Social Work Commons^™

Exploring Bullying And Peer Victimization Among African American Adolescents In Chicago’S Southside, Jeoung Min Lee

Wayne State University Dissertations

Adolescent bullying is a serious concern for adolescents, parents, teachers, school officials, and the public. While many studies have explored serious forms of violence (e.g., gang violence and homicide) among urban adolescents, relatively few studies have examined “less serious forms of violence,” such as bullying among these adolescents. This dissertation research, which is divided into three studies, aims to examine antecedents of bullying and peer victimization as well as psychosocial outcomes of peer victimization from a sample of 639 urban African American adolescents in Chicago’s Southside. The first study applies Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems perspective and explores factors that are correlated …

A Qualitative Study Of Reflective Supervision From The Supervisee Perspective: An Ecological View, Carla Caringi Barron

Wayne State University Dissertations

The infant mental health (IMH) field has identified reflective supervision (RS) as a clinically-supported, best-practice supervisory strategy to support professionals working with high-risk infants and their families, yet there is a paucity of empirical evidence to corroborate this view. This dissertation used a qualitative, cross-sectional, grounded theory design to investigate supervisee perspectives of RS. Semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews with 50 IMH professionals who were receiving reflective supervision were collected and analyzed with the goal of developing a deeper understanding of how supervisees operationalized RS and whether and how it impacted outcomes. Supervisees described essential components of RS as …

Domestic Violence And Parental Substance Misuse In Child Welfare-Involved Families, Bryan Gary Victor

Wayne State University Dissertations

Child welfare worker routinely screen for domestic violence and parental substance misuse given their association with child maltreatment and poorer foster care outcomes such as lower rates of family reunification and higher rates of system reentry. Although childhood exposure to either domestic violence or parental substance misuse in and of itself does not constitute maltreatment in most child welfare systems, workers may consider these factors in their decision-making and service planning when identified. A set of three studies are therefore presented here that sought to determine the impact of caseworker-identified domestic violence and substance misuse on decision-making and service planning …

Preparing To Parent: Mindfulness In Expectant Parents Exposed To Adversity, Laurel Marie Hicks

Wayne State University Dissertations

Expectant parents who have been exposed to psychosocial risk encounter deleterious psychological (Ashley et al., 2016), and physiological (V. H. Pereira, Campos, & Sousa, 2017) effects. This not only affects the parent-to-be, but also may affect the developing fetus (E. P. Davis et al., 2011) and is linked to poorer infant development (Lefmann & Combs-Orme, 2014). However, not all risk-exposed individuals experience this, many are resilient and still thrive in the face of adversity. Understanding potential risk and resiliency factors in expectant parents is advantageous, so tailored interventions can be devised to improve outcomes. One potential resiliency factor, mindfulness, is …

An Examination Of Quality Of Life Of Parents Of Adult Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christina Noel Marsack

Wayne State University Dissertations

Previous research on parental caregivers has focused primarily on caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, rather than focusing specifically on parents of adult children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most research on ASD has centered on parents of young children with this diagnosis, but not on parents of adult children with ASD. Understanding the experiences of parents caring for adult children with ASD is important given the increase in the prevalence of individuals with ASD and the lack of information regarding parents of adult children with ASD. A nonexperimental, quantitative, correlational design was used to examine effects …

Factors Associated With Primary Care Providers' Willingness To Deliver Routine And Transition Care To Transgender Individuals, Deirdre Aisling Shires

Wayne State University Dissertations

Transgender individuals report being denied healthcare services, but very little is known about primary care providers’ (PCP) willingness to deliver either routine or transition care to the transgender community. The purpose of this study is to examine PCP willingness to deliver routine care, continue a hormone therapy (HT) regimen initiated by another provider, and initiate HT for transgender patients using a theoretical framework informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior and Intergroup Contact Theory. The study sample was all family medicine, internal medicine, and women’s health providers in a large integrated Midwestern health system. Eligible participants were emailed a unique …

Evaluating Trauma-Informed Educational Practices With Trauma-Exposed, Female Students, Shantel Deanna Crosby

Wayne State University Dissertations

Youth who have experienced psychological trauma, such as court-involved youth, encounter unique challenges and barriers to their academic success (Burley & Halpern, 2001; Courtney et al., 2001; Courtney, Terao & Bost, 2004; Pecora et al., 2005). For court-involved students, many of whom come from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds (Brandt, 2006; Lawrence & Hesse, 2010; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013b), a school’s response to student behavior can further complicate these challenges (Cole et al., 2005). Unfortunately, little research exists on the educational well-being of female students in this population (Crenshaw, Ocen, & Nanda, 2015) and trauma-informed educational practices have …

Program Evaluation Of The Wayne State University (Wsu) Transition To Independence Program (Tip), Dinah Ayna

Wayne State University Dissertations

Background: A significant number of children in the US are placed in the child welfare system every year. Among the multiple negative outcomes associated with being in the foster care system is a wide academic achievement gap between foster students and the general population, as well as other disadvantaged groups (e.g. low income). Low academic achievement is particularly pronounced in college. The government and higher education institutions are recognizing these educational gaps and developing specialized programs to address the unique needs of foster students; however, the effectiveness of these programs remains unclear. This study aims at evaluating the effectiveness of …

