Social Work Commons^™

Those Who Choose To Stay: Narrating The Rural Appalachian Queer Experience, Amy Michelle Jordan

Masters Theses

“Those who choose to stay” is a qualitative exploratory study compromised of four LGBT youth from rural towns in East Tennessee. These young adults were recruited through LGBT listservs, pride festivals, and word of mouth. Each young adult was interviewed over the course of one to three hours. The interviews were then transcribed and coded using Atlas.ti software, allowing codes to surface from the text. Four main themes were discovered: religious atmosphere, family, coming out, and peer networks.

Religious atmosphere was generally found to be a destructive part of these youths’ environments, making them fear for their safety and worry …

Effects Of Prenatal Stress And Poverty On Fetal Growth, Teresa Anne Lefmann

Doctoral Dissertations

Background. Prenatal stress has negative effects on the developing fetus through the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Programming of the stress response system during gestation has lifelong effects that put the infant at risk for multiple stress-related pathologies. Populations most vulnerable to prenatal stress are African-Americans and individuals of low socioeconomic status.

Methods. The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) research project, a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and individual state health departments, was utilized for this study. Tennessee data from 2009 were compiled from individual birth certificates and PRAMS questionnaire responses to examine three …

Acculturative Stress And Social Support Among Immigrant Arab American Adolescents In East Tennessee, Ayat Jebril Nashwan

Doctoral Dissertations

The study investigated sources and levels of acculturative stress among immigrant Arab American adolescents, and sources of social and emotional support that may mitigate acculturation-related stressors. The purposive sample (N=230) consisted of Arab American youth, 11-17 years of age, most of whom attended public schools in a moderate-sized city in East Tennessee, USA. Respondents were balanced in terms of gender, most were 13-17 years old, and were middle and high school-aged students. Over half were born in one of 16 different Arab countries, mainly Iraq, Egypt, and Syria. They had lived in the United States for 1-17 years, with a …

Assessing The Effect Of Sense Of Community On Military Veteran Community Reintegration Difficulties, Veliska Joy Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations

Sense of Community (SOC) has been the theoretical underpinnings of practice models with veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (Amdur et al. 2011; Bowen, Martin, Mancini & Nelson, 2000; Hollingsworth, 2011; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). The current study addresses the need for empirical evidence to support this practice intervention by testing the mediation role of SOC on the relationship between Veteran Community Reintegration (VCR) risk factors and VCR difficulties. Secondary data from a cross-sectional survey consisting of N=131 military veterans in the southern region of the United States was used to test this model. Confirmatory …

Perceived Racial Discrimination By Students Of Color Among Social Work Programs In The United States: A Cross-Sectional Study, Mira Hanna

Masters Theses

Social work is a profession that is based upon principles such as social justice and dignity and worth of the person. As such, social work education ought to reflect those values by ensuring that all students receive an adequate education in an environment characterized by fair and equal treatment of all students, including students of color. There is a lack of research, however, that addresses the experiences of students of color in colleges of social work across the United States. This study addresses this gap in literature by conducting a secondary data analysis of the data gathered using the Bowie-Hancock …

The Relationships Between Internalized Heterosexism, Spirituality, And Mental Health In Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Young Adults, Jon Raymond Bourn

Masters Theses

Minority stressors like internalized heterosexism have been found to be related to suicidality among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals (e.g., Savin-Williams & Ream, 2003). Additional research is needed, however, to better understand the factors that may serve as moderators (i.e., protective factors) in the relationships between minority stressors and negative mental health outcomes, such as depression and suicidality (e.g., Szymanski et al., 2008). The current study attempted to examine the relationships between internalized heterosexism and two negative mental health outcomes associated with suicide, psychache (defined as unbearable psychological pain) and depression, in a sample of LGB young adults. Given …

The Lived Experience Of Transitioning From The Foster Care System To Adulthood, Carla Renee Parker

Doctoral Dissertations

Approximately 408,000 children were in foster care in the United States at the end of fiscal year 2010 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Some children return to their families of origin; however, some children remain in the foster care system until they reach age 18 or 21 and must leave, which is called “emancipation” or “aging out” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Transitioning foster youth are at risk for many negative consequences including poverty and homelessness. These negative consequences are associated with significant health implications, such as mental health problems and risky sexual behaviors. …

Is There A Relationship Between Teams-Games-Tournaments And Changes In Communication And Attitude About Substance Abuse?, Michael Lee Burford

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate relationships between gender and race as it pertains to communication with parents about substance abuse and attitudes about substance abuse, using Teams-Games-Tournaments as an intervention. The scope of the substance abuse problem, adolescent communication and attitudes regarding substance abuse literature, attachment theory, and Teams-Games-Tournaments intervention literature are reviewed. Secondary data was used with a repeated measures design, with 159 subjects at baseline, 112 at exit, and 99 at follow-up. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences and Hierarchical Linear Modeling were used for analysis. Findings suggest that gender and race are not significant …

