Social Work Commons^™

School-Based Suicide Prevention Program For Lgbtq Students, Ching Lok Tse

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: The study focused on the school-based suicide prevention program for LGBTQ students. It aimed to identify risk factors facing LGBTQ students and examine the areas for improvements on the current suicide prevention program to better support LGBTQ students.

Methods: The study was conducted with the support of mental health professionals serving high school students. The study adopted post-positivism and utilized ecological systems theory as the theoretical orientation. Qualitative research instruments including one-on-one interviews were employed for data collection.

Results: Seven themes emerged from this study, including the lack of social support and acceptance, internal struggles with identity in heteronormative …

Political Attitudes, Outward Aggression, And Self-Directed Violence, Christopher Holloway

All Student Scholarship

Violence has increased at political events and marches in the last several years, particularly during the Trump presidency and marked by the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Research has been conducted on approval of political violence, but little is known about political attitudes and how they relate to the likelihood of engaging in everyday generulized violence. Furthermore, violence against others and violence against the self, such as suicide, are usually treated and studied separately. This study hopes to identify what relationships, if any, exist between political attitudes and violence, both outward and self-directed. Participants (N : 153) completed …

Coping With Sibling Suicide: The Experiences Of Saint Lucians Of African Descent, Charmaine Hippolyte Emmanuel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe loss of a loved one to death is difficult. However, the loss to suicide entails increased pain and anguish due to the stigma attached to suicide. Sibling loss to suicide is a global concern as individuals can experience complicated grief reactions, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideations. These health concerns can negatively impact the individuals’ health and general well-being in the absence of healthy coping mechanisms. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Saint Lucians of African descent. The participants were 20 to 60 years old and had lost a sibling to …

Rural Suicide: A Three Manuscript Dissertation Utilizing The National Violent Death Reporting System, James Watts

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Purpose: Rural residents and veterans are at a greater risk of death by suicide but there is little research to compare rural versus urban suicide decedents. There is also a lack of research specific to rural veteran suicide. This three-manuscript dissertation study explores 1. epidemiology of suicide specific to rural areas comparing rural veterans to rural non-veterans 2. veteran suicide decedents that lived in rural areas compared to veterans that live in urban areas and 3. How the continuum of rurality is related to demographic and circumstantial variables associated with suicide Methods: Data was obtained from the Centers for Disease …

Measuring Teacher Self-Efficacy In Addressing Pupil Mental Health Post Assembly Bill 2246, Samantha J. Ross, Christel Salas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Assembly Bill 2246, known as the pupil suicide prevention policies, was implemented into law at the start of the 2017-2018 academic school year. This legislation mandates that all secondary schools in the state of California implement a suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policy for at-risk students. Assembly Bill 2246 specifically recognizes the role of teachers in addressing pupil mental health and aims to provide support through policy. The purpose of this study is to measure teacher self-efficacy in addressing pupil mental health post Assembly Bill 2246. This study’s research design is comprised of a quantitative, pretest/posttest model using an independent …

National Guard Members With Suicide Ideation: The Impact Of Stigma, Mental Health, And Trauma History On Treatment-Seeking Outcomes, Amy Brown

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Background. Veterans are overrepresented among suicide deaths in the United States, representing 20% of annual suicide deaths but only about 1% of the U.S. population (Department of Veteran Affairs, 2010). Of all military suicide deaths in 2016, one-third (33.4%) were in the National Guard or Reserves (Department of Defense, 2018). Previous suicidal ideation or behavior (SIB) has been shown to increase risk of subsequent ideation or behavior in both active duty and veteran samples (Bryan, Rudd, & Wertenberger, 2016; Hazlett et al., 2016) but studies of SIB specific to National Guard service members were not found.

