National Journal of Professional Social Work

Challenges and Opportunities for Society Journals: NJPSW Perspective

2023-04-26T08:11:18+00:00

Publishing a journal can be a rewarding endeavour for a society, but it comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. In the year 2000, the Indian Society of Professional Social Work (ISPSW) published the inaugural edition of the National Journal of Professional Social Work Volume 1, which included two Issues. Journals serve as a platform for various important purposes. The National Journal of Professional Social Work also attend many of these but still a huge scope to work and improve in many of these areas are remaining.

ISPSW Book Publication

2023-10-20T13:59:16+00:00

ISPSW have registered ourselves as a publisher and allotted the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) by ISBN registration agency Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency (RRRNA) for ISBN which is directly under the administrative control of the Ministry of Education, Division, Department of Higher Education. The first title we brought out is, ‘Professional Social Work in India: Revisiting the Past and Envisioning the Future’. Some more volumes are on the way from the archive of the ISPSW literature and a few new titles are also coming soon.

Virus, Fear and Prayer: An Exploration into the Lives of Older Adults during the Covid-19 Pandemic

2022-09-02T01:43:05+00:00

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has severely impacted almost every country in the world. Population in each age-group has been impacted by this pandemic. Since age increases the risk for illness associated with COVID-19, the older-adults are at highest risk during this pandemic. In addition to its impact on physical well-being; COVID-19 infection in older-adults impacts the mental health and has serious socio-economic consequences. Using a qualitative research methodology, this paper attempts to understand the impact of this pandemic on the mental and social well-being of older-adults over a period of one year. It also explores the various coping strategies adopted by older-adults during this period. The data for this paper was collected through in-depth interviews with twenty older persons residing in four urban areas of India between April 2020 and May 2021. The extent of physical impact has a direct bearing on the mental and social well-being of the older adult. The fear of the consequences of this disease was a major cause of mental disturbance. Well-being was also related to financial condition, health of the married partner during this pandemic, support of family members and society. Meditation, prayer and talking to people were the major coping strategies adopted by the older persons during this pandemic. The paper also suggests suitable social work intervention for working with older-adults during a pandemic.

Keywords: Older adults, COVID-19, pandemic, social work, coping

Traditional Beliefs and Practices Regarding Menstruation: A Study from Himachal Pradesh

2023-04-13T10:00:51+00:00

Menstruation is a momentous event in any women's life. However, in some areas of Himachal, it is still considered impure and dirty. The discussion about menstruation openly is not considered a welcome step at certain places of Himachal Pradesh. It is considered a matter of shame there; even mothers do not feel comfortable discussing menses with their daughters. The present study is conducted in panchayat Bharech of district Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. The main objectives of the study are to determine the socio-economic conditions, level of awareness about menstruation among rural women, different socio-religious practices women follow during their menstruation. An exploratory study design was used to understand the problem more clearly. The study found that the married women in the villages are still following the practice of seclusion. They are considered untouchable during their menstruation. They are not allowed to touch anything or anybody because they believe that they are impure and impure blood is flushing out in the form of menstruation. The study concluded that the people of Himachal have a deep faith in God, and they link menstruation with impurity. People believe that their local deities will punish them if they do not follow these practices which are followed for ages. After knowing that the topic of research is closely related to the religious sentiments of the rural people all the interventions must be planned in such a way that these sentiments are not hurt and changes are still made.

Keywords: Menstruation, women, rural areas, misconceptions, seclusion

Knowledge, Awareness and Practices on Menstrual Hygiene Management among Panjab University Chandigarh Girls’ Hostel Residents

2023-04-13T16:12:57+00:00

Menstrual Hygiene Management can be a challenge for women and girls in developing countries due to the lack of adequate toilet facilities, clean water, inability to access menstrual hygiene products due to low-income levels, cultural restraints, etc. in comparison to those in developed countries. Therefore, it is necessary to talk about menstrual hygiene management and to find solutions to the problems faced by girls and women so that they are able to realize their full potential in every aspect. The present paper focuses on ascertaining the knowledge, awareness and practices related to menstruation and menstrual hygiene management among residents of the girls’ hostel in Panjab University, Chandigarh. Primary data from 60 respondents was collected with the help of a questionnaire comprising of both open-ended and close-ended questions.

