Social Work Commons^™

Parenting And Youth Adjustment Across Deployment, Allison E. Flittner O'Grady, Shawn D. Whiteman, Jean-François Cardin, Shelley M. Macdermid Wadsworth

Human Development and Family Studies Faculty Publications

This study examined how changes in at‐home parents' mental health and parenting practices related to changes in their children's adjustment throughout the course of a service members' military deployment. Participants included at‐home parents from 114 National Guard families who were interviewed at four different occasions across the deployment cycle. The results revealed changes across the deployment cycle among the following three indicators: parental warmth, depressive symptoms, and children's externalizing behaviors. Changes in parental warmth were associated with changes in children's adjustment. Overall, these findings indicate that during parental separation, at‐home parents' responses to children ...

Sympathetic Symbols, Social Movements, And School Desegregation, Marisela Martinez-Cola

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

An important theoretical contribution to the study of social movements involving legal mobilization is framing theory. Framing encourages an analysis of the parties involved and the tools used to make meaning of their cause. A scholarly gap emerges, however, when considering the race, gender, and class of the litigants and the social challenges they face. In this article, the author blends framing theory with controlling‐images theory to provide a conceptual tool of ‘the sympathetic symbol’ to analyse the effects of race, gender, and class. Next, the author introduces the legal and social histories of two school desegregation cases involving ...

Empowering Students Through The Application Of Self-Efficacy Theory In School Social Work: An Intervention Model, Nancy A. Delich, Stephen D. Roberts

International Journal of School Social Work

Self-efficacy is a construct well suited for social workers in the educational setting. Among the various job functions that school social workers assume, a large portion of their time is directed toward providing counseling and clinical services. Perceptions of self-efficacy are based upon the extent students expect to successfully attain their goals. Self-efficacious students with strong beliefs in their abilities will choose activities and social situations where they believe that they will be successful. Thus, they will be motivated to devote more time and effort toward accomplishing related goals. Conversely, inefficacious students of similar intelligence and capabilities may choose to ...

The Diversity Of School Social Work In Germany: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Kathrin F. Beck

International Journal of School Social Work

Children in Germany are confronted with an increasing societal inequality and disorientation that makes it difficult for them to cope with life. School social work in Germany is an intensive form of cooperation between the institutionally divided systems of child and youth welfare and education. The aim of this article is threefold: to present (1) relevant aspects of both systems, (2) the diversity of terms being used to describe this specific form of cooperation and (3) an exemplary selection of concepts of school social work. Therefore, a systematic review of the literature was done, taking publications between 2000 and 2016 ...

Mystory: Scary Head…, Gonca Soyer, Mehmet Soyer

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

This work is an example of critical autoethnographic study of the writer’s personal experiences. In this particular study, I share my experiences while wearing a headscarf in Turkey, and my desire to settle down in United States in order to pursue my academic career. Due to the political changes in Turkey and United States, my experiences while wearing a headscarf in academia and social environments triggered me to write a reflection about them. In this article, my goal is to deconstruct the symbolic meanings of the Muslim headscarf in social spaces. In addition, the piece will show my “double ...

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Body’S Story In Building Resilience In School-Aged Children Exposed To Violence, Sara Kotzin

Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Evaluating the effectiveness of The Body’s Story in Building Resilience in

School-aged Children Exposed to Violence

Sara Onuma Kotzin, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Phyllis Solomon, Dissertation Chair, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Victoria Frye, Dissertation Committee Member, The City College of New York

Objective: The trauma associated with children’s exposure to violence (CEV) in the home, school and community, includes a complex web of emotional, social, and academic ruptures, which can derail healthy development if left unaddressed. Applying the tenets of a public health response to this complicated social problem, The Body’s Story was developed as a ...

An Analysis Of Adolescent Mental Health According To The Social Work Competencies Identified In The Council On Social Work Education, Mary Beth Meier

International Social Science Review

Mental health affects all adolescents and yet, the United States fails to address emotional well-being until it manifests itself into a mental health disorder that interferes with daily life activities and later success in adulthood. Two barriers of high mental health stigma and low mental health literacy prevent adolescents from accessing the needed mental health services. As a natural environment for adolescents, schools play a critical role in providing a foundation of knowledge, skills, and resources to promote healthy emotional functioning. Universal mental health programs, such as the Australian curriculum-based intervention of Headstrong, are essential for social workers to further ...

Heroes: How Hr Leaders Can Help End Sexual Violence Against Women, Wyatt Pagano

Marriott Student Review

This article explores the nature of the negative consequences of sexual violence for victims and the resulting problems that sexual misconduct can cause for businesses. Also, the article aims to demonstrate ways that HR leaders can help prevent violence and alleviate its consequences, leading to a better, safer workplace and world for women everywhere.

