Social Work Commons^™

Coordination In Social Service Systems: The Area Agency On Aging As A Case Study, Terrie Todd Wetle

Dissertations and Theses

It is the purpose of this research to examine the interactions between organizations and the work of coordinating agencies in influencing those interactions using social exchange theory. A model was developed, incorporating elements of exchange theory, and the components of that model examined in the community. Techniques of change and the outcomes of activities of the coordinating agency were examined in an effort to develop a "case study" of a coordinating agency's activity in the community.

Historically, social services were provided in the community through informal, often familial, networks. With the urbanization of society, social services have become more formalized …

A Descriptive Study Of Oregon Literacy Tutors In Multnomah County, Marva Schwiebert, Kathleen Whittle

Dissertations and Theses

Oregon Literacy, Inc., requested a study of the volunteer tutors in Multnomah County. This study is primarily based on responses to questionnaires sent to all volunteer tutors on the active list with the program in Multnomah County, including all persons who were certified in the training workshops held in 1975. Results of the questionnaire are examined, and the thesis offers a descriptive analysis of Oregon Literacy Tutors in Multnomah County, Oregon.

Postdivorce Parental Roles: A Descriptive Study, Victor R. Congleton, Lisa Christina Londos

Dissertations and Theses

Divorce is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon in American society. Its occurrence is increasing both in absolute and relative numbers, and also in its involvement of minor children. As will be demonstrated below, very little is actually known about the process of divorce or about its impact on the members of the family. Of particular concern is the effect of divorce on the children invo1ved, and the decisions and practice of the divorcing parents regarding their subsequent parenting relationship to the children.

The authors of this report intend to study a random sample of divorcing couples and to derive a …

A Descriptive Study Of Eleven Parent Conferences In A Child Development Center, Yolanda A. Moser

Dissertations and Theses

This is a report of a descriptive study of eleven video-taped diagnostic conferences involving parents of developmentally delayed children who have been assessed at a training facility which provides diagnostic services to a variety of delayed or handicapped children. The variables described were: (1) the amount of verbal participation of staff and parents; and (2) parent ratings of satisfaction obtained from a brief questionnaire administered orally.

The data revealed that: (1) there is no relationship between parent verbal participation and parent satisfaction with the conference; and (2) there is a relationship between parent satisfaction and process and content factors in …

An Exploratory Study Of The Effects Of Parenting Relationships On Children's School Adjustment, Raymond M. Lappin, Lisa J. Posner, Marcia S. Smith

Dissertations and Theses

As indicated in the National Vital Statistics Report of April 1973, the rate of divorces involving minor children is increasing rapidly in this country. Consequently, concern about the effects of divorce on children has been growing. In 1974, a collaborative effort between the Clackamas County (Oregon) Circuit Court and the Portland State University National Justice Educational Development Project was begun to study the impact of divorce on children and their parents (IDCAP). Heading the team of researchers are Stanley N. Cohen, Ph.D., and Nolan Jones, Research Associate. Of special interest to Cohen and Jones is the parenting relationship of the …

Lifespring's Basic Seminar: An Evaluation Study, Patricia A. Percival

Dissertations and Theses

This was a three part study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Basic Seminar, a five-day personal growth training designed and presented by Lifespring, Inc. The instrument used in this study was the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) published in 1963 by Everett L. Shostrom and copyrighted by Edits Publishing Co., San Diego, CA. This inventory consists of 150 two-choice comparative value and behavior judgments. Two basic scales measure personal orientation, inner directed support and time competence. Ten subscales measure different conceptually important elements of self-actualizing. The items are scored twice, once for the two basic scales and second for …

Specialized Out-Of-Home Care Project: An Outcome Study, Carol Teresa Arden, Bonnie Jean Braeutigam, Dennis Schilling, Charlotte Mary Wellman

Dissertations and Theses

This research practicum is an outcome study of the Specialized Out-of-Home Care project (S.O.H.C.). The project, administered by the Oregon Children's Services Division, was designed to provide alternative care resources to specifically meet the needs of Portland's juvenile target offenders, who required out-of-home care. The juvenile offenders accepted into the S.O.H.C. project were between the ages of ten to eighteen, and had been adjudicated for target ctimes. The S.O.H.C. project was federally funded for a twenty-nine month period beginning on May 1, 1974 and extends through September of 1976. This study will include only the clients referred and placed during …

An Exploratory Study Concerning Reasons Given For Termination Of Provision Of Foster Care, Linda Ann Nelson

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this practicum is to determine reasons given by former foster parents for their termination of provision of foster care.