Keywords: Menstrual hygiene management, knowledge, awareness and practices, WASH

Pandemic Fatigue among Students: A Study of Research Scholars in Visva-Bharati University

2023-04-18T09:41:21+00:00

These days the word pandemic is used very frequently. We are in the middle of century`s deadliest pandemic. The current pandemic has actually slowed down the entire world`s activities. Due to the devastating effect of coronavirus World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as pandemic on 11^th March 2020. In the present study the researchers have tried to find out the effect of pandemic fatigue on the research scholars. The researchers have adopted eclectic approach of research design and used Lockdown fatigue scale (LFS) for the data collection. The sampling technique used in the study was simple random and purposive sampling. Few case studies have also been taken into consideration for better understanding of the study. This study actually highlights on the prevalence of pandemic fatigue experienced and its association with personal resilience, coping skills, and health among research scholars of Visva-Bharati University. Personal resilience and coping skills are pivotal factors and must be strengthened in order to get protected from pandemic fatigue and other mental as well as physical health complications due to the lockdown.

Keywords: Pandemic, fatigue, lockdown fatigue scale, students, research scholars

Family Environment, Socio-occupational Functioning, Illness Outcome and Gender Differences in Schizophrenia

2023-04-19T09:19:55+00:00

Background: Schizophrenia is a serious but treatable brain disorder form of mental illness. In this disorder affected population was about 7 per 1000 of the adult population. It is also estimated that globally about 29 million people are currently living with this debilitating illness. Research studies on schizophrenia over the last three decades have demonstrated various relationships between family and illness. Following the implementation of the deinstitutionalization model most persons with schizophrenia were cared for by a family member. The family environment could be crucial in the outcome of the illness however very little research has focused on the family environment and its relationship with illness outcome and gender differences were not been studied so far. Aim: The major aim of the study was to examine the family environment, illness outcome and gender differences in schizophrenia. Methods and Material: In this study, 104 participants were selected purposively. Data were collected using a Socio-demographic data sheet, family relationship index (FRI), positive and negative symptoms scale (PANSS) and socio-occupational functioning scales (SOFS). Patients and family members were interviewed in the inpatient and outpatient departments.

Result: There was a significant correlation between various domains of the family relationship index and illness outcomes among patients. Detailed result is described in the paper.

Keywords: Family environment, schizophrenia, illness outcome, gender

Attitudes towards Mental Illness between Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Ph.D Students from Northern India

2022-07-25T08:15:48+00:00

Young adults are important members of the community; hence their attitude towards mental illness can be highly influential. Individuals with mental illness suffering from the illness they also face stigmatizing attitude generated by the community. Mental health disorders and stigma prevail in our society, it is important to understand the attitude and knowledge of various groups to increase the mental health literacy through using all means of education. The aim of this study is to understand the attitudes towards mental illness among undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.D Students from Northern India. A cross sectional online study for students pursuing various courses in different stream was carried. A specifically designed Google form was circulated through social media platforms. It was containing information about the study with the request for participating in the research and further circulation among other groups. It was divided in two parts 1) Basic Demographic information of the participants and 2) 40 questions from community attitude of Mental illness and two attitude questions were included. A total of 232 students were participated in this study. 30.2% were Undergraduate, 64.7% were Post graduate and 5.2% of them were Ph.D Scholars, with the approximate 25.42 year age, 37.1% of them were males and 62.5 were female. CAMI mean score of Authoritarianism is 26.83, Benevolence mean is 37.88, Social restrictiveness mean is 23.95 and mean of community mental health ideology is 37.08, indicative of negative attitude toward mental illness among students. Almost all the participants accept the need treatment for mentally illness. Due to difference in Knowledge attitude and behavior, It is important to initiate awareness campaigns all over the country and especially in schools colleges to prepare a more knowledgeable and open-minded society.

