Asian Social Work Journal
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Intergenerational Support from Adult Children on Cognitive Function in Chinese Older Adults: The Chain Mediating Role of Life Satisfaction and Depression
Full text linkAgainst China’s rapid aging and cognitive decline concerns, this study explores intergenerational support’s role in older adults’ cognitive health. While family support is central to Chinese eldercare, whether life satisfaction and depressive symptoms mediate this link—especially across urban-rural areas—remains unclear. Data from the nationally representative CHARLS 2020 dataset (n=3,136, aged ≥60). Pearson correlations, PROCESS macro (5,000 bootstraps), and propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance urban-rural covariates and test mediation heterogeneity. In this sample, intergenerational support correlated positively with cognitive function (r=0.123, p<0.01) and life satisfaction (r=0.064, p<0.01), and negatively with depressive symptoms (r=-0.129, p<0.01). Life satisfaction inversely linked to depression (r=-0.275), which associated with poorer cognition (r=-0.275, p<0.01). Regression showed direct effects of support on cognition (β=0.166, p<0.001), with stronger indirect effects through depressive symptoms (β=0.021) than life satisfaction (β=0.015). Serial mediation (support→satisfaction→depression→cognition) was significant (β=0.013). Depression-mediated effects were marginally stronger in rural subgroups (β=0.082) than urban subgroups (β=0.076). Intergenerational adult children’s support can effectively promote cognitive health among older adults by enhancing life satisfaction and alleviating depression. Life satisfaction and depressive symptoms act as key mediators in this process
Penilaian Semula Model i-Pulih: Keberkesanan, Cabaran dan Penambahbaikan dalam Rawatan dan Pemulihan Pengguna Dadah di Malaysia
Full text linkArtikel ini membincangkan keberkesanan Model i-Pulih yang dikelolakan oleh Agensi Antidadah Kebangsaan (AADK) sebagai model utama rawatan dan pemulihan pengguna dadah di Malaysia. Walaupun pelaksanaannya bertujuan menyokong dasar nyah jenayah penyalahgunaan dadah melalui pendekatan berasaskan kesihatan dan pemulihan komuniti, kadar penagihan berulang (relaps) masih tinggi. Artikel ini meninjau literatur semasa tentang faktor relaps, keberkesanan rawatan, serta cabaran institusi dan sosial yang dihadapi oleh pengguna dadah selepas pemulihan. Analisis menunjukkan bahawa Model i-Pulih mempunyai asas teori kukuh melalui dimensi biologi, psikologi, spiritual dan sosial, namun pelaksanaannya masih boleh ditambah baik. Kajian lepas turut menunjukkan kekurangan integrasi antara intervensi psikososial, stigma sosial yang berterusan, dan ketiadaan sistem pemantauan pascarawatan yang berkesan. Artikel ini mencadangkan pendekatan bottom-up berasaskan praktis kerja sosial, pemulihan berorientasikan komuniti, serta pengukuhan jaringan sokongan sosial bagi meningkatkan keberkesanan Model i-Pulih ke arah masyarakat bebas dadah yang inklusif
Coping with Anxiety: Lived Experiences of Final Year Students
Full text linkThe prevalence of anxiety has been increasing gradually over the years, becoming one of the most critical issues in colleges and universities. A phenomenological approach was used to explain how final-year undergraduate students experienced anxiety during their internship. In-depth interviews were conducted with four female final-year students at a Public Institution of Higher Education (PIHE) in Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The findings revealed that anxiety affected the students in three aspects: physical, mental, and emotional. In coping with anxiety, five strategies were employed, which are staying connected with others, taking care of physical health, taking time out, using structured problem-solving, and writing expressive journals
Perceptions, Attitudes, Learning, and Challenges of Social Work Undergraduates in Cultivation of International Talent: A Survey of Five Universities in Guangzhou, China
Full text linkIn 2019, China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area proposed the establishment of an international education demonstration area. As the core city of the Greater Bay Area, major universities in Guangzhou have initiated initiatives to cultivate international talent. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and internationalized learning of undergraduate social work students, as well as the challenges they encounter in cultivating international talents within their majors at Guangzhou universities. In this study, 291 online questionnaire data from undergraduate students from five universities in Guangzhou were collected through a questionnaire survey. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and one-way ANOVA. The results showed that students value most is to master professional knowledge in international social work. Most of the students (86.6%) believed that it was necessary to cultivate international talents in social work, but 19.3% of the students believed that the prospect was not optimistic, and 24.1% of the students held a wait-and-see attitude. The gender of the students had a significant effect on attitudes. There were significant differences in students' internationalization learning among universities. Challenges faced by students are centered on the unfulfilled demand for internationalized learning. Although most universities have put forward the goal of cultivating international talent, there is still a gap between the goal and its achievement. It is recommended that universities increase resources for social work majors and improve the internationalization level of teachers to achieve the goal of cultivating international social work talents
Development of Social Work Supervision in China: Mapping the Key Issues and Four Future Trajectories
