Client satisfaction and empowerment through social work intervention

The Effectiveness of a Leadership Subject Using a Hybrid Teaching Mode during the Pandemic: Objective Outcome and Subjective Outcome Evaluation

Positive youth development (PYD) is an innovative approach to protect students from mental health problems and promote their positive and holistic development. Although there are many studies on the beneficial effects of PYD programs on youth in high school and community contexts, it is not clear whether subjects adopting PYD principles can promote positive development for university students. Moreover, it is unclear whether such subjects are effective under COVID-19, where subjects are commonly taught via the "hybrid" mode (i.e., face-to-face plus online teaching). The present study examined students' changes in the PYD, wellbeing, and desired graduate attributes after they had taken a leadership subject utilizing PYD principles taught by the "hybrid" mode (N = 630). Adopting the one-group pre-test and post-test design (i.e., objective outcome evaluation), we found that students showed significant positive improvement in PYD indicators, wellbeing, as well as desired graduate attributes. Additionally, students had high satisfaction with the course design and teaching staff, and perceived many benefits from this subject based on the subjective outcome evaluation conducted at the end of the subject. Results also showed that students' satisfaction with the curriculum significantly and positively predicted their positive change in PYD indicators, indicating the convergence of subjective outcome evaluation and objective outcome evaluation. The results highlight the positive impacts of the hybrid mode leadership subject with PYD principles in higher education.

Who benefits and appreciates more? An evaluation of Online Service-Learning Projects in Mainland China during the COVID-19 pandemic

Previous studies have reported the feasibility and benefits of online service learning, but little is known about who benefits more from online SL and who is more satisfied. This study addressed these questions based on an evaluation of online service learning projects implemented in Xi'an and Chengdu, China, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pretest-posttest comparison showed significant positive changes in two intended learning outcomes (i.e., positive youth development qualities and service leadership qualities) and life satisfaction before and after the service among participating students in the Xi'an project. Cross-lagged modeling based on Xi'an and Chengdu data revealed that students with better initial positive youth development qualities tended to show increased service leadership qualities and life satisfaction after the service, while initial service leadership qualities did not predict positive youth development qualities and life satisfaction after the service. However, the two-line test indicated that some of these relationships might be curvilinear. Finally, Pearson correlation analyses demonstrated that students who experienced greater changes in positive youth development qualities and service leadership qualities reported better appraisal of course qualities, teacher performance, and course effectiveness, while multiple regression analyses showed the unique effects of change in service leadership qualities (but not change in positive youth development qualities) on the perception of teacher performance and course effectiveness. Altogether, this study not only showcases the potential benefits of online SL, but also provides initial evidence suggesting the variation in (perceived) benefits by students' psychosocial competencies and learning experiences.

Student feedback on a pioneer subject on leadership and intrapersonal development in Hong Kong

To promote leadership and intrapersonal development in university students, a subject entitled "Tomorrow's Leaders" was developed and offered at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. To assess the perceived effectiveness of this subject, 647 students completed the student feedback questionnaire (SFQ). Results showed that the feedback questionnaire had very good psychometric properties, including internal consistency reliability and construct validity. Regarding students' views of the subject, results showed that students generally had good evaluation of the content of the subject, teaching quality, and perceived benefits of the subject. The present findings have implications for the teaching of general education regarding leadership development.

Evaluation of a community-based positive youth development program based on Chinese junior school students in Hong Kong

This study investigated students' evaluations of a positive youth development program entitled Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social program) in Hong Kong. The participants were 19,790 Secondary 1, 2 and 3 students who joined this program at the extension phase of the project. They were required to complete a subjective outcome evaluation form to indicate their perceptions of the program content, instructors, and effectiveness. Results showed that the students evaluated this program positively. Amongst the students in the three grades, Secondary 1 students evaluated the program most favorably whereas Secondary 3 students had the relatively least favorable evaluation. In addition, the program content and instructors accounted for approximately 35% of the variance in program effectiveness. The findings generally imply the successful implementation of this program in the community-based phase.

