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Joseph Pickard

Assistant Professor
213 Bellerive Hall
Telephone: 314-516-7984
Fax: 314-516-6416
pickardj@umsl.edu

To view a Faculty Video Interview, click here.

Joseph Pickard, PhD, LCSW is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work. He completed his Ph.D. at Washington University in Saint Louis and received his MSW from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.  Joe is an LCSW and has worked with older adults, as a school social worker, and with substance abusing clients.

His research interests include aging and mental health, help-seeking patterns of older adults, aging in place, religiosity/spirituality and aging, and counseling services provided by clergy to older adults.  Joe was a Hartford Doctoral Fellow while at Washington University in Saint Louis, and he is the primary investigator (PI) on a research project titled An Examination of Older Adults' Help-Seeking from Clergy in Saint Louis County. 

He teaches Theory and Practice with Older Adults, Generalist Practice, Human Behavior in the Social Environment, and a course on addictions. Joe is happy to be a member of the School of Social Work faculty, and really enjoys working with University of Missouri-St. Louis students.

Recent Publications

Pickard, J.G., Tan, J., Morrow-Howell, N., Jung, Y. (2009).  Older drivers retiring from the road: An application of the selection, optimization, and compensation model.  Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 19(2), 213-229.
Purpose:  This study uses the selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) model to compare older adults who have given up driving, those who still drive, and those who drive less to identify differences in the three groups.
Design and Methods: This cross sectional study of 281 older adults is part of the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Demonstration Project. Study participants completed interviews that included questions on demographics, health and functioning, mental health, social support, and current levels of engagement in activities including current driving status.
Results:  Data suggest that driving retirement is a process and that a substantial number of people are in the transitional stage, where they are less functional than those who still drive and more similar to those who have retired from the road.  Implications: Given the similarity of those who drive less to those who have given up driving, front line professionals and policy makers must work together to ease the transition to driving retirement for those without adequate ability to effectively compensate for their inability to continue to drive safely.

Pickard, J.G. & Tang, F.Y. (2009) Older Adults Seeking Mental Health Counseling in a NORC. Research on Aging, [In Press].
This study uses the Andersen model to compare older adults’ help-seeking from clergy to help-seeking from other sources of formal mental health services. Data are from the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) Demonstration Project (N=317). Multinomial logistic regression is used to compare sources from which help is sought. Results indicate that older adults seek help from clergy more frequently than from other formal sources. Increased stress levels, higher intrinsic religiosity, and being younger are related to seeking help from clergy. Greater stress and attendance at religioius services are related to help-seeking from other sources. Only greater frequency of attending religious services is associated with a greater lilihood of seeking help from clergy versus another formal provider. The increasing elderly population and the attendant crisis in mental health services might best be addressed through public-private partnerships in which mental health professionals assist clergy to identify problems and make appropriate referrals.

Inoue, M., Pickard, J.G., Saleeby, P., Johnson, S. (2009). African American caregivers’ breast health behavior. Health Education Research [In Press]. Currently published on-line, awaiting print.
Purpose: This study is examines factors related to African American caregivers’ breast cancer screenings, including mammograms, clinical examinations, and self examinations.
Design and Methods: Data are from the Black Rural and Urban Caregivers Mental Health and Functioning Study. We performed separate logistic regressions for mammograms, clinical examinations, and self examinations.
Results: Results from logistic regression analyses reveal that care recipients’ having a cancer diagnosis, having a regular doctor checkup, and living in rural areas are associated with receiving a mammogram. Having greater income, having more than a high school degree, and having a regular doctor checkup are associated with receiving a clinical examination. Increased caregiver strain, being 40 years old or older, having less social support, and living in rural areas are associated with performing a self examination.
Implications: Targeting African American caregivers, an understudied minority group with distinctive features, who do not receive a regular doctor checkup, particularly in rural areas, for increased education on the importance of receiving breast cancer screenings is crucial to eliminating health disparities. Making resources available, encouraging caregivers to get a clinical examination and a mammogram, and directing public education toward caregivers are important points of intervention.

