Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Single parenthood represents an arduous journey in which the parent without partners faces unique difficulties, such as financial and psychosocial challenges in child-rearing. For single mothers, this journey is complicated by the additional need to navigate structural gender inequalities in Singapore. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of single mothers in Singapore, including their strengths and coping mechanisms in addressing social inequalities. Fifteen single mothers were interviewed in this descriptive study. Thematic analysis of the data revealed an overarching theme of “navigating solo: empowering paths through single motherhood,” along with five sub-themes: (1) challenges when navigating single parenting; (2) guilt and stigma from single motherhood; (3) the value of support; (4) insights and coping mechanisms; and (5) growth and beyond. Such findings thus underscored the vital role played by social workers in supporting single mothers. Despite the challenges, perceived guilt, and stigma, single mothers strove to ensure that their children were protected from the potential detrimental impacts of single parenthood. Support systems, both formal and informal, acted as a bulwark in their journey of single parenthood. Their resilience and hope for a better future underpinned their perseverance in the face of these difficulties. Insights from this research align with the broader goals of social work, which include promoting social justice, enhancing individual well-being, and addressing issues of inequality and discrimination. Understanding the challenges and strengths of single mothers will enable social workers to develop targeted interventions that enhance their well-being from a strengths-based perspective. Additionally, our insights serve as a catalyst for social workers to advocate for more inclusive policies and practices that address the challenges faced by single parents. PubDate: 2025-04-17
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: This study, grounded in existential social work theory, investigates the relationship between specific free will beliefs (free will, scientific determinism, fatalistic determinism, and randomness) and authenticity among young adults in Türkiye. It further examines the mediating role of meaning in life, offering insights for clinical social work practice related to authenticity. The study employs structural equation modeling using data collected from 452 participants aged 18–45. Results show that free will belief positively predicts authenticity, while scientific determinism belief, fatalistic determinism belief, and randomness belief negatively predict it. Furthermore, the presence of meaning mediates the relationships between free will belief and authenticity (partially) and between randomness belief and authenticity (fully). The current study contributes to the limited empirical literature on the relationship between free will beliefs and authenticity, particularly from an existential social work perspective. It also highlights the significant role of life meaning in this relationship. These insights have important implications for clinical social work practice, suggesting that addressing free will beliefs and promoting meaning-making processes could be valuable tools in fostering authenticity and psychological well-being. These findings have significant implications for clinical social workers supporting marginalized communities in expressing their authentic selves and asserting their rights across diverse cultural contexts. PubDate: 2025-04-09
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Social work is recognized as a human rights profession. However, integrating human rights principles into everyday practice has remained a challenge. Building on previous work, this paper introduces an innovative “three spheres” framework, which recognizes three distinctive, yet interconnected spheres of rights-based practice in social work: (1) respecting rights, where social workers meet their own human rights obligations; (2) claiming rights, where social workers assist clients in accessing their rights; and (3) changing rights, where social workers influence policy changes that better protect and facilitate clients’ rights. We argue that while all of these spheres necessitate a human rights framework that regards clients as rights holders, each sphere frames and applies social workers’ rights-based practice in unique ways. The article clarifies the distinct purposes, normative sources, and social work roles in each sphere while exploring their interconnectedness. PubDate: 2025-04-09
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Scholarship has suggested that compassion is the foundation of quality social work practice. However, research exploring specific ways in which social workers utilize compassion is limited. Therefore, this qualitative study examined how social workers actualize compassion in practice. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 12 social workers. Thematic network analysis was used to examine the data. Results included a thematic network that demonstrates how social workers actualize compassion in social work practice. The analysis identified three organizing, eight basic themes. Lastly, one global theme was generated and reflects the relationships between three organizing and eight basic themes. The global theme described that “social workers embody compassion through interconnected internal experiences and outward expressions.” Results highlight the dynamic nature of compassion as both an internal (cognitive) mindset and a series of external (behavioral) actions in social work. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the nuanced ways in which compassion is integrated into professional practice and provide a framework for enhancing compassionate approaches in social work education and training. PubDate: 2025-04-07