Overseeing Supervisees Treating Clients Exhibiting Suicidal Behaviors: Its Impact On Clinical Supervisors, Michael Girard Catalana

Doctoral Dissertations

Individuals at risk of suicide often seek mental health treatment (Brook, Klap, Liao, & Wells, 2006; Moscicki, 2001; Souminen, Isometsa, Martunnen, Ostamo, & Lonnqvist, 2004). The clinicians who treat these individuals experience significant levels of stress (Knox, Burkard, Bentzler, Schaack, & Hess, 2006; Ruskin, Sakinofsky, Bagby, Dickens, & Sousa, 2004). Clinical supervisors are an important resource for clinicians (Chemtob, Hamada, Bauer, Kinney, & Torigoe, 1988a; Kleespies, Smith, & Becker, 1990; Knox et al., 2006; Maltsberger, 1992; Ruskin et al., 2004). Researchers recently acknowledged that overseeing clinicians whose client exhibited suicidal behavior is also stressful (Catalana, 2012; Hoffman, 2009; Sanger, 2010). …

The Detrimental Effects Of Aging Out Of Foster Care And Knoxville's Representativeness Of Appropriate Services, Samantha Leanne Stout

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of Foster Parents Willing To Care For Sexual Minority Youth, Justin Douglas Bucchio

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Sexual minority foster youth living in out-of-home care are in need of enhanced services to promote successful development. Scholars have focused on providing insight into the lives of these youth as well as effective treatment approaches. None have focused on the willingness of the providers of their care. This nationwide non-probability cross-sectional study assessed foster mothers’ (N = 304) willingness to care for sexual minority youth, using secondary data analysis.

Willingness was assessed using the Willingness to Foster Scale (WFS), which identifies four levels of willingness ranging from not willing at all to willing without any extra help …

Assessing The Effect Of Relocation Control On Psychological Well-Being Of Assisted Living Residents, Young Sook Kim

Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Recent evidence and prior research document that increasing numbers of older adults are experiencing relocation to an assisted living facility (ALF), and that involuntary ALF relocatees face a great risk of psychological distress because of the numerous stressors associated with this relocation. However, little empirical research has clearly investigated the interrelationship among major factors and their effects on the psychological well-being of AL residents: relocation control, mediators of stress (e.g., social support, self-reported health, and functional impairment) and psychological well-being.

This study had two aims: (a) to investigate the relationship between relocation control and psychological well-being (e.g., depression, …

Evidence Based Practice Implementation: Perceptions And Expectations Of Master Of Social Work Students, Mholi Kent Vimba

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Efforts to develop sustainable Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) implementation strategies in work settings have been generally unsuccessful. Scholars have focused on perceptions of workers already in work settings to identify implementation barriers and facilitators. None have focused on perceptions of social workers in training. This nationwide non-probability correlational study assessed Master of Social Work (MSW) students’ perceptions of EBP using a self-administered online survey. A total of 212 (57%) completed this survey with 164 (43%) timed out.

Perceptions were assessed using three sets of questions corresponding to the independent variables: EBP knowledge, attitude toward EBP and EBP self-efficacy. A …

Prescription Stimulant Use By Graduate Students, Matthew Donald Varga

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure graduate student prescription stimulant use by assessing the extent of use, reasons for use, and poly-substance use. Graduate students (n = 1,015) enrolled at a large Southeastern university completed the Student Life Survey. The data were analyzed using a variety of analytical techniques including descriptive statistics, frequencies, and a stepwise logistic regression in order to answer the research questions guiding this study:

1. What is the extent of prescription stimulant abuse among graduate students on college campuses?
2. What are the reasons for graduate students’ illicit use of prescription stimulants?
3. Are graduate students …

The Impact Of Transportation And Childcare Assistance On Self-Sufficiency In Families First Participants In Tennessee, Debra Anne Wolfe Shumaker

Doctoral Dissertations

States are not required to provide subsidies for childcare and transportation, but at the time of this writing all provided some supplements to TANF participants who were working, looking for work, or attending school. However, there has been little assessment of the effectiveness of these programs. Using data from a longitudinal study on Families First participants in the state of Tennessee, this exploratory study addresses the questions of whether transportation and childcare supplements contribute to the ability of TANF participants to move off welfare and support their families adequately through their own efforts, and whether outcomes from these services differ …

An Evaluation Of The Outcomes Of Children With Multiple Disabilities Who Attended Camp Koinonia In 2009, Janelle Nimer

