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Native residents are indispensable participants in developing and conserving the natural environment. Specifying the factors that lead to responsible behavior among the local people can help increase sustainability. This paper aims to investigate the pro-environmental behavior among the local residents of the Kashmir region defined by the components of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Value Belief Norm (VBN) Theory. To analyze the data, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) has been used as research methods. The results reveal that the three components of TPB (general environmental attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavior control) have a positive and significant impact on the pro-environmental behavior of residents. Moreover, the findings also demonstrate that the factors of VBN (altruistic, egoistic and biospheric values) significantly influence the general environmental attitude which in turn impacts the pro-environmental behavior of local residents. The paper seeks to contribute to the existing literature by adding local community insights based on the explanations given by socio-psychological theories within the context of natural environment. The study will help policymakers to understand better the residents' intentions and pro-environmental behavior so that they can develop strategies to manage and combat the environmental problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 paper attempts to contextualize the significance of the work of unpaid female family helpers' (UPFFH) for women empowerment. Additionally, it brings into light the subjective feelings and perceptions of unpaid family helpers. The current research is based on primary data collected through a self-structured questionnaire from 200 females aged 15+ years who were helping in the household income generation without getting paid. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among UPFFHs residing in district Lahore, Pakistan. The participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The analysis of UPFFHs empowerment was performed by employing a percentage distribution approach based on four levels of participation in decision making. The research puts emphasis on the impact of excessive, unequal, and unpaid work on women and further argues for social rational of recognizing the work through empowering women in decision-making process at their personal, household, and community level. The findings of the study indicates that the young UPFFHs are less empowered as they face the greatest familial and community pressure when it comes to making their life decisions. However, the paper further documents their aspiration to attain economic independence which would then bring change in gender perceptions and their overall social standing. The paper concludes by highlighting the problems associated with "unpaid work" and why it must be addressed, especially if the country has to fully realize the valued goal of women empowerment and gender equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While scholars recognize that great diversity exists in how grandparents are involved in their grandchildren's lives, grandparenting in the military context remains a blank spot in the literature. This paper argues that investigating the dynamics of grandparenting in a highly collectivist society like the Philippines could generate valuable insights and perspectives, thus expanding the knowledge frontiers on skipped generation grandparents. Driven by a phenomenological design, this study sought to characterize the disciplinary practices of a select group of military grandparents. Six (6) purposefully recruited military grandparents were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Field texts gathered in this study were subjected to phenomenological reduction via cool and warm analyses. Interestingly, this study afforded the development of a clear-cut Taxonomy of Military Grandparents According to Disciplinary Practices, which is an intersection of the involvement of both grandparents and parents in the lives of their grandchildren. Implications of the emerged typologies of grandparents, namely: independent, involved, intrusive, and inclusive, are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spirituality is an important factor in the lives of many people in China. Yet, little information exits on how to address Chinese clients' spiritual beliefs appropriately. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by articulating a roadmap for working with client spirituality in an ethical and professional manner. Rationales for administering a spiritual assessment are provided along with a brief overview of the process and options for conducting such assessments. The paper concludes by reviewing two prominent spiritual interventions that may resonate with many Chinese clients, both in China and other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To remain attractive for firms, social media influencers have to maintain and expand their followers base. However, it has been shown that they lose approximately 7.8% of their followers annually. This highlights the critical importance of understanding the reasons behind unfollowing. Despite the extensive exploration of various aspects of social media, there has been limited focus on users unfollowing social media influencers. To address this gap, this study explores the reasons behind unfollowing influencers on social media. After conducting a literature review using bibliometric analysis, the paper presents findings derived from 40 in-depth interviews with Tunisian social media users. The results shed light on two primary categories of reasons for unfollowing: those related to content and those related to the influencer. The paper offers valuable insights for both practitioners and academic scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that emitted electromagnetic field from telecommunication tower is possibly a threat to residents' health within the mast location. However, Nigerian residents' perception to live in mast location is yet to be researched in detail. This study examined the factors that influence residents' perception and willingness to live in telecommunication mast locations and proffer possible solutions to mitigate residents' concerns regarding likely health hazards. This was achieved consecutively. First, the developed questionnaire survey was conducted with 420 respondents, drawn from the six south-south states in Nigeria. This includes residents, academicians, environmentalists, government agencies, and medical experts. Second, results from the quantitative phase were further analyzed via face-to-face interviews in conjunction with observation in selected 