Social Work Commons^™

Sa/Fe Program: A Rural Health Care Response To Sexual Assault, Sheri Arnett

Theses and Graduate Projects

Governor Arnie Carlson's Minnesota Task Force on Violence found that health care providers lack consistent health promotion for victims of sexual assault, especially in rural settings. Research has shown that efforts to help victims of sexual assault during the initial crisis, and in follow-up care, reducing harmful and expensive residual effects. This study describes the design and implementation of a sexual assault forensic examiner program for rural settings that reduces risks to the victim. A model of health addresses the psycho-social and forensic needs of victims and barriers to expert care, as well as demonstrates ways to reduce costs for …

Adolescent Females As Participants In Service Learning And Their Moral, Social, And Political Ideologies: A Case Study, Allison R. Erickson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Service learning programs have been increasingly more popular among social service agencies and academic institutions. Service learning curriculum are being adopted through efforts to provide for adolescents the opportunities to foster responsible character traits and to also prevent anti-social or health-compromising behavior. There has been considerable research regarding service learning and adolescence, however, little research is available on how the adolescents themselves perceive the effect their service learning experience has on themselves. I conducted a qualitative study exploring adolescent girls' understanding of the effect their community service experience had on their moral, social and political values. My research consisted of …

Development Of A Workshop Exploring Physical Disability And Film Media, Debra J. Peterson

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a one day workshop for human service professionals which would help them to explore commonly held attitudes and values towards citizens with disabilities and heighten awareness of the impact of popular media, particularly film, in the shaping of such values. The framework is founded in symbolic interactionism with an emphasis on the following concepts: disability, handicap, mass media and the formation of culture. Th rough individual and group activities, lecture, analysis of film segments and overhead transparencies, workshop participants would expand their awareness and skills associated with citizens with disabilities and obtain …

Immigration Policy, Intolerance, And Social Work After World War Ii, Ariel Racine

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study is an historical analysis of the profession of social work involvement in immigration policies and social welfare programs. This study sought to explore how the social work profession related to immigration policy from the turn of the century until the present, focusing on the aftermath of World War II. Three themes emerged from the literature: l) the development of the social work profession; 2) the methods in which social work responded to the events after World War II; and 3) the lack of involvement of society and the social work profession on the behalf of immigrants during this …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Students With Attention Deficit Disorders, Paula A. Watts

Theses and Graduate Projects

Attention Deficit Disorders (ADHD/ADD) are rapidly becoming an important educational issue. Currently, ADHD/ADD is the most frequently diagnosed condition found in school age children. Educators, unlike other professionals, have a unique opportunity to observe students on a daily basis and over extended periods of time within a setting where the deficits associated with this disorder are perhaps most visible. As a result, teachers have long served as the catalysts for suggesting the diagnosis of ADHD/ADD in their students. They have also been responsible for implementing strategies within the classroom to assist students with ADHD/ADD in being successful. However, teachers' experience …

Critical Incident Stress And The Effectiveness Of Debriefing For Hospital Personnel, Brenda S. Verbick

Theses and Graduate Projects

A model of intervention called Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) has been developed for the hospital setting to mitigate the impact of a critical incident and to assist workers in recovering as quickly as possible from the stress associated with the event.

This quantitative cross-sectional survey expands the knowledge of the impact of critical incidents on hospital workers and the effectiveness of the CISD model of intervention in reducing stress reactions. Through a self-administered survey, participants were asked to complete a subjective stress measurement tool, the revised Impact of Event (IES-R), as well as a ‘helpfulness’ questionnaire developed to obtain …

Adult Mentoring: Benefits To Adolescent Mothers, Kim Landrigan

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study was conducted to explore the following research questions: l) What are the needs of pregnant and parenting adolescents in the St. Cloud community? 2) What support systems were most helpful to pregnant or parenting adolescents?

Once youth become parents, they face many challenges such as dropping out of high school, becoming economically deprived, and lacking emotional support. Eleven pregnant and/or parenting adolescents, ages 15 to 19, were interviewed using a structured interview guide. The interviews focused on assessing the participant's educational achievements, financial stability, self-esteem, level of emotional support and social support networks.

