2024-05: A Place To Call Home: Source Of Income Protection, Farhiya Dini, Ally Petersen, Olivia Rivers, Sierra Wieneke

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

In 2010, the Court of Appeals wrongly applied the Minnesota Human Rights Act when it allowed landlords to discriminate against someone who is a recipient of a federal public assistance program. Minnesota should clarify what has been the law in Minnesota for 50+ years: Refusing to rent to someone because they are a recipient of federal, state, or local public assistance, including housing voucher programs (such as Section 8), and VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing), is a violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, it is discrimination, and it is illegal. Freedom from discrimination in housing must be the public …

The Relationship Between Social Stigma And Career Decisions Of Individualized And Freelance Male Sex Workers, Luis Miguel Dos Santos, Ho Fai Lo

The Qualitative Report

Switching from a white-collar professional to a sex worker is not an easy step, particularly for individuals with a postgraduate degree in South Korea who may have significant expectations from their parents, peers, and communities. Based on the social stigma theory and social cognitive career and motivation theory, this study aims to understand how stress and pressure impact the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of individualized and freelance male sex workers and their career transition experiences in South Korea. Based on the thematic analysis, ten highly educated male sex workers joined and shared their experiences. The researchers categorized three …

Asian Discrimination: In The Field Of Social Work, Sunghay Cho

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research explored how anti-Asian rhetoric influences the work experiences and lives of Asian American (A.A.) social workers. This is a qualitive, exploratory study that used a non-probability, convenience sample, and snowball technique for sampling, and interviews with participants via Zoom who identified as Asian American and who had completed their master’s degree in social work. It was found that different types of anti-Asian rhetoric influence Asian American social workers’ own expectations of themselves, their mindset, creates fear, and even sets limitations. It was also found that immigration status/generation (first/second generation) has an influence on their experiences as well. This …

You Call Us Treatment Resistant: The Effects Of Biases On Women With Borderline Personality Disorder, Cassidy Acosta

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explored how negative attitudes toward and discriminatory practices against women with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) affect them and impact their treatment. The study adopted a constructivist paradigm, and data was collected via virtual interviews with research partners (i.e., women with BPD) who use online mental health forums. A final construction was established after the data was interpreted. Ultimately, it was determined that women with BPD face stigma and are described as treatment resistant; however, by providing a supportive treatment environment, women with this diagnosis see positive outcomes. The results of the study are intended to support women with …

Attitudes Of Muslim Americans Regarding Prejudice And Discrimination Displayed By Non-Muslims, Munder Abderrazzaq

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

Abstract

Muslim Americans have reported experiencing racial profiling, physical threats, and verbal abuse based on their religion, ethnicity, and color (Samari, 2016). These types of lived experiences can have negative personal consequences for Muslim Americans and influence their attitudes and behavior toward non-Muslims. A literature review conducted by Simon et al. (2018) suggests the need for research that explores the point of view of minorities regarding intolerance displayed by majority members. Intolerance is defined as the refusal and unwillingness to tolerate or respect individuals from different social or minority groups who hold different beliefs. Prejudice and discrimination can hinder the …

Understanding Lived Experiences Of Stigma For People Living With Hiv: A Community Based Participatory Research Study, Brent Oliver Dr., Catherine Pearl, Egbert S. Felix – John, Deborah Norris, Folasade J. Elizabeth Olaniyan, Kim Samson, Aniela Dela Cruz, Gabriel Aseselin, Kate Berezowski, Celeste Hayward, Becky Vam Tassel, Floyd Visser

The Qualitative Report

The goal of this project was to better understand the experiences and impacts of HIV stigma and discrimination on people living with HIV and to co-create knowledge that has the potential to challenge existing stigma within the healthcare, social services, and public policy sectors in the province of Alberta, Canada. We employed community-based participatory research and a mixed methods design (survey methods and qualitative interviews) to address these questions. An online survey was completed by 148 people living with HIV and semi-structured interviews were conducted with an additional 20 participants. The research findings have been conceptualized within a social ecological …

