Social Work Commons^™

Is A Social Support Based Model Better For Treating Alcoholism? A Systematic Review, Jordan Anthony Contreras

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Alcoholism continues to persist as a significant health issue in the United States and impacts individuals and families across race, gender, and age. While much work has been made in the field of substance abuse treatment, there remains a substantial need for additional research to formulate effective strategies for treating alcoholism and related unhealthy drinking behaviors. The existing literature suggests that mutual support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous are the standard for achieving successful recovery among those seeking help. Simultaneously, there exists a growing amount of research proposing a range of other interventions that may prove effective in treating alcoholism. …

Effect Of Family Engagement On The Behavioral Health Of Mentally Ill Offenders, Jessica Rae Horn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, 40% of incarcerated individuals have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, but they often lack the support system needed to navigate their incarceration. This study addressed ways to understand how family engagement opportunities can improve the behavioral health of mentally ill offenders. Specifically, five research questions were used to explore the degree to which the practice of family engagement was understood as a method for providing support to mentally ill incarcerated individuals. The study followed the Baldrige Framework of Excellence to identify current organizational leadership and management issues that can help reach its goals, improve …

Social Support Needs Of African American Single Parent Women Residing In Atlanta, Tyneisha Douglas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social workers may serve marginalized groups of people such as single parents who may face challenges and barriers to raising a healthy family. African American mothers are more likely to have adverse experiences with parenting without a partner or additional supportive primary caregiver than women in other racial groups. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the mental health challenges that impact African American women who are single parents. Social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected from individual interviews with ten parents from daycare centers in the metropolitan Atlanta area that …

Exploring The Service Utilization Of Formerly Incarcerated Persons With Substance Use Disorders, Sara Beeler-Stinn

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We are in a new era of mass reentry from years of mass incarceration (Chamberlain & Wallace, 2016) that will is complicated by challenging conditions at release (Mallik-Kane & Visher, 2008). Recent data suggests that rearrest rates within nine years of release are over 80% among individuals released from prison (Alper et al., 2018). These challenges are further complicated by drug and alcohol abuse with over 20 million individuals aged 12 and older reporting living with a substance use disorder (SAMSHA, 2019). Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated populations are estimated to have rates of substance use disorders (SUDs) often 10 to …

Social Support Of Caregiver Sons Of Parents With Dementia, Ralph Callanta Pascual

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the growing number of male caregivers, few researchers have examined social supports for caregiver sons of parents with dementia. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was to contribute to the empirical literature on the social support of caregiver sons of aging parents with dementia. The research question centered on the lived experience of social support of caregiver sons of parents with dementia. The theoretical framework was the social role theory. The sample consisted of eight caregiver sons of parents with dementia. Participants were interviewed using semi-structured, researcher-developed questions. The results were generated from coding and thematizing processes, …

Social Support Experiences Of Stably Housed Emancipated Foster Youth, Camron L. Whitacre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth emancipating from foster care are at increased risk of housing instability and homelessness and have reduced access to needed social supports to aid in the difficult transition to independent living. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived formal social support experiences of stably housed emancipated foster youth. Purposive sampling techniques and inclusion criteria guided the recruitment of nine study participants from a state-administered postemancipation services program to take part in semistructured interviews. A conceptual framework, including social convoy and attachment theories, informed inquiry, and interpretation of findings. Participant lived experiences illuminated the importance of …

Fix Society, Please: Three Papers On The Mental Health Treatment, Social Support Resources, And Suicidology Of Transgender And Gender Diverse Adults, Annie Snow

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Despite their frequent utilization of mental health resources, transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adults are more likely than their cisgender counterparts to attempt suicide. While this phenomenon may inspire a myriad of explanations, the present dissertation is interested in two exploratory ideas: namely, that 1) mental health professionals may be failing their TGD clients, and 2) traditional mental health paradigms may be myopically inadequate. Paper 1 addresses the first issue by considering TGD experiences of active discrimination by mental health professionals. In addition to investigating the prevalence of abuse, this paper analyzes how intersectionality of oppression plays a role in …

Understanding Social Support Among Dialysis Patients: A Study On Medical Social Workers Enhancing Social Support For Patients, Brandy Marie Covarrubias, Eloisa Cisneros Vizcaya

