Social Work Commons^™

Ex-Prisoners’ Perceptions Of The Availability And Effects Of Programs And Services In Correctional Settings, Jenna Houston

Undergraduate Review

The U.S. system of retributive justice drives punitive measures, rather than interventions that could reduce recidivism. If prisoners’ needs are not met while serving time within the penal system, their chances of re-offending are greater (Baillargeon, 2010). The purpose of this study was to gather information about correctional programming from male ex-prisoners who have been involved in community re-entry services at Span Inc. in Boston, MA. Furthermore, this study also examines whether or not the programming contributed to positive coping skills during their incarceration as well as adaptation upon reentering the community. Data were collected during ten interviews, using ...

The Detrimental Effects Of Aging Out Of Foster Care And Knoxville's Representativeness Of Appropriate Services, Samantha Leanne Stout

University of Tennessee Honors Thesis Projects

No abstract provided.

Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects On School Attendance Among Chronic Truant Students., Brandy R. Maynard, Katherine Tyson Mccrea, Terri D. Pigott, Michael S. Kelly

School of Social Work: Faculty Publications & Other Works

BACKGROUND
Truancy is a significant problem in the U.S. and in other countries around the world. Truancy has been linked to serious immediate and far-reaching consequences for youth, families, and schools and communities, leading researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to try to understand and to address the problem. Although numerous and significant steps have been taken at the local, state, and national levels to reduce truancy, the rates of truancy have at best remained stable or at worst been on the rise, depending on the indicator utilized to assess truancy rates.
The costs and impact of chronic truancy are ...

Bridging The Gap Between Adult Children And Their Aging Parents: Developing And Assessing A Life Review Education Program, Kathryn M. Brzozowski Dsw, Lcsw

Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations

Bridging the Gap Between Adult Children and Their Aging Parents: Developing and Assessing a Life Review Education Program

Abstract

Background: The parent-child relationship is one of the most influential and integral relationships in the life of both members of the dyad. Studies show that the parent-child relationship continues to maintain a place of great importance throughout the life course. In the steadily aging population of the United States, the value of the parent-child relationship is often minimized or overlooked by shifting the focus from a role of parent/child to patient/caregiver. Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods exploratory study ...

Feminist Research Ethics, Informed Consent, And Potential Harms, Melinda Mccormick

The Hilltop Review

Feminist research is fraught with ethical dilemmas, some of which concern informed consent and the possibility of potential harms to respondents. I review several dilemmas addressed in the literature and how feminist researchers resolved the issues. I also look at the National Association of Social Workers‘ Code of Ethics and how the concepts of dual relationships and boundaries in social work practice may offer helpful guidelines to feminist re-searchers.

Rampage School Shootings: A Content Analysis Of Media And Scholarly Accounts Of Perpetration Factors Associated With The Phenomenon, Philip Mongan

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

When school shootings occur in primary or secondary schools they draw a massive amount of media attention. Frequently, after the shooting stops, the media begins to prognosticate about the factors that led to the occurrence of the tragedy. However, there is a dearth of research examining those factors that are perpetuated by the media, as well as the factors that are most discussed in scholarly publications. Therefore, the aim of this research project was to explore the perpetration factors that have been perpetuated by the media, and compare those to the perpetration factors that are most frequently discussed by researchers ...

Amount Of Knowledge About Sex Trafficking In The United States Among Valparaiso University Students, Taylor Fuller, Abigail Matter, Alyssa Kasper

Celebration of Undergraduate Scholarship

This research proposal will address awareness among students, concentrating on males, at Valparaiso University. Little research has been conducted on awareness alone, let alone awareness of college students. Therefore, this research will be filling a gap. It’s important for low awareness levels to increase because awareness is the first step toward change. The researchers will develop an online survey to be administered to a sample of the students attending Valparaiso University to gauge their awareness. After the results are collected, they will be analyzed, and reported upon. Sex trafficking is a major problem for the United States. Finding out ...

Diversity In The Media, Jane Hurdish, Emily Penn, Ashley Watson

Celebration of Undergraduate Scholarship

Research has shown that a lack of diversity exists in the media, particularly regarding how two vulnerable populations, women and people of color, are portrayed. For example, usually only very thin women are portrayed, and people of color are misrepresented, perpetuating negative stereotypes. This study seeks to determine whether a sample of college students from Valparaiso University recognize the lack of diversity in the media and would like it changed. Through this study, society may become more aware of the lack of diversity in the media. This study may also encourage further research into how equal representation in the media ...

Effects Of Electronic Communication On Face-To-Fare Communication, Bethany Garling, Colleen Bulow, Barb Larocco, Amy Wise

Celebration of Undergraduate Scholarship

In the past 20 years, electronic communication fundamentally changed how people communicate. Though there has been much speculation about the effects of using this type of communication, little formal research has been done. This study expands upon previous research asking, “Does more frequent use of electronic communication correlate with a lower reported level of comfort in dealing with face-to-face confrontation?” For this study, the researchers created an electronic survey targeting individuals ages 18-25. The survey consisted of three sections: first, a brief demographic section; next, a frequency checklist measuring how often participants used various types of electronic communication; and finally ...

Awareness Of Contraceptive Availability At Valparaiso University, Katherine Cole, Charlotte Johnson, Megan Marimen

Celebration of Undergraduate Scholarship

Despite contradictory perspectives, college students are having sex. College-age students engage in high-risk sexual behavior despite their relatively higher rates of both sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy compared to other age groups. Several studies suggest that the majority of college students rely on campus health clinics or condom distribution programs for obtaining contraceptives. Because of the prevalence in college students, this study was targeted toward full-time, sexually-active Valparaiso University students (aged 18-24). The researchers hypothesized that sexually-active students at Valparaiso University who were unaware of campus availability of contraceptives participated in unprotected sex more often than sexually-active students who ...

