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Lack of proficiency in writing and research among social work students has increasingly concerned social work educators and practitioners. Given the significance of written communication with clients and emphasis on evidence-based practice in the field of social work, it is critical to assess students’ competence in both writing and research. However, deficit-based approaches to assessing writing and research competence have disadvantaged students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This pilot study aims to assess writing and research proficiency of HBCU master’s of social work (MSW) students through empirical analysis of their capstone papers and surveys from educators to provide implications for developing a writing and research manual for social work programs at HBCUs. Ten capstone papers were randomly selected and qualitatively analyzed; nine faculty and one field supervisor completed the survey, and their respondents were analyzed using cross-case analysis. Analyses of the capstone papers identified two themes for writing and research domains, respectively: (1) weakness in developing statements and lack of knowledge of writing style and (2) plagiarism and lack of understanding of research structure. Moreover, analyses of the surveys revealed four themes regarding assessment of writing and research skills among students struggling with basic writing mechanics, indicating that HBCU MSW students may have potential and capacity for learning, as evidenced by their ideas and critical thinking skills. These findings suggest both teaching- and research-oriented programs could employ the proposed writing and research assessment manual, as well as a writing and research lab/center for improving writing and research skills among their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high rate of mortality and global panic for the past 6 months because of Covid-19 pandemic calls for concern. Among the precautionary measures from international health organizations and governments to her citizens are the total lock-down, self-isolation, physical distancing, and handwashing mechanisms. Thus, this study attempts to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of these mechanisms by residents and tourists in George Town Heritage City traditional shophouses and proffer possible ways to mitigate future pandemics, especially concerning interior design components of a typical traditional shophouse. To achieve this, a phenomenology type of qualitative research was adopted. Data were collected via observations of selected traditional shophouses in George Town Heritage City, face-to-face interviews conducted, and validated via secondary sources. Findings show that it is difficult to practice some of the precautionary measures as recommended by appropriate authorities in majority of the George Town Heritage City traditional shophouses because of renovation and modernization to the original design. As part of the practical implications, this study is advocating for the modification of future design and construction to mitigate the spread of the contagious pandemic in shophouses. Also, this paper intends to stir-up key stakeholders and open new areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on Black/African American males' depressive experiences and expressions is still developing. While research has shown that men are less likely to be diagnosed with depression when compared to women, the experiences of Black/African Americans are often ignored at a far greater level. This study aimed to highlight how Black/African American men understood, discussed, and dealt with their depression. Interviews of N = 4 Black/African American men were analyzed from a larger qualitative study that examined depression among Blacks/African Americans. Qualitative content analysis techniques, which included open coding, were used to identify themes within the interviews that identified similarities across participant's experiences. The themes highlighted within this report included: (a) depressive episodes as responses to traumatic life events; (b) family and paternal significance for Black/African American men; (c) substance use and sleeping as coping/treatment; and (d) stigma as the greatest impediment to help-seeking and service use. Blacks/African Americans experienced depression within the classical contextualization of the DSM-V. However, they quickly learned to adapt to their experiences, push through the pain, and identify their experiences as normal parts of everyday living. The paper ends with some recommended practice implications for service providers who are interested in working with Black/African American men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies showed that rapid urbanization creates encumbrance for affordable housing in many developing world cities. Community participation has been proved as a successful platform of infrastructural facilities provision in developing cities but how far regarding affordable housing provision is yet to receive in-depth studies in Nigeria. Therefore, the study investigated the role of community in the provision of affordable housing and proffer possible solutions to enhance home ownership. Five communities in Benin City were engaged as the case study to achieve the study's objectives via a phenomenology type of qualitative research design. The study combined MAXQDA 2018 with thematic analysis to explain the data. Absence of recognition by government, inadequate infrastructural facilities, housing finance inaccessibility, lax policy to engage community leaders, and high cost of available land emerged as the root cause of factors impeding community participation in housing provision. Findings show that addressing the root cause will determine the success or failure of community within Benin and in other developing cities (with related cultural, economic, and social attributes) to participate in affordable housing provision. As part of this paper's implications, findings will enhance policymakers and lawmakers in decision-making concerning community-based housing policy toward achieving urban futures for Nigerian cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global lockdown of higher education institutions due to COVID-19 has led to major modifications in the way education is delivered. While students were enrolled in traditional learning environments before the pandemic, delivery modes changed quickly into online or remote learning environments mid-semester at the onset of the coronavirus. Many students experienced different emotions and challenges in response to the disruption. This study explored those experiences from the graduate students' perspective. Qualitative methods were used to analyze graduate student reflections across the Spring 2020 semester during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 7). The reflection papers captured the students' fears, frustrations, anxieties, and concerns over six weeks. The outcome of the study identified five key themes—accepting virtual learning and teaching; managing disappointment; experiencing loss of power and control; feeling anxious and fearful; and incorporating coping strategies and finding relief. Most study participants expressed concern over the effectiveness of the online learning environment, while others struggled with the possibility of not seeing their colleagues physically in class. There was a general feeling that students did not have control over what they did and the uncertainty over the coronavirus proved difficult to manage. The study participants proposed a few coping strategies, including finding enough space to work and connecting with others for emotional support. This work contributes to the growing body of studies on COVID-19 and its impact on students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social work profession has become critical in assisting victims of violent crime at social service agencies in South Africa. Social workers have been spearheading efforts to help trauma victims at the expense of their mental health. For Black South African social workers, the mental burden of working with victim collides with historical trauma to create new ways