KELLEY Susan J., WHITLEY Deborah M., CAMPOS Peter E.
Journal article citation:
Children and Youth Services Review, 33(11), November 2011, pp.2138-2145.
Publisher:
Elsevier
Drawing on McCubbin's resiliency model of family stress, adjustment and adaptation, this study examines behaviour problems in children being raised by grandmothers and the factors in their current environment that are related to child behaviour problems. The sample comprised of 230 children ages 2 to 16 years. The families were predominantly low income and African American. Grandmothers responded...
Drawing on McCubbin's resiliency model of family stress, adjustment and adaptation, this study examines behaviour problems in children being raised by grandmothers and the factors in their current environment that are related to child behaviour problems. The sample comprised of 230 children ages 2 to 16 years. The families were predominantly low income and African American. Grandmothers responded to several self-report measures pertaining to child behaviour problems, family resources, social support, and caregiver psychological distress. Trained research assistants completed a standardized observational measure of the home environment. Results indicated that 31.3% of child participants scored in the clinically elevated range for total behaviour problems, with 21.3% and 32.6% scoring in the elevated range for internalizing and externalizing behaviours, respectively. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that of the variables examined, increased psychological distress in grandmothers was most predictive of child behaviour problems, followed by less supportive home environments and fewer family resources. Results of the present study underscore the need for interventions that focus on reducing child behaviour problems, as well as enhancing the parenting skills of grandmothers raising grandchildren. Findings also support the need for strategies to reduce stress in grandmother caregivers and to improve access to resources needed to provide supportive home environments for their grandchildren.
Subject terms:
kinship care, stress, behaviour problems, grandparents;
Times of economic uncertainty can result in fear and anxiety, making it difficult for mangers to lead their organisations successfully. The author suggests some strategies intended to support leadership practice and to help manage emotional wellbeing. A table is included that lists five different types of fear with alternative strategies for managing our emotional wellbeing.
Times of economic uncertainty can result in fear and anxiety, making it difficult for mangers to lead their organisations successfully. The author suggests some strategies intended to support leadership practice and to help manage emotional wellbeing. A table is included that lists five different types of fear with alternative strategies for managing our emotional wellbeing.
Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 10(4), November 2011, pp.571-585.
Publisher:
Sage
The increasing number of people suffering from dementia is creating problems and dilemmas for public health care agencies as well as for close relatives who are expected to provide care. The two Norwegian studies on which this article is based aim to provide a detailed picture of what it is like for those closest to individuals suffering from dementia. Nine families were included, and a total of 27 people interviewed (husbands, wives, sons and daughters). Key topics discussed are the initial phases of the illness, the heavy demands of home care, and dilemmas associated with multiple caregiving roles.
The increasing number of people suffering from dementia is creating problems and dilemmas for public health care agencies as well as for close relatives who are expected to provide care. The two Norwegian studies on which this article is based aim to provide a detailed picture of what it is like for those closest to individuals suffering from dementia. Nine families were included, and a total of 27 people interviewed (husbands, wives, sons and daughters). Key topics discussed are the initial phases of the illness, the heavy demands of home care, and dilemmas associated with multiple caregiving roles.
Journal of Social Work Education, 47(3), 2011, pp.545-553.
Publisher:
Council on Social Work Education
...physical, psychological, and spiritual. Stress reduction emerged as an important goal, and, regardless of the self-care area, the students consistently reported reduction in stress and improved ability to focus on school work and clients. This assignment can serve as a model for teaching students about the importance of self-care.
Self-care involves purposeful and continuous efforts undertaken to enhance well-being and ensure that all dimensions of the self receive the attention needed to make the person fit to assist others. Self-care is vital for social work students as they will not be good practitioners unless they have first learned to care for themselves. This article discusses a self-care assignment developed for students enrolled in a 1st-year master's-level social work foundation practice class. Students kept a biweekly self-care journal in which they chronicled the actions they took to keep themselves healthy during the semester. In order to understand the impact of this type of assignment, qualitative analyses were applied to the content of the journals. The findings are discussed under the themes: emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual. Stress reduction emerged as an important goal, and, regardless of the self-care area, the students consistently reported reduction in stress and improved ability to focus on school work and clients. This assignment can serve as a model for teaching students about the importance of self-care.
