Social Work Commons^™

Addressing Violence In Public Schools Zero Tolerance Vs. Ecologically Based Programs: A Policy Analysis, Lee A. Lindsey Jr

Theses and Graduate Projects

Violence in public schools in the United States over the past decade has been a national and local concern. There are a number of schools in several States across the nation that have implemented violence prevention programs to address these concerns. Some States incorporate use predetermined consequences for specific violent behavior by implementing zero-tolerance approaches. Other States incorporate community resources to help solve the problem of violence within public schools. This thesis will take a look at the effectiveness of choosing approach over the other.

Pregnancy Counselors' Perceptions Of Disrupted Infant Adoptions, Michelle E. F Mayo

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study explores birth parents who changed their minds and removed their child from the adoptive home; what factors seemed influential in that decision; and what pregnancy counselors think could have prevented the disruption.

Eight pregnancy counselors participated in a semi-structured interview. The initial findings indicated that: (1) infant disruptions comprised a very small number of infant adoptive placements; (2) pregnancy counselors perceived that nothing could have been done to prevent the disruption, except mandatory foster care; and (3) the reasons that birth parents reverse their adoption decision are often complex and unforeseen.

Additional studies utilizing birth parents and …

Identifying Bias: A Cognitive Model, Jane M. Burnett

Theses and Graduate Projects

Social work students must develop a sophisticated ability to recognize bias in themselves and others to engage in culturally sensitive practice. Research was modeled on Latting's (1990) teaching model. MSW students participated in a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control groups design. Participants also evaluated the training.

Students' ability to identify bias was expected to increase following a training that explains the universality and functions of bias and provides a safe yet challenging context in which to critically examine bias. A large majority of respondents in the experimental group stated that their awareness of bias increased due to the training. However, quantitative results …

What Factors Influence The Racial Identity Development Of Young Biracial Adults, Jerry S. Dieffenbach

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study explored biracial identity development and the key factors that influence the racial identity development of biracial young adults. In this study biracial is defined as having parents who are African-American and Euro-American. The study participants were fourteen biracial college students between the age of 18 and 26. Data for the study was collected using indepth individual interviews. Participants' perceptions of when their racial identity emerged and their current attitudes about being biracial in todays society was also examined. The majority of participants reported that the right and opportunity of racial choice was a predominate issue that contributed to …

The Minnesota Vulnerable Adult Act Policy Analysis Of 1995 Reforms, Therese L. Buckley

Theses and Graduate Projects

Maltreatment of vulnerable adults is increasing at an alarming rate in the decade since the Minnesota Vulnerable Adult Act was passed in 1980. National estimates of elder maltreatment have risen by 50% in the last decade. Educated estimates of maltreatment are as high as 1.5 million incidents in the United States per year. The Minnesota legislature mandated in 1994 that the Minnesota Departments of Health and Human Services convene an advisory committee to make recommendations to the legislature on the means of preventing maltreatment of vulnerable adults. This thesis looks at the policy implications of the 1995 Minnesota Vulnerable Adult …

The Impact Of Peer Mediation On Student Mediators, Lisa Laehn

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative study sought to expand the current knowledge of how student mediators view themselves and how their involvement in a peer mediation program impacted them. Twenty-three students, from three different elementary schools in the Elk River School System, were individually interviewed. All subjects were between the ages of 10-13, were currently involved in a peer mediation program, and had been involved for at least six months The semi-structured interviews focused on subjects' views of the impact involvement in a peer mediation program had on their self-esteem, leadership skills, relationship skills, and school attitudes. Common themes addressed in the data …

Perceptions Of Social Workers On Factors Associated With Foster Care Outcomes, Larry L. Kollman

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this exploratory study is to elicit the perceptions of social workers on factors which may be associated with a stable reunification following discharge from foster family care. Twenty-four social workers from the Waterloo Region of The Iowa Department of Human Services completed a survey in which they identified their perception of reunification factors pertaining to the birth parents, foster parents, child, social worker, and agency. The findings suggest that the maintenance of the connection between the child and birth family, the child's development of healthy attachment experiences, an ecologically-based assessment, and the social worker's rapport with and …

A Needs Assessment For Parents Of Children With Developmental Disabilities, Susan E. Peterson

