Study Of Social Work Practice Research Articles

Strengthening the relationships between different parties: Boundary-spanning competencies in hospital social work

Hospital social workers advocate, facilitate and communicate with patients, families, healthcare professionals, and communities. These activities, in which hospital social workers relate to different parties and aim to strengthen relationships between them, have been referred to in the literature as boundary spanning. This study explores hospital social workers’ boundary-spanning competencies associated with their boundary-spanning activities. The data were from in-depth interviews with 19 hospital social workers in Norway. A hybrid analysis was performed, combining initial inductive coding of themes with subsequent deductive coding based upon a conceptual framework. Four themes emerged: (1) Being informed, (2) Content knowledge, (3) Tailoring and (4) Self-knowledge. The findings contribute to specifying central boundary-spanning competencies. Implications of the study for social work practice and education are provided, along with recommendations for further research.

‘But what are we doing to that baby?’ Attachment, psy-Speak and designed order in social work

ABSTRACT In this paper, we will examine how attachment has become imperative psychological vocabulary in social work. In a case study of social work practice in one Danish municipality, the use of attachment theory shows that the social workers have undeveloped professional insights into attachment theory, yet still use the concept to help comprehend difficult cases. However, their frequent use of the concepts ‘attachment’ and even ‘detachment’ appears theoretically arbitrary, and is more reminiscent of psy-culture than strict evidence-based science, and this has a potentially profound impact on how social workers intervene in families.

An uncertain practice: social work support for disabled people and carers moving across local authority boundaries in England

This article reports on a study of social work practice with care recipients choosing to relocate between English local administrative units. Data were collected from interviews with 20 social work practitioners from three areas, seeking their views through the use of vignettes. Participants reported that supporting relocation: requires time and planning; is conceptualised as a key transition for those moving; and exposes practitioners (and care recipients) to local variations and the potential for risk, and therefore uncertainty. New legal rights for care recipients may decrease the problems, but local variations will remain.

Multi-site Evaluation and Research

This article examines multi-site evaluation and research. Differing from single-site research, multi-site research is appropriate for reasons that distinguish it from single-site research. This article examines forms and types of multisite research to illustrate a variety of applications. The article presents examples of multi-site research conducted in the United States, at the national level with reference to mental health services and alcoholism treatment research applications. Additional mental health, child welfare, and social work practice examples are provided from research conducted at the Center for the Study of Social Work Practice in New York City. Advantages and disadvantages of multi-site research are described with suggestions for the conduct of multi-site research.

Handling the Dilemma of Self-Determination and Dementia: A Study of Case Managers’ Discursive Strategies in Assessment Meetings

In assessment meetings concerning care services for people with dementia, Swedish case managers face a dilemma. On the one hand, according to the law, the right to self-determination of every adult citizen must be respected, but on the other hand cognitive disabilities make it difficult to fulfill obligations of being a full-fledged citizen. In this article, we examine 15 assessment meetings to identify discursive strategies used by case managers to handle this dilemma. We also examine how these affect the participation of persons with dementia, and indicate implications of our study for social work practice and research.

Child Protection Social Workers' Engagement in Continuing Professional Development: An Exploratory Study

This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study into the nature of child protection social workers' engagement in, and understanding of, continuing professional development (CPD) in Ireland. Qualitative methods were used given the exploratory nature of the research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight child protection social workers from a community-based child protection department in Ireland. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. A review of the literature is provided and key findings are outlined and discussed. These findings relate to the nature and frequency of participation in CPD, perceived motivators and barriers to participation in CPD, and social workers' views on the potential impact of statutory registration of Irish social workers (which was implemented in the months after this study was carried out) on CPD participation. Research limitations and suggestions for future research are considered, along with the implications of this study for social work practice.

An Exploratory Study of Social Work Practice for International Development Assistance - A case study of Kopino Chidren's Association -

본 연구는 최근 국제사회복지라는 관심분야의 일환으로 필리핀에서 한국남성과 필리핀 여성 사이에서 태어난 코피노 아동들을 대상으로 교육 및 자립지원 사업을 수행하고 있는 ‘코피노 어린이 재단(Kopino Children’s Association)"에 대한 사례연구로 재단의 설립배경과 지금까지 진행해 왔던 프로그램들을 기록한 문서들에 대한 내용 분석, 담당자 인터뷰, 현장 참여관찰을 실시하여 얻어진 정보를 분석하여 재구성하고 개념화하였다. 코피노어린이재단은 코피노 아동의 역량강화와 자립을 목적으로 설립된 사회복지기관이다. 그러나 재단의 재정의 열악함으로 인해 조직으로서의 체계를 갖추지 못하고 있었다. 이 재단은 코피노 아동과 가족들의 잠재력과 자원을 개발시키기 위해 교육사업과 역량강화 그리고 한국과 유럽의 NGO기관들과의 국제협력 활동들을 추진하고 있었다. 연구결과를 통하여 본 연구는 제한적인 해외 사회복지실천사례이지만, 해외의 NGO 활동에 대한 이해의 폭을 넓히고, 이들과의 국제협력을 통해 국제사회복지실천의 발판을 마련할 수 있는 정보를 제공하였다.

