Digital Commons Network^™

The Efficacy Of St. Francis Halfway House Residential Treatment Services For Adults Diagnosed With Borderline Personality Disorder, Teri Dimond

Theses and Graduate Projects

Borderline Personality Disorder is difficult to treat, and diagnosed more prevalently in women. Individuals with this mental disorder are treated in a number of ways in Minnesota, including residential treatment services. This comparative study examines the effectiveness of residential treatment services for adults diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder at St. Francis Halfway House. In studying the effectiveness of this treatment modality, two variables; discharge to a less restrictive environment, and with staff approval, are explored to determine treatment success.

Breaking The Cycle: Self-Esteem And African American Youth, George B. Gill

Theses and Graduate Projects

Self-esteem has been cited as a primary factor in how well or how poorly an individual functions in society. African American youth may be among those particularly susceptible to feelings of low selfesteem. This study attempted to measure if participation in a African American Self-Esteem (AASE) course would have a positive effect on the self-esteem of participants. The AASE course is a ten week education,/support group that focuses on African American history and culture. Twenty-eight junior and senior high African American students from the Minneapolis metro area participated. Their self-esteem levels were measured, they then participated in the AASE course …

The Development Of A Workshop For Social Workers: A Framework For Understanding And Addressing Family Violence And The Victimization Of Women, Genevieve R. Branigan

Theses and Graduate Projects

No abstract provided.

Women's Pathways: Identifying Access Points To Leadership, Jody A. Rosenbloom

Theses and Graduate Projects

This thesis explores women's access to leadership positions and how women's life choices affect their leadership options. The hypotheses of the study include: 1) the assumption that gender affects access to leadership positions, 2) the discovery of a balance in role juggling is crucial to maintaining a leadership role, and 3) the access points to recruit and retain women in leadership positions can be enhanced. Beginning with the premise that it is desirable to have women in leadership roles, r review of literature explores the leadership, history, and sociology that is specific to leadership access and the portrayal of gender …

Resident Perceptions Regarding Quality Of Care At Sister James Nursing Home, Michelle R. England

Theses and Graduate Projects

The quality of care in nursing homes is under serious

scrutiny by researchers, Iegislators, and the public. There are

numerous ways to evaluate quality of care because of the many

ideas and perceptions about what quality of care actually means.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate quality of care

from the resident's perspective and to determine how quality of

care can be improved at Sister 'James Nursing Home. This study is

based on a national study conducted by the National Citizens'

Coalition of Nursing Home Reform in which residents across the

country defined quality of care. The findings …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Peer Mediation Program In A Elementary School, Dawn E. Berg

Theses and Graduate Projects

With the rise of violence in our society, communities, schools, and homes, we are challenged to find peaceful ways to resolve conflicts and learn how to live cooperatively with one another. Peer mediation programs in schools have been used as part of the solution to this challenge of preventing violence. This research study surveyed students who were trained as peer mediators and their parents to identify their perceptions of the effectiveness of a Peer Mediation Program and Sibley Elementary School in Albert Lea, Mn. Data analysis was limited by the small sample size and lack of comparison; however, findings did …

Client Survey Of A Group Treatment Model For Adult Women Incest Survivors, Kristen A. Atmore

Theses and Graduate Projects

The problem of incest has been brought more and more out into the public eye in recent. As this recognition has increased, the growth in knowledge about how to treat incest has been enormous. Many clinicians and researchers agree the long term effects of incest can be very numerous and complex resulting in such symptoms as: chemical abuse, anorexia, self-mutilation, suicide attempts, depression, marital and parenting difficulties. Many therapists also believe that long-term therapy is necessary in the recovery process. However, there is little outcome evaluation for long-term, sexual abuse survivors groups in the literature.

This is an exploratory client …

Perceptions Of Family-Centered Care At The Shriner's Hospital For Crippled Children - Twin Cities Unit, Kristen E. Peterson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Literature emphasizes the importance for health core systems to recognize and address the non-medical needs of hospitalized children and their families. A growing recognition that families play a pivotal role in the recovery of hospitalized children ( Shelton, 1987; Shelton , 1994) has become a vital part of a revised mission statement of the Shriner's Hospitals for Crippled Children- Twin Cities Unit, A newly acquired philosophy of family- centered care supports a change in the delivery of health care to children and their families for the purpose of easing the hospitalization experience. The purpose of this research study was to …