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the needs of parents of young children with developmental disabilities. The survey included 70 families served through Early Childhood Special Education. Data collection utilized the Family Needs Survey (Bailey & Simeonsson, 1990). Topics examined were: Information, Family and Social Support, Financial, Explaining to Others, Child Care, Professional Support, and Community Services. Findings indicated that parents have a high need for information about current and future services available for their children. Family and social support data indicated that parents have a need to find time for themselves. The financial needs parents reported were …

Development Of A Workshop Curriculum For Direct Service Professionals Serving People With Mental Retardation Who Have Challenging Behaviors, John J. O'Brien

Theses and Graduate Projects

A generation ago, care provided by a, institution was the primary model for providing services to persons with mental retardation. Today, most persons with developmental and other disabilities receive services within the context of typical community housing, work places, and schools. By June 1995, 92% of the 84,532 residential settings for people with mental retardation/developmental disabilities in the United States had six or fewer residents (Prouty and Lakin, 1996). As the number of community settings increase, there is a corresponding demand to train workers to provide direct care to people with mental retardation in community settings. Competent and comprehensive training …

The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Job Tenure, Jamey M. Whitney

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory quantitative study was conducted to ascertain the correlation between job satisfaction and job retention among employees from two different job settings. Seventy employees, thirty five from a public social service and thirty five from a private social service setting, completed a modified Job Satisfaction Survey developed by PauI E. Spector. The employee's responses to questions were developed to measure 9 facets of job satisfaction which were correlated with the demographic information of length of employment with their current employer. The intent was to determine, if any, the prominent characteristics that explain the reasons for their length of tenure …

Historical Analysis Of Past And Present Treatments Associated With Borderline Personality Disorder:, Jimmie Lee Willette

Theses and Graduate Projects

The following thesis examines the historical perspective of mental illness, leading to therapeutic interventions for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder. The need for improved interventions are reflected in treatment failure with both historical and traditional therapies, including repeated hospitalizations, self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts. This thesis uses the Systems Theory and Ecological Perspective to review and analyze past and present treatments, with special emphasis on the 'Dialectic Behavior Therapy,' (DBT) program initiated in 1993 exclusively for individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Medicaid Managed Care For Those With Disability: Analysis With Implications For Minnesota's Demonstration Project For People With Disabilities, Darrin P. Helt

Theses and Graduate Projects

Many states have recently begun enrolling Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities into prepaid managed care plans. The purpose of this study was to analyze various state programs in terms of reconciling access to quality health care services for the enrollee and the financial viability for both government entities and contracted health care plans with future policy implications for Minnesota's program for those with disabilities, the Demonstration Project for People with Disabilities (DPPD). This study involved the survey of published literature of existing state Medicaid managed care programs specifically serving those with disabilities. While the future prognosis is unclear, evidence shows that …

An Exploratory Study Of The Attitudes Among Hospital Social Workers In Relationship To Managed Care, Shelby M. Lawrence-Hinshon

Theses and Graduate Projects

Hospital social workers today face many challenges due to the swift and evolving scene of health care. To a large degree. managed care has been the primary force influencing health care in recent years. In fact, the inception and development of managed care has created new conditions for the hospital social worker. These conditions have meant greater responsibility as well as higher expectations for the hospital social worker. This exploratory study examined the current and future role of the hospital social worker, the functions performed and, the attitudes among hospital social workers in relationship to managed care. Results indicate that …

A Historical Analysis Of Corporal Punishment In American Public Schools, Cathy A. Hanson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This historical thesis analyzed information about corporal punishment in American public schools from the early 1900's to the present. This historical research study examined economic, social and political trends and explored the relationship they have with corporal punishment. The study examined children's behavioral expressions to which corporal punishment was designed to respond and evaluated the effectiveness of corporal punishment. The study found a relationship between students who live in poverty and displayed difficult behavioral expressions at school and the use of corporal punishment. Students who live in poverty experience corporal punishment in their school more often than their peers who …

Social Work Perceptions Of Job Satisfaction In Host And Primary Settings: A Comparative Analysis, Lorrie A. Busche

Theses and Graduate Projects

Job satisfaction can have personal and professional effects on social workers as well as the quality of service provided to clients. Structural variables such as supervision or role ambiguity may effect job satisfaction, but the intensity to which it effects the social worker may be different from setting to setting. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the contribution of selected factors associated with job satisfaction in two different settings. The research design for this exploratory study, is a cross-sectional mailed survey. A random sample of 75 social workers in host settings and primary settings were sent surveys. A …

Crisis Intervention And The State Comprehensive Mental Health Service Plan Act Of 1986 (P.L. 99-660): An Historical Analysis, Thomas J. Barron

Theses and Graduate Projects

Despite numerous contributions by theorists and crisis service providers in the field of crisis intervention, few reports have examined underlying legislation. This study reviews policy trends in past mental health legislation and crisis programs between 1840 to 1996. It focuses on the State Comprehensive Mental Health Plan Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-660) and describes the response to such legislation in Minnesota. An incremental policy process illustrates how crisis intervention services have evolved to be part of the array of comprehensive mental health services.