of experiencing mental health challenges. The study aimed to explore the experiences of social workers working with victims of violent crime at select social service agencies in Johannesburg. The study was qualitative in nature and a case study design was used. Data was collected using in-depth interviews. The researchers used purposive sampling and data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results from the study showed that Black South African social workers working in the field of violent crime face challenges such as prolonged sadness, emotional exhaustion and vicarious trauma. All these psychological problems are amplified by the fact that social workers in South Africa work under strenuous conditions. This increases the impact of psychological problems on social workers. Therefore, this paper argues that when the psychological effects of working with victims of violent crime, intersect with historical trauma, it produces unique ways of experiencing trauma for Black South African social workers. This study has strong implications for research about the health and wellbeing of social work practitioners working with trauma victims. The study exposes the need to prioritize the wellbeing of social workers especially those working in contexts with a traumatic past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to explore Congolese refugees and asylum seekers' survival strategies in South Africa, the focus of this paper will be on the role of the social worker. The paper is part of the study that was conducted on Congolese refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa post-war or conflicts. The study employed a qualitative research method and a descriptive case study of 10 female Congolese refugees living in Yeoville, Johannesburg South Africa. The participants have lived in South African for less than five years and there were 30–40 years of age. Data were collected by means of one-on-one in-depth interviews in the form of semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques were used in the selection of participants. Thematic content analysis was used in analyzing the data collected. The paper provides recommendations on what role can social workers play can in mental wellbeing interventions. This study also contributes to a better understanding of mental wellbeing issues of Congolese refugees and asylum seekers. Ethical approval for this research study was obtained from the Department of Social Work Human Research Ethics Committee (Non-medical) of the University of Witwatersrand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subjective well-being (SWB) has been widely found to have a profound impact on the individual, yet the process of its occurrence in public organizations remains unexplored. So the primary purpose of this paper is to explore the determining factors affecting the process of employee's subjective well-being in public organizations using mixed methods research. Qualitative analysis using the grounded theory methodology reveals the effective factors that affect the process of employee's subjective well-being in public organizations. Quantitative hypotheses are then developed based on a qualitative investigation. Survey data were collected from employees of public organizations in one of the provinces of Iran. Analysis of Moment Structure is used for data analysis. The results of the research revealed that both individual and organizational factors (as causal factors) influence the employees' subjective well-being process (life satisfaction and positive affect). This phenomenon leads to the use of strategies which are affected by intervening and contextual factors. The consequences of this process are to change the attitude and behavior of individuals and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. This paper is among the first known to examine subjective well-being in public organizations using mixed methods research. The mixed methods approach offers a better insight to understanding effective factors affecting subjective well-being compared to the use of either a qualitative or quantitative method alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to strengthen the student's peace-loving attitudes through Huma Betang Value-Based on General Education Curriculum. General Education (GE) at the Palangka Raya University consists of multicultural students. Historically, there have been conflicts between students at Palangka Raya University and horizontal conflicts of the Dayak and Madura ethnic groups. Through a qualitative approach, the procedure of this research included: 1) FGD examines the GE curriculum 2) Workshop on the development of GE curriculum models based on Huma Betang values 3) Expert Validation of assessment on devices that have been developed 4) implementation of the GE model 5) The reflection of the Huma Betang value-based GE implementation. The results showed that the introduction to Huma Betang underscored the values ofhonesty, harmony, tolerance, and togetherness in diversity. Huma Betang Dialogs encouraged the introduction of each other between students from across departments and faculties. The Huma Betang could develop identity performances collaboration on ethnic characteristics of the students. The Huma Betang trained the students to have problem solving skills through the Peace-Loving Project, consisting of a brief video on peace-loving. The strengthening of the students' peace-loving attitudes can be integrated in the curriculum because the activities can increase students knowledge and understanding of others,accept the diversity in accordance with their identity, improve communication with others, increase solidarity with others, increase cooperation with others, make students creative in providing solutions to the problems of peace-loving, make students have the peace-loving attitudes, and make students do the actions that uphold the attitude of peace-loving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is timely to have this kind of study in South Africa as the country has an increasing number of people living with HIV and AIDS. While an extensive literature has documented factors associated with HIV and AIDS, psychosocial variables associated with the health of persons living with HIV (PLH) have only begun to receive attention recently. The objective of this paper was to explore the views of a group of people living with HIV and AIDS regarding HIV and AIDS and Self-Forgiveness. Theoretical base: To examine the role of self-forgiveness in people living with HIV and AIDS, George Engel's Biopsychosocial Model was adopted. Methods: Individual In-depth Interviews were conducted with 10 purposefully-selected participants in Ekurhuleni. Outcomes: Results showed that self-forgiveness has a huge role in the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS. For instance, it has been found that self-forgiveness leads to acceptance of HIV status, promote infected people to seek medical care, and eventually gain the confidence to disclose to friends and families. Work implications: In conclusion, self-forgiveness has micro, messo and macro implications as it promotes good health of people living with HIV and AIDS; enhance HIV status self-disclosure and adherence to HIV treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes traces of masculinity by examining Malaysian sports news, centralizing the discussion on emotions in sports news discourse. Specifically, it compares the depictions of male and female athletes in newspaper texts and (co)-construct masculinity and varying notions of emotion through corpus-assisted discourse analysis, including the ways in which these depictions on 'emotion' can help social workers in sport. By extracting a specialized corpus known as Malaysian Sports News, manual qualitative analysis paired with corpus linguistics techniques is used. The results will reveal sporadic examples of emotion-centered expressions that describe sports as a depiction of stereotypes of masculinity. We begin by locating past studies and making their connections, adapting some of the many research rigors by paying attention to specific findings that have been reworked in other important, global perspectives of social work. By focusing on corpus-assisted