Research was completed through a survey of the literature in the field of roster care and through inquiries with personnel currently working with foster care programs in Columbia and Multnomah Counties. Utilizing the concerns of the personnel and issues raised in the literature, a questionnaire was developed which was intended specifically for former roster families currently residing in Columbia County. 48.9 percent of the questionnaires were returned.

The results showed that fifty percent of the foster families who …

The Evolution Of The Birth Control Movement In The United States, Linda B. Mcmahan

Dissertations and Theses

The evolution of the birth control movement in the United States is the focus of this dissertation. The period of emphasis is 1873 to the present, though earlier history is briefly dealt with.

The research method used was an extensive library search of the literature, followed by categorization and analysis of the data.

The birth control movement was found to adapt to the sociological model of social movements and was discussed within this context. Two parallel movements were found to be of importance: the birth control movement itself and the population control movement. The orientations and relationships between these two …

An Exploratory Study Of Runaway Female Adolescents In A Residential Treatment Center, Mary E. Cook, Stan Jasper

Dissertations and Theses

If correctional institutions are to function according to established criteria, that is, to "correct" the deviant behavior of juvenile delinquents, then one obvious requirement is to have continuous contact with that individual over a period of time. This research project is one attempt to study runaways from the juvenile delinquent girls institution. This study specifically focuses on what factors influence a girl to run away and what factors encourage her to stay at Villa St. Rose.

Both researchers discovered in working at Villa St. Rose that one the biggest obstacles for the treatment program was the number of runaways that …

The Utilization Of Preventive Health Care Services By Low Income Members Of A Comprehensive Prepaid Health Plan : The Impact Of Outreach Services, Linda Elmlund Mahoney

Dissertations and Theses

A reading of recent studies in preventative health care behavior recalls the proverb about the blind men and the elephant: each man is able to describe the part of the animal he is closest to, but none can see, and so none can put their diverse and often contradictory opinions together to come up with an accurate description of the whole elephant. Similarly, in preventative health care studies, each researcher or research group is able to observe the preventative health care utilization patterns of specific populations at particular times, but the conclusions reached are often based on less than complete …

A Study Describing The Counseling Practices Of The Pastors In The Pacific Northwest Conference Of The Free Methodist Church, Jere' Slingerland Howell

Dissertations and Theses

The study was designed to determine the general knowledge of counseling techniques and procedures by pastors . The research was in no way designed to make value judgments on t he effectiveness of pastoral counseling or the appropriateness of techniques utilized by counseling pastors. It has provided a general overview of pastoral counseling within a specific population.

Oregon's Struggle Toward A Comprehensive Plan For Children's Mental Health Services: A Historical And Political Process, Kristin Angell

Dissertations and Theses

Practicum focusing on the history of the planning and development of children's mental health services in Oregon, with special emphasis on the training of pediatricians and how pediatricians address children's mental health issues. Offers a detailed look at the legislative processes surrounding mental health program development, as the heightened role that referrals play in how treatment is identified and administered.

Attitudes Of Women Toward World Hunger, Judith L. Kidd

Dissertations and Theses

The primary purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes of women toward the world food crisis, their roles, and the roles of their countries in its possible solutions. The data is based on a questionnaire administered to women from thirty countries who attended the International Women's Year Tribune in Mexico City, June 19 to July 2, 1975.

