Social Work Commons^™

Utilization Of Social Media In Strengthening Communication In Long Distance Relationships, Lexie Gutzmann

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of individuals, who have experienced long distance relationships, and utilize the instant access of communication through technology to strengthen and maintain their connection despite their geographical distances. Using a qualitative design, individuals between the ages of 20-30 were asked questions about their experience of utilizing social media and technology as a mode of communication to sustain their long distance relationship. The researcher analyzed the data by looking for codes and themes within the participant’s answers. The findings indicated that the participants found that social media and technology were beneficial in …

The Impact Of Minnesota Warriors Hockey On Post-Military Service Reintegration: A Pilot Study, Andrew Qualy

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Introduction: The Minnesota Warriors Hockey Program is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that assists wounded, injured, or otherwise disabled veterans of the U.S. Military in their reintegration process by administering a recreational ice hockey program for its participants in the wake of significant issues facing transitioning veterans, such as high rates of PTSD, suicide, divorce, substance use, unemployment, and homelessness.

Methods: Data was collected from a survey that was sent out to all registered participants in the Minnesota Warriors Hockey Program (N = 65). Instruments used in the study include the M2C-Q, an empirically validated psychometric measuring tool which assesses post-deployment …

Chemical Dependence Harm Reduction: A Needed Application For Social Workers, Josie C. Schmitz

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the need for substance use education for social workers and their response when implicating harm reduction approaches within their chemical dependence practice. This study fulfilled the requirements outlined for a systematic review by having a series of requirements, such as articles pertaining to do with harm reduction methods and social work, to be included within the research. This method revealed 11 articles that met the needed requests and were later examined. Within the 11, articles three prominent themes emerged. The themes included, but were not limited to relationships, exposure, and ambiguity. The …

Secure Attachment Without Bars: Alternatives To Incarceration And Clinical Interventions To Treat The Mother-Infant Relationship, Krista Murphy

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Between 1980 and 2011, the number of incarcerated women increased by more than 700% (The Sentencing Project, 2017; 2015). Since The Second Chance Act was passed in 2008, the women’s prison population has grown outpacing men’s, grown while men’s declined, or declined proportionally less than men’s in seventy-percent of states, according to the Prison Policy Initiative (Sawyer, 2018). This paper explores the reasons for this disproportionate growth by outlining public policy developments and pathways women take to incarceration that are intertwined with trauma, mental health, and substance use in ways that men’s pathways are not. Furthermore, since the majority of …

Emotionally Focused Therapy For Couples: A Treatment For Depression And Anxiety, Courtney Reinitz

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This systematic review aimed to examine emotionally focused therapy (EFT) and its effectiveness as a treatment for couples suffering from symptoms of depression and anxiety. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were created and databases were searched for relevant literature. Five articles were used as data for this study. Based on the findings, five areas of focus were uncovered that support the claim that EFT may be an effective treatment for couples suffering from symptoms of depression and anxiety. More research must be done in order to assert this claim of effectiveness. Practitioners, clients, and researchers would benefit from further research in …

Trauma-Informed Care For Youth In Foster Care, Jordyn Hubin

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Annually, in Minnesota, thousands of children enter the foster care system. The objective of this study was to use a trauma-informed lens to explore supports that are available to children, biological family members, and foster providers. Questions regarding the strengths and limitations of particular supports were also explored. This study used a qualitative design with five semi-structured interviews of mental health professionals. The main themes that were identified were: trauma-informed care, positives and challenges of formal and informal supports, involvement of biological and foster parents, differences in service to a child in foster care, and building a better system. The …

Non-Pharmacological Interventions In Residents With Behavioral And Psychological Symptoms Of Dementia, Kelli Ray

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Changes in behavior are common in dementia and can be challenging to address. The purpose of this pilot study was to look at how effective non-pharmacological interventions are in decreasing associated behaviors among residents in a skilled nursing facility. Pharmacological interventions have been the primary method to decreasing these behaviors; however, these interventions may lead to faster disease progression. There is an increased awareness of the potential uses of non-pharmacological treatment for residents with dementia; however, there are challenges that go along with this approach. A set of interview questions was asked to four staff members of a nursing home …

Social Work’S Dynamic Role In Oncology: Providing Leadership For Environmental Responsiveness, J. Sky Niesen

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

Social work has a long standing relationship with healthcare. Beginning in the settlement house movement, social workers have provided a dynamic micro, mezzo, and macro role in medical settings. Social work’s ecological systems perspective allows for the inclusion of environmental and social justice factors in healthcare delivery. Ecological theory, epistemologically rooted in social work, is used as a conceptual framework throughout the three products, as the contextual environment is viewed as integral in understanding cancer patient experiences.

