Maureen E . Riley-Behringer | Case Western Reserve University (original) (raw)

Papers by Maureen E . Riley-Behringer

Study of country-specific race and bicultural socialization (BCS) practices among white transraci... more Study of country-specific race and bicultural socialization (BCS) practices among white transracial, intercountry-adoptive (T-ICA) parents and their Indian children (N = 622) living in the Netherlands (n = 409), Norway (n = 146), and The United States (US) (n = 67). ▪ Gaps: Ethno-racial demography was found to influence BCS practices of T-ICA parents with Chinese daughters (Thomas & Tessler, 2007). Gaps existed as to whether results generalized to other U.S. T-ICA family populations and how American BCS practices compared cross-nationally to White, Dutch and Norwegian families with children from India. ▪ Why 3 countries? Contrast with single-country interpretations; examine "country-ofresidence" as contextual factor in BCS practices (i.e., Degrees of minority [US> Netherlands > Norway] and Indian populations [US > Norway > Netherlands]) ▪ Across these three countries: RQ1. How did these T-ICA families differ in their BCS practices? RQ2. How did parental reports of children's negative experiences with others about adoption, birth country, skin color, racial/positive discrimination, and parental worry differ in T-ICA families? 2. METHODS ▪ Research Design/Sample: Cross-sectional survey design; mailed surveys; Indian adoptees 4-16 years ▪ Measures: Cultural identity/discrimination survey items previously tested (Juffer & Tieman, 2009; Tessler, Gamache, & Liu, 1999); psychometric properties for face validity only. ▪ Importance of Bicultural Socialization Experiences(IBSE-P); Adoptees' Participation in Bicultural Socialization (APBS); parents # adult Indian friends; adoptees' negative experiences with others about adoption, birth country, skin color; racial/positive discrimination; parental worry; with whom adoptees had negative experiences  Procedure: Human Subjects Approval; pilot; mailed surveys /follow-up 30-day  Statistical Analysis: Factor analyses (oblimin rotation) for IBSE-P/APBS scale formation; (bivariate analysis of categorical data Pearson's  2 analyses/Bonferroni correction) (Table 1); interval level data (t-tests of independent samples; 1-way ANOVA/Tukey post hoc) (Table 2-3).

Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology; 20 (2), 231-243. doi: 10.1037/a0035324, Apr 1, 2014

Journal of clinical and translational science, 2017

Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) and Practice-based Research Networks (PBRNs) ha... more Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) and Practice-based Research Networks (PBRNs) have complementary missions. We replicated a 2008 survey of CTSA-PBRN leaders to understand how organizational relationships have evolved. We surveyed 60 CTSA community engagement (CE) Directors and 135 PBRN Directors and analyzed data using between and within-group comparisons. Forty-three percent of CTSA CE Directors (26/60) and forty-two percent of PBRN Directors (57/135) responded. Quantitative responses revealed growing alignment between CTSA/PBRN perceptions, with a few areas of discordance. CE Directors noted declining financial support for PBRNs. PBRN Directors identified greater CTSA effectiveness in PBRN engagement, consultation, and collaborative grant submissions. Qualitative data revealed divergent experiences across CTSA/PBRN programs. Relationships between CTSAs and PBRNs are maturing; for some that means strengthening and for others a growing vulnerability. Findings suggest...

Clinical Pediatrics, 2016

This study explores how parents&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; intentions regarding vaccination... more This study explores how parents&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; intentions regarding vaccination prior to their children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s visit were associated with actual vaccine acceptance. A convenience sample of parents accompanying 6-week-old to 17-year-old children completed a written survey at 2 pediatric practices. Using hierarchical logistic regression, for hospital-based participants (n = 216), vaccine refusal history ( P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .01) and vaccine decision made before the visit ( P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .05) explained 87% of vaccine refusals. In community-based participants (n = 100), vaccine refusal history ( P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .01) explained 81% of refusals. Over 1 in 5 parents changed their minds about vaccination during the visit. Thirty parents who were previous vaccine refusers accepted current vaccines, and 37 who had intended not to vaccinate choose vaccination. Twenty-nine parents without a refusal history declined vaccines, and 32 who did not intend to refuse before the visit declined vaccination. Future research should identify key factors to nudge parent decision making in favor of vaccination.

Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 2014

Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2014

ABSTRACT

Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2014

ABSTRACT

Journal of Clinical & Translational Science, 2017

Purpose. Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) and Practice-Based Research Networks (... more Purpose. Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) and Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs) have complementary missions. We replicated a 2008 survey of CTSA-PBRN leaders to understand how organizational relationships have evolved.
Methods. We surveyed 60 CTSA community engagement (CE) Directors and 135 PBRN Directors and analyzed data using between and within-group comparisons.
Results. In total, 43% of CTSA CE Directors (26/60) and 42% of PBRN Directors (57/135) responded. Quantitative responses revealed growing alignment between CTSA/PBRN perceptions, with a few areas of discordance. CE Directors noted declining financial support for PBRNs. PBRN Directors identified greater CTSA effectiveness in PBRN engagement, consultation, and collaborative grant submissions. Qualitative data revealed divergent experiences across CTSA/PBRN programs.
Conclusions. Relationships between CTSAs and PBRNs are maturing; for some that means strengthening and for others a growing vulnerability. Findings suggest a mutual opportunity for PBRNs and CTSAs around applied research. Studies to characterize exemplar CTSA-PBRN collaborations are needed.
Received 28 July 2017; Revised 27 September 2017; Accepted 19 October 2017
Key words: PBRN, community engagement, CTSA, applied research,
dissemination and implementation.

Clinical Pediatrics , 2017

This study explores how parents’ intentions regarding vaccination prior to their children’s visit... more This study explores how parents’ intentions regarding vaccination prior to their children’s visit were associated with actual vaccine acceptance. A convenience sample of parents accompanying 6-week-old to 17-year-old children completed a written survey at 2 pediatric practices. Using hierarchical logistic regression, for hospital-based participants (n = 216), vaccine refusal history (P < .01) and vaccine decision made before the visit (P < .05) explained 87% of vaccine refusals. In community-based participants (n = 100), vaccine refusal history (P < .01) explained 81% of refusals. Over 1 in 5 parents changed their minds about vaccination during the visit. Thirty parents who were previous vaccine refusers accepted current vaccines, and 37 who had intended not to vaccinate choose vaccination. Twenty-nine parents without a refusal history declined vaccines, and 32 who did not intend to refuse before the visit declined vaccination. Future research should identify key factors to nudge parent decision making in favor of vaccination.

The Journal of Public Child Welfare, 8(2), pp. 212-238; DOI:10.1080/15548732.2014.893223, May 8, 2014

"The shortage of foster/adoptive parents being licensed to care for children in the public welfa... more "The shortage of foster/adoptive parents being licensed to care for
children in the public welfare system prompted an evaluation of the Licensure and Home Study Process (LHSP). Ecological systems theory framed the barriers-to-resources interplay among kinship and non-relative caregivers who withdrew or completed the LHSP. This mixed-methods study examined differences in applicant characteristics and types of barriers experienced. Results indicated that applicants responsible for other children in the home paired with welfare system barriers served as a tipping point for withdrawal. Relatives encountered the most barriers and all grandparents with- drew from the LHSP prior to licensure.

KEYWORDS foster and adoptive parent, home study process, li-
ensure, barriers, kinship and non-relative caregivers
"

Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology; 20 (2), 231-243. doi: 10.1037/a0035324, Apr 2014