discourse analysis of athletes in newspapers, convergence and divergence between male and female athlete reporting highlighting implications of masculinities on social workers in sports and the recent 2018 APA Guidelines on Boys and Men can be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the paper is to critically examine and document the living conditions of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Marawi City. Forcibly displaced more than a year ago due to armed conflict, these IDPs managed to find their way to an unoccupied building in the outskirt of Iligan City, Lanao del Norte Province, Philippines. Results show their range of main concerns such as the supply of electricity and water, health services and medicines and more importantly, food. Disruptions on children's schooling and most especially the discontinuation of their parents' livelihood were also documented. The community is waiting for their "turn" to access better temporary shelters provided by the government. The study utilized key informant interview (KII) among 10 household heads (from among the 75 families living in the building). Their narratives reveal several coping strategies amidst insufficient government assistance and community feeling of isolation, the most glaring of those, is the dependency to social network, capitalizing on the social ties with relatives and friends for assistance. The IDPs admitted however that the same assistance is not enough. Additionally, the reduction of food consumption and selling of food relief packs remain unsustainable in coping with their destitute condition. Moreover, the article also touches on the consequence of their displacement context on socio-familial dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of HIV and AIDS have devastated families and communities in South Africa. The scourge has also left many children orphaned in the country. Given the vulnerability of orphaned children, social workers are in the forefront of ensuring that these children are cared for and protected from any harm. Hence, the purpose of this paper was to explore the role of a social worker in issues related to children orphaned by AIDS in their middle childhood. This study was situated within a qualitative research paradigm utilizing purposive, non-probability sampling of 10 participants recruited from Potchefstroom in the Northwest Province of South Africa. A semi-structured interview schedule was employed as a research tool, and in-depth one-on-one interviews were adopted as the method of data collection. A thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data collected during the interviews. The main findings point towards the need to educate children about HIV and AIDS and to empower their caregivers. The primary conclusion drawn from this study is that social workers play various key roles which contribute towards the well-being of orphaned children. Recommendations are posed in relation to social work service providers, government interventions, and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offering an understanding of specialized service needs of those becoming homeless because of the death of a parent or parental figure, this project is set in Detroit’s urban context, where residents face economic hardship and intergenerational poverty. In this study, we analyze the voices of practitioners (n = 5) and men (n = 5) who have experienced parental death as a contributing factor to homelessness in Detroit, Michigan. Findings include the following: (1) the impact of death and dying experiences on these men and (2) the role of care networks in these men’s lives, particularly when these men have and lack “default” caregivers after death of a parent. This community-based research project was a result of a partnership between a local agency serving persons experiencing homelessness, where the practitioner initiated the project with the researcher. The paper concludes with implications for social work practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article describes the meanings and experiences of happiness among a few select married Alangan Mangyan indigenous women in the Municipality of Baco, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. A total of 10 informants were interviewed for the study. Narrative analysis through coding was employed to be able to explore themes and patterns. Overall, there are four ideas that point to the character of happiness in the context of indigenous women. First, while it is an emotional state that is experienced by the individual, happiness emanates from a social field be it the family or community and expression of it requires the existence of that social field. Thus, the Filipino notion of "pakikipagkapwa-tao" (relating to others) works well in understanding the concept of happiness. Second, being able to access basic rights such as food, employment, and education has become a source of happiness amongst this indigenous populations, thus making happiness a human development issue. Third, happiness is an emotional state that is ever ubiquitous if one argues that family and community are sources of happiness. However, such an emotional state is also highly capricious. Even if one chooses to be happy, there are negative external situations that affect the maintenance of one's happiness. Fourth, happiness, while it is dependent on social space by and large, is also affected by the physical environment. The impact of physical environment on the Alangan Mangyan provides us insights regarding the nature of happiness that goes beyond one's agency. Thus, happiness indeed is a relative emotional yet a social experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 "Corona" virus which spread across the entire world infected 228 Countries and Territories around the world and a total of 608,334,993 confirmed cases of the coronavirus COVID-19 that originated from Wuhan, China, and a death toll of 6,496,836 deaths. In the United States, it affected more than 9.4 million people. This has changed the entire lifestyle of the people and schools and colleges were shut down from 16th March 2020 onwards. This article focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on social work education, and the psychological and sociological aspects of the community in Louisiana. Data was collected using an online a 15 -item questionnaire that was emailed to all the students studying at the Louisiana Christian University, Louisiana State. Findings revealed that there is a need for advanced preparedness plans and resources to face sudden epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indiscriminate waste disposal practices and open defecation put pressure on environmental and human health in developing countries. Environmental sanitation laws have been enacted in those countries in an attempt to change sanitation behavior, but enforcement has been weak. This study examined the causes of poor enforcement of environmental sanitation laws in Ghana and the effects of the phenomenon on environmental and public health. Qualitative data were collected from 83 sanitation-related experts, informants, and workers, and analyzed using the thematic approach. It became evident that the main causes were the weak political will of the government, low commitment of enforcement institutions, mild sanctions regime, inadequate funding for enforcement, pervasive corruption, poor sanitation culture, and low capacity of the enforcement institutions. The environmental health effects were polluted air and water bodies, choked drainage systems, seasonal flooding, and dirty community landscapes. The public health effects were the incidence of diseases including, diarrhea, malaria, typhoid, and neglected tropical diseases. The government should build a mix of committed political, cultural, religious, legal, and social institutions, comprising relevant sector ministries and local governments, traditional authorities, churches and mosques, sanitation tribunals, vibrant civil society organizations, and mass media for enforcement management through advocacy and public education on sanitation and the laws. The government should provide funding, fight corruption, equip the relevant institutions, and hold the frontline enforcement