University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

School of Social Work

SW 3701 Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
Spring 2011

Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D., LICSW 267 Peters Hall

Phone: 612/624-3643 [email protected]
Fax: 612/624-3744 Office Hours:
toll free: 1 800 779 8636 Monday 12:30 to 1:30
[email protected] or by appointment

Course Syllabus

This is an interdisciplinary liberal arts course that provides a comprehensive

overview of child abuse and neglect and their prevention. The course covers the
meanings, prevalence, scope, dynamics, contemporary responses, and prevention
strategies for child abuse and neglect within an ecological and risk/resilience
framework. Throughout the course, students will learn to identify the risks that threaten
healthy individual, family, and community development and factors that promote healthy
development. The overall goal of the course is to deepen students’ understandings of
the core issues related to child abuse and neglect and of effective strategies not only for
prevention but for the promotion of child and family well-being.
Course content is relevant to students in sociology, criminal justice, family social
science, social work, education, child psychology, early childhood education, nursing,
public health, public policy, and other related fields.

Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to

• Understand what child abuse and neglect means to child survivors;

• Understand cultural, social, economic, political, and familial factors that contribute to
the various types of child abuse and neglect that takes place within families;
• Understand how social and economic policy can contribute to prevention and to the
promotion of child and family well-being;
• Be positioned to contribute to child abuse and neglect prevention on the primary,
secondary, and tertiary levels;
o Develop an understanding of the range of intervention resources, including
educational materials and local direct services, available to children, families,
elders, and practitioners;
o Develop prevention/intervention strategies likely to decrease child
maltreatment and increase the well-being of children, families and
communities; and
• Be familiar with ethical issues and dilemmas related to intervention and prevention.
 SW 3701 2

Course Expectations for Students

1. Students are to turn their phones and pagers off during the class. They are not to
surf the web with any electronic devices. Students may NOT use their computers during
class time.
2. Students are expected to attend all class sessions, arrive on time, and to
participate in class activities and discussion. Therefore, class members are expected to
have read assigned materials, prepared to enter into reflective discussion, and willing to
participate actively in class exercises.
Students are expected to notify the instructor--in advance, whenever possible--
regarding absences, including unavoidable reasons to leave class early. Persistent
absence, lateness to class, and lateness in submitting papers will be considered in
assigning final grades.
Missing four or more classes will result in failure of the course except for
documented medical circumstances. For students who miss class for medical reasons,
the missed work will have to be made up.
Please keep in mind that coming to class late is disruptive to other students and
to the instructor and can detract from the quality of the class experience. Also, though
eating in class may be necessary for health reasons, please refrain from eating food
that crackles, crunches, and snaps or whose packaging crackles, crunches, and snaps
or otherwise makes noises that are distracting.
3. Students are expected to complete all assigned readings prior to the class for
which they has been assigned and are expected to be able to integrate that reading into
class discussions and activities.
4. Students are expected to make use of University libraries and resources for
assignments;
5 Students are expected to have access to the Internet and to use resources on
the World Wide Web as directed in this course;
6. Assignments are to be typed, written in non-sexist language, and follow the
format of the American Psychological Association Publication Manual (5th ed.). Papers
should be turned in with no errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar. Papers will not
be accepted after the due date without an acceptable reason for a late paper.
7. Submission of an assignment that is not one's own will result automatically in a
failing grade for the course. This is in accordance with policies of the School of Social
Work and the University Student Conduct Code regarding plagiarism, a form of
scholarly dishonesty. Plagiarism involves attaching your name to the writings of others
without attribution to the actual author(s); these writings can be published or
unpublished materials. Plagiarism is a form of theft of intellectual property.
8. Students are expected to offer the instructor clear constructive feedback
regarding course content and teaching methods. Students are expected to complete
confidential evaluations of the course using the University's standardized form at the
end of the semester.
9. Students may not use an assignment completed in another course for the
present course. This includes papers, answer to test questions, or any other material
used for a grade in another class. If students do so, they will not be given credit for the
assignment;
10. Incompletes are given only in extraordinary circumstances. The School of Social
Work's policy on incompletes requires the student to develop a contract with the
 SW 3701 3

instructor that will describe the work which remains to be completed and the date by
which the work must be submitted to the instructor. In addition to providing the instructor
with a copy of the complete contract on incompletes, the student must file a copy of the
contract with the director of the undergraduate program at the School of Social Work.
The policy states that incomplete course grades will be converted to an F grade if not
completed within two semesters. Incompletes are strongly discouraged and will be
given by the instructor only in extraordinary circumstances.
11. When students use material from their professional or personal experiences,
please remember that as professionals, we have ethical responsibilities to maintain
confidentiality and to protect privacy. Your instructor will disguise the identities of clients
and expects students to abide by this ethical value.