A cross-national sample of 622 internationally adopted children from India with White parents in ... more A cross-national sample of 622 internationally adopted children from India with White parents in The Netherlands (n = 409), Norway (n = 146), and the United States (n = 67) was used to contrast country-specific bicultural socialization (BCS) practices among families of transracial intercountry adoption. The 3 countries vary in their degrees of minority (US > Netherlands > Norway) and Indian populations (US > Norway > Netherlands). The current study examined parental survey trends among BCS practices, children’s negative encounters about adoption, racial and positive discrimination, and parental worry about these issues. Country-specific differences were revealed: The United States and Norway (greatest Indian populations) reported the greatest smilarity in BCS practices, classmates being a source of negative reactions/racial discrimination, and parental worry. The American sample encountered greater negative reactions to adoption from
others; Dutch children experienced the least negative reactions from others overall, yet as in the United States (samples with the greatest minority heterogeneity) they still noted significant
experiences of racial discrimination. Country-specific sociopolitical perceptions about adoption, ethnicity/race, and im- migration are considered as factors that may have been used to inform parenting practices that facilitate children’s biculturalism into family life (i.e., adoptive family stigma, percentages of Indian/minority populations, immigration policy trends). Concluding, cross-national research such as the current study may help intercountry adoption policymakers and practitioners to better understand and inform BCS practices in adoptive families.

Keywords: intercountry adoption, transracial adoption, bicultural socialization, racial discrimination, India

In What Works in Child Welfare (Revised Edition) (Editors Patrick Curtis and Gina Alexander); Chapter 1.5, 2012

Encyclopedia of Immigrant Health; ISBN: 978-1-4419-5655-2 (Print) 978-1-4419-5659-0 (Online) , 2012

Federal Children's Bureau

Federal Children's Bureau, 2011

Federal Children's Bureau, 2010

Settlement. Overall, the third year was successful in continuing the implementation of the projec... more Settlement. Overall, the third year was successful in continuing the implementation of the project. The project kept focus on process while sharpening the focus on data informed outcomes.

Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology; 20 (2), 231-243. doi: 10.1037/a0035324, Apr 1, 2014

Journal of clinical and translational science, 2017

Clinical Pediatrics, 2016

Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 2014

Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2014

ABSTRACT

Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2014

ABSTRACT

Journal of Clinical & Translational Science, 2017

Clinical Pediatrics , 2017

The Journal of Public Child Welfare, 8(2), pp. 212-238; DOI:10.1080/15548732.2014.893223, May 8, 2014

KEYWORDS foster and adoptive parent, home study process, li-
ensure, barriers, kinship and non-relative caregivers
"

Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology; 20 (2), 231-243. doi: 10.1037/a0035324, Apr 2014

Keywords: intercountry adoption, transracial adoption, bicultural socialization, racial discrimination, India

In What Works in Child Welfare (Revised Edition) (Editors Patrick Curtis and Gina Alexander); Chapter 1.5, 2012

Encyclopedia of Immigrant Health; ISBN: 978-1-4419-5655-2 (Print) 978-1-4419-5659-0 (Online) , 2012

Federal Children's Bureau

Federal Children's Bureau, 2011

Federal Children's Bureau, 2010

Elizabethtown College Department of Social Work Nicarry Hall, #217 1 Alpha Drive Elizabethtown, P... more Elizabethtown College
Department of Social Work
Nicarry Hall, #217
1 Alpha Drive
Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine; Practice-Based Research Network

•I collaborate with direct practice/multidisciplinary care teams (i.e., pediatricians, psychiatri... more •I collaborate with direct practice/multidisciplinary care teams (i.e., pediatricians, psychiatrists, primary care MDs, psychologists) and community advocacy groups (i.e., Open-Doors Academy) on designing translational research that will test the generalizability of trends they are seeing in the populations they serve.
•I use my skills as a practitioner, methodologist and teacher to help these teams refine “the problem” of interest that they want to study; additionally, we work together to determine what research has been done in the area, explore the study’s contribution, and then apply for small micro-grants to help support funding for the study.
•I contribute the research design, formulate surveys, train research assistants/oversee data collection, provide fidelity checks, conduct statistical analyses, and co-author peer-reviewed journal articles/presentations.