Intersectional Invisibility Of Black Lgbtqia+ Client Strategies For Bias And Discrimination Prevention, Dr. Tonya Y. Griffith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Those who identify as members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities have been victims of bias and prejudicial attitudes. Because LGBTQIA+ people embody all cultures, races, religious convictions, and socioeconomic statuses, this creates additional barriers for some community members who identify as both Black and LGBTQIA+. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore social workers’ perceptions of intersectional invisibility when working with Black LGBTQIA+ clients and the strategies that social workers identify as beneficial in averting discrimination and bias when working with this community. Implicit bias theory and intersectionality theory …

The Effects Of Perceived Racism And Discrimination On The Mental Health Of Mexican And Mexican American Social Work Students, Karina Duque Sierra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has shown that experiencing discrimination and racism can have significant and negative effects on people’s mental health. Among those affected are Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a relationship with self-reported mental health of Mexican/Mexican American social work students and self-reported experiences with racism and discrimination. This quantitative study surveyed 101 participants who (a) identified as Mexican and or Mexican American, (b) were 18 years or older (c) enrolled in college, and (d) identified as either a BASW or MSW student. This study utilized a Qualtrics …

Life Through The Eyes Of An Undocumented Immigrant In The United States, Yesenia Torres

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project focused on how undocumented immigrants experience their lives in the United States, taking in mind the multiple barriers that prevent them from integrating into the community. This research project surveyed the California State University of San Bernardino School of Social Work students who work or engage with undocumented immigrants. A positivism paradigm research design was used to obtain quantitative data of participant's knowledge of immigrants' past and present experiences while living in the United States. The study's goal was to bring mental health awareness to the well-being and emotional experiences during the resettlement and acculturation of undocumented …

An Exploration Of African American Women’S Clinical Experience With European American Clinicians, Tonia L. Nixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American (AA) women experience decreased rates of retention and increased rates of mental health conditions. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore lived experiences of AA women who received therapeutic services from European American (EA) clinicians. The strong Black woman (SBW) schema served as a conceptual framework for this study. The research question was to examine how the endorsement of the SBW schema affect AA women’s experiences of the therapeutic alliance during clinical treatment with EA clinicians. Data collection was accomplished through semi structured interviews conducted through Zoom from six participants in Atlanta, GA. Participant …

Trans Men’S Access To Knowledgeable Providers And Their Experiences In Health Care Settings: Differences By Demographics, Mental Health, And Degree Of Being “Out” To Providers, Kristie L. Seelman, Shanna K. Kattari, Penny Harvey, Matthew Bakko

SW Publications

Transgender adults face a health care system rife with stigma, including a lack of culturally responsive providers and high likelihood of discrimination and mistreatment. However, there is a gap in knowledge about trans men—those assigned a female sex at birth who identify as men or as transmasculine—including subgroups, such as trans men of color. Using data from the U.S. Transgender Survey, the largest transgender survey conducted in the United States, this study analyzes whether trans men’s access to knowledgeable providers and their experiences of mistreatment in health care were related to demographic and mental health characteristics and degree of being …

Experiences Of Transgender Adults Navigating Healthcare Access In Massachusetts, Nic Tompkins-Hughes

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Recent research studies regarding Transgender individuals’ experiences of discrimination in health care settings strongly recommend the value of qualitative data, and the need for research into how transgender patients find, obtain, and access medical care, preventatively and as needed. However, despite calls for qualitative data, limited qualitative studies have focused on medical access and experiences of transgender patients as of 2019. This exploratory qualitative study utilized semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted between May 27^th, 2019 through August 10^th, 2019 to ask about the experiences of transgender individuals as it pertains to accessing health care services in Massachusetts. …

A Legal Analysis: The Transgender Bathroom Debate, Josselyn Sheer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article examines the current legal battles over transgender bathroom, locker room, and employment rights. In the recent years, there has been a major uproar surrounding the rights of transgender individuals; concurrently, our country is witnessing a shift in the ways in which individuals understand their gender outside of the binary male and female classification. While the word transgender can serve as an “umbrella term encompassing a wide array of identifies,” transgender rights have steadily grown across numerous areas (Buck, 2016, p. 465). However, there have been contentious legal issues that have put transgender individuals rights in the spotlight.