Guo, B., Pickard, J. G., Huang, J. (2008). A cultural perspective on health outcomes of caregiving grandparents: Evidence from China. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 5(4), 25-40.
Abstract:
Purpose: Three-generation extended family households still constitute a fairly large proportion of households in China. This study aims to understand intergenerational relationships in Chinese families by examining health outcomes of grandparents that provide caregiving to their grandchildren.
Design and Methods: Data are from the Survey on Aging and Intergenerational Relations in Baoding City, China. Multiple regressions are conducted to examine the relationship of caregiving to physical and mental health outcomes of grandparents, after controlling for a number of other factors.
Results: Results of multiple regression analysis in this study show that caregiving is positively related to grandparents' physical and mental health status. Results further show that among grandparents providing childcare, those residing with grandchildren have better health outcomes than those who do not live with grandchildren.
Implications: Discussion focuses on cultural expectations as well as social support received by grandparents. The findings suggest the importance of understanding individuals within the context of their particular culture and the need to create a supportive environment for caregiving grandparents.

Pickard, J. G. & Guo, B. (2008). Clergy as mental health service providers to older adults. Aging and Mental Health 12 (5), 615-624.
(Abstract: Older adults tend to seek help for emotional problems from clergy at greater rates than they do from other sources. However, their help-seeking from clergy is largely understudied. We used data from the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) Demonstration Project to examine older adults' patterns of help-seeking from clergy. We studied a sample of adults aged 65 or older (n = 317) to determine which factors were related to help-seeking from a religious leader. This study was framed within the Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization. Results of hierarchical logistic regression analyses indicated that having less social support and greater frequency of attendance at religious services was related to help-seeking from clergy for this sample, while other predisposing, enabling, need and religiosity variables were not found to be related to help-seeking from clergy. Discussion focuses on the need for mental health workers to be aware of the important role that clergy play in service provision and to find ways to leverage knowledge and skills to enhance provider-clergy relationships in order to improve services that older adults receive.)

Pickard, J.G., Tan, J., Morrow-Howell, N., Jung, Y. (2006).  Older drivers retiring from the road: An application of the selection, optimization, and compensation model. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment 19(2), 213-229.
(Abstract: This study uses the selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) model to compare older adults who have given up driving, those who still drive, and those who drive less to identify differences in the three groups. Design and Methods: This cross-sectional study of 281 older adults is part of the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Demonstration Project. Study participants completed interviews that included questions on demographics, health and functioning, mental health, social support, and current levels of engagement in activities including current driving status. Results: Data suggest that driving retirement is a process and that a substantial number of people are in the transitional stage, where they are less functional than those who still drive and more similar to those who have retired from the road. Implications: Given the similarity of those who drive less to those who have given up driving, front-line professionals and policy makers must work together to ease the transition to driving retirement for those without adequate ability to effectively compensate for their inability to continue to drive safely.)

Tang, F. & Pickard, J. (2008). Aging in place or relocation: Awareness of community-based long-term care and services. Journal of Housing for the Elderly, 22(4).
(Abstract: This study used data from the Community Partnership for Older Adults Program Survey (N = 4,611) to examine associations between the perceived awareness of community-based long-term care and supportive services and the anticipation for aging in place and relocation. Respondents varied substantially in their knowledge about services and anticipation for aging in place and relocation. Perceived availability and unavailability of a series of community services was associated with the likelihood of anticipating aging in place and relocation, and awareness of the lack of visiting nurses, personal assistance, or transportation was related to respondents reporting a younger age at which they anticipated needing help to age in place or anticipating a need to relocate. Findings have implications for raising the public awareness of community-based services in addressing the needs of community-dwelling elders for aging in place and relocation.)

Pickard, J.G., Berg-Weger, M., & Birkenmaier, J. (2006).  Videos: Where do they fit in an aging infused curriculum? Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 50(3/4), 99-111.
(Abstract: As technology progresses, college instructors are presented with the availability of new and exciting pedagogical methods. Though the use of videos is not new, their use is becoming increasingly simplified and relevant to popular culture. This conceptual paper presents a theoretical rationale for the use of videos as a teaching and learning tool in the infusion of aging content into the social work curriculum, provides in-class strategies with a case example, and discusses the use of videos outside of class.)

Carpenter, B.D., Edwards, D.F., Pickard, J.G., Palmer, J.L., Morrow-Howell, N.L., Neufeld, P.S., Perkinson, M.A., Stark, S., Morris, J.C. (2007). Anticipating relocation: Concerns about moving among NORC residents. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 49(1/2), 165-184. Simultaneously published as chapter in Housing for the Elderly: Policy and Practice Issues.
(Abstract: Most older adults prefer to live at home as long as possible, requiring supports and services to help them age in place. This study examines the relocation concerns of a group of older adults in a suburban naturally-occurring retirement community (NORC). Twenty-six percent of the 324 residents interviewed expressed concern about having to move in the next few years. Residents who were worried differed from those who did not worry on a number of demographic and biopsychosocial characteristics. Overall, residents present a profile of vulnerability that calls for preemptive action to help them stay in their homes. A NORC is an ideal setting in which to provide supportive services.)

