Social Work Commons^™

Towards Improving Engagement Of Youth Of Color In Cross-Age Mentoring Programs In High Poverty, High Crime Neighborhoods, Maria V. Wathen, Patrick L.F. Decker, Maryse H. Richards, Katherine Tyson Mccrea, Cynthia Onyeka, Charity N. Weishar, Donnelly Will

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

This study examines predictors of attendance in a cross-age youth mentoring program offered in four high-poverty, high-crime communities. Youth in greatest need of after school and summer interventions are those residing in such communities, but programs are scarce. More specific to mentoring programs that do exist, past research has demonstrated the significance of attendance as a predictor of positive outcomes. Two datasets were combined for this study: The Saving Lives, Inspiring Youth (SLIY) mentoring program dataset and a neighborhood database. OLS regression results show that for all participants, traveling from a lower-crime home area to a program in a higher-crime …

Transforming Impossible Into Possible (Tip) For Fatherhood: An Empowerment-Based Social Work Intervention, Philip Young P. Hong, Dara Lewis, Jang H. Park, Rana Hong, Ed Davies

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychological self-sufficiency (PSS) process among low-income men participating in the Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) program and explore the implications of TIP as a fatherhood intervention. Sample from 324 men participating in a community-based fatherhood initiative and four local job training programs in a large Midwestern city was used to examine the group differences in PSS as it relates to economic self-sufficiency (ESS). Men in the fatherhood TIP program and those in the general TIP program had significantly greater relationships between PSS and ESS than those in the non-TIP comparison group. …

Teaching Artists’ Adaptability In Group-Based Music Education Residencies, Brian L. Kelly, Jonathan Neidorf

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Art and music-based activities have played an important role in social work with groups since the origin of the profession. These activities continue to be used, yet less in known about how they are facilitated and led. This International Association for Social Work with Groups SPARC endorsed and funded study responds to this gap in the literature by examining the development and implementation of group-based music education residencies. Classically trained teaching artists (TAs) from a Chicago-based music ensemble led and facilitated a series of residencies at one agency with a drop-in center and a transitional living program for emerging adults …

Strengths-Based Behavioral Telehealth With Sexual And Gender Diverse Clients At Center On Halsted, Ing Swenson, Trevor Gates, Michael P. Dentato Phd, Msw, Brian Kelly

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an immediate response and rapid transition from traditional face-to-face behavioral health services to behavioral telehealth at an organization serving sexual and gender diverse (SGD) individuals in Chicago. In this practice innovations article, we explore the unfolding public health crisis and the impact on service delivery for SGD individuals. Using a large multi-service organization as a case study, this paper describes how key members of the staff and leadership team shifted services online as a means of responding to isolation, loneliness, and disparities in access to healthcare for Chicago SGD communities. Lessons learned and practice recommendations are …

Casting Light On The Distinctive Contribution Of Social Work In Multidisciplinary Teams For Older People, Paul Willis, Liz Lloyd, Jackie Hammond, Alisoun Milne, Holly Nelson-Becker, Emma Perry, Mo Ray, Sally Richards, Denise Tanner

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The current policy emphasis in adult social care in England is on promoting independence, preventing or delaying the need for more intensive support and the provision of personalised services. However, there is little evidence available on how social workers (SWs) identify and meet the complex needs of older service users in practice. In this article, we present findings from a study of innovative social work practice with older adults in England (2018–2019). We present five case studies of social care and integrated services in which SWs are integral team members. Twenty-one individuals participated in interviews; this included service managers and …

Who Benefits From Brownfield Cleanup And Gentrification? Evidence From Chicago, Richard Melstrom, Rose Mohammadi, Tania Schusler, Amy Krings

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

This paper presents research on the distribution of economic benefits from brownfield cleanup and land development. There is growing concern that cleaning up blighted areas, including brownfields, can entrench inequality by disproportionately benefiting some demographic groups more than others. We look for evidence of disproportionate benefits by relating changes in move decisions to land use activity in Chicago using a heterogeneous sorting model. Our research produces two key insights: first, Black and Hispanic households benefit less than White households from brownfield cleanup and vacant land development. Second, owners appear to benefit more than renters from cleanup and development. Overall, these …

The Impact Of U.S. Refugee Policy Change & Political Rhetoric On Nonprofit Service Providers’ Emotional Well-Being, Maria V. Wathen, Patrick L.F. Decker, Charity N. Weishar

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

This study examines how U.S. refugee policy changes from 2014 to 2018 affected the emotional well-being of nonprofit service providers. Elements identified by participants as emotionally significant were funding cuts, the “bans”, the unpredictable nature of policy change, and most impactful, negative political rhetoric. Emotional wellbeing was negatively affected and included an increase in stress, anger, sadness, despair, depression, helplessness, frustration, and caution. Negative impacts were also felt with regard to professional identities and to relationships with family, friends, and strangers. Importantly, impact on emotional wellbeing differed by level of organization at which the participant worked and by organizational characteristics.