40 mast stations across the research area. Factors that influence resident's willingness to live near the telecommunication masts were identified and grouped into three (physical, health, and environmental factors). As part of the study's implications, findings from this paper will enhance policymakers and other stakeholders in decision-making concerning resident's perception to live in mast locations. The government should set up a regulatory agency for non-ionizing radiation protection with a mandate, among others were proffered to mitigate possible health threats and concerns of the residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to find out the impact of the use of social networking sites (SNS) use on bridging social capital (BRS). This paper also aimed to identify the popular medium used for developing BRS. A systematic literature review (SLR) was performed by following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). This SLR was conducted based on Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar to collate and synthesize the findings of published studies by 2021. During the reported period, 29 quantitative studies fall under the inclusion criterion. The generalized findings indicated that SNS use has a significant and positive impact on bridging social capital (BRS). The relationship between SNS use and bridging capital is stronger in Western countries as compared to Eastern countries. Facebook is the mostly used medium for developing bridging social capital. Social networking sites (SNSs) offer a platform to develop new relations and strengthen weak ties. It also prioritized SNS-based social interaction for developing weak bonds, which further help to form bridging social capital within online communities. These findings support media designers in highlighting cultural differences while designing SNSs based applications. This is one of the first attempts to accumulate systematically published literature in the area of study during the reported period. The study's outcomes are result-oriented contributions for marketers in developing marketing agendas and strategies compatible with consumer preferences while designing and improving SNS based information systems. [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]

Editors of professional journals have published articles describing their hardships in editing a journal. The present author presents his personal experience to put forth the premise that sometimes the decision process for accepting or rejecting a manuscript for publication by editors and/or reviewers may actually - at times - not be the rational decision making process that one would assume would be the case. Informed consent is not required on this study. There was no funding for it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empowerment has received considerable attention in the past four decades and become a threshold framework in the field of social work. Using the Theory Evaluation Scale (TES), this paper critically analyzed the empowerment theory with regard to coherence, conceptual clarity, philosophical assumptions, historical roots, testability, empiricism, boundaries, client context, and human agency within the environment. Based on a thorough review of the literature, the empowerment theory generated an overall score of 39 on the TES. Contrary to popular criticisms, this score demonstrates the epistemological soundness and overall quality of empowerment as a theoretical model. This paper has implications for theory and research by showing that empowerment is an ideal framework for the mixed-methods research paradigm. This paper also has implications for social work practice where empowerment is seen as a countermeasure to traditional practice models which promoted therapists as experts. That is, the findings suggest that social workers at all levels of intervention – micro, mezzo, and macro – can continue to embrace empowerment as the model to help clients influence their own lives. Finally, the findings have relevance for social work pedagogy by justifying the choice of empowerment as a threshold concept in the social work curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inadequate on-campus student accommodation in Sub-Saharan higher educational institutions triggered the need for private sector intervention in the off-campus student private housing (SPH) delivery within university communities. This paper examines students' experiences of off-campus accommodation in terms of satisfaction indicators and driving factors in a vulnerable university's communities in South-southern Nigeria. The paper drew upon a sequential exploratory mixed method, comprising semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey. The paper explored interconnectivity of satisfaction indicators and factors within the threshold of building's physical attributes, community-related attributes, contract-related covenants, academic and social environment capability, through CAQDAS; Atlas.ti. The paper found disproportionate students' satisfaction level within the filtered elements and scored the overall satisfaction low. Methodologically, a convergence of results pointing to the factors for improving physical, locational, landlord commitment to tenancy agreement on services and management, and flexible regulation of students' social activities, from the two approaches, was observed. Variation surfaces from the individual rating of each indicator and the driving factors. Five distinct recommendations emerged; policy on planning, environment, and building regulations compliance, reform on SPH governance, stakeholders democracy, parent' involvement in off-campus governance, and a committee on private housing accreditation in the university communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Asian (SA) women, immigrant, and non-immigrant, living in the United States (US) and Canada make up a unique population for social research, specifically as it relates to intimate partner (IPV) or gender-based violence (GBV). Despite an increase in study of GBV or IPV including in the current pandemic situation, research on IPV for South Asian women in North America remains inadequate. There is a disconnect in the literature about how multiple psycho-social factors including socio-cultural, socio-demographic, and individual factors intersect and intensify IPV victimization of South Asian women in the North American context. Factors, like collectivism, patriarchy, and family honor are essential to this discussion. To better understand this gap and mobilize knowledge, this paper seeks to assess, evaluate, and examine the current state of literature on IPV among South Asian women in North America (Canada and US) in an effort to determine the associated psycho-social factors that exacerbate