Liliane Cambraia Windsor

Using Concept Mapping in Community-Based Participatory Research: A Mixed Methods Approach.

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has been identified as a useful approach to increasing community involvement in research. Developing rigorous methods in conducting CBPR is an important step in gaining more support for this approach. The current article argues that concept mapping, a structured mixed methods approach, is useful in the initial development of a rigorous CBPR program of research aiming to develop culturally tailored and community-based health interventions for vulnerable populations. A research project examining social dynamics and consequences of alcohol and substance use in Newark, New Jersey, is described to illustrate the use of concept mapping methodology in CBPR. A total of 75 individuals participated in the study.

Assessing Culturally Competent Chemical Dependence Treatment Services for Mexican Americans

Mexican Americans struggling with chemical dependence are greatly underserved. Barriers to treatment include language, lack of culturally relevant services, lack of trust in programs, uninviting environments, and limited use and linkage with cultural resources in the community. This project aimed to develop a tool for assessing and planning culturally competent/relevant chemical dependence treatment services for Mexican Americans. Focus groups were conducted with experts in Mexican-American culture and chemical dependence from six substance abuse programs serving adult and adolescent Mexican Americans and their families. Sixty-two statements were developed describing characteristics of culturally competent/relevant organizations. Concept mapping was used to produce a conceptual map displaying dimensions of culturally competent/relevant organizations and Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to assess the internal consistency of each dimension. Analysis resulted in seven reliable subscales: Spanish language (α = 0.84), counselor characteristics (α = 0.82), environment (α = 0.88), family (α = 0.84), linkage (α = 0.92), community (α = 0.86), and culture (α = 0.89). The resulting instrument based on these items and dimensions enable agencies to evaluate culturally competent/relevant services, set goals, and identify resources needed to implement desired services for both individual organizations and networks of regional services.

Cognitive behavioral therapy: a meta-analysis of race and substance use outcomes.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective intervention for reducing substance use. However, because CBT trials have included predominantly White samples caution must be used when generalizing these effects to Blacks and Hispanics. This meta-analysis compared the impact of CBT in reducing substance use between studies with a predominantly non-Hispanic White sample (hereafter NHW studies) and studies with a predominantly Black and/or Hispanic sample (hereafter BH studies). From 322 manuscripts identified in the literature, 16 met criteria for inclusion. Effect sizes between CBT and comparison group at posttest had similar effects on substance abuse across NHW and BH studies. However, when comparing pre-posttest effect sizes from groups receiving CBT between NHW and BH studies, CBTs impact was significantly stronger in NHW studies. T-test comparisons indicated reduced retention/engagement in BH studies, albeit failing to reach statistical significance. Results highlight the need for further research testing CBTs impact on substance use among Blacks and Hispanics.

Measuring Dimensions of Spirituality in Chemical Dependence Treatment and Recovery: Research and Practice

Spirituality and religiousness have long been associated with physical and mental health. The scientific treatment of religiosity as a multi-dimensional phenomenon is well established, especially in relation to chemical dependence treatment. Indeed, over 100 instruments are available for measuring various dimensions of religiosity. The more recent emergence of spirituality as an accepted construct in research has seen the development of a growing number of instruments to measure aspects of spirituality. The authors selected ten spirituality scales for review and discussion, and provided information relating to the scales’ development, psychometrics, format, scoring, and availability. The scales are then conceptualized in terms of their aggregate and overlapping usefulness for research and practice, and suggestions are made concerning the salient dimensions of spirituality measured by each scale. The scales are presented as defining an increased sense of internalized spirituality that contributes to positive psychological and emotional outcomes underpinning recovery from chemical dependence.

Substance Abuse and Dependence Among Low Income African Americans: Using Data from the National Survey on Drug Use & Health to Demystify Assumptions

ABSTRACT The media has portrayed African Americans as drug users and criminals. The purpose of this study is to test the assumption that low-income African Americans use more alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, and illicit drugs than other racial groups using data from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to compare drug abuse and dependence across low income racial groups (N = 20,172). Most respondents were white, female, and older than 26 years of age. The majority completed high school and reported annual family incomes between

The Four Ps of Publishing: Demystifying Publishing in Peer-Reviewed Journals for Social Work Doctoral Students

10,000 and

From the Individual to the Community: Perspectives About Substance Abuse Services

19,000. Few participants reported receiving public assistance. Drug abuse and dependence rates varied across drug type and across race. Drug dependence and abuse were measured using the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale and criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Hierarchical regression was conducted to examine the level of association between racial background and drug abuse and dependence after controlling for age and gender. Results reveal that the assumption of high drug and alcohol use and abuse rates among low-income African Americans should be, at best, reexamined. This study has significant implications for both policy and social work practice because it breaks down normalized and biased assumptions of low-income African American drug use.

Measuring Student Learning in Social Justice Courses: The Diversity and Oppression Scale.

Since the 1990s, the field of social work has placed substantial value on social work research. As a result, publishing has become an important aspect of contributing to the social work field. Whil...

Systematic Assessment of Culturally Competent Chemical Dependence Treatment Services for African Americans

This article argues that substance abuse interventions in distressed African American communities must be culturally tailored and must incorporate a framework targeting changes in both individual behavior and the community. This study employed concept mapping in conjunction with community-based participatory research principles to involve 100 community members, substance users, and service providers to examine the role of alcohol and other drugs in distressed African American communities. Findings reveal the way participants understand the role of drugs and alcohol in their community and their perceptions of substance abuse services. The article describes a collaborative approach to engage the community in addressing substance abuse.

The provider perception inventory: psychometrics of a scale designed to measure provider stigma about HIV, substance abuse, and MSM behavior.

The Diversity and Oppression Scale (DOS) is a standardized instrument measuring self-reported student learning about diversity and oppression based on requirements of the Council on Social Work Education. DOS was tested with social work students in 2 major North American universities. Factor structure was examined using exploratory factor analysis (N = 329). Predictive validity was tested with a confirmatory factor analysis and paired sample t-tests (N = 329). Construct validity was tested by examining correlations between DOS and existing scales measuring social justice, oppression, cultural competence, counselor burnout, empathy, and social desirability bias (N = 87). DOS has 4 factors: cultural diversity self-confidence (α = .90; 11 items), diversity and oppression (α = .69; 8 items), social worker/client congruence (α = .84; 3 items), and social worker responsibilities (α = .61; 3 items).