Positive youth development programs for adolescents with greater psychosocial needs: evaluation based on program implementers

As program implementers' views are seldom included in program evaluation and there are few related studies in different Chinese communities, this study examined the perceptions of the program implementers who implemented the Tier 2 Program of the P.A.T.H.S. Program in Hong Kong. The Tier 2 Program was designed to promote the development of adolescents with greater psychosocial needs. In the community-based P.A.T.H.S. Project, 400 program implementers completed a subjective outcome evaluation form (Form D) for program implementers. Consistent with the previous findings, program implementers generally held positive views towards the program, implementers, and program effectiveness and their views towards these three domains did not differ across grades. In line with the hypotheses, perceived program quality and perceived implementer quality predicted program effectiveness. The present findings provided an alternative perspective showing that the Tier 2 Program was well received by the program implementers and they regarded the program to be beneficial to the program participants.

The Utility of the Family Empowerment Scale With Custodial Grandmothers

The Family Empowerment Scale (FES) was developed specifically to assess empowerment in families with emotional disorders. Its relevance to custodial grandfamilies is reflected in the difficulties in grandchildren's social, emotional, and behavioral functioning, wherein such difficulties may be explained via either reactions to changes in their family structure or in their responses to the newly formed family unit. Utilizing 27 items derived from the 34-item version of the FES, which had represented differential levels of empowerment (family, service system, community) as indexed by one's attitudes, knowledge, and behavior, we explored the factor structure, internal consistency, construct, and convergent validity of the FES with grandparent caregivers. Three-hundred forty-three ( M age = 58.45, SD = 8.22, n Caucasian = 152, n African American = 149, n Hispanic = 38) custodial grandmothers caring for grandchildren between ages 4 and 12 years completed the 27 FES items and various measures of their psychological well-being, grandchild psychological difficulties, emotional support, and parenting practices. Factor analysis revealed three factors that differed slightly from the originally proposed FES subscales: Parental Self-Efficacy/Self-Confidence, Service Activism, and Service Knowledge. Each of the factors was internally consistent, and derived factor scores were moderately interrelated, speaking to the question of convergent validity. The construct validity of these three factors was evidenced by meaningful patterns of statistically significant correlations with grandmothers' psychological well-being, grandchild psychological difficulties, emotional support, and parenting practices. These factor scores were independent of grandmother age, health, and education. These findings suggest the newly identified FES factors to be valuable in understanding empowerment among grandmother caregivers.

Patient dissatisfaction in China: What matters

Patient satisfaction is a focal concern of health-care delivery and an expected outcome of medical care. Recently, the violent conflict between doctors and patients in China has intensified. Patient dissatisfaction has been recognized as an important concern and an urgent issue in the reform of China's health care. The objectives of this study are to investigate the determinants of patient dissatisfaction attributed to patient, hospital, and health-care market characteristics, as well as to explore the major determinants in the context of China. Data from 2007 to 2010 Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance Survey (URBMIS) are used in this study. A total of 13,336 patients are selected conditional on health-care utilization. Analysis of satisfaction is based on outpatient utilization (last 2 weeks' reference, 6393 individuals) and inpatient utilization (last 1-year reference, 6943 individuals). Satisfaction was measured as ordinal variables (scales 1-5). Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and an ordered probit model are applied to investigate the determinants. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition is further employed to detect the proportion each predictor's contribution. The results indicate that patients' gender, education, and insurance status are significantly related to patient satisfaction. Higher-level hospitals are found to negatively correlate with patient satisfaction. Lower competition in providers' market and a higher market share of private hospitals are found to positively correlate with patient dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, the survey indicates that "medical charges too expensive" is chiefly responsible for patient dissatisfaction. Our study provides empirical evidence on the determinants of patient dissatisfaction in China. In particular, the results indicate that establishing a high competition among various providers in the health-care market will act as a "double-edged sword," with great policy implications.

