Cathryn C. Potter

Cluster Profiles Of Multiple Problem Youth Mental Health Problem Symptoms, Substance Use, and Delinquent Conduct

The prevalence and patterns of co-occurring mental health problem symptoms, substance use, and delinquent conduct were examined in a sample of multiple problem, detained youth. Three distinct patterns of co-occurrence were found using cluster analysis. Youth in two of the clusters had moderate mental health problems but differed in the severity of substance abuse and delinquent conduct. A third group displayed serious mental health symptoms and suicidality coinciding with high rates of substance use and crime.

American Juvenile Justice: Recent Trends and Issues in Youth Offending

Trends in juvenile offending in the United States since the 1970s are reviewed. Serious youth violence, co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems among offenders, female delinquency, and other issues currently confronting the American juvenile justice system are examined. Policy considerations associated with recent trends in juvenile offending among American youth are identified.

Testing two approaches to revictimization prevention among adolescent girls in the child welfare system.

PURPOSE Girls in the child welfare system are at high risk of revictimization in adolescence. The present study compared two interventions designed to decrease revictimization in a diverse sample of adolescent child welfare-involved girls. The social learning/feminist (SL/F) intervention focused on concepts derived from social learning and feminist models of risk, such as sexism and beliefs about relationships. The risk detection/executive function (RD/EF) intervention focused on development of specific executive function abilities related to detecting and responding to risky situations/people. METHODS Participants were randomized to RD/EF (n = 67) or SL/F intervention (n = 67). A group of youth (n = 42) engaged in the research assessments only. Participants (n = 180) were assessed before intervention, immediately after intervention, 2 months after intervention, and 6 months after intervention. We examined revictimization (the presence/absence of sexual or physical assault in any relationship) over time. RESULTS Adolescent girls in the RD/EF condition were nearly five times less likely to report sexual revictimization compared with girls in the no-treatment group. A trend suggested that girls who participated in the SL/F intervention were 2.5 times less likely to report sexual revictimization relative to the no-treatment group. For physical revictimization, the odds of not being physically revictimized were three times greater in the SL/F condition and two times greater in the RD/EF condition compared with the no-treatment group. CONCLUSIONS The active interventions did not differ significantly from one another in rates of revictimization, suggesting that practitioners have at least two viable options to engage high-risk youth in revictimization prevention.

The Effects of Cross-System Collaboration on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Problems of Detained Youth

Objective: This study examined the effects of a collaborative intervention targeting 107 juvenile detainees with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems. Method: Changes in mental health problems, substance use, and delinquency between pretest and 3-and 6-month follow-up were assessed. Three distinct clusters of detained youth characterized by varying levels of self-reported symptoms and behaviors across these three problem domains were included in a series of repeated measures analyses. Results: Significant time effects were found for anxiety and depression and for the frequency of substance use and delinquency between pretest and 3- and 6-month follow-up. Significant time by cluster interactions were found for mental health problems of obsessive-compulsive behavior and interpersonal sensitivity and for property and drug-related offending. Conclusions: Cross-system collaboration among mental health, substance abuse, and juvenile justice systems is a promising approach for treating delinquent youth with co-occurring problem behaviors.

Developing Reflective Judgment Through MSW Education

Abstract Discussion of the nature of critical thinking and the ways in which it can be enhanced has increased in recent years among social work educators, and yet little is known about the impact of MSW education on the critical thinking of students. This paper examines the nature of critical thinking, presents an adult cognitive developmental model, the Reflective Judgment Model (King & Kitchener, 1994), which holds promise for enlarging social works understanding of critical thinking and examines approaches to teaching which enhance critical thinking. The Reflective Judgment Model focuses on the development of assumptions about knowledge and the process of knowing as development occurs through adulthood. Specific implications for creating classroom and field learning environments are detailed, including characteristics of effective teachers and of effective assignments.

The Effective Child Welfare Unit Supervisor

Child welfare agencies are generally organized around supervisory units. This paper presents qualitative findings from a small exploratory study designed to explore the characteristics of the effective unit supervisor from the perspective of supervisors recognized for their effectiveness. A thematic description of well-functioning child welfare units is presented.

Using Simulation Training to Improve Culturally Responsive Child Welfare Practice

Child welfare professionals need to understand the complexities of the factors that influence parenting, values, and worldviews. Being able to work across cultures is critical to assessing safety, obtaining effective services, and creating permanent healthy families for children of color. The purpose of the project was to grapple with the challenge of increasing culturally responsive practice in a context of safety and permanency that is defined by American political and cultural values. The response to this challenge was a competency-based training program designed to enhance the effectiveness of child welfare practice with Latino families. A key feature of the training was a simulation to raise awareness and learning readiness through an experiential approach to learning. The simulation is the first component of a multi-faceted training curriculum aimed at the integration of culturally responsive practices in child welfare practice. The training series was part of a 3-year demonstration project funded by the Childrens Bureau (Washington, DC).

NCWWI Traineeships: A National Cross-Site Evaluation of Child Welfare Stipend Programs for Ethnically Diverse Students

The task of recruiting and retaining ethnically diverse, qualified, and committed social workers in child welfare is challenging. Federal funding supporting BSW and MSW education has been a catalyst for university–agency partnerships across the country. An important goal of these partnerships is to prepare social work students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies for effective child welfare practice. The National Child Welfare Workforce Institute’s innovative child welfare traineeships program prepares students from 12 social work programs around the country. This study focused on diversity, competency attainment, and readiness for the job. Results showed that programs recruited ethnically diverse students, and after receiving child welfare–specific content and hands-on experiences in the field, students felt competent and prepared for child welfare work.