A Study Of Resident And Family Psychosocial Needs In Nursing Homes, Kathryn A. Rasmussen

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study sought to explore the attitudes of nursing home social workers regarding the relative importance of resident and family psychosocial needs and the frequency of psychosocial care functions performed by nursing home social workers. Previous research has shown that 30% of residents in-a typical nursing home, on average, will experience problems achieving psychosocial well-being' Of this 30% , 2/3 will also have serious behavior and/or mood problems related to psychosocial distress. The nursing home social worker faces the challenge of trying to meet the psychosocial heeds of nursing home residents. Because of the difficulty of this task it is …

The Process Of Implementing An Un-Doing Racism Through Inclusiveness Plan: A Case Study, Megan C. Toal

Theses and Graduate Projects

The United Way of Minneapolis has recently required all funded agencies to develop a plan to become more racially inclusive. The plan addresses five areas: governance, human resources, programming, administration, and community contacts. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of what the process of implementing an inclusiveness project looked like in one metropolitan social service agency, Theoretical and conceptual frameworks were derived from literature on organizational behavior, in addition to research on the history of exclusionary and differential practices in social work towards people of color.

Individual interviews, focus groups, and written documentation of the process …

Society's Response To A Social Ignominy - Unmarried Adolescent Mothers: A Policy Analysis Of Welfare Reform Legislation For Parenting Or Pregnant Minors, Monica J. Rudawski

Theses and Graduate Projects

Adolescent pregnancy continues to rise in the western world, as does the poverty in which these young women and their children live. Proposed policies responding to unmarried pregnant or parenting adolescents include "The Personal Responsibility Act", "The GOP Iradership Welfare Reform Bill', "The Real Welfare Reform Act", and "The Welfare and Teenage Pregnancy Reduction Act". The purpose of this study is to analyze proposed legislation for welfare reform in the state of Minnesota. This legislation is designed to restructure Aid to Families with Dependent Children guidelines as they relate to pregnant and parenting minors. Results of the analysis indicate that …

The Effect Of Hospital Restructuring On Nurses' Perceptions Of Their Work Environment, Judy Reeve

Theses and Graduate Projects

Hospital restructuring has become commonplace in today’s competitive health care market. Often, such restructuring results in significant effects on the employees of the organization. Registered Nurses who continue to deliver patient care at the bedside may find themselves caught between duty to their patients and duty to their employer, yet there is Iittle research available which evaluates the effect of restructuring on either the nurse or the patient. This descriptive study analyzes staff Registered Nurses’ perceptions of their work environment following restructuring. Principles of restructuring, as delineated by Freeman & Cameron, served as the theoretical framework for this analysis. A …

Assessing Crime Victim Satisfaction With Probation Services, Janet L. Isaacson

Theses and Graduate Projects

The field of Community Corrections has been mainly focused on identifying the needs and wants of the offender and the safety of the community. As the voices of crime victims are getting louder in the criminal justice system, probation departments are evaluating how to improve response to victim needs. A new framework that is being implemented in Community Corrections to meet those needs is a model called Restorative Justice. This model incorporates services to the offender, the victim, and the community.

A pilot project which offered specific victim services was developed out of the restorative justice concept through the Community …

Interventions With Older Adults With Hoarding Behaviors Living In "Garbage Houses", Henry J. Schoonover

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore what interventions are being used on older adults living in what are described as "garbage houses." This study interviewed seven human service professionals to find how they intervened, what techniques they used, and what theoretical orientations influenced their intervention choices. With the help of articles in the literature and the findings from the respondents interviewed in this study, a hypothesis was developed emphasizing the systems perspective and problem solving method to establish a theoretical construct for an intervention. The intervention recommended would vary according to the individual client's need, but include short …

Case Manager's Perceptions Of The Use And Effectiveness Of Sanctions In The Stride Program, Suzanne Hansen

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study explores the perceptions that case managers have regarding the use and effectiveness of sanctions in the STRIDE program. STRIDE is Minnesota's welfare reform effort which came out of the federal Family Support Act of 1 988. Ninety-four case managers through out Minnesota were surveyed. Participants shared their views on the purpose and results of sanctions with mandated school attenders. Participants also shared ideas for alternative approaches to sanctioning. A review of the literature explored theories of motivation, learned helplessness and social obligation which provide a foundation for the study. The effectiveness, advantages and disadvantages of mandatory welfare programs …

Evaluation Of The Crisis Intervention Program In A Family Preservation Services Agency, Mary Lou Kley