Course Expectations for the Instructor

1. The instructor will use a variety of instructional methods including short lectures,
case studies to illustrate points of the lectures, electronic slides, large and small group
discussions and exercises, and individual activities to address varieties of learning
styles.
2. The instructor will provide a clear structure for the course and each class session
through the syllabus, statements of purpose of each class, guiding discussion, providing
appropriate linkages between topics, and summarizing main points throughout the
semester.
3. Student assignments will include clear expectations and, where possible,
opportunities for student selection of alternatives. Barring exceptional circumstances,
student assignments will be returned within one week of submission.
4. The instructor will be available on issues related to class assignments or content
during office hours, by phone, e-mail, or by appointment.
5. The instructor will work to facilitate an atmosphere in the classroom that is
conducive to learning, is non-threatening, and is respectful of a variety of learning
styles.
6. When students work together in groups, the instructor will be available for
consultation and to assist group members in completing their tasks.
7. The instructor will provide feedback to students that identify strengths and areas
for improvement in a constructive manner.

Plan of the Course

The course meets on Mondays from 1:55 to 4:25 during the spring semester.
There will be one 10-minute break half way through the class. Class sessions include
lectures, large and small group discussions, small group work, student presentations,
and videotapes. During these activities, students are strongly encouraged to apply
course learnings to their work with individuals, families, and other systems.

During class time, we will discuss sensitive topics about child abuse and neglect,
family violence, discrimination, and political and legal issues. In order to create a
constructive and supportive learning environment, your instructor expects all class
members to participate in class discussions, to listen well to others, respect varying
opinions, avoid degrading or disrespectful language, and to understand the multicultural
 SW 3701 4

atmosphere of the learning environment. Please do not share sensitive personal

material in class unless you have discussed these issues many times before in public.

Readings

There are two required texts and required readings available through on-line
resources and directly from the instructor. Additional readings may be assigned over the
course of the semester.

The texts are

Miller-Perrin, C.L. & Perrin R.D. (2007). Child maltreatment: An introduction. (2nd
ed.). Sage: Thousand Oaks, CA.

Kidd, Sue Monk (2002). The secret life of bees. New York: Penguin.

Course Requirements

Besides reading the weekly assignments and sharing your observations in class,
there will be an in-class midterm exam and one in-class final exam or a final in-class
presentation. The mid-term exam will be one-hour long and will consist of multiple
choice questions. The final exam will be up to two hours long and will consist of
multiple-choice and short answer questions.

In-class final presentation. Students may exempt themselves from the final
exam by doing a 30-minute in-class presentation during the last three classes. Up to
three students may work together on the final in-class presentation. There will be a total
of 12 final in-class presentations. A minimum of 12 and a maximum 36 students can do
final in-class presentations. If there are more students who want to do final in-class
presentations than there are time slots, then students who present final in-class
presentations will be chosen by lottery. The final in-class presentations must have some
content relevant to the topic for that day’s class. This final requirement can be an oral
presentation with handouts, a short video with handouts, or a poster presentation with
handouts that will be part of a poster session. In order to have a poster session, there
must be a minimum of ten posters for each poster session. The instructor with discuss
with students details on these in-class final presentations over the course of the
semester.

The following are examples of types of final in-class presentations that

students may do. Handouts are required for each type of presentation.

1. A video. This will be a four-or five-minute video that is of high quality,

based on course readings. Students will show the video in class and discuss
how the video contributes to understanding and preventing one or more types
of child abuse and neglect. Students have to be careful not to disclose
identifying information about clients or other vulnerable people who are
subjects of the videos.
 SW 3701 5

2. A social marketing campaign. Students will present the marketing

messages and materials for a campaign design to contribute to the prevention
of one or more types of child abuse and neglect.
3. A prevention program. Students will present a program for the
prevention of child abuse and neglect that incorporates one or more of the
following: neurobiology, executive function, attachment, trauma, and self-
regulation (NEATS). This project can involve one-on-one work with parents
and children such as public health nurse home visiting programs, children’s
mental health interventions, or a combination of individual and family work,
either based in the home or at an agency or both.
4. An intervention program. Most children who have been abused and
neglected receive little or no psychoeducation and few if any opportunities to
deal directly with their trauma. This presentation will involve a plan for an
intervention program based on the principles of children’s mental health, the
NEATS, and on risk and resilience research and theory. The program must
have a psychoeducation component.
5. A presentation based on a topic of students’ choice. Students are
free to propose other topics, but they must consult with the instructor, and the
presentation must be relevant to course content.