Overall the study found …

Evaluating A Grief Support Group's Effectiveness In Alleviating A Person's Grief Experience, Kristin Lea Anderson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Grieving over the death of a loved one is an incredibly painful experience for anyone to endure. Moving through this grief in isolation can make the experience even more devastating. Fortunately, grief support groups have been developed as a way for people to receive the necessary emotional and social support during this difficult time. This study is a direct practice evaluation examining the effectiveness of a grief support group's ability to alleviate a person's level of anger, despair, and social isolation. Those participating in the study included 7 new members of a grief support group who had experienced the death …

Observing Attachment Disorder In Adults, Aileen G. Ockwig

Theses and Graduate Projects

Mental health professionals who work with adults typically encounter clients who have issues left over from childhood. This paper discusses the Attachment Theory first conceptualized by John Bowlby and the therapeutic implications with adults concerning attachment theory based on psychoanalytic-object relations theory. Understanding and emphasizing the importance of affectional bonds with caring others is an essential part of treating adult clients with attachment issues. The purpose of this study is to define the nature of the therapeutic relationship between client and clinician to identify therapeutic strategies that create a safe place for adult clients to explore issues of attachment, separation …

Grieving The Loss Of A Partner: The Ways Of Isolation A Hermeneutic Experience, Nichole M. Yager

Theses and Graduate Projects

This hermeneutic, qualitative study was undertaken to find out what the lived experience has been for one woman who lost her partner. Hermeneutics is an interpretive approach to looking at everyday experiences and uncovering what is usually hidden from us. Theorists have developed many frameworks to apply to the bereaved person. They try to explain how the loss will affect those who suffer a loss. This study attempted to capture what this experience was like for one bereaved person, what her thoughts and feelings were while living the experience and how this experience has changed her life. The participant lost …

Jane Addams, Mary Richmond And Liberal Feminism: An Historical Analysis, Elizabeth Reum

Theses and Graduate Projects

This historical thesis analyzed records and archival information regarding feminism in American social work by contrasting two key historical figures, Mary Richmond and Jane Addams who were considered the matriarchs of the social work movement in the earliest part of the 20th century. The study examined the accomplishments of Ms. Addams and Ms. Richmond, their backgrounds and philosophies that helped shape their feminism, beliefs, and political work and the impact it had on social work as a profession. The research gathered attempted to answer the question of whether the work done by these two women meets the current criteria of …

Out For Equity, A Case Study, Erin Beaudry

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of the study is to explore the effectiveness of such a program and if found useful, to put forth information that can assist social workers in starting such a program in their school systems. Homosexuality has been a controversial subject in our society for many years. Society has reacted to the topic in many different ways including ignoring, condemning, or accepting gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals for who they are. The framework for this study is based on Systems Theory and focuses on the power the education system has in affecting the lives of gay, lesbian, and bisexual …

Nurturant And Provider Role Saliency Of Fathers In Traditional And Non-Traditional Families, Michael R. Hacker

Theses and Graduate Projects

Although identity theory, out of symbolic interactionism, has been suggested to be the most useful framework for understanding the changing roles of fathers, little systematic research has been done to apply this framework to fathering roles, and especially the specific roles of provider and nurturer. In this study, seven fathers, four in economically traditional families and three in economically non-traditional families, were interviewed using a structured interview schedule. This interview focused on the saliency of the roles of provider and nurturer for fathers and the strain in fulfilling aspects of both as predicted by identity theory. The content analysis revealed …

A Secondary Data Analysis Of The Womankind/Centers For Disease Control Evaluation A Study Of Hospital Staff S Ability To Engage, Assess And Refer Victims Of Domestic Abuse, Victoria M. Hanson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This is a secondary data analysis of an evaluation of a domestic violence program in a hospital setting in the Midwest. Hospital staffs in five hospitals who work in either the Emergency Department, Intensive Care, or Perinatal/Ob/Gyn were surveyed to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding domestic abuse. This secondary data analysis looked at the results of the 320 completed baseline surveys to examine if hospital staff who have a high concordance with feminist principles perceive themselves as having a high ability to engage, assess, and refer victims of domestic abuse. Multiple regression was used to compare practitioner …

Service Usage As A Measure Of Program Effectiveness: One Agency's Experience, Lisa M. Powers

