Social Work Commons^™

The Association Of Afterschool Programs' Organizational Characteristics, Program Instructional Quality, And Developmental Outcomes., Jason B. Pittman

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After-school programs (ASPs) are institutions that impact the development of millions of children in the United States. Although the ASP literature is extensive, research related to organizational characteristics, quality, and developmental outcomes is limited. The purpose of this research is to understand the association between organizational characteristics of ASPs, instructional quality within ASPs, and developmental outcomes (i.e., reading, fitness, and social emotion learning [SEL]) for children attending ASPs.

The study utilized a quasi-experimental longitudinal design with secondary data analysis. This study used 2018-2019 school year data from The Children’s Trust, a government organization of Miami-Dade County that funds programs for …

Assigning A Guardian: Family Separation Planning Among Undocumented Immigrants With Us Citizen Children, Maryam Rafieifar

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Custody of children in the event of family separation is one of the significant issues that needs to be addressed in the preparation process. Some parents make arrangements to delegate the legal guardianship of their children to another person so that if they ever get deported, they would not lose ties with their children. Using a qualitative design, this dissertation has explored the undocumented parents’ decision to choose a guardian for their US citizen children in preparation for possible future family separation. It also looked at how the parents communicate such decision and their immigration status with their children. To …

Income Attainment And Hispanic Female Householders: Examining Educational Attainment, Labor Attachment And Geographic Region, Lillian A. Abreu

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This investigation contributed to the literature by advancing scientific inquiry and addressing the gap in the literature related to social and economic mobility among Hispanic female householders living in the United States. The dissertation achieved its proposed aims by conducting secondary data analysis of the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series – Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement dataset (Flood, Kind, Rodgers, Ruggles, & Warren, 2020). The investigator applied repeated cross-sectional design to make inferences at the aggregate population level and conceptually frame analysis of a nationally representative sample of Hispanic female householders' a decade after the Great Recession …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences With Men's Lifetime Use Of Physical Intimate Partner Violence, Katherine Sias

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A national study on mental health asked men in a marriage-like relationship about their own use of physical aggression during their lifetime with the women in their life while dating and their current relationship). This study included questions on exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE). Access to those items provided a unique opportunity to examine the role of ACE and men’s self-reported lifetime use intimate partner violence (IPV). A hierarchical analysis using 15 variables in three categories of ACE (family-of-origin violence, impaired parenting, individual adversities) identified predictors within each category associated with IPV use. When the variables in the family-of-origin …

Former Foster Youth And Their Pursuit Of A College Degree, Lori Ann Gionti

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this collected papers dissertation was to examine former foster youth as they pursue college. Foster youth are known to attend and graduate college at a rate lower than their non-fostered peers. Understanding more about the journey of former foster youth as they pursue a college degree will help to understand what barriers are faced and what supports enhance their likelihood of enrollment and graduation.

Study #1, a structured literature review, examined the scholarly literature on former foster youth and college. Data were collected through a library database search and Google Scholar. Descriptive, demographic-type information was compiled and …

Evaluating Treatment For Trauma Bonding In A Sample Of Female Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence: A Single-Case Design Study, Cherelle D. Carrington

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A great deal of scientific literature addresses the adverse biopsychosocial sequelae of survivors of Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence and the resulting financial costs of Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence to society. Less is known about which clinical interventions can best mitigate survivors’ symptoms, while enhancing their capacity to survive and ultimately leave the abusive relationship. This study examined the effectiveness of the Traumatic Incident Reduction and the Trauma Bonding Protocol interventions in mitigating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and trauma bonding, and in increasing safety behaviors and readiness to change in a sample of female survivors of Intimate Partner Violence. Outcome measures …

An Exploration Of Factors Related To Suicidality And Trauma In Lgbtq Refugees And Asylees, Aaron Burgess

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In a global context where attitudes towards refugees and asylum seekers as well as LGBTQ human rights are becoming increasingly virulent, LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers are at an increased risk for a number of mental health problems, including suicidal ideation and attempts. While evidence has shown high prevalence of suicidality among refugees and LGBTQ people separately, no studies have specifically examined this phenomenon among those who are members of both groups – that is, LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation is to explore factors related to the experiences distress, trauma, and suicidality among LGBTQ …

Mediating Effects Of Foster Care Experiences On Employment And Educational Outcomes In Aged Out Former Foster Youth, John Campbell

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The economic well-being outcomes of youth who are removed from foster care status due to reaching the age of ineligibility (i.e., age out) is an important issue in public health and social work. This study investigated the interrelation between simultaneously embodying both a sex and race/ethnicity (i.e., intersectional identity), circumstances experienced through age 19 (i.e., foster care experiences), and economic well-being indicators at age 21, using secondary administrative data from a 4-year longitudinal study (N = 4657). In terms of intersectional identity, findings indicated that intersectional identity was directly related to employment and postsecondary education outcomes. In terms of foster …

