One concern of this study is sexuality among the aged, since every person, regardless of age, is a sexual being. Society, however, has been slow to recognize this fact and has not accepted sexual activity among the aged. Along with the lack of social sanctioning, elderly persons are very susceptible to the myriad of myths, half-truths, misinformation, and incomplete data which affect their attitudes toward sexuality. Furthermore, older persons are susceptible to negative stereotypes of themselves as sexual beings. However, the effect of actual sexual activity upon overall life satisfaction among the aged has yet to be determined. Because there has been no empirical evidence concerning this, the degree of relationship between sexual activity and life satisfaction remains unknown. Since human beings remain sexual throughout life, and a large proportion of the elderly are institutionalized, this study will focus attention on the relationship between life satisfaction and sexuality among the institutionalized aged. It is important for social workers to explore these concepts, as empirically validated knowledge can be used as guidelines for professional values and practice.

Abstract not available

<p>The aim of this study was to increase our knowledge about how the “Conversational-contact with the social services” is experienced by the parents who attend it. The research was based on a qualitative method consisting of four individual interviews.</p><p>Main issues of the study:</p><p>• The parents experience of the content of the meetings with the social workers</p><p>• Do the parents experience that the conversational-contact has contributed to some changes in their lives?</p><p>Results indicated that all parents were positiv to the conversational-contact. Afterwards they felt more secure and stable both as persons and in their role as parents. The parents experienced a change in both thoughts and how to handle troublesome situations in life. The social workers knowledge about family relations and their promotive professional approach towards the parents, was recognized as contributing to these changes. In general results agree with earlier research, except from one distinction which indicates that the social workers knowledge about the family dynamics is just as important as their approach. The interviews and the interpretation of the interviews were framed by a cognitive- and conversational perspective.</p>

<p>In this study have I examined how treatment of girls with neuropsychological impairments is functioning? I have looked at the theories and methods of treatment on the base of the care program and how it is put into practice. In addition I have interviewed four girls who have undergone the treatment program.</p><p>To gain perspective on institutional care as a social phenomenon, I have tried to give a brief historical retrospect in which particular care for women are described. I am also affecting certain gender aspects of institutional care. I have also tried to make a brief account of current research on the treatment.</p><p>The study is a qualitative study in which I am apart from literature studies used participant observation in depth interviews as a method.</p><p>My results indicate that a well structured treatment with CBT approach can work well to achieve lasting behavioural changes in students.</p>

The aim of this study was to increase our knowledge about how the “Conversational-contact with the social services” is experienced by the parents who attend it. The research was based on a qualitative method consisting of four individual interviews. Main issues of the study: • The parents experience of the content of the meetings with the social workers • Do the parents experience that the conversational-contact has contributed to some changes in their lives? Results indicated that all parents were positiv to the conversational-contact. Afterwards they felt more secure and stable both as persons and in their role as parents. The parents experienced a change in both thoughts and how to handle troublesome situations in life. The social workers knowledge about family relations and their promotive professional approach towards the parents, was recognized as contributing to these changes. In general results agree with earlier research, except from one distinction which indicates that the social workers knowledge about the family dynamics is just as important as their approach. The interviews and the interpretation of the interviews were framed by a cognitive- and conversational perspective.

In this study have I examined how treatment of girls with neuropsychological impairments is functioning? I have looked at the theories and methods of treatment on the base of the care program and how it is put into practice. In addition I have interviewed four girls who have undergone the treatment program. To gain perspective on institutional care as a social phenomenon, I have tried to give a brief historical retrospect in which particular care for women are described. I am also affecting certain gender aspects of institutional care. I have also tried to make a brief account of current research on the treatment. The study is a qualitative study in which I am apart from literature studies used participant observation in depth interviews as a method. My results indicate that a well structured treatment with CBT approach can work well to achieve lasting behavioural changes in students.