The Negative Effects Of Divorce On The Behavior Of Children, David Hawkins, Karen Lloyd

Dissertations and Theses

Our study is concerned with the effects of filing for divorce on the behavior of children. We are interested in the adjustment of the child to the changes which occur during separation and divorce, and we maintain the attitude that the lives of children are affected in some way when a marriage or family unit dissolves. A generally accepted belief is that divorce produces negative consequences in the lives of children as shown in their behavior. However, recently a number of studies have suggested that divorce need not be a negative experience, at least to the degree most people feel …

Male Client Expectations Of Female Therapists, Phyllis Whitman Heims, Susan Annette Ofstad

Dissertations and Theses

This practicum intends to explore the existence and nature of male client expectations of female therapists. The underlying assumptions of this study include: (1) clients have expectations; (2) sex roles exist in society; and (3) the sex of either the therapist or the client is a variable in the therapeutic situation.

To carry out this study it is necessary to pursue the following tasks. The first step will be to define possible client expectations of therapists. Using this information, a questionnaire will be developed to verify the existence of these expectations. In addition, the questionnaire will hopefully indicate whether these …

A Holistic Approach To Social Work Education, Lynda M. Wright

Dissertations and Theses

The thesis examines social work education from a broad perspective, examining aspects of stress (empathy, self awareness, needs of students, needs of professionals), trends in graduate education and the mind-body-spirit connection from other fields, specifically Hatha yoga, Gestalt Therapy, Aikido, Meditation and other modes of treatment.

Securing Services For The Older Population : A Training Manual For I And R Workers, Catherine M. Nemmert

Dissertations and Theses

This manual is written as a self-training guide on the elements of Information and Referral (I and R) service and on the process of providing I and R to the older population. The manual attempts to build a useful framework for methods of providing I and R service. The manual is directed at workers who are providing I and R services to the elderly. It is intended to serve as an orientation guide on the basic elements of I and R service and as a "how to" guide for methods and techniques of service provision. The new worker should find …

A Study Of Counseling At Reed College, Martin Shawn Fisher, Mark Masterson

Dissertations and Theses

The main purpose of the study was to develop information which would be useful to the counselors of the Reed College Counseling Service in their practice. Specifically, information was sought on the outcomes of one to one counseling sessions. The aim of the inquiry was to determine some of the dynamics and results of individual counseling with Reed students. The goal was to discover information about successful and unsuccessful counseling sessions which would benefit the counselors in the provision of their services.

A review of the literature on outcome research in psychotherapy suggested that focusing the study on the treatment …

Leadership Styles And Staff Satisfaction In Four Nursing Homes: Implications For Service Delivery, Carol Nightengale

Dissertations and Theses

This is a study of four nursing care facilities in Portland, Oregon in 1975-1976, which examines the relationship between leadership style and staff satisfaction, leadership style and patient satisfaction,and staff satisfaction and patient satisfaction.

Effects Of Increased Fuel Costs On Households In A Low Income Neighborhood In Portland, Oregon, Ora Allen, Betty Heald

Dissertations and Theses

This study is made up of two parts which explore some of the effects upon individual households making up a sample of a low income neighborhood in Portland. The first section in Chapter II presents a survey of sample households in our identified area, securing personal information given by adult members along with their responses to questions concerning effects on their budgets and the adaptations they have made to reduce the cost of fuel. The second section compares costs of fuel for January, February, and March of 1975 with the same months of 1974 for another sample in the same …

Need Assessment Methodology, Gerald A. Burns, Janet S. Putnam

Dissertations and Theses

A need assessment is a systematic process of determining community needs through the comparative analysis of people, problems, and services. Although need assessments of some form have existed since biblical times, it has only been within recent years that their use in social planning has become prominent. This is attributed to the increasing belief in the necessity of pertinent data to make decision-making responsive to community needs.

Ten basic issues should be considered in designing a need assessment, These are: 1) Purpose; 2) Decision-making context; 3) Agency resources; 4) Scope; 5) Future studies; 6) Staff roles; 7) Data collection; 8) …

Residential Treatment Of Emotionally Disturbed Adolescents, Rosemary Brown Sutherland

Dissertations and Theses

This study was requested by Dr. Ira B. Korman, Administrator, Woodland Park Mental Health Center. Woodland Park Mental Health Center currently provides a program of short-term evaluation and crisis care for adolescents. The staff there find it is difficult to locate suitable out-of-home placements for certain of their adolescent patients concluding hospitalization. Their concern for this group of hard-to-place patients has led to this inquiry, the purposes of which are to (1) assess need, (2) design a residential program, and (3) consider the feasibility of its implementation.

