Human services students’ experiential learning on conducting a life story research of Chinese American family caregivers

Community college students were involved in conducting a research project entitled “Life Stories of Chinese American Family Caregivers.” They recruited Chinese American family caregivers and collected their life stories of providing care to family members of old age. Students were asked to provide reflections on their experience with the research project. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze students’ perception of the impact of the life story project on their attitude change toward family caregiving as well as their relationship with family members of old age and career choice. The results revealed students’ gratitude for their family members of old age, desire to develop a plan for caregiving issues in their own families, deeper empathic understanding on family caregivers, and improved self-efficacy for better service provision in their future practice. The results encourage further exploration on the impact of research on undergraduate students’ aging competency.     

The ecology of family day care

The study examined the interrelationships of multiple levels of the family day care system (family, child care, and children) in order to portray the ecology of family day care in a small midwestern city and surrounding rural areas. Fifty-seven children, their mothers, and caregivers (n = 30) participated. Caregiver characteristics, conditions of caregiving, and quality of care in the family day care homes were assessed. Family background information (SES, education, stress, social support, and childrearing preferences) was obtained. Children's cognitive, language, and social development were assessed using static and process measures of each domain. Results revealed that families did not choose caregivers who resembled themselves with respect to SES, childrearing preferences, and stress, nor did they select child care whose quality varied systematically with their characteristics. Family and child care characteristics appeared to have additive effects on children's development.     

The effectiveness of a life story program on stress reduction among chinese american family caregivers of older adults

The study aims to examine the effectiveness of a life story program on reducing Chinese American family caregivers’ stress due to the burden of caregiving. This study conducted a quasi-experimental pre-posttest research design. A simple one-way ANOVA was performed to test the significance of the intervention on caregivers’ burden. The life story was not found to be directly statistically significant on reducing burden. However, through the life story intervention, it was discovered that among Chinese American family caregivers their perceived lower dependency of the care receiver, fewer needs of the care receiver and unknown time frame of continuation of care were statistically significant on the burden scale. The life story intervention improved family caregivers’ insight and judgment on the effect that care receivers’ needs and demands had on their continuation of caregiving.     

Continuity of Care,Caregiver–Child Interactions,and Toddler Social Competence and Problem Behaviors

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: Continuity of care is a recommended practice in child care intended to promote secure and supportive relationships between infants and toddlers and their caregivers. Toddlers (N = 115) between 12 and 24 months were observed in 30 continuity and 29 noncontinuity classrooms. The average duration of care for toddlers with caregivers was 14 months in the continuity rooms and 5 months in noncontinuity rooms. Toddlers observed in continuity rooms experienced higher levels of interactive involvement with their caregivers and were rated by their caregivers as having fewer problem behaviors compared with the toddlers in noncontinuity rooms. Toddlers in rooms with higher staff–child ratios also experienced more involved caregiving. We did not find evidence that the level of involved caregiving mediated the association between continuity of care and toddlers’ social competence or problem behaviors. Practice or Policy: Continuity of care may be a promising practice for programs that strive to provide high-quality care for infants and toddlers.     

Predictors of Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Depression and Burden: What Noncaregiving Adults Can Learn From Active Caregivers

This study examined similarities and differences between active caregivers (adult children and spouses whose family member had Alzheimer's disease) and not-as-yet caregiving adults (adult children and spouses whose family members are older, but do not as yet suffer from Alzheimer's disease). The objective was to determine what factors predict depressed mood and caregiver burden. Findings indicated that there were both differences and similarities between active caregivers and not-as-yet caregivers. While personality (extraversion) and anxiety about their own aging were the major predictors of depression for active caregivers, perceptions of a lack of social support was the major predictor of depression for not-as-yet caregivers. Regarding caregiver burden, perceived lack of social support, internal attributions of causality, and anxiety about their own aging were predictors for both groups. These findings are not only in concert with past research on the well-being of active caregivers, but they also importantly provide would-be caregiving adults with important information regarding caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease. These findings suggest that not-as-yet-caregiving adults could better prepare for potential caregiving distress by learning active self-care skills, identifying what is meaningful about both growing older and about caregiving, and building a social network of support, all in anticipation of active caregiving.     

Do regulable features of child-care homes affect children’s development?

