Review of Journal Articles
Subject: Sociology
Journal Articles Review Instructions (15 points)
Find 3 refereed empirical (quantitative or qualitative) journal articles that address the effectiveness of social work treatment or interventions related to a topic of your interest. The articles should be in your expected area of concentration (CYF or CMH). Think ahead to the literature review assignment and link this assignment to it. Analyze them using the criteria below
For each article:
1. identify the research question,
2. research the approach (exploratory, descriptive, explanatory) and explain why,
3. describe the research design,
4. key findings,
5. conclusions
Each article review should be a minimum of 1-page, single-spaced. Include an APA style reference page that correctly identifies each article reviewed. Use PsycINFO, Medline, Sociological Abstract, Social Services Abstract, or some other literature database search engine (e.g. Google Scholar) to find relevant articles.
Required Format (each bold heading is required):
Article Title, Author and Publication Information (follow APA style manual)
Research Question
Research Approach
Research Design
Key Findings
Conclusions, including:
Usefulness to Social Work:
o Note any issues related to ethics & cultural competence, social justice/advocacy
o Include a rating on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being most useful and discuss the reasons for your ratings
Criterion Possible points
Using APA style, including accurate Reference List 2
Following requested format (using all the bold headings listed above) 2
Analyzing the articles using critical thinking skills 4
Demonstrating mastery of the research skills studied in class 2
Critiquing usefulness to SW & recommended future research 2
Using graduate level writing skills: grammar, spelling, punctuation, organization, and APA style reference page 3
Total Points 15
Running Head: Journal Articles
Assignment #1
Review of Journal Articles or near State University, East Bay
SW 6032: Section __
Stuart Hanson
Date here
Title, Author and Publication Information
Cox, C. & Monk, A. (1993). Hispanic culture and family care of Alzheimer’s patients.
Health and Social Work, 18, 92 – 100. Retrieved Saturday, April 14, 2007 from
the Academic Search Premier database.
Research Question
How do culture and values influence the nature of the caregiving relationship between a Hispanic caregiver and a family member with Alzheimer’s?
Research Approach
The descriptive approach included structured personal interviews with 86 caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients in New York City. Respondents were reached through staff members of senior centers, hospital social workers, directors of local Alzheimer’s programs, social service agencies, home care agencies, and the clergy of several predominantly Hispanic churches. Respondents had to be the primary caregiver of the patient. Interviews were conducted in Spanish in homes.
Research Design
Cultural impact on caregiving was measured using an earlier study. There were seven items, with responses using a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 = strongly agree to 5 = strongly disagree.
Patient status was evaluated using the Memory and Behavioral Problems Checklist. This instrument measures how behavior upsets caregivers with 30 items and a range from 0 = never occurs to 5 = occurred frequently in the past but no longer occurs. Caregiver status was measured in terms of physical health through self-reports and depression using the CES-D scale. The range is 0 – 60, with a score of 16 or more indicating symptoms of depression. A caregiver can obtain a high score by either having several symptoms at once or only a few over an extended period. The Burden Interview was also translated into Spanish to measure stress levels. The interview is composed of 22 items with responses ranging from 0 = not at all to 4 = extremely.
Sample
Respondents had to be the primary caregiver of the patient. Interviews were conducted in Spanish in homes. Demographics of the sample indicate that women composed the majority of the 86 Hispanic caregivers: (77.9 percent, n=67) and the Alzheimer’s patients (76.7 percent, n = 66). A majority of the caregivers were daughters, (46.5 percent, n = 40), spouses (23.3 percent, n = 20) and adult sons comprised 11.6 percent (n = 10) of the caregivers. Few caregivers or patients were born in the United States. Spanish was the predominant language, demonstrating the ethnic bonds in the community.
Data Collection
Data were collected using structured personal interviews with 86 caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients in New York City. Respondents were reached through staff members of senior centers, hospital social workers, directors of local Alzheimer’s programs, social service agencies, home care agencies, and the clergy of several predominantly Hispanic churches.
Key Findings
Religious observance played a central role in the respondents lives, 82.5 percent (n = 71) Catholic, 13.9 percent, (n = 12) Protestant and 3.4 percent (n = 3) Jehovah’s Witness.
Education level was low, 41.8 percent completed elementary school, while 13.9 percent had completed some high school and 10.4 percent had some college. Average income was below $15,000 a year, with only 40.6 percent of the caregivers employed. 29.4 percent of the caregivers left work to care for their relative.
Physical health, according to a majority of the caregivers, (68.6 percent), had not changed in the last year. However, more than a quarter of the respondents, (29.0 percent) felt their health had deteriorated, with most of the group (63.9 percent) received care for a chronic condition such as hypertension, emotional problems and heart ailments with half of the sample indicating that their physical condition interrupted with their care for their relative. The Memory and Behavior Checklist shows they are moderately impaired: 80.8 within the range of 0 to 150. Almost half of the caregivers turn to friends and family to confide their problems on a daily basis, but the same number had difficulty finding substitute care.
Parents expect children to live nearby to care for them while caregivers frowned on leaving work to care for their parents, they did not feel paying a professional to assist with care meant they shirked their familial responsibilities.
Regarding the CES-D and Burden Scales, the caregivers indicated they were clinically depressed and responded in the moderate range for burden. Time spent caring for their relative meant not enough time to care for themselves.
Conclusions (the authors’)
Familial relationships support care for the elderly among Hispanics, modeling the cultural values expected for the population. However, the caregivers did not seek formal support from doctors.
Usefulness to Social Work
Caregivers have demonstrated reluctance to seek counseling and therefore active outreach is vital. On a scale of 1 – 10, this study ranks 8. Interviews were conducted in Spanish using culturally competent guidelines. Case managers could build on the trust and openness that was displayed in the interviews. In addition, social workers can educate physicians and nurses about the guilt and stress that underlie the physical symptoms of nervousness that bring caregivers to the medical doctors in the first place. Social Workers also can inform medical professionals of cultural complexities.
One example of the complexity is the value of extended family that is unlikely to place a family member in a nursing home. Social workers must be sensitive to the feeling of guilt that might be raised if this suggestion is made. Interventions must include culturally competent awareness.
Recommendations for Future Research
Social workers can suggest counseling to Hispanics to convey that they have limitations to broaden their perspective to see beyond the family values that create burdens as caregivers. This will enable families to cope with the difficulties of caregiving. As a result of this study, one could initiate a study on the options for respite care which includes variables for religious or workplace support
Title, Author and Publication Information
Fitzsimmons, S. & Buettner, L. (2002). Therapeutic recreation interventions for need-
driven dementia-compromised behaviors in community dwelling elders. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 17, 367 – 376. Retrieved Saturday, April 14, 2007 from the Psych Info database.
Research Question
Are at-home individualized recreational therapy interventions (TRI) effective for people with dementia and disturbing behaviors who would otherwise not want to leave their homes?
Research Approach
Researchers described specific interventions with an exploratory approach to determine if they led to calming agitated people and engaging passive people. Behavioral problems were identified in the community in terms of type and times of occurrence.
Research Design
The study used a pre-test/post-test experimental design with biofeedback measures to regulate physiological changes and each subject acted as his/her own control. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured and compared to a baseline. Video tape was also used three times during the test. Two intervention groups were randomly assigned: one received therapeutic recreation for two weeks while the second maintained regular homecare for two weeks and then engaged in the prescribed recreation program.
Sample
(not completed by student)
Data Collection
(not completed by student
Key Findings