Teaching Statistics To Msw Students: Comparing Credit And Non-Credit Options, Ashley Davis, Rebecca G. Mirick

Rebecca Mirick

Understanding Sampling And Recruitment In Social Work Dissertation Research, Rebecca G. Mirick, Ashley Davis, Stephanie P. Wladkowski

Rebecca Mirick

“These Classes Have Been My Happy Place”: Feasibility Study Of A Self-Care Program In Native Hawaiian Custodial Grandparents, Loriena Yancura, Heather Greenwood-Junkermeier, Christine A. Fruhauf

Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal

Native Hawaiian custodial grandparents have a distinctive set of strengths and challenges that may lead them to benefit from a structured self-care program. The purpose of this paper is to describe a feasibility study with nine Native Hawaiian custodial grandparents who participated in a 6-week self-care intervention. Based on open-ended questions during the post-questionnaire and at the 6-month follow-up focus group, grandparent participants noted that their grandchildren needed education and clothing. Most grandparents did not endorse statements that their grandchildren had any mental or physical health conditions. Grandparents reflected that the intervention provided them with skills to help cope with ...

Changes In Sexual Behaviors Due To The Utilization Of Prep As A Preventive Method For The Transmission Of Hiv, Michael D. Kaltenbach

Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations

ABSTRACT

According to The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 33.4 million individuals throughout the world have been affected by HIV/AIDS in the last 30 years or so (Bonacquisti & Geller, 2013). The medication, Truvada, otherwise known as PrEP, has been introduced to serve as a harm reduction technique to combat the spread of HIV infection. PrEP is an antiretroviral drug that lowers the risk of HIV exposure. This is a qualitative study examining the sexual behaviors of gay and bisexual men prescribed PrEP as a preventive method for the transmission of HIV. I conducted 30 semi-structured in-depth interviews of people who had been prescribed PrEP for at least 30 days in three cities: Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City. The results indicate that contextual factors shaped the sexual behaviors of participants on PrEP, leading them to lower risk at times, and elevate it at others. PrEP caused individuals to experience changes within their communication patterns with their medical providers and their sexual partners. The results shed light on the way people on PrEP engage in sexual and health-seeking behaviors, and help to develop a blueprint for the way service providers engage with this community.

KEY WORDS: PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis); HIV /AIDS; Truvada; HIV prevention; harm reduction; risky sexual behaviors; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Relational Cultural Therapy (RCT); qualitative interviews

Effectiveness Of Social Work Reentry Programs At Preventing Recidivism, Daniel C. Grijalva

Publications and Research

Each year in the United States, thousands of individuals are released from prisons and must reintegrate into society. Ensuring these individuals obtain adequate employment upon release is key to keeping them from returning to the penal system. This paper examines different social work programs that attempt to secure employment for ex-offenders. This paper reviews the obstacles these programs face and considers how social workers can improve the effectiveness of these programs at preventing recidivism. This paper acknowledges that some of these programs have achieved moderate success in preventing recidivism but recognizes the need to research current programs’ methodologies so that ...

Lived Experiences Of Women Facing Domestic Violence In India, Shreya Bhandari, Jennifer C. Hughes

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

This article describes the lived experiences of domestic violence victims among a convenience sample of 21 low-income Indian women. The experiences of abuse are drawn from in-depth, face-to-face interviews conducted in Mumbai, India. The qualitative analysis describes four major categories of their lived experiences: (a) types of abuse, (b) family involvement in abuse, (c) treatment of children, and (d) abandonment. Domestic violence in Indian culture includes violence from the husband as well as the in-laws. Women are expected to endure violence for fear of bringing shame to their families. Social and financial support for abused woman is lacking.

Mentoring: A Natural Role For Learning Community Faculty, Sarah L. Hessenauer, Kristi L. Law

Learning Communities Research and Practice

The purpose of this article is to highlight mentoring as an important piece of leading a learning community. The authors will share a definition of mentoring which is applicable to the learning community experience. Characteristics of mentoring will be described, including types of mentoring and mentor-mentee relationships. The authors will apply these concepts to their role as facilitators for a learning community at a teaching-centered, 4-year institution. They will reflect on mentoring in a discipline-focused learning community, share experiences, and discuss the benefits identified for both faculty and students.

