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A Matter Of Perspective, Kristin L. Hansen

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The Coping Strategies Of Financially Vulnerable Families Facing The Child Care Cliff, Susan J. Roll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many families child care is a necessity for economic self sufficiency, as without it caretakers cannot enter and stay in the workforce. However, for many low-income families childcare expenses are so high that they often cannot afford it without government support. The focus of this study was to understand how families make decisions about childcare in relation to government support. Of specific interest are low-income families who receive the government supported child care subsidy in Colorado known as the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP).

CCCAP is a part of work support benefits that are provided by the State …

Teacher Training For The Implementation Of The Incredible Years At Gfw Elementary School, Karen J. Appel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project was to determine whether training the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teachers, paraprofessionals, and staff would increase the social and emotional literacy of the children as well as the staff in the ECSE classroom . The four areas of training & research consisted of: 1. Increasing staff’s positive attention, encouragement and praise while working as a team in the ECSE classroom; 2. Using incentives for the purpose of promoting positive attention in the classroom; 3. Using more proactive teaching techniques for the purpose of preventing behavior problems in the classroom, and 4. Increasing staff’s …

A Survey Of Attitudes And Utilization Of Counseling Services Among International Students At Minnesota State University, Mankato, Anna Marie Johnson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

considerable number of international students are represented within the Minnesota State University, Mankato student population. Research indicates that international students face unique and challenging experiences when attempting to adjust to life as a student in the United States. In addition to these unique stressors, research indicates that international student populations utilize campus and community-based counseling services at a lower rate than American students. There are numerous and complex reasons for this utilization trend. A survey of the use of and attitudes toward utilizing counseling services among international students at MSU, Mankato is useful in determining current trends and informs future …

Whytry? A Program Evaluation, Tammie Knick

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In Minnesota, one out of every five students fail to graduate from high school (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2009). Long before students decide to drop out of school, a host of risk factors or early predictors undoubtedly emerged in childhood. The purpose of this research pilot project was to determine the efficacy of the WhyTry? program in helping to reduce some of those risk factors such as: Truancy, Behavior problems in school, Low academic achievement, and School disengagement. The WhyTry? Program uses a strengths-based approach to help youth overcome their challenges and improve their outcomes at school. WhyTry? is based …

Leading In The Legacy Of Vincent De Paul: Reflections On Vincentian Leadership Today, The Hay Project

Hay Leadership Project Books

Vincent on Leadership: The Hay Project awakens and advances the vision, values and leadership practices of St. Vincent de Paul in people and organizations worldwide. Providing research, leadership development and collaboration in the manner of St. Vincent, the Project ensures the continuation of the legacy of St. Vincent de Paul’s organizational genius and leadership skills in the service of others.

Immigration As A "Theologizing Experience": Spiritual Well-Being As A Moderating Factor In Migratory Grief And Acculturation, Irma A. Sharp

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of spiritual well-being to migratory grief and acculturation. The study employed a cross-sectional design and a convenience sampling method. Data were collected from 75 Mexican immigrant adult education students in the city of Chicago. Instruments used to collect data were a demographic form, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Migratory Grief and Loss Questionnaire, and the Stephenson Multigroup Acculturation Scale. All instruments were translated into Spanish, the native language of the participants. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the moderator effects of existential well-being and religious well-being, the two sub-scales of the …

The Impact Of Social Stigma On The Therapeutic Relationship For Latino Clinicians: The Elephant In The Room?, Mauricio Jose Cifuentes

Dissertations

Social stigma is consistently mentioned in the literature as one of the barriers

preventing Latinos from seeking, accessing and remaining in mental health care. This

study focuses specifically on social stigma as a barrier to remain in psychotherapy.

Social stigma is understood as the internalized fear of severe social disapproval for

behaving against acceptable cultural meaning systems. With intersubjective theory as

the analytical framework, this study primarily explores, through a series of focus groups

with Latino mental health service providers of Latino clients, the perceptions those

practitioners have regarding the influence of social stigma on the therapeutic

relationship and the …

The Complexities Of Attachment, Peer Rejection And Gender Within A Middle School Dynamic - A Glimpse At Early Adolescents And Their Significant Relationships, Barbara Ann Mestling

