Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-102).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of West Florida, 2003. / Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 116 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / A child born with myelomeningocele was observed, as well as the parents. The parents were admired for their dedication in caring for this child. Their sustained efforts to make life easier for the handicapped child were observed. It seemed if they were doing a marvellous job. The following words of Mary Sharidan struck the researcher: "It is no exaggeration to 'say that in the background of every individual handicapped child there is always a handicapped family." These words instigated the empiric research undertaken to establish what is the factual situation in respect of the education of a family with a child born with myelomeningocele. In the first chapter the emphasis is on the problems parents with handicapped children have to encounter and cope with, for example the degree of the handicap, the expectations of the parents, the influence of the child on the other children, overprotection and common practical problems. The second chapter deals with the handicap myelomeningocele, an explanation of the term myelomeningocele, incidence of the handicap, corrective surgery applied and the physical handicaps arising from this congenital handicap. The physical handicaps can be bone-deformities, paralysis of the lower , extremities, loss of sensation, incontinence of bowl and bladder and hydrocephalus. In the third chapter an attempt was made to define a family, to point out that the family is a source of relations, the first life situation, a primary and educational milieu and the family milieu is an answer to experiences. Education and the aims of education were briefly discussed. In the second part of the third chapter the emphasis is on education as encountered in a normal family. The pedagogic werelation is the main theme. Its success depends on the availability of the parents and a home, the importance of conversation among members of the family, the use of leisure time, acceptance of the child by the parents, the future of the child, mutual dependence and sympathetic authority guidance. To establish how education takes place in a family with a child with myelomeningocele a questionnaire was compiled. The parents of 40 children born with myelomeningocele were interviewed. The questions covered all aspects of family education as well as the physical care of the child. The information gathered was interpreted in connection with 45 hypotheses put by the researcher. Finally the following difficulties in the education of a family with a child with myelomeningocele were identified: the child is not always available because of hospitalisation or the fact that many of the children are resident pupils; family planning suffers as a result of the handicapped child; it is difficult for the parents to join clubs or associations for sport or recreation; the parents are in need of information re their handicapped child; the future of the children is a source of concern; incorporation of the children in a suitable cultural group creates problems, as well as their total dependence on their mothers. Recommendations proposed: only the best schools and creches should be available, initial guidance to the parents should be encouraged and better arranged, aims of education for these children should be re-evaluated, the child must be guided to accept himself, obesity should be investigated and techniques should be developed to prevent the incidence of myelomeningocele.