Keywords: Knowledge, students, mental illness

Menstrual Awareness, Attitude and Associated Psychological Distress among Urban and Rural Adolescent Girls of Western Uttar Pradesh: Evidence from Greater Noida

2022-07-25T15:49:42+00:00

Background: Menarche and menstruation are indications of a girl’s puberty but not always pleasant and accompany lots of social restrictions guided by taboo and unawareness around it. Aim: The present study aims to find out the level of awareness, psychological distress and type of attitude held by rural and urban adolescent girls of Greater Noida Uttar Pradesh. Methodology: A sample of 30 girls was drawn from 2 schools in an urban and rural part of Greater Noida. A sociodemographic datasheet, an interview schedule on awareness towards menstruation, Adolescent Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire (AMAQ) and Kesseler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) was used to distinguish attitude, awareness and distress of rural and urban adolescent girls. Results: Overall, rural girls have a more positive attitude towards menstruation than urban adolescent girls after the result was reported to be significant at 0.05 level on Student T-Test. However, there is no significant differences have been found in distress and awareness of rural and urban adolescent girls. Further research with a robust sample size and in more districts of Western Uttar Pradesh will yield significant findings and will give more insight into the attitude and associated practices among teenage girls on menstruation.

Keywords: Attitude, menstrual awareness, psychological distress, adolescents, urban, rural

Impact of Drug Non-adherence on Individuals with Schizophrenia and their Family

2023-04-20T05:22:55+00:00

Introduction: The study regarding poor adherence to medications in schizophrenic patients, a report was done by the World Health organization submitted in 2003 that report shows schizophrenic patients were found to be the most non-adherent 75.7% the difference between the findings may be due to the coverage of sampling. The World Health organization report also shows that based on the MARS (Medication Adherence Rating Scale), out of total respondents, half of them (50.2%) were found non-adherent to their medication. The relative risk of residence on adherence odd ratio equals 0.962 (95% CI; 0.766–0.206) for rural areas and the odds ratio equals 1.058 (95% CI; 0.765–1.463) for urban. Aim: To assess the impact of Drug Adherence of individuals with schizophrenia on psychopathology and their family functioning. Methodology: It was a hospital-based study using a descriptive research design with 60 chronic schizophrenia patients have been selected by the purposive sampling method. The schizophrenia patient and his caregiver have been assessed in the outpatient department at the Department of Psychiatry and Maharashtra Institute of Mental Health Pune. The data has been collected by direct personal interviews of patients and family members that scales used for this study were self-prepared socio-demographic datasheet McMasters Family Functioning Scale, PANSS, and MARS. The procedure was applied to their caregivers giving informed cons were as selected for the study. After data collection statistically analysis using SPSS results have been arranged in tables. Results: Study findings suggested poor drug adherence associated with psychopathology and family functioning of the patients. Conclusion: The present study shows that if the medication adherence is good then the family functioning of the family will be good. If the medication adherence is good, then most of the patients had no impairment in their positive symptoms.

Keywords: Medication Adherence, family functioning, Schizophrenia

Exploring Emotional Intelligence and Anxiety among Technical and Non-Technical Students

2022-07-26T07:29:52+00:00

Courses related to technical education play an important role in the human resource development of the country by creating skilled manpower, enhancing industrial productivity and improving the quality of life. Technical Education as a branch of Vocational Education practically deals with different fields like trade, commerce, agriculture, medicine & Engineering etc. in the modern era we are surrounded by technology in every small aspect which makes life so brain-friendly and simple; and instrumental in providing ease and comfort. In spite of all these advantages, technical education brings mental health challenges for students. The study intends to show the presence of emotional intelligence & anxiety among technical & non-technical undergraduate students of Kolkata. The college years are a developmentally crucial period when students transfer from the previous age, i.e., late adolescence to emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2000). Research findings supported that mental disorders in the early stage of adulthood are related to long-term adverse outcomes in later adulthood, including persistent emotional and physical health problems (Scott et al., 2016), relationship dysfunction (Kerr & Capaldi, 2011), and labour market marginalization (Niederkrotenthaler et al., 2014; Goldman-Mellor et al., 2014). The sample of this study was 280 students (140 technical students and 140 non-technical students) of both sexes and age between 18-22 years. The technique of simple random sampling was used in the study to make the proper representation of the population. Statistical findings reveal the t-test to be significant among the two groups (technical and non-technical) in regard to state anxiety. Under emotional intelligence, managing emotions, motivating oneself and social skills are found to be significant. Thus, it may be said that the students have to deal with situational (state) anxiety and emotion management and social skills are compromised, which help them to adapt to the current social environment that needs to be pondered upon.

