Substance Use Among a Sample of BSW Students: An Exploratory Study

This exploratory study used a convenience sample of 792 currently enrolled BSW students drawn from across accredited social work programs within the United States who completed a 60-item electronic survey to identify the occurrence, types, frequency, and severity of their substance use. More than 93% (n=742) of the study participants reported having used alcohol, and 62% (n=445) reported using drugs on one or more occasions. Reported types of use, frequency of use, and severity of use as measured by AUDIT and DAST scores showed BSW students' substance use similar to or above other national samples of college students. Recommendations for future research and implications for social work educators in addressing substance use and stress management and promoting destigmatized help-seeking among their BSW students are discussed.

Download Full-text

Marketing Status of Social Work Education: An Exploratory Study

Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work ◽

10.18084/1084-7219.7.2.77 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 77-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Susan T. Dennison

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Social Work Education ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Future Research ◽

Education Programs ◽

Social Work Educators ◽

Promotional Strategies ◽

Work Education ◽

The University ◽

University Setting

New competitive realities are necessitating that social work education programs design and conduct marketing as a part of their yearly departmental planning. This exploratory study identified marketing strategies most commonly used in social work education programs today. Critical findings regarding social work educators' perceptions regarding how much other disciplines understand their profession were discovered. In addition, the promotional strategies found to be most effective for student recruitment and for increasing departmental visibility within the university setting were revealed from the study. Implications for social work education are delineated along with future research needs.

Download Full-text

Retention Efforts Directed to Students of Color in Baccalaureate Social Work Programs

Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work ◽

10.18084/1084-7219.8.2.1 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 1-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hugh G. Clark ◽

Lisa Garza ◽

Lee Hipple

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Students Of Color ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Second Phase ◽

Two Phase ◽

Social Work Educators ◽

Perceived Success ◽

Retention Programs ◽

Work Programs ◽

Social Work Programs

Given the increasing diversity of the U. S. population and social work clients, retention of students of color in baccalaureate social work programs is a major issue. This article reports on a two-phase exploratory study that looked at the retention efforts of accredited baccalaureate social work (BSW) programs and their respective universities in one state. The first phase of the study addressed the types of retention efforts being made toward students of color and the perceived success of those efforts. The second phase looked at students' perceptions of the retention efforts made by their university and their BSW program. The findings indicate that retention efforts offered by social work programs are effective in helping retain students of color, although they also indicate that the retention programs are underused. This may indicate the need for social work educators to work to increase awareness of retention efforts in their universities and programs.

Download Full-text

Now You See It, Now You Don't: Faculty and Student Perceptions of Classroom Incivility in a Social Work Program

Advances in Social Work ◽

10.18060/1932 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 255-275 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Angela R. Ausbrooks ◽

Sally Hill Jones ◽

Mary S. Tijerina

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Student Perceptions ◽

Future Research ◽

Classroom Behaviors ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Work Program ◽

Social Work Programs ◽

Work Education ◽

Social Work Program ◽

Classroom Incivility

Classroom incivility is identified as a concern in the higher education literature; however, the extent to which these concerns apply to social work education has not been empirically addressed. This initial, exploratory study examined the perceptions of classroom behaviors in a small convenience sample of faculty and students in one social work program. Quantitative results indicated that faculty tended to perceive incivility as generally less serious and frequent than did student participants. Qualitative findings suggested that while faculty believed they were addressing incivility, students did not. Students expressed the desires for instructors to be more aware of behaviors, especially distracting use of electronic devices, and to take stronger actions to enforce guidelines. Social work programs may need to consider developing uniform policies for addressing incivility as well as helping faculty to find more effective ways to address the problem. Future research is needed with larger, more representative samples.

Download Full-text

The Association Between Problem Recognition, Race/Ethnicity, and Professional Help-Seeking Intentions Across Psychological Disorders

Emerging Adulthood ◽

10.1177/21676968211000491 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 216769682110004

Author(s):

Ayanda Chakawa ◽

Steven K. Shapiro

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Adults ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

The United States ◽

Psychological Disorder ◽

Future Research ◽

Problem Recognition ◽

Professional Help ◽

Race Ethnicity

While 75% mental health problems emerge by young adulthood, there is a strong reluctance during this developmental stage to seek professional help. Although limitations in mental health literacy, such as incorrect problem recognition, may hinder professional help-seeking intentions, the relationship between these variables has been understudied among young adults in the United States (U.S.) and racial/ethnic differences in help-seeking intentions for specific disorders have not been well explored. Using a vignette-based design, the current study examines the association between psychological disorder recognition and professional help-seeking intentions among 1,585 Black/African American and White/European American young adults. Correctly identifying a psychological disorder was significantly associated with intentions to seek professional help for several disorders and race/ethnicity significantly influenced intentions to seek professional help for some disorders. Implications for ways to address unmet mental health care needs, especially among racially/ethnically diverse young adults, and directions for future research are discussed.

Download Full-text

Beyond the Code of Ethics, Part II: Dual Relationships Revisited

Families in Society The Journal of Contemporary Social Services ◽

10.1606/1044-3894.228 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 83 (5) ◽

pp. 483-492 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Sophie Freud ◽

Stefan Krug

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Social Workers ◽

Code Of Ethics ◽

Legal Protection ◽

Work Practice ◽

The United States ◽

Social Work Practice ◽

Dual Relationships ◽

Social Work Educators ◽

Social Work Practitioners

The authors, both social work educators, serve on an ethics call line committee that provides insights on how the provisions of the (United States) National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics (NASW, 1996) interface with the ethical dilemmas encountered by the social work community. In this paper, the authors highlight aspects of social work practice that they consider ethical, yet not easily accommodated by the provisions of the current Code. They also question the 1996 introduction of the concept of dual relationships into the Code and suggest that the Code adopt the less ambiguous term of boundary violations. Also recognized by the authors is the need for clear boundaries for the protection of clients against temptations that might arise in a fiduciary relationship, and for the legal protection of social workers. But, the authors argue, social work practitioners in certain settings, with particular populations, and in certain roles, inevitably face multiple relationships as an integral aspect of their work. The authors conclude that social work's adoption of the psychoanalytic constrains of anonymity, neutrality, and abstinence has detoured the profession from its original double focus on individuals and their society.

