Diane L. Green

Couples Who Care: The Effectiveness of a Psychoeducational Group Intervention for HIV Serodiscordant Couples

Objective: The pilot study examined the effectiveness of a psychoeducational group intervention for HIV/AIDS, serodiscordant, heterosexual couples. Method: A quasi-experimental pretest posttest design was used to examine depression, anxiety, and marital satisfaction of couples in which one spouse was HIV positive and the other spouse was negative. Results: Univariate analyses of covariance indicated significant differences between the experimental and comparison groups on each dependent variable. Effect sizes ranged from moderate to strong. Conclusions: The group intervention was effective in reducing depression and anxiety and in increasing marital satisfaction among serodiscordant heterosexual couples.

Crime Victims: What Is the Role of Social Support?

ABSTRACT Assessment of perceived social support and received social support available to victims of violent and non-violent crime is considered an integral function of the ensuing well-being for those victims. This study examines the effects of perceived and received social support on the initial levels of distress, coping strategy and subsequent well-being. A cross-sectional survey collected self-report data from personal interviews with 175 victims of crime. Findings indicate a direct relationship between levels of perceived social support and anger. A direct relationship was also found between received social support and anxiety. There was an inverse relationship between social support and emotion-focused coping and avoidance-oriented coping and a significant positive relationship between social support and problem-focused coping.

Mental Health Characteristics of Social Work Students: Implications for Social Work Education

ABSTRACT No studies have examined to date the mental health and substance use characteristics of social work students. Therefore, this study was undertaken to describe and identify these characteristics among a sample of social work students located in a Florida school of social work. Results indicated that approximately 34% of the participants reported high levels of depressive symptoms, 12% had a history of suicidal ideation, and 4% reported having thought about suicide recently. Six percent reported high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology, and 3% were highly likely to have a dissociative disorder. High proportions of the students reported having multiple traumatic experiences. Students in this sample were less likely to report lifetime or current alcohol or marijuana use than national college student samples, but more likely to report lifetime or current use of illicit substances other than marijuana.

Crime Victimization: Assessing Differences Between Violent and Nonviolent Experiences

Abstract Experiencing a criminal victimization is among one of the most stressful human experiences. A cross-sectional study of victims of violent crime and victims of nonviolent crime suggests that there are statistically significant differences in experiences in the initial aftermath of the crime event and a few common effects. This article describes the common effects that are associated with criminal victimization in the context of intense distress and discusses the theoretical implications of well-being in the coping process. One hundred seventy-five victims of violent or nonviolent crime were interviewed. Implications for social work practice and theory and future research are delineated.

Coping Strategies for Victims of Crime: Effects of the Use of Emotion-Focused, Problem-Focused, and Avoidance-Oriented Coping

Assessment of coping strategies of crime victims is an integral function of the ensuing well-being for those victims. This study examines the relationship between coping strategies and levels of distress, social support, and subjective well-being among victims of crime. Interviews were conducted with 175 crime victims. Findings indicate a complex relationship between and among variables. A positive relationship was found between emotion-focused coping and well-being. Additionally, an inverse relationship between avoidance-oriented coping and well-being, social support, and levels of distress was found.

Help‐Seeking from Mental Health Professionals or Clergy: Perceptions of University Students

University students (N = 186) responded to 14 problem‐situations (personal/emotional problems, moral problems, social/relational problems, and religious visions/hallucinations) for which one might seek help. Options for help included: (a) a licensed mental health professional (clinical social worker, counselor, clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist), (b) a clergy person, (c) a clergy person with a graduate degree and license in a mental health discipline, or (d) no one—this situation could be handled by oneself or family. Overall, moral problems were perceived to be best handled by oneself and ones family. Social/relational and personal emotional problems were believed to be handled best by mental health professionals. Psychotic/religious problems were seen primarily as the domain of clergy and clergy with advanced training in a mental health discipline. Those who had received religious education differed from those who had not received any religious education in their perceptions about help‐seeking for serious relationship problems and if a young person thought s/he might be gay or lesbian. Responses from minority respondents were significantly different from responses of the dominant culture in 8 of the 14 situations. There were significant differences in perceptions between those who had and those who had not received help from a mental health professional in the past in several situations (young person who might be gay or lesbian, serious relationship problems, abusing spouse or partner, job loss, hearing the voice of God, and seeing Jesus). When having received or not received help previously from a clergy person was analyzed with the 14 situations, significant differences were observed in serious relationship problems, teenage drug use, complicated bereavement, anxious and unable to cope, hearing the voice of God, and all the moral situations.