South Asian women’s abuse experiences. Additionally, Kimberlé Crenshaw’s intersectional approach is used to explain how South Asian women’s overlapping multiple identities escalate the IPV experience. The results of this paper identify and articulate several psycho-social factors including individual factors (ethnicity, gender role, young age, education, religion, immigrant identity, English fluency, and economic dependency); social/community factors (acculturation which intersect with limited family support and change of gender roles; patriarchy; family primacy (collectivism and family honor); and limited community support); and the (lack of) service/technology knowledge can affect one’s experiences of violence. Educational and policy recommendations for better intervention and/or prevention of IPV for South Asian women residing in the West is also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systems of oppression, adult violence exposure, and adverse childhood experiences interact to contribute to traumatic-stress related disorders, which manifest in affective, cognitive, and interpersonal challenges. This paper focuses specifically on emotional/physiological dysregulation as a central driver of trauma-related difficulties. The ability to recognize, assess, and intervene with children and adults for whom the capacity to regulate is compromised is critical in social work practice. This paper seeks to a) describe the role of (dys)regulation in social work practice and to b) apply this understanding to interventions that aim to address trauma-related challenges. Consistent with social work’s mission, we focus on the application of these approaches to socially and economically marginalized populations from low-resourced communities. We discuss current trauma-informed concepts and models that focus on regulation as an important accompaniment to traditional cognitive-centered or insight-oriented approaches. Furthermore we argue that how to be with clients (e.g., our presence in relationship/alliance) is as important to client outcomes as what we do with clients. We present case examples to illustrate the use of interventions informed by leading theoretical models including Window of Tolerance, Polyvagal theory, and the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics. Implications for teaching and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews changes in behavior due to the COVID-19 pandemic in various regions of Russia. Firstly, derivation of the behavioral SIR model shows that the activity level turns out to be an important factor affecting the pandemic. Secondly, I have collected data for the spread of the disease, vaccination, and public behavior (a link to this dataset is provided in Section 3). Behavior is represented by the data from Google Mobility Trends. Thirdly, correlation analysis has been applied to select the best proxies for the activity level. It is described by the intensity of visiting parks and transit stations, as well as that of retail and recreation. In addition, this research highlights special circumstances due to which responses in some regions deviate from the general trend. Both the behavioral proxies and peculiarities of the regions are the main results of my paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living in HIV serodiscordant relationship poses psychosocial challenges to couples. These necessitate proper counseling. This paper explored the psychosocial support for counselors working with HIV-serodiscordant couples at a regional hospital. The study used descriptive and exploratory approaches, underpinned by an interpretative phenomenological analysis design (IPA). Participants were selected using a non-probability snowball sampling technique. A total of nine participants took part in the study. Data were collected using an in-depth interview guide and analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological analysis framework. Three themes emanated: knowledge deficiency on serodiscordancy among the counselors, limited/lack of support and ways to recommend HIV-serodiscordant couples services. The findings indicates that there is need to enhance, strengthen, and provide comprehensive psychosocial support services to discordant couples. To support and improve the knowledge, confidence and skills of counselors, the following should be implemented: provision of training, introducing debriefing sessions to reflect on discordant cases, follow-up on discordant couple’s post diagnosis to offer psychosocial support services, and establishment and strengthening of the support groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of the study that was initiated to develop and standardize a measure of Social Interaction (SI). The items were split into five different types of social interaction: exchange, competition, conflict, cooperation and accommodation. The systematic process that was used to construct and validate the tool is delineated in this study. The theoretical foundation for the questionnaire was carried out through a literature review. The item pool was generated with each statement reflecting the different aspects of interaction. Initially, experts in the field of social psychology reviewed the items for content validity and refined the items. The preliminary version of the questionnaire was tested using a pilot study. A larger validation was done with a larger population to confirm the factor structure using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The model fit indices were good for the obtained model (CFI = 0.929, IFI = 0.930, TLI = 0.920, RMSEA = 0.053), confirming that the model structure is robust. The final questionnaire has 26 items with a reliable and valid measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racism has been woven into the fabric of American life for centuries, and social work practice is not immune to its pernicious effects. Recently, the field has acknowledged the need for White clinicians to become more culturally competent, leading to anti-racism training that attempts to address and acknowledge privilege and biases that interfere with providing ethical and just services. This paper examines reactions to anti-racism training in multi-racial group settings, identifies the absence of trauma-informed practices in such trainings, and proposes separate anti-racism training for different racial groups incorporating expressive art and journaling as an effective method to educate White clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty and economic insecurity are driving forces in entering sex work among women in low resource areas. This increases their risk for HIV by influencing the decision-making process for high-risk behaviors. Few studies have examined the financial behaviors and capacities of women