institutions—sector ministries and local governments—accountable for the lapses in enforcement. The socio-cultural behavior change approach to enforcement should be strengthened in support of the traditional prosecutorial and sanctions regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, musculoskeletal lumbopelvic pain (LPP) predominates among women. This high predominance of LPP is attributed to the complex interaction of biomechanical, psychological, and social factors among women. The deleterious effect of LPP has increased the likelihood of LPP-care seeking among women. The need for care seeking is influenced by a person's perception, beliefs, and attitude toward pain; which in turn, is framed by his/her culture and community. Thus, this qualitative research aimed to seek insights into LPP-care seeking behaviors among women from Indian cultural background. Semi-structured interviews were administered among 18 women living in urban as well as semi-urban areas of North India. Analysis of interview scripts lead to generation of three themes: LPP-care seeking behavior, non-adherence to LPP rehabilitation and barriers to LPP rehabilitation. LPP-care seeking behavior was influenced by unawareness about physiotherapy (PT), self-help practices and beliefs about LPP. We also found that lack or incomplete knowledge incite false assumptions, resulted in non-adherence in LPP rehabilitation. In addition, unsupportive family, lack of time, and difficulty in memorizing LPP exercises were the cultural, work, and old age-related barriers to LPP-care seeking, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been little research on the challenges facing special education teachers (SETs), since the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify SETs predictors for stress and barriers to teaching effectiveness. Using a mixed methods cross-sectional design we sampled six public sector special needs institutes. A total of 205 quantitative surveys and 21 qualitative interviews were collected, respectively. Logistic bivariate regression results revealed seven factors predicting higher stress in SETs and qualitative themes further shed light on barriers to teacher efficacy. We conclude with key recommendations for the Special Education Sector and support for SETs, with implications for other developing regions. Abbreviations: SET: special edcation teachers; SSN: students with special needs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an official HIV infection rate of 18.5%, approximately one in five South Africans are HIV positive. Despite this prevalence, stigma and discrimination associated with being HIV positive is widespread. HIV-related stigma emanates from the fact that HIV is associated with risky behaviors such as drug use, sexual promiscuity, homosexuality and transactional sex. Participants were recruited through announcements in classrooms and during community meetings. Participants were selected if they knew someone who was discriminated against HIV as a result of being affected by HIV. The status of the participants was irrelevant. Seven focus group sessions were conducted with 62 participants. The results show that stigma is seen as a result of lack of HIV knowledge, with participants from rural areas showing more knowledge regarding HIV transmission and care as compared to urban participants. Most participants agreed that disclosure leads to more voluntary HIV testing, obtaining treatment and preventing further transmission of HIV. The results of this study provide indications that stigma can be mitigated by increasing knowledge of HIV prevention, targeted information campaigns in urban areas, and encouraging discussion about stigma and discrimination against the disease. Programmes should apply the Theory of Planned Behavior for the development of such interventions, take culture, creed, and other social affiliation into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article ascribes social-interactional strategies of ethnic Chinese toward the local people in developing mutual social relationship after the conflicts or post-conflicts. The context of multicultural ethnic life had distressed Chinese people to mingle with local people in West Kalimantan causing a wide social gap in the society. This research was conducted through an ethnography methodology to reveal the facts utilizing observation, interview, and documentation to collect the data. There were twelve participants participated as the informants of the research included four Chinese and eight local people. The results of the research revealed that ethnic Chinese had been successful to rebuild and develop the social relationship with the local people through social interaction and engagement. The strategy used was to prioritize human values while interacting, as well as to respect the culture diversity that existed in the community. By implementing the strategy, the social—interactional relationship between Chinese and local people after the conflicts became harmonious. This result could also trigger or lead other multicultural communities to implement similar strategies to fix or rebuild their inter-ethnic relationship. Finally, this article contributes to propose problem solutions to solve social conflicts in multicultural community, and as an effort to prevent the inter-ethnic conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was in 1960 when the concept of imageability was coined by Lynch, who also emphasized the importance of meaning, legibility, and visibility in the physical environment. Similarly, this study will explore the value of a memorable image within the city center's quarters, by analyzing socio-spatial interaction, pedestrian flow, and users' perception. This study will focus on the relationship between two retailing quarters of a city center and will analyze impacts of a hugely-scaled urban shopping mall on the whole image and memory of a city center. A case study of two main quarters in the City Center of Derby, UK will be analyzed to give analytical suggestions for planning and design in the future and possibly similar developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the willingness and barriers to utilizing e-therapy services in Nigeria where the prevalence of mental illness is high. A qualitative open-ended study was conducted with a heterogeneous sample of 100 Nigerians with an age range of 18–52 years. Participants were members of the general Nigerian population, recruited from social media. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Eighty-eight participants were willing to utilize e-therapy services in Nigeria. Their willingness was driven by factors such as their experiences during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, "perceived comfort in pouring out one's heart to a therapist that is guaranteed in e-therapy," and curiosity to explore what e-therapy entails. On the other hand, nine participants were unwilling, and their unwillingness was mostly driven by the perception that the Nigerian environment was disenabling for e-therapy (for instance, poor electricity supply in Nigeria). While three participants were neutral about their willingness. Twelve barriers to utilizing e-therapy services in Nigeria were identified, they were; "poor internet service", "high internet service charge", "limited communication", "lack of trust in the efficacy of e-therapy services", "preference for face-to-face therapy", "concerns about confidentiality", "anticipated stigmatization", "technological illiteracy", "ignorance of existing e-therapy services in Nigeria", "absence of e-therapy services in Nigeria", "uncertainty about what to expect from e-therapy service", and "perceived distraction during e-therapy session." While our findings contribute to strengthening the utility of e-therapy services in Nigeria, future studies should replicate the current study with the digitally excluded Nigerian general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the insights of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems and Lazarus' coping theories, this article highlights the challenges and coping strategies of women living with obstetric fistula in the Northern Region of Ghana. Employing the convenience sampling technique, 55 women were purposively recruited to participate in the study. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted to collect data. With the permission of participants, the FGDs and IDIs were audio-recorded and transcribed. The data were analyzed to identify emerging themes that addressed the objectives of the study. The findings indicated that participants encountered varied challenges (physiological issues; abandonment and divorce; psychological problems; financial constraints; and difficulty accessing healthcare). Furthermore, it was found that the women included in this study adopted both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies. Evidence showed that the problem-focused strategies were begging for assistance and seeking support from the Fistula Kpandai support group. Maintaining personal hygiene and optimistic motivation were the emotion-focused strategies employed by the participants. Based on the findings of the study, implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religion and spirituality play a vital role in the quality of life among survivors of trauma. Studies indicate that individuals may experience diverse trajectories based upon personal experiences including those who: suspend traditional perspectives of God and later experience restoration to some extent, reject religion and create new meaning. This study examines religion and spirituality as influenced by survivors' pre-war relationships and Holocaust experiences. Seventeen members of the Holocaust Speaker's Bureau discussed their early experiences prior to the Holocaust, highlighting relationships with their parents and their children. All participants had gone through concentration camps, were married, and had children. Qualitative interviews were conducted and analyzed using a consensual coding process. Themes related to Jewish identity in terms of religious practices and traditions, faith in God (miracles), and family history are discussed. God's role in the Holocaust is addressed in addition to survivor perspectives of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the findings of a qualitative investigation that provide some of the first detailed information from the caregiver's perspective about utilizing hippotherapy for children with a wide range of needs. In contrast to prior studies that focused primarily on the benefits of hippotherapy for children with cerebral palsy (CP) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this study included children with a broader range of congenital disorders, developmental disabilities, and medical issues. Many research studies have looked at the benefits of hippotherapy for those with CP and ASD. There is limited research on the impact of this form of therapy on various other childhood diseases or disorders. This multiple case study identified patterns of caregivers' responses to semi-structured interview questions as to the impact of hippotherapy on their children. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 11 caregivers. Thematic analysis of the qualitative interviews identified four themes; caregiver life concerns for their children, benefits of hippotherapy, quality of life improvements, and use of other therapies. The findings of this study represent a valuable first step in gaining a better understanding of the benefits of hippotherapy for these children. They are consistent with and expand upon findings of earlier studies that found therapeutic benefits for children with ASD and CP who participated in hippotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child well-being is particularly relevant to South African social workers given the country's high rates of violence, poverty, inequality, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, and poor schooling outcomes. Guided by a social constructivist theoretical lens, and located within an interpretive qualitative research design, the aim of the study was to determine whether children's drawings and teacher interviews can differentiate qualitatively between children with positive well-being and those with compromised well-being. Children aged 6–8 years whose parents/caregivers were recipients of Child Support Grants (CSGs) were asked to draw a picture of themselves and their families and teachers were asked about the children's functioning. Findings from triangulation of drawings and interviews suggested that while a firm diagnosis of emotional, behavioral, or cognitive disorder could not be reached, it was possible to differentiate between children with positive well-being and those whose well-being appeared to be compromised by developmental delay, learning difficulties, emotional problems, behavioral problems, and/or social issues. It is therefore recommended that social workers make greater use of children's drawings and educator interviews as assessment tools. However, one should not rely solely on children's drawings, but should rather combine drawings with child and educator interviews. Findings also highlight the need for South African social workers to develop indicators that are culturally and ecologically applicable to African children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has challenged every aspect of our "normal" lives. COVID-19 requires us to make behavioral and attitudinal changes to coexist with the coronavirus. Universities have been affected substantially, and online teaching and learning have become the "new normal." The strategies to achieve this "new normal" and how they are received depend on the sociocultural context. This preliminary qualitative inquiry explores how, during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, university teaching and learning were maintained and social distancing became a learning opportunity. The voices of first-year graduate students in this inquiry enable us to understand the dynamics of their responses and show their resilience, particularly their ability to turn challenges into creative opportunities. The implications are that shared values and beliefs will help us to get through this crisis together, and collective action will help us to continue to move forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to the rapid growth of English language programs in higher educational institutions, inexpensive living expenses, and affordable tuition fees in Thailand, the number of international students coming to the kingdom has risen year on year, with a parallel increase in the challenging experiences of acculturation of being an exchange student in an alien environment away from one's domestic norms. This qualitative study aims to gain an in-depth understanding of French exchange students' experiences of cross-cultural adjustment encountered during their residency and exchange program attendance in Thailand. The findings of this present study shed light on a better understanding of lived experiences of French exchange students in four major areas: (1) linguistic limitations and their possible solutions; (2) culture shock and associated acculturative stress; (3) cultural adjustment; and (4) proposed extra-curricular activities to foster French exchange students' cross-cultural adaptation to the Thai collectivistic context. The implications of this study will be beneficial for educators working in academic international relations departments to better understand the challenges faced by international students and explore social support mechanisms to address problems arising during the students' residency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are often constraints and obstacles for those experiencing problems with mental health when accessing care provided by mental health multidisciplinary teams. Saudi Arabia has relatively little literature on the subject of mental health recovery. The purpose of this study was to explore the perception of experienced mental health practitioners of the concept of recovery and its role in the delivery of mental health care services in Saudi Arabia. A constructivist phenomenological qualitative inquiry using 10 multidisciplinary mental health practitioners based at a governmental hospital participated in focus group guided interviews. Analysis of interview content was assisted by software NVivo 10.1. The two main emergent themes of the data were: (a) the perception of the recovery concept (subthemes: meaning of recovery, perception of recovery in mental health, the understanding of holistic recovery, and knowledge and background), and (b) delivery of recovery in mental health care services (subthemes: practicing experience and effective recovery). Results of the analysis may allow improvement of recovery aimed mental health in Saudi Arabia. Effective communication with patients and their relatives, professional education, and policy changes may assist in enhanced recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeat pregnancy may be more challenging to teenage mothers and their children because of increased socio-economic impact, as well as the influence of generally short pregnancy interval. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, this study explored challenges faced by teenage mothers with repeat pregnancy and support services available to them. Utilizing a qualitative research design, convenience and snowball sampling methods were used to recruit 41 participants, which consisted of 33 teenage mothers and eight health workers from Mamprobi Polyclinic, Accra, Ghana. Individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were utilized to gather data that were analyzed thematically. Findings showed that teenage mothers faced educational, financial, and health challenges. They also experienced psychological issues, particularly stigma. Additionally, teenage mothers did not obtain much support from their spouses and had to fend for themselves or relied on their families, neighbors, and health workers. Furthermore, teenage mothers encountered some barriers (family members rationalizing their problems, being accused of infidelity, and negative attitudes of some health professionals) when they accessed support services. Moreover, many of the teenage mothers were ignorant of available formal support services. The findings suggest the need to promote education on repeat pregnancy, family planning, and available support services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on diversity issues of ethnicity, race, religion, and societal groups, in the journalistic text of four cyber media, i.e. Kompas.com, Tribunnews.com, detik.com, and Viva.co.id. The news coverage on diversity issues shows the attention of cyber media to the different values of groups, tribes, religions and race in a unity bond, or otherwise, it triggers potential conflict. The research problem is how the cyber media report diversity issues on the basis of news coverage norms. The research purpose is to describe and analyze diversity issues in the cyber media in relation to (1) main news sources in news coverage; (2) the essence of news coverage in diversity issues; (3) neutrality in news coverage; and (4) themes of news coverage in diversity issues. The research was carried out with the case study methods through content analysis, in-depth interview, online survey and Focus Group Discussion. The physical research objects are news coverage on diversity issues in the cyber media, and the research subjects are cyber media journalists. The research results are that major news sources in the news coverage differ significantly; the news coverage does not totally support the diversity; there remains un-neutrality in the news coverage; the news coverage themes are various; and the elements are not ideal and appropriate to the cyber media ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rebranding men's dietary choices in the mind of the mainstream Australians to include more plant-based options, is a difficult task. Eating meat is a way to satisfy nutritional requirements but also has an embedded symbolism of power to which Australian men are accustomed. Vegetarian men are seen by the majority of the male population and the social discourse surrounding gendered food as betraying the social expectations about masculine behavior despite research showing the need for higher intake of fiber to reduce non-communicable diseases and improve planetary health. Those who have adopted vegetarian diets are exposed to ridicule and may face social isolation because of their unorthodox food choices. In order to reshape the meat consumption of men in Australia, we must recognize the gendered dynamics of dietary choices that associate meat consumption with masculinity. This research examines the power of the current food discourse and social constrains imposed on vegetarian men based on a 2019 survey in Sydney, Australia with 1053 male participants who have different frequencies of meat consumption. The participants were asked to express their opinion about vegetarian dietary choices, and the dominant view is that they provoke non-acceptance and various degrees of aversion. Instead of practicing overt dietary choices, those who embrace vegetarianism prefer to be unidentifiable as such to avoid social prejudice. While individual dislike may change over time, the current mass perception of vegetarianism is of unmanly behavior. A new role for institutions and policies related to public health, environmental wellbeing and use of resources in motivating a greater uptake of plant-based food choices, is also needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the involvement of townspeople in efforts to protect their environment through environmental awareness program. The environmental program implemented is Surabaya Green and Clean (SGC) which was initiated by Surabaya City government since 2005 in kampung (community-based housing) in Surabaya (Indonesia). This study employed a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews, observations, and literature studies as data collection technique. The data were taken in Kampung Margorukun with a total of 14 informants involving the head of kampung, environmental cadres, and residents who are engaged in developing Kampung Margorukun to be one of the ecotourism models. The research results indicate that the resident involvement in SGC includes environmental cadres formation, environmental awareness education, waste recycling, waste bank management, and ecotourism development. The implementation of SGC in Kampung Margorukun is a form of operationalization of residents' concern for environmental protection and sustainable development from ecological citizenship perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rising cases of youth violence in Zimbabwe from different fronts, the study sought to map the nature of the violence, their driving factors, main weapons used and the eventual effects on the victims. The qualitative study adopted a survey form administering questionnaires to youth participants from selected districts in eight non-metropolitan provinces in Zimbabwe. Data were gathered by means of a questionnaire survey e-mailed to the snowball-sampled youth supported by relevant literature review. The analysis of data was done through SSPS, which helped break the questions into minute elements of analysis. The theory of Utilitarian Rational Choice guided the study argument. It was established in the study that indeed the youth across the country are engaged in different forms of violence depending on what is available but either scarce or inequitably distributed or the nature of prevailing political ideology. It was also established that various weapons are used to either injure or inflict pain on victims and the weapons vary with the province depending on various factors. Equally, resultant effects and injuries differ depending on a variety of factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tanzania has made strides to end gender discrimination and sexual exploitation, yet, studies have found that these practices continue. One distinct form of exploitation is transactional sex. Girls agree to sex – often with older men known as "sugar-daddies" – in exchange for basic needs like breakfast or soap, something that other researchers have written about it with concern. Herein, I provide an overview of the published research and then discuss my research on this issue, based on interviews with women and participant observation with girls in a remote part of Tanzania. My intention was to discover if and how girls are taken advantage of, discriminated against, or solicited for sex in and around schools. Transactional sex, a practice sometimes encouraged by family members, emerged as a pertinent theme. Ultimately, I focus on strategies for prevention using Bronfenbrenner's ecological model to consider interventions at multiple levels of these girls' lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-level stress, such as pervasive substance abuse and violence, can yield negative health and mental heath outcomes for youth from disadvantaged communities. Community empowerment is a process whereby community members work together to increase control in their community. This qualitative inquiry analyzed in-depth interviews with adult stakeholders (n = 17) as well as focus group interviews with token youth (n = 85) to explore perceptions of community stress and empowerment in one disadvantaged locale. Each of the 102 total participants helped interrogate the research questions: What does it mean to live in a stressed community? How might youth and adults perceive themselves capable of impacting a stressed community's quality of life? Emergent themes, which include a nod to the utility of coalition building, are explored. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of fraud on an individual victim can have devastating consequences. Not only do victims experience a financial loss, but in many cases the impacts extend to their physical health and emotional wellbeing as well potentially enduring relationship breakdown, unemployment, homelessness and in extreme cases, suicide or suicide ideation. Despite the prevalence of fraud victimisation globally, and its severe consequences, there are limited support services available to victims to assist with their recovery. This article explores a case study of an Australian jurisdiction and the establishment of a face-to-face peer support group targeted exclusively at fraud victims. Based on interviews with fraud victims prior to the commencement of the support group and then one year after the establishment of the support group, this article highlights both the benefits and challenges of this peer support model. Though exploratory in nature, the article concludes with the need to provide greater levels of support to fraud victims and considers the role of face-to-face peer support groups as a means to achieve this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work research and literature in the area of supervision tends to focus on the supervision of field education students. Less attention is given to the supervision of social work practitioners and there is almost no information that examines how social workers become supervisors. This exploratory study interviewed 27 practicing social work supervisors across different fields of social work practice in Western Canada. The participants included 15 supervisors with a graduate degree and 12 supervisors with an undergraduate degree. The supervisors completed a brief questionnaire that was followed by a structured interview. Supervisors were asked how they came to be social work supervisors. Thematic analysis of the supervisors' responses revealed three pathways to supervision: task exposure, supervision by happen chance, and deliberate decision. The responses suggested that additional focus on supervision might be included in undergraduate education and that universities, professional associations, and employers pay more attention to succession planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the major social obstacles affecting the human resource development (HRD) in Iran. The study population included faculty members in Yazd province, Iran (N = 280, n = 162). A survey and a researcher-made questionnaire were used to collect data. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by using Cronbach's alpha (0.88) and its validity was approved by a panel of experts. The results indicated that the major social obstacles affecting HRD are 'an increase in the share of foreigners in the labor market', 'frustration of native graduates' and 'local brain drain', respectively. Furthermore, the results of exploratory factor analysis indicated that the most important social obstacles affecting HRD can be summarized into six factors including migration, lack of nativism, inclination towards foreigners, gender imbalance, lack of justice in distribution of resources, and lack of meritocracy. These factors altogether could explain 65.45% of the total variance. In the end, some applied recommendations (such as paying more attention to rural youth, fair distribution of facilities towards urban and rural balance, supporting native elites, preference for employment, and applying indigenous peoples based on meritocracy, creating favorable balance at different levels of academic education, avoiding gender inequality) have been presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active duty military families are experiencing increased stress as service members deploy to and return from lengthy and repeated deployments to multiple war zones. These deployments have a cumulative impact on the behavioral health and well-being of not only the service member, but also the family, particularly in families with very young children (Lester et al., 2016). Emergent research concerning families with young suggests that greater attention to the military spouse is needed to ensure effective, supportive service provision for these families. The purpose of the present study is threefold: (1) to identify the challenges faced by families with young children during and after deployment, (2) to understand resource utilization by these families, and (3) to explore the strengths and strategies used during these experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 19 active duty Marine Corps family members with young children (under 5 years old) and 10 key program providers on or near a large military base in the southeast region of the United States. Findings reveal significant social isolation, which is consistent with the literature, the need for formal and informal social supports as well as self-care for the at-home parent, challenges in co-parenting and utilizing known resources, and a range of strategies used to manage deployment and reintegration. Implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study’s purpose was to develop a temporal and cultural definition of volunteering in China. Using a comparative mixed-methods approach,N1 = 218 Chinese students in Hong Kong were surveyed about their perceptions of volunteering. These quantitative data were compared cross-culturally with a sample of adults in the United States who used the same instrument calledWho is a Volunteer? Subsequently,N2 = 40 of these same students voluntarily participated in a series of focus groups, to further explore more in-depth their opinions about volunteering. The main quantitative results revealed that at the extreme ends of the volunteer scale, both the U.S. and Chinese samples could readily distinguish what volunteering was or was not. The more nuanced empirical differences on the scale (24% of the 21 items) were explained either by unique cultural differences, or the longer and more prominent history that volunteering has had in North America versus China. Main qualitative findings revealed additional between-group cultural differences exemplified by (1) a more family-centric and collectivist Chinese culture versus a more individualistic American culture, (2) a role blurring about volunteer activities versus paid work activities, and (3) that both organizational and cultural context must be seriously considered when defining volunteerism. This study adds to the growing definitional literature on this transformational concept and represents the largest comparative empirical investigation on this subject from East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Within the landscape of postwar era Detroit, space is vast, but places are hard to find. As people tumble down the side of Maslow’s pyramid into abject homelessness, they attempt to anchor themselves in locations that suspend the otherwise situational free fall. This article analyzes how time and space are perceived by people experiencing chronic homelessness and how those individual perceptions are informed by theobjective time and spaceurban environment. We conducted our community-based participatory research into the experiences of chronic homelessness both from perspectives of chronically homeless older adult men and from front-line service providers. Themes that emerged are as follows: (1) temporary permanence, (2) permanent temporariness, and (3) lostness. The article concludes with policy implications regarding the procedures for measuring the extent of homelessness and the needs of those who live it. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In an effort to promote their child’s ethnic identity development, parents of transnational adoptees regularly engage in cultural exploration activities with their children. This practice is aligned with Erik Erikson’s identity theory and constructs of exploration and commitment. Using qualitative analysis of interviews with adult adoptees, this study identifies four themes common to participants including: (1) travel to one’s birth country is a transformative experience; (2) relationships with other adoptees are important; (3) adoptees feel differently about the importance of cultural activities during childhood; and (4) adoptees feel both unique in their personal ethnic identity and have feelings of marginality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is estimated that more than 200 million women alive today have undergone female genital cutting (FGC). While emerging evidence shows that attitudes toward FGC may evolve for immigrants as they acculturate to the host country, scant empirical research explores how women come to oppose the practice. This qualitative study used grounded theory methods to explore the trajectory of resistance to FGC for seven women circumcised in childhood who sought asylum in the United States as adults to protect their daughters from the practice. Participants originated from Burkina Faso, Guinea, The Gambia, and Chad. Analysis revealed nine themes tracing the evolution of resistance to FGC and other gender role norms for participants: coercion, threat, and retribution narratives; traumatic memories of circumcision; growing awareness of the personal implications of circumcision; emergence of critical thinking; trangressive thoughts and acts; navigating the consequences of resistance; everyday reinforcement; negotiating resistance dilemmas; and making meaning of resistance. In contrast to previous studies linking opposition to FGC to post-settlement acculturation or pre-migration exposure to organized international human rights campaigns, findings of this study indicate that traumatic memories of the circumcision rite, combined with the capacity to reflect on “taken for granted” cultural practices and to employ critical thinking skills, may lead to resistance to FGC for some women. Furthermore, findings highlight that FGC, and opposition to it, has lasting consequences for women from societies where the practice is embraced, and these consequences persist after migration. Practice and policy recommendations are drawn from the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The hostile and adversarial relationship between youth and police in urban settings has remained pervasive and persistent for centuries. This is a tension historically rooted in the miasma of lack of trust; racial, ethnic, and cultural differences; and fear, anger, and hostility from racialized surveillance and policing. Indeed, most Black youth have little contact with police unless it involves harsh profiling and/or criminalization. In this article, we leverage the policing literature to examine how the perpetual detestation between urban youth and police is expressed in physical and digital contexts (e.g., Twitter). We find that urban youth, particularly gang-involved youth, publicly articulate their disdain for law enforcement agents on Twitter. The young people in our study expressed chronic grief and anger after the fatal police shooting of a Southside Chicago gang member. Further, they expressed a strong desire to violently retaliate against the Chicago Police Department after their friend was killed. In fact, users on Twitter frequently posted the hash tag #CPDK—an acronym for Chicago Police Department Killer—shortly after this incident. We discuss the implications of using Twitter data to inform policing practices, as well as early intervention and prevention strategies for youth living in inner cities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

More than a million people worldwide die by suicide annually, and more than 30,000 of them in the United States. Cancer patients are two to four times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. The purpose of this article is to use the results of a phenomenological psychological autopsy to (1) illustrate the interplay of the interpersonal and intrapersonal circumstances of one colon cancer patient’s struggle and ultimate suicide, and (2) demonstrate that health and mental health practitioners need to use more than one theory of suicide to inform their assessment of risk. The findings present a telling picture of the struggles of the decedent, and the authors recommend how the results inform health and mental health practitioners’ practice, policy, and research related to suicide prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether parents’ level of expectations would change after manipulating their perceived barriers to visiting doctors without any expectations for antibiotic prescriptions and their perceived benefits of using antibiotics. A prospective experimental study was conducted using a data-collection instrument to manipulate perceived barriers and perceived benefits using four scenarios. Scenarios were developed with the help of pediatricians and by conducting an elicitation survey among parents. Each subject viewed four scenarios. Parents’ expectations to receive an antibiotic prescription associated with each scenario were measured on a scale of 0 (no expectation) to 100 (high expectation); a 100 mm visual-analog scale was used. Data were collected at public places (Houston, Texas, USA) from subjects who had at least one child (age ≤ 5 years) during the study. Descriptive and repeated measures mixed method analyses were performed using SAS v. 9.3 with a .05 significance level. Three hundred surveys were analyzed. The mean age of the sample was 30.3 ± 7 years. The mean general expectation score (before reading any scenario) to receive an antibiotic prescription for children was 53.6 ± 25.7. The repeated measure mixed methods analysis indicated that there was a 12-point reduction (p< .0001) in the expectation score after removing perceived barriers from the situational scenarios, a 16-point decrease (p< .0001) in expectation score was observed after removing perceived benefits, and an 18-point decrease (p< .0001) in expectation score was observed after removing both perceived barriers and perceived benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this multi-method qualitative study was to explore the eating behaviors and food choices of nine purposively sampled low-income women aged 29 to 40 years who were engaged in a residential substance use disorders recovery program. Findings were limited to photo-elicitation interviews with the women that focused on nutritional choices and issues outside their family context. Consensual data analysis revealed a recovery process that began with cognitive reawakening and an increased focus on and desire for healthier nutrition-related decisions and lifestyle, particularly in the area of weight gain that many of the women experienced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses an “orientational” study of the perceptions of school social workers regarding gender-variant students and the impact of their presence on the discourse about gender identity. The findings indicate that gender-variant students are becoming more known and visible in public schools but that they do not make up a homogeneous group. Moreover, the study seems to show that the discourse about gender remains extremely limited, in part due to a linking of gender identity with sexuality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]