Dissertations

This was a mixed method two phase explanatory study of attachment, peer rejection and gender in a non-clinical middle school population. The purpose of the study was to illustrate the relationship between these variables with the assumption that there would be differences in attachment style between rejected and non-rejected students and further differences by gender. The Behavioral Systems Questionnaire (BSQ) and the Children's Self-Experience Questionnaire-Self-Report (CSEQ-SR) were utilized to determine interview subjects. A Parent Demographic Form provided background, life experience and social functioning information. There were challenges in the use of both instruments for this study's purposes. Although there were …

The Relationship Among Adult Attachment Styles, Shame, Dissociation, And Abuse Characteristics In Women Survivors Of Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse Perpetrated By A Parental-Figure, Grace H. Tomas-Tolentino

Dissertations

The consequences of intrafamilial child sexual abuse (CSA) often evolve beyond the termination of abuse and pervade into adulthood, posing complex and enduring consequences for survivors (Courtois, 1999; Briere, 1992; Herman, 1981, 1991; van der Kolk & Kadish, 1987; Chu & Dill, 1990). The concepts of attachment, shame, and dissociation- in the context of childhood sexual abuse-are significant areas of study when working with adult survivors. The present study included 49 women with a history of childhood sexual abuse perpetrated by a parental-figure. The purpose of the study was to identify the relationships among adult attachment styles, shame, dissociation, and …

Parent Education In A Child Welfare Setting: Understanding Maltreatment Following An Intervention For Parents And Their Infants, Toddlers, And Pre-School Children, Rhenda Hotard Hodnett

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Child abuse and neglect is a complex, multi-faceted problem that often has lifelong, negative consequences for its victims; most significantly affecting infants, toddlers and pre-school age children. Parenting classes are the most common intervention used by child welfare agencies as a means to prevent repeat maltreatment, yet there is very little research involving these targeted families. Prior research has primarily focused on the prevalence of and risk factors for child maltreatment, with much less attention on specific parenting program outcomes as implemented in a child welfare setting. In 2005, focusing on a more deliberate and systematic approach in the use …

Caring Attitudes Among Child Welfare Caseworkers: Associations With Client Participation In Services, Karen Faulk

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is an association between the caring attitudes and commitment toward clients of child welfare workers and their clients’ completion of a parenting education program. This line of inquiry is intended to expand the scope of research on caring attitudes associated with child welfare workers intent to remain employed. A logical extension of identifying characteristics associated with child welfare workforce retention is to determine if those characteristics are also associated with positive client outcomes. Part of the examination of worker caring attitudes involved testing the Child Welfare Inventory (CWI), a modified …

Review Of Three Recent Randomized Trials Of School-Based Mentoring: Making Sense Of Mixed Findings, Marc E. Wheeler, Thomas E. Keller, David L. Dubois

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Between 2007 and 2009, reports were released on the results of three separate large-scale random assignment studies of the effectiveness of school-based mentoring programs for youth. The studies evaluated programs implemented by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) affiliates (Herrera et al., 2007), Communities in Schools of San Antonio, Texas (Karcher, 2008), and grantees of the U.S. Department of Education's Student Mentoring Program (Bernstein et al., 2009). Differences in the findings and conclusions of the studies have led to varying responses by those in practice and policy roles. The results of the BBBSA trial led the organization to undertake …

Indigenous And Mestizo Mexican Migrant Farmworkers: A Comparative Mental Health Analysis, William Donlan, Junghee Lee

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mexican-origin migrant farmworkers using: (a) lifetime prevalence of culture-bound syndromes, (b) self-rated emotional/mental health, (c) depression measured by PHQ-9, (d) stress level. Demographic and psychosocial variables were examined by ethnicity and gender using Chi square and independent t-tests. Logistic and linear regression models were constructed for mental health variables. Indigenous participants reported significantly higher stress compared to mestizos, and indigenous women reported significantly higher stress compared to all groups. Prevalence of culture-bound syndromes and mean PHQ-9 severity score was highest for indigenous females. Mean self-rated emotional/mental health was lowest among indigenous females. Controlling for main effects and other interactions, (a) …

Journeying Toward Humility: Complexities In Advancing Pedagogy For The Privileged, Ann Curry-Stevens

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This narrative describes the author's journey away from a stance of innocence, toward one of humility in her engagement with pedagogy for the privileged. With deep attention to her identity, the contentious dimensions of this pedagogy have compelled her towards a much more troubled relationship with this practice. The following narrative profiles key contributions of pedagogy for the privileged, and articulates the contentions embedded within. It concludes with three essential ingredients to moderate her privilege: practicing from a stance of humility and "not knowing, " advancing research into the practice outcomes of such courses, and accountability structures where communities hold …