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Social workers internationally suffer from high rates of stress and burnout. One of the main drivers of these phenomena, is that social work is a rewarding but challenging profession that can heavily deplete practitioners’ emotional resources, particularly if they haven’t been trained on how to reflect on, label, and process challenging emotions, which are commonly experienced in practice. This paper will outline how enhanced capacities for reflection, engendered through mindfulness-based practice can support practitioners to engage with their emotional experiences as part of their routine practice. Using practice case studies, this theory paper will illustrate how challenging emotions, using shame as an example, which social workers often avoid, can be safely reflected on, labelled, and processed. The personal and practice benefits of the deeper engagement with, and processing of challenging emotions will be outlined. This paper also highlights the corrosive effect that unprocessed shame can have on the professional and personal life of a social worker. It also provides a theoretical framework and suggestions on how social workers and social work organisations could be supported to enable effective emotion regulation in social work practice. PubDate: 2025-03-24
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Children develop in the context of their environment, and as such, factors relating to the psychosocial environment are important to integrate within assessments of child development. Such integration would provide holistic, family centred understanding that may improve diagnostic accuracy and inform opportunities to optimise developmental outcomes. This paper reports on a scoping review of the recognition and integration of psychosocial contexts within neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessments conducted in child development practice settings. A systematic scoping review was conducted to synthesise literature targeting three primary concepts including psychosocial characteristics, child development, and clinical integration. Bioecological systems theory was utilised as a framework for research design, analysis, and interpretation and synthesis of findings. Twenty-four articles were identified following systematic review and critical appraisal of peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2024. Results indicated significant heterogeneity across terminology, conceptualisation, methodological approach, operationalisation of measures, and integration within diagnostic outcomes. Dominant psychosocial variables, integration principles, and current barriers and enablers within clinical practice will be reported. Results suggested a significant gap in the recognition and integration of psychosocial contexts in clinical child development assessments. The review found that biomedically driven, positivist paradigms continue to dominate the field, utilising methods and developing measures that aim to quantify risk or dysfunction within an environment to assert a causal impact on developmental outcomes. Results highlight significant gaps and opportunities for future research that emphasise the need for a philosophical shift, a renewed focus on family-centred practice, and an understanding of how integration occurs in current clinical practice. PubDate: 2025-03-24
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: With recent studies citing that as many as 44 Veterans die by suicide daily, Veteran suicide is a pressing public health concern (America’s Warrior Partnership. (2022). Operation deep dive summary of interim report. https://e55c5558-502f-457d-8a07-a49806f5ff14.usrfiles.com/ugd/e55c55_086099607d86 49aa8b5227f106f24865.pdf). Despite this alarming statistic, few evidence-based psychotherapies specifically target suicide prevention. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for suicide prevention (MBCT-S) is a nine-week, manualized group intervention that integrates mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) with the safety planning intervention to address suicidality. A randomized controlled trial (n = 140) found that MBCT-S significantly reduced suicide attempts, suicidal behaviors, and psychiatric hospitalizations among participating Veterans. To illustrate the application of this intervention and maintain participant anonymity, this paper presents a case composite highlighting the intervention’s rationale and the facilitator’s role in teaching Veterans the skill of staying present with intensely painful, harmful, and self-alienating experiences without resorting to suicidal behavior. The embodied presence of the MBCT-S facilitator emerges as a critical agent of change, fostering curiosity, compassion, and openness when addressing complex and isolating suicidal thoughts. This presence creates a foundation for connectedness within the group, which is essential for Veterans at risk of suicide. By illustrating these processes, the paper highlights the potential of MBCT-S to transform clinicians’ capacity to support individuals in building equanimity and life-saving resilience. PubDate: 2025-03-17