engaged in sex work (WESW). This paper describes the methodology used in a financial diary study aimed at characterizing women's spending patterns within a larger prevention intervention trial among WESW in Uganda. From June 2019 to March 2020, a subsample of 150 women randomized to the combination HIV prevention and economic empowerment treatment was asked to complete financial diaries to monitor daily expenditures in real time. Two hundred and forty financial diaries were distributed to study participants during the financial literacy sessions at eight sites. A total of 26,919 expense entries were recorded over 6 months. Sex-work-related expenses comprised approximately 20.01% of the total. The process of obtaining quality and consistent data was challenging due to the transient and stigmatized nature of sex work coupled with women's varying levels of education. Frequent check-ins, using peer support, code word or visuals, and a shorter time frame would allow for a more accurate collection of high-frequency data. Moreover, the ability of women to complete the financial diaries despite numerous challenges speaks to their potential value as a data collection tool, and also as an organizing tool for finances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper proposes to study the role of servant leadership in enhancing harmonious passion among employees, and further to ascertain if harmonious passion acts as a mediating mechanism linking servant leadership and service innovative work behavior (IWB). This study also recognizes the importance of creative self-efficacy as the boundary condition between harmonious passion and service IWB. Data were collected from employees working in four- and five-star hotels of Pakistan with a sample of 220 participants. Research findings provided justification for the mediating effect of harmonious passion for servant leadership-service IWB linkage. Furthermore, the relationship between harmonious passion and service IWB was strengthened to the extent that harmoniously passionate employees showed higher creative self-efficacy. Practitioners looking to enhance harmonious passion and service IWB can do so by developing the servant leadership qualities of managers. This paper carries value as the literature pertaining to harmonious passion is still small but increasing and enriches knowledge in understanding the role of servant leadership as reaping the service IWB benefits of harmonious passion among employees in the hospitality industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inability to access needed mental healthcare can be a challenge for individuals situated in various social environments and can be understood and predicted via multiple theoretical perspectives. This paper explores access to mental healthcare through the lenses of stigma theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by presenting central tenants of the theories and a brief review of empirical evidence in support of the individual theories. The combined TPB and stigma theory model merges self-stigma with the TPB construct of attitude and public stigma within the construct of subjective norms. A case example illustrates the application of the combined model in understanding barriers to mental health treatment. Discussion of the case study within the combined theoretical framework also acknowledges how culture within the social environment could have impacted mental health outcomes. Thus, it is necessary to intervene in areas of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and stigma to shape the social environment through policy, practice and research and to improve mental health. [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]

This paper examines the current Civil War in Yemen based on Human Needs Theory. Developed by John Burton, Human Needs Theory rests on the premise that certain groups of people resort to violence when their basic needs are not met or when they need understanding, respect, and consideration for their needs. Needs for security and identity recognition are particularly salient in civil wars and devastating identity conflicts. An important conclusion is that many of the human needs violations that the Shia minority group has suffered in Yemen stem from the long-established Sunni-Shia conflict that has fueled this civil war. This has caused Saudi Arabia (i.e., Sunni) and Iran (i.e., Shia) to support both sides of the conflict. As a result, a significant number of Yemenis have had difficulties living out their religious identity and achieve well-being. In particular, not only have their basic human rights been denied (i.e., essential needs to maintain survival) but, also, basic aid to children has been rejected as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women all over the world face a multitude of issues daily. Unfortunately, one of the most common and tragic concerns that women face, especially those in third world countries, is domestic violence. This research paper has tried to find out and analyze the trend of domestic violence during this current period of lockdown and social distancing measures, which the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated. During our investigations, a few variables intrigued us; these variables do not lead to a simple, uncomplicated conclusion on the occurrence of domestic violence. On the contrary, the pool of 350 respondents (especially from urban areas), which include homemakers and working women alike, education was one such variable that played a pivotal role in preventing domestic violence. Another variable was the effect of social stigma; because many women have internalized the impact of spousal and familial abuse, most of them find it incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to speak up about the struggles they face. We have made use of logistic regression models to verify the independent variables and their validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing digital divide issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic are critical to widening disparities and inequalities. Yet, only a few studies have explored the impacts of the digital divide on the education sector. In particular, there is a research gap related to younger students of primary and secondary schools. This study addresses this research gap by providing an overview of the digital divide's impacts on social exclusion and education equality issues. In doing so, the study argues the effects of COVID-19 on the growing digital divide. Such influence is then studied based on the increasing education inequalities due to the digital divide and the eventual social exclusion increase among primary and secondary school children. The study explores the nexus between social exclusion and the digital divide