Keywords: Technical education; anxiety; emotional intelligence

Awareness of Sexual Harassment among Women Working in Chakan MIDC Pune

2023-04-20T10:54:06+00:00

Background: Sexual harassment at a workplace is considered a violation of women's right to equality, life, and liberty. In 2013, the number of sexual harassment at the workplace increased rapidly, it is important to know the awareness level among women employees of "Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013". Aim: To study the level of awareness and perception about the implementation and prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace. Methodology: Sixty samples were selected by using Probability Sampling (Simple Random Sampling Method) and tools used for assessment were a semi-structured socio-demographic datasheet and a Self-made questionnaire. Results: More than half of respondents were not knowing the implementation of sexual harassment policy at the workplace and approximately two-thirds of respondents are not aware of the establishment of a women complaint cell in their office. Some respondents have been harassed at the workplace. More than half of the respondents feel sexual harassment at the workplace as being mentally disturbed and a hurdle in the growth of their carrier. Conclusion: Study has evoked the attention towards the importance of awareness of prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace so we can hope to inculcate better and effective implementation of policy and influence organizations to take initiative to spread awareness about prevention of sexual harassment that leads to the safe and healthy working environment for women employees.

Keywords: POSH, Awareness level, Sexual Harassment

A Study on Social Economical Status Related towards Schizophrenia and Mood Disorder Patients

2023-04-23T14:55:32+00:00

Introduction: Schizophrenia can be defined as a serious mental disorder with some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that prejudices daily functioning, and can be disabling.Mood disorders can cause changes in your behavior and can affect your ability to deal with routine activities, such as work or school. (Woodruff Jr, R. A., Murphy, G. E., &Herjanic, M. (1967)).Anyone can feel sad or depressed at times .Children, teens, or adults who have a parent with a mood disorder have a greater chance of also having a mood disorder These life events and stress can bring on feelings of sadness or depression or make a mood disorder harder to manage.Method:In present study researcher adopted a Simple Random Sampling Method was used. A comparative study was conducted to assess different outcome in schizophrenia and mood disorder.the data collection was done on 120 patients.Result: Study results shows that schizophrenia patients are belonging from lower middle socioeconomic status and mood disorder patients are belonging from lower class and lower middle class. the socioeconomic status of schizophrenia and mood disorder patient’s different socioeconomic status in geographical area there is significant difference found in rural and urban area; rural area socioeconomic status is good compared to urban area and have good quality of life of rural area patients compare to urban area it shows there is good prognostic factors of rural area patient because have good socioeconomic status and quality of life. The socioeconomic status and quality of life schizophrenia and mood disorder patient have interdependent on each other if their socioeconomic status is good it improve / reflect good quality of life.Conclusion: There is a slightly difference in socio economic status and quality of life of the schizophrenia and mood disorder patients. There is statistically no any significant difference in a both groups.

Keywords:- Schizophrenia, mood disorder, socio economic status

Effects of Divorce on Children: Case Studies of a Family in South Bihar

2023-04-23T15:08:00+00:00

Divorce means the end of married life. It is the situation when both husband and wife decide not to stay together anymore. It is an unplanned event in family's life. The entire family has to go through a lot of ups and downs to overcome it. Divorce leaves millions of children each year to deal with the process. The present study is purely qualitative and descriptive in nature. in nature. The researchers have adopted purposive sampling to reach the respondents. In-depth interviews and case studies were used for the data collection. This study helps to understand the post-divorce aspect of the respondents. This study reveals that parents divorce affects children in multiple ways, which creates a lot of hindrance in holistic development. The post-divorce period for the children was very disturbing because of separation from either of the parent. In this study, prolonged stress was developed among the children due to the elasticity of the problem. So, parental separation brought some peace in the family environment and provided enough time to work on self-enhancement. Overall, the children face many challenges post-divorce, but they treat it as a constructive step for the entire family.

Keywords: divorce, children, holistic development