Search

It is well established that successful transitions into adulthood vary greatly by numerous factors (e.g., race, gender); yet, understanding of ways that disability-related factors shape transitions into adulthood are less clear. While individuals with disabilities, generally, often fall short of their non-disabled peers in achieving many early adult milestones, fuller conceptualisations that recognise the diversity among individuals with disabilities are warranted. Informed by recent findings suggesting the variability of experiences of young adults with disabilities by disability type and severity, as well as disability frameworks that focus on 'normative' population outcomes as proxies of activities and participation among individuals with and without disabilities, this study uses data from two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to describe and compare the success of young people by disability status, type, and severity as they transition from high school, enrol in college, or gain employment. Findings derived from logistic regression models suggest consistent disadvantages for individuals with cognitive disabilities relative to peers with physical disabilities as well as peers without disabilities across important early adult transitions. Policy and practice implications to address these inequalities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review is to examine ways a resilience framework might inform social workers' understanding about how to mitigate risks for youth who use Internet and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Eligibility criteria: This review identified original research published between January 2006 and December 2019 that used a resilience framework to assess outcomes of youth, ages 10–19, who use ICTs. Methods of synthesis: A narrative synthesis grouped articles based on conceptualizations of resilience, risk, and protection; methods; and populations. Results: A search identified 13 peer-reviewed studies that used resilience and its relationship to outcomes. Most studies identified resilience as a mediator or moderator that buffers the effect of harm. Conclusions: Social workers who wish to mitigate risks for youth who use ICTs might focus on interventions that strengthen resilience. Currently, resilience is inconsistently conceptually defined, and more robust research is needed regarding ICT use by marginalized youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined changes in the perceptions of physical and emotional wellbeing of early career child welfare workers (n = 578) using four waves of data collected during their first 18 months of employment. Measures for physical wellbeing included self-reported physical health and a scale for sleep disturbances. Measures for emotional wellbeing included self-reported mental health and a scale for psychological distress. Compared to baseline, perceptions of physical and emotional wellbeing significantly worsened during the first six months. Self-reported physical wellbeing appeared to stabilize over time; however, emotional wellbeing continued to decline. Implications for agencies, including supervisory support and employee assistance programs are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study examined views of research-supported parenting interventions across three stakeholder groups that have critical roles in child welfare—case managers, clinicians, and judicial representatives in one rural community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members in each stakeholder group. Two analytic approaches were used. First, views on the selection of research-supported interventions, strengths and weaknesses, and professional collaboration in implementation were examined. Second, several factors in the literature impacting research-supported interventions were used to compare views. All stakeholder groups supported the use of research-supported therapies while agreeing that the overriding importance in selecting any therapy was to ensure the best "fit" with a client. Professional collaboration was considered essential in a variety of forms and combinations by all groups. The results highlight important considerations in selecting and implementing research-supported parent therapies. Recommendations to continue and expand this line of research are articulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased attention to former foster youth pursuing post-secondary education has resulted in the creation of college campus based support programs to address their need. However, limited empirical evidence and theoretical knowledge exist about these programs. This study seeks to describe the application of systems theory as a framework for examining a college campus based support program for former foster youth. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 program stakeholders including students, mentors, collaborative members, and independent living program staff. Using qualitative data analysis software, holistic coding techniques were employed to analyze interview transcripts. Then applying principles of extended case method using systems theory, data were analyzed. Findings suggest systems theory serves as a framework for understanding the functioning of a college campus based support program. The theory’s concepts help delineate program components and roles of stakeholders; outline boundaries between and interactions among stakeholders; and identify program strengths and weakness. Systems theory plays an important role in identifying intervention components and providing a structure through which to identify and understand program elements as a part of the planning process. This study highlights the utility of systems theory as a framework for program planning and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the rate of alcohol use among adolescents has declined, it remains their drug of choice. Parent and peer alcohol use are powerful risk factors for youth alcohol use. However, questions remain about how these factors influence underage drinking. The present study investigates the