Secondary traumatic stress and vicarious traumatization in child welfare professionals in Serbia

Child welfare professionals in diverse positions are exposed to a variety of traumatic events including family violence and child abuse and neglect. This secondary exposure puts child welfare workers at the risk of experiencing Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and Vicarious Traumatization (VT). For the first time in Serbia, this study quantitatively investigates whether STS and VT are present in child welfare professionals employed in the social welfare centers, foster care and adoption agencies, residential care programs, and shelters for children and youth. It attempts to identify whether the type of service, time exposure to clients, and supervision function as risk or protective factors for negative outcomes. A convenience sample comprised of 135 child welfare professionals completed a series of self-reported measures. Findings indicate that VT and STS are present in this population. Differences in the presence of STS and VT were found according to the types of services offered and length of exposure. Contrary to expectations, supervision was not a protective factor with regards to STS and VT in this population.     

Developing a Graduate Program in Community Psychology

Abstract

The present health care system is fragmented, uncoordinated, and too costly for the chronically ill, elderly patient. Project OPEN provides preventive health and social services in order to reduce costs and provide more effective care. This alternative delivery system is based on a consortium brokerage model which provides functional assessment, care plan development and service coordination. A randomized sample of 338 elderly individuals participated in a time series experiment. Client functional status, service utilization, and all health costs were collected for six months. The results indicated a maintenance in functioning levels, a decrease in acute hospitalizations, and a 20% reduction in health care costs for the demonstration participants as compared to the control group. Project OPEN provided more effective care while simultaneously reducing health expenditures to the chronically ill elderly.     

The Status of Preventive Care for the Aged

Abstract

One response to the growing needs of the elderly is to expand the scope of preventive care from the younger and middle aged cohorts to include an emphasis on preventive care for older people. In the past it has been difficult to consider prevention and aging as concepts which could co-exist because we can neither cure nor prevent aging. The potential of preventive care to improve, maintain, or lessen decline in the quality of life of the elderly has not been included in the definition or mainstream of prevention activities. This study identifies and reviews research and programmatic activities which have been reported in the literature over the last ten years in the area of prevention and aging. Topical areas and methodological approaches are explored to define what has been considered appropriate preventive care for the elderly. An evaluation process, meta-analysis, is used to assess the therapeutic effect and overall effectiveness of techniques in prevention and aging. These findings can be used in formulating future initiatives related to aging and prevention.     

Alcohol and Other Drug Problems in Older Adults

SUMMARY

While there is considerable awareness and knowledge on the part of the health and human service community on the problems of the misuse and abuse of alcohol and other drugs in the general population, this unfortunately often does not extend to older adults, those who are 60+. Problems with alcohol and other drugs in older persons is in itself not a sudden crisis or new problem. However, as with any health problem affecting a specific demographic group, when the problem is not recognized and appropriately dealt with the repercussions pose greater risks for the individuals with the problem as well as for the larger community. This is particularly true in regard to older adults where natural physical changes and increased age related health risks can only be exacerbated by the misuse and abuse of substances.     

A Partnership Approach to Consultation

Abstract

A social ecological approach to consultation was evaluated through a four-year primary prevention field research project with 10,000 people in 24 church congregations. Significantly lower levels of personal distress and alcohol abuse were found in experimental congregations exposed to intervention processes which encouraged an increase in heterogeneous settings and activities when compared to control congregations not exposed to the same intervention processes. Continuing reciprocal social support and mutual empowerment, defined as knowing how to give and receive support, caring for others, knowing others by name, and being asked to help others, were identified as the key process variables which minimized distress and abuse.     

家务劳动再分配的政策探索——日本“高龄女性贫困”问题的反思

进入深度老龄化社会的日本,"高龄女性贫困"的倾向日渐凸显。究其政策原因,在于长期以来优先对经济发展投资,将育儿养老等再生产领域的社会支出压缩到最低限度。由此形成的男性参与社会经济活动从事有酬劳动、女性承担再生产领域的家务劳动从事无酬劳动的格局,虽然使日本创造了快速经济发展的奇迹,但其代价是牺牲了一代女性参与政治、经济、社会活动的权利与机遇,并引发了当前的"高龄女性贫困"问题。近年来,日本注重探索家务劳动再分配政策路径,通过推进男女机会平等政策改革,提高家庭福利水平,改善女性劳动环境,防止"高龄女性贫困"问题继续蔓延。     

The Primary Prevention of Adolescent Substance Abuse Through the Promotion of Personal and Social Competence

Summary

The Life Skills Training (LST) program is a broad-based substance abuse prevention program which emphasizes self-improvement and the development of important personal and social skills. This chapter describes the LST program, its theoretical rationale, and the results of evaluation studies conducted over the last eight years; in addition, this chapter reports the process by which the original school-based program format was revised for use in a community setting-specifically for use with urban minority adolescents living in a shelter for the homeless. The revised version of the LST     