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Kahramanmaraş earthquake devastated city centers, districts and villages in a total of 11 provinces located on the Eastern Anatolia Fault Line in Türkiye over 50,000 people lost their lives in the earthquake. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of individual and collective trauma in posts about earthquakes on social media after the earthquake. The study was designed with a qualitative research method. Tweets containing the keywords "earthquake", "psychology", "psychological support", "trauma", "post-trauma stress" were collected on Twitter between February 6 and April 13, 2023. As a result of the analyzes, three main themes were determined as “call for help”, “post-traumatic stress” and “collective trauma”. Accordingly, under the main theme of "call for help", the sub-themes of "call to reach relatives", "call for basic needs" and "call for psychological support" were identified. The 2nd main theme, post-traumatic stress, includes "flashbacks", "insomnia, nightmares", "fear and helplessness" and "anger". Under the 3rd main theme of collective trauma, the sub-themes of "sadness", "fear" and "anger" were identified. In our study, it was determined that the earthquake had traumatic effects at the individual and collective level. Findings of the study highlight the importance of comprehensive disaster response strategies that address survivors' psychological well-being, promote recovery, and build resilience in the face of adversity. PubDate: 2025-03-12
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: This pilot study aimed to investigate the acceptability and effectiveness of a brief-guided internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) for people with emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a quasi-experimental research design with a 3-arm study, eligible participants were assigned to a group with student counsellors (n = 24), a group with counsellors (n = 23) or a non-active control group (n = 21). Participants received eight online modules and regular support via telephone counselling or video conferencing app (Zoom) from a counsellor or student counsellor during a 5-week intervention period, while the control group did not receive any intervention during the intervention period. An adherence rate of 85.10% was observed. The results of the 3 (group) × time (pre vs. post) repeated-measures analysis of covariance showed that the student counsellor and counsellor groups demonstrated significantly greater reductions in total emotional distress (partial η2 = 0.10) and stress (partial η2 = 0.14) than the control group. In addition, student counsellors and counsellors produced comparable intervention effects, and telephone counselling and Zoom support produced comparable intervention effects. This pilot study supports the acceptability and effectiveness of brief-guided iCBT for people with emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. PubDate: 2025-02-11
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: The profound effects of working within shared traumatic realities (STRs) on experienced social workers are well-documented and raise critical concerns about training students in such contexts. However, only limited research has addressed the training of students in the context of STRs related to terrorism and war, with little emphasis on professional identity formation in these contexts. Drawing on a thematic analysis of twelve reflective written assignments, this qualitative study explored the process of professional identity formation in the STR context from the subjective perspective of Israeli third-year social work students during the 2023-24 war with Hamas. Training social workers against the background of war was unsettling and challenging, but it also bolstered professional development and resilience. In this context, professional identity formation was identified as involving three main personal and professional processes: (1) Questioning one’s professional competence; (2) Blurred boundaries between personal and professional; and (3) Developing personal resilience and professional growth. These findings underscore that exposure to extreme traumatic events in the early stage of professional identity formation can easily destabilize the already fragile identity of social work students, and thus requires unique attention to its implications for social work education and practice. PubDate: 2025-02-10
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: The use of psychedelics in treating mental health disorders is gaining attention due to a growing evidence base and pending FDA approval. Very little is known regarding what social workers know and how they feel about psychedelics as a treatment for mental health disorders. The purpose of this study was to explore social worker attitudes towards psychedelics and social worker knowledge and interest in using psychedelics with psychological support (PAT). One hundred sixty-eight social workers (69.3% female, 73.1% white) completed an online survey. Overall, social workers had positive attitudes towards psychedelics. Previous use with psychedelics, previous training with psychedelics, being male, and non-Christian predicted positive attitudes toward psychedelics. Only 19% reported they were knowledgeable about delivering psychedelics with psychological support, indicating a lack of knowledge, but 75% were interested in learning more about incorporating psychedelics with psychological support, pointing to the need for specialized training. PubDate: 2025-02-06