relationship between exposure to parent or peer alcohol use and two stages of adolescent drinking—onset and escalation—overall and at five age points during adolescence. Participants were 9348 adolescents in Waves I (WI) and II (WII) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, whose parents completed interviews at WI, and who identified themselves as either non-drinkers or experimental drinkers at WI. Reports of WII alcohol use were used to measure onset among WI non-drinkers and escalation among WI experimenters. Risk ratios were calculated to assess the overall impact of exposure to parent or peer alcohol use on onset and escalation, and at five age points (i.e., ≤ 13, 14, 15, 16, and ≥ 17). Findings show that exposure to either parent or friend alcohol use increased the risk of onset and escalation. Age-based analyses reveal a more nuanced relationship, showing variability in the nature and strength of influence by stage of drinking and by age. This study highlights the relevance of both parent and peer modeling on youth drinking throughout adolescence. Implications in advancing prevention and treatment include parental education about the impact of their own behaviors and the importance of monitoring teens’ friendships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their transition to adulthood, youth who have aged out of foster care struggle in a variety of areas. One area of concern is achieving success in post-secondary education. In response, universities and community colleges around the country offer support programs for these youth, in order to assist them in gaining a college education. The purpose of this study was to utilize a systematic review process to uncover the current status of what is known about campus support programs for foster care alumni in two areas—student views of their program experiences and outcomes of interventions to improve post-secondary educational success. We adapted the Participants, Interventions, Comparison groups, Outcomes, and Study designs (PICOS) model in conducting the systematic review. A search of six electronic databases and other gray literature sources yielded seven articles. Results revealed valuable insight from students regarding the ways in which program implementation was beneficial, and highlighted important strategies future programs should consider. Further, findings of outcome studies are favorable. However, additional outcome evaluations are needed in order to validate and confirm their impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This cross-national study examined the direct and indirect effects of parental monitoring on aggressive behavior among separate samples of 10th grade youth in the US ( N = 3784) and South Korea ( N = 3079). Methods Data from two national probability studies—Monitoring the Future (MTF) for US youth and Korea Youth Panel Study (KYPS) for South Korean youth—were used. Both studies incorporated school-based, multi-stage, stratified, and randomized clustered sampling methods. Results Path analyses results indicated that while parental monitoring was directly and negatively related to aggressive behavior among US youth, it had no direct effect among South Korean youth. We also found significant indirect effects of parental monitoring on youth aggression through cigarette use, alcohol use, and self-esteem among both groups. Both US and South Korean youth who perceived increased monitoring from their parents reported less cigarette and alcohol use and higher self-esteem, which in turn reduced the likelihood of aggressive behavior. Conclusions This study serves as an example of conducting cross-national research using existing data to investigate significant issues related to youth well-being. Although there are cultural differences between US and South Korean youth, parental monitoring is still important in deterring both groups of youth from engaging in aggressive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) use on rural child welfare practice using a technology‐in‐practice framework to derive the social structures that are instantiated by rural child welfare workers (CWWs) and to examine their agency as actors. ICT use was tracked, and interviews were conducted with rural CWWs who work with children and families to gain an understanding of and describe their day‐to‐day ICT use at the practice level. Findings demonstrate that CWWs enact social structures along four frames: bureaucratic structure, family centricity, ICT context and information–documentation culture. In terms of agency, CWWs not only are constrained by but also exert some influence on the social structures they enact through facilities (material resources), norms and interpretive schemes. These findings have implications for how ICT can be used to facilitate the CWW–client relationship and the need in rural areas for increased infrastructure to support CWWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding alcohol use onset among young adolescents is critical in identifying their perceptions, socialization, and decision making that will assist in prevention efforts. This study examined children's beliefs about alcohol. We conducted focus groups with 18 youths in grades 3 through 8 to explore their views about (1) the risk and protective factors of underage drinking and (2) the consequences of alcohol use. Findings suggest that youths' perceptions of media content, use of family members as verbal and behavioral referents, non-family member adults' alcohol use, and peer factors are concomitant processes that youths consider in formulating beliefs about alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Student-mothers from low-income families are three times as likely to drop out of college as female students without children. Yet, the economic and social benefits of postsecondary education for low-income mothers underscore the importance of examining environmental barriers to completing college for these women. Methods: The intent of this study, therefore, is to develop and validate an instrument, the school support scale, aimed at measuring the