The …

Political Climate, Discrimination, And Mental Health: Understanding Latino Youth Experience During The 2016 Presidential Election, Jaime Booth, Christina Huerta

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In the last presidential election, Latino populations were the target of prejudicial language and discriminatory rhetoric. Experiences of discrimination may impact adolescent mental health, but little is known about the impact of the election cycle on Latino youth perceptions of discrimination and related emotional outcomes. The aim of this study was to understand Latino youths’ experiences, emotional reactions, and coping responses to discrimination surrounding the 2016 Presidential election. To do this, this study employed a qualitative approach that engaged 30 Latino youth ages 8 to 16 years old from Latino-serving social services agencies in the creation of art based on …

When Personal Raises Political: Experience Of Racial Discrimination And Distrust Of Authorities Among Children Of Immigrants, Luis Fernandez-Barutell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Substantial research has addressed the association between welcoming or hostile contexts and sociopolitical behavior among second generation immigrants. Previous analyses have conceptualized positive elements (e.g., group solidarity) and negative factors (e.g., anti-immigration bias) related to specific outcomes, such as voting or activism. This study examined factors associated with distrust of authorities and, in particular, whether experiencing personal discrimination based on race/ethnicity is related to distrust of government and police among second generation Latinos in the United States. Our results confirmed that experiencing discrimination in two contexts (school and police) is indeed related to distrust of authorities. Recommendations for practice and …

Gay-Affirmative Social Work Practice With Homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Youth, Aissa Deloatch-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth are overrepresented in the homeless population and experience higher rates of discrimination and unfair treatment when accessing services and shelter. Research indicates that homeless LGBT youth remain homeless for longer periods of time than their heterosexual peers because of bias and stigmas associated with their gender identity and sexual orientation. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine if social workers in the city of New Haven, Connecticut, used an affirmative model of intervention when working with homeless LGBT youth. Maslow’s self-affirmation theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. The interview …

Institutional Racism In Child Welfare Organizations And Supervisory Support : A Mixed Methods Study, Sreyashi Chakravarty

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The presence of racism within an organization is a threat to its overall health and working because it directly affects the well-being and morale of the employees. More specifically, previous studies have shown that racial and ethnic minority workers face discrimination related to lack of representation in higher positions, exclusion from decision-making bodies as well as discrimination from co-workers, and supervisors. Grounded in the Leader-Member Exchange Theory, this mixed-methods research revisits this problem by identifying previously unknown manifestations and predictors of workplace racism in child welfare agencies. The following research questions were developed: 1) What are the experiences of discrimination, …

Gender, Family, And Community Attachment In A New Destination, Erin Trouth Hofmann, Claudia Méndez Wright, Emma Meade Earl

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

As new immigrant destinations in the USA have become home to more settled immigrant populations, they are also becoming less male-dominated and attracting more women and families. But this process is occurring unevenly, with some new destinations much more attractive to women than others. The factors that might lead a destination to attract or retain women are not well understood. We draw on interviews with long-time Latin American residents in a non-metropolitan community in Utah with a fairly high proportion of women immigrants to analyze the ways in which gender and other factors relate to community attachment in this specific …

Healing Policies For Black Boys And Young Men In St. Louis: Priorities In 2019, Sean Joe, Robert Motley, Alexandra Ivory, Alyssa Finner, Janet Frederick

Center for Social Development Research

What policy reforms are needed to remove the structural barriers that make it difficult for Black boys and young men to thrive in St. Louis?

