Social Work Commons^™

The Link Between Foster Youth And Teachers Using Empowerment: Do Trusting Relationships Improve Outcomes?, Rosio Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study presents findings on elementary teacher’s relationship with foster youth, whether teachers are able to use an empowerment approach to build trust and improve outcomes. This study was quantitative and measured the key variables through a descriptive design. Specifically using Qualtrics which tested the key variables of empowerment, trust, and improved outcomes. Also, Qualtrics described the findings through bar graphs and the researcher interpreted this through univariate statistics specifically. Significant findings were found towards teachers making a positive impact on foster youth.

Understanding The Factors That Influence College Success For Former Foster Youth Within The California Community College, Rowana Thompson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore and identify the attitudes and perceptions of faculty, staff and administrators within a California community college system on what promotes academic success for former foster youth enrolled in courses at that college campus. Participants for this study were contacted via the college’s email list serve in which they were asked for consent to participate in the study’s electronic survey.

A total of 41 respondents participated in the study and provided responses to the self-administered questionnaire that was sent campus wide to the college’s faculty, staff and administrators. This research study was conducted …

Cal State San Bernardino Social Work Students' Attitudes Toward Domestic Minor Sex-Trafficked (Dmst) Youth, Crystal Lorraine Marinelli, Andrea Sara Hunt

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) affects hundreds of thousands of youth every year. In the past, DMST youth were often viewed by law enforcement and the criminal justice system as "offenders" and were usually arrested for solicitation even though they were minors. While new laws have begun to identify youth as victims, it has not yet been ensured that social workers have adopted this perspective. This quantitative study's purpose was to examine Cal State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) Bachelor of Social Work (BASW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) students' attitudes toward DMST youth. Participants completed an online questionnaire using …

Does Spirituality Reduce The Effects Of Burnout?, Andrew Godoy, Nathan Allen

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout is a topic that is drawing an increasing amount of attention in the social work field. The compassion and emotional energy that is used daily by these service providers can cause them to experience emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. The effects of burnout are detrimental on several levels. Staff will experience decreased interest and efficiency in their work and may even leave their place of employment. Clients will not receive the help that they require and agencies will suffer from staff turnover and lowered productivity. Utilizing a survey including a burnout inventory and spirituality inventory, data was …

Assessing Master Of Social Work Students' Interest In Gerontology, Shelly-Ann Rosemarie Whyte

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study was conducted to assess Masters of social Work students’ interest in gerontology. Students’ gerontological knowledge, attitude and experience with the aging population was examined to see if they have any influence on interest in working with older adults. The positivist worldview was used to identify students’ behavior toward older adults while checking to see if correlates to interest in working with that population. Survey questionnaire was used to collect information on student’s interest in working with older adults, their knowledge, attitude and experience. Modified versions of Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) and Kogan’s Attitude Toward Old People …

Strategies And Substance Treatment: Perceptions Of Older Adults 60 And Over, Kim Malveo Jones

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gather the perceive strategies and substance treatment needs of adults 60 and over. To examine what recovery treatment models and strategies could be most effective for the age-related complex needs of the 60 and over population who are at risk for substance misuse, use or abuse. In the coming years, there will be a substantial increase in the numbers of older adults with substance misuse and abuse problems. Even though one in five individuals who experience substance abuse are older adults many clinicians remain ill equipped to serve older clientele, and particularly those …

Social Work Students Attitudes Towards Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Foster Youth, Katarina Kolde, Daniel Benitez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine and assess social work students’ attitudes towards working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) clients and identifying factors that would affect such attitudes. LGBT individuals face increased risk factors as opposed to their non-LGBT peers and are disproportionately over-represented in the foster care system. This study assessed California State University, San Bernardino Social Work student's attitudes towards working with LGBT clients through the use of self-administered questionnaires. The data acquired from such quantitative surveys was analyzed utilizing Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 23. Results yielded that sexual orientation, …

Contributing Factors To Burnout Development In The Mental Health Field: A Systematic Review, Ashley D. Newman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

