A conceptual framework of the psychosocial elements that should be assessed in candidates for hematopoietic cell transplant: Social workers' and psychologists' perspectives.

Background: The aim of this work was to explicate a conceptual framework of psychosocial elements assessed in candidates for hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) and to explore differences in the conceptualization based on the use of risk rating scales in clinical practice.Methods: Concept mapping is a mixed methods participatory approach to elicit and organize the ideas of a group of stakeholders and produce a composite conceptual framework. Participants were social workers and psychologists with experience assessing HCT candidates.Results: Participants brainstormed 114 psychosocial elements and conceptualized them into 12 distinct clusters: Transplant Mindset, Support System, Caregiver, Lodging and Transportation, Financial and Legal, Work, Demographic Characteristics, Mental Health, Communication, Educational and Resource Needs, Physical Functioning, and Cognition. Participants who used risk rating scales did not prioritize the importance of the clusters differently than those who did not.Conclusions: The conceptualization converges and diverges with the literature. Divergences are of particular interest since the perspectives of practicing psychosocial professionals have been largely absent from the literature. The conceptual framework can guide psychosocial providers in assessing patients. Assessing the caregiver is a high priority, as is evaluating the patient's mental health and mindset about transplant.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Social Workers: An Assessment of Peritraumatic Distress.

Summary: There is broad consensus that COVID-19 has had a pernicious impact on social work, in general, and among social work practitioners, more specifically. However, at present, very few, if any, empirical examinations of this impact exist. This exploratory study examined peritraumatic distress among a sample of social workers (N = 3920) in one southeastern state in the United States. Findings: Analysis suggests that distress is impacted by several variables. In general, participants identifying as male, married, reporting good physical and mental health, working in microcontexts, and who were finically secure tended to experience less COVID-19 associated distress. In addition, social workers identifying as LGBTQ* and who had been working mostly remotely experienced higher levels of distress. Applications: Overall, findings indicate the need to provide adept support to social workers practicing during the pandemic. Data suggest the need for targeted support initiatives, typically for those who are from underrepresented groups (e.g., LGBTQ*) or experiencing financial or mental/physical health issues. Certainly, researchers should continue to examine the impact of COVID-19 on social work practitioners and service delivery.

Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on Parental Stress: A Study of Foster Parents.

Purpose: The overarching purpose of this exploratory study was to understand how foster parents' parenting-related stress levels have changed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the role of sociodemographic characteristics in exacerbating risk for increased stress. Method: Participants were electronically surveyed about their pre- and post-pandemic parenting-related stress, using an adapted version of the parenting stress scale. Results: Nine-hundred and ninety foster parents (N = 990) participated in the study. Overall, foster parents reported significant increases along three specific domains of stress-namely, parenting stress, lack of control, and parental satisfaction (reverse-scored). Analyses for group differences on the post-only scores indicated that foster parents who are not married, or who report poorer mental health (i.e., "good", versus "very good" or "excellent") or financial circumstances (i.e., as indicated by not reliably having more income than expenses) may face increased risk for exacerbated stress during this pandemic. Discussion: Findings from this study indicate that parental stress-levels among foster parents have increased since the start of COVID-19. These findings are not only troubling for foster caregivers, but may also have implications for the youth in their care. Ultimately, results from this study indicate the need to better support foster parents, in general, and during public health crises, specifically.

Assuaging COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Among Mental Health Clinicians: The Potential of Self-Care.

Undoubtedly, the 2019 novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has put mental health clinicians under stress. Despite the promise of self-care in assuaging stress, very few, if any, studies have investigated the impact of self-care on stress among mental health professionals. This exploratory study examined COVID-19 related distress, self-care, and the predictive relationship between the two. Primary data were collected from a sample of mental health social work clinicians in one southeastern state (N = 1568). Results indicate that participants were experiencing mild peritraumatic distress associated with COVID-19. Participants who were married, identified as heterosexual or straight, financially stable, and in good physical/mental health were experiencing less distress than other mental health clinicians in the sample. Analyses revealed that higher self-care practices predict significantly less distress. Overall, data suggest that self-care can be integral to assuaging distress among mental health clinicians. This study offers insight into how to support mental health practitioners during COVID-19.