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine; Practice Based Research Network

Federal Children's Bureau & Cuyahoga County Division of Child and Families

Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences

Positive Adoptive Family Outcomes: Research/class sites in Cleveland and Boston

Designed/implemented project’s research protocol; formulated/pilot-tested qualitative interviews;... more Designed/implemented project’s research protocol; formulated/pilot-tested qualitative interviews; trained Ph D students to interview adoptive parents prior to their attendance at a day-long seminar on positive adoptive family strategies. Conducted statistical analysis. Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences

Cuyahoga County Division of Child and Families

Evidence-based parenting programs for families with children under age 3 years; goal to decrease ... more Evidence-based parenting programs for families with children under age 3 years; goal to decrease child mortality

Ph.D. Dissertation

Abstract: Purpose: Informed by teratology, attachment and stress theories, this cross-sectiona... more Abstract:

Purpose: Informed by teratology, attachment and stress theories, this cross-sectional, secondary dataset analysis examined three questions: 1) How does type of early care or 2) level of prenatal risk impact behavior problems, self-regulation, or modulation of physiological stress of intercountry adopted (ICA) children placed with their U.S. adoptive families for ≥ 3 years? And 3) are the effects of prenatal risk experiences on behavior problems, self-regulation, and physiological stress moderated by the type of early care children receive pre-adoption?

Methods: Early care comparisons were made between three groups matched on age (m = 6.9 years; SD = 0.6) and gender (girls n/group = 30) in children reared in institutional care (IC) (n = 40; m adoption age = 19 months; SD= 6.7 months), foster care (FC) (n = 40; m adoption age = 8.0 months; SD = 5.3), or birth family care (BC) (n= 40) on registry with the Minnesota International Adoption Project (N >2000 children). Adoptive parents provided child/family demographics, historical adoption and known prenatal risk information, completed behavior and temperament scales, and collected home baseline salivary cortisol samples. In the lab, children were tested on inhibitory control, attention regulation, and salivary cortisol. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), independent samples t-tests, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) tested the individual effects of prenatal risk and early care on outcomes. Two-way ANCOVAs were used to investigate whether early care moderated prenatal risk on outcomes when controlling for adoption age.

Results: IC was older at adoption than FC and IC had experienced fewer prenatal risks than FC. Type of early care denoted significant differences between groups on behavior problems (IC > BC; n2 = .09) and self-regulation (IC < BC; n2 = .07); differences existed for lab cortisol baseline (IC < FC; n2 = .04), but only without controlling for adoption age. Children with histories of high prenatal risk had greater behavior problems (High > Low; n2p= .06) and elevated home cortisol baseline (High > Low; n2p = .16) compared to low prenatal risk, even when controlling for adoption age and early care type. Early care type did not moderate the prenatal risk effects on developmental outcomes, indicating that the effects of prenatal risk were strong.

Implications. Early in life, children raised by responsive primary caregivers in family environments (BC; FC) are expected to have significantly fewer behavioral, self-regulation, and stress modulation problems than IC children. Yet, what emerged in this study were only differences between BC and IC groups, due to strong age-at-adoption influences. Prenatal risk effects lingered post adoption and remained significant when controlling for care type and adoption age. These effects were not moderated by care type. This may relate to children’s young ages at testing (6-7 years) and may change with maturation; to test this, future longitudinal studies are needed. This may reflect heterogeneity in IC and FC care quality. Greater collaboration is needed between social work, neuroscience, and stress research to inform child development, direct practice care, and a science-based framework for early childhood policy.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires that the Human Behavior and Social Environme... more The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires that the Human Behavior and Social Environment (HBSE) model be grounded in the biopsychosocial-spiritual development of individuals, social systems, and cultural environments (Ashford & LeCroy, 2009). In the last 20 years, burgeoning discoveries have been made in the fields of developmental social neuroscience, epigenetics, behavioral teratology, and stress and coping responses. It is likely that these findings would have had strong implications for the field of social work, as they would have promoted a greater understanding of human development and behavior, beginning as early as pre-pregnancy stages of development. Yet, the fact that these discoveries were not integrated into the HBSE model nor placed into the curriculum of accredited schools of social work is quite contradictory to the biopsychosocial-spiritual foundation that CSWE reportedly requires (Farmer, 2009; Lefmann & Combs-Orme, 2013). Further exploration of this topic must continue across schools of social work as well as within multidisciplinary teams in order to best prepare professionals for all types of scientific practices in the 21st Century.

