Social Work Commons^™

Study Exploring Feelings Of Self-Blame And Shame Among Individuals Raised By Severely Mentally Ill Caregivers, Joanie Minion

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this quantitative research project is to explore feelings of self- blame and/or shame among people who were raised by a primary caregiver with severe mental illness. Examples of serious mental illness (SMI) that are used in this study are bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder (MDD) if psychotic symptoms are present, or it is treatment-resistant. Twenty-six adult participants were recruited via the researcher’s social media account and through others’ sharing the research project information. Demographic data and data regarding self-blame and shame as a child and as an adult and if they felt their family, friendships, …

Covid-19, Social Isolation, And Msw Students’ Mental Health, Cassandra Barajas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

New literature has found that the COVID-19 pandemic has grown the prevalence of anxiety and depression amongst college students (University Communications, 2021). The purpose of this research study was to further explore how the sudden restrictions and isolation protocols enforced and caused by the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health symptoms amongst MSW students. The study sample consisted of social work students who were 18 years old or older and who were enrolled in a Master of Social Work Program at some point in time during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

This study was conducted using a post-positivism approach and by …

The Aftermath Of The Pandemic’S Effect On College Student Depression, Lorena Sedano

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The present study examines how stress from the aftermath of the pandemic has affected college student depression. Using qualitative methods, ten college students voluntarily participated in recorded interviews. During these interviews students shared how the return to normality affected their experiences with depression, and the experiences of other students on campus. The study examined coping mechanisms to their adaptations, student’s individual stories, the effects that were viewed on campus, and their experiences during this transition. Students also completed the PHQ-2 and brief questions from the perceived stress scale. During the completion of the PHQ-2, 60% of students reported to have …

Liberating Self: An Autoethnographic Inquiry Into Black Male Mental Health, Phillip J. Roundtree Sr., Dsw, Lcsw, Ms

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

This autoethnography offers a first-person perspective on Black male mental health experiences. It incorporates personal narratives and academic research to explore the intersectionality of race, gender, and mental health, as well as the impact of historical and contemporary systemic racism and discrimination on Black males' psychological and emotional well-being.

The Black Liberation Psychology theoretical framework and Africana Studies Conceptual framework examined how cultural norms, hip-hop culture, stigma, and societal factors, including racism, discrimination, and stereotypes about Black masculinity, shape Black male mental health experiences. The study also highlights Black males' development of coping mechanisms and resilience strategies to navigate these …

The Influence Of Child Maltreatment In The Manifestation Of Anxiety And Depressive Symptoms At The Age 18, Maria J. Velasquez

LSU Master's Theses

Child maltreatment affects thousands of children and adolescents every year. This phenomenon is multidimensional, meaning there are different subtypes (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect) known to predict various mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. While previous research has investigated mental health outcomes in maltreated youth, results may vary based on the dimensions of abuse considered. This study aims to expand on previous literature to examine how a history of child maltreatment subtypes influences the manifestation of anxiety and depressive symptoms in youth at age 18. The current study uses secondary data analysis of the Longitudinal …

Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic depression is a system of experiences where the mind, heart, and gut track happenings lingering among systemic models of prevention and intervention and personal stories. This nonexperimental correlational study aimed to provide insights into mental help-seeking and employment hope among depressed Black/African American foster care male alums. The central research question was to what degree, if any, a positive relationship exists between employment hope and seeking access to mental health-related services among male foster care alums who identify with depression. It was hypothesized that a statistically significant relationship exists. The social cognitive career theory and theory of planned behavior …

Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic depression is a system of experiences where the mind, heart, and gut track happenings lingering among systemic models of prevention and intervention and personal stories. This nonexperimental correlational study aimed to provide insights into mental help-seeking and employment hope among depressed Black/African American foster care male alums. The central research question was to what degree, if any, a positive relationship exists between employment hope and seeking access to mental health-related services among male foster care alums who identify with depression. It was hypothesized that a statistically significant relationship exists. The social cognitive career theory and theory of planned behavior …