Access and Barriers to …

Social Work’S Contribution To Research Regarding Suicide Among African Americans, Darius Reed

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Suicide among African Americans has increased significantly in the past 15 years, yet it remains a neglected topic in social work research. Social workers are the largest direct provider of mental health services in the United States. However their valuable person-in-environment perspective has not been incorporated into research to provide insight on ways to decrease incidents of suicide among African Americans. This systematic review examines social work’s contribution to suicide research while focusing on the social context in which African Americans live. The systematic review also examines protective factors specific to African Americans that can be used to mitigate suicide …

Understanding The Experiences Of School Social Workers In The Upper And Lower Peninsulas Of Michigan: Adolescent Mental Health And Suicidality, Paige Lancour

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Bullying and suicide is one of the most important contemporary issues among school-aged youth in America today. Chronic rates of mental health issues have stimulated increased focus on the role that school social workers have in tackling these issues. This thesis highlights the interconnections between school social worker roles, funding allocations, resource availability, and the prevalence of bullying and suicidality within schools. It does this by comparing the experiences of five school social workers in the rural Upper Peninsula and urban Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It does this through the analysis of interviews with these social workers and the identification …

The Ethics Of Dying : An Exploration Of The Right To Suicide And Clinician Response To Self-Determination And Suicidal Ideation Among Adults Who Struggle With Mental Illness, Shelley Bair

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This paper explores the question: What beliefs, values and assumptions do social workers hold when assessing whether or not a person who is a mental health client has the right to suicide? The current literature reveals that individuals struggling with physical disorders deemed extreme and untreatable are likely to be accepted as rational grounds for suicide. Underrepresented in extant research is the critical examination of the desire to die as a rational versus pathological and treatable response to mental health concerns. The study question is examined, in part, through the lens of the Code of Ethics presented by the National …

Factors Associated With Suicide Risk In Female Service Members And Veterans, Christine Mcdonough

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

In an effort to understand suicide risk among female veterans, this research sought to examine any associations between suicide risk with possible risk and protective factors. The study included sixty self-identified female veterans and service members (n = 60). Participants identified primarily as Caucasian/White (76.7%) but included participants who identified as African-American/Black, Latino, Asian, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial; ages ranged from 24 to 64 (M = 37.51). All types of service and branches of service, excluding U.S. Coast Guard, were represented. This study utilized an anonymous online survey which was primarily quantitative but also included two qualitative questions to …

Exploring The Impact Of Mental Health On Infant Growth In Urban West Bengal, India :: A Retrospective Cohort Study Exploring The Association Of Mental Health Status Of Parents With A Deterioration In Weight For Age Z Score (As An Indicator Of Under-Nutrition) Of Children Under The Age Of 4 In A Cohort Living In An Impoverished Urban Community In West Bengal, India, Noah E.C. Levinson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Underweight malnutrition is considered the underlying contributing factor in 45% of all child deaths worldwide. Employing a retrospective cohort study design, we explored the association of mental illness symptoms of parents with a deterioration in weight for age z score (as an indicator of under-nutrition) of their children under the age of 4 in a cohort living in an impoverished urban community in West Bengal, India. Results, inconsistent with other studies, indicate that the association is not statistically significant among the studied population. The likely explanation is the intensive, multi-faceted nutrition interventions of Calcutta Kids, an organization working for many …

Suicide Attempts From Adolescence Into Young Adulthood: A System Dynamics Perspective For Intervention And Prevention, Saras Yu Chung

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though the reduction of suicide-related deaths has been a national priority for over a decade (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001) and over $22 million per year (National Institutes of Health, 2015) have been invested to prevent suicide, rates of suicide have not declined (CDC, 2012). In fact, for some groups of adolescents, these rates seem to be on the ride (Wasserman, Cheng, & Jiang, 2005). The ineffectiveness in reducing deaths by suicide despite increased funding and coordinated efforts suggests the need for a new perspective on examining why and how adolescents begin to desire and attempt suicide …

Social Workers’ Duty To Report Dangers Via Social Media: A Systematic Review, Katy Kolstad

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This systematic review aimed to evaluate social workers’ obligations to report suicidal or homicidal posts on social media. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed and multiple databases were searched for relevant literature. Of the literature searched, 26 articles were of use to the study. Based on the findings, there was a lack of concrete information regarding social workers obligations and mandated reporting guidelines of internet activity. The topic has not been studied to the degree that was required by this study. Current statutes and regulations would need to be updated to address the issue of social media use and suicide/homicide …

Cyberbullying: Impacting Today’S Youth, Hillary Noll

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Cyberbullying is becoming a major concern surrounding the adolescent population because of the increased use in the internet and social networking sites. Studies show that cyberbullying can cause mental health concerns in adolescents who have been victimized, leaving them feeling lonely, depressed, and rejected. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of high school students who have been victimized by cyberbullying and to explore the relationship between cyberbully victimization and suicide. An anonymous mixed methods study was utilized and formatted with both quantitative and qualitative questions. The survey was distributed by email to students enrolled in the …

