Social Work Commons^™

Understanding Work-Related Stress And Practice Of Professional Self-Care – An Innovative Pedagogical Approach, Kam Man Kenny Kwong

Graduate School of Social Work Publications and Research

Social workers experience tremendous work-related stress - particularly among those providing direct services in healthcare settings. A review of related literature summarized several critical challenges faced by social workers who work with highly difficult clients in these settings, including (a) clients who engage in manipulative high-risk behaviors; (b) clients with serious illness who have multiple relapses; (c) clients who attempt or commit suicide; and (d) those who perpetrate violent or aggressive acts against themselves or others. This paper described and evaluated three sets of experiential learning activities with graduate level social work students, designed to increase their self-awareness and understanding …

Preparing For Domestic Violence And Associated Trauma: Are We Ready?, Melissa Rodas

Undergraduate Research Projects

Domestic violence is an important problem to consider amongst societal issues today. Statistics have consistently shown high rates of violence across the country, and many cases go unreported. Even if survivors are able to escape their situations, trauma often casts a long shadow after the abuse is gone. A best practice model that has been utilized in Tennessee is that of Family Justice Centers. These centers utilize a co-located model to give survivors multiple services in a centralized location. As these organizations find their beginnings, attention is being noted to how social work students are being prepared for such settings. …

The Online Dating Preferences Of Chinese American Older Adults, Lin Jiang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recently years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of online dating websites among adults over age 50. Nevertheless, samples collected in existing literature are mainly centered on White/Caucasian Americans. Furthermore, the only theoretical guide has been sexual strategies theory. This study fills the gap by using sexual strategies theory and acculturation theory to test Chinese American older adults dating preferences.

The sexual strategies theory discusses how males and females use different mating strategies in short-term and long-term contexts. Acculturation theory describes changes in which individuals or groups adopt another culture when it makes contact with their …

Hospice Social Work And The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, Christine A. Couture

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to explore how hospice social workers based at United States hospice agencies perceive changes in their work responsibilities in relation to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Secondly, this study sought to explore hospice social worker support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act healthcare policy reform.

A nonprobability sample of availability was used to find research participants. The researcher recruited participants through online social and professional networking groups and forums and by snowball sampling methods. Self-selected participants electronically confirmed their eligibility for participation in the study, prior to completing the 20-question online …

Does Degree Matter? : An Exploration Into The Stigmatization Of Mental Illness By Social Workers And Other Mental Health Professionals, Alexandria R. Huber

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This quantitative descriptive study sought to explore any differences in stigmatization by social workers and other mental health professionals. The second research question explored whether mental health professionals felt their degree program actively challenged them to explore stigma towards those with mental illness. Fifty participants completed an anonymous online survey that included the Community Attitudes Towards Mental Illness scale, measuring stigma of mental illness. There were an additional four Likert scale questions exploring stigma of mental illness, and the participants perspectives of their education about stigma. The findings indicated that social workers had a lower mean score on the subscale …

In Their Skin : A Discourse On The Modern Tattoo Experience For Adults Aged Thirty And Over, Margaret Feeney

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study was undertaken to determine what meaning individuals aged 30 and over with large scale tattoos place upon those tattoos. More specifically, to establish the motivating factors led these individuals to get tattooed, along with the meaning, if any, is placed upon them. Ten individuals aged 32-64 were interviewed regarding their tattoos. Half of the individuals were tattooed for the first time during adolescence. All individuals were interviewed regarding their motivations for getting tattooed as well as any meanings they place on specific pieces. The findings of the research showed the driving force behind getting tattooed to be …

Social Workers' Experiences Related To Online Dating : A Descriptive Study, Miriam B. Stevens

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This descriptive, mixed methods study was undertaken to explore social workers' experiences related to online dating. This study aimed to describe social workers' attitudes and approaches to online dating, determine the type and frequency of ethical and clinical issues that social workers may encounter in the course of online dating, learn how social workers are addressing these issues, and determine the extent to which there is a need for guidance and policies related to online dating as a social worker.

Using availability and snowball sampling, data was collected from 577 social workers and social work students using an online survey …

Leadership Practice, Organizational Culture And New Managerialism: Strengths, Challenges, Variations And Contradictions In Three Children's Service Agencies, Rosemary E. Vito

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to explore how social work leaders conceptualized and practiced leadership and how their leadership practice influenced, and was shaped by, organizational culture. The relevance and viability of a participatory leadership approach and a collaborative learning culture were also explored. As well, leadership satisfaction and development and the impact of external changes were sought. A qualitative research approach, multiple case study and multi-method design were employed. Forty-one directors and supervisors in three children’s mental health and child welfare agencies in Ontario participated in this study. Research methods included interviews, focus groups, observations and …

The Empty Chair Appointment, Jody Long, Ken Sakauye, Khaja Chisty, John Upton

Research, Publications & Creative Work

The objective was to test an intervention to reduce failed rates for psychiatric appointments. We collected data for this study of the characteristics of patients who missed appointments from March 2011 through September 2012. A phone triage assessment intervention was implemented to address chronic first-time failed attendance appointments (N = 78). The main reason for failed appointments was transportation difficulties. The first-time appointment show rate increased after implementing an assessment intervention. Phone assessment intervention was practical and may improve nonattendance for psychiatric appointments. The discussion reflects speculations about causes and possible measures to make services more accessible.

