Gerontological Competencies among MSW Students: Evaluation of a Gerontology Specialization Program.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of a gerontology specialization program (GSP) within a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited master of social work (MSW) program. This study utilized a pretest/posttest design with a three-group comparison: group 1-GSP students; group 2-students from the group 1 program but not in GSP; and group 3-students at two external MSW programs with no GSPs. The overall sample comprised 220 advanced year students.

Montessori-Based Activities Among Persons with Late-Stage Dementia: Evaluation of Mental and Behavioral Health Outcomes.

Objectives: Literature regarding Montessori-based activities with older adults with dementia is fairly common with early stages of dementia. Conversely, research on said activities with individuals experiencing late-stage dementia is limited because of logistical difficulties in sampling and data collection. Given the need to understand risks and benefits of treatments for individuals with late-stage dementia, specifically regarding their mental and behavioral health, this study sought to evaluate the effects of a Montessori-based activity program implemented in a long-term care facility.

Perceived welfare caseworker support and psychological distress among low-income urban women with children.

Although some research suggests that the relationship between Child Protective Services workers and their clients may influence client outcomes, little is known about the function of the relationship between welfare or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families caseworkers and their clients. Building on previous research, the authors use 1999 survey data from the Welfare, Children, and Families Project--a probability sample of 853 low-income women with children living in Boston, Chicago, and San Antonio, Texas--to examine the association between perceived welfare caseworker support and psychological distress. Results revealed that women who perceive their welfare caseworker to be interested, caring, and helpful also tend to exhibit lower levels of psychological distress.

Parenting online and lay literature on infant spanking: information readily available to parents.

Professional consensus exists against the spanking of infants based on the risk of escalation and injury. Moreover, infants are unable to recognize connections between their behavior and punishment and to modify their behavior in response. However, pediatricians and other health care professionals do not frequently discuss the issue of infant spanking with parents.

Predictors of mothers' use of spanking with their infants.

Objectives: This study describes mothers who report spanking their infants in the first 13 months of life.

Methods: Two hundred forty-six (246) mothers were interviewed in the Mother-Baby Unit of a large university-affiliated hospital in a large southeastern city of the United States. Ninety-three percent (93%) of those mothers were reinterviewed in their homes when infants were 6-13 months of age.

Do maternal concerns at delivery predict parenting stress during infancy?

Objective: In a previous study, we found that new mothers could and would express concerns about their parenting, including concerns about maltreatment and poor care. In this study, we examine the utility of early maternal concerns for predicting parenting stress in the first year. Parenting stress is important because it has been shown to be related to maltreatment and poor parent-child relationships.