before reflecting on EI as a type of social exclusion. While the main target groups of the study, i.e., primary and secondary school children, are not surveyed, the survey is conducted from two associated stakeholder group, i.e., (1) educators/teachers/managerial members of primary and secondary schools, and (2) parents/guardians of students. A total of 30 schools are surveyed to evaluate the digital divide correlation with "education inequality dimensions" and "social exclusion variables." The vulnerability of schoolchildren from primary and secondary schools is multifaceted as we are yet to witness future psychological and emotional/behavioral impacts of the ongoing pandemic on those affected at a younger age. The paper's findings help verify correlations between DD and social exclusion and education inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social distancing as a health-related behavior during epidemics and pandemics, can significantly influence their control. In this regard, the identification of the factors influencing behavior change can play a remarkable role in assessing for how behaviors form. This paper is an attempt to show that the extended theory of planned behavior can provide a useful theoretical framework for explaining social distancing in the face of a contagion disease. The results showed that the constructs of attitude, descriptive norms, perceived behavioral control, and self-efficacy significantly influenced the students' intention to adhere to social distancing in the form of university closure. Among these constructs, self-efficacy was found to be the main predictor of the students' intention. Interestingly, the research revealed that injunctive norms were not a significant predictor of the students' intention. Practically, this study is a justification for the use of attitude, descriptive norms, perceived behavioral control, and self-efficacy in planning and decision-making for encouraging students to adhere to social distancing during epidemics and pandemics, like the COVID-19 pandemic. The extended theory of planned behavior is useful in understanding Iranian College Students' Intention toward Social Distancing in COVID-19 Pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a systematic research review examining the best treatment intervention for children experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or PTSD-like symptoms after a natural disaster event. Research articles (12) were reviewed using a checklist that assesses face, content, and criterion validity: 9 quantitative, 2 mixed-methods, and 1 qualitative, to determine best screening and intervention practices to reduce the negative symptoms resulting from trauma. Researchers in the cited studies collected data via phone interviews, face-to-face interviews, surveys, self-evaluations, observation methods, teacher and social worker assessments, and parent assessments. For the purpose of this paper, we focused on the question: What is the best way to screen for and treat PTSD in children in post-natural disaster areas? Based on these studies, we identified three major themes: 1) the treatment of PTSD is necessary in post-natural disaster children; 2) school-based screenings (with considerations) are the most viable way to screen children for PTSD; and 3) CBT is the most universal intervention for children post-disaster. We included additional findings on EMDR and parenting techniques. More research needs to be done on the impact of family dynamics in post-natural disaster treatment and the long-term effects of experiencing a natural disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The criminalization of Latinx immigration combined with anti-immigrant rhetoric from politicians and media outlets, have led to an array of poor psychosocial outcomes for those who arrive and remain within the United States. Using an Ecological Risk and Resilience Framework, this paper examines the relationship between perceived discrimination within the recent anti-immigration social context and the mental health of Latino immigrants in Arizona. In addition, this study examined whether hope and optimism serve as protective factors against the negative mental health impacts of discrimination among men and women. Data were drawn from a sample of adult Latinx immigrants (n = 421) living in Arizona. Results indicated that participants who reported a greater discrimination reported significantly higher symptoms of 1) depression, 2) anxiety, and 3) stress. In addition, a moderation analysis was conducted to examine whether hope and optimism serve as protective factors against the negative mental health impacts of discrimination. The results indicated hope and optimism moderated the effect of discrimination for males' reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. However, for females, hope and optimism moderated the effect of discrimination for depression, but not on anxiety and stress. Implications for practice and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problems associated with environmental degradation abound in developing countries, with dire consequences on young people. Young people are the future leaders of the world. Therefore, their appreciation and behavior have the capacity to facilitate their commitment toward environmental citizenship. The paper examined the predisposing factors of environmental citizenship behavior among Senior High School students in the Cape Coast Metropolis. It was guided by the Value-Belief-Norm theory of environmentalism. Quantitative data collected from 292 Senior High School students within the metropolis was analyzed by using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings indicate that the students were predisposed to exhibiting pro-environmental behavior, in terms of their environmental values. The students had high biospheric and altruistic values which are prerequisite values, particularly for environmental citizenship behaviors. The study recommended that the students' environmental engagements should be boosted by school authorities through environmental literacy. Environmental clubs in schools should also be supported by the Ghana Education Service in order to help nurture affinity for nature as well as promote the platform for public sphere environmental actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fully understand the theory-research gap in Fishbein's integrative model of behavioral prediction (IMBP) and better design future IMBP research, we performed a systematic literature search and analyzed the current quantitative IMBP research articles. The final sample consisted of 41 eligible articles. Comparing the results of the systematic literature search with the IMBP, the results identified the common practices and several inconsistencies and issues in the