey included the types of problems which are the subject of lay counseling, the responses to them, the relation of the lay counselor to the recipient, the effectiveness and other characterristics of the activity which are presented.

Serving Oppressed Communities: The Self-Help Approach, Mohan L. Kaul

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The self-help approach based upon author's thirteen years of association (as a community organizer, block club member, investigator, consultant) with East Akron Block Clubs, is presented as a method of helping the oppressed communities help themselves. The paper includes relevant information from a 1980 survey conducted by the author to understand the dynamics of effective neighborhood leadership in this area. The sample consisting of 78 respondents included: 20 presidents, 11 vice presidents, 19 secretaries, 14 treasurers, and 14 regular members of 20 active Block Clubs serving a population of approximately 5000 people.

The self-help approach is not intended to be …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 12, No. 1 (March 1985)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• The Origins of English Aging Policy: A Re-Examination of the Cyclical Theory of Social Relief - JOHN B. WILLIAMSON, KENNETH J. BRANCO
• Social Reproduction and Helplessness in a Dying - MICHAEL HIBBARD
• Learned Community Homelessness and De-Institutionalization - JOHN J CONKLIN -
• The Social and the Emotional in the Etiology of Childhood Lead Poisoning - HARRIS CHAIKLIN, BARBARA S. MOSHER, DAVID M. O'HARA
• Black and White Social Work Faculty: Perceptions of Respect, Satisfaction and Job Permanence - LARRY E. DAVIS
• Chicano Social Work: A Critical Analysis - JULIO ANGULO, LOURDES ARGUELLES
• Pre-Retirement Attitudes and Financial Preparedness: A …

The Origins Of English Aging Policy: A Re-Examination Of The Cyclical Theory Of Social Relief, John B. Williamson, Kenneth J. Branco

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper examines the explanatory power of Piven and Cloward's cyclical theory of social relief through an exploration of policies in England from the twelfth through the nineteenth century. While there is evidence of a cyclical trend between restrictive and liberal policies in this period, we find that those shifts cannot consistently be explained by social turmoil. There is also evidence of a long-term trend toward a more restrictive aging policy which is unaccounted for by cyclical theory. This trend can be better explained by a more basic set of ideas uncerlying cyclical theory, i.e., the needs of a capitalist …

Chicano Social Work: A Critical Analysis, Julio Angulo, Lourdes Arguelles

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper critically examines an experiment in Social Work education: The development and implementation of a theoretical and practice perspective grounded in the views that Chicanos have about themselves. It is argued that the development of a Chicano perspective has proceeded without reference to the social historical influences on knowledge and curriculum building. More concretely, the structuring effects of dominant scientific paradigms and the organizational requirements of dominant educational institutions. As a result, the Chicano self-view is yet to materialize. Further the scholarship so far generated has been, for the most part, unreflective.

The Impact Of Gender On Productive And Social Activities, Keith M. Kilty, Virginia Richardson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Increasing numbers of women are becoming members of the labor force. Yet it is not clear to what extent working for wages relieves women of their responsibility for traditional and non-paid activities, such as household work and child care. This study examines the impact of gender on the division of domestic labor among working women and men. This research focuses on three kinds of productive activities (paid work, household work, and child care). In addition to productive activities, two kinds of social activities (time spent with relatives and friends, and time spent in entertainment activities) are included. This research also …

Satisfaction With The Profession And Career Status Among Bsw Social Workers, James G. Mccullagh

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study replicates "a measurement of social workers' professional satisfaction" and expands the findings to include career status among BSW graduates. It was hypothesized that (1) graduates of BSW programs who practice social work were more satisfied with selected "symbolic rewards" than those who did not remain in the profession, and that (2) MSW's will express more professional satisfaction than BSW's. A 50 percent random sample of the 538 graduates from a midwestern university for the period 1971-1980 was surveyed. A total of 172 graduates participated, representing a 68 percent response rate. BSW graduates who remain in the profession were …

Community Organization Approaches To The Prevention Of Juvenile Delinquency, Ronald J. Berger, Cherylynne E. Berger

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper examines juvenile delinquency prevention programs which implement large-scale intervention and social change strategies. A typology of community organization practice is used to analyze the assumptions, objectives, and methods underlying these approaches. Three models of community organization-- locality development, social planning, and social action--are used to evaluate three exemplary delinquency prevention programs: the Chicago Area Project, the 1960's provision of opportunity programs, and the 1960's comprehensive community-based projects such as Mobilization for Youth. The difficulties encountered in implementing these models and programs are identified and assessed. The implications for contemporary crime prevention efforts are also considered.

Editor's Introduction To The Special Issue "A Sociology Of Survivors: Post-Traumatic Shock Syndrome", Dennis L. Peck

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

It is estimated that between 500,000 and 1.5 million Vietnam veterans suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the nature of which includes sociological and psychological manifestations. However, despite past research efforts, an adequate understanding of the social consequences of PTSD and its effect upon veterans and their families remains largely unexplored.