This is an age-old argument! For more than two decades, researchers and theorists have publicly challenged the field of social work for failing to integrate biological research/theories into the HBSE framework. For example, Saleebey (1992, p. 112) relayed, “Although...social work credits itself for using a biopsychosocial perspective in theory and practice, the "bio" is virtually absent from the profession's knowing and doing”. He argued that in order for there to be a true understanding of the person-in-environment transaction, there must be care given by social workers to not minimize the evidentiary contribution of the “bio” or “body”-- in doing so would contribute to serious errors in assessment and missed opportunities for growth (Saleebey, 1992). The social work profession has continued to be openly challenged about this issue until today (i.e., Applegate & Shapiro, 2002; Farmer, 2009; Gilgun, 2005; Lefmann & Combs-Orme, 2013).

The majority of evidence-based practices (EBP) approaches are grounded in the findings of the biological sciences and most fields that utilize EBP also integrate biological sciences into their developmental models of human behavior (Gilgun, 2005). When examining human development and behavior, fields like psychology and nursing actually use a combination of both biological science and stage-related theories (i.e., see Piaget, 1950). Yet, social work has remained almost exclusively guided by stage-based theories in research, practice and teaching curriculum. This factor limits the field of social work as stage theories can only describe development and behavior, versus explain it or to consider how to intervene to change it.

Exciting changes in EPAS (2015) bring about new frontiers within the field of social work and social work education. In order to know where we are going, we must understand where we have been. Therefore, there is a tremendous need for educators, students and practitioners to openly dialogue about what the barriers have been as to why the social work profession has not integrated key, cutting-edge science research findings and theories into their HBSE model. One reason may be that social work programs may feel more pensive about weaving biological findings throughout their curriculum out of a sense of duty to protect the vulnerable populations that they serve. More specifically, schools may err on the side of caution about how much curriculum exposure they give to biological and neuroscience findings as to not create an “exaggeration of biological determinism” or a biological causation effect for every challenge in living for which students’ clients/families seek social work services (Farmer, 2009, p. 37).

Without such a dialogue, this is only pure speculation. Most importantly, social work cannot afford to wait any longer. Other helping professions are clearly integrating such material into their preparation of practitioners. Failing to do the same with our students relegates us to becoming obsolete and raises ethical issues as to whether we are fulfilling our educational mission.

Participants will begin in small discussion groups
They will be asked to address key questions
Groups will rotate so that each will address at least three of the questions (either on flip chart paper or a google document, if internet is available).
A large group discussion will follow.
Journal articles
Bibliographies
Theoretical models
Technology-based resources that can be used in teaching
Participants will be encouraged to bring as many of these resources as possible in sharable electronic format.
Those who are interested can upload their materials onto a shared drive to which all participants will be given access.

Throughout Master’s level training, many direct practice social work students struggle to connect... more Throughout Master’s level training, many direct practice social work students struggle to connect how their clinical work with clients/families links to the profession’s social justice aims, like broader system-level advocacy work and policy change. This is not surprising as the field’s literature closely aligns social justice, system-level advocacy and policy work with macro practice versus direct practice (Wolfer & Gray, 2007). This is historically rooted in how advocacy was once divided -- by case and cause. Case advocacy addressed power issues, serving the rights of individuals; cause advocacy addressed systemic issues, involving lobbying and policy change (Carlisle, 2000). Remnants of this divide remain and social work schools are ideally positioned to bridge this gap.

Yet, it is not always clear to curriculum committees how to pragmatically teach the direct practice-policy link (Powell & Causby, 1994). Two sources of guidance have been the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) (CSWE, 2014) and the NASW Code of Ethics (2008). EPAS Competency 5 (Engage in Policy Practice) relays that social workers must be “knowledgeable about policy formulation, analysis, implementation, and evaluation” (CSWE, 2014, p. 5). The Code of Ethics (2008) (Standard 6.04) informs the importance of the political arena on practice and the need for advocacy efforts to promote policy change to improve the lives of vulnerable populations. These two resources have a common strength and weakness: by definition, they provide a wide scope for how programs pragmatically carry out training responsibilities-- with some ambiguity, but also greater room for creative, experiential training models.