A Framework For Understanding Poverty Among Refugees In The United States, Mitra Ahmadinejad

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through a set of three interconnected studies, this dissertation proposes a multidimensional poverty framework for adult refugees with a focus on their first five years in the United States. In the first study, refugee poverty was quantified using the 2016 Annual Survey of Refugees (ASR) dataset. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to calculate optimal cut-off points for income levels maximizing the sensitivity and specificity of the multidimensional poverty index utilized in the study. Guided by Ager and Strang’s (2008) refugee integration framework and using the 2016 ASR dataset, the second study explored factors associated with poverty. Using three …

The Effects Of Childhood Adversity, Juvenile Arrest, And Self-Regulation On Adults With Delinquency Histories, Michelle Ann Rhoden

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies reported that childhood adversity has debilitating effects on adult well-being. A high prevalence of youths with delinquency histories experience childhood adversity and are at high risk for lasting negative outcomes. Research identifies that the disruption in self-regulation (SR) development explains the effects of childhood adversity on well-being outcomes.

Using data from Add Health, a national study, this dissertation (1) developed a valid and reliable measure of adult SR deficiency, (2) assessed the mediating effects of adult SR deficiency on the association between childhood adversity (i.e., child maltreatment [CM], violent victimization [VV], and economic hardship [EH]) and adult well-being …

Organizational And Practitioner Characteristics That Impact Implementation Fidelity Of Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Kimberly Ann Purinton

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the field of child welfare, previous research has largely focused on assessing the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions rather than the implementation of the intervention. The primary aim of this dissertation was to expand understanding of implementation fidelity of an evidence-based practice (EBP) among community setting practitioners working with trauma exposed youth impacted by the child welfare system. The goal was to document specific practitioner and organizational characteristics that may influence implementation fidelity.

This dissertation is a secondary analysis of implementation fidelity of a volunteer practitioner group (N=201) that participated in TF-CBT training. To identify organizational and practitioner predictors …

Male Offenders Perspectives On Contextual And Proximal Events Associated With Incidents Of Domestic Violence, Sharon M. Aaron

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Domestic violence is a serious public health problem in the United States; one which has proven intractable to researchers working on theory development and on effective prevention interventions. Although much has been reported from the perspectives of battered women, there are few studies that examine the perspectives of male offenders. In particular, there has been a call for more research on contextual and proximal events associated with incidents of domestic violence from the male offenders’ perspective.

In this study, ten male offenders were interviewed to address this need. Interviews were analyzed using grounded theory method to identify themes in the …

The Mediating Effects Of Problematic Internet And Video Gaming Behaviors On Family, Cultural, And Individual Constructs Among Latinx And Non-Latinx Black Youth, Stephanie L. Diez

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Problematic Internet use (PIU) and problematic video gaming (PVG) are associated with various negative health outcomes and are increasingly concerning behavioral health issues among youth. While market research indicates that US Latinx use the Internet and video games more frequently than non-Latinx US youth, research on PIU and PVG among this historically understudied population is lacking. Accordingly, data on PIU, PVG, parental monitoring, sleep quality, substance use, anxiety, depression, parental attachment, acculturation, and positive future orientation were collected using validated standardized measures from three separate samples of US Latinx and non-Latinx youth.

The aims of this research were to explore …

The Impact Of Microaggressions And Minority Stress On The Psychological Well-Being Of Emerging Adult Sexual Minorities Of Color, Michelle G. Thompson

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microaggressions impact psychological well-being (PWB) among sexual minorities and people of color (POC). Research to date has explored this relationship among White sexual minorities and POC independently, and not among sexual minorities of color (SMPOC). SMPOC may be at an even greater risk for low PWB due to compounded microaggressions. Emerging adults are also at risk for low PWB, but little is known about PWB among SMPOC emerging adults. The current study examined microaggressions and PWB among emerging adult SMPOC; it also examined outness and PWB among adult sexual minorities. It was hypothesized that: a) SMPOC would report greater microaggressions …

Project Miracle: Increasing Empathy Among Psychosocial Support Staff Working With Refugees Through Brief Training In Motivational Interviewing, Miriam Potocky, Kristen L. Guskovict

School of Social Work

Motivational interviewing (MI) is presented as a mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) approach for increasing empathy among psychosocial support staff working with refugees in resettlement. In a pilot study, 34 case managers in US refugee resettlement non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were trained in MI in a 3-h webinar format using a randomized controlled trial with a wait-list condition. Outcome was measured using the Helpful Responses to Refugees Questionnaire, which assesses empathetic responses to common refugee scenarios. Training group participants’ responses significantly improved from before to after training compared to the wait-list group which received no training; these results were subsequently …

Do Community Food Security Assessments Contribute To A Reduction In Food Insecurity At The County Level?, John D. Buschman