A significant amount of previous research has addressed burnout among mental health professionals who work with individuals with severe and persistent mental disorders. Multiple issues can contribute to burnout including organizational factors, severity of client diagnosis, and low quality supervision (Lasalvia et al., 2009, Ballenger-Browning et al., 2011, Kozlawska, Nunn, & Cousens, 1997). The purpose of this study is to identify the most critical elements of burnout among public mental health professionals. This study is a systematic review, using 10 key articles, of existing literature on elements of burnout and contributing factors to developing burnout in public mental health professionals. …

Foster Youth And Higher Education, Natalie Renee Hoover, Samantha Coyne Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In this study, 10 former/current foster youth were interviewed about their foster care experiences by examining factors that contributed them from pursuing higher education and factors that may have influenced them from not pursuing higher education. Data collection occurred throughout Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The results of the study found that there were four themes, which presented to be factors that are influential in foster youth pursuing or not pursuing higher education. These themes are centered on the environment, support factors, the foster youths drive and types of services that they received while in foster care. The results of …

Batterer Intervention Programs: A Research Project, Megan L. Lewis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The engagement process in group therapy is a significant step in the treatment of clients in building feelings of safety and inclusion, which becomes challenging when the clientele is attending involuntarily. The following research project monitored the progress of a 20-week batterer intervention program, measuring the perceived effectiveness of the facilitator in engaging the clients, and the congruency of the facilitator’s and the participants perceived level of engagement. The observations of groups and the facilitator’s interview proved helpful in determining that group members and the facilitator did have likeminded perceptions of group engagement, but perception of the level at which …

Church Based Interventions With Human Trafficking In Southern California: A Denomination Study, Michael Dale Dewit

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus for this research project was to explore the development of human trafficking mercy ministries within South Coast Presbytery. South Coast Presbytery consists of 21 churches belonging to the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian denomination with member churches throughout the United States. The study was conducted following a constructivist paradigm with a PCA church belonging to South Coast Presbytery to determine the role of the church and the presbytery in addressing human trafficking through the development of mercy ministries. Interviews were conducted with 11 church members. Five major themes emerged from analysis of the interviews: 1) Effects …

Exploring The Relationship Between Occupational Burnout And The Behavioral Well-Being Of Social Workers, Damian A. Pisapia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between occupational burnout and the behavioral well-being of social workers. Burnout is a multidimensional syndrome where workers experience feelings of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment as a consequence of work related stress and overwhelming job demands. Burnout can negatively affect organizational functioning, work performance, and pose significant health risks to workers. There are a limited number of studies focusing on the impact of occupational burnout on the behavioral well-being of workers. The findings of this study indicated that there was a significant relationship between burnout …

Testing The Effectiveness Of Mental Health Crisis Intervention Team Training: A Collaborative Partnership Among County Services And Law Enforcement Officers, Peter A. Caro

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training program is a community partnership that provides education, understanding, interventions, relationships, and protection for responding officers, individuals in crisis and the community. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of CIT training amongst law enforcement officers in reducing stigmatizing attitudes and opinions on mental illnesses. The study uses a dependent means t-test to test the study participant’s attitudes and opinions on mental illnesses using a pre/post-test survey. A modified version of the Attitudes to Severe Mental Illness Scale was used to measure attitudes, beliefs, and opinions of mental illness. This …

Social Workers' Perception Of The Negative Effects Of Labeled Patients, Jessie Groth

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research explored social worker’s perception of the services received among patients labeled with a diagnosis or labeled negatively, such as non-compliant, in comparison to non-labeled patients in a medical setting. Data for this project were gathered through seven in person interviews with social workers. The participants were all social workers in a medical setting at different DaVita Dialysis centers throughout San Bernardino County. The participants experience and education level ranged from master level social work interns to licensed clinical social workers. The findings indicated that the social workers do believe patients with diagnoses do not receive the same level …

Master Of Social Work Students' Attitudes Towards Transracial Adoptions, Luis Flores, Matthew Ford

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explored Master of Social Work students’ attitudes towards transracial adoptions (TRA). The literature suggests that when children of color are transracially adopted, they are often deprived of the opportunity to learn and express their birth culture, and to develop a strong sense of self. The researchers decided to survey this population because MSW students are future foster and adoptive professionals. As such, they will have the opportunity to directly influence macro policies around TRA and adoptive families in micro practice. The researchers utilized a quantitative self-administered survey, with thirty-three questions to ascertain the attitudes of a diverse pool …

Non-Pharmacological Treatments For Children And Adolescents Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Clara Delgado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project aims to identify and acknowledge the various non-pharmacological interventions and treatments for both children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. This review will highlight the non-pharmacological interventions that are discussed in current research, the significance and potential impact it has on the field of social work, and the way in which this research proposal will be conducted.