It is imperative for social work programs to be innovatively experiential in their methods of advocacy-policy analysis training for direct practice students. It is also important for faculty to recognize students’ time in their program as a developmental stage. Rome and Hoechstetter (2010) note that only 50% of social workers remain involved in policy practice following graduation. Therefore, this is a “sensitive period” where a lifetime of civic passion for policy/practice work can be cultivated. Much work remains in bridging the direct practice-advocacy policy gap in curricula. Little information on this topic exists in the social work education literature (DeRigne, Rosenwald, & Naranjo, 2014).

Seven social work programs and advocacy-policy models were implemented at universities between 1999 and 2011 (DeRigne et al., 2014). As common with macro-level advocacy projects, many spanned longer periods of time (i.e., years) and included multiple course sections/university departments. Among the models, legislative advocacy was a common theme; activities included lobbying policymakers, volunteering on campaigns, legislative interning, attending lobby day, writing representatives, composing newspaper op-eds or attending election campaign lectures. Gaps existed among these models. For example, students typically worked on large campaigns versus smaller projects connecting them to work they do with clients/families. Few projects were short-term; none incorporated one-on-one guidance by a legislator; further, few projects discussed evaluation components.

The workshop presenters will describe a model which addresses these gaps. They have used this model with direct practice students enrolled in a child/family policy and service delivery course. Students progress through the course in the following steps:

Identify a policy hindering their work with clients/families. Policies may be at any level (i.e., federal, state, local, agency, homegrown rules).(2.1.3)
Exercise policy analysis skills via class exercise with Tarasoff’s Law (Practitioner’s Duty to Warn/Protect), linking to practice (EPAS 2.12).
Form small-groups to collaboratively work on an advocacy project, addressing a policy problem of importance to them in their practice. (EPAS 2.18)
Research the policy and its impact on populations they serve in their field placements; suggest changes to the policy; develop a plan for advocacy; and implement the project throughout the semester (one intervention is social media). (EPAS 2.1.3)
Write op-ed or legislative testimony on policy issue. (EPAS 2.1.3)
Write/present elevator speech on policy issue to Congressman Louis Stokes; receive one-on-one feedback on its delivery and learn what information he most needed to catalyze the policy change (EPAS 2.1.1).
Evaluate policy action effectiveness and present project to class. (EPAS 2.1.20(d))
PowerPoint slides, videos, handouts, discussions, and small/large group exercises.
Presenters provide an overview of the policy practice model and project that has been successfully implemented in a Master’s-level policy course.
Participants receive handouts/core readings used in the presenters’ course.
Participants complete shortened versions of exercises derived from Master’s course (i.e., 1, 3, 4 and 6) for hands-on understanding of students’ experience.
Additional readings/resources provided for continued learning.

Midwest Society for Pediatric Research Annual Meeting. Cleveland, OH., 2014

"A cross-national sample of 622 internationally adopted children from India with White parents in... more "A cross-national sample of 622 internationally adopted children from India with White parents in the Netherlands (n = 409), Norway (n = 146), and the United States of America (USA) (n = 67) was used to contrast country-specific bicultural socialization (BCS) practices among families of transracial intercountry adoption. The three countries vary in their degrees of minority (USA > the Netherlands>Norway) and Indian populations (USA > Norway > the Netherlands). The current study examined parental survey trends among BCS practices, children’s negative encounters about adoption, racial and positive discrimination, and parental worry about these issues. Country-specific differences were revealed: The USA and Norway (greatest Indian populations) reported the greatest similarity in BCS practices, classmates being a source of negative reactions/racial discrimination, and parental worry. The American sample encountered greater negative reactions to adoption from others; Dutch children experienced the least negative reactions from others overall, yet like the USA (samples with the greatest minority heterogeneity) still noted significant experiences of racial discrimination. Country-specific socio-political perceptions about adoption, ethnicity/race, and immigration are considered as factors that may have been used to inform parenting practices that facilitate children’s biculturalism into family life (i.e., adoptive family stigma; percentages of Indian/minority populations; immigration policy trends). Concluding, cross-national research like the current study may help intercountry adoption policy makers and practitioners to better understand and inform BCS practices in adoptive families.
"