The Effect of Socioeconomic Status and Family Structure on Parental Warmth and Parental Control in aChinese Context: Implications for Social Work Practice

We report the results of a telephone survey conducted in 2008 inHongKong, which aimed to identifyChinese parents' parental warmth and parental control (guan) and to explore their relationship with the sociodemographic characteristics of the parents. The respondents perceived themselves to be warm (mean = 3.44) and educating their child (mean = 3.46). The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the five sociodemographic characteristics explained 15.8% and 8.2% of the variance in parental warmth andguanrespectively. The mothers were warmer than the fathers; parents with higher monthly household income, higher educational attainment and with their smallest child young in age were warmer than parents of lower household income, lower educational attainment and with their smallest child older in age. However, parentalguandid not vary among the five sociodemographic characteristics except educational attainment. Implications of the study for social work practice are discussed.

'Leaders in Our Own Lives': Suggested Indications for Social Work Leadership from a Study of Social Work Practice in a Palliative Care Setting

In the context of calls for the social work profession to show leadership, this article reports a single site qualitative study in a specialist palliative care setting in England, which explored suggested similarities between social work practice and a recently developed model of ‘servant and partner’ leadership. The research showed that social workers demonstrated integrity in their dealings with both service users and colleagues, in that they were both respectful and holistic. It indicated that social workers used insights gained by engaging at depth with service users to influence decision making within the multidisciplinary team of which they were members. By drawing on sophisticated and adaptive communication skills and genuinely valuing others' contributions, they enhanced the ability of the team to achieve proportionate responses to sensitive and complex situations. The article suggests that social workers in this setting exercised leadership, in the sense of influencing the practice of others at the level of individual cases and more generally, and that this was achieved by practices that were based in established theoretical models of social work.

Parenting Stress and Perceived Family Functioning of Chinese Parents in Hong Kong: Implications for Social Work Practice

This article reports the results of a telephone survey (n = 1002) conducted in November 2008, which aimed to identify parenting stress and perceived family functioning of Chinese parents in Hong Kong; to explore the effects of the parents’ socio-demographic characteristics (gender, family income, education and family structure) on the aforementioned stress and functioning variables; and to examine the interrelationship among these characteristics and the two variables in question. Results showed that the reported parenting stress was at average level, while the perceived family functioning was slightly below average. The results also indicated that the parenting stress of mothers, single parents, the low-income and the less-educated was higher than that of fathers, parents of nuclear and extended families, the high-income and the better-educated. Socio-demographic characteristics except the parent’s gender had similar effects on perceived family functioning. Higher parenting stress was associated with lower family functioning, and explained a larger variance in the perceived family functioning than the socio-demographic characteristics taken alone. The results of the study have provided empirical support regarding the interrelationships among the vulnerable groups in society, parenting stress and perceived family functioning. Implications of the study for social work practice are discussed.

An exploratory study of the impact of an adolescent's eating disorder on Chinese parents' well-being, marital life and perceived family functioning in Shenzhen, China: implications for social work practice

In this paper, the author reports the results of an exploratory study conducted in Shenzhen, China on how an eating disorder in an adolescent or adult child in the family would affect the parents' well-being, quality of marital life and the perceived family functioning. Out of 33 patients suffering from eating disorders and referred for family treatment, 18 mothers and 15 fathers participated in this study. The data were gathered using a standardized questionnaire comprising three measures, namely the Symptom Check-List-90-R, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Family Assessment Device. The results of the study have shown that the parents' well-being was negatively affected, especially for the mothers, whose self-reported depression and anxiety levels were higher than the fathers'. The parents also perceived family functioning to be less satisfactory since the onset of the disorder, with least satisfaction reported on Affective Involvement, Affective Responsiveness, Roles and Behaviour Control. However, the onset had no negative effect on the parents' marital life. Implications of the study for social work practice are discussed.

Sex Differences in Perceived Family Functioning and Family Resources in Hong Kong Families: Implications for Social Work Practice

Although enhancing family functioning has become a rising concern of social workers in Chinese contexts such as Hong Kong, little has been known on perceived family functioning and family resources. To fill in this knowledge gap, this article reports part of the results of a telephone survey conducted in Hong Kong, aiming to identify the sex differences in these two areas. The results of the study have shown that Chinese women perceived better affective involvement, one of the crucial indicators of family functioning, than Chinese men. However, among the different family resources, men rated better physical and mental well‐being whereas women’s social connection was stronger than men’s. Further analysis have shown that the linkage of three family resources (namely stress coping efficacy, time spent with family and income) to perceived family functioning was statistically significant irrespective of genders. Implications of this study for social work practice are discussed at the end of the article.

