ABSTRACT
Little is known about how the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the public child welfare workforce influence implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) as most research has focused on the private workforce. This paper reports on public child welfare staff knowledge, attitudes, and practices in a state implementing the EBP, SafeCare. A survey of public child welfare staff (N = 222) was conducted to assess knowledge, familiarity, and referral barriers and practices. Knowledge of and familiarity with SafeCare were low, especially among front line staff (case managers). Attitudes toward SafeCare were fairly positive, but somewhat less so than attitudes toward a standard, non-evidenced based parenting program. Case managers were significantly less likely to have made a referral (15%) than other staff (46%). Job tenure had few effects on familiarity, knowledge, attitudes, or referrals. The strongest predictors of having made referrals were familiarity with SafeCare and job position
Se sabe poco sobre cómo influyen el conocimiento, las actitudes y las conductas de los profesionales del sistema público de protección infantil en la implantación de programas basados en la evidencia (PBE), ya que gran parte de la investigación sobre este tema se ha centrado en el ámbito privado. Este artículo informa acerca de los conocimientos, las actitudes y las prácticas de un equipo público de protección infantil que lleva la implantación en un Estado de EE.UU. de un PBE (SafeCare). Se aplicó una encuesta a 222 profesionales que trabajaban en protección infantil para evaluar el conocimiento, la familiaridad y las dificulta- des y prácticas de derivación de casos. El conocimiento y la familiaridad con SafeCare® era bajo, especialmente entre profesionales de primera línea (responsables de casos). Las actitudes hacia SafeCare eran bastante positivas, pero un poco menos que las actitudes hacia un programa utilizado habitualmente y no basado en la evidencia. Los responsables de casos tenían significativamente menos posibilidades de derivar (15%) que otros profesionales (46%). La antigüedad en el trabajo influye poco en el conocimiento, las actitudes o las derivaciones al programa. Los predictores que más influyeron en el número de derivaciones a SafeCare fueron la familiaridad con el programa y el tipo de contrato laboral
Subject(s)
Child , Female , Humans , Male , Therapeutics/methods , Therapeutics/psychology , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Evidence-Based Practice/methods , Evidence-Based Practice/statistics & numerical data , Evidence-Based Practice/trends , Parenting/psychology , Child Welfare/psychology , Child Welfare/trends , Parenting/trends , Child Health/statistics & numerical data , Child Care/methods , Child Care/psychology , Self Care/methods , Self Care/psychologyABSTRACT
Adolescents who are exposed to violence during childhood are at an increased risk for developing posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. The literature suggests that violence exposure might also have negative effects on school functioning, and that PTS might serve as a potential mediator in this association. The purpose of the current study was to replicate and extend prior research by examining PTS symptoms as a mediator of the relationship between two types of violence exposure and school functioning problems among adolescent youth from an urban setting. Participants included a sample of 121 junior high and high school students (M = 15 years; range = 13-16 years; 60 males, 61 females) within high-crime neighborhoods. Consistent with our hypotheses, community violence and family violence were associated with PTS symptoms and school functioning problems. Our data suggest that community and family violence were indirectly related to school functioning problems through PTS symptoms. Findings from this study demonstrate that PTS symptoms potentially mediate the relationship between violence exposure and school functioning problems across two settings (community and home). Future research should further examine protective factors that can prevent youth violence exposure as well as negative outcomes related to violence.
ABSTRACT
Each year, hundreds of thousands of children in the U.S. are victims of child maltreatment. Experts recommend behavioral, skill-based parent training programs as a strategy for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. These programs can be enhanced using innovative technology strategies. This paper presents a brief history of the use of technology in SafeCare®, a home visiting program shown to prevent child neglect and physical abuse, and highlights current work that takes a technology-based hybrid approach to SafeCare delivery. With this unique approach, the provider brings a tablet computer to each session, and the parent interacts with the software to receive psychoeducation and modeling of target skills. The provider and parent then work together to practice the targeted skills until mastery is achieved. Initial findings from ongoing research of both of these strategies indicate that they show potential for improving engagement and use of positive parenting skills for parents and ease of implementation for providers. Future directions for technology enhancements in SafeCare are also presented.