Coping Mechanisms Used By Socially And Emotionally Isolated Older Adults, Paulla Dechmann

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory and descriptive qualitative study was undertaken to examine the nature of social and emotional isolation as it impacts older adults by examining the coping mechanisms they use. The participants (N=15), clients of Senior Community Services and CommonBond Communities, completed a structured interview consisting of nineteen primarily open-ended questions. The study looked at the issues of social and emotional isolation as it was identified by participants, the amount of support they received, and the methods they used to cope with any recognized feelings of isolation. The survey identified those persons involved in the senior's life, how frequently contact was …

Burnout In School Social Workers, Carol L. F Davis

Theses and Graduate Projects

This quantitative study used survey research to explore the burnout level or degree of burnout experienced by school social workers and school social worker's relationship to burnout, caseload size, and multibuilding assignment. A survey of 95 school social workers in Ramsey County showed that most had a sense of personal accomplishment, felt connected to their clients and were not emotionally exhausted. The Maslach Burnout Inventory and demographic information were used to determine the burnout significance. The variables of caseload size and multibuilding assignment had no relationship with the bunnout scores. In addition, no relationship was found between the three subscales …

Long Term Implications On Male Children Who Witness Interparental Violence, Michelle M. Erlandson

Theses and Graduate Projects

The immediate effects of family violence on child witnesses are well documented. Even with this information children often do not receive any services particularly if they have not been physically harmed. What is less evident are the long term effects of, family violence on child witnesses. This study gathered data via a questionnaire from 25 males who were attending a domestic violence education program for assaulting their female partner. The questionnaire addressed childhood experiences such as the witnessing of parental violence, conflict resolution methods observed in childhood and discipline methods used in the home. Additionally, the questionnaire asked about current …

Self-Esteem Enhancement In Deaf And Hearing Women: Success Stories, Mary Catherine Holte

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study explores the process of self-esteem enhancement in 23 women, nine Deaf and fourteen hearing, for purposes of both individual and group comparison. The qualitative design examines material from in-depth interviews to generate themes relating to the ways in which these women have described the concept of, and enhanced, their self-esteem.

It was found that, while both Deaf and hearing women described self-esteem in conceptually-equivalent terms, a distinction was noted in specific words used by each of the two groups. A contrast was also found between the number of Deaf women who reported education as a factor in self-esteem …

Emerging Trends In Child Protective Work During The Progressive Era 1909-1929: Local Experience In A National Context, Michael J. Goldfarb

Theses and Graduate Projects

This historical analysis seeks to inform current

debate in child welfare practice through analysis of the

development of child protection work in the United States

during the Progressive Era. Analysis of case records and

social work debate suggests a shift occurred in the

intervention strategy used by social workers in their

approach to child protective work. Social workers shifted

from a social control model to a casework intervention

strategy in protective work. Case records from the

Children's Protective Society of Hennepin County in the

1920s depict a combination of both intervention strategies

being utilized simultaneously.

Interracial Adoption: In Whose Best Interest Is It?, Pamela L. Beyer

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study investigated the impact of interracial adoption on adjustment, self-esteem, and racial identity among Korean adoptees who were adopted into Euro-American families, as related by the adoptees. Twelve respondents between the ages of 18 and 22 answered survey questions relating to their self-concept, their involvement in cultural activities, problem areas as a result of their interracial adoption, adoptive parents' characteristics and responsibilities, and the roles of social workers. Respondents indicated that their adoptive parents' sensitivity as well as involvement and education in Korean culture was important and should be the focus of recruitment and training efforts by social workers.