Reflections From The Road: Vincentian Hospitality Principles In Healthcare Education For The Indigent, John M. Conry

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

Hospitality and health care are clearly connected, both etymologically and practically. Health care has traditionally been delivered in hospitals. Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac developed the concept and practice of Vincentian health care, demonstrating a preferential option for the poor. It is important that those who work in healthcare understand and remain committed to Vincentian and hospitality based health care, particularly for the indigent and marginalized. The need for Vincentian and hospitality-based health care remains relevant and necessary in contemporary society, as there remains health inequity, particularly for the poor.

Promoting Student Success: Bilingual Education Best Practices And Research Flaws, Lillian Fassero

Senior Honors Theses

This paper first determines the benefits which bilingual education offers and then compares transitional, dual-language, and heritage language maintenance programs. After exploring the outcomes, contexts, and practical implications of the various bilingual programs, this paper explores the oversight in most bilingual studies, which assess students’ syntax and semantics while neglecting their understanding of pragmatics and discourse structures (Maxwell-Reid, 2011). Incorporating information from recent studies which question traditional understandings of bilingualism and argue that biliteracy requires more than grammatical and vocabulary instruction, this paper proposes modifications in current research strategies and suggests best practices for transitional, dual-language, and heritage maintenance programs.

Fostering Strengths: Using Testimonios To Identify Community Cultural Wealth In Foster Youth, Katherine Mullin

Master's Projects and Capstones

Foster youth voices have been silenced in schools, work environments, and many other settings.There is very little research around what works well for foster youth and what their assets are. Foster youth have many skills and resources that they use to navigate systems that continually marginalize them. But these are often ignored or overlooked. This project uses youth voices through Testimonios and Community Cultural Wealth to create a training for group home staff.

Mediation And Moderation Of Intergenerational Epigenetic Effects Of Trauma, Stefanie Renee Pilkay

Doctoral Dissertations

Trauma and early-life stress have been linked to poor mental and physical health outcomes. In fact, research has identified trauma and stress can influence epigenetic marks on genes that can alter gene activity. It is suspected that epigenetically altered gene activity is involved in behavior and mental health. This may help explain why some individuals don’t experience great benefit from treatment for the effects of stress, and severe mental health symptoms can be chronic for decades or a lifetime. Moreover, some trauma-related mental health symptoms have shown generational patterns that appear linked to epigenetic marks. Therefore, this study sought ...

Learning To Heal: The Impact Of A Restorative Justice Program On Crime Victims, Jacquelyn P. Poplawsky

Theses & Dissertations

In the United States, someone is murdered, raped, robbed, or assaulted every 26 seconds (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2015). Violent victimization is a uniquely disorienting dilemma because it is the result of harm from another human being. Extensive research has shown that crime victims’ complex emotional and psychological needs are not adequately fulfilled by the dominant retributive system of justice. The other paradigm of justice that has received extensive consideration from theorists and scholars, with research that now covers multiple continents and 3 decades, is restorative justice.

Restorative justice theory and practice have become effective complementary, and at times, alternative ...

Mapping Social Justice: A Case Study Of A School Of Social Work Student-Led Social Justice Initiative, Lauren Abdill

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Throughout the history of social work, two different branches – micro social work and macro social work – have emerged. Micro social work is largely focused on treating mental and behavioral health problems in individuals, couples and groups. Macro social work, meanwhile, focuses on making systemic changes through advocacy like lobbying and community organizing. Despite their differences, a key principle unites these branches: social justice. Although the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) identify social justice as a guiding principle of social work, there is little consensus in the field of what the term ...

"Si No Estuviera Conmigo, Yo Seria Muda En Este País": A Systematic Literature Review Of Language Brokering Among Latinx Youth, Manuela Gonzalez

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This study reviews the literature on language brokering among first and second-generation Latinx youth. Language brokering is a commonplace occurrence among bilingual Latinx children and takes place in many locations from public institutions to the family home. Language brokering consists of translating and interpreting oral and written information as well as the cultural nuances that come with many social interactions. The impact of language brokering on the emotional and social well-being, acculturation process and parent-child relationships of Latinx youth is mixed. Further research addressing the impact of language brokering on parents and siblings as well as the importance of familial ...

Systematic Review: Considerations For Women With Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorder And Ptsd, Brittany Feller

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Statistics demonstrate the prevalence of co-occurring substance use disorder and PTSD among women, and the need for integrated mental health treatment. The researcher of this systematic literature review sought out to explore the following research question: “In what ways do helping professionals intervene with women with co-occurring substance use disorder and PTSD?” A systematic review was conducted using the following databases, SocINDEX, Social Work Abstracts, PsychINFO, and SAMSHA and searched variations of the terms, “Social Work,” “Helping Professionals,” “Women,” “Co-occurring Substance Use Disorder,” “PTSD,” and “Treatment.” All articles were peer-reviewed and involved some aspect of women with co-occurring substance use ...