Potential Lessons from Public Health and Health Promotion for the Prevention of Child Abuse

SUMMARY

Two successful public health efforts of the last third of the twentieth century-tobacco control and automobile injury controlare reviewed for relevance to the problem of child abuse. Potential lessons for child abuse prevention are identified and the following approaches are suggested: Investigate varied logic models or conceptual frameworks to identify new opportunities for effective intervention. Use a multi-disciplinary, multi-sector approach. Normalize desired behaviors and denormalize undesirable behaviors. Balance efficacy, feasibility, and cultural appropriateness. Develop strategies for effective policy advocacy based upon who benefits and who shoulders most of the burden.     

The environmental psychology of the hospital: Is the cure worse than the illness?

Abstract

This paper presents a framework and summarizes evidence bearing on the role that the physical environment plays in the prevention and reduction of psychological and social problems encountered by patients in acute care and psychiatric institutions. Factors that are considered important to preventive strategies include issues such as the spatial layout and design of hospital environments, privacy problems, personal control and independence, information interventions, hospital social relationships, and levels of environmental stimulation. Two case studies are utilized to illustrate these issues within the context of both acute care and psychiatric facilities in a large municipal hospital. Greatest emphasis is placed on the use of the physical environment in the promotion of primary and secondary prevention within tertiary care settings.     

We're All in This Together: Moving Toward an Interdisciplinary Model of Practice Between Child Protection and Substance Abuse Treatment Professionals

Many studies have documented the deleterious effect of substance abuse on the child protection system. The lack of collaboration between child protection and substance abuse treatment professionals has been identified as a contributing factor related to poor outcomes among parents with histories of addiction. The purpose of this study was to identify key components and conflicts of interdisciplinary practice between 21 child protection and substance abuse treatment professionals. The interdisciplinary components and conflicts were: having a shared vision, presenting as a unified team, having different goals, taking sides, and limited information sharing and involvement. Moving toward an interdisciplinary model of practice is vital to providing families with histories of addiction with the optimal chance for success.     

福利权利是个人的还是家庭的?--从性别视角看福利供热制度改革与社会公平重建

近年来,北方福利供热一直是比较敏感的社会问题,它一方面涉及到北方居民基本生活保障,另一方面也关涉到社会福利公平分配。而以往的福利供热政策是以家庭为单位,并且常常落实到男人身上。那么,在福利供热制度改革中,如何看待这种“男女不同对待”的政策?这种政策背后所隐藏的潜规则是什么?如何实现福利制度改革和社会公平重建的双赢?本文尝试探讨和回答这些问题。     

Parental Self-Efficacy and Social Support as Predictors of Parenting Practices and Children's Socioemotional Adjustment in Mexican Immigrant Families

SUMMARY

The current study examined the hypotheses that (1) parental self-efficacy partially mediates the relationships between social support and both parental warmth and control, and (2) these parenting variables relate positively to children's socioemotional adjustment. First-generation, Mexican immigrant mothers were interviewed regarding social support, parental self-efficacy, parenting practices, and their child's socioemotional adjustment. Overall, results from path analyses suggest that, for Mexican immigrant families, social support relates to parenting practices partly because those with greater social support feel more efficacious as parents. Findings also showed that parenting characterized by warmth or control is associated with greater socioemotional adjustment among children. This research supports the idea that, for programs designed to influence parenting practices, simply providing social support may be less important than taking steps to enhance parental self-efficacy.     

Examining the Role of School Resource Officers on School Safety and Crisis Response Teams

School resource officers (SROs) are being increasingly employed in schools to respond to incidents of school violence and to help address safety concerns among students and staff. While previous research on school safety and crisis teams has examined the role of school mental health professionals’ and administrators, fewer studies have evaluated the role of the SRO. The current study examined differences between SROs, school administrators, and school mental health professionals (i.e., school psychologists, school counselors, social workers) regarding experiences with crisis events, as well as perceived effectiveness of crisis prevention and response strategies. The most common crisis events across professionals included student assaults, drug offenses, and mandated child abuse and neglect reporting. While SROs and school mental health professionals had similar ratings of school safety strategies, school administrators had less effective appraisals of crisis response plans and crisis postvention activities. Implications for practice and future directions for research are reviewed.     