ADHD is a commonly known neurodevelopmental disorder that is often seen within children and adolescents. ADHD can be treated through prescription medication, non-pharmacological interventions, or a combination of both. Research indicates that non-pharmacological treatments/interventions have shown positive side effects or outcomes …

Latinos' Knowledge And Perceptions Towards Child Protective Services, Ana R. Gracian, Yanni Aguilar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined the knowledge and perceptions of the Latino population in Southern California towards Children Protective Services (CPS). Modern representation of social workers from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), or Child Protective Services (CPS) often do not complement, support, or value the profession. This is a quantitative study with a sample of 103 Hispanic/Latino individuals ranging from the ages of 18 to over 60. An online Qualtrics survey was disseminated through social media and in person. It included a total of 26 questions measuring knowledge and perceptions. The purpose of this study was to better understand …

Trauma-Informed Interventions For Sexual Exploitation And Their Effectiveness On The Exit Process: An Empirical Review, Lorraine M. Armenta-Buelna

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In recent years much effort has been dedicated to the purpose of combating commercial sexual exploitation yet there is a lack of concise and comprehensive information on the effectiveness of strategies and interventions to help this population. Research in this field has helped define and illuminate consequences of this lifestyle. The existing literature points to the complexity of the population's needs and the challenges faced when trying to leave 'the life' however there is a dearth of information on what works. The purpose of this project is to identify and summarize the findings of any empirical studies which evaluate interventions …

Social Worker Perceptions Of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Melanie Woolen

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study examines factors that influence a social worker’s willingness to utilize animals in therapy, specifically equine assisted psychotherapy. Equine assisted psychotherapy is an experiential therapy involving horses for the treatment of mental and behavioral health issues. The study uses quantitative data. The sample population is Bachelors of Social Work (BSW) and Masters of Social Work (MSW) students attending a University in Southern California. The participants were provided an electronic self-administered survey through their University email account. The data collected was analyzed and the results were provided to the University. The results indicate a relationship between several variables, such …

The Challenges That Promotores Face When Implementing Their Programs, Alejandra Santana

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the challenges that community health workers or Promotores face when implementing their programs to produce better outcomes in the Latino community. Data collection was derived from five local promotores with an adequate knowledge base of expertise in promotores programs. Study themes focused on how promotores implement their programs, the challenges they face and providing professional and personal insight on working with the Latino community. Present day research emphasizes that promotores or the community health worker model approaches have been promoted as a strategy to address health disparities experienced by Latino communities in the U.S. These programs …

Social Work Students' Knowledge Of Interventions For Homeless Female Veterans, Bryan J. Gomez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In this study, the focus was on Social Work students’ knowledge about interventions concerning homeless female veterans. The study was conducted from a Positivist Perspective with a theoretical orientation centered on the Feminist Theory. The literature review focused on risk factors associated with homeless female veterans along with their protective factors. Issues involving homeless female veterans were explored along with possible interventions. The study was conducted through an online survey and included participants from California State University, San Bernardino.

Participants were from both the Bachelor’s and Master’s Social Work program and attended classes full-time on campus, part-time on campus and …

Social Work Students Ability To Identify Signs Of Autism In Children, Heather Nicole Hopkins

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of students in the Master of Social Work (MSW) program to correctly identify signs of autism in children by completing a survey. This research project was conducted in collaboration with California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) and the MSW program by using MSW students as participants. The study used a survey designed with items that measured the knowledge of participants. The results of this study may be beneficial to the Director of Social Work, future MSW students, and professors to examine how well the current MSW program is preparing students …

Substance Use Counselors' Perceptions Of Effective Treatment Modalities For Women With Children, Sally I. Gonzales, Jessica Monique Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) conducted a study and determined that approximately one-third to two-thirds of child neglect cases had some form of substance abuse related to the case. Further, it is reported that women who use alcohol or drugs are two times more likely to lose custody of their children than non- using mothers. The purpose of this study is to examine which treatment modalities substance use counselors find most effective when treating women with children. This study utilized a qualitative design asking eight open ended questions to fourteen substance use counselors employed at Prototypes …