Delinquency And Self-Control Outcomes For Youth In Middle Childhood: Variations By Neighborhood Context, Race And Gender, Takisha V. Lashore

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Delinquency and Self-Control Outcomes for Youth in Middle Childhood: Variations by Neighborhood Context, Race and Gender

by

TAKISHA V. LASHORE

August 2016

Advisor: Dr. Heather Dillaway

Major: Sociology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between neighborhood context factors and youth outcomes for youth in middle childhood in southeast Michigan, specifically in 6th grade. This study focused in on the notion that youth with high perceived neighborhood disorganization and feelings of threats to personal safety are more likely to have low self-control and exhibit delinquent activity. In addition, this study explored the …

Navigating The Transition Into Motherhood: Women's Experiences Of Control, Emotions, And Social Ideals, Jody Sue Sauer-Sargent

Wayne State University Dissertations

In this dissertation, I sought to give postpartum women their own voices so that they could help define the postpartum experience on their own terms. It fills important gaps within the literature on new mothers’ experiences. A phenomenological approach was used, emphasizing the lived experiences of the women, with an overlay of autoethnography, where the personal experience of the researcher becomes important primarily in how it illuminates the phenomenon being studied. Thus, my personal experience of pregnancy into early motherhood is interwoven throughout this dissertation. Forty-two women participated in the in-depth, face-to-face interview, followed by a questionnaire. The qualitative data …

What Impacts Life Satisfaction Of Aging Adults Following Stressful Life Events?: An Examination Of The Buffering Effect Of Personal Resources, Cassandra Barragan

Wayne State University Dissertations

Purpose: Existing research has shown that elders experience changes in their life satisfaction following stressful life events. There is an abundance of literature supporting the predictive nature of not only stressful life events on life satisfaction, but social support, autonomy, and financial security. What the literature is lacking, is examination of the buffering effect of social support, autonomy, and financial security on the relationship between stressful life events and life satisfaction. This study hypothesizes that increases in social support, autonomy, and financial security will buffer the impact of SLEs for elders and thus, they will experience increases in their life …

Trauma Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress, And Depression In A Community Sample Of First-Time Mothers, Mickey Sperlich

Wayne State University Dissertations

The adverse effects of posttraumatic stress and depression have separately been well-documented in the perinatal mental health literature. However, few studies have considered the comorbidity between trauma, posttraumatic stress and depression. This dissertation study brings attention to this comorbidity and explores implications of recent changes to diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder related to the ability to predict postpartum depression and impairments in mother/infant bonding. Following a conceptual framework which outlines the effects of violence and trauma on adverse childbearing outcomes, hypotheses were that many women with depression in pregnancy would endorse trauma and would be at risk for subthreshold …

The Influence Of Individual And Perceived Organizational Characterisitics On Teacher Interventions In Bullying Situations, Sarah Vanzoeren

Wayne State University Dissertations

Complex issues, such as bullying, have brought to light the importance of expanding school social work to include interventions focused on multiple levels of practice. Recognizing that teachers play an important role in influencing educational, social, and emotional outcomes for students, this study seeks to broaden our understanding of what motivates teachers to intervene in bullying situations in order to inform school social work practice as well as future anti-bullying programs and policies. A cross-sectional descriptive design was utilized to gather data from middle school teachers in ten districts across the state of Michigan (n=176). Participants completed an online survey …

Mental Disorders And Inequality In The United States: Intersection Of Race, Gender, And Disability On Employment And Income, Jessica K. Camp

Wayne State University Dissertations

Purpose: Existing research has shown that individuals with mental disorders experience inequality when looking at income, wages, and poverty in the United States. Still, there has been a dearth of literature exploring how individuals with mental disorders fare economically when exploring multiple inequalities. In this study disability, race, and gender are explored to examine differences in economic and labor market outcomes for Americans with mental disorders. This study hypothesizes that when looking at working-aged Americans, individuals with mental disorders will tend to experience the greatest amount of economic inequality when compared to individuals with non-mental disabilities and that these inequalities …

Collective Action For The Rights Of Sex Offenders: Evaluating Social Movement Organizations, Erin Comartin

Wayne State University Dissertations

Sex offender registration and community notification (SORN) policies have been instituted across the country to manage individuals in the community who have been convicted of a sex offense. A social movement, made up of registrants and their family members, has sprung up across the country to address the resulting consequences that have ensued from these policies. State organizations are now working towards policy change for these families. This dissertation conducted in-depth interviews with leaders of 19 of these social movement organizations (SMO) to explore the organizations' structure and resources, and the strategies they use to achieve desired policy outcomes. Three …

Child Welfare Professionals On Kinship Caregivers: Attitudes And Implications, Kimberly Ann Brisebois

