Perceptions Of The Impact Of Parental Mental Health On Adult Children, Samantha Ann Gallo-Vargas, Queray Mcmihelk Jr.

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study sought to gain further understanding of the perceptions of parental mental illness on adult children. Previous research suggests that parental mental illness may create generational trauma that impacts children even into adulthood. This study used a qualitative, exploratory approach, including in-depth interviews with eight individuals who grew up with a parent or caretaker with a mental illness. The participants ranged from ages 18 to 45 and came from various cultural and socioeconomic statuses. The interviews followed a semi-structured interview guide that the researchers designed. The findings of this study suggest that most of the participants used their experience …

Examining Homelessness And Its Effects On Functioning Among Foster Care Alumni, Silvia Romero

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Homelessness among foster youths is so dire that understanding the impacts of homeless among this population is imperative. The aim of this study was to examine the nature of homeless using a subsample from the Inland Empire and to examine the effects of homeless on their functioning in the following domains: understanding and communication, mobility (getting around), self-care, getting along with others, life activities (work/school), and participation in society. Methods: This descriptive study used a cross-sectional design to gather quantitative data to examine the frequency, duration, and effects of homelessness. Participants were former foster youth between the …

Increasing Teacher Awareness Of Mental Health In Children, Sarah Alexis Cortes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health issues in school-aged children have become a larger issue especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Because children spend a large amount of time in a school setting, it is important to utilize teachers to assist in preventing, recognizing, and supporting mental health issues in their students. This can be difficult however, when many states throughout the United States of America, have little to no requirements for mental health training in both their credential programs and their school districts. This can leave teachers feeling less comfortable and lack an understanding of how to prevent, recognize, and support, student mental health …

The Effect Of Response Format On Faking In Personality Measurements Used For Personnel Selection, Gilberto Sanchez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to explore intentions of faking during personality measurements and determine the best option to address intentions of faking during high stakes situations when comparing Likert-Scale items with Multidimensional Forced Choice (MFC) measures. Participants (N=618) participated in the study which consisted of answering items on impression management and self-deceptive enhancement. Afterward, participants were placed randomly in an “answer honestly group” or “answer as if you are applying to your dream job” to fill out a Big 5 personality measurement. Findings from the study indicated that the personality traits of conscientiousness and neuroticism were positively …

Does The Use Of Social Media Have An Impact On Young Adults Body Identification?, Glycell Robledo Felix, Ashley Olmedo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The present study investigated how social media use has an impact on Body Identification among Young Adults. Both female and male participants (N=104) from the ages 18-30 were randomly sent a link that would take them directly to a survey. The survey took approximately five minutes for the participants to complete. Participants were asked a set of questions regarding what they saw on social media that made them feel insecure about their body image. Many of the participants responded that the main content that would make them feel dissatisfied with their body on social media was about fitness, cosmetic surgery, …

Aged Out Youth's Perception On The Needs Of Emancipated Foster Youth, Linda Murillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

For youth who turn eighteen years of age while they are in the foster care system, turning eighteen can mark the start of a difficult struggle. Foster youth face housing instability, financial insecurity, struggle to obtain a higher education, health insurance insecurity and a higher risk of arrest than youth not in foster care. This research study seeks to assess how effective current policy is at meeting the needs of foster youth aging out of the foster care system and transitioning into young adulthood. At the micro-level this study helps social workers effectively implement transition plans with their clients and …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Fan Attendance To Sports Events: The Case Of Major League Baseball, Alondra Aleman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the world in 2020 causing nationwide lockdowns in many countries. During this time in 2020, the MLB shortened their regular season and played with no spectators in attendance. This project aims to provide insights into the impact of the MLB stadium closures on fan attendance. The research questions asked are: (Q1) How did MLB stadium closures during the COVID-19 lockdowns affect individual teams' attendance in the seasons after COVID-19? (Q2) What factors influenced MLB stadium attendance pre-COVID-19? (Q3) What factors influence MLB stadium attendance post-COVID-19? An empirical model was developed through recommendations from past studies. The …

Analyzing The Impact Of Automation On Employment In Different Us Regions: A Data-Driven Approach, Thejaas Balasubramanian

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Automation is transforming the US workforce with the increasing prevalence of technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. As a result, it is essential to understand how this shift will impact the labor market and prepare for its effects. This culminating experience project aimed to examine the influence of computerization on jobs in the United States and answer the following research questions: Q1. What factors affect how likely different jobs will be automated? Q2. What are the possible effects of automation on the US workforce across states and industries? Q3. What are the meaningful predictors of the likelihood of …

