Developing a Case Typology for Children in Out-of-Home Care: Child Welfare Worker Perspectives
This study uses exploratory research methods to create a comprehensive list of case types for children entering out-of-home care placements. Child welfare workers' experiences were the primary source of data for this qualitative analysis. Researchers conducted focus groups in five urban counties in Minnesota. A case typology of 18 case types defined by 4 specific categories (parents' capacity or behavior, child reasons, problems in parenting, previous unsuccessful child welfare intervention) is presented. Data from worker perspectives are analyzed and compared with quantitative research to enhance conceptual understanding of case types, intervention strategies, and associated outcomes. Researchers discuss implications of a case typology, including potential benefits, in the application of intervention strategies, outcomes reporting, and data tracking.
Factors Predicting Service Referrals for Youth in the Child Welfare System
Youth involved in the child welfare system and specifically those in foster care disproportionately experience concerns related to their psychosocial needs compared to youth who are not in care; consequently, assessment of those needs and referral to appropriate services is critical. The purpose of this study was to examine whether needs (i.e. behaviors) of youth involved in the child welfare and foster care systems and organizational culture and climate are associated with caseworkers’ recommendations for services, considering youth and caregiver report, as well as other individual and family factors. The sample came from Wave 2 of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II and weighted data were used for the analyses (n = 462). Logistic regression was used to analyze factors, such as youth behavior and organizational culture and climate, that predict a referral for various youth services for youth who experienced maltreatment and remained in home or were placed in foster care. Results indicate that youth behavior was most likely to predict referral services, as well as other youth characteristics, but organizational culture and climate of agencies did not influence referral recommendations. These findings highlight the need for more research examining the decision-making and assessment practices of child welfare caseworkers and use of appropriate assessments for youth involved in the child welfare system.
Nurse responsiveness to cancer patient expressions of emotion.
OBJECTIVE
This theoretically based study examined nurse responses to cancer patient expressions of emotion using a videotaped, simulated cancer patient.


METHODS
This study used an experimental crossover design with a videotaped patient expressing anger, sadness, and neutral emotion to elicit nurse responses. Seventy-four nurses from eight sites participated. Responses were coded using Roter interaction analysis system. Correlations explored relationships between variables that impact communication (age, gender, work experience, trait anxiety, work stress, self-efficacy). Regression models explored the effect of variables on nurse affective responsiveness.


RESULTS
Patient expressions of sadness elicited more affective responses than anger. Expressions of anger or neutral emotion elicited more instrumental behaviors than sadness. Variables such as age, work stress and work experience were significantly correlated. No variables predicted affective responsiveness to patient expressions of anger or sadness.


CONCLUSION
Nurse communication showed significant variation in response to patient emotional expressions. Understanding the relationships between demographic, personality, and work variables, and identification of new variables that influence nurse-patient communication, has implications for interventional studies.


PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
Over 90% of the participants indicated that the videotape simulation would be a useful method for teaching and practicing communication skills with patients expressing emotions.