Strategies For Reducing Recidivism Of Mental Patients In Region I, Ellen Magaziner, Kathleen Mccarthy, Reyn Staffel

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose, of this study was to determine the type of community resources which facilitate community adjustment and tenure for ex-mental patients. Particular emphasis was placed on the extremely visible variable of post-hospital 1iving arrangements available to mentally and/or emotionally disturbed patients. Initially, the researchers assumed that such living situations would be a decisive element in the aftercare needs of ex-mental patients. However, the study was in itself broad enough to introduce other significant factors of equal or greater importance to the target population. The study, then, attempted to assess the relative value of such interrelated activities as living situation, …

The No-Fault Dissolution Of Marriage Act In Oregon: A Study Of Its Effect On Selected Factors, Dennis Arthur Armstrong

Dissertations and Theses

In October of 1972, the Dissolution of Marriage Act (hereinafter referred to as the Act) became a part of the law and judicial practice of the state of Oregon. The Act represents a significant change in Oregon's law. It also represents a significant evolutionary development in the 'attitude of the legal community toward the process of divorce or as it is now termed, dissolution of marriage.

The Act was a response to extensive criticism from professionals and from the public. The problem is the legislators were not sure of the effects of the Act and now that it is in …

Post-Discharge Adjustment Of Children Treated At Edgefield Lodge, Sandra M. Erickson

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the adjustment of 157 children discharged from Edgefield Lodge in an effort toward accountability to both clients served and the public.

Level of adjustment of the children was determined by checking the records of various community agencies including the Police, Sherriff, Youth Service Centers, Juvenile Court, Children’s Services Division, and the schools. Using the information gathered, the adjustment of each child was scored using the Community Adaptation Scale which was developed for that purpose. Theses adjustment scores were the main outcome variable in the study.

Differential Adherence To Community Mental Health Ideology Among First Year Social Work Students, Leo Munter

Dissertations and Theses

Sixty first year students in the Portland State University School of Social Work were given the Baker--Schulberg Community Mental Health Ideology Scale. The resultant scores are reported for Community Mental Health Training Project (CMHTP) Students, Direct Service Students and Planning Students. The Scores are compared with each other and with the original norming groups for the instrument. CMHTP students were found to have a significantly stronger adherence to the community mental health ideology than other students, but all groups examined were found to be sympathetic to the ideology.

A Specialized Child Protective Service Unit, Paul O. Powers, Bonnie J. Vance

Dissertations and Theses

The North Portland Branch in Region 1 of the State of Oregon Children's Services Division had at the time of this study the only specialized Child Protective Service unit, where all protective service workers are under one supervisor, in that region. The supervisor and casework staff of the unit requested the study in the Spring of 1975. The purpose of the study was to provide a descriptive analysis of the unit 's time and effort on case activities. Through this analysis the research sought to give an overview of what is involved in Working with protective service cases and underscore …

The Use Of Dance As A Tool For Personality Integration, Barbara Throckmorton Rankin

Dissertations and Theses

This study is exploratory in nature. The material was highly individualistic and subjective, so I have deviated from the traditional empirical research approach. My purpose is to grasp what kind of person was attracted to attending a dance workshop. How does Halprin’s use of dance assist people in learning about themselves? What kinds of information do people learn about themselves through her dance process? What techniques does Halprin combine with the medium of dance to get results? Are people enhanced, or better integrated by the Halprin process? Finally, my intention was to be stimulated by the Halprin process to explore …

A Survey Of Myths Concerning The Crime Of Rape, Marilyn Hammon, Joyce Jerabek, Michèle Mairesse

Dissertations and Theses

In view of the proliferation of recent publicity on the topic of rape via the news media and popular publications, the researchers decided that a study concerning rape would be timely and informative. An examination of the literature resulted in the discovery that there were only two principal studies published. These were by John MacDonald, Rape Offenders and Their Victims, 1971, and Menachem Amir, Patterns in Forcible Rape, 1971. Other sources invariably used the results of these studies as a basis for their comments and conclusions. The recurring emphasis on the commonly held myths (as described later in this study) …