Guardians Of Chastity And Morality: A Century Of Silence In Social Work, Elizabeth O'Neill

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Reflecting the social norms of the late 1800s and early 1900s, much of social work practice aimed to promote moral sexual behavior and penalize deviance. Even following the widespread adoption of psychoanalytic theory in the United States, social work persisted in having a poorly defined role with regard to issues of sexuality. In the 21st century, the profession continues to largely limit its involvement in matters of sexuality to those practice situations where deviance and public health concerns predominate. Limited topical exposure in peer-reviewed publications and the lack of broad-based human sexuality education for social workers perpetuate the invisibility of …

Student Engagement In Undergraduate Social Work Education Among “At-Risk” Students, Ananda Newmark

Theses and Dissertations

College student engagement is an important factor that contributes to student success. This study is one of the first to explore student engagement in undergraduate social work education by examining engagement levels among at-risk social work students. In this study, two types of at-risk student groups were studied: First Generation College Students (FGCS) and transfer students. A cross sectional research design was used. Secondary analysis was performed on data gathered by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) from five accredited, Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs in one southeast state. A sample of 135 BSW seniors were included in …

We Were Treated Like Machines : Professionalism And Anti-Blackness In Social Work Agency Culture, Mark D. Davis

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory study sought to answer two overarching research questions: (1) To what extent is there color-blind anti-Black bias in the way that professionalism is defined and enforced in social work agency culture? (2) What are exacerbating and ameliorating factors for this anti-Black bias? I developed a mixed-methods online questionnaire and recruited 246 participants via e-mail and Facebook. Participants were mostly White female social workers 18-39 years old, though the sample was disproportionately African American as compared with the general social worker population. When participants were asked if they perceived anti-Black bias in professionalism at their agencies, 42.7% answered yes …

"You Have To Know Whether Or Not You Can Really Compassionately Hold White Folks" : Perspectives Of Instructors On White Msw Student Engagement With Race And Racism Course Material, Eleanor H. Broh

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative, exploratory thesis explores the perspectives of instructors of courses on race and racism in social work masters programs. It looks at how these instructors are teaching race and racism content and how White students in their classes engage with the content. In doing so, this study addresses a gap in the social work literature on pedagogy for race and racism, which often fails to address the particular dynamics of teaching this material to White students in the United States.

Through qualitative, semi-structured interviewed with eleven instructors, this project describes the many ways White students engage with this material, …

Individuals With Dementia In Respite Care: Longitudinal Changes In Anxiety, Social Engagement, And Problem Behaviors, Rachael Elizabeth Mills

LSU Master's Theses

Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia commonly referred to as persons with dementia (PWD), often experience behavioral and psychological symptoms as a result of the disease process. With no cure for AD and no way to prevent the onset of this disease, studies are analyzing methods to manage the symptoms of this disease. Previous literature on the effect of social adult day models is limited, especially pertaining to particular symptoms linked to this disease. This study explored three presenting symptoms associated with AD: anxiety, problem behaviors, and social engagement. Using a secondary data analysis, a sample of 30 participants …

Therapist, Heal Thyself? A Study Of Self-Care Practices Among Therapeutic Service Providers, Ashton H. Mcmullan

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Missoula, Montana, is the largest city in western Montana and a social service hub for more than 110,000 residents of the surrounding county and beyond. Whether nonprofit, government agency, or individual provider, each social service offering has its own model of change and form of therapeutic services designed to ensure the best life possible for its clients— but how do the leaders of these organizations also try to make the best lives for themselves and their staff? In this research project, I will investigate this question, analyzing and comparing the self-care practices—formal and informal, public and private, personal and institutional—of …

Maternal Allostatic Load During Pregnancy: Predicting Length Of Gestation, Molly E. M. Sayre

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Allostatic load, or the “wear and tear” on the body due to stress, is thought to have a negative impact on length of pregnancy and contribute to health disparities in preterm birth. However, the magnitude of the effect on birth outcomes is unknown, in part due to questions of timing of measurement of allostatic load during pregnancy. This study used linear regression analysis of data from 156 pregnant women to test whether allostatic load is a predictor of length of gestation in the study sample, finding that third trimester allostatic load predicted length of gestation among women with full-term births. …

The Story Of A Foster Youths Journey Through The Maze Of Higher Education; Implications For Faculty And Staff Throughout The Campus, Lynn Wales

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

As educators and higher education administrators, it is important that we connect to our students. It serves us well to learn the stories behind those beautiful eyes looking back at us, as we support their navigation through the journey of higher education. This thesis, written in a Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) style, will use former foster youth students, as well as at-risk youth, as the population of focus. I will relay my own personal experiences, as a former youth-in-care. I will also explore this kind of alternative upbringing, to draw closer to the conclusions and insights of the struggles and …