Faculty Bibliography

This study explored the relationship between personal resources and previous adverse life events such as homelessness and depression. Participants were recruited from two church sponsored multisite social service centers in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The interview included demographics and several standardized scales to assess history of homelessness, medical history, personal resources, and depressive symptoms. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that participants with higher levels of depressive symptoms were older, had a history of homelessness, had more health problems, had a history of mental illness, and had lower self-esteem, mastery, and mattering. A subanalysis indicated that individuals who had experienced homelessness at or before age 21 had higher levels of depressive symptoms than those who were first homeless as an adult. Previous history of homelessness, especially before age 21, and lack of personal resources may place individuals at risk for psychological distress, including higher levels of depressive symptoms.

Children in child welfare are especially likely to have unmet mental health needs. The role of family factors in children's use of mental health services was examined in a longitudinal sample of 1075 maltreated or at-risk children. Vulnerable family environment (poor family functioning, low social support, and caregiver psychological distress) is an important predictor of children's mental health needs. It also predicts them not having these needs met.

This article examines the role of parenting behavior in adolescents' peer group formation using a sample of 238 African American adolescents living in urban public housing projects. The study also assesses the moderating effect of age and gender on the relationship between parenting behavior and peer affiliations. Girls reported significantly higher parental supervision than boys. No gender differences were detected for parental encouragement and support. Results from the multivariate analysis suggest that parental supervision and encouragement may have a protective effect against affiliation with delinquent peers. Results from this analysis have implications for social work practice, remediating negative developmental trajectories among this vulnerable population.

This study examined the help-seeking behaviors of depressed, African American adolescents. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 urban, African American boys, ages 14 to 18, who were recruited from community-based mental health centers and after-school programs for youths. Interviews covered sociodemographic information, questions regarding depressive symptomotology, and open-ended questions derived from the Network-Episode Model--including knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to problem recognition, help seeking, and perceptions of mental health services. Most often adolescents discussed their problems with their family and often received divergent messages about problem resolution; absent informal network resolution of their problems, professional help would be sought, and those receiving treatment were more likely to get support from friends but were less likely to tell friends that they were actually receiving care. Implications for social work research and practice are discussed.

The article reviews the dimensions of capacity-building as applied to the development and growth of effective school mental health (SMH) programs and initiatives. There has been considerable growth of SMH in the US and internationally, and this growth is being fueled by conferences and partnerships at local, regional, national and international levels. However, more comprehensive SMH, involving provision of a full continuum of mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention and intervention services for young people in general and special education is a relatively new and emerging field, and numerous challenges are being confronted as communities attempt to build capacity for it. Ideas for building capacity in SMH, along with opportunities to advance global dialogue and collaboration on the field's advancement, are presented