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Socioemotional Outcomes Of Children Sexually Abused During Early Childhood, Jennifer L. Becker

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the nature and impact of the sexual abuse of children ages birth through 6 years. The purpose was to enhance knowledge about this understudied population through examination of: (1) characteristics of the abuse; (2) socioemotional developmental outcomes of young victims; and (3) potential moderating effects of family dynamics. An ecological-developmental theoretical framework was applied. Secondary data analysis was conducted using data collected from the consortium Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). A sample of 250 children was drawn from LONGSCAN data, including children who were sexually abused (n=125) and their nonabused counterparts (n=125), matched on …

A Critique Of The Global Trafficking Discourse And U.S. Policy, Moshoula Capous Desyllas

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article examines the dominant discourse on trafficking in persons and the implementation of international and U.S. policy to address trafficking globally. Features of the United Nations Protocol and the Trafficking in Victims Protection Act demonstrate how trafficking frameworks currently in place contain underlying fears of migration and female sexuality. The implications of policy on the construction of third world women as "victims to be saved" through governments, National Government Organizations, feminists and the media will show how these misrespresentations only reinforce racism and dualistic simplifications of a complex issue. An emphasis is placed on the importance of women's agency …

Midwest Evaluation Of The Adult Functioning Of Former Foster Youth: Outcomes At Age 21, Mark E. Courtney, Amy Lynn Dworsky, Gretchen Ruth Cusick, Judy Havlicek, Alfred Perez, Thomas E. Keller

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth (Midwest Study) is a longitudinal study that has been following a sample of young people from Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois as they transition out of foster care into adulthood. It is a collaborative effort involving Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago; the University of Wisconsin Survey Center; and the public child welfare agencies in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. This report concentrates on the outcomes of 21 year old youth as they "age out" of the child welfare system and transition to adulthood.

Executive Summary: Midwest Evaluation Of The Adult Functioning Of Former Foster Youth: Outcomes At Age 21, Mark E. Courtney, Amy Lynn Dworsky, Gretchen Ruth Cusick, Judy Havlicek, Alfred Perez, Thomas E. Keller

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth (Midwest Study) is a longitudinal study that has been following a sample of young people from Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois as they transition out of foster care into adulthood. It is a collaborative effort involving Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago; the University of Wisconsin Survey Center; and the public child welfare agencies in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. This executive summary report concentrates on the outcomes of 21 year old youth as they "age out" of the child welfare system and transition to adulthood.

The First Two Years Of Housing First In Quincy, Massachusetts: "This Place Gives Me Peace, Happiness, And Hope", Tatjana Meschede

Center for Social Policy Publications

Housing First is a housing and support services program that attempts to move the most disabled homeless people directly to housing prior to treatment, using housing as the transforming element to support participation in treatment. This approach does not require sobriety or participation in long-term treatment programs unlike the traditional continuum of care approach. Promising results have been demonstrated in a number of projects using this model (Tsemberis & Eisenberg, 2000).

For the past ten years, Father Bill’s Place (FBP), a homeless shelter and housing program in Quincy, Massachusetts, has moved steadily towards providing permanent housing with supportive services, rather …

"Creative Interpretation And Fluidity In A Rights Framework": The Intersection Of Domestic Violence And Human Rights In The United States, Karen Lynn Morgaine

Dissertations and Theses

This study explores the manner in which leaders working in the domestic violence field in the US have or have not adopted a human rights framework and what impact this has had on domestic violence policy and intervention. Participants included leaders from national domestic violence and human rights organizations. These organizations are instrumental in developing policy and in framing the issues of domestic violence and human rights, many of which also work with specific racial and ethnic populations. Some of the primary research questions included: If the human rights discourse is being put to practical use within the US, how …

Interpersonal Violence And Animals: Mandated Cross-Sector Reporting, Dennis D. Long, Joan H. Long, Shanti J. Kulkarni

