Helping Child Welfare Workers Learn Interviewing Skills

The University Archives has determined that this item is of continuing value to OSU's history.Session 1. Presenter: Colleen Friend, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve (2004) - "Helping Child Welfare Workers Learn Interviewing Skills"The Ohio State University College of Social Wor

School Connectedness: An Examination of the Lived Experiences that Influence Homeless, Middle-level Students' Feelings of Security and Belongingness to School

The number of homeless students throughout the nation is increasing each year. The majority of these homeless students attend public schools. Many children who live in these situations experience trauma which can impact their ability to perform in school. Feelings of belonging and connectedness to school can serve as a protective factor for students and prevent risk-taking behaviors. This research study used a phenomenological design to understand the lived experiences of homeless, middle-level adolescents and their feelings of connectedness to school. Using an open-ended interview process, five participants who attended the same middle school shared their experiences that may or may not have made them feel connected to school. Themes that emerged from the interviews included challenges students experienced, students’ perceptions of staff, relationships with peers, school climate, pedagogy, and student advice to improve belonging or connectedness to school. The study supported findings of previous research in addition to providing insight into the lived experiences of the homeless, middle-level adolescents. Data from the research may provide administrators with information to adapt school practices and provide more opportunities for students to feel connected to school

From evolving discourses to new practice approaches in domestic violence and child protective services

This article examines the evolution of the discourse surrounding domestic violence (DV), explores how that discourse intersects with public child welfare (PCW), and makes some suggestions for improving the quality and consistency of services for families involved with these systems in both the United States and Canada. In particular, the discourse at the intersection of the two systems has focused on whether or not children's exposure to DV is maltreatment and, further, if it warrants placement in foster care. Within the PCW system itself, data seem to point to divisions in worker beliefs over what circumstances necessitate removal of children and what solutions should be pursued in order to achieve permanence. Legislation and courts have spoken to this complex issue. Given the tension and new developments in the field, this article proposes that harm reduction (HR), evidence-based practice (EBP), and differential response (DR) approaches can bring the two systems together in order to better serve families.

A Scientific Modeling Sequence for Teaching Earth Seasons

A sequence for teaching Earth seasons is described. The sequence was designed with the use of guidelines for developing scientific modeling instruction. The presented sequence of activities differs from some previously developed Earth seasons activities in its emphasis on using students' own ideas to develop and test scientific models. Throughout the sequence, students' ideas are considered and tested in light of additional evidence that is gathered through various first-hand modeling activities. Evidence for instructional effectiveness is presented using several questions from pre- and postcourse assessments administered to elementary and middle school teachers in two groups: teachers who experienced the modeling-focused sequence, and teachers who experienced instruction addressing Earth seasons that included modeling but with no specific sequence for learning. Teachers who experienced the modeling-focused sequence demonstrated larger gains on assessment questions. Several limitations to this real-world instructional example are described

Prevalence, emergence and factors associated with a Viral Papillomatosis and Carcinomatosis Syndrome in wild, reintroduced and captive Western Barred Bandicoots (Perameles Bougainville)

Once widespread across western and southern Australia, wild populations of the western barred bandicoot (WBB) are now only found on Bernier and Dorre Islands, Western Australia. Conservation efforts to prevent the extinction of the WBB are presently hampered by a papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome identified in captive and wild bandicoots, associated with infection with the bandicoot papillomatosis carcinomatosis virus type 1 (BPCV1). This study examined the prevalence and distribution of BPCV1 and the associated syndrome in two island and four mainland (reintroduced and captive) WBB populations in Western Australia, and factors that may be associated with susceptibility to this syndrome. BPCV1 and the syndrome were found in the wild WBB population at Red Cliff on Bernier Island, and in mainland populations established from all or a proportion of founder WBBs from Red Cliff. BPCV1 and the syndrome were not found in the wild population on Dorre Island or in the mainland population founded by animals exexclusively from Dorre Island. Findings suggested that BPCV1 and the syndrome were disseminated into mainland WBB populations through the introduction of affected WBBs from Red Cliff. No difference in susceptibility to the syndrome was found between Dorre Island, Bernier Island, and island-cross individuals. Severity of lesions and the number of affected animals observed in captivity was greater than that observed in wild populations. This study provided epidemiological evidence to support the pathological and molecular association between BPCV1 infection and the papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome and revealed increasing age as an additional risk factor for this disease

Clonidine as an adjunct to intravenous regional anesthesia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dose ranging study

Background : The addition of clonidine to lidocaine intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) has been previously reported to improve postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing upper extremity surgery. Our objective was to perform a dose ranging study in order to determine the optimal dose of clonidine used with lidocaine in IVRA. Design & Setting : We performed a double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled study with 60 patients scheduled for elective endoscopic carpal tunnel release under IVRA with 50 ml lidocaine 0.5%. University-affiliated outpatient surgery center. Data collected in operating rooms, recovery room, and by telephone after discharge from surgery center. Materials & Methods : Sixty adult ASA I or II patients undergoing outpatient endoscopic carpal tunnel release under intravenous regional anesthesia.Patients were randomized into five study groups receiving different doses of clonidine in addition to 50 ml 0.5% lidocaine in their IVRA. Group A received 0 mcg/kg, group B 0.25 mcg/kg, group C 0.5 mcg/kg, group D 1.0 mcg/kg and group E 1.5 mcg/kg of clonidine.Intraoperative fentanyl, recovery room pain scores, time to first postsurgical analgesic, total number of acetaminophen/codeine tablets consumed postsurgery, incidence of sedation, hypotension and bradycardia. Results & Conclusions : There was no benefit from any dose of clonidine compared to placebo. There were no clonidine-related side effects seen within the dose range studied. In short duration minor hand surgery, the addition of clonidine to lidocaine-based intravenous regional anesthesia provides no measurable benefit