Theses and Graduate Projects

This is a program evaluation of a community support program for adults with a serious and persistent mental illness. Since the deinstitutionalization of persons with a serious and persistent mental illness, many programs have been developed with the aim of keeping this population as independent in their communities as possible. Existing research shows the effectiveness of community-based programs in reducing acute care hospitalizations for this population yet fails to determine which components of these programs are most necessary and for whom. A simple random sample of currently active files (N=38) was conducted, and data was collected on type and frequency …

Outcome Based Data Analysis Of A Therapeutic Foster Care Program, Lisa M. Silvestri Adamich

Theses and Graduate Projects

Therapeutic foster care (TFC) is quickly becoming a favored placement option by case managers for children and adolescents. As the number of agencies that provide therapeutic foster care programs increase, case managers question what constitutes successful and failed placements of adolescents in the TFC system. This exploratory, quantitative study focuses on data analysis of a therapeutic foster care program. Data analysis will consist of evaluating matched intake and discharge information of approximately 32 adolescents (32 intake/discharge records) from January l, 1998 through December 31, 1998 as well as evaluating discharge records of those youth admitted prior to 1998 and discharged …

Wisconsin Reforms Welfare: The Experiences Of Recipients, Kimberly Lewis

Theses and Graduate Projects

This mixed qualitative and quantitative exploratory study was conducted in an effort to expand the knowledge base regarding Wisconsin welfare recipients under the new welfare reform policy titled "Wisconsin Works" or ("W-2"). A mixed research design was used in order to capture the experiences of "W-2" welfare recipients from their perspectives. A purposive sampling technique was utilized in conducting interviews of 6 participants who were receiving welfare in the state of Wisconsin. The interviews focused on several areas that are assumed to lead to self-sufficiency under the "W-2" policy, including food and shelter, child care, transportation and job skills/training. Content …

Nonprofit Board Composition And Organizational Effectiveness: A Case Study, Terence Edward Hildebrandt

Theses and Graduate Projects

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Decision-Making By Adolescents In A Community-Based Youth Program, Mary Beran Skjold

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory research compares the decision-making skills between youth board members and youth non-board members within the context of a community-based youth group. The goal was to determine whether youth board members were more advanced in their decision-making skills than youth non-board members and were these skills utilized in other area of life.

The research design is both quantitative and qualitative: the survey had twelve questions and the interview had six open-ended questions. Twenty adolescents answered the written survey and, of these twenty, there were ten adolescents who were interviewed. The survey questions covered the areas of future work, ideology, …

An Exploratory Study Of Violence Intervention Program, Laura Turgeon

Theses and Graduate Projects

Teen violence has become increasingly prevalent. There have been several incidents over the last few years of violence in schools that have received national attention. Shootings by teens in Paducah, Kentucky and Springfeld, Oregon, for example are incidents in which the culmination of many factors comes in to play. There is a concern about dealing with troubleed youth and how to help them deal effectively with anger and violence.

This study evaluated one program that directly addresses the issue of youth violence. The school is located in a metropolitan area and works in collaboration with the county to provide a …

The Parent-School Partnership: Exploring The Role, Needs, And Barriers Of Parent Participation, Bethany J. Jarvis

Theses and Graduate Projects

The research reveals that a positive and active partnership between schools and parents is essential in successful learning and student achievement. Despite the comprehensive research in this area, educational practitioners remain ambivalent about parental involvement in schools, and parent participation is weak in many schools even when parents are invited. An exploratory study which addressed the role, needs, and barriers of parent participation was conducted using surveys to parents who have a child or children enrolled at Cambridge Elementary School. Cambridge Elementary School is located approximately 60 miles north of the Twin Cities Metro Area, and has close to 890 …

Self-Esteem In Adolescence Females: The Athletic Connection, Debra Smith Wagner

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study investigated the self-esteem, feelings, and experiences of five exceptional skill level and five average skill level female adolescent athletes. Although mainly a qualitative study, with emphasis given to in-depth interviews, this research design also used a quantitative instrument in order to record the self-esteem of each subject. Both methods were used to generate themes and analyze concepts relating to the self-esteem and experience of female adolescent athletes. The quantitative instrument revealed that all athletes had self-esteem scores in the average to very high categories. Exceptional skill athletes did have higher mean scores than the regular skill athletes and …

The Study Of The Use Of Advance Directives In Minnesota Nursing Homes As Perceived By Social Workers, Denise Sigstad