Do You Know What I Know? Examining The Therapist's Internal Experience When A Patient Dissociates In Session, Jacqueline R. Strait

Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations

There is rich theoretical literature that cites the importance of the therapist’s use of self as a way of knowing, especially in cases where a patient has been severely traumatized in early life. There is limited empirical research that explores the in-session experience of therapists working with traumatized patients in order to support these claims. This study employed a qualitative design to explore a therapist’s internal experience when a patient dissociates in session. The aim of this study was to further develop the theoretical construct of dissociative attunement to explain the way that therapist and patient engage in ...

Contextual Adaptation. Human Functioning As Dynamic Interaction: A Social Work Perspective, Naomi B F Pollock

Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations

Despite the recent development of theories in the social sciences that define human development and functioning in an integrated, nuanced and complex manner, the social work concept of “person-in-environment” remains outdated and limited. This is in part due to the “person” and “environment”--the biological, psychological, and social environments--being defined in distinction from one another. In order to remain current and effective in arguing on behalf of a clear professional voice in the field, social workers must not only engender but also promote a fundamental practice perspective that addresses complexity. A reformulation of “person-in-environment” can help social workers more fully ...

The Impact Of Service-Learning On Community Involvement Attitude In Career And Technical Education Students, Christopher Daniel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Service-Learning is a teaching methodology, which incorporates community service and classroom learning. Students take the skills and techniques gained in the classroom into the community to address real world problems. The basis for this methodology comes from the theories of John Dewey and more recently the Experiential Education Theory of D.A. Kolb. The three phases of preparation, action, and reflection move service-learning beyond other models of experiential education to build a reciprocally beneficial model for all stakeholders. This quantitative study examines the effect service-learning has on attitudes toward community involvement among community college, career and technical education students of ...

The Impact Of Home Visitor Relationship Quality On Parenting And Child Outcomes: Does Maternal Age Matter?, Elizabeth A. Colsey

Senior Honors Papers

Early Head Start (EHS) is an early intervention program that seeks to mitigate the effects of risk for those families with young children. Consistent with attachment theory, the home visiting component of EHS targets parent-child relationships in order to combat negative child outcomes. Research indicates that children of adolescent mothers are susceptible to poor outcomes both in childhood and adulthood. The current study utilized EHS data from 1198 parent-child dyads to assess the indirect relationship of home visitor quality on child aggression through parent quality, as moderated by maternal age. Findings indicated that home visitor quality may have a greater ...

Characteristics Of Foster Parents Willing To Care For Sexual Minority Youth, Justin Douglas Bucchio

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Sexual minority foster youth living in out-of-home care are in need of enhanced services to promote successful development. Scholars have focused on providing insight into the lives of these youth as well as effective treatment approaches. None have focused on the willingness of the providers of their care. This nationwide non-probability cross-sectional study assessed foster mothers’ (N = 304) willingness to care for sexual minority youth, using secondary data analysis.

Willingness was assessed using the Willingness to Foster Scale (WFS), which identifies four levels of willingness ranging from not willing at all to willing without any extra help or support ...

The Invisible Epidemic: Educating Social Work Students Towards Holistic Practice In A Period Of Mass Incarceration, Kirk A. James

Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reported in 2011 that more than 2 million Americans are incarcerated. The report also indicates that 1 in 32 Americans are under some form of criminal justice supervision (parole, probation or prison), with statistics prognosticating that more than half will return to prison once released. Most of the individuals incarcerated are disproportionately poor people of color. Many have christened the period from the 1970’s to present as “Mass Incarceration” (Alexander, 2010). Social Justice is often described as the “organizing value” or catalyst that drives the profession of social work. The National Association of ...

Effectiveness Of Interventions Provided By Knox County For Families With Truant Behavior, Jessica Noelle Moyers Heins

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Eureca Undergraduate Research Exhibition

Effectiveness Of A Community - Based Intervention On Criminal Thinking Among Adults With Mental I Llness Who Are At Risk Of Recidivism, John Kevin Wells

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Growing Research & Creative Achievement The event celebrates original and creative works completed by undergraduate students as the highlight of Research Week at the University of Tennessee.

Easy Effective Counseling: A Strategy For Busy Pastors, Benjamin Karner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastors are expected to counsel various people with various problems. However, in most circumstances, pastors have little time to prepare for counseling sessions and cannot be long-term therapists. Therefore, it is critical for the pastor to be able to quickly and effectively give substantial guidance to counselees. The purpose of this project is to develop and implement a pastoral counseling program with a decision management focus. A survey will be conducted with at least one hundred (100) pastors who engage in counseling as part of their regular ministry duties. This project will develop and communicate a practical counseling approach for ...

Women In The Criminal Justice System, Nickole L. Stein-Fisher

Senior Honors Theses (Social Work)

In this paper, seven counties were investigated in Northern Michigan (Otsego, Cheboygan, Emmet, Alpena, Charlevoix, Mackinaw, and Sault St. Marie and compared to Washtenaw County. What was specifically investigated and compared was the criminal rulings that were given to women who have committed a criminal sexual conduct crime. They were compared by their location, race, and formal educational level to see if this had any influence on their court rulings.

The research method used is convenient sampling, of court rulings in two different areas of Michigan. To make the comparison, twenty five women that are on the Michigan State Sex ...