Besides the mid-term exam and the final exam or final presentation, students will
do weekly writing assignments and one brief in-class presentation. The following
describes the brief in-class presentation.

Weekly writing assignments. 10 points. Students are required to do weekly

writing assignments that they are to type and share for each class. Details are further
into the syllabus by the class topics and dates. At the end of the semester students are
to hand in their portfolio of written assignments for instructor grading.

Brief in-Class Presentations. 5 points. Students are required to participate in

formalized ways in the presentation and discussion of course readings. About one hour
of each class will be devoted to formalized in-class brief presentations. The tasks are
headliner, counterpointer, case illustrator, connector, and discoverer. Five students will
do the brief in-class presentation per week. Each student will do one brief in-class
presentation. If there are less than five students to do the brief in-class presentation,
students can chose which roles they would like to take, and the other roles will be
unfilled. These roles are

Headliner: To present at least two main points from one article for that day’s
reading to the class. Then develop discussion questions, an in-class exercise, or
a combination. These discussions and exercises can be in small groups or with
the entire class. The exercise can be a brief vignette illustrating one or more
points for the article.

Counterpointer: Present two points about what is not in an article or book

chapter of the student’s choice and what could be present for the article/chapter
to be more helpful to understanding and responding to child abuse and neglect.
Provide examples of what you would have liked to have seen in the reading. In
 SW 3701 6

other words, an answer such as “A case study would have helped” is not
sufficient, but, for example, a description of a possible case study, how it could
be analyzed, and what readers would learn are sufficient.

Case illustrator: Provide a brief case example that would illustrate a key point or
points from an article/chapter of the student’s choice. This could be a case study
from a journal article, from students’ work—volunteer, paid, internship, service-
learning—or an instructive video or excerpt from a film. Youtube has some
educational videos.

Connector: Show at least two ways that two articles/chapters in the readings for
the day are connected to each other. If you see no connection, provide evidence
of the lack of connection.

Discoverer. Present an article, a video, or a webinar that you find yourself and
that is relevant to the day’s topic. Present two to three main points from the
article and any material that supports or illustrates the main points.

Students will schedule the date of their brief in-class presentation through a sign-
up sheet. Students do not hand it any papers for this assignment.

Summary of Assignments and Exams

The following summarizes and provides details on class assignments and

exams.

1. Brief in-class presentation. 5 points. Must be done by class 10, April 4.

2. Mid-term exam. 35 points. Week 7, March 7. This is a multiple-choice one-hour

exam based upon course readings, class presentations, and class discussions. .

3. Final exam. 40 points. This is a multiple-choice and short answer exam that is
up to two hours in length based upon course readings, class presentations, and
class discussions. Students may choose to complete the final exam or do a 30-
minute, in-class final presentation.

a. Final exam. The final exam is scheduled on Thursday, May 12, from
10:30-12:30. It will be up to two hours long.

b. Final in-class presentations may be done during classes 12, 13, and 14
which take place on April 18, 25, and May 2. Students may work with up to
two other students or do a solo final in-class presentation. No more than
four final in-class presentations per class.

All final in-class presentations must focus on understanding and preventing

child abuse and neglect. The prevention strategies may be primary (or aimed
at a general population), secondary (or aimed at a population with known
 SW 3701 7

risks), or tertiary (a population who has experienced the condition that the
intervention is meant to prevent).

Assignment Points Due Dates

Brief in-class presentation 5 classes 2 through 10, last day April 4

Midterm 35 cl 7, March 7
Final 40
Portfolio of weekly assignments 10 Class 14, May 2
Final exam Thurs, May 12, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Final project April 18, 25, or May 2
Class participation 10

Besides, engaging actively in the activities discussed above, class participation

means students' active engagement in class discussion and activities in ways that
enhance class discussion. In their comments, students demonstrate their understanding
of the many ideas--and their applications--important to the effective and ethical practice
of social work with children and their families. Class participation is a strong indicator
that students do the assigned reading every week and are thinking about the
implications of the readings for practice. Respect for and openness to the points of view
of others are important dimensions of class participation.