Post-Traumatic Stress And Attributions Among Incest Family Members, Inger J. Sagatun

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper presents a discussion of the relationship between attribution models of self-blame and coping strategies among members of incest families. The findings suggest that incest victims are more likely to experience prolonged post-traumatic stress than are offenders and their spouses. The argument is made that by focusing on individual adjustment, therapy programs may be neglecting the interactive effect of attributions made by other family members, the legal system and outside observers. The author concludes by suggesting that a sociological model in which the relationship between social reactions to incest and attributions is addressed would enhance the effectiveness of self-help …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 11, No. 4 (December 1984)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Editor ‘s Introduction to the Special Issue “A Sociology of Survivors: Post-Traumatic Shock Syndrome” - DENNIS L. PECK
• Toward An Understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: An Historical and Contemporary Perspective - SANGEETA SINGG
• Grief and the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders - CHARLES P. FLYNN, ALEXANDRA TEGUTS
• A Comparative Analysis of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome Among Individuals Exposed to Different Stressor Events - JOHN P. WILSON, W. KEN SMITH, SUZANNE K. JOHNSON
• Occupational Stress and Depression Among Vietnam Veterans - CHRISTIAN RITTER
• Post-Traumatic Stress and Attributions Among Incest Family Members - INGER J. SAGATUN
• Post-Traumatic Stress and Life …

Research Issues Surrounding Holocaust Survivors: Adaptability And Aging, Benjamin J. Hodgkins, Richard L. Douglass

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The thesis of this article is that, in spite of a large body of literature on the subject, a significant need exists for sociological research on the long-term consequences of the trauma experienced by survivors of Nazi concentration camps. Most of what is known about the adjustment of Holocaust survivors is based upon limited case histories of survivors who sought psychiatric aid, or requested assistance in qualifying for indemnification payments from the German government. The social and psychological dynamics of successful adjustment to life after the traumatic Holocaust experience by the majority of survivors has largely been ignored. Reasons for …

Grief And The Treatment Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Charles P. Flynn, Alexandra Teguis

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The effects of grief and grief-repression are described as being critical aspects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Qualitative interview and extant program material are utilized to assess the role of grief in the PTSD syndrome, and a program that incorporates grief-related therapy is described. Implications of grief-related therapy for the treatment of PTSD are also discussed.

A Comparative Analysis Of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome Among Individuals Exposed To Different Stressor Events, John P. Wilson, W. Ken Smith, Suzanne K. Johnson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The purpose of the present study was to compare post-traumatic stress syndrome among persons involved in nine different stressor events: combat in the Vietnam War; rape; serious life-threatening events; divorce; the death of a significant other; critical, near fatal illness of a significant other; family trauma; multiple traumatic events; and no stressful event. To assess the severity of the symptoms which define post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the Impact of Event Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Stress Assessment Scale for PTSD from the Vietnam Era Stress Inventory (Wilson & Krauss, 1980) and the Sensation Seeking Scale were administered to the …

Post-Traumatic Stress And Life-Destructive Behavior, Dennis L. Peck

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Results of content analysis of investigative reports and suicide notes illustrating the association between traumatic stress and life-destructive behavior are reported. A breakdown of interpersonal relationships and the inability to adapt to situational arrangements over which they lack control are shown to be factors critical to understanding committers' motivations to suicide.

Toward An Understanding Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: An Historical And Contemporary Perspective, Sangeeta Singg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article traces the historical views that led to development of current scientific perspectives of the diagnostical concept post-traumatic stress disorder. Examples of the catastrophic precipitants of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as war, natural and man-made disasters, and rape are presented, and a description of the current clinical perspective is provided. Because post-traumatic stress disorder often involves all aspects of a person's life, the use of multimodal therapy soon after the trauma is experienced is recommended to prevent the symptoms from occurring.

Occupational Stress And Depression Among Vietnam Veterans, Christian Ritter

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

An exploratory analysis was conducted to assess the effect of exposure to a distal source of extreme trauma on current levels of depression. The purpose of this study was to assess the nature of the relationships among: (1) exposure to the extreme stressor of combat in Vietnam; (2) persistently difficult life conditions; and (3) psychological distress. The impact of various stressors on current psychological distress is evaluated in light of the mediating influence of personal coping resources. Findings suggest that exposure to combat has neither a direct nor an indirect effect on current levels of depression. Exposure to combat was …

The Effects Of The Holocaust: Psychiatric, Behavioral, And Survivor Perspectives, Zev Harel, Boaz Kahana, Eva Kahana

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this paper the authors review perspectives related to Holocaust victims, limitations of Holocaust studies are discussed, and suggestions for viewing the long-range post-traumatic effects of the Holocaust upon its victims from social and behavioral science perspectives are advanced. The views of survivors toward post-war adjustment, drawn from interviews with Holocaust victims, are also presented.

Holocaust Survivors And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: The Need For Conceptual Reassessment And Development, Jerome Rosenberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The recent interest in various aspects of the Holocaust focus on survivors and their children. One major part of this research has focused on the medical and psychological sequels of the concentration camp and other Holocaust related experiences for which Eitinger (1981) identified seven distinct areas of inquiry. The literature in each of these areas is extensive; however, this work is fraught with problems both at the conceptual and at the treatment levels. This paper is specifically concerned with reviewing research and treatment programs, identifying the major problem areas, and concludes with a suggested conceptual alternative to the prevailing clinical …