perception of emotional and tangible college support among student-mothers from low-income families. Results: Findings show excellent reliabilities for emotional (α = .944) and tangible (α = .888) subscales and indicate that student-mothers who perceive faculty and staff as supportive tend to have strong commitments to the institution (p = .01). Applications: The 22-item scale can be used as an “early-warning” tool for college counselors and administrators to support student-mothers in identifying and removing barriers that contribute to problems associated with college retention of low-income mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this study is to establish the factor structure of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ), an instrument designed to measure parenting practices among parents of elementary school children. Methods: Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) procedures are used to validate the APQ with 790 parents of children, ages 6—10. Results: Three subscales emerged representing parenting practices associated with child behavior management (positive reinforcement, positive discipline, and negative discipline). CFA fit indices indicated adequate fit with the model, with all items loading significantly on their respective factors. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the APQ can be used to measure parenting practices associated with child behavior management among parents of children, ages 6—10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevention of underage drinking and related outcomes focuses on strengthening protective factors. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 3,862), the authors examine the effects of protective factors from three domains of adolescents' lives (individual, familial, and extrafamilial) on experiencing negative consequences of alcohol use, while controlling for relevant risk factors, among youth who have already started drinking. Results showed that protective factors had relatively little influence on not experiencing negative alcohol-related consequences, regardless of social context. One individual protective factor, strategic decision making, was related to negative drinking outcomes in cross-sectional models. In longitudinal models, maternal attachment reduced the likelihood of experiencing negative outcomes over time. The effects of the risk factors remained strong in all models. Findings suggest "mixed-methods" preventive approaches, attending to risk factors, and including strategies to strengthen protective factors across multiple domains of adolescents' lives when striving to affect negative drinking-related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We surveyed randomly selected parents in one state (N = 1, 081) to examine sources they used to gain child-rearing information. On average, parents used five sources, most commonly books and family members. Usage patterns generally followed the “digital divide” perspective whereby higher education levels were associated with greater usage. Logistic regression results of Internet use showed, however, that being younger and unmarried increased the likelihood of use, indicating the Internet's potential for reaching potentially vulnerable parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School-based mentoring programs that promote academic success and prosocial behaviors among youths are of interest to school social workers. Because these programs are relatively new, little his been reported on the effectiveness of the services or the benefits to participants. The authors examined outcome evaluations of eight school-based mentoring programs to compare the organizing frameworks, evaluate whether and how best practices were integrated into program service structures, determine evaluation methods, and assess participant outcomes. Most of these programs are guided by a prevention-focused, risk and resilience framework, with a configuration of program services that incorporates recommendations from best practices models. However, questions remain about dosage, program outcomes, and other issues unique to school-based programs. These results also suggest that evidence demonstrating the benefits of school-based mentoring programs among youths is beginning to accumulate. Nonetheless, the next generation of evaluations needs to use more rigorous research methods to confirm these findings. Recommendations to school social workers about program design and evaluation are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beliefs about the consequences of using alcohol, alcohol expectancies, are powerful predictors of underage drinking. The Alcohol Expectancies Questionnaire-Adolescent form (AEQ-A) has been widely used to measure expectancies in youth. Despite its broad use, the factor structure of the AEQ-A has not been firmly established. It is also not known whether it assesses similar constructs (i.e., measurement invariance) between boys and girls. This article reports on a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of a shortened version of the AEQ-A with 310 youth, ages 10–16, to determine whether a two factor, positive and negative expectancy structure held for this sample and to test measurement invariance across gender. The results support evidence of a 2-factor, positive and negative structure for the abbreviated version of the AEQ-A and show that it assesses equivalent alcohol expectancy constructs among males and females. These findings have important implications for cognitive based approaches to alcohol prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human behavior is dynamic, influenced by changing situations over time. Yet the impact of the dynamic nature of important explanatory variables on outcomes has only recently begun to be estimated in developmental models. Using a risk factor perspective, this article demonstrates the potential benefits of regressing time-varying outcome measures on time-varying explanatory measures in longitudinal models. The authors apply event history analysis techniques to demonstrate a methodological strategy