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity (FI) is a significant risk factor in malnutrition which can lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes. The association of FI to undernutrition can additionally lead to impaired cognitive development in children. Nearly $100 billion is spent annually on federal nutrition programs yet FI still affects 1 in 8 American households pointing to the urgent need for the further refinement of our national/regional anti-hunger models. One notable and underutilized tool is the community food security assessment (CFA) which seeks to eliminate FI at the local level by improving food access throughout the community. A major limitation in knowledge …

Longitudinal Effects Of Peer, School, And Parenting Contexts On Substance Use Initiation In Middle School Adolescence, Barry Allen Ladis

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Substance use initiation (SUI) among adolescents is a critical public health concern. Research indicates SUI in middle adolescence increases the risk of substance use in adulthood and later dependence, which can result in deleterious consequences for youth, family relationships, and community (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, [SAMSHA], 2014). This study investigated the role of involvement with deviant peers, school connectedness, and parenting quality on SUI (e.g., alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana) in middle adolescence using secondary data from a 5-year longitudinal study (N = 387). First, exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses with a separate independent sample …

Repatriation Of Afghan Refugees From Iran: A Shelter Profile Study, Mitra Naseh, Miriam Potocky, Paul H. Stuart, Sara Pezeshk

School of Social Work

One in every nine refugees worldwide is from Afghanistan, and Iran is one of main host countries for these refugees. Close to 40 years of hosting Afghan refugees have depleted resources in Iran and resulted in promoting and sometimes forcing repatriation. Repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran to Afghanistan has been long facilitated by humanitarian organizations with the premise that it will end prolonged displacement. However, lack of minimum standards of living, among other factors such as private covered living area, can make repatriation far from a durable solution. This study aims to highlight the value of access to shelter …

Mitigating Psychological Distress Among Humanitarian Staff Working With Migrants And Refugees: A Case Example, Kristen L. Guskovict, Miriam Potocky

School of Social Work

Ongoing acute stress in humanitarian work leads to psychological distress among humanitarian workers. Stress management within humanitarian agencies requires responses at both the individual staff member and agency levels. Stress management is often conceptualized in four categories: stress that can be accepted; stress that can be altered; stress to which individuals can adapt; and stress that can be avoided. Humanitarian workers accept the stress created by the environment in which they choose to work. They can manage stress by altering their own behaviors through improved communication skills and the implementation of self-care plans. They can adapt, with the help of …

Assessing Refugee Poverty Using Capabilities Versus Commodities: The Case Of Afghans In Iran, Mitra Naseh, Miriam Potocky, Shanna L. Burke, Paul H. Stuart

School of Social Work

This study is among the first to calculate poverty among one of the world’s largest refugee populations, Afghans in Iran. More importantly, it is one of the first to use capability and monetary approaches to provide a comprehensive perspective on Afghan refugees’ poverty. We estimated poverty using data collected from a sample of 2,034 refugee households in 2011 in Iran. We utilized basic needs poverty lines and the World Bank’s absolute international poverty line for our monetary poverty analyses and the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for our capability analyses of poverty. Findings show that nearly half of the Afghan …

Associations Of Hiv Risk Behaviors Among Older Latinas And Their Adult Daughters, Gira J. Ravelo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the associations between adult Latina daughters’ HIV risk behaviors and that of their older Latina mothers’ HIV risk behaviors. The central hypothesis of the study is that adult Latina daughters’ influence their older mothers’ behaviors and that such behaviors interact with the level of their attachment.

Older Latinas are a vulnerable population that face cultural risk factors, health care provider bias, and engage in low rates of HIV testing. The primary mode of HIV infection for Latinas is through heterosexual contact. Yet, traditional gender norms such as marianismo belief place pressure on Latina women to be submissive …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Community-Based De-Addiction Camps Among Adults With Alcohol Problems In Rural India, Meenal J. Sawant

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

India has reported higher alcohol per capita consumption and problem use in the past. Per the 2005-06 NFHS-3, problem use has been disproportionately high among men, less educated people, those living in rural areas and lower socioeconomic groups. Despite the growing problem, the data available on the effectiveness alcohol treatment services is very limited. The proposed study intends to address this gap by analyzing the treatment outcome (i.e., complete abstinence) among adult users participating in de-addiction camps and the impact of various individual and environmental factors on alcohol use and treatment outcome. Data (N=176) was collected on adult alcohol users …

Exploring The Efficacy Of Social Media Based Hiv Prevention Strategies For Hispanic College Students, Sofia B. Fernandez

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hispanics now constitute the largest ethnic minority group in the U.S. As the country’s fastest growing demographic, social welfare and public health professionals should focus on ameliorating health issues affecting this population. However, Hispanics continue to experience health disparities including high rates of HIV infection. Moreover, South Florida, is home to two counties with the highest per capita incidence of HIV in the U.S. Risks for HIV are heightened in college settings where individuals may have multiple partners and inconsistent condom use. As such, Hispanic college students in a minority serving institution in Miami, FL comprise an ideal group for …