Please do not interrupt others, speak without regard for others who might want to
speak, and monopolize class time. Your instructor will talk to students who demonstrate
these behaviors. Resistance to changing these behaviors will be reflected in the course
grade for class participation. Sometimes students are so enthusiastic about course
content that they monopolize class time. In these cases, your instructor will gently ask
them to save some of their comments for discussion with the instructor after class, over
the internet, or during office hours. Lateness to class and missing class also affects
quality of students' participation and are considered in the assignment of points for class
participation.

Grading

For this course, the grade of A denotes superior performance that is both
consistent and outstanding. A's are given when the point range is between 93 and 100.
A-'s are given when the point range is between 92 and 90. The grade of B denotes
good, steady adequate performance, with some of the plus values that make for an A.
B+'s are given when the point range is between 89 and 88. B's are given when the
points are between 87 and 83. B-'s are given when the points range from 82 to 80.

The B student shows understanding and ability to integrate learning and ends the
course with a comprehensive grasp of the material. The grade of C denotes a
performance that is barely acceptable and is probably adequate to complete the next
course in a sequence. C+'s are given when the point range is between 78 and 79. C's
are given when the points range between 77 and 73. C-'s, are for grades between 72
and 70. The grade of D denotes unacceptable work and some comprehension of course
material and no probability of being able to complete the next course in a sequence.
 SW 3701 8

The grade of D is given when the point range is between 60 and 69. The grade of F
denotes failure--that is, unacceptable performance: an inability to understand the
material. F's are given when the total points are 50 or below. P denotes a grade of A to
C+.

If students are unclear or dissatisfied with grading, conversations about grading

standards and expectations are welcome.

Supportive Learning Environments

The development of a supportive learning environment is fundamental to this

course. Learning takes place in the free exchange of ideas. In such a course, listening
to and appreciating the points of view of others, eliciting ideas from others, and
articulating your own points of view will foster a supportive learning environment. As
discussed in relation to class participation, some enthusiastic students may talk to the
point where others feel they are monopolizing class time. Please monitor yourself and
be open if others suggest you are monopolizing.

Please turn off cell phones, ipods, laptop computers, hand-held computers,
pagers, and any other electronic devices during class time.

CLASS SCHEDULE AND READINGS

Class 1, January 24

Topics
Introductions: why you are taking this course
Overview of the course
Some basic ideas related to the promotion of resilience in children
who have experienced child abuse and neglect
Social marketing as a tool of prevention and the promotion of child well-being

Class 2, January 31

Topics
History and definitions of child abuse and neglect
Children’s rights
Research and practice issues related to intervention and prevention
Ideas for prevention drawn from readings

Readings
Chapter 1, Miller-Perrin & Perrin: History and Definitions of Child Maltreatment
The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. Simply put the entire title in a
search engine and the link to the Convention will appear. Type out one paragraph on
your spontaneous reaction to the Convention.
Cook, Thomas Daniel (2009). Editorial: Ratifying the Convention amidst the messy
 SW 3701 9

cultural politics. Childhood, 16(4), 435-439. Available as an e-journal at

http://www.lib.umn.edu
Chapter 1 of the NEATS: A Child and Family Assessment, available at
http://www.lulu.com/content/3987178. Type out a definition of one of the elements of the
NEATS. No more than one-third of a page long.

Case Study
Chapter 1: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on how Lily resisted TJ’s emotional abuse and neglect or
chose another topic of interest to you and write one paragraph about it.

Class 3, February 7

Topics
Maltreatment and the early years of life
Introduction to neurobiology
Resistance to abuse of power
A sense of humor and the abuse of power
Readings
Chapter 2, Miller-Perrin & Perrin: The Study of Child Maltreatment: Theoretical and
Methodological Issues
Gilgun, Jane F. (2010). Introduction and chapter on neurobiology. The NEATS:
A Child & Family Assessment. Morrissville, N.C.: Lulu. Available from instructor. Type
out a definition of neurobiology. If you already wrote out of definition of neurobiology last
week, then chose an aspect of neurobiology such as plasticity of the brain and write
about that. No more than one-third of a page long.

Case Study
Chapter 2: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on any of the following topics: 1) Lily’s sense of humor, 2)
Rosaleen’s resistance to abusive power, 3) how the authority figures in this chapter
violated the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, or 4) a topic of your
choice.

Class 4, February 14

Topics
Child physical abuse
Introduction to executive function
Coping with adversities
Readings
Chapter 3, Miller-Perrin & Perrin: Child Physical Abuse
Gilgun, Jane F. (2010). The NEATS: A Child & Family Assessment. Morrissville, NC:
Lulu. Read chapter on executive function. Notice how EF connects to the other
four components of the NEATS. Type out a definition of executive function. If you
 SW 3701 10

already wrote out of definition of executive function from an earlier assignment,

then chose an aspect of executive function that is of interest to you. Provide an
example of a behavior that shows good executive function. No more than half of
a page long.

