Digital Commons Network^™

Job Satisfaction Of Child Welfare Workers In San Bernardino County Department Of Children's Services, Susana Ramirez, Mirella Ochoa

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of the research study was to assess the job satisfaction of child welfae workers specifically working for San Bernardino County Department of Children's Services.

Factors Participants Value In Breast Cancer Support Groups, Renee Lauren Jarvis

Theses Digitization Project

This study used a qualitative research design to explore and identify, from participant's perspective, the aspects of a breast cancer support group that facilitate a quality experience of support.

Uncovering The Methadone Counseling Process Among Recovering And Non Recovering Chemical Dependency Counselors, Sara-Amanda Mccarthy, Jennifer Ann Palmersheim

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to uncover the methadone counseling process among recovering and non-recovering chemical dependency counselors by examining the concepts and techniques utilized throughout the counseling process. This study examined whether the recovery status of a counselor affected the counselor's theoretical addiction model and the concepts and techniques that were utilized throughout the counseling process.

Cognitive Coping And Depression In Elderly Long-Term Care Residents, Christine Viola Mccormick

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research was to examine specific coping methods used by the elderly as they adjust to the environment of a long-term care facility, and to examine the correlations between these coping methods and levels of depressive symptomatology.

Factors That Contribute To Resiliency In Former Foster Youth, Deanna Nicole Reyes, Phillip Parra

Theses Digitization Project

This research study focused on resilient, former foster youth. Given the vulnerabilities of children in foster care, what factors lead to participant resilience? Data was obtained from ten participants who were receiving independent living services in San Bernardino County.

Social Workers' Knowledge Of Substance Abuse, Mirta Escobedo Johnson

Theses Digitization Project

This study was designed to determine how knowledgeable child welfare social workers are of substance abuse when working with substance abusing clients. The results indicated that social workers within San Bernardino County have competent levels of knowledge in substance abuse which allow them to provide appropriate services to the community members they serve.

Understanding The Knowledge Masters Of Social Work Student's Have In Regard To Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Foster Youth Issues, Amy Rebecca Taliaferro

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to understand the levels of competence that master's level social work students have in regard to the issues of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender foster youth.

Factors That Guide Toward The Emancipation Of Foster Care Youth, Singhi Rajan

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of the study was to examine the guiding factors that help foster youth emancipate successfully. The goal was to examine five areas: housing, education, identifying role models, social skills and effectiveness of Independent Living Program (ILP) services.

Factors That Contribute To The Reluctance Of Mental Health Treatment Seeking Among African Americans, Natalie Nicole Majors-Stewart

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to perform an in depth examination of the major factors that increase the reluctance among African Americans to seek mental health treatment.

The Perceived Educational Barriers Of Foster Youth: Social Workers' Perspectives, Barbara Marruth Castro, Nancy Ramirez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to assess social worker perspectives on challenges that foster youth encounter in attaining adequate educations. Social workers need to be able to identify the best services and resources that will help this population continue their educational advancement.

Employed Parents Of Children With Mental Health Disorders: Achieving Work–Family Fit, Flexibility, And Role Quality, Eileen M. Brennan, Julie M. Rosenzweig, A Myrth Ogilvie, Leslie Wuest, Ann A. Shindo

Faculty Publications - College of Social Work

Extensive interviews with 60 employed parents of school-age children treated for mental health problems explored work–family fit, flexibility, family support, and work–life strategies in relation to role quality. Role quality was measured as employment and parenting rewards and concerns. Work–family fit was positively related to family flexibility but not work flexibility. Higher flexibility in work and family predicted lower job concerns, and work flexibility and work–family fit were predictors of job rewards. Parental concerns were dependent on flexibility and work–family strategies. Single parents had significantly fewer sources of family support and used fewer work–family strategies than caregivers with partners. Human …

Employed Parents Of Children With Mental Health Disorders: Achieving Work–Family Fit, Flexibility, And Role Quality, Eileen M. Brennan, Julie M. Rosenzweig, A. Myrth Ogilvie, Leslie Wuest, Ann A. Shindo