Staff Turnover In Child Welfare, Maleena Flores

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The turnover rate amongst child welfare workers is an ongoing problem that has yet to find a durable solution. Past studies have examined factors that contribute to workers’ intention to leave and factors that may impact that decision. Purpose: This study explored this issue from the perspective of present and former child welfare workers in southern California counties by examining the relationship between turnover intention and psychological safety. Methods: This observational study used a cross sectional design to gather quantitative data via self-report through an online survey. Pearson product-moment correlation analyses were performed to examine the relationships between psychological …

Examining Social Determinants Of Health Of Formerly Incarcerated California Students Who Graduated From Project Rebound, Ashley C. Adams

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Project Rebound is an educational based program that supports justice impacted individuals in obtaining higher education. The purpose of this study is to explore specific social determinants of health for these justice impacted students, and how these social determinants may improve after graduation. Specifically, this study will examine participants’ housing, mental health, substance use, employment, and finances during and after their participation in Project Rebound. This study is important, as there is little research on Project Rebound, their alumni, and how social determinants of health may be impacted by enrollment. This study is quantitative, and uses online surveys to gather …

Full Court Press: The Influence Of Midnight Basketball, Talk Radio, And Racial Coding On The Violent Crime Control And Law Enforcement Act Of 1994, George “Matt” Patino

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

During the latter half of the twentieth century, “dog whistle” rhetoric increasingly entered the common vernacular, normalized by politicians and media personalities. Initially, the terminology was ambiguous, but it became racially charged when the media started broadcasting images of African Americans alongside the “thug” label. This research explores how “dog whistles” were, in part, a neoconservative response to the liberal policies of President Lyndon B. Johnson and his “Great Society.”

This study explores how “Great Society” policies aimed to balance the liberal expansion of Civil Rights with neoconservative “law and order” policing strategies. This research also investigates how right-wing talk …

Prolonged Exposure To Congregate Care And Foster Youth Outcomes, Tiffany Acklin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Long-term exposure to congregate care settings can place foster children at greater risk for negative life outcomes in adulthood such as homelessness, incarceration, and substance use. The significance of this quantitative study is found in the benefits to both the micro and macro fields of social work as well as the practical applications to child welfare practices regarding placing children in congregate care settings. These findings are essential for guiding and improving the already existing child welfare policies and practices regarding the length of stay in congregate care settings as well as providing supportive services to children who are already …

Exploring The Impact Of The Placement Discontinuity In Foster Care, Michelle Sepulveda, Angela Williams

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and purpose: Over the past ten years, there have been more foster parents. Still, foster parents find it difficult to fulfill their obligations. It is crucial to conduct research into the variables that affect foster parents' effectiveness. Method: The Aim of this study was to gather quantitative data utilizing a cross-sectional study from foster parents to determine whether there is a correlation between their level of preparedness to be foster parents and the number of placement changes. The target sample included foster parents who had fostered children within the last twelve months. Although the nonprobability sampling technique was practical, …

The Role Of Sharks In The Human Ecological Systems Of Isla Cedros, Baja California, Alyssa Canoff

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Remains of sharks are found worldwide in various archaeological contexts, but generally, the relationships between humans and sharks have been rare research topics. This thesis will present and discuss the shark remains found during the archaeological investigations at Isla Cedros, an island off the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula. I will discuss the distinct species of sharks in the assemblage, the types of remains, the contexts they were found in, and incorporate what is known about each species to interpret the diverse types of relationships humans have with sharks at Cedros. By incorporating human-behavioral ecology and symbolic behavior …

Connecting Students With Community-Based Organizations For Informal, Short-Term Experiential Learning Opportunities: A Portal Proposal For Csusb, Dia Poole

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Each term, scores of students enrolled in practicum courses at universities must connect informally with community-based and nonprofit organizations (CBOs/NPOs) for short-term research, volunteerism, or practicum coursework assignments. In most cases, these student-community connections are known only to the students, the organizations they serve with, and the faculty who see the results of coproduced assignments. Few examples can be found in scholarly literature—beyond cursory nods to their existence—of structures designed and implemented primarily for connecting students with CBOs/NPOs and tracking participation in these informal experiential learning opportunities. Further, few examples exist of mechanisms that allow local organizations to convey their …

