In the three decades since it was first identified, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) has be... more In the three decades since it was first identified, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) has become recognized as the leading cause of cognitive disability in the U.S. and Canada, resulting in profound social and economic costs. While the occurrence of FASD requires maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, the factors associated with maternal drinking are often not identified, and difficult to address because they require intervention at level of social and health policy levels. Objective This article reviews the fundamentally important, but frequently minimized, and ignored role of fathers and their role in either contributing to or protecting against maternal alcohol consumption. Methods This article reviews the current literature on fathers and FASD. A specific focus on four distinct spheres in which fathers influence this condition emerge from the literature: genetics, being in couple relationship, part of a family, and in the larger environment. Results Informed by the ...
growing appreciation of the powerful impact of the social determinants of health, particularly th... more growing appreciation of the powerful impact of the social determinants of health, particularly the toxic effect of poverty on health, is driving the need for a re-evaluation of the role of govern-ments and institutions such as hospitals in the lives of children and families. The well-being of families is the cornerstone on which society rests; yet evidence is growing that families are facing significant challenges beyond their control that adversely impact their ability to perform their essential role. With evidence of a growing divide in society – an expanding gap between the rich and the poor (Novak 2007) – contributing to a polarization of health and social outcomes along this continuum, there is an urgent need for revisioning priorities for health and social policies. Bold new ideas and leadership are needed to plan a future that encompasses social justice as a key value and operating assumption.Families have a pivotal role to care for their loved ones, and, in the case of child...
In the past thirty years, theoretical and empirical scholarship on father involvement has emerged... more In the past thirty years, theoretical and empirical scholarship on father involvement has emerged and firmly established itself. Efforts to define, measure, and explore outcomes related to father involvement in the context of childhood neurodisability are evident but less well established. The purpose of this study was to systematically map empirical studies on father involvement in the context of childhood neurodisability in order to delineate the current state of research and to highlight profitable directions for future research. A rigorous scoping review method was used to select and analyze empirical studies published between the years 1988 and 2016 in order to systematically map research findings about fathers' affective, behavioral, and cognitive involvement. Fifty-four (n = 54) studies (quantitative n = 47 and qualitative n = 7) met inclusion criteria associated with three levels of review. Four main trends emerged: (a) paternal "stress" is a main concept of in...
This article describes and analyzes the development of a collaborative research model by one univ... more This article describes and analyzes the development of a collaborative research model by one university faculty of social work and 10 health care settings. Established working relationships for educating students were the foundation of a research partnership formed to study questions of mutual interest. This article discusses the developmental stage of the research consortium, including needs assessment, workshop, identification of a common theme and research topic, preliminary funding, and literature review. This stage resulted in the decision to develop and test an instrument to screen for high social risk that would be capable of identifying the need for social work involvement with families to provide effective and efficient management of patients. The Delphi methodology was chosen in the first phase of the research design, and reasons for the choice of this methodology, the results from the two Delphi rounds, and a preliminary screening instrument are presented. Finally, issues in collaboration, such as institutional factors, dynamics of the working group, and leadership roles, are analyzed to identify facilitating features and problematic issues in such partnerships.
Parenting a child with a chronic health condition is an experience that serves as a catalyst for ... more Parenting a child with a chronic health condition is an experience that serves as a catalyst for meaningful involvement for many fathers. In responding to their children's needs, fathers' masculine identity becomes visible in the ways that they choose to parent. This article reports on a grounded-theory study that examined fathers' gender identity and the way they interpreted their role as a father. While endorsing some essential male and female gender characteristics, results indicate that fathers transcend traditional male stereotypes and embrace the opportunity for a more intimate and involved style of parenting.
Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 2016
ABSTRACT Driven by increasing cultural diversity and growing inequities in health and social outc... more ABSTRACT Driven by increasing cultural diversity and growing inequities in health and social outcomes, cross-cultural competence has become a fundamental dimension of effective and ethical social work practice. It has assumed a prominent discourse in social work education, scholarship, professional practice, codes of ethics, and organizational policy; however, how one defines, acquires, applies, and evaluates cultural competencies continue to be issues of debate. Grounded in a postmodern epistemic frame, an integrated model of critical cultural consciousness for working across differences in social work is proposed and implications for micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice are discussed.
Shifts in health concerns, fiscal restraints, technological advances, and demands for accountabil... more Shifts in health concerns, fiscal restraints, technological advances, and demands for accountability have created severe tensions within health care settings. New demands point to the need for a redefinition of services. High-risk screening appears to be a clear method of delineating service need. A review of the empirical literature highlights individual, family, and illness variables that alone and together may improve identification of patients and families in need of social work services. The development of screening mechanisms may be a useful vehicle for improved psychosocial care and for the planning of social work services.
Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de santé publique
Although a national Pharmacare program ensuring access to and affordability of needed medications... more Although a national Pharmacare program ensuring access to and affordability of needed medications has repeatedly been cited as a priority to policymakers, 20% of families remain either uninsured or under-insured. The Hospital for Sick Children's Patient Amenities Fund (PAF) covers out-of-pocket medication expenses for inpatient and outpatient children. The research objectives were to 1) examine family demographics and socio-economic status (SES), the types of medications requested and government program process issues of PAF applicants in 1998 and 1999, and 2) describe trends in PAF requests from 1998 to 2000. Data were extracted retrospectively from fund requests, charts and social work and discharge planning reports. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data and to examine time trends. Eighty-six applicants submitted 112 requests from 1998-1999. Most were for children with cancer, neurological disorders and transplant patients. Medication expenditures were 22,408 ...
A growing appreciation of the powerful impact of the social determinants of health, particularly ... more A growing appreciation of the powerful impact of the social determinants of health, particularly the toxic effect of poverty on health, is driving the need for a re-evaluation of the role of governments and institutions such as hospitals in the lives of children and families. The well-being of families is the cornerstone on which society rests; yet evidence is growing that families are facing significant challenges beyond their control that adversely impact their ability to perform their essential role. With evidence of a growing divide in society--an expanding gap between the rich and the poor (Novak 2007)--contributing to a polarization of health and social outcomes along this continuum, there is an urgent need for revisioning priorities for health and social policies. Bold new ideas and leadership are needed to plan a future that encompasses social justice as a key value and operating assumption.
The Canadian journal of clinical pharmacology = Journal canadien de pharmacologie clinique, 2008
A number of complex factors contribute to pregnant and parenting women's alcohol and substanc... more A number of complex factors contribute to pregnant and parenting women's alcohol and substance use. To date, little research has focused on the implications, meaning and experiences of father involvement on mothers with substance use problems. The current study explores the experiences of mothers with substance use problems with respect to the role, impact and meaning of father involvement. This study conducted two focus groups utilizing a phenomenological approach. Mothers receiving clinical services at a comprehensive, community based program serving pregnant and parenting women with substance use problems were recruited to participate in this research. The meaning of father involvement among this group of women centered on four dimensions: emotional support, financial contributions to the family, amount and quality of time spent with the children and the family, and was dependent upon the particular expectations of the mother involved. Barriers and influences of father involv...
The author examined the experience of fathers who have a child with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis... more The author examined the experience of fathers who have a child with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). He used grounded theory methodology, in which 22 fathers participated in semistructured interviews, and developed a substantive theory of fathers' experience that addresses the impact of their child's JRA, their adaptational responses, and the meanings they associated with their experiences. Fathers were profoundly affected, perceived their child's condition as a catalyst for meaningful involvement, experienced many emotions, and sought to adopt a positive approach to making sense of their child's condition. Fathers' efforts to be strong for others resulted in an overreliance on self-support strategies, particularly during periods of high stress. Given the nature of fathers' experience and the extent of their involvement, greater attention by health care practitioners to fathers' adaptation is indicated.
In the three decades since it was first identified, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) has be... more In the three decades since it was first identified, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) has become recognized as the leading cause of cognitive disability in the U.S. and Canada, resulting in profound social and economic costs. While the occurrence of FASD requires maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, the factors associated with maternal drinking are often not identified, and difficult to address because they require intervention at level of social and health policy levels. Objective This article reviews the fundamentally important, but frequently minimized, and ignored role of fathers and their role in either contributing to or protecting against maternal alcohol consumption. Methods This article reviews the current literature on fathers and FASD. A specific focus on four distinct spheres in which fathers influence this condition emerge from the literature: genetics, being in couple relationship, part of a family, and in the larger environment. Results Informed by the ...
growing appreciation of the powerful impact of the social determinants of health, particularly th... more growing appreciation of the powerful impact of the social determinants of health, particularly the toxic effect of poverty on health, is driving the need for a re-evaluation of the role of govern-ments and institutions such as hospitals in the lives of children and families. The well-being of families is the cornerstone on which society rests; yet evidence is growing that families are facing significant challenges beyond their control that adversely impact their ability to perform their essential role. With evidence of a growing divide in society – an expanding gap between the rich and the poor (Novak 2007) – contributing to a polarization of health and social outcomes along this continuum, there is an urgent need for revisioning priorities for health and social policies. Bold new ideas and leadership are needed to plan a future that encompasses social justice as a key value and operating assumption.Families have a pivotal role to care for their loved ones, and, in the case of child...