Because of the importance of medical and psychiatric information in diagnosis, there is a tendency to neglect or under-emphasize socio-economic information. This is partly an Issue of recording; but it may have vital bearing on rehabilitation, and perhaps on treatment, in the broadest sense of the term, related to prognosis and rehabilitation plans. This study undertakes an exploration of this area, for a sample group of male patients receiving residential treatment in an arthritis treatment centre (Canadian Arthritis and Rheumatism Society, Vancouver) from 1952-1955. The socio-economic factors examined were in three groups, (a) age (b) family and marital factors (c) employment and occupational status. The material used was obtained from medical and social service records of the agency. Statistical data were taken from admission forms and social service face sheets. Social service records provided the material concerning the attitudes and adjustments of the patients. Two broad categories of treatment goal used by the agency in planning treatment, (1) employ-ability, and (2) improved self-care were followed in the present study in assessing the patients’ adjustment following treatment. Judged from these results the team estimate of the rehabilitation potential of the patients was 72% accurate in spite of the many unknowns in the handling of rheumatoid arthritis. The duration of the illness before treatment, and the length of treatment, appeared less important in relation to degree of improvement than might have been expected. Chronological age is clearly important: there was marked difference in the response of the patients under 50 years of age, compared with the response of the older patients, whether the treatment goal was "employability” or "improved self-care”. The patient's general attitude toward employment seemed more influential than the type of work he was accustomed to do. The men whose inter-personal relationships were adjudged within normal range were best able to adjust to the trauma of illness, and to make best use of the rehabilitation service. The concept of team treatment is again demonstrated by this kind of study. The Social Worker as a member of the treatment team is shown to have responsibility in three areas: (a) direct treatment of the patients (b) inter-professional planning for the patients, and (c) the use of community resources. The study leads to some recommendations for the improvement of community and agency services, and suggests that study of social and economic needs of older men demands attention. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This study reviews the federal-provincial program established in 1954 for the payment of allowances for "totally and permanently" disabled persons, with particular reference to the British Columbia situation. That government has a basic responsibility to provide income-maintenance measures for economically dependent persons is a well established fact. It should no longer be necessary to argue that government has this responsibility, but rather there is and should be, argument as to how this responsibility can be best fulfilled, keeping in mind both the interests of the dependent person and the community. Traditionally, dependency has been met by two methods of social security; social insurance and social assistance. The Canadian approach, similar to that of other nations, has been to use both methods. To date, there has not been implemented in Canada, a coherent and total plan for comprehensive social security, although there have been advances in the past twenty years. The Canadian approach so far has been a categorical one. A particular group of dependent persons is selected and a program is established to provide cash and other benefits. To assess the social welfare significance of disability allowances program this study begins with an examination of the aims of social security methods, the Canadian approach to social security provision, views expressed in Parliament on the Disabled Persons Act, as well as a discussion of the Act and its implications. A simple statistical analysis of the British Columbia caseload, and an interprovincial comparison, serve to point out the similarities and differences which exist in the program's administration in Canada. A final chapter makes a preliminary study of 49 cases of disabled persons who were referred for rehabilitation services. The study indicates that a program provides only for persons who can meet a defined qualification of "totally and permanently" disabled, leaves a large gap in the provision of services to the disabled, broadly concerned. There are large numbers of persons in Canada who are economically dependent but who cannot be considered "totally and permanently” disabled. They have no alternative but to apply for this allowance if they become unemployable through disability and have no other coverage. The concept of employability has received consideration in this study, because it is intimately involved in the creation of dependency. The present disability allowance program makes no mention of employability, either in the Act or in the Regulations, yet it is of vital importance, and must be taken into consideration. The traditional approach to social welfare services is to single out a particular group of dependent persons who lack one or more employability factors. An approach wherein the problem of employability could be more generically attacked would be in the best interests of both the dependent person and the community. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Team members in medical rehabilitation centres are focusing more attention on devising new means for the establishment of a more precise evaluation of the patient's total functioning. The evaluation of the patient's social functioning is critical to team planning and treatment. It is also critical for the assessment of the success of the rehabilitation program. This experimental study was carried out under the joint auspices of the Vancouver branch of the Canadian Arthritis and Rheumatism Society and the School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia, in order to devise specific criteria for the assessment of the patient's social functioning. This in turn, would enable a more accurate assessment of the patient's total functioning. The study is limited to a small group of married female patients who received residential treatment at the Vancouver C.A.R.S. medical centre during the period between January 1962-May 1964. Role theory was used as the main frame of reference for this study and social functioning was equated to the sum total of roles performed. A three-point rating scale and scoring was created to represent the assessed performance of each role. An experimental approximation represented by a percentage figure was obtained of the subjects' social functioning levels at four specific points in time. Three sets of ratings were collected from (a) data found In the C.A.R.S. social service recordings, (b) data obtained from the subjects and (c) data collected by the writer from the subjects. The findings point out that although the research model demonstrated changes in levels of social functioning, these results were not conclusively established. The results were at best tentative, since the C.A.R.S. social service records could not meet the demands of the research instrument and the study involved only a small number of subjects. However, there was strong Indication that application of role theory to social functioning assessment formulations does provide a meaningful and systematic method for evaluating the patient's total functioning. In future sequential research, it has been recommended that social service records be utilized which employ role theory as the basis for social assessment formulations. Further, it has been suggested that one way to overcome the crudeness of the present research model, is to expand this study's three-point rating scale to a five-point rating scale, which would then reflect more accurately the patient’s social functioning. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

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Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University.

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