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Biomedical subjects

J S Wodarski

Publications and source records attributed to J S Wodarski.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Trauma-related symptomatology among children of parents victimized by urban community violence.

The effects of parents' victimization by community violence on children's psychological functioning was examined in a group of 30 6-12-year-old African-American children. In comparison with 30 demographically similar children in the same urban community whose parents had never been victimized, the victims' children exhibited higher levels of distress symptoms. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1999

Screening of substance abuse in public welfare and child protective service clients: a comparative study of rapid assessment instruments vs. the SASSI.

In light of new welfare reforms, it is essential that public welfare workers move individuals from welfare to work in an expedient fashion. Client alcohol and/or drug use/abuse is one barrier that may inhibit this process. The following study (N = 93) administered both the Hudson Index of Alcohol Involvement, the Hudson Index of Drug Involvement (rapid assessment instruments) and the Miller Substance Abuse Subtly Screening Inventory (SASSI) to public welfare and Child Protection system clients. Results indicated that the two rapid assessment measures strongly correlated with the advanced, commonly used SASSI measure. It is suggested that public welfare workers should institute these rapid assessment instruments at intake to screen clients for alcohol and drug use/abuse. When indicated, the client could then be referred to the appropriate agency for further assessment and treatment, to better prepare them for employment as mandated by new welfare reforms. The rapid assessment instruments were found to be shorter than the SASSI, easily administered, and able to detect alcohol and/or drug use/abuse effectively and efficiently in these populations.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The acquisition of life skills through adventure-based activities and programs: a review of the literature.

This paper discusses the definition of at-risk elementary and secondary school students and identifies incidence and prevalence of various related stressors and behaviors. Assessment issues for at-risk students are highlighted. Theoretical issues that pertain to early adolescence and educational adventure-based program approaches that have been used to intervene or assist in risk remediation for the identified student are addressed. A comparison between the adventure-based programs and the more traditional life skills approach is presented. Empirical evaluations and limitations of adventure programming and adventure-based counseling as well as practice implications and suggestions for further research are reviewed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide; a social work update.

Considering the recent actions of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, Dr. Timothy Quill and the Hemlock Society's initiatives for legalizing physician assisted suicide for special cases in the state of Washington, Oregon, and California, arguments for and against euthanasia and physician assisted suicide have grown into a substantial and impassioned debate. This paper outlines and analyzes salient issues within the controversy of legalizing physician assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. It highlights significant issues for state and federal policy formation and further suggests unique roles which medical social workers might play in developing and implementing a compassionate and reliable system for caring for the terminally ill.

Euthanasia↗
PubMed1993

Social work perspectives on human behavior.

This manuscript addresses recent developments in human behavior research that are relevant to social work practice. Specific items addressed are biological aspects of behavior, life span development, cognitive variables, the self-efficacy learning process, the perceptual process, the exchange model, group level variables, macro level variables, and gender and ethnic-racial variables. Where relevant, specific applications to social work practice are provided.

Behavior↗
PubMed1992

Legal requisites for social workers in child abuse and neglect situations.

Societal efforts to protect endangered children have resulted in increased responsibilities for social workers, who are expected to identify, report, and provide testimony in suspected cases of abuse and neglect. Their decisions in these cases may have profound consequences for children, families, and themselves. This article increases social workers' knowledge of legal requisites and system realities in child protection to help them make high-quality decisions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Behavioral medicine: an emerging field of social work practice.

The burgeoning field of behavioral medicine is reviewed in terms of its relevance and implications for social work practice. This article reviews the behavioral medicine paradigm and its applications relevant to social work practice in health care settings. Specific applications of social learning theory to the treatment of cardiac disorders, chronic pain, headaches, obesity, and smoking are reviewed. The manuscript concludes with a review of practice issues.

Behavioral Medicine↗
PubMed1990

Maltreatment and the school-age child: major academic, socioemotional, and adaptive outcomes.

Studies of the impact of abuse or neglect on children have focused largely on maltreated infants, toddlers, or preschool children and on single subsystems of development. In the study described in this article, 139 school-age and adolescent children who had been physically abused, who had been neglected, and who had no prior history of maltreatment participated in a multimodal, multisource assessment. The authors used parent and child interviews, teacher ratings, and data from school records to comprehensively assess older maltreated children's school performance; social and emotional development in school, at home, in the community, and with peers; and adaptive behavior in areas such as motor skills, personal care skills, and community orientation. With the effects of socioeconomic status covaried out, results showed that the abused children displayed pervasive and severe academic and socioemotional problems. Neglected children differed little from children who were neither abused nor neglected on measures of socioemotional development, but they displayed severe academic delays. Both groups of maltreated children showed unexpected strengths on measures of adaptive behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Child abuse and delinquency: the empirical and theoretical links.

