News Archive
Research
-
Struggling with health issues such as diabetes and heart disease can lead to depressive disorder, which in turn may have a negative effect on the ability of individuals to manage their health care, creating a downward spiral that results in increased mortality.
This issue is particularly critical in low-income communities of color, where residents face high rates of chronic health problems.
-
Growing up near some of Mexico City’s rougher neighborhoods, Erick Guerrero became intrigued by the people he frequently saw hanging around on the corners smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. Despite a certain level of stigma about their behavior, Guerrero noticed a sense of normalcy and acceptance by community members. These people, who were tied to the community through family, friends, or informal work, publicly displayed their struggle with addiction and mental health issues.
-
The University of Southern California School of Social Work announced today the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement (NCSCB) will now be housed at the school. The renowned center is one of the leading organizations in the U.S. providing comprehensive crisis and bereavement resources and training to educators, school systems, governmental agencies and community organizations.
-
The ground-breaking research conducted by the USC School of Social Work’s military center on local veteran transition challenges will now be able to help veterans outside of Southern California thanks to a $316,000 grant aimed at replicating the study in Chicago.
-
Growing up in a military family during times of war puts a sizable proportion of children at a greater risk for a wide range of negative outcomes – drug use, being bullied or carrying a weapon to school – compared to their nonmilitary peers, according to a new study which appears this month in JAMA Pediatrics.
-
A new book by a USC professor provides historical and cultural context, along with recommended changes to policy and clinical practice, to help stem the epidemic of sexual trauma in the military.
Believed to be the first social work text to address the topic of military sexual trauma, Kristen Zaleski’s Understanding and Treating Military Sexual Trauma aims to fill a gap in resources she herself noticed when she first started treating veterans.
-
Your silent teenager won’t look up from texting. Your not-so-silent one screams in your face, “I wish I was never born!” Either way, you might be wondering if you’re doing this parenting thing right. For USC’s Julie Cederbaum, the answers require taking a look at the bigger picture.
Healthy households grapple with teen angst holistically, says Cederbaum, assistant professor in the USC School of Social Work. That could mean counseling—for everyone in the family.
-
Rechele Ramirez moved 5,500 miles away from family and friends in San Diego to experience life as a children’s social worker in Great Britain. She’s enjoying her new role at Somerset County Council while she studies for an MSW Post-Graduate Certificate in International Social Work Practice from the University of Southern California. But she wasn’t quite prepared for the culture shock of moving abroad.
Coming from another English-speaking country, Ramirez didn’t think Britain would be that different.
-
A student who recently lost her grandmother asked to postpone her exams. One professor said no but reached out to see how she was coping. Another professor gave her an extension but was cold in his demeanor. Asked whom she felt was more empathetic, and the answer was surprising: the professor who declined her request.
USC School of Social Work Clinical Assistant Professor Kristen Zaleski says that while the definition of empathy is fairly straightforward, it’s a concept that many people find hard to grasp.
-
Failing to address the multiple root causes and the role played by military culture will continue to hamper efforts to curtail sexual assault in the military, according to new research from the University of Southern California and Fort Hood, Texas.
The military’s one-size-fits-all approach to sexual assault prevention and training also overlooks sensitive and uncomfortable issues, including the prevalence of assault among male service members and biases about sexual behavior, according to the article, which appears in the May issue of Current Psychiatry Reports.