that accounts for changes over time in two family risk factors for high school graduation. In a sample of 686 low-income youth attending school in an urban district, the authors found that maternal employment status and income are significant predictors of high school graduation only when conceptualized and measured as time-varying influences. The implications for policy and practice and, from a methodological perspective, for the use of time-varying explanatory variables in event models are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use is one of the major social problems facing youth today. The research on risk factors associated with onset and continuation of use is extensive. Typically, reviews of the literature categorize risk factors by environmental domain (i.e., family, peer relations, neighborhoods). This review extends this framework by examining studies that focus on the changing nature of risk factors for substance use among teenagers. The underlying assumption is that, especially during adolescence, these relations are dynamic and shift across time. Five time-related mechanisms are identified and used to describe the research. The article concludes with a discussion about the implications for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational experts and others recognize the importance of early school experiences on later educational outcomes. Following a sample of youth based on 692 files from low-income, single parent families over time, from one urban school district in the Southeastern United States, 1989–1990 to 1996–1997, we apply event history analytic techniques to examine the relationship between first grade retention and completing high school. The findings indicate that being retained in the first grade increases the risk of dropping out of high school years later. The results also show a link between retention, extracurricular activity participation, and high school completion. The risk of dropping out is lower for those youth who were retained and were involved in activities during high school. The implication is that educational trajectories can be redirected such that positive educational outcomes can occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between grade retention and completing high school in a sample of very low-income children from an urban school district. Results suggest that being retained-whether in first grade or in later grades-increases the risk of dropout. Moreover, youths who are retained in middle school are at greater risk of dropping out early in high school. Regardless of when retention occurs, youths who participate in extracurricular activities remain in school longer, relative to their counterparts. The findings support a social developmental model of academic success in which children's opportunities for pro-social involvement, their social and academic skills, and the rewards in their environments condition educational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to examine the use of instructional technology in creating a mutual aid environment in the classroom. By developing and exploring Internet-based exercises designed to promote interaction in a distance education environment, authors tested the hypothesis that instructional technology offers opportunities to promote mutual aid among students. This article describes these exercises and presents results of a student survey about the application of mutual aid in distance education. Data sharing involves the exchange of information, resources and experiences as a step in building a network of support in groups. The classroom group has the potential to become a mutual aid, system. This transformation involves several processes that define interaction among students and between students and instructors to create a stimulating learning environment. Graduate education in social work has experienced a significant transformation on over the past decade. Moreover, interactive websites create learning environments that build on traditional classroom opportunities.

• Child welfare workers primarily use email, text, and phone for communication. • Perceived comfort with a technology predicts use in the field. • Experience sampling method is useful for quantifying subjective experience. • Child welfare workers find the technology they use comfortable and useful. • Discomfort was most common talking with caregivers over the phone. This study explores information and communication technology (ICT) use among rural child welfare workers. The experience sampling method (ESM) was used to collect data at five random times a day for one week from ten welfare workers. Workers reported using email, text messaging, or phone almost exclusively in their day-to-day work lives. This study demonstrates the usefulness of ESM in capturing the nuances of technology use in the day-to-day work lives of child welfare workers. Results highlight the need for agencies to explore the use of new types of ICT that may improve efficiency and expand opportunities for client contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines placement movement in a way that more effectively captures the variety of placement patterns children experience in foster care. The results have both substantive and methodological significance. They are substantively significant because they are based on a longitudinal follow-up of a cohort of children entering foster care for the first time. The nature of the sample makes it repre- sentative of all children entering out-of-home care in the study commu- nity and avoids the limitations of length-biased cross-sectional samples. Thus, it is possible to compare the experiences of all children, including both those who remain in care for long periods and those whose stays are shorter. The approach described here also provides a means of operationalizing the notion of "pathways" experienced by children while in out-of-home care. The methodological significance of this analysis is that it demonstrates a technique for describing the movement of children that captures both qualitative and quantitative dimensions.