Case Study
Chapter 3: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on how Lily successfully coped with her father’s neglect.

Class 5, February 21

Topics
Child sexual abuse
Attachment
Resilience

Readings
Chapter 4, Miller-Perrin & Perrin: Child Sexual Abuse
Gilgun, Jane F. (2010). Attachment. The NEATS: A Child & Family Assessment.
Morrissville, N.C.: Lulu. Type out a definition of attachment. Describe a behavior
that you think shows secure attachment. No more than half of a page long.
Gilgun, Jane F. (2006). Children and adolescents with problematic sexual behaviors:
Lessons from research on resilience. In Robert Longo & Dave Prescott (Eds.),
Current perspectives on working with sexually aggressive youth and youth with
sexual behavior problems (pp. 383-394). Holyoke, MA: Neari Press. Available
from instructor

Case Study
Chapter 4: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on your spontaneous reaction to this chapter, keeping in
mind that Lily has experienced an extreme form of child neglect. Also, write briefly about
any attachment issues depicted in this chapter.

Class 6, February 28

Topics
Child sexual abuse
Trauma
Resilience

Readings
Chapter 2 of Child Sexual Abuse: From Harsh Realities to Hope, and
two other chapters of your choice. Book available from instructor.
Gilgun, Jane F. (2010). Trauma. The NEATS: A Child & Family Assessment.
Morrissville, N.C.: Lulu. Type out a definition of trauma and provide an example
 SW 3701 11

of a behavior that shows a child reliving trauma and how an adult dealt effectively
with the child. No more a page long.
Lieberman, Alicia F. (2004). Traumatic stress and quality of attachment: Reality and
internalization in disorders of infant mental health. Infant Mental Health Journal,
25(4), 336-351.

Case Study
Chapter 5: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on Lily’s new home as a safe haven.

Class 7, March 7

Topics
Child Neglect
Self-regulation
Readings
Chapter 5, Miller-Perrin & Perrin: Child Neglect
Gilgun, Jane F. (2010). The NEATS: A Child & Family Assessment. Morrissville, NC:
Lulu. Read chapter on self-regulation. Type out a definition of self-regulation and
provide an example of behaviors that show effective self-regulation. No more
than one-third of a page long.
Perry, Bruce. (n.d.) Self-regulation: The second core strength. Early Childhood Today.
Available at
http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/self_regulation.htm

Case Study
Chapter 6: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on how you think August’s story about Our Lady of Chains
affected Lily.
***Mid-Term Exam***

March 14, Spring Break

***No Class***

Class 8, Mar 21

Topics
Psychological maltreatment of children
Trust
Reading
Chapter 6: Miller-Perrin & Perrin: Child Psychological Maltreatment

Case Study
Chapter 7: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
 SW 3701 12

Write TWO paragraph on how you think August respected Lily’s sense of safety.
What does the interaction between Lily and August tell you about trust, attachment, and
self-disclosure?

Class 9, March 28

Topics
Child Witnesses of Violence
Peer Violence
Bullying
Readings
Chapter 7: Miller-Perrin & Perrin: Additional Forms of Child Maltreatment
Hinshaw-Fusilier, Sarah, Neil W. Boris, & Charles H. Neanah (1999). Reactive
attachment disorder in maltreated twins. Infant Mental Health Journal, 20(1), 42-
59.
Overlien, Carolyn & Margareta Hyden (2009). Children’s actions when experiencing
domestic violence. Childhood. 16(4), 479-496.

Case Study
Chapter 8: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on Lily’s comparison of marriage and T. Ray’s ordering Lily
around. Does this comparison say anything about systemic oppression?

Class 10, April 4

Topics
Issues in child abuse & neglect
Ceiling effects
Early intervention
Readings
Chapter 8: Miller-Perrin & Perrin: Key Issues in Responding to Child Maltreatment
Clark, Roseanne, Audrey Tluczek, & Roger Brown (2008) A mother-infant therapy group
model for postpartum depression. Infant Mental Health Journal, 29(5), 514-536.
Teicher, Martin H. (2002). Scars that won’t heal: The neurobiology of child abuse:
Maltreatment at an early age can have enduring negative effects on a child’s
brain. Scientific American, 286(3), 68-76.

