Shirley Ben Shlomo

Development of Professional Identity among Social Work Students: Contributing Factors

Based on the person-in-environment theory, this article presents empirical findings on the contribution of organizational resources (satisfaction with supervision), personal resources (empathic concern, self-differentiation, and sense of coherence), and environmental resources (values) to the professional identity of social work students. The sample consists of 160 social work students who were about to complete their Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degrees. The participants filled out a set of questionnaires which examined these resources. Two variables contributed directly to the development of professional identity: satisfaction with supervision and personal values. Social values, self-differentiation, and empathic concern contributed to the development of a professional identity only when they interacted with satisfaction with supervision. Practical recommendations are discussed.

Personal growth and the transition to grandfatherhood.

The study examined personal growth among new grandfathers (n = 101, age 45–67), 2 to 24 months after the birth of their first grandchild. Specifically, it investigated the contribution of internal resources (self-esteem), perceived characteristics of the situation (grandparenthood distress and cognitive appraisals of threat, challenge, and self-efficacy), and external resources (perceived marital relationship) to the experience of growth. Associations with several background variables, including age, education, health and economic status, grandchilds age, and frequency of grandfather-grandchild meetings, were also examined. The results showed that lower internal resources, a positive assessment of the situation, and lower education were most closely associated with a higher experience of growth in first-time grandfathers. The discussion relates to the uniqueness of focusing on grandfathers and the potential for personal growth in this new family role.

The ‘Building Blocks’ of Professional Identity among Social Work Graduates

Based on systems theory, the current study aimed to examine the relationships between the following sets of variables: input variables—satisfaction with supervision, self-differentiation, and sense of coherence; throughput variables—values and empathy; and the output variable—professional identity of BSW students. Questionnaires were completed by 160 social work students who were about to graduate the social work program. Path analysis (The AMOS 5 program) was used to analyze the research model. Satisfaction with supervision was the only input variable that was directly related to professional identity. Of the throughput variables, empathy and personal values were directly related to professional identity, whereas sense of coherence was indirectly related to empathic concern, with social values as a mediator. Practical recommendations are discussed.

First-Time Parents’ and Grandparents’ Perceptions of Personal Growth: A Dyadic Approach

Drawing on the family systems theory and the theoretical concept of “linked lives,” this study examined personal growth among 340 Jewish Israeli pairs of parents and grandparents (680 participants) who had all recently (6–24 months earlier) undergone a major life transition: the birth of their first child or grandchild. The analysis examined the associations between personal growth and a series of other variables: self-esteem; perceived cognitive appraisals of threat, challenge, and self-efficacy; and perceived social support. In accordance with the theoretical approach, dyadic analyses based on the actor-partner interdependence model were used to assess the inter-relations between the two generations and their effect on the personal growth of each member of the dyad. The findings show that parents tend to perceive higher personal growth than grandparents, and that women tend to report higher growth than men. Furthermore, an individual’s experience of personal growth was associated not only with his or her own assessment of challenge, but with that of his or her parent or child as well. The results are discussed in respect to intergenerational perceptions and the potential mutual contributions to growth in both generations in the wake of these parallel life transitions.

New Grandparents’ Mental Health: The Protective Role of Optimism, Self-Mastery, and Social Support

The current study examines the contribution of optimism, self-mastery, perceived social support, and background variables (age, physical health, economic status) to mental health following the transition to grandparenthood. The sample consisted of 257 first-time Israeli grandparents (grandmothers and grandfathers, maternal and paternal) who were asked to complete a series of self-report questionnaires. The results indicate the importance of internal and external resources, as well as of health and economic status, for mental health of new grandparents. The value of designing relevant preventive interventions by family social workers to assist grandparents in coping with their new role is discussed.The current study examines the contribution of optimism, self-mastery, perceived social support, and background variables (age, physical health, economic status) to mental health following the transition to grandparenthood. The sample consisted of 257 first-time Israeli grandparents (grandmothers and grandfathers, maternal and paternal) who were asked to complete a series of self-report questionnaires. The results indicate the importance of internal and external resources, as well as of health and economic status, for mental health of new grandparents. The value of designing relevant preventive interventions by family social workers to assist grandparents in coping with their new role is discussed.

Life satisfaction of women in early stages of fertility treatment.