Self-care among healthcare social workers: The impact of COVID-19.

For social work practitioners in healthcare settings, self-care can be an integral tool to assuaging stressors associated with COVID-19. However, research that examines the impact of public health crises, such as COVID-19, is nominal, at best. This exploratory study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the self-care practices of self-identified healthcare social workers (N = 2,460) in one southeastern state. Primary data were collected via an electronic survey and assessed via a retrospective pre/post design. Analyses compared practices before and after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Overall, data suggest that participants experienced significant pre/post decreases in self-care practices across multiple domains. As well, findings indicate that participants who identified as married, financially stable, and working non-remotely, and in good physical/mental health engaged in significantly more self-care practices than other participants, at post. This study underscores the need to foster supportive professional cultures that include developing self-care practice skills, particularly during large-scale crisis, such as COVID-19.

Child welfare workers and peritraumatic distress: The impact of COVID-19.

Whilst there is broad consensus that COVID-19 has had a pernicious impact on child welfare services, in general, and child welfare workers, specifically, this notion has not been thoroughly examined in the literature. This exploratory study examined COVID-19 related peritraumatic distress among child welfare workers (N = 1996) in one southeastern state in the United States (U.S.). Findings suggest that the study sample was experiencing distress levels above normal ranges; 46.4% of participants were experiencing mild or severe distress. Sexual orientation, self-reported physical and mental health, relationship status, supervision status, and financial stability impacted distress levels experienced by child welfare workers. Overall, data suggest that COVID-19 is impacting child welfare workers and there is a need to conceptualize, implement, and evaluate initiatives aimed at assuaging distress among child welfare workers.

Supporting collegiate foster youth and alumni: A mixed-method planning approach for higher education.

Despite the proliferation, of on-campus academic support programs for foster youth and alumni (e.g., those formerly in foster care), few conceptual frameworks for developing these programs exist. This study employed Group Concept Mapping (GCM) methodology to delineate a conceptual framework, from the perspective of foster youth and alumni (N = 51), for the development of on-campus support initiatives. GCM is an integrated mixed-method research method that uses non-metric multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses, to analyze qualitative data (e.g., statement form) collected during brainstorming sessions. This research was guided by two separate queries: (1) How do foster youth/alumni conceptualize support programs to support foster youth/alumni through to degree completion; and, (2) Is there a difference in priority areas of this conceptualization between current college students, and those who have dropped out of college within the last 18 months? Analyses revealed that participants conceptualized on-campus support programs via an eight-cluster solution, including Campus Awareness, Advocacy, Data Tracking, Pre-College Supports, Fostering Family Connections, Academic Financing, Campus Life, and Peer/Mentor Supports clusters. Additionally, analyses revealed significant priority ratings between areas of this conceptualization. In terms of Importance to academic success, current students rated statements in the Academic Financing and Peer/Mentor Supports clusters significantly lower than did non-students. For Feasibility, current students viewed statements in the Data Tracking, Campus Life, and Peer/Mentor Supports clusters as significantly more feasible than non-students. Pragmatic implications derived from these findings include fostering inclusive campus environments for foster youth/alumni and advocacy undertakings by institutions, on behalf of this population.

Exploring the self-compassion of health-care social workers: How do they fare?

Indubitably, the challenges facing health-care social workers are becoming increasingly complex. Whilst these problematic professional circumstances compound the need for self-compassion among health-care social workers, few studies, if any, have explicitly examined self-compassion among this practitioner group. This cross-sectional study explored self-compassion among a sample of practitioners (N = 138) in one southeastern state. Results indicate that health-care social workers in this sample engage in self-compassion only moderately. Further, occupational and demographic/life characteristics (e.g., age, years practicing social work, average hours worked per week, health status, and relationship status, among others) are able to predict self-compassion scores. After a terse review of relevant literature, this paper will explicate findings from this study, discuss relevant points derived from said findings, and identify salient implication for health-care social work praxis.