Theses and Graduate Projects

This is an investigative and evaluative study of a Crisis Intervention Program, part of Family Preservation Services. It is in response to issues concerning the effectiveness of Family Preservation Services and how that effectiveness is measured. An inductive analysis of case records was performed to gain a better understanding of factors which contributed to putting families at risk of placing children out of the home, what interventions were used that seemed to benefit most, and the experiences and techniques of the crisis intervention workers that seemed most helpful in resolving family crises. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from in-take …

A Program To Facilitate, Integrate, And Transform Masculinity And Femininity In Teachers To Enhance Wholeness And Creativity, Gwenneth A. Litke

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this paper is to provide school social workers with a program to facilitate the integration of teachers' masculine and feminine dimensions. Any changes in teachers will have an effect on students' wholeness and broader implications within the school. The program focuses on the integral role of one's family in nurturing or limiting the psychological characteristics of masculinity and femininity. Strategies are provided to increase creativity, enhance learning for students, and decrease gender stereotyping. The program offers personal and professional growth to teachers in an effort to provide a more creative and energetic learning environment for students.

Client Satisfaction With Transition Services Provided By Hennepin County, Services For Persons With Disabilities, Julie Zinski

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study is to explore client satisfaction with transition services provided through Hennepin County, Services for Persons with Disabilities. Historically, few studies have been conducted in the literature that address satisfaction of people with disabilities in the services they receive. Without this important element in developing and implementing new programs, complete success cannot be achieved.

In this study, individuals who were receiving services through the program for a period of six months or more, and were between the ages of 18 and 23, were selected to be contacted by mail to participate in an interview. The study …

Development Of A Workshop For Older Adult Volunteers Using A Life Strengths Guide With Clients, Karen A. Strom

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to develop a training workshop that teaches older adult volunteers about a Life Strengths Interview Guide that can be used when working with clients. The framework of the workshop focuses on Erik Erikson's life cycle theory with a strengths perspective. The interview guide is divided into eight sections that relate to Erikson's eight psychosocial stages of life. Each section contains questions related to a specific stage in life and is intended to get the client talking about the strengths that are found in these specific areas of his or her life. The workshop is …

Minneapolis Kinship Mentoring Program: A Descriptive And Exploratory Study, Susan J. Kramer

Theses and Graduate Projects

Children are growing up with a diminished level of adult contact that affects their social and emotional well-being. Structured adult-to-youth mentoring programs provide stable, caring adult mentors for youth in need of additional adult support. This qualitative study describes the Kinship Program, its program population and explores the nature of mentoring relationships between children and mentors from the Minneapolis Kinship Program. For this thesis, personal interviews were conducted with parents whose children were matched with mentors from the Kinship Program. Fourteen interviews were completed; this was a 47 percent response rate. Interview results indicated that parents believed mentors developed trust …

Homeless African-American Familtes And Transitional Housing : An Ecological Perspective, Sandra Coleman

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this exploratory/descriptive study is to explore the variables associated with the uderrepresentation of African-American families in Minneapolis transitional housing programs. This underrepresentation is notable given the fact that African-American families were overrepresented in Twin City Metro Area emergency shelters. The Twin City Metro Area includes the city of Minneapolis. Lastly, homeless single parent families headed by women are the fastest growing segment within the homeless population, and urban homeless families are disproportionately African-Americans. The methodology involves conducting phone interviews with key informants from the Minneapolis transitional housing community. The collected data will cover three categories: (1) 1994 …

Effects Of The Boarding School Experience On American Indian Families: Practice Guidelines, Renee A. Burger

Theses and Graduate Projects

Many American Indian people have either attended a boarding school or were children or grandchildren of people who attended boarding schools. This project addresses the influence of attending boarding schools on American Indian families' lives. The purpose of this project is to develop practice guidelines for social workers to work effectively with American Indian clients who have had a person or multigenerational experience with attending a boarding school. The video, "Ethnically Sensitive Practice with Involuntary Native American Client" is analyzed as a case study. Ecosystems theory and the ethnic sensitive approach to social work practice serve as frameworks for this …

School Social Workers' Perceptions Of Their Role In Preventing And Eliminating Discrimination Toward Gay, Lesbian And Bisexual Students, Jennifer E. Corniea