ABSTRACT As many women perceive motherhood to be a central component of identity that enhances life satisfaction, difficulties conceiving may lead to stress. This study examined women in the early stages of fertility treatment to ascertain the relations of perceived stress, cognitive appraisal, and self-mastery to the life satisfaction of women embarking on fertility treatment and whether the associations were the same for women who were already mothers versus those who were not. Women were recruited for the study over a period of 18 months, from January 2013 to June 2014. The final sample was composed of 145 women; of these, 67 had 1 or 2 children and 78 had no children. No significant differences were found in perceived stress and life satisfaction between women with and without children. However, in the sample as a whole, higher levels of self-mastery and lower levels of stress were associated with greater life satisfaction. Moreover, the associations between self-mastery and cognitive appraisals of threat and self-efficacy were mediated by perceived stress. The findings highlight the importance of developing interventions at fertility clinics that begin at the very first point of contact to promote the psychological well-being of women being treated for infertility.

Mental health of women entering fertility treatment: What role do age and internal resources play?

Drawing on Lazarus and Folkmans (1984) model of stress and coping, the study aimed at (a) examining the associations between the mental health of women entering fertility treatment and their internal resources (hope and two aspects of self-consciousness: reflection and rumination); (b) indicating whether mental health is associated with age (above or below 35), and whether this association is mediated by the internal resources. The sample consisted of 137 women (76 aged 20-34; 61 aged 35-44) at the start of fertility treatment who completed a series of self-report questionnaires. Results indicated that younger women reported higher distress and rumination than older women. Higher hope was associated with greater well-being, and higher rumination was associated with greater distress. Furthermore, hope and rumination were found to mediate the association between age and mental health. These findings highlight the importance of developing age-based interventions for women entering fertility treatment, aimed at strengthening their resilience to effectively cope with the demanding process ahead.

What factors may assist social workers to promote life satisfaction and personal growth among first‐time grandfathers?

Drawing on positive psychology and the perception of families as systems, the current study examined the contribution of variables regarding first-time grandfathers and their sons, who have become first-time fathers, to grandfathers’ life satisfaction and personal growth. In addition, the association between the frequency ofmeetings between grandfather and grandchild to grandfathers’ life satisfaction and personal growth was examined. The sample consisted of 106 pairs of first-time Jewish Israeli grandfathers and their sons (n=212). The grandfathers completed questionnaires relating to personal variables such as narcissism, family relations and frequency of meetings with the grandchild, and reported on their sense of life satisfaction and personal growth. The fathers completed questionnaires relating to personal variables, narcissism and family relations. Higher levels of grandfathers’ life satisfactionwere associatedwith their own perception of good family relations; higher levels of grandfathers’ personal growth were related to their narcissism. The grandfather’s perception of the frequency of meetings with the grandchild was found to moderate between the father’s narcissism and the grandfather’s life satisfaction and personal growth. The findings point to the crucial role social workers may play in enhancing life satisfaction and enabling personal growth through dedicated intergenerational interventions.

Contributors to Women's Perceived Stress at the Start of Assisted Reproductive Technology

Abstract Clinicians are often called upon to treat the stress that accompanies Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). In this study, we sought to examine the contribution of the internal resources of meaning in life and attachment style and the interpersonal resource of self-disclosure to her mother to a womans level of perceived stress upon commencement of ART. In addition, we examined the association between age and perceived stress. The sample consisted of 180 Israeli women (106 aged 20–34; 74 aged 35–44) who completed a series of self-report questionnaires after their initial meeting with a fertility specialist. Regression analysis indicated that older age, lower attachment anxiety, higher perception of meaning in life, and greater self-disclosure to the mother were related to lower levels of perceived stress. Self-disclosure was also found to mediate the association between avoidant attachment and stress. The study highlights the importance of a woman’s personal and interpersonal resources for reducing the experience of stress in the early stages of ART. The results have practical implications for the development of professional interventions seeking to enhance these resources among women embarking on fertility treatment.

The Transition to Grandparenthood: A Chance to Promote Well-Being and Personal Growth in Later Life

The transition to grandparenthood is considered one of the most meaningful and significant events in late life, which carries with it a shift in status, roles, and identities. This chapter focuses on grandparents’ psychological well-being and life satisfaction while taking into account the multiple stresses and demands which come with their newfound role. It also highlights the process of personal growth, a positive psychological change that includes shifts in self-perception, interpersonal relationships, and priorities, and may be triggered by becoming a grandparent. The chapter reviews recent literature from around the world and concludes by describing both theoretical and practical implications, including future directions which need to be investigated, and recommendations for practitioners.