Self-care among healthcare social workers: An exploratory study.

Despite growing interest in self-care, few studies have explicitly examined the self-care practices of healthcare social workers. This exploratory study investigated self-care among practitioners (N = 138) in one southeastern state. Overall, data suggest that healthcare social workers only moderately engaged in self-care. Additionally, analyses revealed significant differences in self-care practices by financial stability, overall health, and licensure status, respectively. Interestingly, perceived health status and current financial situation were significant predictors for overall self-care practices. After a brief review of the literature, this narrative will explicate findings, elucidate discussion points, identify salient implications, and conclude with areas for future research.

Exploring member perspectives on participation on child welfare Citizen Review Panels: A national study.

The year 2016 marked the 20th anniversary of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) amendments (P.L. 104-235) that mandated Citizen Review Panels (CRPs). CRPs are citizen volunteer groups authorized by United States (U.S.) federal law to examine policies and procedures of state child welfare agencies. Despite the potential of CRPs to positively impact child welfare systems outcomes associated with child abuse and neglect, and the millions of dollars in resources allocated to these groups, there remains a dearth in the literature about CRPs. This exploratory study examined CRP member perceptions from across the United States. Researchers collected scaled survey data to examine member knowledge, engagement and assessment of panel influence and impact, membership composition, and meeting structure. Results revealed that panel members lack some knowledge related to the federal mandate guiding their work, and data suggest the need for panels to more adroitly recruit and retain members representative of the communities in which the panels are formed. After a brief review of background literature, this paper will explicate key results, discuss these findings, and identify salient practice, policy and research implications derived from the study.

Planning an organizational wellness initiative at a multi-state social service agency.

Increasingly, organizations in general, and social service organizations, specifically, are recognizing the importance of planning and evaluating organizational wellness initiatives. Yet, few participatory models for carrying out these aims exist. For this study, researchers utilized concept mapping (CM) to explicate a conceptual framework for planning, and subsequently evaluating, a wellness initiative at a multi-state social service organization. CM is a participatory approach that analyzes qualitative data via multi-dimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses. Outputs include a number of visual depictions that allow researchers to explore complex relationships among sets of the data. Results from this study indicated that participants (N=64), all of whom were employees of the agency, conceptualized organizational wellness via an eight-cluster solution, or Concept Map. Priority areas of this framework, specifically importance and feasibility, were also explored. After a brief review of pertinent literature, this article explicates the CM methodology utilized in this study, describes results, discusses lessons learned, and identifies apt areas for future research.

Using concept mapping as a planning tool: Child welfare citizen review panels.

Citizen Review Panels (CRPs) are groups of citizen volunteers authorized by U.S. federal law to examine state child welfare agencies. These groups inspect policies and practices related to child protection responsibilities and are tasked with making recommendations for systemic improvement. Despite the federal mandate for each state to develop a CRP and the potential of these groups to positively impact child welfare practices, there is a dearth in the literature related to CRPs. Consequently, planning and evaluation processes of these groups vary widely. This study reports on the use of concept mapping (CM) to outline a framework for planning and subsequently evaluating the CRP in one southeastern state. CM is a mixed-method research approach that uses multi-dimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses to explore an area of study. Through these analyses, the method creates visual depictions of conceptual relationships between ideas. Data yielded a seven cluster concept map that CRP members (N=36) utilized for planning processes, and subsequently for developing an internal evaluation tool. Results from this study offer a unifying framework by which CRPs, and similar groups in other areas can utilize for planning and evaluation purposes. After a review of pertinent literature on CRPs, this article explicates CM processes utilized in this study, describes results, discusses lessons learned, and outlines apposite areas for future CRP research.