current IMBP research. We first concluded the common practices (i.e., operationalization and methodology) of current IMBP research. We then noted four sets of inconsistencies/issues related to some of the IMBP research. First, we found inconsistencies in how attitudes, normative beliefs, and self-efficacy were measured in the IMBP research, especially related to the use of direct versus indirect measures. Second, we discovered the inconsistencies in statistical analyses of IMBP research and how it could create issues in aggregable knowledge of the IMBP relationships. Third, we noticed the issues of variable incompatibility in how intention and behavior were measured. Lastly and more importantly, we reviewed the small number of IMBP research articles that measured actual control variables (i.e., environmental constraints, skills) and further identified the issues across these articles. Furthermore, the paper offers directions for future IMBP research, specifically calling for more consistent research on the actual control variables as the moderators between intention and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of cyberbullying and related suicide rate increases among youth demand a proactive and systematic response. This paper proposes a mobile-based Framework for Youth Suicide Screening and intervention (YSSI) to address the issue of youth suicide within the cyber environment. It draws on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory to understand the developmental stages of youth and employs Durkheim’s concept of anomic suicide to frame suicide due to cyberbullying as a social fact that extends beyond individual problems. Additionally, the framework invokes Friedrich Engels’ concept of social murder to highlight the urgent social responsibility of preventing youth suicide. The YSSI framework is designed for early detection and intervention, with mobile technology as a primary tool. It encompasses four stages: Stage 1 (Warning Signs), Stage 2 (Assessment), Stage 3 (Intervention), and Stage 4 (Follow-up). This framework emphasizes the critical role of community and family engagement in addressing youth suicide in the digital era. This engagement aims to provide support and guidance to youth, thereby strengthening their resilience to adversity associated with cyberbullying. In alignment with the objectives of the Grand Challenge for Social Work Initiative (GCSWI), the YSSI framework is dedicated to mitigating the negative effects of cyberbullying through collaborative social engagement and fostering a critical discourse on youth mental health and cyber well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centering youth voices in a participatory cross-age mentoring program in urban high-poverty communities, this paper addresses three problems in knowledge about youth of color experiencing low-income: 1) Misrepresenting youth as disproportionately violence-prone, 2) minimizing stressors youth experience, and 3) ignoring youths’ goals. Those knowledge problems can be framed as a contemporary form of DuBois’ construct of “scientific racism.” To counteract scientific racism, promote epistemic justice, and support youths’ goals of demonstrating they are not “all gangbangers,” this study reports data from a cross-age mentoring program about youths’ beliefs about aggression, attitudes towards violence and gangs, stress experiences, and goals expressed in field notes and letters. Most of the 549 control group and intervention youth strongly repudiated violence and gangs. Youth participating in the intervention as mentors and mentees were revolted by societal racism, community violence and police assaults. They reported many more stressors than any U.S subculture and regarded racism and obstacles against exiting poverty as tightly interwoven and formidable. Unlike privileged youth, for these youth the central element in their resilience was survival, framed as collective struggle. Demonstrating their cultural wealth, mentors and mentees aspired to academic and personal competence and sought closeness and collective uplift. To match youths’ needs and goals, intervention providers and researchers should focus on developing positive social networks, provide survival resources and stress management, support youths’ academic and employment goals, and afford youth maximal participation and self-expression. [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]

In a global pandemic, containment became a major concern after confronting such a large scale spread of COVID-19 infection all over the world. Many agencies are devoted to analytically understand how practicing social distance minimize the impact of major outbreaks of infections at large scale. Nearly all strategies are based on isolating the entire country or total lockdown in primary phase, while less attention has been paid to other alternative interventions during the process. This paper discusses the challenges in maintaining an effective social alteration method, social distancing followed by self-isolation in India. People are facing psychological challenges during the practice of Social distancing method. The paper explores how social distancing has been used to minimize crowd interactions and prevent the spread of disease within groups of people in India. Lastly, the main focus is theoretical discussion with conceptual understanding of the protection practices in India on a daily basis and challenges faced in social, medical to professional dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel coronavirus that shook the world population has restructured the world order. While the scientists are grappling hard to find a solution to the imminent problem at hand, the pandemic has thrown the human race into a perplexed stage questioning and mostly changing everything they believed in. The pandemic has replaced human beings as social animal to virtual being. The social distancing mandate required for the survival as propounded by WHO has forced individuals to keep the other humans at bay. The present paper is an attempt to look at the changes the world is facing with respect to the social, cultural, economic, and psychological aspects with a special focus on the internationally acclaimed Kerala model of survival. Kerala, a small state located within the southern peninsula of the country has played an important role in containing the spread of the virus despite its larger population density. The paper focuses on the innovative mechanics followed by the state to curtail the spreading. It also attempts to look at the changes that have been brought in the general human behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past twenty-five years, domestic violence has emerged as a significant social issue for research and theory development. This paper