Ellen E. Whipple

The role of parental stress in physically abusive families.

This study examines the role of several components of parental stress in physically abusive and nonabusive families with conduct-disordered children. The 123 families studied were seen in a parenting clinic aimed at improving parent-child interactions in families with a highly oppositional child. Data were collected over a several-week period and included both mother and father self-report measures and independent observations by trained researchers. Parental stress was found to play an important role in abusive families. Physically abusive families were significantly more often low income, had younger mothers with less education, more frequently reported a family history of child abuse, and were more likely to be abusing alcohol or drugs. Abusive mothers reported more stress due to frequent life events, and had a more negative perception of these events. Further, these mothers had higher rates of both depression and state anxiety. Abusive fathers spanked their children significantly more often than the nonabusive fathers, and abusive mothers had the highest frequency of critical statements directed at their children. Children from abusive households had significantly more behavior problems. Finally, abusive mothers reported more marital dissatisfaction and social isolation than their nonabusive counterparts.

Evaluation of a parent education and support program for families at risk of physical child abuse

The effectiveness of a community-based parent education and support program in ameliorating risk factors associated with physical child abuse was tested. Data were collected on 34 families at three points in time with a combination of questionnaires, interviews, and telephone contacts. Parental depression and stress were significantly reduced, but social support and child misbehaviors were not. The authors offer suggestions for tailoring programs, including strategies to treat depression and stress, the addition of social-skills training to facilitate involvement in healthy support networks, and the development of a cohesive child program. Parent–child programs that are part of a comprehensive service-delivery system may have the best chance for meeting the needs of violent families.

Psychological maltreatment by siblings: An unrecognized form of abuse

Psychological maltreatment between siblings is one of the most common yet often underrecognized forms of child abuse. Whether it occurs in conjunction with other maltreatment or in isolation, sibling psychological abuse can have harmful effects on family members. Such impaired interactions are often indicative of larger problems within the family system. This article brings attention to an important family dynamic through the use of a case example, and offers suggestions for assessment and intervention approaches.

Preparing Social Workers for Child Welfare Practice: An Innovative University–Agency Learning Collaborative

This paper describes the evolution of a university–community child welfare learning collaborative based on an adaptation of the teaching hospital concept. This partnership between an agency providing a range of child and family welfare services and two university units, the school of social work and outreach, was intended to accomplish multiple agency, university and community goals: implement best practices in the agency, enhance social work education, increase staff resources in child welfare, influence public policy, and improve the lives of children and families in the child welfare system. The major strategy was ‘Grand Rounds’ modeled after the system used to train medical students through multiple transactions with experts in a clinical setting. The first year was very successful, with students, agency staff and faculty giving the sessions high ratings in content, quality and utility. One key to the success of the initiative was that it was an agency‐driven process and was based on working relationships of mutual respect and trust. Building such relationships takes both time and effort. Future challenges will include garnering the resources, both human and financial, to sustain the collaboration over time.

Reaching Families with Preschoolers at Risk of Physical Child Abuse: What Works?

The effectiveness of a community-based parent education and support program in improving risk factors associated with physical child abuse (i.e., parental stress, impaired parent-child interactions, verbal and physical aggression, and poor quality of the overall home environment) was tested. Pre- and posttest data were collected on 116 families for three structured programs and every three months for one ongoing support group. Level of program involvement was framed as duration (length of time) and intensity (programming per week). Strongest gains were made by parents who participated in the more intensive programs. Especially notable in regard to the most intensive program, was the mandatory parent and child components, four contacts per week, clear identification of risk factors, and the provision of transportation when needed. These findings have important implications for targeting service delivery for families with preschoolers at risk of physical child abuse.

‘Blaming the victim’ vis-à-vis child-focused Western law: implications of evidence-based policy-making for the rescue of Black families

‘Blaming the victim’ policies remain largely intact under the façade of family law and policy construction. Based on empirical evidence, lack of employment for Black men is a major factor in their inability to sustain the Black family as a functional unit. The existence of child-focused family laws has had a devastating effect upon the construction of family policies vis-à-vis Black men. Evidence-based policy-making (EBPM) is intended to provide a means for creating legislation independent of politics. EBPM is predicated on the most rigorous scientific evidence available from recognized experts in relevant fields. Accordingly, policy-makers loyal to the Black family may simultaneously rescue its children and play a pivotal role in its viability.

The Significance of Family and Spirituality vis-à-vis Southeast Asian Clients: Culturally Sensitive Social Work Practice with Refugee Populations

Conscientious social workers would be remiss to exclude family and culture as essential aspects of life in social work practice. As a central part of Southeast Asian culture, family and spirituality are central components that may enhance the therapeutic potential of social work practice with Southeast Asian clients. Cultural sensitivity assumes the need to include practitioners who acknowledge and apply culturally specific principles in accordance with desired therapeutic outcomes. The ability of social workers to accurately perceive, conceptualize, and interact with Southeast Asian refugee clients is considered a necessity in a rapidly changing and complex world. This consideration must remain viable to sustain the integrity and prestige of the social work profession at-large.

Evaluation of a BSW Research Experience: Improving Student Research Competency

This article examines the experience of 24 BSW students in a faculty-mentored undergraduate research experience (URE) over the course of 1 academic year. In particular, we sought to better understand students’ self-perceived sense of competency across 15 specific research skills. In addition, we examined the URE’s impact on students’ knowledge about and attitudes toward research, as well as anxiety levels about research. A cross-sectional pre- and posttest design utilized both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (focus group) methodologies. All of the students’ ratings of their 15 research skills improved over time; 3 were statistically significant. Students demonstrated the most gain in evidence-based practice, ability to use statistical software, and data entry and analysis. Both knowledge about and attitude toward research improved significantly. Anxiety levels were surprisingly low. The importance of faculty mentoring is discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.

EXPANDING INFANT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES TO AT‐RISK PRESCHOOLERS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF RELATIONAL PLAY THERAPY

The expansion of infant mental health (IMH) to at-risk preschoolers and their families has contributed to the integration of relational play therapy (RPT) into IMH treatment services for this population. Integrating RPT allows access to specialized play and expressive techniques specific to preschool and family development, which improves the clinical ability to meet the multiple and complex needs of at-risk parent-child dyads and their families. This article will examine the RPT literature and explore the similarities and differences between IMH and RPT. In addition, two case studies will highlight a five-phase, integrative clinical-treatment process and provide insight into how IMH clinicians are integrating RPT models and maintaining adherence to the IMH treatment approach.

The complexion connection: Ideal light skin as vehicle of adoption process discrimination vis-à-vis social work practitioners

ABSTRACT As it pertains to the adoption process, social work practice is in fact not a color-blind profession. The incidence of skin color discrimination by practitioners who place children is a consequence of the somatic norm image rooted in the mulatto hypothesis. Subsequently, light-skinned children are idealized at the expense of their dark-skinned counterparts as both are objectified. Discrepancies relative to skin color in the adoption process are a formidable challenge to investigate, given the limited available social work literature. While skin color as a demographic category may exist in the peer-reviewed literature, it is conspicuously absent from the databases which archive such literature. What is more, skin color discrimination is a breach of the National Association of Social Workers code of ethics. The elimination of adoption process discrimination will require macrostrategies grounded in policy. Said strategies for ethical adoptions couched in macropolicy must be fashioned from an evidence-based practice model.