Journal of Social Work Research

Abstract Social resilience refers to the ability of societies to cope, adapt, and recover effectively from crises, risks, and environmental, economic, and social changes. This concept emphasizes the capacity of individuals, groups, and social institutions to maintain cohesion, participation, mutual trust, and continuity of basic societal functions in crisis situations. The importance of social resilience in metropolises has received more attention than ever before due to increasing social complexity, population growth, and the diversity of risks. Promoting social resilience can provide the basis for reducing vulnerability, strengthening social capital, increasing citizens' adaptive capacity, and improving crisis management capacity, and play an important role in achieving sustainable urban development. The purpose of the present study is to extract the components of social resilience in the Tehran metropolis. The research method of this study is qualitative, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 experts to extract the components of social resilience. After collecting the data from interviews with social dimension experts, they were extracted and categorized into 5 components: identity and sense of belonging (in the form of community satisfaction and sense of belonging indicators), social justice (in the form of access to services, inclusiveness, and social security indicators), quality of life (in the form of security, health, peace, and access to public spaces indicators), social capital (in the form of social cohesion, participation, and cooperation indicators, education, awareness, and trust indicators), and cultural capital (with indicators of ethnicities and religions, citizenship rights, and customs).

Abstract Early marriage, as a significant social and familial issue, has extensive consequences on the psychological, cognitive, and social aspects of women's lives and can meaningfully influence their individual and social development trajectories. The present study aimed to explore the lifeworld of women with early marriage experiences and to identify the individual, familial, and socio-economic–cultural consequences of this phenomenon. This study employed a qualitative approach using thematic analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 27 married women who had experienced marriage before the age of 18. Participants were selected through purposive sampling with maximum variation to capture a wide range of experiences. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and data were analyzed through iterative coding, constant comparison, and abstraction processes. The findings indicated that early marriage has profound and intertwined consequences at the individual level, including psychological harms, identity formation disturbances, and physical health issues; at the familial level, including reduced marital satisfaction, impaired parenting, and family tensions; and at the socio-economic–cultural level, including school dropout, decreased social participation, perpetuation of poverty, and reproduction of traditional gender norms. Overall, the results demonstrate that the consequences of early marriage are multi-level and intergenerational, highlighting the necessity of designing multidimensional psychological, educational, and policy interventions to prevent and mitigate its effects.

Abstract This article reports on the intervention of a social worker on a 21-year-old single girl (nicknamed Yalda) who referred herself to a hospital in Tehran with pregnancy symptoms. The present study was conducted with a qualitative approach and a case report method, and the data were examined through thematic analysis. The social worker's interventions were carried out with two main perspectives: crisis intervention and motivational interviewing. Yalda had experienced emotional turmoil, suicidal thoughts, repressed anger, and risky behaviors following an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, contracting the sexually transmitted disease HPV, losing her job, and emotional breakdown. Pregnancy was considered a serious threat to her social status. During the intervention process, the social worker, by establishing a professional and supportive relationship, paved the way for a change in the client's attitude; so that Yalda decided to start treatment for her illness after giving birth and to consciously manage her sexual and emotional relationships. Also, with the focus on returning to normal functioning before the crisis, family empowerment and support were emphasized. The family gradually accepted the pregnancy and became a source of support and security for Yalda. The main themes in this study are: 1) Crisis intervention 2) Motivational interviewing as an empowerment approach to behavior change 3) Systemic and multidisciplinary intervention in the hospital context 4) Promoting resilience and psychosocial empowerment 5) Documentation, evaluation, and professional review of interventions.

Abstract Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the factors affecting relapse among recovered substance users in addiction treatment camps in Kerman, Iran. Methods: This descriptive-correlational study employed a cross-sectional design. The statistical population comprised all individuals referring to addiction treatment camps in Kerman. Using Morgan’s table, a sample of 355 participants was selected through two-stage cluster and random sampling. Data were collected using three standardized instruments: The Social Support Questionnaire (Fleming et al., 1982), the Relapse Prediction Scale (Wright, 1993), and the Family Functioning Questionnaire (Epstein et al., 1983). Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analysis. Results: Findings revealed a significant negative and indirect relationship between family functioning, social support, and relapse to substance use. Significant relationships were also found between perceived social support from family, perceived support from friends, general social support, and relapse among recovered individuals in addiction treatment camps in Kerman. Furthermore, residence status, educational level, and income were significantly associated with relapse. Perceived social support from family, perceived support from friends, social support, general support, individual factors, and economic factors emerged as significant predictors of substance use relapse. Conclusion: Special attention should be paid to the role of family and social support in preventing relapse among individuals recovering from substance use disorders.

Abstract An effective professional relationship is one of the most important skills that social workers can utilize to empower and improve the quality of life of their clients. This qualitative study aimed to understand the characteristics of an effective professional relationship from the perspective of clients of non-governmental organizations. Participants were women over 20years old who had been in contact with social workers for at least six months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis. Ultimately, participants identified three main themes that influenced the professional relationship from their perspective: facilitators of the professional relationship, including kindness, punctuality, emotional control, non-judgment, active listening, understanding and follow-up, encouragement, respectful behavior, etc.; barriers and challenges to the relationship, including bad manners, threats of abandonment, false promises, breach of confidentiality, ignoring the client's speech, and disregarding the termination of the relationship, etc.; and structural conditions, including organizational resources, the power of managers, and the constant change of social workers and human resources conditions.The findings of this research will, first and foremost, help all social workers across their various fields of activity to understand clients' expectations of the professional relationship and grasp their needs in a more tangible manner. Furthermore, in subsequent steps, this research can be utilized in social worker education, professional supervision, and future research.

Abstract The present study aimed to explore the contexts and experiences of child-married girls from a psychological, social, and structural perspective, using a qualitative method and content analysis. The participants included 30 girls who had experienced marriage before the age of 18 and had gone to court to obtain a court order.These individuals were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The findings showed that early marriage is shaped by factors such as economic poverty, family traditionalism, structural pressures, weak emotional relationships, and immature emotional or cognitive motivations.Also, in this study, five types of child marriage were identified: family-avoiding, traditional and passive, emotional and sentimental, purposeful but immature, and structural-coercive. These types reflect the complexity and diversity of the social and cultural contexts affecting the phenomenon of child marriage.The findings emphasize the need for typology-based policymaking, strengthening girls' agency, and reforming cultural perspectives on marriage and girls' development.