Families in Society-The Journal of Contemporary Social Services最新文献

As young people age out of foster care, many seek out their birth parents and extended families, but little is known about how these connections are navigated given past separations. Drawing from data previously collected from young people who aged out of foster care in a metropolitan area of one Western state (n=57), this study analyzed the responses from 53 young adults between the ages of 18 and 22 who answered two open ended questions about (1) re-connecting with birth families after foster care, and (2) the degree to which relationships were formed with birth parents. A three-step analytic process searched for themes in the data and distilled three groups: (1) Reconnected & navigating a relationship (n=36; 68%), (2) Always connected & in a relationship (n=8; 15%), and (3) Not connected & not interested in a relationship (n=9; 17%). Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are offered.

The United States is home to over a million former Soviet Union (FSU) immigrants, yet literature on their familial dynamics and mental health and well-being is scarce. Following Arksey and O'Malley's framework, this scoping review synthesizes literature since 1990 about FSU immigrants' acculturation and well-being across 10 databases. The scoping review included 39 studies. The selected articles revealed three themes: (a) maintaining cultural and ethnic identity across generations during acculturation, (b) generational differences in navigating acculturation challenges, and (c) mental health challenges among FSU immigrants. Differences in managing immigration and acculturation events were noted across generations and genders. FSU immigrants face unique acculturation challenges. Future research should explore gender-based violence, mental health, relationship between economic progress and acculturative stress, and more comprehensive adaptation strategies to improve their socioeconomic, emotional, and relational well-being.

This study explores the adaptations of recent immigrants from Central Asia (CA) to the United States. Using qualitative grounded theory analysis of narratives from 42 immigrants, gathered through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, acculturation, life course development, resilience, and intersectionality frameworks were applied to the analysis. Participants included 21 women and 21 men aged 22 to 45. Three major themes emerged. The first theme highlights acculturative challenges and stress, including shifts in gender roles, professional status, and family values. The second theme addresses barriers to seeking help, stemming from ideological and practical constraints. The third theme emphasizes opportunities and positive outlooks on life in the United States for immigrants and their children. The study underscores implications for practice and policy, along with avenues for future research.

In Kyrgyzstan, registered HIV cases doubled from 2013 to 2019, with women constituting 39% of cases in 2021. Women living with HIV (WLHIV) encounter heightened intimate partner violence, stigma, and discrimination. This study explores the experiences and vulnerabilities of WLHIV in Kyrgyzstan from the perspective of professionals engaged in HIV care and advocacy. Data from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 10 professionals engaged in HIV prevention were analyzed using grounded theory methods. The analysis revealed two primary categories related to the experiences of WLHIV as observed by professionals in the field: 1) Challenges faced by WLHIV at the personal, interpersonal, community, and institutional levels, and 2) The way forward - providers' ideas about addressing stigma and vulnerability. Urgent action is needed to address WLHIV needs, emphasizing confidentiality, support, recognizing discrimination as violence, and fostering financial independence.

Effective delivery of evidence-based practices (EBPs) depends on strong supervision and leadership. This case study analysis examined how supervisors contended with barriers and facilitators of implementation of R³, a supervisor-focused strategy to improve caseworker interactions with families in the child welfare system. A stratified random sample of supervisors, those with higher scores on the Implementation Leadership Scale (n = 10) versus those with lower scores (n = 10), who participated in multiple interviews, allowed for analysis over the course of implementation. Findings demonstrate the importance of strong supervisor leadership, high quality supervision, and coaching engagement to overcoming implementation barriers. Strong supervisor leadership may facilitate an efficient transition of support from external coaches to supervision practices.