proposes an examination of domestic violence through the lens of Margaret Mahier's separation-individuation theory of development. This paper examines the existing empirical literature of domestically violent men using Mahier's theory of development. The paper then discusses the results from an empirical examination of the hypothesis that men who batter evidence disruptions in the separation-individuation process. This study has implications for treatment of domestically violent men, and suggests that interventions should include models that develop insight into the effects from developmental ruptures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers began the new millennium enmeshed in a climate of change. Educators are revisiting debates about how best to conceptualize the social work curriculum. Clients are facing a wide range of problems as they confront the uncertainty of daily life. These conditions call for a "sustained, critical examination of the profession" and "our definition" of social work (Call for Paper, 2000). In response to this current crisis in social work, this paper examines the profession's primary mission, purpose, and central focus. It discusses select social influences that necessitate the continued reconceptualization, if not renewed definition, of our educational and practice approaches. The author asks: Can the profession come together with an overarching purpose? Can the profession claim to have a common base to social work practice? and What is the impact of socioeconomic forces on social work practice and education? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper is an attempt to understand various theories that explain mental health issues of Asian Indian immigrant women. It further explores depression as a threat to mental health and also examines the various supports to mental health. The literature will delve into the ways in which systems deter or promote members of the chosen population in the maintenance of optimal health and well-being, implication for the Human Behavior in the Social Environment (HBSE) curriculum, and future research needs are also explored. The paper looks specifically at middle-class women from first and second generations. It would also make an effort to understand the concept of mental health, women and mental health, the immigration history, and the Asian Indian immigrant family. This is imperative, as it would provide a better understanding of these issues among Asian Indian immigrant women. Knowledge of these issues will help the social work practitioners and counselors to deal effectively with the Indian women. It will also help in providing a different perspective in understanding human behavior. The term Asian Indian immigrant women has been abbreviated as AIIW throughout the paper to focus on women who have their roots in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to an emerging debate on what it means to transform teaching and learning in higher education and to renew the social justice mission of universities. By focusing on the teaching and learning environment, we set the stage for the special issue, exploring the idea of socially just pedagogy, where it comes from and what it means in the present day. The social justice-pedagogy nexus as taken up in this paper aims at using pedagogy as a change process to transform higher education. We offer new considerations arguing that to adopt socially just pedagogies it is important that teachers consider the personal dimensions of pedagogy, the politics of difference, and the relationship between pedagogy and agency. In doing this, the chance that universities remain places of possibility, rather than turning into divisive spaces, becomes more plausible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing is a very important human need along with food and clothing. The process of providing housing should be such that does not alienate the beneficiaries from the process. This study examined residents' participation schemes in the United Kingdom for drawing lessons for the Nigerian housing environment. It used case study method to explore three residents' participation schemes in the UK and collect data for this study. While drawing useful information from approaches and processes of residents' participation in housing in the UK, the paper proposes approaches that can suit the local conditions in Nigeria. Specifically, the paper outlines how policy makers, housing agencies and professionals could adapt the lessons to Nigeria in order to ensure positive outcome from the housing process. It concludes that residents' participation in housing should be more widely practiced in Nigeria to improve the likelihood of meeting the housing needs of residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the problems that urban communities face is migrating from small towns to big cities. Low quality of life and lack of attachment are some of the reasons that cause such a problem. Therefore, in small towns, the need to pay attention to the quality of life and the sense of attachment increases. Given that the relationship between quality of life, attachment to the city and participation has not been sufficiently studied, the present paper tries to understand the relationships between these components in the Sangar Town and find the impact of individual characteristics (gender, age and education), the length of residence and the level of income on each of the components. The Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman correlation test were used to examine the effect of demographic characteristics (age, education level, income, level, gender and length of residence) on each of the components. Using exploratory factor analysis, 9 factors were extracted from the quality of life items, and to analyze the relationships between quality of life, attachment to City and participation structural equation modeling was used. Multivariate linear regression was also used to examine the variables affecting participation. Findings indicate that quality of life (consisting of 9 factors) affects attachment to the city and attachment to the city affect participation. Urban policymakers can use the results of the present study to evaluate the effects of their executive strategies on urban livability and the satisfaction of residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global COVID-19 crisis disrupted education systems around the world. With the call for vaccination as a crucial step toward educational recovery, it is important to study the intentions of teachers to vaccinate against COVID-19. Thus, this article aimed to examine the intentions of Filipino teachers to vaccinate against COVID-19. A sample of 1070 K to 12 teachers from Mindanao, Philippines participated in the online survey. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that a large majority of the teachers are uncertain about whether they will vaccinate against COVID-19 or not. When looking into the underlying reasons, they expressed that they do not have enough knowledge about the vaccine and are concerned about its potential side effects. The results further revealed that gender, monthly income, and educational attainment were significantly associated with the intention to vaccinate against COVID-19. Lastly, it was found out that a low level of barriers significantly predicted the intention of the teachers to vaccinate against COVID-19. Considering these results, this paper underscores the need for concerned authorities to strategically focus on addressing the persistence of hesitancy by campaigning for vaccine literacy and information resilience so that teachers will vaccinate when appropriate. [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]

