Suchergebnisse

Background: The mental health impact of Covid-19 from the perspective of individuals experiencing psychological distress during lockdown period in marginalized, high-risk communities remains underinvestigated. Aims: This study aims to identify key factors related to psychological distress resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic across highly vulnerable districts in Guatemala. Methods: The Covid Care Calls (CCC) survey was administered to households in 11 districts in Guatemala to gather information about medical, mental health, and psychosocial status during the lockdown period; provide referral for care; and disseminate information on evidence-based protective measures to stem the spread of the virus. The 330 individuals participated the survey. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze survey data. Results: Most commonly reported mental health issues since the start of the pandemic were anxiety (46%), stress (36%), and exacerbation of pre-Covid-19 mental health conditions (19%). Depression and burnout were equally reported by 12% of participants. Only 2% reported issues with safety in the home. Concerns about catching the virus and economic worries were the most commonly reported sources of psychological distress. Conclusion: Results of this study indicate a high prevalence of anxiety, stress, and increased prior mental health symptoms resulting from the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in low-income, high-risk communities across Guatemala. Efforts focused on enhancing coping strategies as well as psychoeducation to address stigma and increase help-seeking for depression are particularly important.

This special issue of Advances in Social Work focuses on current challenges and best practices with migrants and refugees, in an increasingly difficult global context. Over the past decade, forced migration and displacement reached record numbers, while complex geopolitical, economic, and environmental factors contributed to escalating current challenges. International human rights and migration laws provide a framework too narrow and too limited for these recent developments. Political pressure and a growing identity crisis add to the xenophobia and climate of fear, in which security has in some cases become the primary rationale underpinning rapidly changing migration policies. Social work as a profession – in education and practice – has an important (if largely unfulfilled) role to play in advancing the human rights of migrants and refugees. In this commentary, we outline the macro contexts that shape social work practice with migrants and refugees, highlighting the great potential for social work to do much more to advance the rights and interests of those fleeing conflict, economic or natural disasters, or other upheavals.

To promote international social work education and prepare MSW graduates for international careers, several teaching models have been developed, including intensive teaching in international settings, hybrid teaching with study abroad components, and applied learning through service learning and international internships. Benefits of international social work education range from increased knowledge and skills in addressing global issues through policy and advocacy, to significant improvements in multi-cultural competence and awareness upon participation in structured cultural immersion programs. Current challenges for social workers in international development careers point to the need for an interdisciplinary approach to best address complex global social issues. This paper proposes an international interdisciplinary teaching model that aims to prepare social work students for international development practice. Based on a pilot study of the proposed model, students showed significant increases in the self-efficacy of interdisciplinary international knowledge and skills.

Escalating conflicts, climate change, rising inequality, a global pandemic: Complex emergencies are leading to a reconfiguration of the world as we know it. Rapid flow of information allows increased visibility and understanding of the impact of these crises on the most vulnerable. Yet at the same time, marginalized communities are rendered invisible, and their fundamental human rights are being erased. In such contexts, providing a framework that engages communities and ensures that they are at the core of any capacity building endeavor is an important professional mandate for international social work and social development. This paper introduces the Strengths and Participation to Accomplish Capacity and Empowerment (SPACE) conceptual framework for capacity building and community engagement in international social work practice. This conceptual framework builds on both the strengths perspective and empowerment theories, and promotes a rights-based approach for international social work and social development. SPACE was first used to design and implement a training-of-trainers program in two communities in Guatemala. The training's effectiveness in building capacity was evidenced by the impactful networks strengthened or developed as a result of the training in developing COVID-related responses. Further applications of this framework can improve international social work practice and advance rights-based approaches to sustainable development.

This analysis examines the effects of spouse abuse among a group of conservative Christians, specifically Seventh-day Adventists. The results highlight four broad types of effects associated with abusive behaviors in this sample: emotional disturbance, parental abuse or neglect, suicidal ideation, and spiritual disengagement. The analysis investigates risk factors associated with these effects and finds two primary risk factors – experiencing recent intimate partner violence and having a difficult economic situation. By identifying spiritual disengagement and its related factors, this analysis adds a significant dimension to the literature on the effects of intimate partner violence among religiously affiliated people.

Background: On March 5th, Guatemala declared a 'State of Calamity' in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and strict lockdown measures were initiated. The psychological consequences of these measures are yet to be fully understood. There is limited research on the psychological impact of the virus in the general population, and even less focused on Latin America and high-risk communities characterized by poverty, limited mental health resources, and high rates of stigma around mental illness. The goal of this study is to examine the psychological impact of COVID-19 across several highly vulnerable districts in Guatemala. Methods: A semi-structured phone interview was conducted of 295 individuals in multiple districts in Guatemala City to assess self-perceived mental health consequences related to the pandemic. Sociodemographic, medical, and mental health data were collected. Chisquares and t-tests used for categorical and continuous variables, as appropriate, to describe the sample. Binary logistic regressions were estimated to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics and mental health symptoms (anxiety, stress, depression, burnout, escalation of pre-existing mental health symptoms, and a sense of safety). Results: The results indicate high levels of anxiety and stress in all target communities. Significant differences based on gender, age, and the number of children in the household were identified: women and older adults experience higher rates of stress and anxiety associated with the pandemic; while families with greater number of children experience higher levels of burnout. Conclusion: Contextualizing the current pandemic as a complex emergency can help inform further studies focusing on socioeconomic challenges and higher vulnerabilities as preconditions affecting the impact of the pandemic on mental health. Given the limited available resources for mental health care in Guatemala, informal networks of care may play an important role in meeting the needs of those individuals experiencing increased psychological distress resulting from the pandemic.