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Patients receiving dialysis treatment experience immense changes in their health and well-being, therefore receiving adequate social support services is an integral aspect of their care plan. Thus, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding about social support services offered by social workers to patients receiving dialysis care. Furthermore, this study sought to develop awareness about additional services need to assist social workers in providing social, emotional, and physical support to patients. This qualitative study used data from a non-probability snowball sample of 10 social workers that work with patients receiving dialysis care. Findings of this study are …

The Role Of Online Support For Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Patients And Survivors, Bevin J. Nixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rate of thyroid cancer diagnosis has risen, and researchers' findings point to improved diagnostic testing and overdiagnosis as well as increases in actual incidences as the reasons behind this rise. With improved treatments and testing methods, the number of thyroid cancer survivors has also increased. Thyroid cancer presents challenges to coping and can cause significant stress in an individual's life. More specifically, anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) creates complicated challenges for patients and survivors. The problem is patients need support during diagnosis and treatment when adjusting to their 'new normal' and may be reaching to Internet based social support groups …

Depression With Peripartum Onset (Postpartum) And Mother’S Perceptions Of Social Support And Self-Efficacy For Parenting, Shenetha Carmise Ramsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression with peripartum onset, which was previously called maternal depression, or postpartum depression, is common among many pregnant women. The condition increases impairment in maintaining relationships, self-esteem, and parenting skills. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore how mothers who have experienced peripartum onset (postpartum) depression perceive their social support and their ability to parent effectively. The conceptual framework was based on Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Convenience and snowball sampling were both used to obtain 6 research participants who were interviewed face-to-face or by telephone. Participants shared their experiences with depression, perceptions of social support, and how …

Acculturative Stress, English Proficiency, Social Support, And Coping Strategies Among Chinese International Students, Jiabao Zhang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Drawing on data from 137 Chinese students who enrolled in a large research university in the Southwest of the United States, this quantitative study examined the relationships between Chinese students’ acculturative stress, English proficiency, social support, and coping strategies. This study utilized a survey method and employed four previously established questionnaires; moreover, the use of these questionnaires was to examine students’ acculturative stress, as it is the dependent variable of this study.

In data analysis, t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare means and standard deviations of Chinese students’ acculturative stress through students’ demographics and characteristics. …

Strengthening Social Networks Of Youth Aging Out Of Foster Care: Promoting Positive Adult Outcomes, Rachel D. Rosenberg

Theses and Dissertations

During the transition to adulthood, youth often rely on the people in their life for support. However, for transition-aged foster youth, these supports may not be available or may look different than supports available to youth in the general population. Relationships with supportive adults have been found to help former foster youth transition to adulthood, but little is known about the adults youth have in their network. Foster youth who report increased levels of social capital have been shown to experience higher levels of success in young adulthood. However, as former foster youth transition to adulthood, a lack of in-depth …

Functional Isolation: Understanding Isolation In Trafficking Survivors, Liz Mahan

Student Theses

This study examined how traffickers used different elements of isolation and how such tactics may have contributed to the traffickers’ success in maintaining control over the victim. I examined in-depth narratives from 14 women between the ages of 20-53, primarily immigrants, who were recruited from an agency serving victims of sex trafficking in a large metropolitan city. The tactics used by traffickers varied and included not only the commonly defined structural isolation in which victims are restricted physically and socially, but also included a shrinking of safe social space and an elimination of privacy and social support. The latter is …

The Effect Of Anxiety And Depression On College Students’ Academic Performance: Exploring Social Support As A Moderator, Katherine H. Bisson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore how social support is related to the overall well-being of college students. Literature suggests social support buffers a negative effect of distress on academic performance. This study attempts to provide practical information for a program called Student Opportunities, Advocacy, and Resources (SOAR) at Abilene Christian University (ACU), which assists students and connects them to resources available to support their path to success. A multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the association between anxiety, depression, social support, and academic performance using a sample of 93 students enrolled in this program in Fall …

Found In Translation : How Social Work Education Can Support Student Practice With Language-Discordant Client Systems, Martha Ann Early

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study’s research question was "How can schools of social work support their students to work with language-discordant client systems (LDCS)?" In addition to the need for general support, social work students are preparing to enter a field where the patient population is growing increasingly diverse in terms of ethnicity, culture and language ability. Participants in the study described herein were current and recent social works students who were recruited for sample membership via broad social media outreach, supplemented with outreach to the researcher's professional network