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this research was to explore school social workers' perceptions of their role in advocating for and providing services to gay, lesbian and bisexual students. The focus of the research was on Minnesota school social workers who were working in a school(s) which served any grade between sixth and twelfth. The research design included both qualitative and quantitative methods. A survey was developed and distributed to 250 school social workers in Minnesota. Ninety-eight of those who were eligible for the research elected to participate. Findings indicate that school social workers assume a variety of roles within the school …

The Use Of Adoption As An Expedient Foster Care Permanency Plan, Wendy G. Cook

Theses and Graduate Projects

The number of children in foster care continues to rise despite an emphasis on permanency planning in the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-272). Adoption, one type of permanency, is identified as the plan for 15% of children in foster care throughout the U.S., according to the American Public Welfare Association. Individual states, however, may differ greatly from the national figure. This study was undertaken to assess state efforts to use adoption as a permanency plan. Surveys of data across years 1988-1993 were sent to 51 state foster care system supervisors (each of the 50 states …

The Relationship Between Service Utilization And Psychiatric Hospitalization Among People Diagnosed With Borderline Personality Disorder, Craig S. Schwalbe

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study was conducted to determine the relationship between service utilization and the psychiatric hospitalization among people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Secondary analysis was performed on the case files of 12 female adult clients of a rural county social service mental health department who are diagnosed with BPD. Results indicate that service utilization by this population is comparable regardless of time spent in acute psychiatric hospitals. Results further indicate that history of childhood sexual abuse was a predictor of hospitalization in this sample. A replication of this study which utilizes multiple methods is recommended. Implications for direct …

An Exploration Of Nursing Home Social Workers' Training And Support Networks In The Area Of Death And Grief, Gena Du Bois

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study was formulated for the purpose of collecting data to define and substantiate the phenomenon of "Grieve out," coined by Dick Obershaw of Burnsville, Minnesota. "Grieve out" will be defined as ...emotional investment...staff invests and never divest of the relationship" upon the death of the resident. The definition of burnout will be discussed as it is not dissimilar to "grieve out." This thesis is based on Doka's theories of disenfranchised grief. Bowlby's attachment and loss theory, and Vachon's occupational stress theory. It is based on these theorists that this work will focus on boundaries. supportive networks, and specific …

The Degree Of Agreement In Defining Child Maltreatment Among Hennepin County Child Protection Workers In Minnesota, Emily Sprague Ryan

Theses and Graduate Projects

State laws set broad and vague limits on defining child maltreatment. Varying interpretations may occur between communities and within communities when defining maltreatment. The purpose of this study was to describe how consistent social workers at Hennepin County child protection define child maltreatment. The study analyzed any differences among the workers through examining background of the worker. The study involved an anonymous survey of 160 workers. The study findings indicated that workers were inconsistent 50% of the time The study was inconclusive in determining if position, race, age, years in social work, or years in current position changed perceptions of …

A Study Of Resources For Families Of Individuals Who Have A Mental Illness Within Hennepin County State Of Minnesota, Jody L. Friesen Grande

Theses and Graduate Projects

Families are the primary caregivers for individuals who have a mental illness. They experience mild to severe burdens attempting to cope and adapt with the mental illness of their family member. On the basis of a review of the literature most families feel that their needs are not being adequately addressed by mental health professionals. The purpose of this study is to identify providers of mental health services within Hennepin County of Minnesota, their attitudes, program goals and services that address the issues and needs of families of individuals who have a mental illness. The findings of this study show …

Barriers To Cardiac Patients Returning To Work: Program Planning Guidelines For Social Workers In Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs, Anne Powers

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study is to explore barriers to cardiac patients under the age of 65 in returning to their jobs following cardiac events and create program planning guidelines based on the findings. Reasons why patients do not return to work noted in the literature include job stress, anxiety and depression, cardiac invalidism, and/or physical limitations. Former outpatient cardiac rehabilitation patients were surveyed as well as professionals who work in hospitals or clinics with cardiac patients to assess barriers to returning to work following a cardiac event and how outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs can assist patients in returning to …

Women Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury, Wendy N. Gomez

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory study is to determine the effects of traumatic brain injuries on the lives of women, based on self-report. This research consisted of face to face interviews with five female head injury survivors. The interview schedule, a structured list of open-ended questions, focused on issues of family system, social, physical, cognitive and emotional changes, effects on employment and experience with formal and informal community services. As theoretical frameworks I discuss Kubler- Ross's theory of grief and loss, the ABC-X model of stress and adaptation, and the body of head injury research which has focused largely …