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: This study examined the relationship between paternal involvement and maternal depression among American Indian fragile families, a demographic often overlooked in research. Using data from Wave 3 of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we analyzed 186 American Indian mothers to examine the association between decreased paternal involvement in co-parenting activities and perceived depressive symptoms as well as control factors such as income, age, and employment. Contrary to the hypothesis that higher paternal involvement would decrease maternal depression, results showed no significant relationship between these variables. Instead lower income was found to play a more critical role in influencing increased levels of maternal depression. These findings highlight the need to consider extended family support systems, historical factors, and unique cultural elements when looking at income levels and addressing mental health disparities in American Indian populations. Clinical implications point to specific resources that social workers could help American Indians access in order to promote stronger mental health and poverty alleviation. Future research should explore these and other factors influencing maternal depression and develop evidence based treatments and interventions to support these families. PubDate: 2025-02-04
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Adolescent-parent relationships have been impacted by rising mental health challenges that strain healthy relational dynamics. Distress, loneliness, anxiety and depression are commonly addressed by clinicians with therapeutic interventions that center symptom reduction and problem resolution. The aim of this paper is to explore how Polyvagal theory can be integrated into clinical work with adolescent-parent dyads to emphasize the relational constructs of attunement, conflict/avoidance, and disconnection between parents and their adolescent children. This paper presents an explanation of the neurological dynamics of Polyvagal Theory to offer a framework for understanding how adolescent-parent attunement can be achieved through shared somatic experiences. This theoretical grounding is valuable to therapists to help facilitate relational healing using Polyvagal-informed co-regulation techniques, so vital for achieving a state of safety for the child, and well-being for both. Composite case examples illustrate the integration of somatic theories into practical applications with adolescent-parent dyads. PubDate: 2025-02-03
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: COVID-19 created a community trauma for all of society, including healthcare. This qualitative research project examines one healthcare agency’s organizing of a COVID-19 support group for agency staff and the experiences of the non-medical community-based behavioral health workers facilitating the groups for agency co-workers. The COVID-19 staff support group program (SSG) spontaneously evolved within the agency to respond to the pressing needs arising during this traumatic crisis. The SSG groups were facilitated by behavioral health social worker managers who volunteered for this role, with the understanding that group facilitators and staff group participants were co-workers. The SSGs were designed to promote safe, confidential discussion of all issues. One year into the program, a research project was designed to study the experiences of the SSGs facilitators using three focus groups to elicit common themes. While other COVID-19 support programs used evidence-based strategies to structure their groups, the SSG groups used a more open-ended approach to promote and manage the trauma-induced feelings discussed in the groups. The concept of shared trauma and shared resilience helped the research team understand the group processes that emerged. Focus group analysis yielded four major themes related to the SSG facilitator role, COVID-19 trauma, political upheaval, and agency impact. We conclude that a program design organically arising from an agency’s use of its own readily available staff resources can be effectively deployed and clinically effective in supporting staff and organizations struggling with traumatic crises like COVID-19. PubDate: 2025-01-31
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Women in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) face multiple, specific challenges. Establishing healthy and close relationships can contribute to women’s mental health and enhance their recovery. Unhealthy relationships with men are a key factor in women’s onset of drug use, relapse, and attempts to recover from a SUD. Given their frequent personal history of sexual trauma, violence, and abuse caused by men, women recovering from SUD need to cope with multiple relational issues. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of women in recovery from SUD as regards their relationships with men. Fourteen women treated in women-only residential programs for SUD were interviewed using a qualitative-naturalistic approach. Inductive content analysis identified four categories: (1) From disgust and mistrust to attraction to boys and men in the context of abuse, (2) Exploitative relationships: use and be used, (3) The absent predator: justifications for the absence of men in women-only residential treatment program, and (4) Old patterns alongside new insights into recovery. These categories were contextualized conceptually in terms of the dialectic between “Respect and Suspect”. The findings, as interpreted through the lens of Relational Agency theory, highlight changes in power dynamics within relationships over the course of recovery. Clinical social workers should be aware of the multifaceted nature of attitudes towards relationships with men in women with SUD, to better help these women establish healthier, more secure relationships as a part of their recovery. PubDate: 2025-01-23