Background:COVID-19 has spread across the globe, resulting in significant changes in virtually every aspect of life. Mitigation efforts, like shelter-in-place orders, have taken a particular toll on parents who have had to navigate disruptions in work and/or school schedules. Research from high-income countries demonstrates increased parental anxiety, stress, depression, and burnout resulting from the pandemic. It is unclear if these outcomes are the same for parents in high-risk communities in low-income countries where pre-pandemic conditions were deleterious. This study addresses this gap and examines the mental health impact of the pandemic on parents in high-risk communities in Guatemala.Methods:A total of 330 individuals from 11 districts in Guatemala participated in the study and were assessed for sociodemographic characteristics and mental health impairment. Chi-squares were conducted for bivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis was conducted using binary logistic regression.Results:Bivariate analysis revealed differences between groups on burnout, with parents more often reporting feelings of burnout than nonparents ( p < .001). Binary regression demonstrated that non-parents were 70% less likely to endorse feelings of stress as compared to parents (OR = .285; p = .014).Conclusion:Our findings underscore the importance of identifying the unique mental health impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on parents in high-risk communities. In high-risk communities, parental stress is a pressing problem that, if unaddressed, has the potential to result in even greater psychological distress and child maltreatment. Training community healthcare providers to assess and address parental stress can lead to increased community capacity and the development of a community-based network to serve as a first line of support for parents and their children.

Background:Resources for mental healthcare are lacking in Guatemala, yet rates of mental illness and suicide are quite high. Mental healthcare providers often lack the knowledge needed to effectively work with young at-risk of suicide. To address this gap, we developed a training program for mental health professionals focused on increasing knowledge and understanding of engaging and working with youth at risk of suicide and present its acceptability and preliminary effectiveness.Methods:Mental health providers ( N = 17) from a low SES community participated in the training, Formacion CUIDAR (Comunidades Unidos para Individuales De Alto Riesgo; CARE Training; Communities United for Individuals at High Risk). Mixed methods were used to explore outcomes including, self-reported knowledge and understanding of warning signs; risk and protective factors; effective risk assessment; and, techniques for working with at-risk youth.Results:Findings indicate that the training was effective at increasing all targeted domains of knowledge ( t = 2.46, p < .05, Cohen's d = .56). Acceptability was also rated as high.Conclusion:Scarcity of mental health specialists and lack of training on suicide assessment and management have resulted in inadequate resources for at-risk youth in need of mental health services in Guatemala. Results of our study demonstrate that our training is an acceptable, effective program for practicing mental health providers to address their lack of specialized training on how to work with individuals at risk of suicide. Further examination of the training in a larger RCT is required to attain more robust indictors of effectiveness and to assess long-term impact.

Background: Domestic violence, childhood physical and sexual abuse, and gang violence are prevalent and growing problems for Guatemalan youth, particularly in low socioeconomic (SES) areas. Resources in the community for psychosocial support are greatly lacking. Schools often serve as the main source of support for these highly vulnerable adolescents. Yet, many teachers lack the training to manage the psychological distress of their at-risk students and to properly engage, assess, and manage the psychological needs of their students. We developed a brief risk assessment and management training for teachers to address this gap. Aims: We present the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of the training at increasing teacher's knowledge and understanding of how to engage and work with their at-risk students around their thoughts and feelings of suicide. Method: Twenty-two teachers from a school in a low SES community in Guatemala participated in the training program. Mixed methods were used to explore effectiveness, acceptability, and satisfaction with the training. Primary outcomes assessed were changes in self-reported knowledge and understanding of engaging and working with students at risk of suicide. Results: Participants reported increased knowledge and understanding of all training targets ( p < .05). Acceptability was high as no participants dropped out and all participants rated the training as useful for their professional development, meeting their expectations, and as highly satisfying. Conclusion: Brief, focused training on suicidality can be effective and is acceptable to lay professionals. Further examination of the effectiveness of the training in a larger sample is required to assess the long-term impact of the training and its transportability to other communities.

This study examines three areas of intimate partner violence in a conservative Christian denomination, noting gender differences in patterns of abuse among men and women. Specifically investigating patterns of victimization, the study identifies women as targets of intimate terrorism. Women who experienced escalating violence and sexual violence also reported emotional abuse, controlling behaviors, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that are typical of intimate terrorism. Women who endured potentially lethal violence had the added associated action of calling the police or 911. Although factors that are associated with male victimization also feature controlling behaviors, the control is not associated with PTSD or associated fear behaviors that are typical of intimate terrorism.

Preparing MSW students to use an evidence-based approach to practice and implement empirically supported treatment protocols is imperative for social work education. Both classroom education and field experience are needed. Six schools of social work collaborated with field agencies to assist them in developing the capacity to implement evidence-based trauma treatments (EBTTs) and train social work students in these models. The study used a multisite, interrupted-time series design to assess organizational readiness to implement EBTTs at an agency. Faculty used the National Implementation Research Network implementation framework in their consultation with agencies. Findings from three agencies are used to explore the tasks in each implementation stage. Implications include the possibility of leveraging the motivation of field agencies to collaborate with schools of social work in order to implement evidence-based practice. Results also point to the relevance of using an implementation framework to guide capacity building.