The aim of the study was to develop an understanding of how adolescent South African girls in institutional care perceive their female gender role, in the past, the present and future. The research question was: How do adolescent girls living in institutional care in South Africa perceive their female gender role in the past, the present and future? A mixed design, a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, was used in order to answer the research question. The quantitative part of the study consisted of a questionnaire, and the qualitative part of the study contained seven interviews. To interpret the analyzed data a theoretical framework was used, consisting of the theory of social constructionism and gender theory. The final result of the quantitative and the quantitative parts of the study showed that the perception of the female gender role among the respondents is more stereotyped/ traditional when it comes to the area of relationships and sexuality, but more equal in the field of future occupation and the professional role. The result shows that a majority of the respondents have one view of gender roles in general, a more traditional picture of how things are supposed to be, and another, less conservative when they express their own desires of how they want their future life and household.

The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the incidence of instability in out-of-home care for children and how children experience this instability. The dissertation consists of two studies. The quantitative study is based on an examination of social work case files of 213 children who began 317 placements in 2005 and 2006. Every placement was followed for a maximum of two years. The qualitative study used interpretive phenomenology as method and is based on interviews with 12 purposively selected children who had experienced placement breakdown at some point during 2011 or 2012.   The quantitative study shows that the majority of children had experienced problems in their home environments prior to placement. Most commonly reported was parents’ substance abuse or mental health problems. Preschool and schoolchildren were more often placed in care due to neglect whereas adolescents were placed because of their own behavior problems or relational problems. Children in the qualitative study described that the problems they experienced prior to coming into care continued to influence them during their time in care. The quantitative study indicates that different types of instability are associated with children’s ages. That is, breakdown was most common for adolescents whereas preschool children more often experienced planned placements changes. Children in the qualitative study gave similar descriptions of planned placement changes and placement breakdown. The difficulty with which these children experienced the move from a foster family or group home depended on their relationship to caregivers. Therefore, planned placement changes from foster homes or institutional settings in which children reported being happy were described as more difficult than breakdown in placements from which children wanted to move. In children’s views, breakdown was caused by mismatches between them and caregivers, mistreatment in care settings, and their own behavior problems. However, children explained that when social workers did not listen to them, behavior problems in the form of running away, self-harming or behaving badly, were the only way of ending placements in which they were miserable. All children in the qualitative study described a wish for close relationships with consistent adults and an opportunity to feel that they belong somewhere. These fundamental needs were difficult for them to have satisfied due to their parents’ problematic life histories, instability in care which repeatedly placed children in new care situations, and a lack of continuity of social workers.

Aktiviteter är betydelsefulla för ungdomar som vistas på institution. Forskning visar att ungdomar som har en meningsfull tillvaro med aktiviteter och en variation av sysselsättning under sin institutionsvistelse har större möjlighet att lyckas förändra ett problembeteende. En institutionsmiljö bör tillgodose ungdomarnas behov av en hemlik miljö och kontakt med pro-sociala ungdomar i övriga samhället. Syftet med denna studie är att belysa aktivteters betydelse för ungdomar som är placerade på institution, relationen mellan schemalagda och icke schemalagda aktiviteter samt vilken roll personalen har i utövandet av aktiviteter för ungdomar som vistas på institution. Studiens metodansats bygger på kvalitativa intervjuer med professionella som tjänstgör på ett HVB-hem (Vård och boende) för ungdomar. Studiens resultat har analyserats utifrån relevant forskning inom området och med utgångspunkt i Piagets utvecklingspsykologi. Resultatet bidrar med förståelse för aktivteters betydelse för ungdomar som vistas på institution, samt vikten av personal som är utbildad och insatt i verksamhetens teoretiska grunder och valda metoder. Personalen har en viktig roll på flera olika sätt i utförandet av aktiviteter på en institution. / Activities are significance for adolescents who reside at institutions. Science indicates that adolescents who have a meaningful existence with activities and a variation of occupations at the institution have greater opportunity to succeed in changing behavioral problems. An institutional environment should satisfy the adolescent’s need of a homelike environment and the need of meeting other pro-social adolescents from the society. The intention with this research is to highlight the importance of activities for the adolescents who are placed at institutions, the relation between scheduled activities and non scheduled activities as well as to see what role the staff has during the exercise of activities at the institution. This research is based on qualitative interviews with professional staff at an institutional accommodation for adolescents. The research result has been analyzed with relevant science in the specific field and from Piaget’s developmental psychology. The result contributes with an understanding for the activities significance for the adolescents who residing in institution and for the importance of that the staff are educated and has knowledge in the institutions selected theoretical methods. The staff has an important role in several ways during the exercise of activities at the institution.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1983.