Download Full-text

Sustaining Trajectories

Advances in Social Work ◽

10.18060/22647 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 290-310

Author(s):

Lamont D. Simmons

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Black Male ◽

Sense Of Belonging ◽

Degree Attainment ◽

Academic Majors ◽

Social Work Educators ◽

Social Work Programs ◽

Social Work Program ◽

Insight Into

While the literature is replete with studies on persistence among students across academic majors, few studies examine the nature of persistence among Black males enrolled in baccalaureate social work programs. This qualitative study offers some insight into how a sample of four Black male graduates from an accredited baccalaureate social work program persisted toward degree attainment. Three themes emerged from this study: (a) family encouragement and support, (b) sense of belonging, and (c) presence of Black male professors. Findings suggest the need for social work educators to consider programmatic initiatives acknowledging the role of families in persistence efforts, facilitating connectedness, and recruiting Black male professors or other Black male mentors.

Download Full-text

Substance Use Disorder Treatments

Emerging Adults and Substance Use Disorder Treatment ◽

10.1093/med-psych/9780190490782.003.0005 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 96-118 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Liliane Cambraia Windsor ◽

Douglas C. Smith ◽

Kyle M. Bennett ◽

Frederick X. Gibbons

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Substance Use Disorder ◽

The United States ◽

Drug Misuse ◽

Future Research ◽

Cultural Groups ◽

Treatment Access ◽

Effective Interventions ◽

Diverse Groups

Today’s emerging adults belong to one of the most diverse generations in the United States and show the highest rates of alcohol and illicit drug misuse, facing significant health risks. Thus it is critical to develop effective interventions to reduce alcohol and illicit substance misuse and its related harms among this diverse group. This chapter examines the current literature on the development and effectiveness of existing culturally relevant substance use disorder treatments and makes recommendations for future research and best practices. We argue that given their unique needs, the severity of their substance use, and the low rates of treatment engagement among this population, it is critical that treatment efforts focus on increasing effective treatment access to all emerging adults. We further encourage substance use disorder treatment researchers and practitioners to move beyond addressing culture-bound intervention targets focused on specific cultural groups. The chapter advocates for the development, testing, and adoption of interventions that are responsive to cultural contexts and that (1) target social determinants of health, (2) are equally effective with privileged and marginalized emerging adults, and (3) prepare therapists to effectively deliver interventions to diverse groups and demonstrate cultural competence.

Download Full-text

The Future of Social Work Education

Alive After Academia ◽

10.1093/oso/9780190068189.003.0011 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 83-88

Author(s):

Spencer James Zeiger

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Social Services ◽

Social Work Education ◽

The United States ◽

New Faculty ◽

Online Programs ◽

Social Work Educators ◽

The Future ◽

Work Education ◽

Study Participants

Former social work educators, and social work educators standing on the threshold of The Next Chapter, have wisdom to share regarding the future of social work education. We must pay attention to their ideas; our profession is at stake. Topics covered in this chapter include doctoral preparation (with the growth of social work education programs in the United States and a large wave of social work educators retiring, attracting well-prepared new faculty has never been greater); online concerns (most study participants were reluctant to give online programs a ringing endorsement); and the need for increased content on aging (as baby boomers progress through their lifespan, and as life expectancy increases with medical advances, the number of older adults requiring social services will continue to rise).

Download Full-text

Transgender Intimate Partner Violence and Help-Seeking Patterns

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260519880171 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 088626051988017 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Victoria Kurdyla ◽

Adam M. Messinger ◽

Milka Ramirez

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Sexual Minority ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

The United States ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Self Report ◽

Care Providers ◽

Convenience Sample

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against transgender individuals is highly prevalent and impactful, and thus research is needed to examine the extent to which survivors are able to reach needed assistance and safety. To our knowledge, no U.S.-based quantitative studies have explored transgender utilization patterns and perceptions regarding a broad range of help-giving resources (HGRs). The present article fills this gap in the literature by exploring help-seeking attitudes and behaviors of a convenience sample of 92 transgender adults and 325 cisgender sexual minority adults in the United States. Results from an online questionnaire indicate that, among the subsample experiencing IPV ( n = 187), help-seeking rates were significantly higher among transgender survivors (84.1%) than cisgender sexual minority survivors (67.1%). In addition, transgender survivors most commonly sought help from friends (76.7%), followed by mental health care providers (39.5%) and family (30.2%), whereas formal HGRs such as police, IPV telephone hotlines, and survivor shelters had low utilization rates. Among all transgender participants, IPV survivors were significantly less likely than nonsurvivors to perceive family, medical doctors, and survivor hotlines as helpful HGRs for other survivors in general. Finally, transgender survivors were significantly less likely than nonsurvivors to self-report a willingness to disclose any future IPV to family. Although replication with larger, probability samples is needed, these findings suggest that friends often represent the primary line of defense for transgender survivors seeking help, and thus bystander intervention trainings and education should be adapted to address not just cisgender but also transgender IPV. Furthermore, because most formal HGR types appear to be underutilized and perceived more negatively by transgender survivors, renewed efforts are needed to tailor services, service advertising, and provider trainings to the needs of transgender communities. Directions for future research are reviewed.

Download Full-text