Farm Women's Roles And Their Experience Of Role Strain And Role Enhancement, Diane Dunn

Theses and Graduate Projects

Studies exploring farm women roles were limited to data of the 1980s utilizing the scarcity approach to role theory. This study expands on research by exploring farm women's roles today utilizing both the scarcity and expansion approaches. Random sampling of 81 farm women ages 26-78 were drawn from the Pipestone County Farm Service's mail-listing. Data was analyzed using JMP Statistical Data Analysis. The study revealed that farm women continued to fulfill roles involved with family, farming, and off-farm employment at rates similar/greater (employment) to those in the '80s. Findings also suggested that farm women experience both strains and enhancements from …

The Influence Of External Factors In The Overrepresentation Of African American Males In Minnesota Special Education Programs, Lynn K. Lewis

Theses and Graduate Projects

Nationally African American males are disproportionately represented in special education programs. The city of Minneapolis closely mirrors the national trend in this regard. According to the Minneapolis Board of Education black males represent 40 percent of the enrollees in the learning disability, and educational behavior disorder classrooms, even though they are only 21 percent of the total school population. Research in this area is important because if black males are inappropriately assessed for special education placements, it may lead to the following: 1) academic and social segregation from their mainstream peers; 2) inappropriate labeling and education of African American males; …

Adolescents' Perceptions Of Their Relationship With Family Members, John L. Upshaw

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory quantitative study examined adolescents' perceptions of their relationship, in terms of interpersonal boundaries, with family members. The literature review revealed different types of boundaries and boundary positions. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale was the instrument utilized for assessing the adaptability. (EACES II) The questions this study answers include how the adolescents' boundary position, in terms of cohesion, and boundary adaptability effects delinquency and school achievement? Also, how do religious activities of the adolescents effect delinquency and school achievement? Self-survey questionnaires and FACES II inventories were administered at two separate high schools. The findings revealed connected family cohesion …

The Relationship Between Recreational Activity And Dementia Behavior: An Exploratory Study, Nicole Schueller

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study explores the effects recreational activity has on specific dementia behaviors such as wandering, pacing, agitation, calling out and repetitive verbal comments of 15 nursing home residents with dementia. Previous research indicated that too often a resident exhibiting a dementia behavior warranting the need for a restraint is treated with a physical or chemical restraint without careful consideration of the meaning of the behavior. The ethical dilemma of using restraints suggests the need to find alternatives to restraint usage. The study examines how activities affect agitation levels of the residents.

This research consisted of an observational study of 15 …

Grief And Loss Issues And Women's Drinking Patterns, Joyce M. Halstrom

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory, qualitative study was undertaken to explore the relationship of grief and loss and women's drinking patterns. The literature review focused on major contributors of grief work, theoretical frameworks of the grieving process, and an overview of alcoholism in women. Ten women who were recovering from alcoholism in a half-way house were interviewed using open-ended, semi-structured questions. The interviews focused on the respondents' drinking patterns, their grief and loss issues, and the treatment of those issues in their chemical dependency treatment program. Implications for social work practice is included. Results indicate the importance of prevention, intervention, and education of …

The Transition From Adolescence To Adulthood For People With Cystic Fibrosis, Marykay Lannon Palmer

Theses and Graduate Projects

Cystic fibrosis (CF) has long been thought of as a childhood disease due to the shortened life span of its victims. Due to advances in medical research, the life expectancy for those with CF has been steadily on the rise to the current median life expectancy of 30 years. There has been extensive medical research on CF in adulthood but little or no research on the impact of CF on becoming an adult. This exploratory, qualitative study examined the perceptions of adults with CF regarding the impact the disease has had on their lives, especially during the transition from adolescence …

The Salvation Army: A Study Of Organizational Culture And Type, Susan S. Gotzman

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study of The Salvation Army examined the relationship between the organizational character type and management style related to models of communication and decision making. The research statement of this study on the organizational character type of The Salvation Army indicates its capacity to involve personnel in communication and decision making processes. Carl Jung's psychological type theory provides the theoretical framework. Jung's theory explains human behavior in terms of individual preferences for acquiring information and making decisions. The Organizational Character Index, a Jungian typing instrument adapted to an organizational context, is used to determine the organizational character type. A sample …

Bereavement Support In Central And West-Central Minnesota Schools: An Exploratory Study, Brenda K. Wiese

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study explored the need for services for school-aged children who have experienced the death of a close family member. Grieving parents and other adult caregivers may have difficulty supporting and assisting these children through the grief process. School social workers from fourteen school districts in central and west-central Minnesota were involved in this study. The results showed that the schools provide services which deal with children' s grief issues. Other needs as identified by the social workers included: 1) increased school social workers to support these students; 2) additional trainings in the area of working with grieving children; and …