Presenting findings from research with social service providers, this Brief Report from the Race and Opportunity Lab’s HomeGrown STL project seeks to inform policy decisions, advocacy efforts, and collective impact strategies in order to improve outcomes for Black boys and young men in the St. Louis region.

Discrimination, Coping, And Social Exclusion Among African Immigrants In The United States: A Moderation Analysis, Sherinah K. Saasa

Faculty Publications

This cross-sectional study examined coping strategies as moderators of the relationship between perceived discrimination and social exclusion among African immigrants in the United States (N = 409). Moderation models using path analyses were conducted to examine the moderating effects of three coping strategies (active coping, use of instrumental support, and religious coping) on the relationship between discrimination and four dimensions of social exclusion: (1) material deprivation, (2) limited access to basic social rights, (3) limited social participation, and (4) insufficient cultural integration. Increases in perceived discrimination were associated with increased social exclusion on all four dimensions. Increased use of active …

Women’S Experiences With Prenatal Care: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring The Influence Of The Social Determinants Of Health, Karen A. D'Angelo, Janelle K. Bryan, Brenda Kurz

Janelle K. Bryan

Background & Purpose: Racial and ethnic disparities pervade birth outcomes in the United States and the state of Connecticut. While Connecticut’s infant mortality rate is less than the national average, rates for the state’s Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino communities exceed it. This study explored how prenatal care in Connecticut may be enhanced to address these disparities.

Methods: In spring 2013, seven focus groups and two semi-structured interviews were conducted (n=47). Participants also self-administered brief surveys. Recruited by local service providers, participants were 18 or older, pregnant and/or in the first year post-partum at the time. Most self-identified as …

Unseen And Unheard: Exploring The Mental Health Of Mostly Heterosexual College Students, Shannon Pendleton

Lyle S. Hallman Social Work Theses and Dissertations

College years have long been understood to be a difficult yet important developmental period in an individual’s life, which may be particularly challenging for sexual minority students who tend to face discrimination on campus, which can undermine their mental health. Research in both college student and non-college student samples has shown that mostly heterosexual is a distinct sexual orientation. However, little is known about the wellbeing of individuals, including college students, who identify as mostly heterosexual. Moreover, among college students, little is known about the intersections between a mostly heterosexual identity and mental health. This study examined the association between …

"They Chase Us Like Dogs": Exploring The Vulnerabilities Of "Ladyboys" In The Cambodian Sex Trade, Jarrett D. Davis, Glenn Miles

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

While the vulnerability of women and girls continues to be the subject of research and concern among social service providers, few attempts have been made to understand the vulnerabilities and lived experiences of transgender persons in the sex industry. Among the studies that have been done, most have focused on sexual health and their likelihood to contract or spread HIV/AIDS, often ignoring other potential vulnerabilities. This study aims to provide a broad baseline of data on the perspectives and experiences of transgendered persons in the sex trade in Phnom Penh, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of their needs, and …

Identity Doesn't Form In A Vacuum: Deconstructing The Role Of Hegemony In The Identity Formation Of Religiously Diverse People, Randa Elbih

The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community

In a post-9/11 world, Muslims and Muslim-looking individuals are perceived as a homogenous group characterized as violent, oppressive, and barbaric. Conflating Islam with negative traits both corroborates and instigates the dominant hegemonic forces, which serve as the filter through which and the context within which identities are formed. In order to destabilize these hegemonic beliefs, this paper builds upon James Paul Gee’s (2001) identity theory, specifically what he terms “new capitalism.” This review finds Gee’s identity theory particularly salient in the current political moment in which Muslims and Muslim-looking individuals feel rejected and Othered in the United States. However, some …

Residency Status And Discrimination Among Immigrants In Minnesota, Lisa J. Rawlins

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Discrimination and other social injustices experienced by immigrants in the United States are well documented in the literature. Few studies, however, have investigated the relationship between residency status and discrimination. This exploratory, qualitative study investigated the relationship between residency status and discrimination among immigrants in Minnesota. The author conducted semi-structured interviews with seven immigrants and five professionals (lawyers and social workers) who provide direct services to immigrants. The study operated under the assumption that immigrants with more precarious residency status (undocumented immigrants, for example), would experience greater discrimination than immigrants with more stable residency status (refugees or lawful permanent residents, …