Help-Seeking Behaviors And Employment Hope Among Depressed Black Male Foster Care Alumni, Vanessa Jennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traumatic depression is a system of experiences where the mind, heart, and gut track happenings lingering among systemic models of prevention and intervention and personal stories. This nonexperimental correlational study aimed to provide insights into mental help-seeking and employment hope among depressed Black/African American foster care male alums. The central research question was to what degree, if any, a positive relationship exists between employment hope and seeking access to mental health-related services among male foster care alums who identify with depression. It was hypothesized that a statistically significant relationship exists. The social cognitive career theory and theory of planned behavior …

Examining Contributing Factors To Poor Mental Health Among College Students: A Guide To Student Mental Health Resources, Kora Dutton

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Among college students, poor mental health is an issue that continues to progress. In this literature review, contributing factors to mental health conditions of college students are examined. These factors include financial burden and living standards, violence, substance use, pandemics, and health crises. After the initial onset of a mental illness, the risk for other negative consequences increases. Students with mental illness are less likely to graduate, more likely to develop substance use disorder, and are at an increased risk for other mental health comorbidities and suicide. As poor mental health among college students persists, more accessibility to resources is …

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 …

Prevalence Of Depression Among Mothers Experiencing Role Conflict, Amanda Weibert

Selected Full-Text Master Theses Collection 2018-

Research shows mothers and women have higher levels of role conflict and depression. The purpose of this study was to expand on the literature surrounding mothers with role conflict and their depression levels. The main hypothesis was mothers experiencing total role conflict have higher levels of depression compared to non-mothers. Additionally, four sub hypotheses were examined. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Long Island University students and staff, who were women, responded to a survey that included five demographic questions, the PHQ-9 scale, and The Role Conflict Scale. Total sample size was n = 36 with 18 respondents being mothers. Three …

The Influence Of Instagram And Depression Amongst College-Aged Individuals, Ariana Soylemezoglu

Selected Full-Text Master Theses Collection 2018-

Social media has impacted the lives of many young adults within today’s society. While social media has connected individuals from around the world, it has also blurred the truth from reality. Quite often, social media users will give a glimpse into their life where judgements are free to be made by their audience. Instagram is a noteworthy platform that is highly utilized, but also highly critical to one’s mental health. Previous research has explored the significance between mental health and social media; however, the aim of this current study is to carefully examine the connection between depression and Instagram usage …

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 …

Anxiety, Depression, And Sexual Minority Identity Among First Responders, Kayla Soohy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates that first responders tend to experience high levels of anxiety and depression due to unique stressors associated with first responder employment. This increased risk level for mental health issues among first responders can be exacerbated by the addition of psychosocial stressors. The influence of interpersonal or intrapersonal factors, such as sexual minority identity, on the mental health issues experienced by first responders has remained relatively unexplored. The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between type of first responder, sexual identity, anxiety, and depression via a framework rooted in minority stress theory. Data were gathered …

Depression Among Older Immigrant African Women In Metro West Massachusetts, Bi Toh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThis study addressed depression among older immigrant African Women in Metro West Massachusetts to better understand the causes and prevalence of depression among older women coming from Africa to live in the United States. The study situated older women to be above the age of 55 and focused on exploring the views of social workers in relation to issues of depression among these women. It addressed the factors that influence older immigrant African women’s adaptive capacity in Metro West Massachusetts, the mental health service social workers offer to older women from Africa living in the United States, how social workers …

Appreciation Day For Clinical Staff At Vna Hospice, Melody Nguyen

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

VNA Hospice of the Central Coast is a nonprofit that was created back in 1951. The staff at VNA are visiting about 75,000 homes per year. Throughout the years the staff have been seeing patients who reached the requirement of having 6 months or less to live. Working with Hospice patients can be hard for everyone but, the staff at VNA are seeing the patients from good days and bad days. Depression is known to negatively impact the clinical staff at VNA Hospice. Staff are working long hours which leads to sleep disturbance and chronic stress. Some staff are also …

Utilization Patterns Of Community-Based Mental Health Services Among School-Going Adolescent Girls In Southwestern Uganda., William Byansi