Doctoral Dissertations

One of the largest populations with whom social workers work are individuals with disabilities. Due to the increase of children with disabilities, it is important to evaluate the programs in which the children participate. Camp Koinonia is a program at the University of Tennessee that works with children with multiple disabilities for one week a year. The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation on Camp Koinonia in 2009 (n = 109). This study assessed age,(continuous variable, n = 109) gender (male, n = 61; female n = 48), category of disability (cognitive, n = 50; physical, …

Exploring The Link Between Interpersonal Violence To Animals Among Juvenile Sexual Offenders, Stephanie Ann Harness

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of behaviors juvenile sexual offenders participate in and inflict on animals, and compare them to the behaviors of youths involved in other types of crimes, and youths not involved in any criminal activity. A total of 654 juvenile males participated in the study and were included for data analysis. Participants were recruited in two phases. The first phase gathered participants from two treatment centers, and the second phase collected data from students enrolled in undergraduate classes at a public southeastern university. All participating youths were then divided into five categories: …

Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Burden: Does Resilience Matter?, Cathy B Scott

Doctoral Dissertations

Caring for an individual with Alzheimer’s disease is especially challenging and impacts every aspect of the lives of the informal caregivers. Informal caregiving is defined as unpaid care provided by family or friends to people with a chronic illness or disability (Young & Newman, 2002). Caregiver burden involves the physical, psychological, social and emotional problems experienced by a caregiver of an impaired loved one (Gwyther & George, 2006). Alzheimer’s disease caregivers report more depression than their caregiving and non-caregiving peers, experience increased physical decline, and often experience financial challenges. Evidence suggests Alzheimer’s disease caregiver burden is a result of both …

Gender And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Screening In The Military: A Measurement Study, Mark Allan Oliver

Doctoral Dissertations

The Primary Care Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PC-PTSD) screen (Prins et al., 2003) is used by the Department of Defense to identify military members who are at increased risk of PTSD. This screen has been offered to all returning deployers since 2005. However, validation studies of PC-PTSD scores from military samples have seldom employed a significant number of female subjects and no published studies have examined it for gender bias. Ruling out bias is important because routine under-identification of PTSD risk in any group could result in hindered access to needed assessment and/or care. With the current proportion of military females …

Assessment Of Social Workers’ Attitudes Towards People With Physical Disabilities, Ann Charlotte Eubank

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes of social workers in Tennessee towards people with physical disabilities. A non-probability, convenience sample of social workers who were members of the National Association of Social Workers Tennessee Chapter (NASW TN), and accept email communication, were sent the on-line survey. Two hundred sixty five social workers responded to the survey and one hundred sixty eight respondents (N=168) completed the survey in its entirety and were included in analysis. The respondents’ attitudes were assessed as either empowering or oppressive based on concepts and constructs of empowerment and oppression identified by disability …

Human–Animal Relationships As Modulators Of Trauma Effects In Children: A Developmental Neurobiological Perspective, Janet G. Yorke

Doctoral Dissertations

Humans and animals interaction is showing promise as a way to provide complementary and alternative medicine for humans. Children have an affinity for animals that could be useful therapeutically. Emotional stress and trauma impacts the neurobiology of children, who are vulnerable given the developmental plasticity of the brain. Some research suggests that neuropeptides and neuromodulators in both humans and the animals are mutually altered through human animal interaction, resulting in the attenuation of stressful responses in both (Yorke, in press; McCabe & Albano, 2004; Uvnas-Moberg, 2009). Human or animal touch, proximity and mind body interaction has been found to contribute …

Listening To Undocumented Mothers: The Experiences Of Undocumented Mexican Mothers Of High School Students Living In The U.S. And Receiving Social Services, Maria Alejandra Lopez

Doctoral Dissertations

The present dissertation is based on a phenomenological study on undocumented Mexican immigrant mothers of high school students who have lived in the U.S. for at least five years and received social services. Most of these mothers have emigrated from rural areas of the central and southern Mexican States of Guanajuato, Michoacan, Queretaro, among others. According to the participants, socio-economic conditions forced them to leave their homelands hoping to find a better life in the U.S.

Ten undocumented mothers of high school students living in the U.S. were interviewed from a phenomenological perspective. They were monolingual Spanish speakers (only one …

Self-Reported Family Income And Expenditure Patterns For A Cohort Of Tanf-Reliant African American Women: Outcomes From A Longitudinal Study In Miami-Dade County, Florida, Stacia Michelle West

Masters Theses

This mixed-method study was designed to analyze the impact of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 on a cohort of welfare-reliant African American women in Miami-Dade County. A snowball sampling technique was utilized to identify and conduct in-person interviews with women who were receiving welfare benefits from January 1997 to March 2000. The study intended to determine the participant characteristics, employment and wage histories, annualized income, and annualized expenditures over the time span. The results indicate that the average age of recipients was 34.5 years old with four children. The average educational attainment for the cohort …

