Shiyou Wu

Author Guidelines for Manuscripts Reporting on Qualitative Research

This article describes author guidelines for developing qualitative manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals. The article explains the process used in the development of qualitative guidelines for JSSWR. The Journal sought to develop a set of guidelines, not as a prescribed checklist, but as benchmarks or, perhaps, touchstones to ensure that readers have sufficient information to fully understand qualitative research procedures. Qualitative research is diverse and guidelines—no matter how expertly crafted—will apply differentially. The guidelines presented here aim to offer authors practical advice toward increasing the clarity of reporting.

Is Social Work Really Being Recognized? Problems with Social Work Employment Opportunities in Mainland China

Abstract Since social work education was reintroduced in Chinese universities in the 1980s, there are 303 bachelor of social work programs and 62 master of social work programs. Yet, the development of social work positions has lagged behind. This study aimed to study the current development of social work employment opportunities in Mainland China through an empirical lens. Data on social work positions were collected from three employment websites over a 30-day period. Data on 248 social work job postings were analyzed using content analysis and ArcGIS spatial distribution analysis. We identified three problems in the current development of social work profession in China: inconsistency between government policy, social work education, and available jobs; geographic disparities of the distribution of social work jobs; and mismatch between social work education and social work employment opportunities. We provided implications to address each problem.

Measures of Consumer Satisfaction in Social Welfare and Behavioral Health A Systematic Review

This article reviews the origins, conceptual bases, psychometric properties, and limitations of consumer satisfaction measures in social welfare and behavioral health. Based on a systematic review of research reports published between 2003 and 2013, we identify 58 consumer satisfaction measures. On average, these measures have acceptable reliability (mean Cronbach’s α = .85). However, the research on the concurrent and predictive validity of consumer satisfaction is inconclusive. We identify the following three core aspects of consumer satisfaction: (a) satisfaction with alternative elements of service, (b) promotion or recommendation of a program based on a recent service experience, and (c) subjective appraisal of change or problem resolution related to participation in a service. Attrition bias, reactivity, and confounding of ratings with the image of service providers complicate and condition the interpretation of consumer satisfaction as an outcome measure.

The influence of childhood welfare participation on adulthood substance use: evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health

ABSTRACT Background: The associations between early life-socioeconomic status and health, specifically substance use, are well substantiated. The vulnerabilities associated with adversity in childhood, particularly poverty, can have a cumulative effect on an individual’s risk and resilience throughout the life course. While several studies substantiate the relationship between substance use and welfare participation, less known is the impact of and prevalence of behavioral health problems later in life among young adults who were welfare recipients before age 18. Objective: This article explores whether childhood welfare participation before the age of 18 years influences substance use until young adulthood (24–34 years). Methods: This study used Add Health data with sample sizes ranging from 12,042 to 12,324 respondents, and propensity score matching methods to balance the samples and account for selection bias. Matched data were then used to run a series of regression models. Results: Those who participated in welfare before the age of 18 years had a significant lower probability of remaining substance-free until young adulthood (marijuana-free by 30%, p < 0.001; and other illicit substances-free by 16%, p < 0.05). However, no significant between-group differences were found on any of the alcohol-related variables. Conclusions: Findings highlight long-term behavioral health risks, especially substance use, faced by young adults who participated in welfare before the age of 18 years. Acknowledging the vulnerabilities associated with welfare participation and living in poverty could help increase the effectiveness of program and treatment efforts. The prevention of long-term behavioral health disorders hinges on early diagnosis and intervention.

Migrant youths in Beijing: a life history analysis of class reproduction

This study utilizes life history analysis to explore the class reproduction process among migrant youths in Beijing, the capital city of China. Eight migrant youths were interviewed about their life histories using a life-line interview methodology. Results showed that these migrant youths could be classified into four groups based on their residential location and the duration of their residence in Beijing, each representing distinctive characteristics. Limited family educational background, poor quality of school education and unstable community environment were common experiences among the youths. In addition, the hukou system and other social policies that restricted education opportunities for these migrant youths contributed to the class reproduction process. Thus, the current education system, family background and social policy all adversely affect the opportunities of migrant youths to choose different life paths from their parents. This article then offers suggestions for changes in policy formulation and social services to improve social mobility for migrant youths.