"This presentation reviews an adoptive/foster parent training and presents outcomes from a pilot ... more "This presentation reviews an adoptive/foster parent training and presents outcomes from a pilot study examining whether learning in a group setting about stress/coping trauma responses in
post-institutionalized (i.e., foster care, permanent custody in the child welfare system, orphanages) children who have experienced trauma will positively impact parental depression, social isolation, feelings of child-rearing competency, child healing, and positive foster/adoptive family outcomes. Goals of this supportive, psycho-educational training are the following: To help adoptive/foster parents emotionally understand the parent-child relationship feedback loop; how post- institutionalized children's
histories of trauma plays a role in a complex, cyclical dynamic in that feedback loop between them and their children; and effective parenting strategies that will help develop healthy coping skills
in children and cultivate positive family relationship-building. Post-institutionalized children with trauma histories (like abuse or neglect) experience trauma triggers when living in foster/adoptive family environments. Children often cope with triggers by acting-out and pushing-away behaviors, especially when needing to be soothed. Parents misread behaviors as negative, making an attempt to sooth or redirect children with traditional child-rearing practices (i.e., rewards/punishment systems). This can interfere in attachment and the parent-child feedback loop, contributing to parents’ feelings of incompetency, internalization of children’s behaviors, risks for parental depression, social isolation, and feelings of decreased competency. It is hypothesized that understanding these dynamics and learning effective strategies in a adoptive/foster family group environment will decrease isolation, parental stress, increase empathy, support children’s healing, and promote positive foster and
adoptive family outcomes.""

Background: Poverty and health-related issues present challenges in the daily lives of those livi... more Background: Poverty and health-related issues present challenges in the daily lives of those living in low resource countries, threatening family preservation and children’s developmental potential. Over 200 million children are failing to reach growth potentials. Education attainment strongly combats these areas of vulnerability through reductions in poverty/inequality and increases in health/nutrition. Studies conclude that post-institutionalized children from low resource countries have strong resiliency in catching up on educational markers with resources like schooling, nutrition and supportive adoptive families. Objective & Methods: A review was focused on available education intervention outcomes in low resource countries aimed at non-adoptive systems like family preservation, kinship care, or care of orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) (children impacted by disease/disability and orphaned through death of one/both parents). Their resiliency is examined with improved access to resources for education attainment/performance. Results: Outcomes noted were primarily from “gray literature” (i.e., World Bank, UNICEF), positively linking access/performance to improved nutrition, health, early cognitive abilities, infectious disease control, use of on-line learning, and structural changes in school systems. Conclusions: Child education attainment/performance resiliency of non-adoptive systems improved with increased access to primary/secondary resources.

Co-lead Social Work and Occupational Therapy students in a child welfare-based trip to VietNam wi... more Co-lead Social Work and Occupational Therapy students in a child welfare-based trip to VietNam with a community partner affiliate; the trip was in its 10th year.

This course serves as an introduction to the history, culture, and language of Viet Nam as it rel... more This course serves as an introduction to the history, culture, and language of Viet Nam as it relates to the learning about problems and child welfare services of socially orphaned children residing institutional care and/or foster care. Students will develop an awareness of global citizenry, learn to apply concepts of human development, become observant of the impact of early adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), become informed about common health challenges (i.e., birth defects related to Agent Orange), learn how living in institutional care influences physical and cognitive growth, and foster a trauma-informed practice approach to prepare them in ways to supportively interact with the children. The course is a prerequisite for students participating in the May-term Service Learning Trip to Viet Nam.