The Military Genogram: A Solution-Focused Approach For Resiliency Building In Service Members And Their Families, Eugenia Weiss, Jose Coll, Jennifer Gerbauer, Kate Smiley, Ed Carillo

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

In recent decades, it has become evident among mental health practitioners that the military is a unique culture that is comprised of distinct ethics, core values, codes of conduct, and strict hierarchical roles. In light of the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq, veterans and their families are seeking mental health services due to a variety of psychosocial issues; however, mental health practitioners are lacking military-specific knowledge in understanding individuals within the military subculture. In addition, they are ill-equipped with interventions aimed at supporting the military family. Historically, the genogram has been an effective tool in delineating intergenerational …

Health-Related Needs Assessment Of Older Residents In Subsidized Housing, Victoria Cotrell, Paula C. Carder

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

When a nonprofit organization with nursing-home and assisted-living experience purchased a 30-year-old highrise apartment building in downtown Portland, Oregon, the new owners were faced with how to manage a building that provided housing to more than 200 older residents whom they knew very little about. As long-term care providers, they knew that older people were at risk for developing chronic illnesses, disabilities, and other factors that could result in moves to nursing homes, hospitalizations, and early death. They also knew that older adults in subsidized housing, such as this Section 8 building, have higher levels of disability than their age …

“Everything Has Changed”: Narratives Of The Vietnamese American Community In Post-Katrina Mississippi, Yoosun Park, Joshua Miller, Bao Chau Van

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

In this qualitative study of the Vietnamese American community of Biloxi, Mississippi, conducted three years after Katrina, we attended not only to individual experiences but to the relationship of individuals to their collective and social worlds. The interlocked relationship of individual and collective loss and recovery are clearly demonstrated in respondents’ narratives. The neighborhood and community of Little Saigon was significant not only as a symbolic source of identity but as a protected and familiar space of residence, livelihood, and social connections. The post-Katrina changes in the neighborhood are, in multiple ways, changing participants’ experience of and relationship to their …

Using A Structured Decision Making Protocol To Stratify Caseloads In The Child Support Program, Steven J. Golightly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although structured decision making and risk assessment protocols have successfully been used in human service programs, little research has been done on their applicability in the child support program. In this study, problems identified with child support case management were examined, along with positive and negative attributes of various risk assessment tools utilized in other arenas. The overall research problem asserted that there are no structured decision making protocols in the child support program to support case assignment by enforcement difficulty. The primary research question asked whether or not a process stratified by risk and level of enforcement difficulty could …

Children/Youth With Disabilities: Their Parents Are Your Employees Training Manual And Workbook, Julie M. Rosenzweig, Anna M. Malsch, Eileen M. Brennan, Kathryn L. Mills, Lisa Maureen Stewart

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

The training manual and workbook, including the survey, were originally designed as supplemental materials to a workshop delivered to human resource professionals by the Work-Life Integration Project. Once the materials were compiled and reviewed, we decided to make the document available as a printed resource for a more general audience. While the materials were initially developed for use with human resource professionals, they are readily adaptable for use with other groups of employees, such as supervisors, managers, or teams of co-workers. The manual is also suitable to be used by members of family support organizations and other individuals interested in …

Work-Life Integration And The Path To Social Sustainability, Eileen M. Brennan

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

PDF version of a presentation given at Understanding Sustainability: Perspectives from the Humanities - The Second International Conference, Portland, OR, May 2010.

Infusing Culture Into Practice: Developing And Implementing Evidence-Based Mental Health Services For African American Foster Youth, Harold E. Briggs, Bowen Mcbeath

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

The lack of culturally appropriate health and mental health care has contributed to the large number of African American youth and families involved in the child welfare system. This article reviews the consequences of the insufficient access to culturally sensitive, evidence-supported interventions for African American foster youth. The authors describe a framework for the development of culturally appropriate mental health interventions responsive to the needs of African Americans.