In the past 2 decades, social work education has increasingly advocated for inclusion of trauma-related content in educational programming. Yet, to date, little is known about the current state of trauma education and training in social work programs. The aim of this study is to describe trauma education and training in accredited, North American social work programs. The data are from an online survey of 192 social work educators from 165 universities with accredited social work programs in the United States (n=151) and Canada (n=14). Participants were asked whether trauma-specific education is offered, and if so, to provide the formats used to deliver the content, the type of curriculum used, and evaluation efforts. Most programs (67.9%) reported integrating trauma education into existing courses, with 61.4% of BSW programs and 65.4% of MSW programs offering some form of trauma education. Results suggest that social work educators are recognizing the importance of including trauma education in their programming. However, more evaluation is needed to identify specific trauma content being presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a sample of 705 early-career child welfare workers, client-perpetrated violence (CPV), a form of workplace violence, was examined to determine whether CPV experiences differ by worker responsibilities and demographic characteristics and how CPV influences workers' intent to leave their child welfare positions. Results showed that protective investigators experienced more nonphysical violence (being yelled at or cursed at), while those providing longer-term case management services experienced more physical assaults. Analyses indicated no significant relationships between CPV and intent to leave, although there were significant differences in worker characteristics and the type of CPV experienced. Implications for training and organizational responses are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth with disabilities are overrepresented among youth transitioning out of the foster care system (Slayter, 2016), yet few studies specifically examine the needs of former foster youth with disabilities as they transition into adulthood. Addressing this gap, the current study provides a more nuanced account of foster youth with disabilities' transitions into adulthood. Using two national databases (NYTD and AFCARS), this study: (1) describes the prevalence of disability among older youth in foster care (age 17) and (2) investigates differences in educational and employment outcomes at age 21 among youth with and without disability diagnoses, with attention toward distinguishing emotional from non-emotional diagnoses. These lines of inquiry provide information about the experiences and needs of older foster youth with disabilities so that practices and policies aimed toward improving educational and employment outcomes can be appropriately tailored to this substantial population of youth exiting care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent semi-structured interviews with 28 librarians and branch managers on the placement of social workers in public libraries revealed a need for library and information science (LIS) programs to better prepare students for their role as social service information providers and to provide models for working with and supervising social workers in the library. It is clear that libraries are experiencing increasing demands to respond to the social-service information needs that users bring to the library, and the importance of libraries to communities in times of uncertainty and crisis is clear. In response, some libraries are including social workers on staff, but this trend does not completely relieve librarians of the need to serve the public's social-service information needs. LIS students need to understand the professional boundaries of librarianship and social work and to develop the ability to feel confident in their interactions with users who have been traumatized, are in crisis, or are struggling with challenges such as the need for credible health information; home and food insecurity information; legal aid; access to the Internet for individuals and families from low-income situations; accessible adult education programs; and more. Interview participants offered a number of suggestions for how to incorporate social work concepts into LIS education and asked for several specific skills such as training in mental-health first aid, de-escalation techniques, and greater knowledge of social-service resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child welfare workforce turnover has been well studied, although there is limited understanding of factors related to the timing of departure. This study examines predictors of early job departure among newly hired child welfare workers. Data come from the first two waves of a longitudinal study. The sample for this analysis included 1,257 respondents. Hierarchical logistical regression was used to investigate worker characteristics and organizational influences on early departure. Early leavers, or those who left within the first six months, were 14.8 percent (n = 186) of the sample. Regression results indicated that two worker characteristics—years of previous work experience and major of college degree—predicted early departure. Two measures of organizational influences during the transition from training to casework were significant predictors of early departure: (1) caseload size the first week after training and (2) role ambiguity. These findings suggest that organizational attention to the orientation and socialization of newly hired child welfare professionals are likely to be instrumental to preventing early turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goals of this article are to promote the use of the experience sampling method (ESM) in library and information science education and research, by describing its origin in flow theory and demonstrating its use in a study of information and communication technology (ICT) use (i.e., electronic record-keeping systems, email, text messaging, social media, online meeting tools, apps) among rural child welfare workers. This article reviews the methodological considerations of ESM and demonstrates, step by step, how to structure such a study and approach data analysis. Findings, conclusions, and implications of the rural child welfare worker study are also reviewed. This paper will be of use in courses on theory, research, information behavior, information practices, technology adoption and use, and the assessment of information programs and services. It can be used to further orient students to theory, to help them make the connection between theory and method, and to promote critical thinking about research findings and conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The McKinney-Vento Act (MVA) is the primary federal policy addressing homelessness in America with specific mandates designed to ameliorate the effects homelessness has on educational attainment for school-age children. The extent to which this policy is implemented may have far-reaching effects for homeless children. The MVA Implementation Scale (MVAIS) was developed for the purpose of providing a tool for assessing school-based social services personnel’s perceived knowledge and awareness of implementation of the MVA within their service areas. This study tests the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the 26-item instrument. Method: Data were collected from a purposive sample of school social workers (N = 201) attending a Mid-Western regional conference in order to examine the reliability and the validity of this measure. Results: The hypothesized factor structures were confirmed. Findings also indicated high levels of reliability among items, as well as initial evidence of instrument validity. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that the MVAIS adequately measures participant’s perceived implementation of the MVA. Future implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which examined the relationship among academic achievement, dropout patterns, and welfare reform strategies targeted to the adult participation. Effect of welfare reform on the major populations on welfare; Benefits from welfare reform; Reason for designing local schools; Goal of social programs.