Dying Alone And Lonely Dying: Media Discourse And Pandemic Conditions, Holly Nelson-Becker, Christina Victor

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background and objectives: This paper explores current concerns and practice related to older people dying alone in Intensive Care Units, care homes, and at home through media discussions during the Covid-19 pandemic and before. It addresses the historically-situated concept of a good death and a bad death and suggests why dying alone, whether completely alone or without significant others physically present, may be considered a bad death.

Methods: As evidence for collective fears about dying alone, we explored the treatment of these deaths in media using headline examples from the US New York Times and the English Guardian newspaper from …

Navigating Academia During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Can You Do It All?, Abha Rai, Kristen Ravi

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The goal of this reflection paper is to draw from our own experiences of starting new tenure-track faculty positions in social work departments amid a global pandemic. By drawing from our experiences, we hope to reflect on strategies and resources utilized. By discussing our approach, we endeavor to provide support to other academics across the world. We believe these resources and strategies will be useful as we continue to live in the “new normal.”

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Domestic Violence And Immigrant Families., Abha Rai, Susan Grossman, Nathan Perkins

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The COVID-19 pandemic has threatening implications for all individuals; and has been particularly unsettling for immigrants. Given their unique positionality in the U.S., the intersectional discussion about the impact of this pandemic on immigrants and issues of family violence is salient. The position of some groups of immigrant women is even more precarious due to the increased dependency on their spouse/partner for emotional, economic and immigration-related reasons. While immigrants have been on the frontlines as responders for COVID-19, there are limited policies that provide them with healthcare, employment guarantee, or benefits. Further, the immigration restrictions created by the U.S. Government …

Environmental Justice Organizing In A Gentrifying Community: Navigating Dilemmas Of Representation, Issue Selection, And Recruitment, Amy Krings, Colette Copic

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Environmental justice organizations aim to secure an equitable distribution of environmental resources through the participation and self-determination of affected people, particularly communities of color. Yet organizing in a market economy is complicated: As communities become greener, gentrification can follow, thereby inadvertently displacing low-income communities of color and reproducing environmental injustices. This study informs antiracist community practice methods by examining strategic and ethical dilemmas embedded within an environmental justice organization that is located in a gentrifying Mexican American neighborhood in Chicago. Drawing from interviews, we examine members’ perceptions relating to representation, recruitment, and issue selection. We reveal key considerations for community …

“Hope Is Greater Than Barriers”: Creating A Pathway Of Hope For Low-Income Families In Moving Out Of Poverty, Philip Young P. Hong, Rana Hong, Dara Lewis, Maribeth V. Swanson, Michael A. Smith

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

This study explored a strength-based, anti-poverty program called Pathway of Hope (POH) of the Salvation Army based on the data that was collected from 11 focus groups consisting of 30 service users and 32 service providers in 2017. The results of the qualitative content analysis found four main categories for creating a pathway of hope: (a) case manager as a personal coach and spiritual accompanist; (b) goal attainment in the POH process; (c) relationship between hope and barriers; and (d) regional coordinator’s modeling role for case managers. Implications for service delivery in social work practice and future research suggestions are …

Queerview: Protocol For A Technology-Mediated Qualitative Photo Elicitation Study With Sexual And Gender Minority Youth In Ontario, Canada, Shelley L. Craig, Andrew D. Eaton, Rachael Pascoe, Egag Egag, Lauren B. Mcinroy, Lin Fang, Ashley Austin, Michael P. Dentato Phd, Msw

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background:The experiences of resilience and intersectionality in the lives of contemporary sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) are important to explore. SGMY face unique experiences of discrimination in both online and offline environments, yet simultaneously build community and seek support in innovative ways. SGMY who identify as transgender, trans, or gender nonconforming and have experiences with child welfare, homelessness, or immigration have been particularly understudied. A qualitative exploration that leverages technology may derive new understanding of the negotiations of risk, resilience, and identity intersections that impact the well-being of vulnerable SGMY.