Subject terms:
self care, social work education, stress, student social workers;
Australian Social Work, 64(3), September 2011, pp.313-329.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
...and focus groups. The research found that social work students did engage in significant amounts of paid employment while studying, that there were both positives and negatives for students depending on the nature of their employment, and that compromises needed to be made in juggling competing responsibilities. Living on inadequate government benefits created significant stress, but the study
It is common practice for university students, including social work students, to engage in employment to supplement income while studying. However, questions have been raised about whether such part-time work has an adverse impact on student academic performance. This paper investigated the experiences of social work students within three Australian universities as reported through a survey and focus groups. The research found that social work students did engage in significant amounts of paid employment while studying, that there were both positives and negatives for students depending on the nature of their employment, and that compromises needed to be made in juggling competing responsibilities. Living on inadequate government benefits created significant stress, but the study demonstrated that part-time work offered additional opportunities to alleviate this. The implications for the ways in which social work education is structured, especially in terms of flexibility, are discussed.
Subject terms:
part time work, social work education, stress, student social workers;
Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 31(3), July 2011, pp.350-363.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
Social workers are regularly in contact with traumatised clients who have experienced negative life events. The physical and emotional effect on social workers can be extensive, resulting in ‘compassion fatigue’ which is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, except that it affects those emotionally affected by the trauma of another person. This study, conducted with 258 social work field
Social workers are regularly in contact with traumatised clients who have experienced negative life events. The physical and emotional effect on social workers can be extensive, resulting in ‘compassion fatigue’ which is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, except that it affects those emotionally affected by the trauma of another person. This study, conducted with 258 social work field students at a public university in the south-western United States, explored the psychological effect of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction on social work students in field placements. Findings from the Professional Quality of Life Scale's compassion satisfaction and fatigue subscales indicated that social work students appear to be motivated and committed to the profession and have higher scores of compassion satisfaction than the instrument average. Scores on the risk for burnout were slightly higher than those of other helping professionals and their risk for compassion fatigue during their field experience was similar to more experienced helping professionals. The authors concluded that social work students’ must be helped in preparing for the effects of compassion fatigue in order to maintain productivity through their careers.
Subject terms:
practice placement, stress, student social workers, emotions;
Voluntary Sector Review, 2(2), July 2011, pp.239-246.
Publisher:
Policy Press
Place of publication:
Bristol
Supervision within the helping professions refers to a process between two people intended to aid one individual improve their work with people through the input of another. It has been a well-established practice within counselling and social work, but within the voluntary sector it is more emergent in nature. This article discusses the relevance of supervision practice within the voluntary sector and argues that it is necessary and important. The paper examines what is meant by supervision and explores the factors relating to the nature of the work that point to the necessity of supervision for workers. The nature of supervision is explored, providing a discussion of both the functions and the practical dimensions of supervision. The article concludes that supervision not only supports and protects staff, but also benefits individuals, families and communities who are the recipients of the help being offered.
Supervision within the helping professions refers to a process between two people intended to aid one individual improve their work with people through the input of another. It has been a well-established practice within counselling and social work, but within the voluntary sector it is more emergent in nature. This article discusses the relevance of supervision practice within the voluntary sector and argues that it is necessary and important. The paper examines what is meant by supervision and explores the factors relating to the nature of the work that point to the necessity of supervision for workers. The nature of supervision is explored, providing a discussion of both the functions and the practical dimensions of supervision. The article concludes that supervision not only supports and protects staff, but also benefits individuals, families and communities who are the recipients of the help being offered.
Social Work: A journal of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), 56(3), July 2011, pp.258-268.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
The risk of burnout for social works is well documented. However, little is known about its impact on the physical health of social work staff. This paper investigated the relationship between burnout and physical health, using data from a longitudinal study of social workers. Four hundred and six California-registered social workers were surveyed annually over a three-year period. The authors conducted an analysis to test whether burnout predicted changes in physical health over time. Findings revealed that social workers with higher initial levels of burnout later reported more physical health complaints. Also, higher levels of burnout led to a faster rate of deterioration in physical health (including headaches, gastrointestinal problems and respiratory infections) over a one-year period. The authors concluded that these health problems could negatively affect relationships between social workers’ and their clients, and lead to reduced job performance including absenteeism and high turnover.