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Research indicates an association between interpersonal violence and animal cruelty. This article examine the virtues and limitations of creating statutory authority requiring professionals to report substantiated abuse, neglect, and cruelty across service delivery systems (e.g. child and adult protect services and humane societies). Such a legislative approach authorizes and legitimizes "mandated crosssector reporting." The probative and research value of this type of initiative is examined as well as ethical and political considerations.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 34, No. 3 (September 2007)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: LESSONS FROM A CASE STUDY IN THE ARKANSAS DELTA - Valerie H. Hunt
• THE ROLE OF INFORMAL SOCIAL NETWORKS IN MICRO-SAVINGS MOBILIZATION - Margaret Lombe and Fred M. Ssewamala
• ADVICE AND HELP-SEEKING INTENTIONS AMONG YOUTH IN ISRAEL: ETHNIC AND GENDER DIFFERENCES - Moshe Sherer
• INCARCERATION AND UNWED FATHERS IN FRAGILE FAMILIES - Charles E. Lewis, Jr., Irwin Garfinkel and Qin Gao
• GREEK-LETTER MEMBERSHIP AND COLLEGE GRADUATION: DOES RACE MATTER? - Ronald E. Severtis, Jr. and C. Andrg Christie-Mizell
• FROM FINANCIAL LITERACY TO FINANCIAL CAPABILITY AMONG YOUTH - Elizabeth Johnson and Margaret …

Incarceration And Unwed Fathers In Fragile Families, Charles E. Lewis Jr., Irwin Garfinkel, Qin Gao

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Criminal justice policies have resulted in millions of Americans being incarcerated over the past three decades in systems that provide little or no rehabilitation. This study uses a new dataset-The Fragile Families Study-to document poor labor market outcomes that are associated with incarceration. We find that fathers who had been incarcerated earned 28 percent less annually thanfathers who were never incarceratedT hese previously incarceratedfa thers worked less weeks per year, less hours per week and were less likely to be working during the week prior to their interview. We also found that fathers who had been incarcerated were more likely …

Community Development Corporations And Public Participation: Lessons From A Case Study In The Arkansas Delta, Valerie H. Hunt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this paper, I focus on the role of community development corporations (CDCs) in fostering public participation in the local political process. Using survey and interview data gathered from CDCs operating in the Mississippi Delta region of Arkansas, I show that the CDC is an important intermediary between the citizens and the local political arena. While, according to this study's findings, the CDCs' long-term goal is to develop a lasting sense of efficacy among CDC participants, leading to direct political participation by citizens, the nature of CDC funding does not fully support these efforts. As a result, these critical activities …

Approaching The Transition To Adulthood: Distinctive Profiles Of Adolescents Aging Out Of The Child Welfare System, Thomas E. Keller, Gretchen Ruth Cusick, Mark E. Courtney

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

The transition to adulthood is marked by new roles and responsibilities in such interrelated domains as education, employment, and family formation. This study investigates the capacity of adolescents on the verge of emancipation from the child welfare system to navigate this transition. To explore heterogeneity in adolescents' preparation for independent living, person-oriented methods are applied to a large, representative sample of youth about to exit foster care. The analysis suggests four subpopulations defined by distinctive profiles on indicators reflecting multiple domains of life experience. Identifying the particular needs and challenges of subpopulations has implications for efforts to match adolescents aging …

Co-Occurring Disorders: An Outpatient Latent Class Analysis, Kathleen H. Darby

Doctoral Dissertations

Over the past 20 years researchers and health care practitioners have come to realize in addition to high prevalence rates, individuals with co-occurring disorders did not represent a homogeneous group (Drake, et al., 1998: 2001; Lehman, et al., 1994: 2000; Mueser, et al., 2000). It is essential to consider the heterogeneity of co-occurring disorders when considering new treatment modalities. Thus, it becomes pivotal to identify these differences for treatment approaches and program goals. Research shows that heterogeneity of treatment populations can be reduced through empirically-derived homogeneous groups based on multivariate analysis (Ries, et al., 1993; Lehman et al., 2000; Mueser, …

