Laura R. Bronstein

Measuring interprofessional team collaboration in expanded school mental health: Model refinement and scale development

Expanded school mental health (ESMH) utilizes interprofessional collaboration to implement learning support and mental health promotion strategies in schools. This study reports on the early development and initial psychometric examination of a new scale, the Index of Interprofessional Team Collaboration for Expanded School Mental Health (IITC-ESMH), for measuring the functioning of interprofessional teams. Exploratory factor analysis results, using data collected from 436 members of interprofessional teams in schools, yielded a 26-item scale with a four-factor model (a) Reflection on Process, (b) Professional Flexibility, (c) Newly Created Professional Activities, and (d) Role Interdependence. Cronbachs alphas for the four factors were .91, .91, .84, and .80 respectively. The findings from this study provide evidence to support the IITC-ESMH as a reliable instrument for measuring interprofessional collaboration.

An Organizational Analysis of Prison Hospice

The integration of prison hospice programs into the prison settings poses a unique organizational challenge. Generally, prisons adhere to strict functional boundaries and rigid chains of command in their operations and delivery of services. Yet hospice programs by their very nature involve interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination. Furthermore, hospice programs require the creation of more compassionate settings in which the end of life may occur, which challenges widely held beliefs that prisons must be stark and punitive and that prisoners must be treated with uniformity. Through interviews with prison hospice coordinators, this study explores the structure and operations of hospice programs, how well hospice programs are integrated within the larger prison community, and the impact that prison hospice programs have on the prison environment in general.

The Journey From Welfare to Work: Learning From Women Living in Poverty

This multiphase study was designed to gain a qualitative understanding of the experiences of single-mother welfare recipients and the effect of welfare reforms on recipients’ perceived ability to care for themselves and their families. The findings were drawn from the first phase of the study in which individual interviews were conducted with 39 current or former recipients, all of whom were women of color living in socioeconomically disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. Eight themes are analyzed, and the implications for social welfare policy and practice are discussed.

Adolescent Mental Health Literacy: Young People's Knowledge of Depression and Social Anxiety Disorder

PURPOSE Understanding why nearly 80% of youth ages 6-18 years with a mental disorder fail to receive treatment represents an important public health priority. International data suggest that underrecognition of mental illness and the need for treatment are barriers to service utilization. This study extends work to a U.S. sample of 1,104 adolescents. METHODS High School students were invited to participate in a self-report study assessing knowledge and beliefs regarding mental illness. Participants completed the survey in groups at school and read vignettes portraying peers experiencing major depression, social anxiety disorder, and a situation where the individual has to cope with a common life stressor followed by a series of questions in reference to each vignette. RESULTS Adolescents had better recognition of depression than social anxiety disorder and were more likely to recommend seeking help for it. However, <50% of youth recognized depression. Family, friends, and counselors were recommended as sources of help. Differences according to the sex of the respondent and person in the vignette were observed. CONCLUSIONS These data are among the first to provide information regarding the mental health literacy of American adolescents and suggest potential points for intervention. Pending replication of the findings herein, efforts to help adolescents recognize mental health problems and to increase the likelihood of recommending professional help will be important.

A Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community: Views From Providers and Residents

Maximizing quality of life for older adults poses challenges for formal service providers. One strategy to identify and address factors influencing health/mental health and promoting autonomy of community-dwelling older people is through a Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NNORC), a community development model of formal and informal home and community-based support. This article uses qualitative methods to report on critical themes generated from an initial evaluation of an NNORC using individual interviews with community partners that developed the program and Resident Council members living in the NNORC community. Findings reveal the need to support older adults aging in place, the importance of informal systems of care, access to trustworthy concrete service providers, and improved models of collaboration.

Strengthening Interprofessional Team Collaboration: Potential Roles for School Mental Health Professionals

Interprofessional team collaboration is an important component of school mental health, but authentic collaboration is often difficult to achieve in practice and there is little research available to inform strategies for strengthening collaboration. Using a sample of 428 members of interprofessional teams in school mental health, this study found that teams may not prioritize the nurturing of team processes by reflecting on what is (and what is not) working. The findings suggest that physical space, time to collaborate, positive relationships between collaborators, and previous affirming experiences of collaboration influence the functioning of interprofessional teams in schools.

Interdisciplinary collaboration in social work education in the USA, Israel and Canada: Deans’ and directors’ perspectives

This article utilized survey research to examine where interdisciplinary collaboration is occurring and being taught in social work programs in three countries. Findings indicate that social work programs participate in high levels of interdisciplinary collaboration at the university—community level and the interdepartmental level and teach it through an array of courses.

Creating Decent Prisons: A Serendipitous Finding about Prison Hospice.

Abstract Limited research has been conducted on the creation or impact of “decent” prisons, institutions where prisoners are treated with care and respect. This study set out to explore organizational factors associated with locating hospice programs into prison settings. Yet, the research produced unexpected findings about the contribution of hospice to the creation of decent prisons. Findings suggest that prison hospice programs have a transformative influence on the prisoners who volunteer for the program as well as on the overall institutional climate. Hospice appears to enhance the capacity to build and communicate respect, dignity and compassion among prison staff and prisoners.

Writing a Mixed Methods Report in Social Work Research

This article briefly chronicles the development of mixed methods research and its use in social work. We then move onto a discussion of terms and designs, reasons for (and for not) using mixed methods. Drawing upon exemplars, we address how to write up a mixed methods study when (1) the sample is single; single for one part, with a subset for the other; or, there is more than one sample; (2) the timing is concurrent or sequential; and (3) the priority or weighting is equal or weighted toward one method or the other (qualitative or quantitative). In addition we address the Discussion section of a mixed-methods article as an opportunity to integrate the qualitative and quantitative data for readers.

Goodness of fit: social work education and practice in health care.

Abstract This study addresses the fit between social work education and practice in health care. A random sample of NASW members identifying with health care (N = 179) responded to a mail survey about the utility of core knowledge and roles that we had identified by reviewing seven commonly used health care social work texts. Quantitative data revealed knowledge and roles most frequently used in health care settings as well as differences in roles used dependent upon department name; and different professionals supervising social workers. Qualitative data from four open-ended questions provided suggestions for what knowledge and skills should be taught in social work programs, the best forums/methods for teaching this content, and topics for continuing education. Findings are discussed in relation to six key areas of the peer-reviewed literature: vulnerable populations/diversity, ethical dilemmas, interdisciplinary collaboration, mental health, managed care/accountability, and advocacy. Implications for social work practice, education, and research are discussed.