Case Study
Chapter 9: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Write one paragraph on
how Lily’s dreams for the future are indicators of her resilience. Be sure to define
resilience before you write about Lily’s dreams.
 SW 3701 13

Class 11, April 11

Topics
Issues in child abuse and neglect
Talking to children who have been sexually abused
Foster care as therapeutic
Readings
Chapter 9: Miller-Perrin & Miller: Controversial Issues in the Study of Child
Maltreatment
Chapter 25, Talking to Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused. Available at
scribd.com/professorjane.
Winter, Karen. (2010). The perspectives of young children in care about their
circumstances and implications for social work practice. Child and Family Social Work,
15, 186-195.

Case Study
Chapter 10: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on the lies that Rosaleen and Lily told.

Class 12, April 18

Topics
The social services system
Coping with the work
Student final presentations

Readings
Chapter 10 in Miller-Perrin & Perrin: Advancing the Field of Child Maltreatment
Bride, Brian E. (2007). Prevalence of secondary traumatic stress among social workers.
Social Work, 52(1), 63-70.
Lederman, Cindy S, Joy D. Osofsky, & Lynne Katz (2007). When the bough breaks the
cradle will fall: Promoting the health and well-being of infants and toddlers in
juvenile court. Infant Mental Health Journal, 28(4), 440-448.

Case Study
Chapter 11: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on how preparations for Mary’s Day helped Lily develop a sense of
belonging.
 SW 3701 14

Class 13, April 25

Topics
Adults abused as children
Resilience
Prevention
Student final presentations

Readings
Chapter 11: Perrin-Miller & Perrin: What You Can Do to Help
Koren-Karie, Nina, David Oppenheim, & Rachel Getzler-Yosef (2004). Mothers who
were severely abused during childhood and their children talk about emotions:
Co-construction of narratives in light of maternal trauma. Infant Mental Health
Journal, 25(4), 300-317.

Case Study
Chapter 12: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
Write one paragraph on the indicators of secure attachment between Lily and August.

Class 14, May 2

Topics
Infant mental health
Intervention and prevention
Student final presentations

Readings
Lieberman, Alicia F. (2007). Ghosts and angels: Intergenerational patterns in the
transmission and treatment of the traumatic sequelae of domestic violence.
Infant Mental Health Journal, 28(3), 422-439.
Find one article on child abuse and neglect prevention, summarize it, and share it in
class.

Case Study
Chapter 13: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

***Final Exam Thursday, May 12, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm***

 SW 3701 15

Handouts for Class 1

Attachment Checklist
Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D., LICSW
Spring 2011

When children are in care, visits between parents and children provide
opportunities to observe parent-child behaviors. The following checklist directs attention
to indicators of attachment.

Children’s Behaviors
_____ _____ _____
child1 child2 child3
❏ ❏ ❏ looks forward to visits with parent(s)
❏ ❏ ❏ shows pleasure when greeting parents
❏ ❏ ❏ shows distress when parents leave
❏ ❏ ❏ shows preference to interact with parents
❏ ❏ ❏ makes bids for parents’ attention
❏ ❏ ❏ shows pleasure in parents’ attention
❏ ❏ ❏ complies with parent(s)’ requests
❏ ❏ ❏ tries new things in the presence of parent(s)

Parents’ Behaviors
______ ______
parent 1 parent 2
❏ ❏ behaviors indicate a willingness to parent
❏ ❏ behaviors indicate capacities to parent
❏ ❏ keeps appointments to visit
❏ ❏ looks forward to visits
❏ ❏ keeps promises made to child
❏ ❏ shows pleasure when greeting child
❏ ❏ appears sad when leaving child
❏ ❏ responds appropriately to child’s bids for attention
❏ ❏ shows preference for interacting with child during the visit
❏ ❏ makes bids for child’s attention
❏ ❏ shows pleasure in child’s attention
❏ ❏ helps child articulate feelings and wants
❏ ❏ is empathic to child’s feelings and wants
❏ ❏ sets and enforces limits
❏ ❏ comforts child when child is distressed
❏ ❏ seeks to change conditions that led to the distress
❏ ❏ participates in age-appropriate activities with child
❏ ❏ allows children to do some age-appropriate activities on their own
❏ ❏ relinquishes control over child as child is able to accomplish tasks
 SW 3701 16

on her/his own

There are other behaviors that indicate secure attachments. Feel free to add them to this checklist. The more items
checked, the more likely there is a secure attachment. This checklist is to be used with other checklists and with social
workers' judgments in making decisions about child placement, permanency, and family reunification.

