Social Work Commons^™

Impact Of Job-Related Stressors On Levels Of Compassion Fatigue, Curnishia Woodbury

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Compassion fatigue is an area of concern for direct practice social workers who engage with trauma material. This phenomenon has been deemed the cost of caring. The purpose of this study was to identify a relationship between job-related stressors such as caseload size, weekly supervision and job satisfaction and compassion fatigue. A total of 10 child protection social workers from various Southern California counties constituted the study sample. The Pearson Coefficient Correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between the identified variables. The findings revealed that there was a moderate correlation between caseload size and compassion fatigue as well …

Underutilizaiton Of Mental Health Services By Marginalized Populations, Jermaine Bennett, Anna Blum

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Underutilization of mental health services is a serious issue in the United States, particularly among marginalized groups. Previous research has not explored this issue in depth in the Inland Empire nor focused simultaneously on the federal protected classes of race, age, gender, and sexual orientation. This study expands the literature by using Systems Theory and Intersectional Perspective to determine whether there exists a difference in utilization of mental health services between marginalized populations and their non-marginalized counterparts in San Bernardino County. Through a non-probability sampling method, this study recruited 87 adults who completed a questionnaire on their participation in mental …

The Impact Of Implicit Bias On The Overdiagnosis Of Schizophrenia, Ace Ogbebor

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

According to the American Psychiatric Association (2017), Black Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and less likely to be diagnosed with a mood disorder in compassion to their White counterparts presenting with the same symptoms. To address mechanisms of implicit bias and the implications for mental health practice, it is imperative to investigate the diagnostic process of students who will enter the field of mental health.

According to the Council on Social Work Education, 80% of MSW graduates work in positions providing micro-level direct service to individuals, families, and groups (CSWE, 2019). Moreover, 80% of MSW graduates …

Barriers To Mental Health Supports And Resources Experienced By Online Graduate Social Work Students, Joseph B. Camacho

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this qualitative exploratory study was to examine barriers online graduate social work (MSW) students encountered in obtaining mental health services. To obtain relevant data, the researcher interviewed online MSW students at a public university in southern California. This project employed bottom-up data analysis techniques by using open and axial coding to categorize and synthesize varied participant experiences. Relationships between axial codes were identified and analysis provided a window into the student experience for these online graduate social work students.

This study uncovered a phenomenon that this author calls the participants’ “student experience” as they pursue their online …

Barriers To Mental Health Treatment: A Qualitative Study Of The Hispanic Community In A Southern California County, Fred Rodriguez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aimed to highlight the perspectives of the Southern California County’s Hispanic community on how to address the underutilization of mental health services and inform mental health stakeholders on steps toward solving a major social issue. Three major themes were identified through data analysis: Hispanic culture/tradition, the need for increased education and promotion of mental health, and lack of information from agencies and organizations. A limitation of this study included results that could not be generalized to the larger population due to the small sample size. Recommendations included educating the community, parents and children, and increased promotion of services …

Latinas' Cultural Beliefs Affect On Their Postpartum Mental Health, Cindy Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Postpartum depression affects Latinas at a higher rate than the general population; however, Latinas often refrain from seeking mental health services due to their cultural beliefs. By examining Latinas’ experiences and perspectives on postpartum depression and how their cultural beliefs impact them. This study provides insight to increase postpartum depression awareness and mental health service seeking among Latinas. In this exploratory study, a qualitative approach was utilized in which Latinas were recruited to participate in interviews containing open-ended questions, then transcribed into transcripts. The transcripts were reviewed for accuracy, coded for themes, and examined by utilizing thematic analysis. The findings …

Evolution Of Stigma: Understanding The Progression Of Stigma On Receiving Mental Health Services Within Latinx Communities In The Inland Empire, Joanna Gutierrez, Ciel Rivas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The stigmatization of mental health services within the Latinx community has led to the underutilization of these services within this population. This study examined whether the stigma on receiving mental health services has evolved over the years within the Latinx community of the Inland Empire region. An analysis of the evolution of this stigma brings insight on why this stigma exists, and what has made it increase or decrease. The study was conducted through a qualitative procedure; Individual interviews were conducted where the information gathered was analyzed through thematic analysis to identify overlapping ideas and topics. The findings supported that …

Loss Of Face-To-Face Interaction In Telehealth, Steven Lu

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Telehealth usage has increased dramatically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The loss of face-to-face interaction may have an impact on rapport building, noticing verbal and nonverbal cues, and attitudes towards telehealth which may negatively affect the quality of mental health services. The study aimed to determine if the loss of face-to-face interaction has any effect on the quality of mental health services through telehealth. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research method design using interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed to written form to analyze themes that were present. The study found that the loss of face-to-face interaction can influence rapport …

Examining Geographic Variation In Mental And Behavioral Health Outcomes Of Sexual Minority Youth, Kerry M. Mcloughlin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Sexual minority youth (SMY) are a population vulnerable to behavioral health challenges. While behavioral health disparities between SMY and heterosexual youth are well documented, less attention has been given to how such disparities vary geographically. The aim of this study is to begin to fill this gap by using a national dataset to examine how behavioral health disparities between SMY and heterosexual youth vary by geography. Understanding how SMY’s experiences vary by location will allow social workers to better allocate resources. Secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study was conducted to …

Inter-Agency Collaborations Among Mental Health And Law Enforcement Professionals In San Bernardino County During Covid-19: A Qualitative Study, Sonya Mcisaac

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As first responders, law enforcement officers and mental health professionals are constantly sought after regarding the delivery of critical services to people in need. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought almost everything to a halt. It is therefore important to understand how social services were delivered during the crisis. It has been assumed in the literature that interprofessional collaboration is an important service delivery framework. However, because COVID-19 is a relatively recent public health phenomenon, relevant studies on interprofessional collaboration between law enforcement officers and mental health professionals are scant, if not non-existent. This qualitative study addresses this gap by exploring …

Accessibility Of Mental Health Resources In Schools, Zitlaly Lizeth Cruz-Roman, Vianney Consepcion Sandoval

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine parents’ and staff’s perception of the accessibility and awareness of mental health resources in school. Mental health resources are made available in school settings; however, not all families and students are aware of the resources being provided. To address the accessibility of mental health resources, research needs to take place to understand why these resources are not being utilized. Individuals’ mental health will improve by creating awareness of the resources since they will be aware of the resources and use them based on their needs. The research project utilized quantitative research methods and descriptive research …