In the past thirty years, theoretical and empirical scholarship on father involvement has emerged... more In the past thirty years, theoretical and empirical scholarship on father involvement has emerged and firmly established itself. Efforts to define, measure, and explore outcomes related to father involvement in the context of childhood neurodisability are evident but less well established. The purpose of this study was to systematically map empirical studies on father involvement in the context of childhood neurodisability in order to delineate the current state of research and to highlight profitable directions for future research. A rigorous scoping review method was used to select and analyze empirical studies published between the years 1988 and 2016 in order to systematically map research findings about fathers' affective, behavioral, and cognitive involvement. Fifty-four (n = 54) studies (quantitative n = 47 and qualitative n = 7) met inclusion criteria associated with three levels of review. Four main trends emerged: (a) paternal "stress" is a main concept of in...
This article describes and analyzes the development of a collaborative research model by one univ... more This article describes and analyzes the development of a collaborative research model by one university faculty of social work and 10 health care settings. Established working relationships for educating students were the foundation of a research partnership formed to study questions of mutual interest. This article discusses the developmental stage of the research consortium, including needs assessment, workshop, identification of a common theme and research topic, preliminary funding, and literature review. This stage resulted in the decision to develop and test an instrument to screen for high social risk that would be capable of identifying the need for social work involvement with families to provide effective and efficient management of patients. The Delphi methodology was chosen in the first phase of the research design, and reasons for the choice of this methodology, the results from the two Delphi rounds, and a preliminary screening instrument are presented. Finally, issues in collaboration, such as institutional factors, dynamics of the working group, and leadership roles, are analyzed to identify facilitating features and problematic issues in such partnerships.
Parenting a child with a chronic health condition is an experience that serves as a catalyst for ... more Parenting a child with a chronic health condition is an experience that serves as a catalyst for meaningful involvement for many fathers. In responding to their children's needs, fathers' masculine identity becomes visible in the ways that they choose to parent. This article reports on a grounded-theory study that examined fathers' gender identity and the way they interpreted their role as a father. While endorsing some essential male and female gender characteristics, results indicate that fathers transcend traditional male stereotypes and embrace the opportunity for a more intimate and involved style of parenting.
Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 2016
ABSTRACT Driven by increasing cultural diversity and growing inequities in health and social outc... more ABSTRACT Driven by increasing cultural diversity and growing inequities in health and social outcomes, cross-cultural competence has become a fundamental dimension of effective and ethical social work practice. It has assumed a prominent discourse in social work education, scholarship, professional practice, codes of ethics, and organizational policy; however, how one defines, acquires, applies, and evaluates cultural competencies continue to be issues of debate. Grounded in a postmodern epistemic frame, an integrated model of critical cultural consciousness for working across differences in social work is proposed and implications for micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice are discussed.
Shifts in health concerns, fiscal restraints, technological advances, and demands for accountabil... more Shifts in health concerns, fiscal restraints, technological advances, and demands for accountability have created severe tensions within health care settings. New demands point to the need for a redefinition of services. High-risk screening appears to be a clear method of delineating service need. A review of the empirical literature highlights individual, family, and illness variables that alone and together may improve identification of patients and families in need of social work services. The development of screening mechanisms may be a useful vehicle for improved psychosocial care and for the planning of social work services.
Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de santé publique
Although a national Pharmacare program ensuring access to and affordability of needed medications... more Although a national Pharmacare program ensuring access to and affordability of needed medications has repeatedly been cited as a priority to policymakers, 20% of families remain either uninsured or under-insured. The Hospital for Sick Children's Patient Amenities Fund (PAF) covers out-of-pocket medication expenses for inpatient and outpatient children. The research objectives were to 1) examine family demographics and socio-economic status (SES), the types of medications requested and government program process issues of PAF applicants in 1998 and 1999, and 2) describe trends in PAF requests from 1998 to 2000. Data were extracted retrospectively from fund requests, charts and social work and discharge planning reports. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data and to examine time trends. Eighty-six applicants submitted 112 requests from 1998-1999. Most were for children with cancer, neurological disorders and transplant patients. Medication expenditures were 22,408 ...
A growing appreciation of the powerful impact of the social determinants of health, particularly ... more A growing appreciation of the powerful impact of the social determinants of health, particularly the toxic effect of poverty on health, is driving the need for a re-evaluation of the role of governments and institutions such as hospitals in the lives of children and families. The well-being of families is the cornerstone on which society rests; yet evidence is growing that families are facing significant challenges beyond their control that adversely impact their ability to perform their essential role. With evidence of a growing divide in society--an expanding gap between the rich and the poor (Novak 2007)--contributing to a polarization of health and social outcomes along this continuum, there is an urgent need for revisioning priorities for health and social policies. Bold new ideas and leadership are needed to plan a future that encompasses social justice as a key value and operating assumption.