Transgender Noninclusive Healthcare And Delaying Care Because Of Fear: Connections To General Health And Mental Health Among Transgender Adults, Kristie L. Seelman, Matthew J.P. Colón-Diaz, Rebecca H. Lecroix, Marik Xavier-Brier, Leonardo Kattari

SW Publications

Purpose: There are many barriers to reliable healthcare for transgender people that often contribute to delaying or avoiding needed medical care. Yet, few studies have examined whether noninclusive healthcare and delaying needed medical care because of fear of discrimination are associated with poorer health among transgender adults. This study aims to address these gaps in the knowledge base.

Methods: This study analyzed secondary data from a statewide survey of 417 transgender adults in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. Independent variables included noninclusive healthcare from a primary care provider (PCP) and delay of needed medical care because of …

"They Don't Say It Up Front" : Immigrant-Origin High School Students' Experiences Of Disrespect And Racial Microaggressions By Teachers : A Project Based Upon A Group Research Investigation, Leah A. Gold

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study used counter-storytelling methodology from Critical Race Theory to explore 15 racial and ethnic minority immigrant-origin high school students’ experiences of racial microaggressions by teachers. Previous research focuses on overt racism with youth or microaggressions with adults, but has not addressed subtle racism experienced by high school students. The findings suggest immigrant-origin experience teacher disrespect as racial microaggressions, including those that are related to immigrant identity. Though not conclusive, the results indicate that experiences of racial microaggressions and responses may differ for immigrant-origin youth with different generation status. Teachers’ racial sensitivity and school climate were demonstrated to be …

The Impact Of Islamophobia On The Muslim American Community : Accounts Of Psychological Suffering, Identity Negotiation, And Collective Trauma, Areeza Ali

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The rise of Islamophobia has undoubtedly disrupted the identity and way of life of Muslim Americans in the last decade and half. This study centers the voices of eight Muslim Americans discussing the mental health impact of anti-Muslim discrimination and prejudice, the pervasiveness of xenophobic and Islamophobic perspectives in the U.S., and the normalization and acceptance of discrimination as evidenced by the presidential victory of Donald Trump.

The major findings of this study indicate that the marginalization and othering of Muslim Americans have manifested in adverse psychological symptoms including fear, stress, worry, isolation, numbness, desensitization and insecurity. In addition, this …

From Yellow Peril To Model Minority : ǂB Deconstruction Of The Model Minority Myth And Implications For The Invisibility Of Asian American Mental Health Needs, Lynda Anne Moy

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The model minority myth is a racial stereotype imposed upon Asian Americans, often depicting them as a successful and high-achieving monolithic group in the United States. This paper examines sociopolitical functions of the term “model minority” and implications for this broad and diverse racial group by reviewing existing literature and conducting an analysis of qualitative interviews with 12 Asian Americans. The findings of this study suggest that while the model minority myth appears to be a positive stereotype, it may lead Asian Americans to experience distress through (a.) a sense of confinement, (b.) treatment as foreigners, and (c.) …

Women’S Experiences With Prenatal Care: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring The Influence Of The Social Determinants Of Health, Karen A. D'Angelo, Janelle K. Bryan, Brenda Kurz

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background & Purpose: Racial and ethnic disparities pervade birth outcomes in the United States and the state of Connecticut. While Connecticut’s infant mortality rate is less than the national average, rates for the state’s Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino communities exceed it. This study explored how prenatal care in Connecticut may be enhanced to address these disparities.

Methods: In spring 2013, seven focus groups and two semi-structured interviews were conducted (n=47). Participants also self-administered brief surveys. Recruited by local service providers, participants were 18 or older, pregnant and/or in the first year post-partum at the time. Most self-identified as …