Services Available In The Mixtec Community And The Barriers To Those Services, Currie Bailey Carmon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: While outreach and services continue to expand within marginalized communities, this research aims to identify services accessible to the Mixtec population within the North County of San Luis Obispo and identify the barriers to accessing those services. Methods: This study was conducted by interviewing service providers 18 years or older, who work within the Mixtec community in the private sector, child welfare services and within the school settings. The researcher utilized the post positivist paradigm, and data was gathered through semi-structured Zoom interviews with the service providers. Results: The study sample featured 6 participants who work within the Mixtec …

An Evaluation Of Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games For Psychological And Social Functioning Amongst Youth/Young Adults, Adam Thomas Soleski

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are “a collaborative narrative game where group members role-play a character that they create in order to solve puzzles, uncover treasure, and defeat monsters in a fictional environment that is created together using formal rules and participation structures'’ (Davis & Kilmer, 2020). TTRPGs have begun to increase in popularity and evoke new interest in exploring whether these new treatment modalities result in positive mental health outcomes. Specifically, therapeutically applied role-playing games (TARPGs) are TTRPGs that integrate therapeutic mechanisms in order to promote improved psychological and social functioning. The goal of the present study was to examine …

Don't Say Gay: How Laws Are Tools For Hate, Discrimination, And Violence, Christina Hartman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

American society teaches the narrative that the law is preeminently fair and just. The law is not now and never has been a bulwark for the rights of the marginalized, voiceless, or those who remain powerless. Instead, states effectively wield law to alter the social meaning behind thought patterns and behavior—whether through the writing of new laws, passing of new laws, or the disregarding of current laws—to mobilize a large population to accept a group as different or other. Florida’s 2022 “Don’t Say Gay” law is an example of that method aimed at the LGBTQ+ community and part of a …

The Impact Of Transformational Leadership And Workplace Relationships On Employee Burnout And Their Correlation To Turnover Intention And Organizational Commitment, Teni Davoudian

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Organizations are built through the contributions of their employees, which is why when employees leave, organizations suffer a significant loss. This can be foreseen by an employee’s level of organizational commitment and burnout which contribute to turnover intention. Measures can be taken to reduce burnout through nurturing leadership and the development of healthy workplace relationships. The purpose of this study is to examine the respective relationship between transformational leadership and workplace relationships on turnover intention and organizational commitment with interest in the mediating role of employee burnout. Leadership has a strong influence on individuals and organizations. It largely contributes to …

Safety Organized Practice Training And Implementation In Central California, Alison Lucado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focused on the macro level implementation of the Safety Organized Practice framework for best practice in Child Welfare social work. Safety Organized Practice is a social work framework for engagement with families that is used in California and various other states. It is a relatively new approach to social work in Child Welfare so many agencies are in various stages of implementation. This study gathered qualitative data through virtual interviews with social workers.

The key findings of this study were that Safety Organized Practice implementation needs to start at the supervisor and management level to ensure social workers …

The Role Of Organizational Support In The Relationship Between Safety Climate And Organizational Outcomes, Lee Chambers

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Organizations employing individuals in high-risk or safety-sensitive occupations (e.g., construction workers, commercial drivers, pilots, and oil rig workers) face the challenge of ensuring their employees’ safety and well-being amidst various hazards and dangerous situations. To address this, cultivating a positive safety climate has been identified as a crucial factor in reducing workplace accidents or injuries. However, despite its importance, the link between safety climate and non-safety outcomes remains underexplored in the literature. In response, this study proposed a model based on social exchange theory, which highlights the crucial role of organizational support in explaining the relationship between safety climate and …

Examining Support Seeking Behaviors And Social Support Among Chronic Kidney Disease Patients, Ashley Padilla

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is considered a public health concern due to its high prevalence and a leading cause of disability in the United States. Patients suffering from CKD face a multitude of challenges. Past studies have shown that the challenges of CKD can be reduced through social support. However, little is known about the support-seeking behaviors used by the person in crisis to influence the amount of support received. Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine whether there was an association between support-seeking behaviors (direct vs. indirect) and levels of social support among CKD …

Espacio, Edgar Perez Peña, Edgar Perez Peña

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Edgar Perez Peña (He, Him, His) is a Queer, Chicanx contemporary figurative painter, who lives and works in the Los Angeles County. A native of Los Angeles, California, his paintings, and assemblages are a strong combination of process, materials, and content that displays his fascination on how physical/psychological space (from where he resides), reflects on the Queer Brown body and its comfort/discomfort in relation to public and private space.