School of Social Work

University of Minnesota,Twin Cities
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
School of Social Work
Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D, LICSW
[email protected]
February 2011
Some Principles of Resilience

Research, theory, and practice wisdom have identified several principles associated
with resilience. The following summarizes these principles.

• Everyone has risks for poor outcomes.

• Everyone has assets (or resources/strengths/competencies) that could become
protective against risks and thus against poor outcomes.
• Persons who do well despite risks and adversities have used whatever resources they
have to protect themselves against poor outcomes.
• Protective factors are resources persons use to overcome risks.
• Resources are found within families, schools, communities, peer groups, and any setting
in which persons spends time.
• Emotional expressiveness is one of the most important protective factors.
• Connections to positive persons who serve as confidantes and as models of ethical
conduct are other important protective factors.
• A positive identification with one's own ethnic and cultural groups is another important
protective factor.
• No one factor is likely to be protective against the many adversities that some persons
have experienced.
• Combinations of factors, such as appropriate emotional expressiveness and a
history of secure relationships with good role models, are associated with
persons overcoming many risks.
• Role models can be peers as well as adults of either gender. The more long-term
positive relationships that youth has with positive persons, the better.
• Positive persons convey an understanding of the person and the situation. In turn, the
persons who overcome risks experience themselves as understood and accepted.
• Persons who succeed despite the odds actively seek to emulate the positive persons in
their lives.
• A sense of belonging is an important protective factor as long as the persons and settings
to which the persons belong are positive.
 SW 3701 17

• Overcoming the odds is difficult; persons must want to overcome the odds and must want
to do so in pro-social ways.
 SW 3701 18

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

School of Social Work
Jane F. Gilgun
Qualities Associated with Resilience

• At least one long-term relationship with an adult inside or outside the family
where
✇ the adult models pro-social behaviors and values
✇ the young person admires and emulates the adult's positive qualities
✇ the adult praises and appreciates the young persons pro-social values and
behaviors
✇ the young person confides personal and sensitive material to the adult
✇ the young person seeks out the adult in times of stress and hurt
✇ the young persons shares happy news and events with the adult
✇ the young person shares with the adult events that occur in peer group
• At least one long-term friend pro-social friend during childhood and
adolescence (longer than five years) who serves a similar role as the pro-social
adult described above
• Has a will to be law-abiding
• Has a will to engage in pro-social behaviors
• Is persistent in the face of obstacles
• Enjoys accomplishing tasks
• Discusses a sense of inadequacy with others and feels better afterward
• Views others as deserving of respect
• Deals directly with persons who are the occasions of anger
• Makes amends when actions/words hurt others
• Believes and acts out the idea that negotiating for what you want is respectful
• Believes and acts out the idea that taking what you want is selfish and wrong
• Believes that living well is the best revenge
• Redresses wrongs through negotiation and not through getting back at others
• Equates masculinity with respect for women
• Equates masculinity with expressing emotions directly & empathically
expressiveness
• Equates being a girl or woman with assertiveness
• Engages in consensual sexual behaviors with others
• Goes for a run, a swim, or other physical activity when stressed
• Uses a wide range of pro-social ways to maintain emotional equilibrium
• Listens to and learns from criticism
• Enjoys dating in high school
• Masturbation related is related to sexual desire
 SW 3701 19

• Has a wide range of sexual fantasies, primarily of age peers

• Imagines a positive future
• Takes specific steps toward an imagined positive future

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

School of Social Work
Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D., LICSW
[email protected]

Definitions of Key Concepts

in the Risk/Resilience Framework

Developmental Psychopathology
❍ focuses on patterns of human development leading both to adaptive
and maladaptive outcomes by studying high risk groups, usually
longitudinally.
❍ This research has shown that not all persons with risk factors have
adverse outcomes.
Risk Factors and Vulnerability
❍ a statistical, probabilistic concept that predicts that a proportion of an
at-risk group will experience adverse outcomes
❍ cannot predict that any one person in an at-risk group will experience
that outcome
❍ do identify individuals who are vulnerable to associated outcomes
❍ reside within individuals, families, other social groups, and
communities
Cumulative Risks
❍ a series of risks that may interact and overwhelm whatever resources
an individual can marshal, while in other cases persons appear to have the
resources to cope; notion of risk pile-up
❍ Risk factors do not operate in isolation from other influences on
development
❍ Resources can offset the influences of even multiple, cumulative risks