The risk of burnout for social works is well documented. However, little is known about its impact on the physical health of social work staff. This paper investigated the relationship between burnout and physical health, using data from a longitudinal study of social workers. Four hundred and six California-registered social workers were surveyed annually over a three-year period. The authors conducted an analysis to test whether burnout predicted changes in physical health over time. Findings revealed that social workers with higher initial levels of burnout later reported more physical health complaints. Also, higher levels of burnout led to a faster rate of deterioration in physical health (including headaches, gastrointestinal problems and respiratory infections) over a one-year period. The authors concluded that these health problems could negatively affect relationships between social workers’ and their clients, and lead to reduced job performance including absenteeism and high turnover.
Journal of Child Psychotherapy, 37(1), April 2011, pp.52-74.
Publisher:
Routledge
An exploratory qualitative design was used to facilitate this in-depth exploration of therapists’ reactions to children displaying sexually problematic behaviour and the ways in which they managed these reactions. Nine therapists (seven female) from the UK were interviewed and the concept of countertransference used to understand their reactions. The data were reviewed using inductive thematic analysis. Four major themes emerged: therapist reactions in the sessions; systemic anxieties and effect on the therapist; personal effect on the therapist; and management of therapist reactions. The participants reported a wide range of powerful and intense reactions including powerlessness, feeling deskilled, fear, shock, having sexual feelings and feeling like an abuser. They described a number of personal changes in themselves including personal growth and becoming less trusting. They also reported using various personal and professional resources to manage their reactions. The authors conclude that working with children displaying sexually problematic behaviour can evoke powerful reactions in therapists and other professionals who work with these children. They suggest that it is important to raise awareness of this impact and to normalise therapists' experiences so that they can be more open and active in seeking support when needed.
An exploratory qualitative design was used to facilitate this in-depth exploration of therapists’ reactions to children displaying sexually problematic behaviour and the ways in which they managed these reactions. Nine therapists (seven female) from the UK were interviewed and the concept of countertransference used to understand their reactions. The data were reviewed using inductive thematic analysis. Four major themes emerged: therapist reactions in the sessions; systemic anxieties and effect on the therapist; personal effect on the therapist; and management of therapist reactions. The participants reported a wide range of powerful and intense reactions including powerlessness, feeling deskilled, fear, shock, having sexual feelings and feeling like an abuser. They described a number of personal changes in themselves including personal growth and becoming less trusting. They also reported using various personal and professional resources to manage their reactions. The authors conclude that working with children displaying sexually problematic behaviour can evoke powerful reactions in therapists and other professionals who work with these children. They suggest that it is important to raise awareness of this impact and to normalise therapists' experiences so that they can be more open and active in seeking support when needed.
Subject terms:
psychotherapy, stress, young sex offenders, counsellors;
Social Work in Health Care, 50(1), January 2011, pp.19-33.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
Since the attacks of 9/11, military men and women have endured increasing numbers of deployments and exposure to stress and threat. Faced with pervasive loss, life threat, and moral conflict in the field of battle, the human body and brain adapt to these extraordinary circumstances in extraordinary ways. These adaptations come at a price, and many men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan...
Since the attacks of 9/11, military men and women have endured increasing numbers of deployments and exposure to stress and threat. Faced with pervasive loss, life threat, and moral conflict in the field of battle, the human body and brain adapt to these extraordinary circumstances in extraordinary ways. These adaptations come at a price, and many men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will experience some degree of altered physiology, ranging from mild and temporary stress reactions to conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Along with their physical symptoms, many service members and veterans struggle with cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual challenges. This article explores the ways in which the body and brain adapt to war-zone stress and the resulting challenges. Implications for clinical services and ongoing recovery are discussed.
Subject terms:
post traumatic stress disorder, stress, war, armed forces personnel;