SOCIAL WORK WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAMILY REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT CHILDRENS’ DISABILITY

The article is dedicated to the research of family representations about childrens’ disabilities. Nowadays, special attention is paid to the targeted social services development and implementation that will correspond to the needs and demands of a certain client group. The relevance of the research is identifying different types of family representations will help to classify families with children with disabilities according to their attitudes towards social change and, accordingly, improve the quality of provided social services. The purpose of the article is to study the characteristics of family representations about childrens’ disabilities and determine their impact on the process of providing social services to families. The method or semantic differential was used to study the content of different types of family representations, which included the study of the attitudes towards childhood illness, disability status, and family. The observation was used to study the characteristics of family behavior in the process of providing social services. The result of the research there were found four types of family representations: «sacrificial», «compensatory», «perspective» and «adaptive». The first type considers himself as a victim of circumstances and tries to attract specialists to his problems, however does not want to take responsibility for it. The second type tries to compensate for all the restrictions, which were caused by disability, and joined all the activities. The third type of representations percepts disability as a normal characteristic of personality, trying to cope with life challenges. The fourth type of representation is highly adapted, though all the restrictions are perceived as a normal thing, which does not cause any problems. Families with each type of representation have different types of interaction with the social worker and act differently during social events.

New Access Routes to Undertreated Populations; How Do Problem Substance Users Recruited from an Unemployment Office Differ from Detoxification Treatment Inpatients?

Background: Only a minority of subjects with substance use disorders (SUDs) are in addiction-specific treatment (treatment gap). Co-operation between an unemployment office and a psychiatric hospital was established for the assessment and counseling of long-term unemployed clients with SUD. We aim at validating whether such a treatment gap exists in that group, and whether clients from an unemployment office differed from a matched group of inpatient detoxification patients with regard to socio-economic characteristics, substance use and treatment history, and the prevalence of mental disorders Methods: Unemployment office clients (n = 166) with an SUD were assessed using a standardized sociodemographic and clinical interview. They were compared with 83 inpatients from a local detoxification ward, matched for age, sex, and primary addictive disorder (matching ratio 2:1). Results: Most (75.9%) subjects were males, with an average age of 36.7 years. The SUDs mostly related to alcohol (63.9%) and cannabis (27.7%). Although most unemployment office clients had a long SUD history, only half of them had ever been in addiction-specific treatment during their lifetime, and only one in four during the last year. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding age at onset of problematic substance use, the proportion of migrants, and prevalence of comorbid mental disorders. The unemployment office sample showed lower levels of education (p < 0.001), job experience (p = 0.009), and current employment rates (p < 0.001). Conversely, inpatients showed lower rates of imprisonment (p < 0.001), more inpatient detoxification episodes (p < 0.03); and longer abstinence periods (p < 0.005). Conclusions: There was a lifetime and recent treatment gap in the group of long-term unemployed subjects with alcohol and cannabis dependence. The markedly lower educational attainment, chronic employment problems and higher degree of legal conflicts in the client group, as compared with patients in detoxification treatment, might require specific access and treatment options. The co-operation between the psychiatric unit and the unemployment office facilitated access to that group.

The Best Thresholds for Rapid Identification of Episodic and Chronic Homeless Shelter Use

This paper explores how to best identify clients for housing services based on their homeless shelter access patterns. We utilize the number of shelter stays and episodes of shelter use for a client within a specified time window. Thresholds are then applied to these values to determine if that individual is a good candidate for housing support. Using new housing referral impact metrics, we explore a range of threshold and time window values to determine which combination both maximizes impact and identifies good candidates for housing as soon as possible. New insights are also provided regarding the characteristics of the “under-the-radar” client group who are typically not identified for housing support.

Striking a Balance: Improving Practice as a Student Doing Group Music Therapy with Adults with Substance Abuse and Dependence

<p>An action research project was devised to help a music therapy student improve her practice in a group alcohol and drug treatment setting. The project initially focussed on improving practice by delivering more creative, sustained and holistic experiences. Four action cycles of one week each were carried out, each cycle comprising planning, action and reflection stages. Data sources were gathered in the form of clinical notes, a reflective journal and supervision notes from meetings and session de-briefs with counselling staff at the facility. The data was then woven into narrative accounts of each cycle, and key learning points for each cycle were identified. Cycles were also examined for common themes, and nine themes were identified. Findings show the student developing a deeper understanding of practice through the examination of structure and flexibility in facilitation style and musical interactions, and how and when to find balance between structure and freedom. Other key factors relevant to improving practice such as building confidence and working with the interdisciplinary team, are explored. Findings are discussed, along with ideas about the value of carrying out an Action Research project, and suggestions for future projects focussed on improving practice with this client group.</p>

Striking a Balance: Improving Practice as a Student Doing Group Music Therapy with Adults with Substance Abuse and Dependence