Validation Of The Air Force Family Needs Screener, Wendy J. Wyse

Doctoral Dissertations

The Air Force Family Needs Screener (FNS) has been utilized as a screening measure for risk of both child maltreatment and intimate partner violence (IPV) within the context of a military primary prevention program called the New Parent Support Program (NPSP) since 1988. However, this measure has only been validated with the initial pilot samples used in its development. The current study sought to assess the reliability, dependability, factor structure and predictive capacity of the FNS using a new sample of mothers. In addition, this study sought to develop shortened versions of the FNS in order to determine if they …

The Health Implications Of Violence Against Women: Untangling The Complexities Of Actual And Chronic Effects: Part Two, Carol E. Jordan

Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women Publications

No abstract provided.

Review Of Children And Youth In Adoption, Orphanages And Foster Care: A Historical Handbook And Guide. Lori Askeland (Ed.). Reviewed By Albert J. Ellett., Alberta J. Ellett

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Lori Askeland (Ed.). Children and Youth in Adoption, Orphanages and Foster Care: A Historical Handbook and Guide. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2006. $59.95 hardcover.

Globalization, Immigration And The Welfare State: A Cross-National Comparison, Qingwen Xu

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Over the past decades, the forces of globalization have helped created a huge wave of immigration. The relationship between globalization and immigration has been intensely examined in the last decade with a focus not only on whether and how much globalization has caused international immigration but also how to promote and sustain a just global system for the growing number of immigrants. This study selects three developed countries with different welfare state philosophies and traditions-Australia, Sweden and the United States-and compares how they cope with the growing number of immigrants and their various needs. This paper reflects thinking about states' …

Review Of Changing Lives: Delinquency Prevention As Crime Control Policy. Peter W. Greenwood. Reviewed By Matthew T. Theriot., Matthew T. Theriot

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Peter W. Greenwood, Changing Lives: Delinquency Prevention as Crime Control Policy. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2006, $37.00 hardcover.

Relative Versus Non-Relative Foster Care: A Comparative Study, Victoria Picinich

Social Work Theses

This study explored the benefits and limitations of relative foster care versus non-relative foster care. This study hypothesized, that despite the limitations of relative placement, the emotional benefit to the child placed in a relative setting far outweighs the challenges of it. The methodology employed quantitative and qualitative measurements. An in-depth questionnaire survey was mailed to 150 relative and 150 non-relative providers; and a focus group was facilitated. The study revealed that relative foster care, when available, is superior to non-relative foster care because of the emotional and social connection present as a result of the pre-existing relationship between the …

The Health Implications Of Violence Against Women: Untangling The Complexities Of Acute And Chronic Effects: Part One, Carol E. Jordan

Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women Publications

No abstract provided.

Domestic Violence And Human Rights: Local Challenges To A Universal Framework, Karen Morgaine

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Over the past 15-20 years there has been a dramatic increase in transnational social movements including the movement to eradicate violence against women. This paper examines the development of the transnational women's movement and the prioritizing of violence against women (VAW) as a universal women's agenda using the United Nations (U.N.) human rights conferences as a focal point. As one form of VAW, domestic violence (DV) has been placed into the human rights context by many organizations globally. The implications and possible limitations of universalizing a framework for DV are explored using salient examples from various areas of the world. …

Determinants Of Substance Abuse Among Incarcerated Adolescents: Implications For Brief Treatment And Crisis Intervention, Stephen J. Tripodi, David W. Springer, Kevin Corcoran

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study assessed the determinants of substance abuse among incarcerated youth. Because substance abuse is a predictor of incarceration and conduct disorder is known to increase the chances of youth abusing substances, the purpose of this study was to determine what seminal symptoms of conduct disorder seem to be the risk factors for substance abusers among incarcerated youth. Data were collected on 83 youth in southern Oregon, 74 males and 9 females. Logistic regression found the overall model containing 6 symptoms of conduct disorder to be significantly related to substance abuse (p , .001). When looking at the 6 symptoms …