Objective:The objectives of the QueerVIEW study were to (1) …

Spiritual Diversity, Spiritual Assessment, And Māori End-Of-Life Perspectives: Attaining Ka Ea,, Holly Nelson-Becker, Tess Moeke-Maxwell

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The contemporary world is endowed with increasingly diverse spiritual and cultural perspectives, yet little is known about the spiritual concerns and spiritual resilience of Māori from Aotearoa New Zealand at the end of life. A context is provided for the value of spiritual assessment and identification of spiritual needs or concerns. Spiritual concerns and the desire to attain a state of ka ea (fulfillment, gratitude, or peace) may point to interventions, helping activities, or referrals that guide treatment. We reflect on qualitative findings from the 2017–2020 Pae Herenga study of 61 caregiving families, their helping professionals, and religious/spiritual leaders. We …

Equity In Sustainable Development: Community Responses To Environmental Gentrification, Amy Krings, Tania Schusler

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Sustainable development aims to address economic, social, and environmental imperatives; yet, in practice, it often embodies a neoliberal market logic that reinforces inequalities. Thus, as the social work profession grapples with its role in advancing environmental sustainability, practice models must explicitly attend to social and economic justice. For example, environmental gentrification refers to situations in which the cleanup of contaminated land or the installation of environmental amenities intentionally or unintentionally catalyzes increased housing costs, thereby contributing to the displacement of vulnerable residents. With the goal of contributing to practice knowledge, we conducted a systematic review of peer‐reviewed articles (1997−2017) to …

Research‐Based Knowledge About Social Work And Sustainability, Aila‐Leena Matthies, Amy Krings, Ingo Stamm

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Religious/Spiritual Struggles And Spiritual Resilience In Marginalised Older Adult, Holly Nelson-Becker, Michael Thomas

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Spiritual and religious struggles emerge in times where life meaning is unclear, has changed or is challenged. Resilience has been addressed in terms of psychological, social, emotional and physical capacity or competence related to struggle. However, there is a relatively sparse literature defining and addressing spiritual resilience, both what it is and how it is demonstrated. This is especially true of the oppressive and marginalised experiences of diverse older persons. This paper asks how older persons have responded to life challenge and spiritual struggle through spiritually resilient responses. It provides a foundation for the discussion of spiritual resilience in older …

Philosophical Approaches To Qualitative Research, Renee Spencer, Julia Pryce, Jill Walsh

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research, Second Edition presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary overview of the field of qualitative research. Divided into eight parts, the forty chapters address key topics in the field such as approaches to qualitative research (philosophical perspectives), narrative inquiry, field research, and interview methods, text, arts-based, and internet methods, analysis and interpretation of findings, and representation and evaluation. The handbook is intended for students of all levels, faculty, and researchers across the disciplines, and the contributors represent some of the most influential and innovative researchers as well as emerging scholars.

This handbook provides a broad introduction to …

Planning, Participation, And Power In A Shrinking City: The Detroit Works Project, Gregory B. Markus, Amy Krings

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Scholars and practitioners have argued that authentic public participation is crucial in developing strategic plans for so-called shrinking cities, not only for informing the content of the resulting plans but also for fostering public support, civic capacity, and equitable outcomes. The Detroit Works Project, launched in 2010, provided an opportunity to examine the crafting of a high-profile strategic plan for a major U.S. city challenged by decades of population loss and disinvestment. We find that the project was yet another instance of urban planning that began with an assurance that public involvement would play a central role but then failed …

Review Of Healing In Action: Adventure-Based Counseling With Therapy Groups, Maria Wathen

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Examining Psychological Self-Sufficiency Among Low-Income Jobseekers With Mental Health Barriers, Philip Young P. Hong, Rana Hong, Sangmi Choi, David R. Hodge

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The study is to investigate psychological self-sufficiency—the force within someone that activates cognitive and non-cognitive process of shifting perceived barriers into hope actions—as it relates to economic self-sufficiency among jobseekers with mental health barriers. Among a sample of 2455 low-income jobseekers in job readiness programs at six community-based agencies in Chicago, a subsample of 424 who self-identified as having mental illness barriers are selected to analyze the relationships between employment hope, employment barriers, and economic self-sufficiency using structural equation modeling. Results indicate that employment hope mediates the path between perceived employment barriers and economic self-sufficiency. The study further highlights the …

Environmental Social Work In The Disciplinary Literature, 1991–2015, Amy Krings, Bryan G. Victor, John Mathias, Brian E. Perron

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Despite increasing acknowledgment that the social work profession must address environmental concerns, relatively little is known about the state of scholarship on environmental social work. This study provides a scientometric summary of peer-reviewed articles (N=497) pertaining to environmental topics in social work journals between 1991 and 2015. We find that theoretical and empirical scholarship on environmental social work is growing, though this growth remains limited to specific geographical regions and topics. We note the need to clarify the relationship between environmental social work as a theoretical paradigm and as a research topic.

A Critical Glocalization Approach: Attending To Power In The Innovation Space, Maria Wathen

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The purpose of this paper is to provide community practitioners with the theoretical background to recognize and work in the interplay of global and local forces. This paper reviews globalization as a contested term and presents several globalization paradigms. It introduces critical glocalization as a guiding approach that sensitizes social workers to power dynamics. With this approach, social workers are encouraged to look for innovations that arise in the glocal sphere. They will understand the broader political, economic, structural, policy, and discursive contexts in which they are working, and intentionally look for the marginalized voices in our complex, interconnected world.

