Abstract Trauma-informed care (TIC) in medical settings, such as neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), is recommended but not widespread. This article examines trauma-informed (TI) perspectives and beliefs, previous training, self-efficacy, and practice behaviors of nurses and social workers who serve infants exposed in utero to opioids/opiates in Level III and IV NICUs in the United States. An online anonymous survey was conducted with NICU nurses and social workers (N = 69). Relationships between perspectives, beliefs and previous training, and self-efficacy and practice behaviors were examined using multiple regression. Results suggest that trauma awareness positively influences whereas judgment of maternal substance abuse negatively influences providers’ level of TI practice behaviors; training in TIC and years of practice experience both positively influence providers’ TIC self-efficacy. Implications exist for social work education and nursing education as well as practicing nurses and social workers in the NICU setting. Specifically, trainings in TIC and trainings that increase trauma awareness and decrease judgmental attitudes are needed. Additionally, increasing support for current NICU unit staff is recommended.

Abstract Alaska Native (AN) communities in remote Alaska experience disproportionately high rates of youth suicide, and have an abundance of social resources, which are often more plentiful and preferred than clinical care. This cross-sectional study of AN community members (ages 15 to 93) describes actions that AN people report doing to reduce suicide risk and promote mental wellness, and uses logistic regressions to assess differences in number and types of actions by age and gender. Results suggest that overall, community members engage in a variety of preventative actions (mean 6.28 out of 11 in the past few months). Notably, there were minor differences in actions related to suicide prevention (e.g., lethal means restriction), health promotion (e.g., sharing with others about wellness), and postvention (i.e., actions to reduce risk following a suicide) based on gender or age. Younger AN people (ages 15 to 29) reported more suicide prevention actions with friends, whereas older people reported doing more with family. Women of all ages reported engaging in more suicide prevention actions than men, particularly offering interpersonal supports. This study highlights the preventative actions already happening in AN social support networks, underscoring the untapped potential of engaging with families and community members to strengthen intergenerational support networks for suicide prevention.

Abstract Research shows that for youth living in foster care, strong social support networks (SSNs) can promote resilience across life domains and help alleviate adverse experiences. While prior research documented the relationship between social bonds and reduced crime based on social bonds theory, the role of SSNs in explaining legal system involvement remains understudied. To increase the understanding of the protective factors that help mitigate heightened rates of incarceration among youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood, this study examined the relationship between SSNs and incarceration by considering various characteristics of SSNs (adequacy, type, size, and source). The authors used longitudinal data of transition-age young people in care (N = 616) to examine associations between SSNs and later incarceration. Findings showed that compared with those who reported having inadequate support at age 17, rates of incarceration at age 21 were significantly lower among those who reported having adequate support of two types: emotional and advice/guidance. Regression analyses showed that adequate emotional support, in particular, was a strong protective factor for later incarceration after controlling for covariates. The analyses provide nuanced insights that suggest there may be optimal support types that mitigate incarceration risks. The authors discuss child welfare practice, policy, and research implications.

Abstract Using the concept of consistency matching in person–environment fit theory, this study explored the relationship between social workers’ organizational cultural identification and job burnout and the mediating effect of job satisfaction. For the empirical analysis, this study used 1,174 cross-sectional sample data points from the China Social Work Longitudinal Study published in 2019. The results show that organizational cultural identification has a negative predictive effect on job burnout and that job satisfaction has a mediating effect on the relationship between organizational cultural identification and job burnout. This study clarified the intermediate mechanisms by which job satisfaction affects the relationship between organizational cultural identification and job burnout, and expanded the research on the association between organizational cultural identification and job burnout. Finally, this study proposes some positive countermeasures and suggestions for enhancing the cultural identity of social work organizations, increasing concern for social workers’ job satisfaction, and encouraging and cultivating social workers’ positive work emotions.

Abstract Expert assessments have significant influence in child welfare decision making in Norway. Insight into expert assessment is therefore critical to ensure a sound basis for such decisions, yet knowledge about the process of expert assessments is lacking. To close this knowledge gap, authors have developed a codebook to quantitatively explore expert assessment reports in child welfare cases in Norway. The aim of this article is to provide a transparent account of the development of the codebook. Authors describe how codebook reliability and validity were established. The value of the team approach is emphasized. Insight into the process may be of particular value to other researchers considering quantitative content analysis of qualitative reports in both child welfare research and other contexts. This is a potentially important study in developing a tool that provides empirical oversight regarding the practice of experts in the field of child welfare.

This study focuses on how African American men experience race-based traumatic stress (RBTS) and the coping strategies they employ. Data were collected from a purposive sample of African American emerging adults (N = 148) who resided in St. Louis, Missouri. Descriptive, univariate, and multiple linear regression analyses assessed RBTS symptom severity and its relationship with various coping behaviors, controlling for sociodemographic factors like age, income, and employment. The study revealed that anger, avoidance, and intrusive thoughts were common RBTS symptoms, with average scores for these symptoms ranging from 48.2 to 49.4. Income was found to be a significant predictor of coping strategies, particularly religious coping and substance use, suggesting that socioeconomic factors influence how African American men manage RBTS. Findings highlight the critical need for culturally relevant mental health interventions that incorporate economic and coping dimensions to support African American men effectively. Future research should explore these relationships longitudinally to understand how coping mechanisms evolve and inform targeted interventions.

Abstract Sexual harassment on college campuses is a pervasive problem. Students of social work are not exempt from these experiences and may in fact be at heightened risk for sexual harassment given the nature of their work and requirements for field training experiences. Indeed, many social work programs report dealing with instances of student harassment during field placement. Therefore, it is important to know how social work programs prepare students for the possibility of encountering sexual harassment in their field placements, how field offices respond when instances are reported, and the policies and procedures that guide those actions. In addition, because of the potential need to implement policies specific to field placement contexts, it is important to identify the perceived challenges to effective training and policy development. To answer these exploratory research questions authors analyzed qualitative interview data from 14 field directors in U.S. schools of social work. Authors find that schools of social work often rely heavily on university Title IX offices and other university systems to respond to reports of sexual harassment in student field placements. The article discusses some of the perceived challenges of current training, policies, and processes, and considers the social justice implications of these findings.