Japanese Journal of Social Welfare

Social Work Practice and Construction of the Discourse Concerning the Disabled :Seeking out the Prospects for Forming and Collaborating in a Transition from "Hearing Impaired" to "Deaf"

Keiko OKUDA

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 3-12
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_3

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The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the construction of the discourse concerning disabled people and social work practices, using the hearing-impaired as a concrete example. It first discusses the deaf movement that took place in the late 1960s, and based on interviews with supporters of that movement, it shows the social background and mindset in which the "hearingimpaired" discourse brought power to those with hearing disabilities. It then looks at the background and significance of the recent spread of a new discourse that views the deaf as a "linguistic minority." Currently in Japan, a shift away from the medical treatment model aimed at overcoming deafness and hearing-impairment has emerged from within the Deaf community and is starting to catch on among practitioners and researchers of medicine, education, and clinical psychology. The paper touches on theoretical trends while looking at how this situation should be understood from the perspective of social work practices, and what the role of social work is in the future.

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Underclass and Labeling ; Consideration about 'Positive' Functions of the Underclass

Takanao NISHIMURA

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 13-22
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_13

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The purpose of this essay is to examine the social effect of "Underclass" concept proposed by U. S sociologist Harbert. J. Gans who is committed to studying the problem of poverty and inequality in urban cities, through exploring his critical comments about the concept. He specifies this concept as the modern version of negative "labeling" and emphases that this "labeling" drive away the victims of poverty into more a disadvantageous situation in society in general. In order to look at the reason why this concept came to permeate society, some aspects of its "positive" function is observed. It is thought that this study makes some significant contributions to our new trend of understanding poverty and inequality.

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Competency of Multidisciplinary Teams : Individual Competencies and Team Competencies

Kazunori KIKUCHI

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 23-31
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_23

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Although it is widely acknowledged that a team approach is important for social services, few studies are known about multidisciplinary teams including professionals such as doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers and so on. Previous studies about teams have revealed that there are two factors in improvement of team performance : individual competencies and team competencies. Competency is considered to have three aspects : knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Team performance is expected to be improved by learning these aspects of competency. In this paper, the concept of competency and the possibility of its application to multidisciplinary teams are discussed to improve performance of the teams.

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Mothers' Grief Process and Coping Following the Death of a Child from Cancer

Erino KANEKO

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 32-41
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_32

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This article reports on an analysis of the mother's grief process and coping following the death of a child from cancer. Data were collected from 11 bereaved mothers using the life story interview method. The data ware analyzed using categorical-content analysis method that is well suited for the life story interview. The findings from this study showed that mothers' grief process had psychological, social, physical, and spiritual manifestations, and changed as time went by. Psychological responses involved feelings of emptiness, loneliness, guilt and the inability of mothers to express their feelings from fear. Social responses included that mothers experienced social stigma, and could'nt express their true feelings to people. Physical responses involved sleeplessness, having no appetite and feeling spiritless. Spiritual responses involved loss of living, longing for their dead child, searching for the meaning of the death of their child, continuing interaction with their dead child. Mothers cope with their grief by talking with people (family, clergy, spiritual counselor) , consulting professional, going to hospital, writing about their experiences, painting their dead child, accepting the fact and participating in self-help / support group. They felt that their grief was shared by other mothers who had gone through a similar experience.

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A Study on Well-being Indicator Identified by Urban Poor in the Philippines from the Focus Group Discussion in a Suburb of Metro Manila

Hanako ODAGAWA

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 42-51
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_42

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The progress of urban development and housing projects promoted by international development aid does not necessarily improve the living conditions of urban poor. The development projects need to address problems and preferable living conditions identified by urban poor based on their own perspective. The local perspective is essential for the participatory development by the local people as well. Therefore, this study aims to identify the well-being indicators and living conditions through focus group discussion (FGD) by the residents of an urban poor community in the suburb of Metro Manila, Philippines. The research locale was a huge resettlement site that was prepared for the relocated families due to an urban development project inside the Metro Manila. As a result of the FGD, diverse phases of life such as income, diet, education, housing, sanitation, recreation, safety and medical services were identified as indicators. Among these, income and security of tenure were especially prioritized. And it was also revealed that a slightly higher level from the official minimum standards was desired, however, the reality of their life was lower than the minimum standards.

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Characteristics in Preferences of Old Community Residents in an Urban Area Concerning Sources of Social Support

Hyunju KWEON, Shinichi OKADA, Masakazu SHIRASAWA

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 52-61
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_52

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The present study clarified the characteristics in preferences of the elderly in an urban area concerning sources of social support and examined the relationships between these preferences and demographic factors. The research design was a cross-sectional survey with mailed questionnaire. The subjects (2,000 individuals who were 65 years old and over) were randomly selected from the resident lists of Osaka City. The response rate was 57.6%. The results indicated that ; (1) the elderly were more likely to recognize family support and formal support as significant emotional and instrumental support sources in their preferences ; (2) while the elderly had different preferences between family support and formal support in terms of emotional supports, they had similar preferences between the two types of support sources in terms of instrumental support ; (3) the elderly recognized support provided by volunteers as formal support ; and (4) while the elderly who were not at high psychosocial risk were more likely to seek for family support, the counterparts were more likely to seek for formal support in their preferences. The findings imply that social workers should carefully assess the preferences of the elderly concerning support sources in clinical settings.

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 62-63
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_62

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 64-65
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_64

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 66-68
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_66

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

Article type: Article
2004 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 69-70
Published: March 31, 2004
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2018

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.24469/jssw.44.3_69

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