Abigail Rolbiecki

Wounded bonds: A review of the social work literature on gay, lesbian and bisexual military service members and veterans

Summary The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) allows people who identify as gay, lesbian and bisexual (GLB) to serve openly in the U.S. Military. Military officials are taking great efforts to include GLB service members. This article reviews the historical accounts of the military’s treatment of people who identify as GLB, emphasizing the importance of understanding this history for the social work profession. The article also reports on the review of content related to GLB service members and veterans in 13 journals of social work, identifying implications for social work. Findings Based on the applicability to topic and population, ‘journal impact factor’ was utilized to identify the 13 primary journals of social work from 1992–2013 for content related to GLB and military or veterans. Within the 13 journals only eight articles were published during this period relevant to this population. Applications Results suggest a strong need to provide more scholarly literature and research with military and veterans that identify as GLB. More information is needed to understand the needs and inform social work education and practice.

A qualitative exploration of resilience among patients living with chronic pain.

An estimated 100 million Americans are living with chronic pain. The majority of the chronic pain literature focuses on the biological impact of the condition, and very little attention is given to patients’ lived experience with chronic pain and the enactment of their resiliency. Yet, resiliency may play a critical role in patients’ experience of pain intensity as well as self-efficacy to manage their pain. The main objective of this study was to explore the origin and enactment of resiliency across a sample of 12 chronic pain patients. In-depth phone interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results indicate that patients exhibited resiliency in four ways: (1) developing a sense of control—independently seeking information and cross-checking this information with their doctors’ recommendations, (2) active engagement in medical and complementary treatment, (3) establishing social connections, and (4) exhibiting pain acceptance and positive affect. This study lays the foundation to explore whether resiliency improves clinical outcomes among patients living with chronic pain. The findings support the need for clinicians to evaluate and treat chronic pain patients through the lens of resiliency.

Implication for Services With Gay Men and Lesbians Who Have Served

Gay men and lesbians are marginalized in most areas of society. Throughout history, they have served in all branches of the military. All social workers are likely to encounter veterans that identify as gay or lesbian. This article provides social workers an overview of the description of gay and lesbian military members and introduces readers to areas of consideration when working with this population.

Digital Storytelling: Families’ Search for Meaning after Child Death

ABSTRACT Bereaved families that collectively make meaning of their grief experiences often function better than those that do not, yet most social work bereavement interventions target individuals rather than family units. In this article, authors describe an innovative social work intervention that employs digital storytelling. This is a narrative technique that combines photography, music, and spoken word to help families bereaved by child death make meaning of their loss and envision a future without their deceased child.