Wayne State University Dissertations

In 2006, new policies mandated Ontario child welfare agencies to explore potential placements with kin when children are removed from their homes. The philosophical basis driving Ontario policy is the belief that family-based care is better for children. Despite the dramatic rise in the numbers of kinship homes, controversy continues to surround the mandated exploration of kin (Geen, 2003). Kinship policies have required shifts in child placement practices and have imposed changes in the beliefs, attitudes and norms of child welfare professionals. Early practitioners tended to pathologize kinship networks and worked from the belief that children required rescuing from abusive …

Neighborhood Risk And Protective Factors For Teenage Childbearing And Fathering, Jessica Lee Lucero

Wayne State University Dissertations

Background and Purpose:

Informed by ecological systems theory, social disorganization theory and social capital theory, this study investigates the neighborhood contexts associated with teenage childbearing and fathering for Latino and Black adolescents who resided in Denver public housing for a substantial period of time during their childhood. Specifically, I examine the extent to which teenage childbearing/fathering (between the ages of 15 and 19) are statistically related to various conditions in the neighborhoods in which these youth were raised. The purpose of this study is to examine how neighborhood effects may vary according to the timing and duration of neighborhood exposure. …

Barriers And Opportunities For Evidence-Based Practice: Curriculum Changes In Fieldwork And Classroom In Social Work Education, Anwar Najor-Durack

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to consider perceptions held by social work faculty and agency-based field instructors to incorporate EBP into social work student classroom and field placement experiences. This study identifies perceptions of social work faculty and field instructors about EBP, determines the extent to which social work faculty and field instructors incorporate and use EBP; and considers how organizational leadership and/or technology supports influence adoption and utilization of EBP. The population for this study included all full-time social work faculty members employed by three large public universities in southeast Michigan (Michigan State University [MSU], University of Michigan …

Racial/Cultural Identity Development In Foster Children Placed In Transracial Foster Homes, Vanessa Brooks Herd

Wayne State University Dissertations

This qualitative study was designed to identify how racial and cultural identity is developed and maintained in foster children who are placed in foster homes racially and culturally different than they are. The research questions included how the foster care system addresses racial identity issues and how foster parents assign meaning to the transracial foster care experience. Another area of interest was the preparation by the foster care system for foster parents to manage issues of racial identity. The pre-training curriculum for foster parents was subjected to a content analysis.

The Civic Engagement Of Latino Immigrants In The United States, Cristina Michele Tucker

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study employs acculturation and civic engagement theories to explain the incorporation and engagement of Latino immigrants in American society by examining how demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and characteristics of the immigrant experience, as moderated by acculturation and trust in government influence their civic engagement.

The core component of the study is a secondary data analysis of the 2006 Latino National Survey (Fraga et al., 2008). The study shows that some of the strongest predictors of civic engagement in the Latino immigrant community are citizenship, length of residence in the United States, level of education, household income, age, country of …

Children's Adaptive Psychological Functioning In The Face Of Adversity, Rebecca Wiersma

Wayne State University Dissertations

This explanatory research study is a secondary data analysis of the restricted release version of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) data. Only children from the CPS sample were used and included only children who were 48 months or younger at the time of the initial survey (N=1,582). At the time of the initial survey, only the caregivers of 406 children were able to complete the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)/2-3 because of age restrictions for that particular measure. Therefore, a subsample of 406 children with CBCL scores at Wave 1 and Wave 4 was extracted from the …

A Social Ecological Perspective On Diabetes Care: Supporting Adolescents And Caregivers, April Marie Idalski Carcone

Wayne State University Dissertations

The diabetes illness management regimen is complex and demanding, requiring daily motivation and self-control. Adolescents with diabetes face unique risks for which social support may be one protective factor. The importance of social support from family and friends is well documented in the literature. Support for the caregiver and support from the health care provider, conversely, are understudied. These four sources of social support, considered together, span the adolescent's micro-, meso-, and exosystems constituting a social ecological model of social support for diabetes. The primary aim of this study was to test this model. The hypotheses were that each source …

Bridging Social Capital Formation In A Faith-Based Organization, Angela Kaiser

Wayne State University Dissertations

Previous research on faith-based organizations suggest that these organizations are highly effective at forging relationships between individuals from different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, known as bridging social capital. This study examines the process of bridging social capital formation within MOSES, a faith-based organization located in Detroit, Michigan. Through the use of in-depth interviews, participant observation, archival research, and a member survey, I documented the forms of social capital present within the organization. I also explored whether bridging relationships were forming within the organization and the strategies that facilitated their formation. Diversity within the organization, recognition of member differences, and …

A Vignette Study Examining The Accuracy Of Diagnosis: The Role Of Patient And Practitioner Gender And Race Match, Kevin Johnson

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

DIAGNOSING MENTAL ILLNESS

By

KEVIN JOHNSON

2010

Advisor: Dr. Janet R. Hankin

Major: Medical Sociology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology

A convenience snowball sample of 228 mental health practitioners were surveyed and administered two vignettes of persons with mental illness and a 12-question survey that included occupational background and attitudinal questions about diagnosing mental illness. The gender and race of the patients were randomly altered, while the symptoms and characteristics of mental illness remained constant for each vignette. Each practitioner assigned a DSM-IV diagnostic label for axis I and axis II on both vignettes. The surveys were coded …