Instagram is one of the most widely used social-media platforms and is becoming a growing forum for discussing health-related topics (HIV, cancer, vaping, alcohol, self-harm behavior, etc.). However, also anti-vaccine activists often upload posts with hashtags displaying antivaccine intentions on social media. Considering that the most of Instagram users have an age stackable to the age indicated for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, the aim of our review was to investigate Instagrammers' attitude toward HPV vaccination. In October–November 2020 we performed a search for original peer-reviewed papers in the electronic database PubMed (MEDLINE). The key search terms were "Instagram AND Vaccine", "Instagram AND HPV Vaccine", "Instagram AND HPV", "Instagram AND Papillomavirus". We searched for studies published without any temporal limit, reporting information useful to understand Instagrammers' attitudes or feelings about HPV vaccination. We considered eligible for the review articles reporting clear data on: i) number of analyzed post; ii) study period; iii) a deep and clear analysis of posts referred to HPV vaccine; iv) other interesting data related to HPV/HPV vaccine. Descriptive studies written in English, French, Spanish, Italian have been considered eligible. The literature search yielded 21 publications but 2 manuscripts met the inclusion criteria. The studies involved 510 Instagram posts with a mean number of likes ranging from 27.7 to 50. The most of them were PRO-vaccine (up to 55.8%); nevertheless, ANTI-vaccine posts had significantly more likes than PRO-vaccine posts (all p <.05). Anti-vaccine posts were less likely to mention prevention and cancer, compared to pro-vaccine posts. Posts with only female figures tended to be pro-vaccine. Concluding, the importance of Instagram as a new source of information for patients should not be underestimated. Healthcare professionals should be aware of this tool and should intervene in order to ensure a proper and correct information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current discussion explores the myriad of challenges facing African American males across the social, political, and economic landscape. As such, this paper examines the impact of such challenges on the life course trajectories and outcomes for this population group. Also discussed is the extent to which the impact of gendered cultural demands and expectations, combined with the adverse effects of gendered racism, may create for many African American males, a byzantine conundrum from which there is no respite. This is thought to create a tremendous psychological burden with serious ramifications for mental health and well-being. Lastly, it is argued that a more holistic approach to examining the issues, challenges, and dilemmas facing African American males is potentially more informative, and can support efforts to disrupt racial bias, create opportunity, and improve life course trajectories for African American males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex trafficking in the United States has emerged as a critical social issue that negatively impacts the health and mental health of victims. The existence of sex trafficking in Hawaiʻi has been questioned due to a lack of empirical evidence and lack of successful prosecutions of sex traffickers. The purpose of this study is to determine the rate of sex trafficking and the sex trafficking experiences among clients of a large social service agency serving five islands in Hawaiʻi. The 363 participants completed a paper and pencil survey over a three month period in 2019. The survey included questions about the participants' experiences including sex trafficking and the Adverse Childhood Experiences Survey (ACES). Sex trafficking victimization experiences were reported by 97 (26.7%) of the participants. Of the sex trafficking victims, 23 (23.7%) reported that they were under age 18 when they were first sex trafficked. The sex trafficking victims identified as 83% female, 23% male, 1% transgender, and 1% non-conforming. Sixty-four percent of the sex trafficking victims identified as being all or some Native Hawaiian. Implications and policy recommendations from these findings were identified and discussed. [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]

Self-care is recognized as an important aspect of social work practice. Beginning in educational settings, developing social workers are encouraged to learn about and practice self-care. However, self-care is typically promoted through strategies and approaches outside of the practice context. Social workers are oftentimes encouraged to use individualized self-care plans, which often feature a variety of relaxation and secondary techniques; focus on self-awareness and self-reflection; and have proper use of supervision. Although these strategies are invaluable, they do little to directly benefit the social worker during direct practice or while in session with a client which is a time period when clinicians are particularly vulnerable to distress or burnout. The importance of real-time self-care strategies is particularly critical for clinicians, especially those who engage in trauma work, given the sensitivity of topics that clients may have endured or benefit from assistance in processing. Further, little information has been published on the use of self-care techniques during a session with a client or in a clinical context. The purpose of the present paper is to discuss self-care strategies that can be useful both outside of and within a clinical setting and present a model of such strategies that focus on integrating self-care in clinical practice particularly for those engaging in trauma work. The paper will conclude by discussing the relevancy of the developed model in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]