Supervised field instruction for at least 400 hours plus a weekly on-campus seminar. Students pro... more Supervised field instruction for at least 400 hours plus a weekly on-campus seminar. Students proceed from an "assistant" position to one of complete client responsibility under direct supervision. Roles students assume may include advocate, enabler, social broker and program planner. *Prerequisite(s):SW470 or permission of the instructor, and social work majors only, *Corequisite(s):SW498.Signature Learning Experience : Field Placement.Graded Pass/No Pass.Spring semester.

Supervised field instruction for at least 200 hours in an agency. Student begins to assume respon... more Supervised field instruction for at least 200 hours in an agency. Student begins to assume responsibility with client systems in such ways as monitoring tasks, providing support, conducting group activities, and assisting the social worker with other professional responsibilities. *Prerequisite(s): SW380 or permission of the instructor, and social work majors only.

Course Description:This course will provide an orientation to the approach of examining social pr... more Course Description:This course will provide an orientation to the approach of examining social problems and the development of social welfare policies and programs to reduce their severity and extentusing a global perspective.This orientation will include an exploration of the components of a social problem, a history of the problem, how social problems are studied, and the social welfare movements and services which strive to resolve these problems. Emphasis will be placed on developing an understanding of theories and the way in which these theories form the foundation for research, service, and advocacy.The impact of social, cultural, demographic, and political changes associated with globalization will be addressed.

Course Description:This course identifies the various stages of biopsychosocial development and d... more Course Description:This course identifies the various stages of biopsychosocial development and developmental tasks across the human lifespan. It highlights certain typical life events and introduces theories about the behavior of individuals, small groups and social institutions to interpret these experiences. Attention is given to the ways in which gender, sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, race/ethnicity and cultural heritage influence the universal life events. Application of human behavior knowledge to social work practice is illustrated at the micro, mezzo and macro levels.Student Learning Outcomes:At the end of this course, students will be able to do the following:
21. Explain theoretical frameworks from both liberal arts and the social work curriculum for use in professional settings.2. Demonstrate critical thinking skills to inform and communicate professional judgments.3. Explain the normal processes of physical, psychological, and socio-cultural development throughout the life span.4. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.5. Demonstrate thoughtful and articulate communication by applying knowledge in a variety of contexts, including writing, speaking, listening and interpretation.

This is a Spring semester course for junior social work majors only. Classes will meet twice a we... more This is a Spring semester course for junior social work majors only. Classes will meet twice a week. It involves the study of state and national social welfare policies and systems with emphasis on their relationships with social problems such as poverty, insecurity, and unequal opportunity to social, economic, and political systems. It will prepare students to effectively utilize social policy as a generalist social worker. The course incorporates an integrative approach to social work practice. Attention is directed toward historic and pan-national precedents for the social policies affecting oppressed groups and women. There is a significant, applied, macro level field research and writing component at the heart of the course. Conducted individually or in small groups, and in consultations with the professor, it is an opportunity to apply theory. Students may, with faculty approval, select a project designed to influence policy development at the legislative, executive, or judicial level.

Should children have a Bill of Rights? According to the United Nations, they do. The United State... more Should children have a Bill of Rights? According to the United Nations, they do. The United States is one of only two nations in the world that has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Students in this course will learn about the Convention, the rights given to children and violations of those rights around the world, including child maltreatment, sub-standard education, child soldiers and child trafficking.

• About Child Trauma (ACT) Foundation. Consultant 2018-Present • Nominating Committee, E... more • About Child Trauma (ACT) Foundation. Consultant 2018-Present
• Nominating Committee, Elizabethtown College. Member at-large, 2017-Present
• Conduct Reading Circles with undergraduate students. Faculty Advisor 2017-Present
• Social Work Student Association, Faculty Advisor 2017-Present
• Fund to Aid Students of Elizabethtown (FASE) Committee, Member 2016-Present
• Inter Professional Collaboration (IPC): Penn State-Hershey Medical School 2016-Present; Interdisciplinary team facilitator

Baily Vincent. “Enhancing the work-life balance among married women working in corporate through ... more Baily Vincent. “Enhancing the work-life balance among married women working in corporate through social work intervention social group work”. Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-46, India

Child Welfare League of America, Aug 2013

Sage Publishing, Jul 2012