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION

Globally an estimated 20% of children and adolescents experience a disabling mental illness (Belfer, 2008). Mental health disorders are the second leading cause of disease burden and the eleventh leading cause in older adolescents (15-19 years). Yet, children and adolescents are over-represented in low-resourced countries and settings often characterized by violence, wars, diseases, physical and sexual abuse, all of which are associated with poor mental health functioning (Kieling et al., 2011; Naker, 2005). Moreover, in LMICs the treatment gap is about 93% of individuals without access to mental health services with virtually no coverage of evidence-based …

Exploring The Prevalence Of Social Isolation In Students At A Christian College In West Texas, David Bryan Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The concept known as “social isolation” is a problem that affects many people, but there are certain populations that do not have adequate research performed on them. Specifically, college students face a risk of social isolation that is detrimental to their well-being and academic success, and there is a gap in the literature about this relationship. This study explored the prevalence of social isolation in college students at a Christian college in West Texas and examined various factors to determine whether any protective factors or at-risk factors existed. An online survey was sent out that used 11 demographic factor questions …

Social Workers' Perspectives Of Depression In Baby Boomers Born Between 1946 And 1955, Karen Cohen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAs the leading-edge baby boomer (L-E boomer) cohort continues to age, demands of mental health services in treating diagnosed depression in this cohort are increasing. Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) are the most likely social workers to provide services to L-E boomers diagnosed with depression. LCSWs were the chosen participants for this generic qualitative study to gain knowledge of their perspectives of working with L-E boomers diagnosed with depression. Grounded in generational theory, this study used a generic qualitative approach allowing for nonrestrictive measures for capturing the data. NVIVO assisted in coding the data and identification of common themes, words, …

Supporting Survivors Coming Forward, Samanta Herrera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

As an intern at Survivors Healing Center an issue that was identified was child sexual abuse cases are too common. The contributing factors that have a correlation to the community problem that was mentioned is denial, emotional maltreatment, and family characteristics. The consequence of the contributing factors led to depression, suicidal and a potential reacurrence of sexual abuse. The purpose of the project was to educate participants on how to support survivors who are coming forward. By educating them the expected outcome was to have some participants leaving with knowledge towards the issue. As a result of addressing the contributing …

Reducing Depression And Anxiety With Equine Activities, Denise Todd

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Anxiety and depression are among the most popular mental health issues in the United States and across the globe, as many people continue to face personal, familial, and systemic challenges in their lives. It is believed that equine activities (those that involve interactions with horses) can play a significant role in alleviating anxiety and depression levels in adults. So far, however, the existing scholarship contains just a handful of studies supporting such a claim. Using a pre-experimental design, this study sought to extend the mental health literature by assessing the impact of equine activities on anxiety and depression among …

Exploring The Relationships Of Social Media Usage And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression In Adolescents, Morgan Culpepper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social media is a popular form of communication and entertainment among youth. Inconsistencies are present in the literature on the potential effects it can have on mental health. Depression and anxiety disorders are common among all age groups in the US, and this study aimed to determine the relationship social media has on symptoms of anxiety and depression. The Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS) and the GAD-7 were used to measure symptoms of anxiety, as well as the CES-D scale to evaluate depressive symptoms in adolescents. The number of social networking sites and number of hours spent on social …

Exploring The Use Of Familismo To Manage Depression Among Elderly Latino Women, Denise Ramos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the elderly population continues to increase in the United States, so does the concern of major depressive disorder. Despite the need to forcefully recognize and address depression among this age group, efforts have been docile and passive; many elderly individuals continue to go undiagnosed. With the increase of Latino population within the past and upcoming decades and with studies showing that elderly Latinos appear to live longer than non-Latinos, it is critical that differences in treatment interventions be explored. This study aimed to explore the use of familismo (intense importance and attachment the Latino culture places on nuclear and …

Providing Resources For Probationers, Behavioral Health And Substance Abuse, Crystal Rangel