Perceptions of Students about Younger and Older Men and Women who May Be Homeless

ABSTRACT Future human service providers will interact with homeless persons in health, mental health, and social service practice contexts. This study investigated the perceptions of students enrolled in social work courses who are pursuing degrees in human service programs toward older and younger female and male homeless individuals. Respondents (N = 207) were given one of four vignettes in which a character was identified as an older male, a younger male, an older female, or a younger female who was frequently seen near an interstate highway, talking to him/herself and appearing unkempt, thin, and frail. Most respondents perceived the vignette character as mentally ill, neglectful of health, likely to have HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis A and/or hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C, likely to experience suicidal thoughts/ideation, and to have head lice/scabies/body lice. Older men were more likely to be perceived as military veterans with a history of mental illness and substance abuse. Older women were least likely to be perceived as having a history of substance abuse or using a handout to purchase ethanol. Older women were perceived to be homeless because they could not afford other living accommodations. A general linear model revealed significant differences in 7 of 41 items that respondents answered based on the gender and age of the vignette characters. These perceptual differences between male and female homeless persons will require additional investigation.

Hiring priorities for BSW/MSW programs in the United States: Informing doctoral programs about current needs

Summary This study was designed to identify the hiring needs of social work programs across the United States. The study used a national survey of social work programs, including closed questions for quantitative analysis and an open question for qualitative comments. Findings Of the 226 MSW and BSW programs participating in this study, 95% stated that they expected to hire additional faculty in the next 5 years. The vast majority reported plans to hire at the assistant professor level. Although a PhD is a preferred degree for many programs, 62% suggested they would consider a DSW as equivalent to a PhD. Respondents suggested the most important factors influencing hiring decisions would be the candidate’s interpersonal skills, refereed publications, filling a diversity need, and supporting social work ethics. The most commonly sought areas of expertise sought include generalist practice, research/evaluation, policy, community practice, and diversity. Applications This study has implications for doctoral programs and for social workers seeking post-graduate education in the United States. One of the most interesting findings was the expressed desire for candidates with practical and practice-oriented experience. Social work departments offering research-oriented PhD degrees may want to supplement their programs by providing courses and practical experiences that prepare graduates for teaching. Departments offering DSW degrees may design their programs to fill perceived gaps in qualifications among the current pool of candidates for tenure and non-tenure positions (e.g. teaching generalist social work, advanced clinical social work, and administration). Similarly, social workers wishing to pursue academic careers should consider which types of education and experience are in greatest need. Social workers seeking academic appointments should also note that the emphasis on teaching versus research varies across institutions.

“Yardsticks” for Victim Sensitive Process: Principle-Based Standards for Gauging the Integrity of Restorative Justice Process

Abstract For almost two decades restorative justice practices have demonstrated positive impacts on crime victim satisfaction when compared to court and other adversarial processes. Although restorative justice practice has by no means addressed the myriad needs of the majority of crime victims, researchers and policy makers have puzzled about how to interpret these generally positive findings. We suggest that remaining difficulties in interpretation and application of findings are due largely to (1) the lack of clear standards for gauging the integrity, or “restorativeness,” of interventions and (2) the failure to articulate logical mechanisms (i.e., intervention theories) that connect practices to immediate and intermediate outcomes, and these outcomes to long term changes in the well-being of victims, offenders, and communities. This article focuses primarily on the first problem, defining the “independent variable” in restorative practices aimed at having an impact on crime victims. Using qualitative data from a national case study, a principle-based approach to evaluation with implications for intervention theory and both input and outcome measures in future research is proposed and briefly illustrated.

Does Type of Crime Affect the Stress and Coping Process? Implications of Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract Intimate partner violence occurs in relationships of intimacy, kinship, dependency, or trust. It ranges from physical, emotional, financial, and sexual abuse to neglect. A relatively unexplored area has been the study of the type of crime as a factor affecting stress and coping in victims. A small but compelling body of literature suggests that such stressors as crime victimization may be coped with quite differently by subgroups of victims. As such, this study explores the differences in appraisal, coping strategy, levels of distress, social support, and well-being in a sample of intimate partner abuse victims and victims of other violent crimes.