Thinking big, supporting families and enabling coping: the value of social work in patient and family centered health care

Patient and family-centered care has become a focus in health services. Social work has a rich history of providing responsive patient care. This study identified the contribution and value of social work to PFCC from the key stakeholder perspectives of health social workers (n = 65). Utilizing interpretive description, four themes emerged: (1) Thinking big and holistically, (2) Intervening with families, (3) Enabling patient and family coping, and (4) Maximizing hospital and community resources. Barriers included a lack of power, professional isolation and role creep. Implications for research and practice are provided.

The validity and reliability of the Finnish Family Empowerment Scale (FES): a survey of parents with small children

BACKGROUND

The Family Empowerment Scale (FES) is a widely used instrument which measures the parents' own sense of their empowerment at the level of the family, service system and community. It was originally developed for parents of children with emotional disabilities.

AIM

The aims of this study were to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Finnish FES and to examine its responsiveness in measuring the empowerment of parents with small children.

METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS

The English FES was translated into Finnish using back translation and modified so as to be generic and convenient for all families. The construct, convergent, discriminant and concurrent validities, reliability and responsiveness of the Finnish FES were examined. Participants (n = 955) were the parents of children aged 0-9 years who had been selected using stratified random sampling.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analysis proved that the Finnish FES had three subscales based on the original FES. Convergent and discriminant validities confirmed and supported the same construct. The relationship between parents' participation and empowerment was tested for concurrent validity. As in previous FES studies, the participating parents were more empowered, which supported the concurrent validity. The reliability of the Finnish FES proved acceptable for both parents. The Finnish FES could also discriminate the responses of the parents. Participation in the activities organized by the family service system influenced parents' perceptions of empowerment more than did their background characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

The Finnish FES is a valid and reliable instrument and it is suitable for measuring the empowerment of parents. However, it is necessary to consider how the FES would identify in the best way the parents who perhaps need some help.

Perceived program qualities and outcomes of a youth program in Hong Kong based on the views of the workers

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Based on the data collected in the extension phase of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong, this study examined the views of 9,765 program implementers on the universal curricula-based program (ie, Tier 1 Program).

DESIGN

After the Tier 1 Program was completed, workers responded to a client satisfaction scale (Form B). Utilizing the data supplied by the participating schools, the profiles and correlates of client satisfaction data were examined.

RESULTS

Program attributes, implementer attributes, and benefits of the program were viewed positively by the program implementers, with high proportion of the instructors perceiving the program contributing to the development of the students. Small grade differences on client satisfaction levels were found. Regarding predictors of perceived program effectiveness, perceived program and instructor attributes predicted perceived effectiveness of the program.

CONCLUSION

Consistent with the data collected from the students, the present findings suggest that the Tier 1 Program was well-received by the major stakeholders, particularly with respect to its ability to promote positive development in Chinese junior high school students. The present finding replicated the previous observation that perceived program and implementer qualities were significant determinants of perceived program effectiveness.

Is subjective outcome evaluation related to objective outcome evaluation? Insights from a longitudinal study in Hong Kong

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Empirical studies investigating the inter-relationships among subjective outcomes and objective outcomes are sparse in the scientific literature. This study examined the relationship between these 2 forms of outcome evaluation data in Chinese adolescents, utilizing longitudinal data.

DESIGN

In Wave 3 and Wave 4 of a randomized group trial, 2,784 Chinese secondary school students responded to the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale (CPYDS) assessing objective outcome at pretest (Wave 3) and posttest (Wave 4). Students in the experimental schools also responded to a measure of client satisfaction assessing the subjective outcome of a positive youth development program at posttest (Wave 4).

RESULTS

Subjective outcome evaluation measures (eg, process, program, and effectiveness) at Wave 3 were significantly correlated with CPYDS scores at Wave 4 and difference scores. Subjective outcome evaluation measures also predicted changes in the objective outcome evaluation measures scores across time.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings replicated the previous findings that subjective outcome and objective outcome evaluation findings were intimately related, and subjective outcome measures predicted posttest measures and their changes over time. The present study suggests that subjective outcome evaluation findings may yield useful information regarding program effectiveness in youth work settings.