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

San Benito County Probation Department is daily targeted by defendants having an issue with drugs, violations, domestic violence, battery, drug court, Post Release Community Supervision. The main issue is that the defendants relapse into drugs, which can sometimes lead themselves to committing a violation of probation. Due to a certain level of stress, depression and bad influence defendants sometimes make a bad decision and drug relapse or commit a violation. Which them leads them to incarceration, loss of family support and sometimes death because of a drug overdose. A Referral Resource Handout was created from different resources available in the …

Association Between Behavioral And Psychological Symptoms In Persons With Alzheimer's Disease And Depression In Caregivers From Low Income Families, Weizhou Tang

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease and is a leading cause of dementia. Behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPS) represent a heterogeneous group of non-cognitive symptoms and behaviors occurring in persons with Alzheimer’s disease (PwAD), and they are often associated with negative outcomes for AD caregivers. Evidence indicates differences in caregivers’ mental health across race/ethnic groups. However, there is a lack of research that compares racial differences in the association between BPS in PwAD and caregiver depression. The aims of this dissertation, which are grounded in the Stress Process Model, include: 1) To compare racial differences in BPS …

The Impact Of Stigma On Adolescents Willingness To Seek Treatment, Alejandra Randol

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this study will be on how the stigma attached to mental illness impedes adolescent’s experiencing suicidal ideation & depression, willingness to seek out mental health services. The purpose of the study is to determine what action needs to be taken to address these issues to facilitate adolescent’s willingness to seek services. The study was qualitative and was conducted utilizing the constructivism approach with a theoretical orientation emphasized on the labeling and empowerment theory. The literature reviews focus on labeling of mental disorders and stigma, preventing factors and interventions that influence help seeking and mental health services utilization, …

Mental Health Disparities For Latino Immigrants & Its Impact On Psychological Well-Being, Ana Do Rosario Sousa

Counseling Psychology | Master's Theses

In the present study, the researcher sought to examine the factors associated with Latino immigrants and the barriers/challenges that are faced in mental health. The main question that the researcher focuses on in the present study is: What are some of the mental health challenges for Latino immigrants & how do these disparities further impact psychological well-being? Furthermore, the research focuses on highlighting the variables that are increasingly damaging to the minority population of Latinos in the United States. These variables include lack of health insurance, stigma, acculturation issues, legal issues, and biopsychosocial factors, such as socioeconomic class. In multiple …

Acculturation And Depression Among Older U.S. Immigrants: A Systematic Review, Sunghwan Cho

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This systematic review examines how acculturation affects depressive symptoms of older U.S. immigrants. Upon through review of the present literature, five articles were identified as meeting inclusion criteria and analyzed based on the ecological theory. Common themes identified throughout the reviewed studies include enhancing family support, community support, and cultural contexts. Results of this review conclude the micro and meso system such as family and social network supports help older adult immigrants interact with the mainstream American culture, which leads to a reduction of depressive symptoms of older adult immigrants. Also, the review identified that it is helpful for service …

Psychological Abuse In Romantic Relationships And Associated Mental Health Outcomes, Jessica J. Peatee

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Many researchers hypothesize that experiencing psychological abuse in a romantic relationship may be more common than experiencing other forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) because psychological abuse often co-occurs with the presence of physical violence in a relationship and may be likely to occur on its own (Follingstad & Rogers, 2014; Hennings & Klesges, 2003). Some data have linked the experience of psychological abuse in a romantic partnership with mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and somatization (Rogers & Follingstad, 2014). Although, few empirical studies have examined the unique experiences of individuals who have endured psychological abuse alone (without …

The Relationship Between Hospitalizations And Anxiety And Depression Symptoms In Patients With Cystic Fibrosis, Ronni T. Barker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2015, the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Foundation collaborated with the European CF Society to develop new guidelines to screen for depression and anxiety in people with CF. The guidelines were based on a study that assessed over 6,000 patients and 4,000 caregivers among 45 centers in the United States and eight European countries. Research has proven that depression and anxiety have a negative impact on CF and overall health. 186 adolescents within the CF clinic at Children’s Health Center voluntarily completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7). These screenings were completed between February 2016-March 2017 and …