Putnam, M., Tang, F., Brooks, A., Pickard, J., Morrow-Howell, N. (2007). Professional's beliefs about nursing home regulations in Missouri. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 26(3), 290-304.
(Abstract: The process of nursing home regulation continues to need improvement to ensure the best possible quality of care. This study uses mixed methods to explore opinions of nursing home professionals and state nursing home regulation inspection team members about the regulation process and ideas for changing it in the State of Missouri. Data come from a survey of nursing home professionals (n = 334) and state regulation inspectors (n =123) conducted in early 2004. Findings show disagreement about who is responsible for facilitating nursing home compliance; nursing home professionals desire state assistance in interpreting and applying regulations, whereas inspectors do not believe this will improve quality of care. Greater focus on resident needs may provide common ground for bridging this divide and developing interventions to ensure regulatory success.)

Pickard, J.G. (2006). The relationship of religiosity to older adults’ mental health service use. Aging and Mental Health, 10(3),  290-297.
(Abstract: This article uses data from the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) Demonstration Project (N = 326) to examine older adults' utilization of mental health services. This study is guided by the behavioral model of health service utilization and helps to fill gaps in the literature by including religious affiliation, religiosity, and interaction terms as variables in regression models. These variables are important, as religion is more important in the lives of older adults than in the lives of their younger counterparts. This study found the rate of use of mental health services during the previous six months to be 19.0%, and those with higher levels of private religious activity and higher levels of intrinsic religiosity are more likely to have accessed some form of mental health service. However, frequency of attendance at religious services is not associated with the use or non-use of services. Information from this study suggests that more research is needed to specify the manner in which religious affiliation and religiosity work to affect the use of mental health services, and future studies must include religious variables in order for models of service use to be complete.)

Pickard, J.G. (2005). What’s in it for me? Rational choice theory and religion. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 24(4), 39-54.
(Abstract: Social service workers' values and religious beliefs often differ greatly from those of their clients. This paper will assist helping professionals to develop a deeper understanding of the motivations behind clients' religious behaviors by describing religious participation through the lens of rational choice theory. A working definition of rational choice is provided. A graphic construct explaining the interaction of demand and supply on religious participation is presented. This model shows how a feedback loop develops to increase religious involvement. A discussion follows regarding religious participation as viewed from a demand side and supply side perspective. The paper concludes with ideas of how the information applies to social service workers and researchers.)

Chadiha, L.A., Rafferty, J., Pickard, J. (2003). The influence of caregiving stressors,    social support, and caregiving appraisal on marital functioning among African   American wife caregivers. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29(4), 479-490.
(Abstract: Using a stress and coping framework, we examined the influence of caregiving stressors, social support, and caregiving appraisal on the marital functioning of 100 African American wife caregivers. Results of separate multivariate analyses revealed received church support, caregiving burden, and caregiving satisfaction significantly predicted wives' marital functioning, when caregivers' background characteristics (age and education), length of caregiving, whether first marriage, and urban versus rural location were controlled. Receiving church support was associated with increased marital functioning. Lower levels of caregiving burden were associated with increased marital functioning. Higher levels of caregiving satisfaction were associated with increased marital functioning. Findings illuminate wives' caregiving and marital experiences, and have implications for family therapy and future research.)

Research Interests:

• Older Adults Mental Health Service Use
• Aging in Place
• Mental Health Services provided by Clergy to Older Adults
• Clergy Perceptions of their Roles in Service Provision
• Religiosity/Spirituality and Older Adults
• Focus on Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Efforts
• Alcoholism and Addictions

Teaching Interests:

• Gerontology
• Mental Health
• Addictions
• Practice Courses
• Human Behavior in the Social Environment

Education:

• Ph.D., George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, 2004
• MSW, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1994
• Certificate in Education, University of Missouri-St. Louis, 1990
• BA, International Studies/Business Administration, Texas State University, 1988

Courses

FS2009

• SW 3510 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment
• SW 5100 - Generalist Social Work Practice
• SW 6850 - Graduate Field Practicum III