Is perceived patient involvement in mental health care associated with satisfaction and empowerment?

BACKGROUND

Patients increasingly assume active roles in their mental health care. While there is a growing interest in patient involvement and patient-reported outcomes, there is insufficient research on the outcomes of patient involvement.

OBJECTIVE

The research questions in this study are as follows: 'To what extent is perceived patient involvement associated with satisfaction and empowerment?'; 'What is the nature of the relationship between satisfaction and empowerment?'; and 'To what extent are background variables associated with satisfaction and empowerment?'. We assumed that a higher degree of patient involvement is associated with higher satisfaction and empowerment scores and that satisfaction and empowerment are positively associated.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Data were gathered using surveys of 111 patients of 36 multidisciplinary care networks for persons with serious and persistent mental illness.

MAIN VARIABLES STUDIED AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Demographic characteristics, patient involvement and satisfaction were measured using a new questionnaire. Empowerment was assessed using the Dutch Empowerment Scale. Descriptive, univariate (Pearson's r and independent-samples t-tests), multivariate (hierarchical forced entry regression) and mixed-model analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

The hypotheses of positive associations between patient involvement, satisfaction and empowerment are confirmed. The demographics are not significantly related to satisfaction or empowerment, except for gender. Men reported higher empowerment scores than did women.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Making patient involvement a reality is more than just an ethical imperative. It provides an opportunity to enhance patient-reported outcomes such as satisfaction and empowerment. Future research should focus on the nature of the association between satisfaction and empowerment.

Service utilization, perceived changes of self, and life satisfaction among women who experienced intimate partner abuse: the mediation effect of empowerment

This study explored the growth experiences of women abused by their intimate partner, specifically focusing on the associations between social services and empowerment, perceived changes of self, and life satisfaction. The potential effects of demographic variables, social support, coping, and experience of partner abuse were also explored. A survey study was conducted through the collaboration of social workers in the Centers of Prevention and Intervention for Domestic Violence and private sectors in Taiwan. Through contact by their social workers, 191 participants completed the questionnaires. The results revealed that the participants had growth mainly in their psychological and interpersonal domains. The independent variables in the regression model explained 45.3% (adjusted) variance in perceived changes of self. In addition to empowerment and negative impact of violence, intensity of contact and professional relationship were two important service variables that directly and significantly correlated with perceived changes of self. A significant amount of variance (adjusted R² = .556) in life satisfaction could be explained by the independent variables. Social support and empowerment directly correlated with life satisfaction. The findings also supported the mediation effect of empowerment. Seven variables (e.g., social support, coping method, and professional relationship) indirectly associated with perceived changes of self and life satisfaction through empowerment.

Social workers in palliative care: assessing activities and barriers in the intensive care unit

Social workers are playing an increasingly important role in providing palliative care to dying patients and their families in the intensive care unit (ICU). The purpose of this study was to determine which activities social workers provided to families of patients who die in the ICU, what barriers to care social workers identified, and whether these activities and barriers were associated with the social workers' satisfaction with the care provided to family members. The study took place at a 350-bed hospital with 65 ICU beds. We examined hospital records and identified 253 consecutive eligible patients who had died in an ICU between August 2003 and March 2004. Of these, 157 (62%) received social work services from one or more social workers. One hundred and seventy-eight questionnaires were sent to 27 social workers; 20 social workers completed 150 questionnaires for 136 patients giving a response rate of 84% for questionnaires sent to social workers (150/178). A multiple regression model with clustering under social workers was used to analyze the data. Talking about the family's feelings and providing support for decisions made by the family were the most frequent activities provided by social workers; both were positively associated with the social workers' satisfaction with meeting families' needs. A heavy patient caseload was one of the most common barriers to care identified by social workers. In conclusion, we identified specific activities and barriers that, if targeted, might improve social workers' abilities to meet a family's needs and we also provided some preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of questionnaires designed to assess these constructs.