Assets
❍ positive counterparts of risk
❍ are statistical concepts
❍ not all persons with assets turn out well
❍ nor do all persons from backgrounds with few assets turn out poorly
❍ on the level of individuals, assets may not function as assets at all
because individuals don’t use them
❍ individuals with a few assets may use them extremely well
Protective Factors
❍ assets individuals actively use to cope with, adapt to, or overcome
vulnerability-inducing conditions, or risks
 SW 3701 20

❍ associated with positive outcomes when individuals have been

exposed to risks
❍ reside within individuals, families, other social groups, and
communities
Resilience
❍ represents positive outcomes when individuals are exposed to risk;
assumes the presence of assets that the individual actively use to
overcome, adapt to, or cope with risk
❍ associated with interactions of risks and protective factors
❍ defined as a set of behaviors and internalized capacities
✧ behaviorally, resilience means coping with, recovering from, or
overcoming adversities
✧ as internalized processes, resilience is ability to maintain a sense
of personal competence and integration in the face of adversity
❍ persons who are resilient cope through flexible, problem-solving, and
help-seeking behaviors rather than rigid and brittle responses to stress
and other adversities

Ebbs and Flows of Resilience

❍ there is no such thing as a completely invulnerable person
❍ when vulnerabilities are severely stressed, there is likely to be a
diminishment in optimal functioning
❍ resilience is not necessarily stable across all situations and adversities
✧ some persons could be resilient because they have not
encountered adversities that could overwhelm their resources
✧ Conversely, persons who are not adapting well at one point can
become adaptive at other points
 SW 3701 21

Search Institute's
40 Developmental Assets for Positive Youth Development

The Search Institute of Minneapolis has identified 40 developmental assets that are
associated with positive youth development, which they define as adolescents who are healthy,
competent, and caring.

The 40 assets listed below are based on a two-parent family of origin, or at least on a family
of origin. They have not been adapted to youth in care. Thus, applying them to youth in care
requires adaptation.

The four instruments that HSA has developed not only incorporate the ideas of the Search
Institute, but they go beyond Search to include ideas about how youth cope with, adapt to, and
overcome risk. Resilience research and theory are fundamental to the HSA instruments.

EXTERNAL ASSETS

Support
• Family support: Family life provides high levels of love and support.
• Positive family communication: Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively,
and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parent(s).
• Other adult relationships: Young person receives support from three or more non-parent adults.
• Caring neighborhood: Young person experiences caring neighbors.
• Caring school climate: School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
• Parent involvement in schooling: Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person
succeed in school.

Empowerment
• Community values youth: Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
• Youth as resources: Young people are given useful roles in the community.
• Service to others: Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
• Safety: Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood.

Boundaries and Expectations

• Family boundaries: Family has clear rules and consequences, and monitors the young person's
whereabouts.
• School boundaries: School provides clear rules and consequences.
• Neighborhood boundaries: Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people's
behavior.
• Adult role models: Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
• Positive peer influence: Young person's best friends model responsible behavior.
• High expectations: Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.

Constructive Use of Time

• Creative activities: Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in
music, theater, or other arts.
 SW 3701 22

• Youth programs: Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or
organizations at school and/or in community organizations.
• Religious community: Young person spends one hour or more per week in activities in a
religious institution.
• Time at home: Young person is out with friends "with nothing special to do" two or fewer
nights per week.

INTERNAL ASSETS

Commitment to Learning
• Achievement motivation: Young person is motivated to do well in school.
• School engagement: Young person is actively engaged in learning.
• Homework: Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
• Bonding to school: Young person cares about her or his school.
• Reading for pleasure: Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.

Positive Values
• Caring: Young person places high value on helping other people.
• Equality and social justice: Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing
hunger and poverty.
• Integrity: Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
• Honesty: Young person "tells the truth even when it is not easy."
• Responsibility: Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
• Restraint: Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or
other drugs.

Social Competencies
• Planning and decision-making: Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
• Interpersonal competence: Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
• Cultural competence: Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different
cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
• Resistance skills: Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
• Peaceful conflict resolution: Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently
.
Positive Identity
• Personal power: Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me."
• Self-esteem: Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
• Sense of purpose: Young person reports that "my life has a purpose."
• Positive view of personal future: Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future.

Copyright by Search Institute. All rights reserved. This chart may be reproduced for educational,
noncommercial use only (with this copyright line). No other use is permitted without prior
permission from Search Institute, 700 S. Third Street, Suite 210, Minneapolis, MN 55415; 800-888-
7828. This list is an educational tool. It is not intended to be nor is it appropriate as a scientific
measure of the developmental assets of individuals.
SW 3701 23