There is an association between child abuse and delinquency, but problems with study design, definition, and method currently prevent a definitive understanding of the sequences and causal relations involved. The evidence indicates that a bidirectional relationship exists between child abuse and delinquency. A framework that uses Patterson's analysis of coercive processes suggests that child characteristics, parental inadequacies, and external stressors each play a part in child abuse and delinquency.

Aggression↗
PubMed1990

The empirical base for the implementation of social skills training with maltreated children.

Empirical research on the psychosocial sequelae of child maltreatment has identified numerous and severe social skills deficits in abused and neglected children that negatively affect their healthy adjustment. Social skills training programs have been successful in helping adults and nonmaltreated children improve their skills in interpersonal communication, problem solving, self-control, assertiveness, and stress management. Such training appears promising for intervention with maltreated children. Guidelines and rationales are presented for developing social skills training programs specifically focused on the developmental and situational needs of abused and neglected children.

Acculturation↗
PubMed1990

Adolescent substance abuse: practice implications.

The incidence of substance abuse and implications for practice are reviewed. Variables that might be altered to prevent abuse among clients are discussed. Substance abuse theory, school and peer environment, family, the media, community movements, and business and industry are explored in regard to prevention and treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Comprehensive employment preparation for adolescents with developmental disabilities: an empirical paradigm.

This paper presents a comprehensive employment preparation intervention for adolescents with developmental disabilities. Vocational preparation is viewed in terms of the development of job and related psychosocial skills. The Comprehensive Employment Preparation program is designed to help youth and young adults with developmental disabilities acquire the skills necessary to prepare them for effective functioning as self-sustaining, working members of society. Substantial research indicates that social, problem-solving and employment-seeking skills are significant factors in attaining and maintaining employment. At this time, relevant literature clearly reveals that progress is being made in assessing individual deficiencies and programs for development of improved social competency. Future policy and research issues are reviewed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

A social learning approach to teaching adolescents about alcohol and driving: a multiple variable follow-up evaluation.

Previously reported data have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT) alcohol education program. This manuscript reports on the follow-up effects of the program as compared with the traditional instruction and no instruction control groups. Follow-up data indicate that the TGT students maintained previous positive changes while the traditional and no-instruction groups showed little or no change. Issues in the follow-up of students are briefly discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

A group contingency for electricity conservation in master-metered apartments.

Two studies evaluated the effects of a group contingency on electricity conservation. In Study 1, residents of 166 apartment units in three towers held meetings and received biweekly payments of the value of electricity saved compared to predicted use. The group contingencies were initiated in each tower in a multiple-baseline design. The program produced substantial savings in one tower (11.2% of temperature-adjusted baseline), moderate savings in another (4.0%), and minimal savings in a third (1.7%). Overall, the residents saved 6.2%. In Study 2, residents of 255 apartment units, also in three towers, received the same treatment, except only 50% of the value of their savings were paid, and they received a one-time bonus of $5 for using >/= 10% less than baseline. Towers in Study 2 showed savings of 9.5%, 4.7%, and 8.3%, an average of 6.9%.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1978

The empirical evaluation of the effects of different group treatment strategies against a controlled treatment strategy on behavior exhibited by antisocial children, behaviors of the therapist, and two self-rating scales that measure antisocial behavior.

Evaluated two group treatment strategies against a control treatment strategy on the behaviors exhibited by antisocial children, behaviors of their therapists, and two self-rating scales. The first year 139 antisocial children were stratified according to age and then randomly placed into 14 groups. For the second year, 100 children were placed into 11 groups composed of antisocial children. Behavioral measurements of the children's and therapists' behaviors were secured at each weekly 2-hour meeting. Children were pre- and posttested on the various inventories postulated to measure antisocial behavior. In addition, significant adults, such as group therapists, filled out pre- and posttest inventories to measure antisocial behavior. For both years very few significant differences occurred between the treatment groups and the control groups on the dependent variables studies. The findings are discussed in terms of their relevance for behavior therapy.

Adolescent↗