The findings of this study indicate that the role of schools of social work …

The Influence Of Social Support And Mental Illness On Punishment For Rule Violations Among Male Prisoners, Missy T. Malone

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Mental illness among prisoners is higher than the general population (James & Glaze, 2006). The purpose of this exploratory-descriptive study was to investigate the social support and mental health factors that best predict punishment severity for institutional rule violations among prisoners. I conducted a secondary data analysis on 2004 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The survey participants in this study consisted of a sample of 11,569 male prisoners. Bivariate analyses of interrelationships were conducted to assess whether significant relationships exist between the severity of punishment …

Life Balance In Adult Healthy Siblings Of Individuals With Childhood Cancer., Yolanda Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Siblings of children who were diagnosed with cancer in childhood experience significant stress and psychological difficulties as a result of the cancer. Furthermore, the needs of siblings have often been overlooked in the cancer literature, prompting the need for more studies. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the life balance and social support outcomes of adults who grew up in the household with a sibling that was diagnosed with cancer. The study sample consisted of 120 adult healthy siblings who grew up in a household with a sibling that was diagnosed with cancer prior to age 19. Participants …

Social Support And Intimate Partnerships In African American Women With Breast Cancer, Tess Thompson

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study investigated social support in African American breast cancer patients in one Midwestern metropolitan area. The study includes a quantitative analysis of social support in 227 African American breast cancer patients participating in a quality of life study, as well as a qualitative component involving a subsample of 15 married participants. In the larger sample, growth curve models were used to assess factors contributing to initial levels of perceived social support and change in social support over time. Interviews with women in the qualitative study allowed an in-depth exploration of how breast cancer affected womens relationships with …

Social Support Of Clients With Smi: Professional Perspectives, Madeline A. Busch

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to explore the impact of social support in the lives of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Using a qualitative design, eight mental health practitioners with experience working with individuals afflicted by SMI reflected on the ways social support impacts individuals with SMI. The findings of this study appear to correlate with the literature review. This study identified that social support can be enhanced for individuals with SMI through: providing psychoeducation to families, offering programs that provide peer support, involvement with professionals in an ongoing and consistent relationship, implicit learning of new skills that …

The Impact Of Social And Family Support On The Psychological Well-Being Of Atheists, Justin R. Potter

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Extensive research has been done on various religious groups, but few studies have looked at the experiences of atheists. This study investigated how perceived support from friends and family impacts atheists on facets of psychological wellbeing. Five atheist organizations were contacted, and asked to forward the survey onto their list servers. Five hundred eighty-three self-identified atheists participated in this study. Participants were given the Ryff Psychological Wellbeing scales and were asked questions related to how much support participants received from friends and family regarding their non-beliefs. Results indicate that atheists who received more support from friends and family score statistically …

Social Support: Coping And Stress Related Growth Among Adults With Mental Illness, Tara J. Reopelle

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this research study was to understand the relationship with social support and coping along with stress related growth in adults with mental illness. The research study sample involved six adults with a serious and persistent mental illness that were part of an assisted living and intentional community program. The methodology used in this research study was qualitative and semi-structured interviews. Findings included demographic information as to the age, education, and religious and/or spiritual status of the study participants. Data content analysis of the semi-structured interviews revealed themes of social support, learning from others, coping with feelings and …

The Voice Of The Homeless Adult Male: Perceptions Of Those Who Have Successfully Transitioned To Self-Sufficiency, Dallas W. Gatlin

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study drew out and described the perceptions of 10 men who successfully made the transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Responding to semi-structured openended questions in a one-on-one interview format, participants shared perceptions about their lived-experiences before, during, and after chronic homelessness, and how they navigated the difficult journey to self-sufficiency. The researcher used conventional content analysis to allow the perspectives of participants to emerge from their own words in themes and meaning units. The findings of this study suggest that from participants’ point of view loss of social support due to the death of a parent or spouse, divorce, …

A Feasibility Study On A Men’S Cancer Support Group At The Mayo Clinic Health System, Mankato Andreas Cancer Center, Nicole Giersdorf