Study of social work practice in college class for making care plan

Study of social work practice in college class for making care plan

Parenting Among Mothers With Bipolar Disorder: Strengths, Challenges, and Service Needs

ABSTRACT Bipolar disorder is a severe form of mental illness with a primary disruption in mood. With fluctuating phases of mania and depression, bipolar disorder can have a serious impact on all activities of daily living, including parenting. Ten mothers with bipolar disorder were interviewed to understand their strengths, challenges, and service needs in parenting. Results describe their love for their children, problems in disciplining, and need for more support groups, among other findings. Interestingly, manic and hypomanic phases are reported to provide more energy to parent. Implications of the study for social work practice and research are discussed.

Men Who Were Sexually Abused in Childhood and Subsequent Suicidal Ideation: Community Comparison, Explanations and Practice Implications

In the Western world, men are particularly vulnerable to suicide, so it is important to undertake research that helps explain the manifestation of suicidality. This is one of the few studies to date that have researched men who were sexually abused in childhood and their presentation of suicidal ideation, much of the previous research with this focus having been restricted to women. The study draws on a clinical sample of 147 Australian men who were sexually abused in childhood, of whom thirty-nine also gave open-ended interviews, and comparisons are made with a community sample of 1,231 men. It was found that the sexually abused men were up to ten times more likely to report suicidal ideation than the controls. To understand risk factors for suicidal ideation, a predictive regression model was constructed, the most important variables in this model being self-blame, isolation and physical injuries sustained from the abuse. These variables are further explored and illuminated from the qualitative data. Key implications of the study for social work practice include the need for screening and assessment of men in clinical populations as well as in other vulnerable populations. Limitations of the study and future areas of inquiry are also outlined.

Researching `at Home' as an Insider/Outsider

This article discusses aspects of the socio-cultural context of an organizational ethnographic study of social work practice — the impact of culture and gender on researching social work practice in Jordanian hospitals. The authors analyse and discuss aspects of the complexities of gender and the socio-cultural context and their influence on strategies for negotiating insider/outsider status when carrying out ethnographic fieldwork in an Arab society. This study of hospital social work in Jordan illustrates how gender, culture and strategies of insiders and outsiders shape participant observation in the field setting. We reflect on ways of negotiating access and interacting more freely with respondents of differing status and gender within the social constraints of Arab societies.

Risk, Mental Disorder and Social Work Practice: A Gendered Landscape

Whilst the importance of gender for social work practice, risk and mental health has been recognized theoretically for some time, few attempts have been made to explore this area empirically. This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods study of social work practice in relation to mental health service users perceived to be ‘high-risk’. Findings suggest, first, that the concept ‘high-risk’ was gendered because the primary focus in social work practice was on the risks posed by male service users to others. Second, female social workers in the present study were found to have more female service users from their caseloads who had been defined as ‘high-risk’ compared with their male counterparts. The paper goes on to explore this apparent congruence between female social workers and female service users and highlights how the management of risk could be considered gendered because it reflects a worker’s (perceived) capacity in cultural terms to ‘decode’ the nature of the risks that their clients face as gendered subjects. The paper demonstrates how the intersections between risk, mental disorder and social work practice can therefore be understood as a gendered landscape. It concludes by highlighting the implications of these findings for social work practice and research.

Living in poverty: a qualitative inquiry of emaciated adolescents and young women coming from low‐income families in a Chinese context

ABSTRACTAnorexia nervosa (AN) is no longer a disease of the rich in the West. Hitherto, no study has been carried out in the West or in the Chinese context that documents the experiences of poor people suffering from AN. This qualitative study aims to identify the subjective experiences of seven Chinese emaciated adolescents and young women coming from low‐income families, their family difficulties and needs, and resilience in coping. The results of the study have shown that family poverty has significantly triggered the onset of AN for two emaciated adolescents, while factors such as parents’ marital discord and relentless pursuit of thinness have also been reported. Family difficulties experienced included problems in parenting, inadequate financial resources, and insufficient information and access to health and social services. Strong family motivation and filial piety are found to be important cultural assets conducive to recovery. Implications of this study for social work practice are discussed.

Social Representations and the Study of Professional Practice

The social representations perspective provides a framework for understanding the thinking of the practicing professional, but its effectiveness as a tool for analyzing professional practice has not been considered. In this article, the author assesses the methodological implications of the social representations perspective to the study of social work practice in child protection. The perceived advantages of the perspective—that it captures symbolic forms of thought, permits analysis of the social context of practice, and enables thought about action to be organized and analyzed in an integrated way—are partially supported. The author could not identify the interplay between scientific and everyday knowledge but does describe other knowledge forms significant to the practitioner. Researchers make only partial use of the perspective's major ideas. This suggests that a different method is needed to ensure greater application to professional practice.

Factors associated with self-worth in young people with physical disabilities.

Having a positive sense of self is associated with success for children and adults, with and without disabilities. This article reports on a cross-sectional study examining the correlates of global self-worth for 85 young people (ages eight to 23) with spina bifida (a condition present at birth) or spinal cord injury (an acquired condition). Significant correlations were found between perceptions of self-worth and age, perceived social support of close friends, and perceived social support from parents. Regression analysis revealed that perceived social support from parents was a stronger predictor of self-worth than gender, age, or diagnosis (onset of disability). Implications of this study for social work practice are discussed.