Social Work Commons^™

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 …

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. …

A Systems Approach To Revenue Fluctuation In Nonprofit Human Service Organizations, Joshua James Hunter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nonprofit Human Services Organizations (NPO) are normally considered to do all they can to work toward providing clients with optimal services (Bowman, 2011). What has not been considered is the possibility that NPOs sometimes allocate more revenue toward accumulating profit than toward generating services. This study used IRS 990 Forms of 150 private nonprofits from 2009 to 2010 to investigate whether NPOs did this at the peak of the recent recession, a time when there was a strong need for NPOs to increase their level of services. Results showed revenue increased 56%, services increased 1.4%, profit increased 43%, operating margin …

Cultural Competency In Medical Social Work With Elders, Alexandra Pray

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this research study is to gain a better understanding of the importance of implementing cultural competency when working in medical settings with the older adult population. This is a qualitative exploratory study. To complete this study, six semi-structured interviews were completed with licensed social workers who are working in a medical setting and also have experience working with the older adult population. All LSW’s and LGSW’s who participated in this study currently work in the Twin Cities area. The researcher completed a brief literature analysis related to the impact of cultural competency within medical settings when working …

The Crucible Of Orthodoxy And Orthopraxy: Examining The Intersections Of Social Justice, Moral Development And Theology, Eydie Dyke Shypulski

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to better understand the relationship between moral development, theology and social justice within a Christian context. An apparent disconnect exists regarding how people of faith apply personal morals and theological perspectives when positioning themselves with regard to public policy and social justice issues. The researcher sought to extract information that would have implications for professional social practice, social work ethical and practice pedagogy, for faith-based institutions of higher learning and for the broader Christian community. A theological reflection included a brief examination of Aristotelian and Thomistic philosophies of moral and ethical development followed by …

Examining The Role Of Emotional Intelligence In The Work And Life Balance Of Foster Care Workers, Pamela Applewhite Applewhite

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Foster care workers are an important part of the social service system, as they are the first line of support for children without families or who have been subjected to tragic events leading to their need for foster care. Foster care workers often experience work-life boundary issues due to the emotional nature of their work. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between (a) emotional intelligence and absenteeism and (b) emotional intelligence and work-life balance with foster care workers. Data was collected from foster care workers in the state of South Carolina employed with the Department …

The Risk Of Risk: An Exploration Of The Impact Of “Risk” On Child Welfare Decision-Making, Jill K. Stoddart

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Objective: In this paper, child welfare decision-making is critically assessed in relation to Beck’s (1992) concept of ‘risk society’. Three key decisions made by child welfare workers during the initial investigation are examined in order to illustrate how risk influences the type of investigative approach used, the determinations about child maltreatment, and the services provided to children and families and to link theory with policy and practice.

Methods: The three exploratory studies all utilize secondary data from several cycles of the Ontario Incidence Study, which collects information directly from frontline child protection workers about incidence of reported maltreatment. Two studies …

Classism In The Therapeutic Alliance : Implications For Clinical Social Work Practice, Taylor Millard

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study was an exploration of the impact of classism in the therapeutic alliance, specifically from a power, privilege, and oppression framework, and with attention to participants’ salient intersecting identities. Twelve clinicians, who identified with working class backgrounds and who had engaged in therapy as both clinicians and clients, engaged in semistructured qualitative interviews. The findings indicated that classism was salient to participants’ intersectional subjectivities and to their experiences in the field. Significantly, participants all named experiences in which a systemic lack of attention to classism and/or social class identities led them to feel alienated and silenced as students, …

Workplace Bullying In Kuwait, Hamad A. Alaslawi

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Workplace bullying (WPB) is a pervasive problem in contemporary society, inflicting detrimental repercussions upon employees, employers, and organizations alike. It affects the physical, psychological, and financial wellbeing not only of its victims, but also their families, their communities, and society as a whole.

Research into this phenomenon has evolved significantly over the past two decades. While related to the physically violent phenomenon of schoolyard bullying, WPB is primarily a psychological phenomenon, manifesting as abusive power in workplace relationships, rather than as interpersonal conflict. Bullying at work comes in many forms, has many faces, and occurs in many places. It ranges …