This study explores the determinants of economic identity among young adults employed in Kerala’s unorganized sector through a social work lens. Identity, shaped by cultural, social, and structural economic systems, is examined here through a qualitative thematic analysis of twelve participants aged 18–35. Using the Person-in-Environment (PIE) perspective, the findings reveal that incomplete education constrains upward career mobility and social recognition, while aspirations increasingly focus on information technology, accounting, and medical services as pathways out of precariousness. Income–expense disparities, particularly post-marriage, highlight the severe burden of inflation and the structural necessity of secondary income sources. Sudden financial emergencies—including accidents, illnesses, and property disputes—destabilize families both economically and psychologically, underscoring the fragility of financial security in informal employment. Despite limited savings and systemic wage dependency, workers actively aspire to maintain bank balances and secure property ownership as vital markers of dignity, self-esteem, and stability. The study concludes that educational attainment, occupational aspirations, income management, and risk-handling strategies collectively construct the economic identity of young adults in unorganized establishments. These insights emphasize the critical need for financial social work interventions, localized skill-development hubs, and macro-level policy protections to strengthen financial resilience among youth in informal labour markets.
Writing is recognized as an important skill for professional social workers across the diversity of practice areas. An integral part of the communication about writing expectations is clarifying and defining the purpose and goals of the writing assignments in the course. This paper discusses the findings associated with perceptions and expectations of teaching faculty and professional social workers who served as field instructors in the program. To accomplish this, we conducted a survey of all faculty, both part-time and full-time, and all field instructors serving in the program. Results from our surveys showed perceptions of student writing deficits among faculty and field instructors. During the project, key needs emerged, including ongoing faculty development; strategies for incorporating part-time faculty in efforts to support student writing; clearer articulation of the difference between academic and professional writing and the purpose of teaching academic writing in professional training; more communication among faculty, students, and practitioners about the writing skills needed for impactful social work practice. Implications and future directions for the department are discussed.
This study focuses on the predictors of burnout among social work students of Davao del Norte State College. It aims to determine whether emotion regulation, academic stress, and financial stress predict burnout. It employed a descriptive-predictive quantitative research design and utilized a survey questionnaire to gather data from respondents, specifically 287 second to fourth-year social work students enrolled on the 2nd semester of the academic year 2023-2024 at Davao del Norte State College, Panabo City. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the responses from the respondents. The results revealed that emotion regulation, academic stress, and financial stress are all substantial predictors of burnout F (3, 283) = 33.657, p <. 001. This indicates that if these predictors intensify and are not managed properly, there is a high possibility of burnout escalating that could also lead to problems in the general health of the students as well as their academic performance. The study highlights the need for institutional support, particularly from the school Guidance Office and Social Work faculty, to develop interventions that help students manage their emotions, academic stress, and financial challenges.
This study analyses research trends on the mental health of single mothers, a topic of significant importance due to its impact on parenting and the well-being of mothers and future generations. Single mothers face numerous vulnerabilities, which has encouraged extensive research on their socio-economic issues and to a certain extent their mental health worldwide. This bibliometric analysis examines the trends in research on the ‘mental health of single mothers’ as published in the Scopus database. Using a comprehensive search string, the data was analyzed with R Studio, VOSviewer, and Scientopy. The analysis reveals an increasing volume of published work on this topic, particularly from economically advanced countries. The thematic analysis identifies common themes emphasized by authors, including depression, poverty, anxiety, support systems, and parenting. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for future researchers, practitioners, and academics by highlighting key themes, sources, and contributing authors for further investigation and practical application.
Anxiety is an inherent emotional response to perceived threats, but when intense and excessive, it can become maladaptive and impair daily functioning. Despite its prevalence in the Philippines, research on social work-specific interventions for anxiety remains wanting. Thus, this paper employs a case study approach to illustrate the use of imagery in social work counseling with a Filipino service user experiencing anxiety. The intervention involved three different imagery techniques aimed at constructing mental images that are useful in altering emotional states. Results indicate a reduction in self-reported distress and an increase in confidence and coping, highlighting the potential use of imagery as a cost-effective intervention in social work counseling. However, several limitations are acknowledged from the case. The paper concludes that imagery techniques can complement social work counseling to help manage anxiety and suggests steps for future research and practice.