New Developments In Understanding Cardiovascular Disease And The Implications For Social Work, Jill Littrell

SW Publications

Cardiovascular disease is now viewed as an inflammatory disease. An index of chronic inflammation (viz., C-Reactive Protein) is as good a predictor of heart attacks as are fats in blood. The data suggest that stressful events are so closely associated with chronic inflammatory states, that the body’s stress response can be viewed as an inflammatory state. This paper summarizes and explains the link between stress and cardiovascular disease. Negative health outcomes, particularly for cardiovascular diseases, are higher among those of lower socio-economic status. Differential stress among socio-economic tiers is considered as an explanation for the disparities. The literature linking cardiovascular …

An Exploratory Study Of The Role Of Kinship Ties In Promoting Resilience Among African American Adult Children Of Alcoholics, J. Camille Hall

J. Camille Hall, PhD., LCSW

This study utilized a multi-method design that integrated both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study sought to identify differences in kinship social support, self-esteem, and coping responses between African American college students who identify themselves as adult children of alcoholic parents (ACOAs) and adult children of on alcoholic parents (non-ACOAs) at two separate universities. The results indicate that ACOAs utilized more effective coping responses than non-ACOAs and there were no differences in levels of self-esteem and kinship social support. Personal constructs of adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs)’ coping responses while living with an alcoholic parent and/or caregiver were investigated using …

Specialized Detention And Correctional Facilities, Christopher A. Mallett, Michael J. Williams, Shawn C. Marsh

Social Work Faculty Publications

The placements covered in this chapter include child and youth residential treatment facilities, juvenile detention and correctional facilities, juvenile sexual offender treatment facilities, women's prisons, and military detention and correctional institutions. For each of these specialized placements, we present their history and current philosophy,outline basic components of design, treatment services, and programming: and review the satus of evidence-based practice.

Victims' Perspectives On The Process Of Seeking A Protective Order: Predictors Of Perceived Empowerment, Sara-Beth Plummer

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined victims' perceived sense of empowerment during the process of seeking a Preliminary Protective Order. A cross sectional survey design with stratified sampling was used to gather information from women seeking Preliminary Protective Orders in Richmond City, Virginia. During a six month period 89 women agreed to participate, for a response rate of 83 percent. In general, the sample consisted of women who identified themselves as African-American, single, with either a high school/GED degree, and/or some college education.Overall, the women found the steps during the process of seeking an Order, either easy or very easy. In general, the …

Factors That Contribute To The Reluctance Of Mental Health Treatment Seeking Among African Americans, Natalie Nicole Majors-Stewart

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to perform an in depth examination of the major factors that increase the reluctance among African Americans to seek mental health treatment.

Characteristics Of Independent Living Program Participants And Non-Independent Living Program Participants, Raymond Acevedo

Theses Digitization Project

This study identify foster youth characteristics that were more likely to lead to independent living program (ILP) participation against those foster youth who did not participate in ILPs.

A Needs Assessment Of The Integration Of Domestic Violence And Substance Abuse Services For Women, Tammy Lynn Hunt

Theses Digitization Project

The purposes of the study was to conduct a needs assessment in order to assess the problem of substance abuse among the women in domestic violence agencies. Data was collected by surveys that were mailed out to the directors of domestic violence agencies within two counties, San Bernardino and Los Angeles, California.

Intimate Partner Violence Among Latina Women: In Their Own Words, Sarah Anne Yeung, Yvonne Leticia Quesada

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of the experiences of Latina women in Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) relationships. Young Women's Christian Association-Women In Need Growing Stronger (YWCA-WINGS) is a program in Los Angeles County that works with victims and survivors of IPV.

The Parolee Experience: An Analysis Of Pre-Incarceration, Incarceration, And Post Incarceration, Karen Ann Torres

Theses Digitization Project

This study found that the adjudicated juvenile offender population may have insight into barriers and obstacles that will impede their reintegration into society. If these issues were recognized and addressed, juvenile offenders could have a better experience as parolees when they were released.