Eco Maps: A Tool to Bridge the Practice-Research Gap

The social work profession has played host to a continuing dialogue about the interplay between research and practice. Traditionally, practitioners collect data that have real-world usefulness and are relevant to the intervention process with particular clients. Researchers, on the other hand, are skilled in designing and conducting studies that result in data that can be generalized to build the profession\u27s foundation of knowledge. Data collection tools and techniques that are both relevant to practice and germane to knowledge-building are needed. This paper demonstrates the use of the eco map, a common practice tool, to collect and organize data about families, thus bridging a gap between practice and research functions

Assessing Depression in Childhood and Adolescence: A Guide for Social Work Practice

Depression is relatively common in children and adolescents, and if left undetected and untreated, can have long-term negative consequences. Social workers providing services to families, children and adolescents need to understand the characteristics, and conduct developmentally appropriate assessments, of depressive symptoms. This paper provides a review of current literature related to the definition, prevalence, co-occurrence, and measurement of depression in childhood and adolescence. It also highlights relevant gender, race, and ethnic influences.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44242/1/10560_2004_Article_457005.pd

A Prospective Study of Adolescents' Peer Support: Gender Differences and the Influence of Parental Relationships

This longitudinal study investigates parent and child predictors of adolescents' perceived social support from peers. Adolescents (285) and their parents filled out surveys when students were 11 and 15 years of age. Parent reports of their own social support and child reports of parental support to them, depression, and self-esteem were used as predictors of adolescents' peer social support. Path analyses revealed functional dissimilarity in the predictive model, for boys and girls. For boys and girls, the amount of spousal support parents' reported impacted the amount of parent to child support that children reported. For boys, this relationship impacted their perceptions of peer support indirectly through depression. However, for girls, parents' own supportive relationships directly impacted both their self-esteem and depression, above and beyond parent to child support, which then impacted girls' peer social support.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45288/1/10964_2004_Article_229992.pd

Gender differences in social support from parents, teachers, and peers: Implications for adolescent development.

This dissertation uses ecological systems theory and a mixed-method, longitudinal research design to conduct three studies of gender differences in social support and it's effects on mental health and academic achievement. The first two studies explore descriptive differences in males' and females' descriptions of support from family members, peers, and other adults. First, survey data from 364 adolescents on perceptions of support is quantitatively analyzed. Second, interviews with a subset of those same adolescents ( n = 46) are qualitatively analyzed for themes related to social support and a comparative analysis was done between males' and females' responses. A third study uses survey data and structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses to examine the differential effects of parents, teachers, and peers over one year's time on depression, self-esteem, grade point average, and expectations of future academic achievement. Results indicate that mean-level gender differences exist in support from some but not all providers. Males perceived more support than females from fathers while females perceived more support than males from friends. No gender differences were found in support from mothers, extended family, and other adults. SEM analyses showed no significant gender differences in the effects of providers on mental health and academic outcomes. Mothers, teachers, and friends all emerged as helpful to adolescents, especially in lowering depression and raising self-esteem. Fathers were perceived as least supportive and, unexpectedly, they had reverse effects on mental health outcomes. Interview data and other research suggest that negative messages can be given during some interactions that are intended to be supportive. Males tend to criticize or downplay others' problems during supportive interactions, which may account for the effects of fathers on several outcomes. Only mother support had a significant, positive effect on students' grade point average and no significant effects were found for future academic expectations. Lack of effects is contributed to measurement problems. Findings across the three studies are integrated in a concluding chapter in order to triangulate data and expand the breadth and scope of the project as a whole. Implications of the effects of gender roles on processes of social support for social work practice with adolescents and families are further discussed.Ph.D.Developmental psychologyEducationEducational psychologyPsychologySocial SciencesSocial workUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/132326/2/9963761.pd

Healing Our Women for Transgender Women: Adaptation, Acceptability, and Pilot Testing.

Healing Our Women (HOW) is a group-level HIV risk-reduction intervention developed to address the role of prior sexual victimization in HIV risk and protective behaviors among HIV-positive women of color. This article describes the process of adapting HOW for transgender women of color in New York City in accordance with CDC guidance for the adaptation of efficacious interventions. Twenty-one transgender women were enrolled in a study to evaluate the acceptability and fidelity of the adapted intervention, and to assess HIV knowledge, depressive symptoms, coping, condom use self-efficacy, and condom use via pre- and post-intervention surveys. We found the adapted program to be feasible to implement and acceptable to participants. We also found significant decreases in depressive symptoms and increases in positive coping from pre- to post-intervention, although replication with a larger sample and a control group comparison is needed to determine efficacy with this population

Healing Our Women for Transgender Women: Adaptation, Acceptability, and Pilot Testing

Healing Our Women (HOW) is a group-level HIV risk-reduction intervention developed to address the role of prior sexual victimization in HIV risk and protective behaviors among HIV-positive women of color. This article describes the process of adapting HOW for transgender women of color in New York City in accordance with CDC guidance for the adaptation of efficacious interventions. Twenty-one transgender women were enrolled in a study to evaluate the acceptability and fidelity of the adapted intervention, and to assess HIV knowledge, depressive symptoms, coping, condom use self-efficacy, and condom use via pre- and post-intervention surveys. We found the adapted program to be feasible to implement and acceptable to participants. We also found significant decreases in depressive symptoms and increases in positive coping from pre- to post-intervention, although replication with a larger sample and a control group comparison is needed to determine efficacy with this population