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The Institute of Medicine published a report in 2007 which outlined numerous sources of psychosocial distress that, ideally, should be managed when working with patients with cancer. Typically, they involve a lack of information available to the patient, emotional problems such as depression or anxiety, a lack of transportation and other resources, and disruptions to their daily life. Combined, these factors all contribute to poor adherence to prescribed treatments, and a slower return to health. Attending social support groups is a popular approach to coping with health problems such as these in the United States, and is considered to be …

Frequency Of Communication On Facebook As A Factor In Four Dimensions Of Perceived Social Support, Granger E. Petersen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored relationships between the frequency of public communication on the social networking website Facebook and the level of social support an individual perceives. Students in the Graduate School of Social Work and the Emergent Digital Practices program were surveyed. Correlation and regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between the variables. Findings from the analysis indicated that the frequency of posting statuses on Facebook and the frequency of responding to other's status updates on Facebook was significantly and negatively associated with a perception of tangible social support. The frequency of these types of communication were not significantly …

Burnout Among Child Protection Workers: The Role Of Supervision, Katelyn M. Davies

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This paper explores supervision as it relates to a prevalent theme among child protection workers: burnout. Prominent research in the study of burnout identifies three components: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal efficacy (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001). These three components are integrated and addressed in a qualitative exploratory study. The sample, consisting of eight child protection workers, participated in a 30-45 minute semi-structured interview. The interview was guided by an instrument developed by the researcher specifically to address supervision as it relates to the three dimensions of burnout. Grounded theory was used to code and identify themes in the data. …

Dimensions Of Informal Support Network Development In An Asian American Community In The New South: A Grounded Theory, Suzie Weng

Theses and Dissertations

The continuum of care framework posits that individuals move from one level to the next in seeking resources for help ranging from first using informal support to finally using formal services. Yet, the literature is mostly focused on formal services. It is well-known in the literature that existing formal services are underutilized by the Asian American population. If that is also the case in nontraditional settlement cities like Richmond, Virginia, the continuum of care framework and existing literature suggest that Asian Americans are turning to their informal support networks to meet their needs. Thus far, the literature on informal support …

Assessing The Effect Of Relocation Control On Psychological Well-Being Of Assisted Living Residents, Young Sook Kim

Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Recent evidence and prior research document that increasing numbers of older adults are experiencing relocation to an assisted living facility (ALF), and that involuntary ALF relocatees face a great risk of psychological distress because of the numerous stressors associated with this relocation. However, little empirical research has clearly investigated the interrelationship among major factors and their effects on the psychological well-being of AL residents: relocation control, mediators of stress (e.g., social support, self-reported health, and functional impairment) and psychological well-being.

This study had two aims: (a) to investigate the relationship between relocation control and psychological well-being (e.g., depression, …

An Examination Of Self-Care And Social Support Regarding Burnout Levels Of Direct Care Staff And Social Workers, Tina Paskey

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Previous research has examined burnout in social workers and other helping professions, however, there is little research regarding burnout in “direct care” workers, or those who work directly with clients and tend to have less experience and education. This research examined the effect of demographic factors such as age, experience, gender, and degree level on burnout rates, as well as the effect of social support and self-care on burnout. Twenty-nine participants from two social service agencies in the Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota area completed an online survey. Results showed that none of the variables studied appeared to have an effect on …

A Social Ecological Perspective On Diabetes Care: Supporting Adolescents And Caregivers, April Marie Idalski Carcone

Wayne State University Dissertations

The diabetes illness management regimen is complex and demanding, requiring daily motivation and self-control. Adolescents with diabetes face unique risks for which social support may be one protective factor. The importance of social support from family and friends is well documented in the literature. Support for the caregiver and support from the health care provider, conversely, are understudied. These four sources of social support, considered together, span the adolescent's micro-, meso-, and exosystems constituting a social ecological model of social support for diabetes. The primary aim of this study was to test this model. The hypotheses were that each source …

Life Transitions, Social Support And Psychological Well-Being Among The Elderly In Taiwan : A Longitudinal Study, Shiau-Fang Chao

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study examines the relationships between life transitions, social support and psychological well-being. A decline in health and financial strain were selected as two types of chronic stressors and loss of a spouse as an acute stressor. This study integrates previous literature and develops a unique predictive model involving seven components of social support -- social network size, social network composition, frequency of social contact, satisfaction with social support, types of support, helping others, and proximity of support. Depression and life satisfaction were the two measures of psychological well-being. 3,585 elders who were interviewed up to five times over a …