Strategies And Coping Mechanisms Utilized By Nicu And Picu Social Workers To Prevent Primary Trauma, Secondary Trauma Stress, Compassion Fatigue And Burnout, Amy Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit social workers are a particularly vulnerable group of professionals due to their chronic exposure to trauma. Current research has overlooked how social workers specifically can adopt certain strategies and coping mechanisms to prevent the symptoms associated with primary trauma, secondary trauma stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Thus, the study that follows was designed to explore the strategies and coping mechanisms utilized by NICU and PICU social workers. Data for this project was collected through the use of open-ended questions in an electronic survey format and analyzed through a conventional content analysis …

Latino Parent Perception In School Involvement And Behavior Issues In The Elementary Classroom, Denisse Medina

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore whether Latino parent perception of their involvement in their elementary child’s education affect their child’s behavior in the classroom. Previous research has demonstrated that parent involvement in education enhances the academic, socioemotional, and behavioral outcomes of children (Matingly et al., 2013). The current study utilized the qualitative method to examine Latino parent perception of school involvement and its relationship to child’s classroom behavior. Results from interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Findings of this study suggest that a relationship exists between parent perception of involvement in child’s education and child’s classroom behavior. Findings …

Clinical Social Workers’ Perspectives On Illicit Drug Use And The Development Of Psychotic Disorders, Asma Naseer

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This purpose of this study was to explore social workers’ perspectives of drug-induced psychosis. More specifically, it sought to determine how knowledgeable clinical social workers are on the impact illicit drug use on the development of psychotic disorders. The study also aimed to discover clinical social workers’ perspectives regarding the influence of illicit drug use on the development of psychotic illnesses. This study used mixed methods approach in attempt to solve the research question. The quantitative portion of the research, an anonymous survey, allowed for the assessment of social workers’ knowledge of drug-induced psychosis. The qualitative portion of the research, …

The Role Gender Plays For Heterosexual Single Parents Interacting With Social Workers, Andreanna Royelle King

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social workers interact with a variety of individuals in the field. In their profession social workers are to adhere to a Code of Ethics that ensure every client is treated equally. There are some under-represented populations that do not receive the same services when they interact with social workers in various systems; heterosexual single fathers are amongst this group. This study was conducted to identify if there was a gender bias amongst social work students working with heterosexual single parents. The researcher hypothesized that the participants in the study would favor single mothers and inadvertently offer more services to them. …

Transracial Foster Families: Social Workers Perspective On Cultural Competence, Jordan L. Swartz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following research proposal was meant to identify concerns and desired resources for transracial foster families based on the perspective of social workers. This study utilized a qualitative design and included face-to-face interviews with social workers currently working at Ark Homes Foster Family Agency. Interviews included nine social workers who had clients who were transracial foster families. Data analysis included audio recordings and written documentation. Transcription of all interviews followed after data collection was received. Findings from this study showed that social workers working with transracial foster families felt culturally competent to provide information to their clients. This study also …

Undergraduate Social Work College Students And Aids And Hiv, Breeanna Edwards

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This proposal discusses some of the stigmas about the transmission of HIV and AIDS, its spread amongst college students and how it can be reduced through the efforts of social work. It attempts to discover these concepts to garner a general view of all unfavorable attitudes, lack of knowledge, perceptions of whether a person is infected or not, risky sexual behaviors and social influence for social workers to better understand the root cause of its rise. The primary problem is the rise of the HIV and AIDS virus amongst the college population. Through surveys and interpreting quantitative data, it is …

Poor Attachment And The Socioemotional Effects During Early Childhood, Ashiko E. Newman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

A significant focus is placed on positive outcomes for children in today’s society. However, mental health clinicians attest that poor attachments, during early childhood, are likely to have negative effects on a child’s long-term outcomes. By using the post-positivist paradigm, 10 mental health clinicians were interviewed and each provided their perspectives regarding the negative social skills and emotional regulations of young children, when parents fail to appropriately bond with their children, during their early years. Their ideas were formulated, connected, and structured to develop a theoretical statement. The resulting theory focused on the parent’s ability to develop and strengthen the …