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Currently, Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) programs are proliferating, but with limited empirical data to direct planning efforts. To fill this gap in knowledge, this article reports on the findings of an evaluation undertaken on the first DSW of its kind. This evaluation had three components: (1) an environmental scan of DSW programs; (2) a survey of current students and alumni; and (3) a review of all completed dissertations. Relevant results are presented, along with implications for changes to the DSW program based on this quality-improvement effort.

Intergenerational service-learning for undergraduate students seeks to generate interest about the older adult population, while increasing knowledge and improving attitudes about aging and reducing ageism. It is difficult to make an impact on students' views in a short time period, such as an academic quarter. This comparative effectiveness study?evaluated?the efficacy of a 10-week intergenerational service-learning program administered to Psychology of Aging undergraduates?to determine if?it increased knowledge about aging, improved attitudes about older adults, and reduced ageism more than a?predominately didactic course with less service activity. A quasi-experimental design using a?convenience sample compared?pre- and posttest scores between?the experimental intervention (n = 68) and?comparison?(n = 71)?condition on The Facts on Aging Quiz?Multiple Choice version, Aging Semantic Differential, and?Fabroni?Scale on Ageism. The experimental intervention, the "Lives Well Lived" program, matched students and older adults who met criteria for "successful aging," in a mutual interviewing, life review project utilizing documentary film, photography, and creation of memoirs. Results determined that students in the experimental intervention showed less stereotypical beliefs and net bias about aging.?Programs that are?more relational, in-depth, more experiential and less didactic?may be useful for consideration in undergraduate?psychology or human service programs?in reducing ageism and potential?for increasing interest in?careers in?the field of?aging.

The objectives of the present analyses are to examine the frequency, nature, and correlates of nonfatal gun use in incidents of conflict between adult children and their parents, to which police were summoned. A cross-sectional study design was used with all cases of domestic violence to which police were called between adult children and their parents, in Philadelphia, PA, in 2013 (N = 6,248). Data were drawn from forms required to be completed by police when responding to domestic violence calls for assistance. A series of multivariate logistic regression models were estimated. Of the 6,248 incidents, 5,486 involved no weapon, 522 involved a bodily weapon, 190 involved a non-gun external weapon, and 50 involved a gun. Guns were most often used to threaten victims (66%), with guns less often fired (6%) or used to pistol whip victims (4%). Compared to incidents involving a bodily weapon, when guns were involved, offenders were less likely to have pushed, grabbed, or punched the victim and victims were less likely to have visible injuries; however, offenders were more likely to have threatened victims and victims were more likely to be observed as frightened. Police officers intervened similarly to incidents involving guns vs. bodily weapons. This is the first study we are aware of to focus on nonfatal gun use between family members who are not intimate partners, with the results extending much of what is known regarding nonfatal gun use among intimate partners to nonfatal gun use among adult children and parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correlational design was employed to determine how risk and protective factors relate to first-year college adjustment. In total, 348 students completed an online survey about their experience adjusting to college. Risk factors (i.e., psychiatric medication, fearful-avoidant attachment, and anxious-preoccupied attachment) negatively impacted college adjustment; while protective factors (i.e., resilience, academic self-efficacy, and optimism) enhanced college adjustment. The risk factors, protective factors, and control variables analyzed in this study accounted for 54% of the variance. Notably, risk factors lost their significance after adjusting for protective factors. A major clinical implication of these findings is that college mental health professionals must assess for protective factors and enhance these strengths in order to improve first-year college adjustment, which is likely to impact graduation rates.

Intergenerational service-learning offers many benefits to undergraduate college students but can pose challenges too. One potential challenge is if an older adult participant dies during the program. Currently, there is a lack of literature providing guidance to instructors about how to proceed when such an event occurs. This article provides an example of such an event from the Lives Well Lived program and applies information from the grief literature to offer recommendations for instructors on how to plan for such an incident, and how to respond if an older adult dies during a service-learning program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between social support sources and unmet needs among U.S. Chinese older adults. Data were from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago. Unmet needs were assessed by indexes of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Three specific sources of social support (spouse, family members, and friends) were included. Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted. Approximately 17% of the 3,157 respondents reported having unmet ADL/IADL needs. U.S. Chinese older adults with less overall social support were more likely to have unmet ADL needs (odds ratio [OR]=0.91, 95% CI=0.83-0.99) and IADL needs (OR=0.84, 95% CI=0.81-0.88). Family and friend support were associated with a lower likelihood of having unmet ADL needs. Support from spouse, family, and friends was associated with a lower likelihood of having unmet IADL needs. The findings highlight the importance of informal social support in addressing unmet needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on an evaluation of the University of Pennsylvania's doctorate in social work (DSW), the first of the newly emerging practice doctorates. The study sample was current students and program alumni. Data were from program records and from an online survey of DSW alumni with an 81.6% response rate. Overall, the program is achieving its explicit and implicit goals. Current students and alumni are being hired part-time and full-time to teach in BSW and MSW programs. Moreover, graduates have found that the degree enhanced their recognition and respect by colleagues and professionals from other disciplines and resulted in greater confidence from clients.

This study compared two intergenerational service-learning programs in an undergraduate Psychology of Aging class. The longer, more relational intervention, the Lives Well Lived program, matched students and older adults exemplifying "successful aging" in a mutual interviewing, life review project utilizing documentary film, photography, and memoir creation. The comparison intervention also exposed students to older adults exemplifying successful aging, but in a shorter, less relational way. Post-intervention thematic analysis revealed students in the Lives Well Lived program had closer relationships with the older adults, more positivity about their own aging process, and more willingness to engage in future intergenerational relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) programs are proliferating, but with limited empirical data to direct planning efforts. To fill this gap in knowledge, this article reports on the findings of an evaluation undertaken on the first DSW of its kind. This evaluation had three components: (1) an environmental scan of DSW programs; (2) a survey of current students and alumni; and (3) a review of all completed dissertations. Relevant results are presented, along with implications for changes to the DSW program based on this quality-improvement effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research indicates that one's identity relates to one's use of specific coping strategies. Exploring the relationship between self and coping in military wives is crucial to understanding how they manage military lifestyle-related stressors. The researchers hypothesized that identity status, self-concept clarity, self-monitoring, mastery, and role conflict will be related to choice of emotion-focused coping or problem-focused coping strategies. Two hundred two participants completed an anonymous online survey containing standardized scales. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses revealed that emotion-focused coping had positive relationships with achieved identity status and role conflict. Problem-focused coping had positive relationships with moratorium status, self-concept clarity, self-monitoring, and mastery. Findings provide preliminary support that sense of self is important in understanding how military wives choose to cope with particular challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]