Data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care were used to assess whether regulable features of child-care homes affect children’s development. Child-care homes selected were those in which there were at least two children and the care provider received payment for child care (ns=164 when the study children were 15 months old, 172 at 24 months, and 146 at 36 months). Caregivers who were better educated and had received more recent and higher levels of training provided richer learning environments and warmer and more sensitive caregiving. Caregivers who had more child-centered beliefs about how to handle children also provided higher quality caregiving and more stimulating homes. In addition, when settings were in compliance with recommended age-weighted group size cut-offs, caregivers provided more positive caregiving. Quality of care was not related to caregivers’ age, experience, professionalism, or mental health, or to the number of children enrolled in the child-care home or whether the caregivers’ children were present. Children with more educated and trained caregivers performed better on tests of cognitive and language development. Children who received higher quality care, in homes that were more stimulating, with caregivers who were more attentive, responsive, and emotionally supportive, did better on tests of language and cognitive development and also were rated as being more cooperative. These findings make a case for regulating caregivers’ education and training and for requiring that child-care homes not exceed the recommended age-weighted group size.     

TEACHING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FAMILY CAREGIVING ONLINE

This article describes an online course developed and currently offered at Middle Tennessee State University. Considering the statistics of family caregivers, their needs, and students’ and human service professionals’ education, the author demonstrates the necessity of such courses and their benefits. The author also considers the standards for online Social Work education. Because there are more than 54 million family caregivers providing 80% of all home health care, recommendations for further study into caregiving courses, their content, and usefulness are given. The article includes student testimonials, course objectives, and links to course websites and the WebCT system that provides the course's platform.     

社会支持对大学生病理性互联网使用的影响

本研究使用大学生病理性互联网使用调查问卷与社会支持评定量表对随机抽取的395名大学生进行问卷调查,探讨大学生社会支持对病理性互联网使用的影响。结果显示,社会支持度低的大学生更容易形成病理性互联网使用倾向;社会支持各因子及总分与病理性互联网使用总分之间存在不同程度的负相关,并且社会支持对大学生病理性互联网使用具有一定程度的预测作用。     

害羞大学生社会支持与网络成瘾的关系

以在校大学生649人为被试,采用《害羞量表》、《中文网络成瘾量表》和《社会支持评定量表》进行问卷调查,考察害羞大学生网络成瘾、社会支持的状况,分析害羞对网络成瘾的影响,以及社会支持对害羞学生网络成瘾易感性的可能的中介作用。研究结果表明:害羞、社会支持和网络成瘾各维度之间两两显著相关;社会支持、网络成瘾各维度在害羞组和非害羞组之间均差异显著;大学生害羞程度对其社会支持和网络成瘾有显著的预测作用,社会支持在害羞与网络成瘾之间起着完全中介作用。     

Student participation in a dementia-outreach research project as community-based experiential learning

People with dementia (PWD) and their family caregivers need an increasing number of diverse health and social services. A multidisciplinary person-centered approach to dementia services is required to meet the complex needs of PWD and their family caregivers. However, educational programs struggle to prepare health and social work students to meet the complex needs of PWD and their family caregivers. This study aimed to assess the self-efficacy, competence, target complaints, and attitudes regarding interactions with PWD and their family caregivers among healthcare and social work students who participated in a large community dementia-outreach research project. A one-group pretest and posttest design was used to collect data from 23 undergraduate students studying nursing, public health, or social work. Students participated in a community dementia-outreach research project as an extracurricular activity. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a pre- and post-participation self-report questionnaire. Students showed increased self-efficacy and competence after project participation. Students’ perceived barriers to interacting with PWD and their family caregivers decreased. In answering open-ended questions, students showed enhanced understanding of PWD and their family caregivers, positive attitudes toward dementia care, and a career preference for dementia care. Findings provided evidence of the benefits of community-research-project participation as an experiential learning tool to enhance dementia care among health and social work students.     

ELDERCARE IN THE 1990s: CHALLENGES AND SUPPORTS FOR EDUCATING FAMILIES

The purpose of this article is to summarize the recent literature on caregiving in order to identify viable ways to educate families to care for elderly relatives in the home environment. The demands and stresses currently associated with providing home care to older members are discussed, followed by an overview of support services that represent promising and workable approaches in enhancing families’ home‐caregiving capacities. With few exceptions, this paper is based on caregiving research published in the past five years.     

社会支持对大学生利他行为的影响:自我效能感的中介作用

为探究社会支持、自我效能感和大学生利他行为的关系,采用社会支持评定量表、一般自我效能感量表、大学生利他行为量表对10所高校的1995名大学生进行调查.结果 显示:(1)大学生利他行为低于理论中值,自我效能感高于理论中值,获得社会支持比较高;(2)社会支持、自我效能感和大学生利他行为之间均呈现显著正相关;(3)自我效能感...     