Social Workers' Education, Training, And Experience In Practice With Clients Bereaved By Suicide Death, Nicole S. Nejad

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study is a mixed-methods descriptive survey of social workers with and LCSW or LMSW about their understanding of suicide survivorship, and their access to professional training related to treatment of survivors of suicide loss. The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes and experiences of clinical social workers with regards to their education and training, as well as their knowledge and comfort level, in treating patients who are bereaved by a suicide death. Results show that social workers have limited opportunities for education and training in suicide bereavement, however they desire increased training opportunities in a variety …

Levels Of Perceived Stress Among Clinicians Who Work With Client Suicidal Behavior With An Organizational Context, Elyse A.S. Chastain

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This quantitative study set out to explore the relationship between clinicians’ levels of stress and perceptions of agency or organizational support when working with clients exhibiting suicidal behaviors, attempts or completed suicide, known throughout this thesis as client suicidal behavior (CSB). It is well documented in the literature that clinicians experience a range of personal and professional reactions when working with CSB that, if left unacknowledged, can have negative implications for clinicians, clients and the agency or organization at large. With the theoretical underpinning of person in the environment, the reciprocity between an individual and their environment can be understood. …

Risk And Protective Factors: Suicide In The Military, Nicole Gauer Patnode Fisher

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Suicide rates in the military are on the decline, yet on the rise in the National Guard and Reserve components. Training programs to educate and raise awareness about suicide have been implemented in all branches of the military. There is a lot of research about suicide risk and protective factors in the general population and Active Duty military population, but there is not research that identifies service members’ perceptions on what those risk and protective factors may be. Nor is there research that explores the perceptions of stigma in the military regarding suicide. Knowing how service members perceive suicide risk …

The Sexual Assault Severity Scale: A Comprehensive Measure Of Assault Severity, Karyn Crystal Swinson

Dissertations

Many studies in the sexual assault literature have found a significant relationship between sexual assault severity and psychological distress, specifically PTSD and suicidality. However, in the current literature, there is an inconsistent and incomplete definition of the construct of assault severity. The present study aims to create a comprehensive self-report questionnaire, called the Sexual Assault Severity Scale (SASS) that includes assault characteristics, such as victim-offender relationship, substance use, and peritraumatic responses, and cognitive variables, such as posttraumatic schema disruptions and coping self-efficacy in the conceptualization of assault severity. Two models evaluating the relationship between assault severity and post assault distress …

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). …

Stigmatized Loss And Suicide, Ann Brosnan

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Over the past ten years, suicide has increased at an alarming rate. A loss such as this leaves behind family members and friends who often have many unresolved questions and feelings. Suicide is often not discussed as openly as other types of loss and this can affect and limit the grieving process. A review of the literature indicates a higher incidence of complicated bereavement when compared to naturally occurring losses and difficulty in meaning making of the loss. This also includes a higher incidence of physical and mental health concerns. By studying what barriers, including stigma, affect the grieving process, …

Key Elements Of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cheryl A. Nickelson

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to explore the research question: what are the key elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that make it effective when working with people with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)? Using a qualitative design, 6 participants from mental health agencies in Twin Cities, MN were interviewed. A semi-structured interview of fourteen questions was used based on the literature review to further explore the research question. Findings suggest that there is not one main element that makes DBT effective when using DBT with people with a diagnosis of BPD, but several elements that come …

Sibling Suicide In Indo-American Families: Acculturation, Acculturative Stress, And Family Relationships, Suresh Unni

Dissertations

This study investigated suicide in Indo-American families. Relationships between acculturation, acculturative stress, and family relationships in completed suicides of Indo-American youth were examined. Snowball sampling procedures were used to find six adult sibling survivors of suicide as participants. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted by the researcher. Grounded theory strategies were used to analyze data and generate theory. Analysis of results yielded both protective and risk factors for suicide. Acculturation risk factors resulted from homogeneous populations lacking in diversity while protective factors were progressive and integrated neighborhood and schools. Integration was the preferred mode of acculturation by participants and suicide victims. …