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study sought to discover the use of advance directives as reported by nursing home social workers. The focus is on residents who are living in nursing homes and are sixty years old or older. One hundred social workers in Minnesota were randomly surveyed on the current rate of advance directive use, barriers to completing the forms, and perceptions from social workers about whether they have or not have adequate knowledge and education to teach about advance directives. A review of the literatiare on advance directives shows the average use is only 5-18% for the elderly population. Survey findings confirm …

A Century Of Child Placing: 1900-1998, Laurie Boros

Theses and Graduate Projects

The following historical study explored and analyzed the policies in child welfare from 1900-1999 with a special emphasis on the last twenty years. The research attempted to discover common ideologies from the last century and to compare and contrast modern day child welfare practices to the turn of the twentieth century child welfare practices. Using content analysis, this qualitative study examined historical and current documents in search of common factors in the last century in the field of child welfare mid the placing out of children.

The data revealed areas in the field of child welfare that have been present …

Lesbian Mothers' Interaction With The Lesbian Community, Victoria L. Grimm

Theses and Graduate Projects

Empirical evidence dating back almost 30 years shows no significant differences between children raised by homosexual and heterosexual parents. Now concentration must shift to how lesbian and gay parenting cope and fulfill their parental roles ln the face of multiple discriminations from both the heterosexual and homosexual communities. A format of focus group discussions is a non-threatening method to determine the level of social changes that lesbian mothers experience after children are added to their families. This study concentrates solely on three lesbian mothers. The participants were solicited through newspaper and bulletin board ads and "snowball" sampling. Major themes that …

Youth In Treatment Foster Care Homes: Outcomes At Discharge, Joey S. Glassman

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory quantitative study examines existing records of 193 youth discharged from treatment foster care homes between January 1, 1997 to December 31, 1997 and whether a correlation exists between the number of youth with mental health issues in a treatment foster care home, and the achievement of positive, non-institutionalized or negative, institutionalized outcomes at discharge. This research was compiled from treatment foster care homes in the Minnesota based Human Service Associates therapeutic foster care agency. According to Public Law 97'272 and social work ethical practice, the child welfare system strives to place children in the least restrictive, nurturing living …

Policy Analysis Of Wisconsin's Domestic Violence Mandatory Arrest Law, Holly C. Mcabee

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory paper is an attempt to examine the factors that led to the criminalization of domestic violence. Beginning with an overview of the history of reform movements to end family violence, the report then reviews the factors that influenced the enactment of mandatory arrest policies in Wisconsin, as well as across the United States. The last sections critically examine existing research on the deterrent effects of arrest. Research suggests that arrest may have some deterrent effects on different offender subgroups, however, may be a relatively weak sanction and deterrent effects may be short term. The greatest point of intervention …

Perceptions Of Intimacy By Men Who Choose Violence: An Exploratory Study, Sigrid Finke

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study examined the perceptions about intimate relationships of 21 heterosexual men who had been court-ordered to domestic abuse groups at an urban social service agency. Within four separate focus groups, six open-ended questions were asked about intimacy, gender role beliefs, and perceptions of relating to partners, other adult males, and children. Findings indicated that the men with traditional outlooks (i.e. those w'ho had a strong belief in male headed households), expressed a more difficult time with intimate situations. Those men who held liberal views (i.e. that both men and women share both provider and care taking roles), tended …

Effects Of Foster Care On The Family System, Rochelle Del Greco

Theses and Graduate Projects

Despite volumes of studies and research on foster care as an intervention, there has been very limited research conducted on the effects foster care has on the family system as perceived by the foster parents. This study attempted to find some preliminary information about how the foster family is affected by foster children living in their home. Surveys were sent to 50 foster families in a rural county in Minnesota. The survey looked for correlations and frequencies in variables that had both positive and negative impact on the family system. As identified by the learning theorists, children learn from the …

An Historical Analysis Of Open Adoption In The United States, Molly Crosby Cave

Theses and Graduate Projects

Adoption has been a way of creating families for centuries. The trend toward more direct and communicative relationships between adoptees, birth parents and the adoptive parents is gaining favor in the adoption arena. The purpose of this analysis is to place an historical context on the evolution of open adoption and to analyze its strengths and weaknesses. The outcome of this research indicates that open adoption is a positive way to build families and create lasting relationships between the adoptee, birth parents and adoptive parents.