大学生志愿者社会责任意识培养工作模式的研究

大学生志愿者参加社会服务工作意义深远,特别是有助于大学生社会责任意识的培养。建立合理、优化的大学生志愿者服务工作模式,有利于推动大学生志愿者工作的开展,从而培养青年一代的社会责任意识。通过分析大学生志愿者社会服务工作的重要意义、工作模式的构建原则进行分析,应从组织保障、管理规范、经费支持等几方面着手建立完善的大学生志愿者社会责任意识培养工作的模式。     

完善上海居家高龄失能老人亲属照顾者的社会支持系统

亲属照护居家高龄失能老人仍是中国现阶段和今后较长时间内的主要照护形式。目前国内关于老年照护的研究集中于老年人本身的照护需求,而对亲属照顾者的照护状况、困难和需求研究不够深入。"高龄体弱老人照顾者需求和心理健康状况"课题组于2010年4—10月对上海市720名户籍城市居家高龄失能老人及其主要亲属照顾者所进行的抽样调查表明,目前上海居家高龄失能老人主要亲属照顾者的照护呈现女性居多、中老年退休者为主、经济条件适中、照护时间较长和照护责任心强的特点。照顾者在照顾过程中面对生理、心理和经济的压力虽然能够积极采取自我解压的方式,并从家庭获得支持,但同时对政府和社会提供支持也提出了迫切需求。为此,需要通过健全社会医疗保障体系,强化小区为基础的居家服务,加强照护知识技能培训,组建照顾者互助小组,完善以亲属照顾者需求为中心的社会支持系统。     

Child sexual abuse by nonrelated caregivers

This study examined the social contexts in which sexually abusive child care providers came into contact with children and parents. Content analysis of 325 case records resulted in the identification of seven main child care arrangements in which sexual abuse occurred. These arrangements varied by the routinization and formality of the caregiving relationship, as well as the methods of caregiver selection and reimbursement. The main finding was that the vast majority of female perpetrators were adolescents whose abusive behavior took place in the caregiving arrangement in which she is selected by parents, engaged on a routine basis, and paid a sum of money for her child care. In contrast, sexually abusive male caregivers represented a wide range of ages and committed sexual abuse over a significantly broader range of situations than female caregivers.     

新体育课程与大学生社会支持能力的构建

随着现代社会的发展要求,社会支持平台的构建已成为影响大学生社会生存与发展的关键因素。培养大学生构建符合自身发展要求的社会支持平台也成为现今高校的重要教学内容。体育教育以其独特的教育平台、授课内容、育人方法及教学环境对大学生社会支持平台的构建产生深远影响。＂植入式＂体育课程通过加强学生身心锻炼,拓宽学生的社会支持平台,最后达到提高学生获得社会支持的能力。     

大学生创业心理培树与干预的社会机制研究

目前大学生的创业率及创业成功率低,其重要原因是他们缺乏成熟的创业心理。因此,应聚合高校、政府、企业、家庭等社会因素,构建一个对大学生创业进行全方位、多元化的心理培树与干预的社会机制,为大学生创业提供强有力的心理支撑。     

高校精神障碍学生家庭关怀、社会支持与自我效能的相关性研究

目的:探究高校精神障碍学生家庭关怀、社会支持与自我效能感的关系.方法:使用家庭关怀度指数量表、社会支持量表以及自我效能感量表对30名在校精神障碍大学生测评.结果:50%的在校精神障碍大学生家庭存在中重度家庭功能障碍,社会支持各维度得分均显著低于常模(P<0.001),自我效能感得分低于普通大学生,其中在校精神障碍大学生中女生的自我效能感显著低于普通女大学生(P<0.001).在校精神障碍大学生的家庭关怀度、社会支持与自我效能感呈中等程度相关(r=0.426~0.619).结论:高校精神障碍学生家庭功能、社会支持差、自我效能感低,其家庭关怀度、社会支持与自我效能感存在一定的联系.     

嬗变与重塑：21世纪我国大学生价值观研究综述

21世纪,随着我国社会的深刻变革,我国的社会价值观也随之发生了变化,这种变化深刻影响了新时期大学生价值观的形成与发展,大学生价值观的嬗变与重塑成为研究者们关注的重点之一。概括21世纪大学生价值观的研究成果,探寻大学生社会价值与自我价值的有效融合途径,是重塑21世纪大学生价值观体系的有效途径。     

家庭、同伴支持对大学生社会责任感的影响

采用问卷法调查了400名“90后”大学生,运用回归分析法研究了家庭支持、同伴支持与大学生社会责任感的关系以及自我效能感在其中的中介作用。结果发现:（1）“90后”大学生社会责任感水平较高,社会责任感包括自我责任行动、他人责任行动与社会责任行动3个结构维度;（2）家庭支持与自我效能感、自我责任行动、他人责任行动与社会责任行动均显著正相关,同伴支持与自我效能感、社会责任行动均显著正相关;（3）自我效能感在家庭支持与自我责任行动、他人责任行动、社会责任行动间均起到部分中介作用,在同伴支持与社会责任行动间起到完全中介作用。