Integrated Primary Care and Social Work: A Systematic Review

Objective: Behavioral and physical health services are increasingly being integrated, with care provided by interprofessional teams of physicians, nurses, social workers, and other professionals. The objective of this study was to describe the functions of social workers on interprofessional teams in primary care and to assess the impact of interprofessional teams that include social workers in integrated care settings. Method: We undertook a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of routine vs. integrated primary care where social workers served on interprofessional teams. A 5-phase search process to identify RCTs from 9 electronic databases and the gray literature published between 2000 and 2016 was used. We calculated effect sizes across identified studies and conducted 2 subsample meta-analyses for behavioral health outcomes. Results: The searches recovered 502 citations. After screening, 107 reports were retained for a full-text review, and 32 of those (from 26 RCTs) met study criteria. In the 26 RCTs, social workers engaged in 3 patient-centered activities: behavioral health treatment, care management, and referral for social services. Conclusion: Although mixed, the findings suggest that, compared to routine services, integrated primary care provided by interprofessional teams that include social workers significantly improves the behavioral health and care of patients.

What is a picture worth? A primer for coding and interpreting photographic data

Society is becoming increasingly image based. As individuals regularly record moments both mundane and momentous, images potentially lose or gain power to communicate important information. Social work scholars have argued that social work should incorporate images into both interventions (Chapman and Hall, 2016; Chapman et al., 2014) and research (Marshal et al., 2009). A recent review provides an overview of visual methodologies in social work (Clark and Morriss, 2015). The most popular means of doing this has been through the incorporation of Photovoice (Wang and Burris, 1997) into the social work research repertoire. Yet, in Photovoice, although images are central, text remains the unit of analysis. This paper aims to augment the existing literature in social work by focusing on ways in which images can be data in and of themselves and how image-based data interact with text-based data. We will begin with ethical considerations, proceed to step-by-step instructions for coding and analyzing image-based data in ATLAS.ti, and finally discuss interpretation. A case example drawing on a visually based project originally conducted with in-country Chinese migrant mothers will illustrate the outlined methods.

Culture and context in Chinese field supervision: a case study from Shanghai

Abstract Supervision that provides supports helps students to develop intervention skills and forms a strong professional identity. Yet, the literature on supervision largely stems from Western countries. Less is known about supervisory relationships in countries such as China. This article presents a qualitative case study of three MSW students and two supervisors in Mainland China focusing on how the practice context and Chinese cultural norms intersect with student expectations over a 10-month period. Findings demonstrate important differences between student expectations for supervision and the reality of their experience. These differences are based in current realities but reinforced by cultural norms.

Mothers in Transition: Using Images to Understand the Experience of Migrant Mothers in Shanghai

In-country migration is changing the face of China’s urban areas. As individuals and families move from the countryside to the cities, parents and children must adapt to new expectations and challenges. Most research on immigration examines data from large surveys that describe trends or characteristics of the migrant population. Little research includes individual migrants telling their own stories in their own way. Using an adaptation of Photovoice, a participatory research method, we asked migrant mothers in Shanghai to take photographs of their daily lives and use those images in group discussion to describe their parenting experiences. In addition, the research team independently coded the photographs to identify themes not included in the mothers’ initial discussion. Researcher-derived codes were member checked before including the results in this article. The article also presents results of a key stakeholder forum during which the migrant mothers presented their pictures and stories to decision makers.

Exploring the relationship between welfare participation in childhood and depression in adulthood in the United States

OBJECTIVE Depression is a serious mental health disorder, and untangling its causal agents is a major public health priority in the United States. This study examines the relationship between participating in welfare programs during childhood and experiencing depression during young adulthood. METHOD This study used wave I and IV data from the Add Health (N = 15,701). Multiple imputation is used to deal with missing data. Propensity score matching is used to reduce the selection bias, and then multiple regressions were used to examine the welfare participation and depression relationships. RESULTS Overall, young adults from welfare-recipient families reported significantly higher depression scores, rather than the clinical diagnosis of depression. Subgroup analyses showed only the poor group had significantly higher depression scores, whereas only the near-poor group had a significantly diagnosed depression outcome. Additionally, significantly higher depression scores were found for female youth from welfare-recipient families. However, no significant differences were found between the gender groups regarding diagnosed depression. DISCUSSION Using welfare participation as an economic marker, the subgroup analyses help to identify target populations for future intervention. Implications of this study will be of interest to policy makers and have value for informing policy decisions.