The first product of this Banded Dissertation is a conceptual article detailing the need for culturally responsive practice methods in oncology care with …

Geriatric Social Work Education From Early Beginnings To Future Prospects, Angela M. Goins

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation is comprised of three single, but interrelated scholarly products, and explores the inclusion of geriatric content in social work education over the years. System theory and the ecological perspective are the conceptual frameworks used throughout the dissertation. As each product is presented, implications for both social work education and research will be examined.

The first product of the banded dissertation is a historical analysis that identifies and examines the beginnings of geriatric social work education in the history of the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). Using archive material from the 1940’s and 1950’s, this scholarly work, …

Benevolent Sexism: Manifestation In American Social Systems, Amanda D. Greubel

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation focused on the manifestation of benevolent sexism in American social systems, past and present. Benevolent sexism takes a subjectively-positive view of women in traditional roles, revering them as gentle, nurturing, and in need of protection by men or other more powerful members of society. These beliefs fall into three categories: protective paternalism, complementary gender differentiation, and heterosexual intimacy.

The first product was a historical textual analysis of documents from the Council on Social Work Education Task Force on Women. In 1973, the task force surveyed programs about their curricular content on women. Four themes were identified in …

Perception Of Bullying Among Faculty Members: Implications For African American Males, Denetria D. Brooks-James

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This dissertation examines the various perceptions of bullying and the need for a theory that is culturally sensitive and provides the victims with a voice. Bullying adds additional stressors to the lives of its victim, due to lack of research on bullying and its impact on African American males in secondary education, this dissertation primary focus is this population. Implications for a unified definition of bullying, training that is applicable across the cultural spectrum, and the need for continued research are emphasized.

The dissertation is composed of three phenomenological products that together examined the many diverse aspects of bullying. Using …

Faith, Spirituality, And Social Work Education: An Exploration Into The Quest For Integration, Shannon Cassidy Cousineau

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the integration of faith and spirituality in higher education, more specifically for social work students. Faith and spirituality are important aspects of many people’s lives, and it is important for social work students to understand and comfortably discuss issues and strengths around religion and spirituality. Due to its proposition that people are spiritual beings, who believe in something beyond themselves, Transpersonal Theory is used as a guide for this banded dissertation. At its core, Transpersonal Theory provides a foundation for the journey many people take to find a belief in something outside themselves, either physical, emotional, …

Development Of Professional Identity In Social Work Education, Janet Holter

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

The development of social work professional identity is characterized by internalization of the knowledge, skills, values, and mission of social work, and begins with and is shaped by the content, and interactions, as well as student experiences within the context of the social work education curricula. This Banded Dissertation comprising three products centers on the development of professional identity within undergraduate social work education. The first product is a qualitative study in which the author examined student perceptions of professional identity, student definitions and perceptions of how social work education shapes students’ professional identity. Findings showed that intentional development of …

Implications For Youth Identified On A Criminal Justice-Based List, Lisa Borneman

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the implications of being identified on a list based on criminal justice involvement. The list of interest was the Downtown 100 (DT100), a list of youth and adults with significant involvement in the criminal justice system in an upper Midwest urban center. The main identified commonality for those identified on the DT100 is homelessness, while he commonality not readily identified is that most people on the DT100 are people of color. Issues common to youth identified on this criminal justice-based list include a potential for criminal identity, increased risk, and stigma. The …

Self-Care: A Model Of Prevention & Sustainability In Social Work Practice, Mindy Eaves

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation focuses on self-care as an imperative in social work practice. In the context of this banded dissertation self-care is defined as “the balancing activities in which social workers can engage to preserve personal longevity and happiness, their relationships, and their careers.” (Smullens, 2015, p. 6). According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Delegate Assembly passed a policy statement placing self-care in the forefront of social work practice (2008). The NASW noted that self-care required deeper examination in the social work profession. This banded dissertation research centers on self-care as a model of prevention & sustainability …

Using An Exploratory Approach To Describe Issues That Affect African American Males In The Field Of Social Work, Quincy Dinnerson

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation examined some of the issues of black men in the field of social work. Some of the issues to explored included social acceptance, oppression, and emotional and moral support, to name a few. The researcher goal was to gain more insight into the African American male social work experiences. The researcher used Afrocentric theory in this banded dissertation. Afrocentric theory considers the worldviews of African Americans with the understanding that historically African Americans are an oppressed population.

