Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Place for Social Work

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has emerged as a significant public health issue. Increases in both the prevalence and awareness of this injury have resulted in a greater demand for mTBI-informed care. Our exploratory, qualitative study examines the work lives of front-line mTBI professionals. Findings suggest that mTBI rehabilitation work often requires substantial emotional energy given the impact that injury-related issues have on professionals’ therapeutic work with clients. We suggest that social work, with a focus on the psychosocial implications of injury and recovery, is well-positioned to take a larger role in mTBI care and rehabilitation.     

Addressing infant mortality through positive youth development opportunities for adolescent girls

Adolescent girls experience risks prior to pregnancy and giving birth that influence their overall health, and development, as well as community rates of infant mortality. Supporting adolescent girls through positive youth development (PYD) opportunities offers a potential long-term strategy to preventing infant mortality and improving maternal health outcomes. The current study sought to assess state-wide needs, resources and opportunities related to PYD supports for adolescent girls, especially among those most at risk for early pregnancy. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis guided nine community forums in counties with the highest rates of infant mortality in one large Midwestern state. In total, 368 stakeholders attended the forums and provided insights related to the context of PYD for adolescent girls. Researchers also conducted three focus group with 19 parents/guardians and three focus groups with 25 adolescent girls aged 11–14 to validate the findings from the SWOT analysis. Content analysis was utilised to synthesise the qualitative results. Strengths and opportunities related to PYD for adolescent girls included access to afterschool programming and access to health and mental health services. Weaknesses brought awareness to more systemic problems as all nine counties reported a lack of communication and coordination among youth programs and a need for greater collaboration among youth agencies. Threats included challenges associated with technology and social media, unsafe neighbourhood conditions, and issues of racism, sexism, poverty and discrimination. Findings support the need for a continued focus and priority on improving access, services and supports for adolescent girls to prevent infant mortality and improve their health and well-being. Local, state and national leaders can use the results of this study to promote additional strategies for addressing infant mortality through PYD for adolescent girls.     

Addressing the barriers to mental health services for inner city children and their caretakers

This paper will outline a series of three research studies meant to identify factors related to child mental health service usage and barriers to help seeking for urban minority children and their caretakers. In addition, this paper will describe the systematic development and evaluation of a telephone intervention strategy aimed towards increasing overall attendance at initial intake appointments at an urban child serving agency. The first study explores differences in demographic variables, for two groups of children (n=450), those that came to an initial intake interview and those that requested child mental health services, but failed to come to any scheduled appointments. The second study evaluates a telephone engagement intervention meant to increase initial attendance (n=54). Finally, the third study, more rigorously evaluates the impact of an intensive telephone intervention on initial attendance rates by randomly assigning families to the more focused telephone intervention or a business as usual telephone screening (n=108).The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of social work interns, Peggy Shelhorn and Shelly Derue. This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (1R24MH54212-01).     

A Naturalistic Evaluation of Psychosocial Interventions for Cancer Patients in a Community Setting

We used a naturalistic methodology to examine associations between change in cancer patients’ emotional functioning and their use of interventions in a community organization. One-hundred ninety-two patients completed measures at baseline and 6 months later. During this time, they utilized the organization's various interventions as they wished. Attendance at educational events was associated with decreased well-being. Use of art therapy groups was not associated with decreases in negative emotion but was consistently associated with increases in positive emotion. Improved functioning on some measures was associated with use of psychoeducational groups, expressive/supportive groups, movement classes, healing arts, and a buddy-matching service.