The Canadian journal of clinical pharmacology = Journal canadien de pharmacologie clinique, 2008
A number of complex factors contribute to pregnant and parenting women's alcohol and substanc... more A number of complex factors contribute to pregnant and parenting women's alcohol and substance use. To date, little research has focused on the implications, meaning and experiences of father involvement on mothers with substance use problems. The current study explores the experiences of mothers with substance use problems with respect to the role, impact and meaning of father involvement. This study conducted two focus groups utilizing a phenomenological approach. Mothers receiving clinical services at a comprehensive, community based program serving pregnant and parenting women with substance use problems were recruited to participate in this research. The meaning of father involvement among this group of women centered on four dimensions: emotional support, financial contributions to the family, amount and quality of time spent with the children and the family, and was dependent upon the particular expectations of the mother involved. Barriers and influences of father involv...
The author examined the experience of fathers who have a child with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis... more The author examined the experience of fathers who have a child with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). He used grounded theory methodology, in which 22 fathers participated in semistructured interviews, and developed a substantive theory of fathers' experience that addresses the impact of their child's JRA, their adaptational responses, and the meanings they associated with their experiences. Fathers were profoundly affected, perceived their child's condition as a catalyst for meaningful involvement, experienced many emotions, and sought to adopt a positive approach to making sense of their child's condition. Fathers' efforts to be strong for others resulted in an overreliance on self-support strategies, particularly during periods of high stress. Given the nature of fathers' experience and the extent of their involvement, greater attention by health care practitioners to fathers' adaptation is indicated.
Background: In the past thirty years, theoretical and empirical scholarship on father involvement... more Background: In the past thirty years, theoretical and empirical scholarship on father involvement has emerged and firmly established itself. Efforts to define, measure, and explore outcomes related to father involvement in the context of childhood neurodisability are evident but less well established. The purpose of this study was to systematically map empirical studies on father involvement in the context of childhood neurodisability in order to delineate the current state of research and to highlight profitable directions for future research.
Methods: A rigorous scoping review method was used to select and analyze empirical studies published between the years 1988 and 2016 in order to systematically map research findings about fathers’ affective, behavioral, and cognitive involvement.
Results: Fifty-four (n = 54) studies (quantitative n = 47 and qualitative n = 7) met inclusion criteria associated with three levels of review. Four main trends emerged: (a) paternal “stress” is a main concept of interest; (b) comparison of mothers and fathers on affective and cognitive involvement; (c) lack of a focus on fathers’ behavioral involvement, and (d) the absence of research designs that allow for examination of fathers’ unique perspectives.
Conclusions: Fathers are generally underrepresented in research in the context of childhood neurodisability. While there is a lack of depth in this area of research, granular analyses revealed important and unique differences about fathers’ parenting experiences. Recommendations for research and practice are provided.
Implications for rehabilitation Fathers are underrepresented in the parenting in childhood neurodisability literature.
Fathers who report feeling competent in parenting and connected to their child also report less parenting distress and more satisfaction in their couple relationship and family environment.
Rehabilitation and allied health professionals should include fathers in parenting/family assessments.
Manifestation of distress may differ among family members. Rehabilitation and allied health professionals should offer individualized care that is attuned to the needs of all family members.
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Papers by Ted McNeill
Methods: A rigorous scoping review method was used to select and analyze empirical studies published between the years 1988 and 2016 in order to systematically map research findings about fathers’ affective, behavioral, and cognitive involvement.
Results: Fifty-four (n = 54) studies (quantitative n = 47 and qualitative n = 7) met inclusion criteria associated with three levels of review. Four main trends emerged: (a) paternal “stress” is a main concept of interest; (b) comparison of mothers and fathers on affective and cognitive involvement; (c) lack of a focus on fathers’ behavioral involvement, and (d) the absence of research designs that allow for examination of fathers’ unique perspectives.
Conclusions: Fathers are generally underrepresented in research in the context of childhood neurodisability. While there is a lack of depth in this area of research, granular analyses revealed important and unique differences about fathers’ parenting experiences. Recommendations for research and practice are provided.
Implications for rehabilitation
Fathers are underrepresented in the parenting in childhood neurodisability literature.
Fathers who report feeling competent in parenting and connected to their child also report less parenting distress and more satisfaction in their couple relationship and family environment.
Rehabilitation and allied health professionals should include fathers in parenting/family assessments.
Manifestation of distress may differ among family members. Rehabilitation and allied health professionals should offer individualized care that is attuned to the needs of all family members.