Full text linkThis study aims to review the problems and challenges faced in the development of social work supervision in Mainland China. A literature review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, utilizing four databases (PubMed, CNKI, SCOPUS, and WOS), and included 46 articles. Using thematic analysis, key themes were extracted from the research findings, focusing on the problems and challenges of an underdeveloped supervision system, role confusion, professional constraints, and cultural sensitivity in China's social work supervision system. This literature review emphasizes the necessity for the development of social work supervision in China, summarizes the problems and challenges faced, and proposes localized solutions. It also suggests future research directions for supervision in Mainland China
Barriers and Enablers in Implementing SDGs Through Community Empowerment Programs
Full text linkThis article discusses the effectiveness of the implementation of community empowerment programs managed by Lazismu East Java in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the management of zakat, infaq, shadaqa, and partnership (ZISKA). With a qualitative case study approach, this study identifies internal and external factors that affect Lazismu's performance, including human resources, institutional networks, stakeholder support, and applicable regulations. Although Lazismu has enormous potential in fund management and organizational networks, the implementation of empowerment programs still tends to be pseudo-community empowerment, namely empowerment that is symbolic and has not touched the root of the community's structural problems. Additional issues encompass insufficient resources, inadequate monitoring and evaluation of initiatives, and suboptimal management of socio-economic and technological impacts. This report recommends that Indonesia implement internal reforms, enhance institutional capacity, and employ macrosocial workers to develop more effective, sustainable, and structurally oriented empowerment models that facilitate inclusive growth
Financial Crisis as a Factor of Stress and Conflict among Asnaf Families in Perlis
Full text linkThis study explores the impact of financial crisis on stress and conflict among asnaf families in Perlis. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 families registered under asnaf assistance programs with Perlis religious council. The findings highlight how financial instability exacerbates psychological distress, generates inter-family conflicts, and affects coping strategies. Four main themes emerged; financial hardship and psychological stress, economic strain and family conflict, coping mechanisms and resilience and lack of financial aids. The study provides insights for policymakers to design targeted interventions for vulnerable families
Effective Strategies for Early Prevention of Substance Use Disorder Among Adolescents
Full text linkStreet heroin disappeared completely from the black market in 2019 in Bandung, Indonesia. This is because many heroin abusers are switching to buprenorphine/naloxone, which is more readily available and cheaper. A decade ago, Yayasan Grapiks—a non-governmental organization that works to reduce the negative effects of heroin—reported that 61 students were actively injecting buprenorphine/naloxone. Based on the report, researchers were prompted to conduct a study to analyze the background of non-heroin-addicted adolescents who were abusing buprenorphine/naloxone in Greater Bandung. Another objective is to explore appropriate strategies for early prevention of drug abuse among adolescents. Qualitative methodology with a phenomenological approach was used. In-depth interviews were conducted from September to November 2021 with 13 male and 4 female students as informants. The findings of the study show that all the informants of the study have a history of drug abuse since primary and secondary school. Before addiction to buprenorphine/naloxone, the informants were already addicted to drugs, some were even at the stage of hardcore addiction or severe addiction. Early prevention of drug abuse among adolescents is to create a positive environment at school and at home to prevent adolescents from becoming involved in drug abuse
Gendered Professional Dynamics in Community Social Work: A Systematic Review of Female Social Workers in China
Full text linkThis literature review systematically examines the gendered dynamics of roles, professional identity, and community participation among female social workers. The analysis reveals that their distinctive empathetic and relational competencies significantly enhance service quality and community cohesion, yet simultaneously incur heavier emotional labor and professional vulnerabilities. Gender roles and stereotypes are found to shape their practice while imposing structural constraints. The study concludes that transforming these gendered strengths into sustainable professional capital necessitates supportive organizational environments and equitable career pathways, offering key implications for optimizing community practice and policy
Exploring Online Interaction through Connectivism: A Case Study of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Learners
Full text linkSpurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, learning dynamics have changed as learners are no longer confined to a traditional education setting. Considering the Connectivism learning theory, this study explores English as a Second Language (ESL) learners’ perceptions of online learning, focusing on online interaction and Connectivism. The Connectivism learning theory provides a framework for understanding learning in the digital age, whereby the learning process happens when individuals connect and interact with information, technology, and other people virtually. A quantitative study was conducted using a five-point Likert Scale questionnaire with 22 items and distributed via Google Forms to 75 UiTM undergraduates. Results indicate that peer support is vital in learner-to-learner interaction and connectedness in online learning. Next, the instructor's teaching style, choice, and use of online platforms are critical in fostering engagement. Meanwhile, course content overview, ease of content, and activities are essential for openness in online learning or learner-to-content interaction. Significant implications of the study include the need to incorporate more collaborative learning, the importance of identifying effective online teaching strategies, and ensuring more suitable, inclusive, and accessible content for ESL learners