Validation Of The Employment Hope Scale (Ehs) Among Summer Youth Employment Program Participants, Philip Young P. Hong, Rana Hong, Choi Sangmi

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The purpose of this study is to validate the Employment Hope Scale (EHS) among vulnerable youth who are seeking to enter the workforce through a summer youth employment program (SYEP). Hong, Polanin, and Pigott (2012) developed the EHS as a client-centered measure based on its earlier conceptualization from the client focus group interviews resulting in an original delineation of a 24-item six-factor structure. Considering a dearth of reliable measures of youth employment hope, this study examined the applicability of EHS to the youth population by validating it using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results from a sample of 255 …

Conducting Research In Non-Traditional Settings: Research Assistant Experiences In A Gay Bathhouse, Michael R. Lloyd, Michael P. Dentato Phd, Msw, Brian Kelly, Hayley Stokar

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Research conducted in traditional and non-traditional settings remains essential to understanding behaviors and attitudes among diverse populations. The effective preparation of research assistants is essential in order to conduct ethical research and ensure safety for the participants and those conducting the research. One such example pertains to examining the behavior of men who have sex with men (e.g., gay, bisexual, other MSM) within bathhouse settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among six graduate students and alumni examining their overall interest in conducting research as well as their thoughts and feelings prior to, during, and after collecting data at a gay male …

Should Failure To Protect Laws Include Physical And Emotional Sibling Violence?, Nathan Perkins, Johanna E. Barry

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Physical and emotional sibling violence is a problematic occurrence for many children, adults, and families, yet this form of violence rarely falls within the purview of state laws and policies. Failure to protect laws offer one avenue through which sibling violence can be addressed by holding parents and caregivers accountable for harm that occurs to a child in their custody. This article provides background information on physical and emotional sibling violence as well as a general overview of failure to protect laws in the context of intimate partner violence with particular consideration of these laws in addressing sibling violence. In …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Transforming Impossible Into Possible (Tip) Program In South Korea, Sangmi Choi, Philip Young P. Hong, Rana Hong

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Purpose:

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) study examined the efficacy of the Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) program for low-income, low-skilled jobseekers in the Self-Sufficiency Program (SSP) in South Korea.

Method:

A total of 169 participants in SSP regional centers were randomly assigned to the intervention group (104 participants) and the wait-list control group (65 participants). Employment hope, perceived employment barriers, economic self-sufficiency (ESS), self-esteem and self-efficacy were measured at two time points, and data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

Results:

The TIP intervention group showed statistically significant increase in employment …

Sibling Violence: The Missing Piece In Family Violence Policy, Nathan H. Perkins, Susan F. Grossman

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Social work has played an integral role in the conceptualization and implementation of policy aimed at prevention and intervention of various forms of family violence. Seminal federal policies to address child abuse and neglect (Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act), elder abuse (Elder Justice and Older Americans Acts), and intimate partner violence (Violence Against Women and Family Violence Prevention and Services Acts) all focus on specific types of violence in the family. To date, however, there are no federal policies specifically addressing physical and/or emotional sibling violence (Perkins, Coles, & O’Connor, 2017; Perkins & O’Connor, 2016). This article examines the …

Community Collaborations With Saving Lives, Inspiring Youth: A Community-Based Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Program, Cynthia Onyeka, Kevin Miller, Chana Matthews, Amzie Moore Ii, Katherine Tyson Mccrea Professor, Maryse Richards

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Scholar-community collaborations offer an opportunity to conduct translational research that is both useful and respectful to the population of study (Foster-Fishman, Berkowitz, Lounsbury, Jacobson & Allen, 2001). When projects involve an intervention targeted towards a marginalized community, it is even more important to perform the research with such regard. Community-based interventions are more likely to find sustained success with community members as part of the service and research team. However, tensions between researchers and practitioners may present challenges with this work (e.g., researchers devaluing practitioner insights, practitioners and community members concerned about past histories of mistreatment of research subjects), particularly …

Institutional Logics And Diverging Organizational Forms: An Empirical Study In Russia, Maria V. Wathen

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Using an institutional logics approach, this study investigates how the institutional logics of leaders of grassroots social service nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Russia changed over time and how these changes related to changes in organizational mission, people served, professionalization, and interactions with the government. Relying on interviews as well as other data gathered, this analysis of organizational leaders’ narratives reveals the identities and experiences that these leaders turn to in their sensemaking of significant events. The findings show that, on the one hand, social welfare NGOs continued to provide services, increased their advocacy efforts, and professionalized their staff. Volunteer organizations, …