<p>An action research project was devised to help a music therapy student improve her practice in a group alcohol and drug treatment setting. The project initially focussed on improving practice by delivering more creative, sustained and holistic experiences. Four action cycles of one week each were carried out, each cycle comprising planning, action and reflection stages. Data sources were gathered in the form of clinical notes, a reflective journal and supervision notes from meetings and session de-briefs with counselling staff at the facility. The data was then woven into narrative accounts of each cycle, and key learning points for each cycle were identified. Cycles were also examined for common themes, and nine themes were identified. Findings show the student developing a deeper understanding of practice through the examination of structure and flexibility in facilitation style and musical interactions, and how and when to find balance between structure and freedom. Other key factors relevant to improving practice such as building confidence and working with the interdisciplinary team, are explored. Findings are discussed, along with ideas about the value of carrying out an Action Research project, and suggestions for future projects focussed on improving practice with this client group.</p>

Challenges in Communication: a Critical Analysis of a Student Music Therapist's Techniques in Working with Special Needs Children

<p>This paper describes the processes under taken by a student music therapist to improve her clinical practice and enhance the quality of service provided to children with profound and multiple disabilities. Using an Action Research model it aims to show how rigorous investigation of one's own practice can improve understanding of the clients and enhance students' abilities and confidence when carrying out placement work. An interview process with three registered music therapists preceded a 12 week action research process. Three cycles were undertaken with each lasting 4 weeks and the interview material informed the initial cycle. Clinical notes, a research journal and video recordings of sessions were three data gathering tools used to evaluate the success of techniques employed. This intensive critical analysis led to a greater awareness of in session communications and an improvement in techniques such as active waiting and repetition of activities. This in turn created increased opportunities for response to musical offerings by this client group.</p>

The Effect of Single Sessions of Music Therapy on the Level of Anxiety in Older Persons with Psychiatric Disorders: A Pilot Study

<p>This pilot study examined the effects of single sessions of music therapy on the level of anxiety in older persons with psychiatric disorders. The studied intervention was a 30 minute music therapy group and the control intervention was a verbal therapeutic intervention in the form of a reminiscence group. Participants acted as their own control. The measurement tool was the state part of a "State Trait Anxiety Inventory". It was administered a total of four times, pre- and post- the music therapy intervention and pre- and post- the reminiscence therapy (control) group. A total of 9 participants were recruited for the study. The results indicated that single sessions of music therapy significantly reduced the level of anxiety for older persons with psychiatric disorders [t(8)=4.626, p<0.0017] as compared to the control intervention as measured by the state part of the "State Trait Anxiety Inventory". There was no evidence for a significant carryover effect since the baselines prior to each intervention did not differ significantly (p=0.55). These results can be considered to be a part of a pilot study and early inquiry into this field since methodological difficulties and the time limitation of the research resulted in some necessary deviations from the original protocol. A major limitation of the study was the choice of a measurement tool, which required the client to be cognitively high functioning. Thus these results are limited to cognitively able clients, which is a relatively small proportion of this client group that could potentially benefit from music therapy. It is suggested that for future research with this client group the measured variable be physical relaxation, rather than anxiety.</p>

The Effect of Single Sessions of Music Therapy on the Level of Anxiety in Older Persons with Psychiatric Disorders: A Pilot Study

<p>This pilot study examined the effects of single sessions of music therapy on the level of anxiety in older persons with psychiatric disorders. The studied intervention was a 30 minute music therapy group and the control intervention was a verbal therapeutic intervention in the form of a reminiscence group. Participants acted as their own control. The measurement tool was the state part of a "State Trait Anxiety Inventory". It was administered a total of four times, pre- and post- the music therapy intervention and pre- and post- the reminiscence therapy (control) group. A total of 9 participants were recruited for the study. The results indicated that single sessions of music therapy significantly reduced the level of anxiety for older persons with psychiatric disorders [t(8)=4.626, p<0.0017] as compared to the control intervention as measured by the state part of the "State Trait Anxiety Inventory". There was no evidence for a significant carryover effect since the baselines prior to each intervention did not differ significantly (p=0.55). These results can be considered to be a part of a pilot study and early inquiry into this field since methodological difficulties and the time limitation of the research resulted in some necessary deviations from the original protocol. A major limitation of the study was the choice of a measurement tool, which required the client to be cognitively high functioning. Thus these results are limited to cognitively able clients, which is a relatively small proportion of this client group that could potentially benefit from music therapy. It is suggested that for future research with this client group the measured variable be physical relaxation, rather than anxiety.</p>

Challenges in Communication: a Critical Analysis of a Student Music Therapist's Techniques in Working with Special Needs Children

<p>This paper describes the processes under taken by a student music therapist to improve her clinical practice and enhance the quality of service provided to children with profound and multiple disabilities. Using an Action Research model it aims to show how rigorous investigation of one's own practice can improve understanding of the clients and enhance students' abilities and confidence when carrying out placement work. An interview process with three registered music therapists preceded a 12 week action research process. Three cycles were undertaken with each lasting 4 weeks and the interview material informed the initial cycle. Clinical notes, a research journal and video recordings of sessions were three data gathering tools used to evaluate the success of techniques employed. This intensive critical analysis led to a greater awareness of in session communications and an improvement in techniques such as active waiting and repetition of activities. This in turn created increased opportunities for response to musical offerings by this client group.</p>