Concurrent Participation In Federally-Funded Welfare Programs And Empowerment Toward Economic Self-Sufficiency, Rigaud Joseph

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the odds for low-income households to become and remain economically self-sufficient as a result of participating in federallyfunded welfare programs. An evaluation in nature, this study assessed the merits and shortcomings of federally-funded welfare programs. Using the public-use version of the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) Panel, this quasi-experimental investigation compartmentalized 4,216 low-income households into two groups: an intervention group (n = 2,436) and a comparison group (n = 1,780). Households in the intervention group received one or more federal means-tested welfare benefits for the most part of the …

Institutional Ethnography: Utilizing Battered Women’S Standpoint To Examine How Institutional Relations Shape African American Battered Women’S Work Experiences In Christian Churches, Ursula Tiershatha Wright

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the collected papers dissertation was to critically examine the individual and institutional conditions that shaped battered women’s work experiences in church organizations. The studies in the collected papers shared the provision of using a methodological and analytic tool, institutional ethnography (IE), that offers a strategic and comprehensive means of investigating issues related to institutions and institutional processes that merge a macro and micro view. The first paper was a conceptual paper that emphasized the socio-political context in which adult vocation education is practiced and shared a practical means of using IE to uncover the interconnected and interdependent …

Home-Based, Self-Administered Dyadic Cognitive Training For Healthy Older Adults: Feasibility Study, Natalia Shtompel

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The negative effects of cognitive decline and impairment can be devastating for older adults and their families, and extremely costly for the healthcare system and the society. Cognitive training aims to maintain or improve cognition by utilizing repetitive tasks that target specific cognitive skills. The majority of cognitive training studies in healthy older adults involved home-based, individual, computerized approach or onsite, group, paper-and-pencil format. These approaches may not be suitable for individuals with serious health or mobility issues, caregiving responsibilities, limited transportation, or limited computer or internet access. A novel, home-based, self-administered cognitive training intervention was developed to address these …

Hospice Psychosocial Service Availability And Utilization In The United States, Amary Alcide

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Information has been sparse on the hospice psychosocial support offered through the American hospice system. This study examined the hospice psychosocial services that are available and utilized within the United States. In addition, the characteristics of patients and families who utilized these services were comprehensively assessed. Data from the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS) was analyzed in this cross-sectional study (National Center for Health Statistics [NCHS], 2007). Hierarchical linear regression, hierarchal logistic regressions as well as chi-square test of independence were used to analyze the data.

It was hypothesized that for profit hospice ownership status would predict …

Enhancing Empathy Among Humanitarian Workers Through Project Miracle: Development And Initial Validation Of The Helpful Responses To Refugees Questionnaire, Miriam Potocky, Kristen L. Guskovict

School of Social Work

Background: Empathy is an important tool needed for service providers working with people who have experienced trauma, such as refugees and torture survivors. However, the high caseloads, rigorous deadlines, and overwhelming circumstances under which humanitarian workers typically operate often make it challenging to employ empathy. The Helpful Responses to Refugees Questionnaire (HRRQ) was developed to measure empathetic responsiveness, a core skill of Motivational Interviewing, among service providers working with refugees, including torture survivors.

Methods: The HRRQ was adapted specifically for measuring empathy in refugee contexts, including among asylum-seekers and torture survivors. Face validity and content validity were established by a …

A Mixed-Methods Examination Among Young Adult Racially/Ethnically Diverse Bariatric Surgery Patients, Christine E. Spadola

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bariatric, or weight loss, surgery (WLS) is known as the most effective treatment for severe obesity, and the number of bariatric surgeries performed in the United States has more than tripled over the past two decades. Despite the potential health benefits of WLS (i.e., reversal of type 2 diabetes), research has revealed problematic alcohol use among WLS patients, in part associated with the following risk factors: the prevalence of a lifetime alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) procedure, younger age, and an increased post-surgical sensitivity to alcohol. There is reason to believe both (a) young adult and …

In Search Of Safety, Negotiating Everyday Forms Of Risk: Sex Work, Criminalization, And Hiv/Aids In The Slums Of Kampala, Serena Cruz

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation offers an in-depth descriptive account of how women manage daily risks associated with sex work, criminalization, and HIV/AIDS. Primary data collection took place within two slums in Kampala, Uganda over the course of fourteen months. The emphasis was on ethnographic methodologies involving participant observation and informal and unstructured interviewing. Insights then informed document analysis of international and national policies concerning HIV prevention and treatment strategies in the context of Uganda. The dissertation finds social networks and social capital provide the basis for community formation in the sex trade. It holds that these interpersonal processes are necessary components for …