Identity And Belonging: Documentation Status And Mexican-Origin Children: A Systematic Review, Alicia Bauers

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

There is a growing body of literature on the ways in which legal status affects the lives of undocumented Mexican immigrants, yet very little is known about how their status impacts the well-being of their children. This systematic review was conducted to answer the research question, “According to the literature, how do the children of undocumented Mexican immigrants describe the impact of parental documentation status on their identity and sense of belonging?” Studies utilizing qualitative methods were emphasized to gain insight directly from the voices of the children themselves. Results from the review included perspectives from the 1.5 generation ...

The Social Work Perspective: A Systematic Review Of Best Practices For Social Workers In Healthcare Teams, Sarah Kirschbaum

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Social workers are involved in a variety of multidisciplinary teams in different settings, but the role social workers play in a multidisciplinary healthcare teams lacks clarity and consistency in research. The literature solidifies the notion that social workers utilize a broad perspective and are heavily relied upon to be a voice of reason in multidisciplinary teams (Patterson, 2004). In addition, the literature isolates role ambiguity and mistrust as the most common factors weakening teams in the work place. (Patterson & Pennefather, 2015); however, there is minimal qualitative research on how a social worker self-identifies as part of a multidisciplinary team in a medical ...

Disability Accommodations In Postsecondary Education A Systematic Review, Kaitlyn Gartner

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

More students with disabilities, both visible and nonvisible, are attending postsecondary institutions. In order for these students to be successful, there needs to be collaboration between students, professors, and disability support services. Engaging students with disabilities and helping them succeed is an integral part of the postsecondary experience. Students with disabilities face challenges in postsecondary education that students without disabilities won’t face. This systematic review aims to identify the best practices of accommodating students with disabilities. A total of 12 articles were reviewed, including both qualitative and quantitative studies. Some of the studies suggested that a caring environment and ...

Best Practices For Engaging Birth Mothers In Post-Adoptive Grief Work, Melanie Dejong

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Birth mothers who have placed one or more children for adoption experience a variety of difficult emotions both during and after the placement of the child. The literature reveals the idea that there needs to be an increase in the support available to birth mothers following placement. The literature also discusses the grief that birth mothers experience post placement and the importance of addressing and helping birth mothers grieve. However, there was a lack of research suggesting the best ways to engage birth mothers in post-adoptive grief work. This systematic review aims to examine past research to reveal the best ...

Social Work Perspectives On Working With Pregnant Women With Opioid Use Disorder, Ann Schroeder

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The incidence of addiction to opioids, more formally known as opioid use disorder (OUD), has skyrocketed in the U.S. in the last 25 years. Opioids are a class of narcotic drugs that include a range of synthetic prescription opioid pain relievers, including fentanyl. The number of pregnant women in the United States experiencing opioid use disorder (OUD) related to nonmedical use of prescription opioids has increased dramatically. Between 2000 and 2009, the number of child-bearing women with an OUD increased five-fold. Nonmedical prescription OUD affects vulnerable, young, low-income or poor women and their children, including White, African American, and ...

Aging Americans: Family Factors And Satisfaction With Life And Aging, Miranda Eastham

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Successful aging has been explored and defined in research as a particularly desirous state of being as one approaches older age. Operational definitions of successful aging often include measures of physical health, internal and external resources, proactivity levels, and wellbeing. Additional research on later life has included the study of family and support factors on the aging experience. In light of these topics, the current research sought to explore successful aging within a family context by comparing family demographics to older Americans’ satisfaction with life and aging. This inquiry was conducted using a secondary data analysis design on the public ...

Intervention Effectiveness Following Gender-Based Violence And Forced Migration: A Critical Systematic Literature Review And Synthesis Of Qualitative Studies From The Voice Of The Client, Malory Giraldo

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Aim. This systematic review aims to understand effective therapeutic interventions from the voice of the client; female forced migrants, post-migration who have endured and survived gender-based violence.

Background. Professionals are implementing therapeutic interventions for this population whose experiences convey both vulnerabilities and resiliencies, yet a common understanding of what effective interventions are has not yet been established in the literature.

Design. Systematic narrative review and synthesis of literature.

Data sources. Electronic database search sources included ScienceDirect, SAGE, PubMed, and Scopus. Professionals in the field, think tanks, and research organizations were also consulted to locate texts which could contribute to the ...