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: In an interconnected world, loneliness is paradoxically emerging as a growing threat to health, is associated with an increased likelihood of illness, and is becoming one of the most frequent causes of death among older adults. Experts from various disciplines have identified the pressing need to address this phenomenon and see technology as a powerful ally in facing the challenge. Through technological innovations in communication and connectivity, solutions are being explored to mitigate loneliness and foster social inclusion. This study aims to comprehensively and methodically analyze and systematize previous research on loneliness focusing on the effectiveness of various information and communication technology solutions aimed at mitigating feelings of loneliness in older adults over 65 from a social work perspective. The results confirm that older adults who participate in prevention and/or intervention programs against loneliness supported by information and communication technology report positive differences. However, although levels of loneliness are reduced compared to levels at the beginning of the intervention, they are never eliminated. PubDate: 2025-01-16
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Currently, there is growing literature on trauma-informed care and interventions addressing health and mental health problems from this approach. In Latin America, however, literature and intervention are scarce and there is an opportunity for social work to promote community-wide responses. This article aims to diminish this gap by contributing with a case analysis focused on Chile. For this, we present a descriptive narrative case study approach, drawing upon our previous qualitative research projects, literature, and document review with an empirical analysis based on our professional experiences as a team of Chilean social workers, psychologists, and professors with lived experience in mental health. First, we describe these traumatic events, analyze their consequences on the population’s mental health, and delve into the clinical problems associated with the traumatic events described. Then, we approach the mental health system and social work in Chile, discussing the resurgence and strengthening of the social-clinical disciplinary perspective and the gaps in the comprehensive approach to mental health. In our results, we identify opportunities for improvement in the development of trauma-informed interventions. We discuss the lack of awareness, research, and interventions that tackle collective and individual trauma in Chile, identifying the need for mental health first aid in disasters and the need for justice and reparation. PubDate: 2025-01-14
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: The Housing First model is embedded in a supportive housing federal program aimed at reducing homelessness by offering housing vouchers and case management services to chronically unhoused veterans with co-occurring disorders. Despite the successes Housing First programs have achieved with the chronic unhoused population, including veterans, the cycle of homelessness continues to exist in this subgroup. These veterans have significant vulnerabilities, such as severe mental health and addiction histories, that contribute to their housing instability. The case narrative in this paper illustrates the story of a chronically unhoused veteran who cycled through episodes of homelessness due to ongoing substance use and evictions. On the veteran's third entry into a Housing First program, the social worker utilized the transtheoretical model (TTM) to evaluate the veteran's readiness to change and applied motivational interviewing (MI) principles to find a representative payee who would support housing stability, even if the veteran experienced a relapse. This approach can be considered harm reduction in supportive housing. Through the application of MI, the veteran exercised self-efficacy, opted for implementing a protective factor, and experienced long-term stable housing. PubDate: 2025-01-14
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Abstract: Proponents of schema focused therapy (SFT) have accrued a growing and persuasive evidence base that indicates it as one of a small number of treatments for personality difficulties and associated issues. However, unlike other treatments, SFT’s focus has predominantly remained on adults with enduring and chronic psychopathology. This comprehensive narrative review firstly aims to articulate the theoretical application of SFT as a means of addressing suitable psychological vulnerabilities and associated issues with adolescents. In addition, the review aims to highlight the potential use of SFT techniques when integrated into parental interventions as a means of strengthening the parent-child relationship. Finally, the review aims to synthesize the accumulation of SFT research applicable to work with adolescents and parents with a view towards delineating future treatment development and clinical application among a wide range of mental health and social care professions. PubDate: 2025-01-09
Please help us test our new pre-print finding feature by giving the pre-print link a rating. A 5 star rating indicates the linked pre-print has the exact same content as the published article.
Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles)
[2468 journals]