Social Support And Depression Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Julie Helen Grocki

Doctoral Dissertations

Late-life depression is a significant public and geriatric mental health concern and one of the most prevalent and common emotional disorders for all older United States citizens. This study examined how relationships with close friends and close relatives affected depressive symptomatology among African American and White older adults and explored how health, social and religious factors modified that relationship. The sample consisted of participants from the New Haven, CT cohort of the population-based longitudinal study, The National Institute on Aging project entitled “The Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly” [EPESE]. Respondents were ages 65-75 and older (mean age …

Www.Homeless.Org/Culture: A Cross-Level Analysis Of The Relationship Between Organizational Culture And Technology Use Among Homeless Service Providers, Courtney Marie Cronley

Doctoral Dissertations

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires federally-funded homeless service providers to participate in an homeless management information system (HMIS). While federally mandated, no one has examined how these technologies are being used. Theory and research suggest that the technology dissemination is contingent upon the organizational culture in which it is used. This study represents the first empirical analysis of HMIS use and explores the cross-level relationship between staff members’ HMIS use and organizational culture.

Staff members at 24 homeless service providers completed the Organizational Social Context (OSC) survey and scores from each provider were aggregated …

Extending Knowledge Of Parents’ Role In Adolescent Development: The Mediating Effect Of Self, Sally Beville Hunter

Doctoral Dissertations

Much previous work has demonstrated the importance of parenting for adolescents’ psychosocial functioning. Barber, Stolz, and Olsen’s (2005) recent monograph contributed in organizing and specifying the voluminous literature on parent-child/adolescent literatures by documenting specific paths among three commonly-studied dimensions of parenting (i.e., support, psychological control, and behavioral control) and three salient adolescent outcomes (i.e., social initiative, depression, and antisocial behavior). They did not, however, explore the possible mechanisms that underlie the consistent parenting effects they and others have found.

Theory suggests that the adolescent self would be a logical mediator of the effects of parenting. Further, measures of the self, …

The Effectiveness Of A Restraint Reduction Policy Implemented To Reduce The Use Of Physical Restraint With Children And Adolescents In A Residential Care Facility, Irma Molina Damen

Doctoral Dissertations

This simple interrupted time-series quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of a restraint reduction policy implemented in order to reduce the use of physical restraint in a residential treatment facility for children in the southeastern United States. Aggregate data on monthly physical restraint episodes from the agency were analyzed over a period of 4 years. A 22-month period was used as the baseline and the succeeding 26 months- when the restraint reduction policy was implemented- was the intervention phase. A regular regression model, estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS), modeled the effect of the policy change, and autoregressive integrated moving average …

Measuring The Effects Of Intergroup Dialogue On Teachers’ Attitudes, Feelings And Behaviors Regarding Lesbian, Gay And Bisexual Students And Parents, Adrienne Brodsky Dessel

Doctoral Dissertations

Prejudice, discrimination and hate crimes against lesbians and gay men are prevalent throughout the United States. Prejudice in public school settings, as manifested in teacher attitudes and behavior, is particularly problematic for lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning or queer (LGBQ) students and LGBQ parents. Efforts to reduce prejudice for sexual minority groups have met with limited success. Creating safer and more inclusive school environments is essential for the wellbeing and learning of all students. Furthermore, the field of social work is guided by principles that necessitate intervention research that addresses harassment and violence based on sexual orientation prejudice.

This dissertation …

Examining The Relationship Between Toddler Self-Regulation And Maternal Self-Efficacy, Yu-Chuen Huang

Masters Theses

The present study examined the relationship between maternal self-efficacy and child self-regulation during the toddler years. Using a local database, the current study focused on specific dimensions of maternal self-efficacy in an effort to move beyond global descriptions of the construct. The results showed that maternal self-efficacy was negatively associated with child dysregulation ratings. In addition, the instrumental care dimension of maternal self-efficacy was the most influential predictor of child dysregulation ratings. Moreover, negative emotionality and sensory sensitivity have stronger associations with maternal self-efficacy than the other aspects of child dysregulation. However, this study found no gender or socioeconomic differences …

Paternal Involvement With Special Needs Children, Emily Lauren Furst

Masters Theses

The focus of this study is paternal involvement of fathers with special needs children. Role salience, parental satisfaction, reflected appraisals, and contextual variables were hypothesized to mediate the relationship between empowerment and paternal involvement. It was also hypothesized that financial strain would moderate the relationship between empowerment and paternal involvement, as mediated by the identity theory variables and contextual variables. The researcher additionally hypothesized that empowerment would be more important to men facing higher levels of financial strain. These hypotheses were investigated using data from the Pathways Research Project, which evaluated Tennessee’s Early Intervention System (TEIS). TEIS provides services to …