Responding to Children Victimized by Their Peers

Abstract

Because victimization results from the dynamic interplay between the victim and his or her parents, peers, and teachers, responding to this problem should involve both direct and indirect interventions. This paper describes and reviews empirically supported direct interventions with victims, as well as indirect interventions with parents, peers, and school staff. Although the primary focus is on bullying, research on related forms of peer victimization, such as rejection, are included, as these have been subject to more empirical study. The review concludes that there is empirical support for direct and indirect interventions for specific problems associated with rejection, though research studies on interventions for victims of bullying are lacking. In addition, comprehensive primary prevention approaches for reducing bullying have shown promise, but there is a lack of empirically supported secondary prevention efforts that focus on increasing social support for children who, despite primary prevention efforts, continue to suffer the consequences of peer victimization.     

Academic interventions for academic procrastination: A review of the literature

ABSTRACT

Procrastination is a widespread phenomenon in academic settings. It has been studied from many different theoretical angles, and a variety of causes and consequences have been suggested. Recent studies support the notion that academic procrastination can be seen from a situational perspective and as a failure in learning self-regulation. It suggests that interventions should address situational as well as deficits in self-regulation to help students overcome their procrastinating tendencies. The present review examined the recent literature on causes and consequences of academic procrastination and the limited number of studies of academic interventions for academic procrastination. Findings of this review strengthen the need to further study the topic of academic interventions for academic procrastination and to develop effective interventions. At the end of this review, several suggestions for the development of academic interventions are outlined.     

Prevention of Child Abuse

Abstract

The application of the ecological paradigm to the potential prevention of child abuse is discussed, using two examples of consultation services designed to increase social support. The examples illustrate the principle of designing different interventions according to the ecologies of different communities. Principles of the ecological paradigm that guided the interventions are discussed. A follow-up assessment of the interventions, based on interview and questionnaire results obtained from participants in the projects, is presented.     

贫富差距对社会和谐稳定的影响及其对策

贫富差距的程度与社会和谐稳定状况呈负相关关系。近年来,中国急剧扩大的贫富差距,已经开始影响到社会的和谐稳定。促进经济的快速增长,加大公平优先的二、三次分配力度,完善社会保障体系,强化“社会安全阀”,疏通社会各阶层之间流动的通道,降低因“寻租”和“共谋”等滥用权力的行为造成的贫富差距对弱势群体带来的消极影响,不仅是缩小贫富差距的基础,也是实现社会和谐稳定的必然要求。     

The Prenatal/Early Infancy Project

Summary

We describe a program of pregnancy and infancy nurse home visitation for families at social risk because of the mother's young age, single-parent status, or poverty. The program sought to prevent a number of maternal and child health problems that emerge early in the life cycle and that might be prevented with improvements in prenatal health habits, care of the child, and the psychosocial context of the family. The nurses carried out three major activities: (1) parent education regarding influences on fetal and infant development and regarding the mother's own education, employment, and family planning; (2) the involvement of family members and friends in the pregnancy, birth, and early care of the child; and (3) the linkage of family members with other health and human services. The nurses emphasized the importance of establishing a caring and supportive relationship with the mother and her family, building upon parents' strengths, promoting parental control over their life circumstances, and adapting the educational content of the program to the individual needs of the family.     

谈精神病患者被迫长期住院现象

精神病人长期住院现象在精神医疗实践中并不罕见。除因治疗之外,患者也会受到其他原因的制约而难以出院,其中包括人们对精神病患者自主权的忽视、受患者监护人及社会治安防控意识的影响等。毫无疑问,该现象的出现不仅是对患者人身自由权的侵害,对其自身发展十分不利;而且从社会角度上而言,也会造成大量医疗资源的浪费。文章对该现象出现的原因进行了分析,对其所具有的危害性作了阐述,并提出了解决该问题的具体建议,以期能使该社会顽疾得到逐步改善。     

Doing Nothing is Sometimes Worse: Comparing Avoidant versus Approach Coping Strategies with Peer Victimization and Their Association to Depression and Suicide Ideation

ABSTRACT

Peer victimization is a major stressor adolescents often face in the school environment, and has been linked to depression and suicidal risk. This study analyzed the associations between three behavioral coping strategies (avoidance, seeking social support from adults/peers, and retaliation) and depression and suicidal ideation. Participants included 4,254 victimized students who were part of the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) study that compared three school-based prevention interventions and collected information on health risk behaviors in adolescents from 11 European countries. Results showed behavioral avoidance to be associated with an increase in levels of depression, as compared to the other coping strategies (adult social support, peer social support, retaliation). Seeking social support from adults was associated with lower depression and suicidal ideation rates. A more than 25% increase in suicidal ideation was associated with behavioral avoidance, compared to seeking social support from adults. By contrast, retaliation to peer victimization was not found to be associated with increased depression or suicidal ideation. The findings support the Coping Deficit model and may suggest that abstaining by doing nothing when victimized can be associated with certain adverse emotional outcomes.