How Counseling Helps: An In-Depth Look At Domestic Violence Counseling, Sonya V. Crabtree-Nelson

Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is currently described by trauma researchers as a social epidemic (Briere & Jordan, 2004) . The array of domestic violence services we currently have in the United States were started 30 years ago by women victims assisting other women. Currently, the services we have for victims of IPV are largely unchanged and the literature lacks information on what is helpful to victims of IPV in a domestic violence counseling setting. The research points to the fact that women seeking domestic violence counseling experience an array of physical and mental health sequelae as a result of the …

Prevalence, Nature, Context And Impact Of Alcohol Use In India: Recommendations For Practice And Research, S. Prabhu, David A. Patterson Silver Wolf (Adelv Unegv Waya) Phd, Catherine N. Dulmus Phd, K. S. Ratheeshkumar

Brown School Faculty Publications

Presently alcohol policy in India takes a moral stand rather than a scientific approach towards understanding and dealing with the problem of alcoholism. To effectively address this social problem in India, public policy must take into account the nature, extent of the problem and the context in which it occurs. This literature review examines the nature, prevalence and impact of alcohol use and misuse in India, within its historical and cultural contexts, as a beginning step to inform policy. Recommendations for practice and future research directions are suggested.

Vulnerability And Disability In Darfur, Maria Kett, Jean-Francois Trani

Brown School Faculty Publications

The difficulties faced by persons with disabilities throughout the displacement process contribute to their increased vulnerability.

Exploring The Concepts Of Partnership And Their Implications For Hiv And Aids Prevention And Care In Two Ghanian Communities, Jonathan Lomotey

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study was an exploration of the concepts of partnership in the La and Nsawam-Adoajiri communities of Ghana and their implications for HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support. Using qualitative data gathering methods, this study sought to discover what is referred to as a partnership, how it is initiated, why it is initiated, the meanings ascribed to it, and its structure and processes in either community. The study further sought to understand how the concepts of partnership in each community could facilitate the development of an effective community-based initiative for HIV and AIDS prevention and care in either …

The Dance In Contexts: Exploring The Complexity Of The Helping/Healing Process With A Focus On Client Satisfaction, Margriet De Zeeuw Wright

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This multiperspectual study was undertaken to explore and describe the complexity of the helping / healing process in a community-based counselling centre. The standard for evaluation was client satisfaction. Client and worker participants’ perspectives were sought in an exploration of whether and / or how the client as an individual, the worker both as an individual and as a staff member, the therapeutic relationship, and the organizational setting impacted client satisfaction.

Former clients of the agency (N=400) were asked to complete Greenfield, Attkisson, and Pascoe’s (©2005) Service Satisfaction Scale (SSS-30). Respondents (N=73) were profiled using descriptive statistics which led the …

An Exploration Of Counselling Practices With Women Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Should Therapists Ask About Thoughts Or Behaviour Involving Sex With Children?, Angela Karen Hovey

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Helping professionals and women, themselves, have been reluctant to recognize or acknowledge that females can and do sexually abuse children and adolescents. Research has also demonstrated that females most at risk to abuse children are those who were themselves victims of severe child sexual abuse (CSA) The purpose of this research was to explore whether or not current counselling practices with women survivors of CSA reflect the belief that women do not sexually abuse children. This study also focuses on whether or not therapists create space for discussion about thoughts and behaviour involving sexual abuse of children and adolescents with …

What The Body Stories Of Girls Tell Us About Autonomy And Connection During Adolescence, Colleen Mcmillan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This qualitative study aimed to understand what the body stories of girls who exhibit signs of disordered eating reveal about the concepts of autonomy and connection during early adolescence. The study was guided by the research question “Are the symptoms of disordered eating one of the ways the female body “talks” about the experience of disconnection during adolescence?” Informed by Relational Cultural Theory, data was collected from two focus groups of 16 adolescent girls aged 11 to 14 years. Each group met six times over a four month period. Because many aspects of lived experience cannot be expressed verbally, the …

Does Household Food Insecurity Affect Parental Characteristics And Child Behavior?: Evidence From The Panel Study Of Income Dynamics (Psid), Jin Huang, Karen M. Matta Oshima, Youngmi Kim

Center for Social Development Research

This study examines the link between household food insecurity and child behavior problems mediated through parental characteristics (parenting stress, parental warmth, psychological distress, and parent’s self-esteem) using two waves of data from the Child Development Supplement in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Analyses of fixedeffects models are conducted on a low-income sample of 416 children from 249 households. This study finds that the effects of food insecurity on child behavior problems are mediated by parenting stress. However, two robustness tests show different results from those of the fixed-effects models. This inconsistency suggests that the complicated relationship between household food …