The first product of this banded dissertation is a conceptual paper that focuses on whether social work implicit curricular support …

Examining Influencing Factors On Bsw Students’ Intent To Persist, Teresa L. Beadlescomb

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

Students of color remain underrepresented in social work education programs. According to the Council on Social Work Education (2016), only 37.4% of the 19,596 BSW degrees awarded during the 2014-2015 academic year, were awarded to students from historically underrepresented groups (CSWE, 2016). The first product of this banded dissertation presents a conceptual framework, through the lens of empowerment theory, for understanding the varied and nuanced influencing factors contributing to BSW students’ intent to persist. This paper explored ways in which social work programs are and are not providing opportunities for students to demonstrate that they are motivated and competent learners …

Social Work Ethics And Organizational Culture: A Gap In Social Work Education And Social Work Field Education, Stephanie A. Bradford

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

Social work education and the signature pedagogy of social work, field education, allow students to learn social work ethics. Within the agency setting of field placement, social work students experience organizational culture and organizational climate. The purpose of this banded dissertation is to understand the relationship between ethics learned within the classroom and field education, specific to organizational culture and organizational climate. Ecological and general systems theory provides the conceptual framework to understand the relationship.

Social work ethics and organizational culture are experienced in field education. Product One, a conceptual paper, asserts the need for understanding organizational culture and its …

Advancing Social Welfare Policy Through Critical Social Work Education And Practice, Rebecca Hoffman

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

Practitioners in the critical tradition seek to identify the shortcomings of systems and beliefs that contribute to an ineffective social welfare system (Forte, 2007). This dissertation examines the intersectional systems of macro social work education practice. It explores the early history of macro social work education and practice and provides a contemporary practice application for shaping agency-level policies that address the subjugation of marginalized populations.

The first product is a critical analysis of Council on Social Work Education’s Community Organizing Curriculum Development Project (COCDP). It illustrates the focalization of macro social work education during a transitional period in which social …

Tribal Sovereign Status: Conceptualizing Its Integration Into The Social Work Curriculum, Amy Fischer Williams

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation contains three related products: a conceptual article, a research article, and the development of an original social work course. Together the products conceptualize, research, and envision how accredited social work programs can integrate tribal sovereign status relevant theories and concepts into curriculum to prepare social workers to collaborate and work with Indigenous peoples and communities. The primary conceptual framework that informs the dissertation is decolonization theory. Decolonization entails a broad theoretical spectrum that includes both philosophical-oriented and action-effort approaches to combat the generational effects that colonization has inflected on Indigenous peoples (Gray, M., Coates, J., Yellow Bird, …

Developing Transformational Curriculum To Educate Social Work Students About Indigenous Peoples And Indigenous Knowledge, Deborah Thibeault

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

While efforts to recruit Indigenous social work students must be continued, social work educators need to ensure that non-Indigenous social work students are learning about the history, culture, and wisdom of Indigenous peoples. Additionally, social work students need to become aware of the impact the social work profession has had on this population. This awareness and understanding will help social workers practice from a place of being an ally and will assist in altering the views many Indigenous people have about social work. There are three products in this banded dissertation that focus on engaging social work educators in a …

Military Social Work: Utilizing Interprofessional Practice And Education To Increase Efficacy, Stephanie Grant

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation examines the use of interprofessional practice as a framework to increase efficacy in military social work practice and consists of three distinct but related scholarly products. The first scholarly product is a conceptual article that explores the alignment between the Air Force’s resilience initiative Comprehensive Airman Fitness (CAF) and the Council on Social Work Education’s Advanced Social Work Practice in Military Social Work Standards. Conceptualizing interprofessional practice and the ecological perspective, this article endorses the efforts to advance military social work practice competencies by connecting with CAF and other Department of Defense (DoD) resilience initiatives. Leveraging resources …