Peña looks at his artistic practice as an opportunity to explore the human condition from the Queer and Brown perspective as well the beginning of healing through the meditative process of …

School-Based Suicide Prevention Program For Lgbtq Students, Ching Lok Tse

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: The study focused on the school-based suicide prevention program for LGBTQ students. It aimed to identify risk factors facing LGBTQ students and examine the areas for improvements on the current suicide prevention program to better support LGBTQ students.

Methods: The study was conducted with the support of mental health professionals serving high school students. The study adopted post-positivism and utilized ecological systems theory as the theoretical orientation. Qualitative research instruments including one-on-one interviews were employed for data collection.

Results: Seven themes emerged from this study, including the lack of social support and acceptance, internal struggles with identity in heteronormative …

Promoting Resilience For Children In Foster Care, Brenda Lara

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Many children enter the child welfare foster system every year and spend a significant amount of time in this system. While in foster care, many children experience stress and trauma. Trauma and adversity have been found to have a significant negative impact on children’s future success and well-being. Resiliency becomes important when combatting trauma experiences. This study looked at how child welfare social workers play a role in promoting resilience for children in foster care. The purpose of this study was to explore and highlight positively impactful resilience building child welfare social work practices from the perspective of former foster …

Services For American Indian/Alaska Natives Foster Youth Victims Of Sexual Exploitation: The Social Worker’S Perspective, Maria Marquez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focused on child welfare workers and practitioners’ perceptions of Native American foster youth sex trafficked victim clients' most pressing needs. The research also sought to understand the perspectives of social workers and practitioners on services for the victimized youth. The study was conducted in a large urban county in Southern California, with social workers and practitioners that work with American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) foster youth in child protective services, clinical settings, and a tribal entity. The study adopted a post-positivism paradigm. The data was collected through interviews of individual social workers and practitioners servicing AI/AN youth in the …

Social Work Student's Perception, Knowledge, And Preparedness In Serving Unaccompanied Migrant Children, Miriam Flores Portillo, Estela Flores-Portillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following is a quantitative study, conducted at Southern California University with a convenience sample of 56 Bachelor Social Work (BSW) and Master Social Work (MSW) participants. A Qualtrics questionnaire was administered during the fall 2022 semester and utilized to assess the social work’ students’ general perception, knowledge, and preparedness in serving unaccompanied migrant children. This population was chosen to assess because social work students are most likely to work with unaccompanied migrant children at a micro/macro level through their field placements or future employment. This study seeks to shed light on the different levels of knowledge, experiences, and competency …

The Barriers Direct Social Service Workers Face When Working With Incarcerated Youth, Elizabeth Padilla, Valerie Mercado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research examined the barriers direct social service workers face while working with incarcerated youth. Using an exploratory method with a qualitative approach. Researchers interviewed participants with experience in working with incarcerated youth and conducted interviews via Zoom. A purposive method was used and incorporated the snowball sampling technique and explored the barriers direct social service workers experience when working with families, probation, and the juvenile justice system. Data analysis identified three common themes: challenges in engaging families, lack of understanding between direct social service workers, probation, and their work, and challenges associated with collaboration between agencies. Limitations to this …

The Patriarchy Becomes That Girl: Tiktok And The Mediatization Of Hegemonic Femininity, Irene Molinar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

With the advancement of digital and social media come innovative forms of self-expression and creativity. This M.A. thesis manuscript studies how content creators on the fast-growing social media platform, TikTok, arrange aesthetics, trends, and discourse to promote self-care through hegemonic beauty and wellness standards while empowering themselves through postfeminist sensibilities. Much like early beauty standards set by social media applications such as Instagram, TikTok (along with its algorithm and users) is (re)defining femininity by asking women to look at reexamine their appearance and mentalities to better themselves internally for the sake of self-improvement. Trends such as That Girl illustrate lifestyles …

Understanding Victims Of Human Trafficking: Identifying Macro And Micro-Level Mental Health Implications, Abbigail Pereyra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study seeks to understand the mental health implications for adolescent victims of human traffic. This will be explored on both a micro and macro-level through the perspective of mental health professionals who have experience working with this unique population. It is important to better understand the multi-faceted impact of service delivery and barriers which victims of human trafficking often face. Equally important is how services and resources can be tailored to meet the needs of this population. This exploratory study utilized qualitative methods for data collection. Data was collected by facilitating interviews and a focus group with mental health …