Achieving Optimal Volition And Well-Being: Facilitating Movement Along The Motivational Continuum Through Self-Determination Theory, Andrew Thompson

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

The dissertation comprises three products that considered self-determination theory (SDT) as theoretical framework to support interventions that promote satisfaction of basic psychological needs among recipients of assertive community treatment (ACT) and forensic assertive community treatment (FACT). The first product is a paper that conceptualized and integrated elements of self-determination (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) in the implementation of assertive community treatment and forensic assertive community treatment. The integration of implementation of these basic psychological needs provided a framework to increase autonomy and self-determination, which has proven effective at increasing enhanced client wellness and optimal outcomes. The second product is a cross-sectional …

Lack Of Services In Rural Social Work: Ethical Issues And The Impact On Parenting, Judy Zimbelman

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

The unique set of challenges in rural social work adds new dimensions to social work practice needs. Issues of poverty, substance abuse, and mental health issues are often ignored in the rural setting. The conceptual framework used in this banded dissertation is the ecological model, which applies the concept of systems to apply when working with individuals, families, and communities.

The first product, a conceptual paper, identifies the impact of the lack of services on parents and provides creative solutions to establishing resources for parents in rural areas. The number of professionals working in rural areas is limited, there is …

Civic Engagement And Social Action In Social Work Education, Terri Klemm

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation comprises three scholarly products that address the importance of civic engagement and social action in social work education. Throughout the banded dissertation, the conceptual lens of critical social theory, which presupposes that education is fundamental to democracy, provides a framework in which to consider social work educators’ responsibility to effectively prepare students to engage in a broad range of civic activities, including social action, in order to address crucial social problems.

The first product, an exploratory historical research study, provides historical context with an examination of the role of social work in a democratic society from the …

Amplifying Lgbtq Voices In Social Work, Carey A. Winkler

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation is focused on amplifying LGBTQ voices in social work education and practice through an exploration of language, policies, standards, and practices used in social work education. Using a historical lens, feminist, queer, and critical theories were used to examine issues of power, voice, context, and social justice.

The first product is a conceptual paper that examines the history of the language used in social work education related to how we think and talk about diversity. This examination includes a critique of the use of the term difference and the othering impact it can have on LGBTQ individuals …

Healing The Mind And Body: Practitioner Perspectives On Integrating Cognitive And Somatic Approaches In Psychotherapy With Refugees, Asylees, And Asylum Seekers, Amanda Ament-Lemke

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

There is an abundance of studies in the literature highlighting psychotherapy methods for people who have experienced trauma. This is not true for the specialized treatment of refugees, asylees, and asylum seekers. Despite the growing worldwide displacement of people and the trauma they endure, there are only a limited number of studies conducted involving interventions with these populations who have survived prolonged and complex psychological trauma. This research project focuses on refugees, asylees, and asylum seekers who have experienced complex psychological trauma as a result of persecution, war, violence, and migration; specifically, it focuses on the mind-body based psychotherapeutic interventions …

Understanding The Practitioner’S Role In The Therapeutic Setting: Working With Youth That Identify As Black Or African American And Lgbt, Katie L. Ubl

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This systematic review aimed to find responses for practitioners to better engage in the therapeutic setting with multiple minority youth that identify as LGBT Black or African American. These multiple minority populations are at high risk for mental health. A systematic review analyzed data using grounded theory. Twelve articles categorized data within the ecological framework: micro, mezzo, and macro levels. For practitioners to better engage with LGBT Black or African American youth in the therapeutic setting, responses were found in all three levels of the ecological framework. Dominant responses for social work practitioners to better engage in the therapeutic setting …

Treatment Barriers In Mental Health: Perspectives Of Using Mobile Technology, Ryan Goman

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Mental health problems are common with adolescents and given that adolescents are the biggest consumer of mobile technologies, these technologies hold a tremendous promise as a unique intervention. The research method used is a qualitative study with four clinicians to address themes in their experiences of utilziing mobiel technology with adolescents. Much of the research finds that using technology with adolescents improves patient satisfaction through areas around convenience, eas of use, and availabiltiy. The research findings show common themes related to adaptability, reduced stigma, clinical relationship and lack of access. This research is important because it highlights the social work …

The Effects Of Animal-Assisted Therapy In Older Adults With Dementia, Alison Waid Higgins

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

No abstract provided.