Faculty Publications - College of Social Work

Extensive interviews with 60 employed parents of school-age children treated for mental health problems explored work–family fit, flexibility, family support, and work–life strategies in relation to role quality. Role quality was measured as employment and parenting rewards and concerns. Work–family fit was positively related to family flexibility but not work flexibility. Higher flexibility in work and family predicted lower job concerns, and work flexibility and work–family fit were predictors of job rewards. Parental concerns were dependent on flexibility and work–family strategies. Single parents had significantly fewer sources of family support and used fewer work–family strategies than caregivers with partners. Human …

Social Theory & Its Relation To Social Problems: An Essay About Theory And Research With Social Justice In Mind, Richard K. Caputo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This essay examines the relationship between social theory and social problems, the truth-value of theories, and the importance of theorizing about the role of the state, i.e., national government, in the resolution of social problems and the achievement of social justice. The author argues that much contemporary social theory has lost its moorings in regard to amelioration ofsocial problems, that Popper's criterion offalsification is a requisitefor more meaningfully applied social theory, and that the state should be part of any social theory meant to address social problems. Moral and political philosophy is used to provide criteria to justify a positive …

Engaging Our Workforce: How Job Demands And Resources Contribute To Social Worker Burnout, Engagement And Intent To Leave, Sara Laura Schwartz

Dissertations and Theses

Social worker stress and burnout are pervasive problems that harm workers, organizations, and clients. Past research has identified burnout, a psychological response to work stress, as an important predictor of intent to leave and ultimate turnover. An emerging body of research has examined work engagement, considered to be the opposite of burnout, as a predictor of retention. The problem of burnout and turnover within organizations employing social workers has been addressed in the literature for many years. This dissertation responded to a call in the literature for a greater emphasis on burnout prevention and enhancement of workforce engagement and retention. …

Two-Faced Racism: Whites In The Backstage And Frontstage, Leslie H. Picca, Joe R. Feagin

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

Racial events that reveal the larger forces of racism in society are common and obvious in the sociospatial realm we term the backstage, especially in situations where whites interact with white friends and relatives. Backstage settings, where interactions typically take place among whites only, involve an array of complex interactions and performances. There we observe all dimensions of racial events-- indications of who is allowed and not allowed in the backstage, what racialized performances are tolerated or expected there, the sociospatial character of contexts, the impact of conventional racial framing, and the pervasive influence of the larger society. Here we …

Measuring The Effect Of Intimate Partner Violence On Health-Related Quality Of Life: A Qualitative Focus Group Study, Eve Wittenberg, Manisha Joshi, Kristie A. Thomas, Laura A. Mccloskey

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Health related quality of life (HRQOL) can be measured by a wide range of instruments, many of which have been designed for specific conditions or uses. "Preference-based" measures assess the value individuals place on health, and are included in economic evaluations of treatments and interventions (such as cost effectiveness analysis). As economic evaluation becomes more common, it is important to assess the applicability of preference-based health related quality of life (HRQOL) measures to public health issues. This study investigated the usefulness of such instruments in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV), a public health concern that that …

Social Impact, Edward L. Lawler, Tonya E. Edmonds, Enola K. Proctor, Julie Kennedy, Jessica Martin, Toky Branding + Design, Donna Boyd, Ellen Rostand, Michelle Kassman

Social Impact Publication

From the Dean: Make Space for Social Work;

Perspectives: In the News: Social Work Faculty and Staff Comment on Civilian Service, Health Care Costs, and Native American Stereotypes;

Perspectives: Civic Service Worldwide;

Perspectives: The Future of Social Work Research with Enola K. Proctor;

Interview: Q&A with Greg Echele;

Scattered Image: Leaders in social work education agree that the profession has an image problem but remain at odds on the best way to change it.;

Place, Space, & People: Traditionally two disparate fields, architecture and social work are interacting in new ways that involve communities in producing socially innovative design.;

Sowing …

Social Impact, Edward F. Lawler, Tonya E. Edmonds, Luis H. Zayas, Enola K. Proctor, Ellen Rostand, Jessica Martin, Toky Branding + Design, Donna Boyd

Social Impact Publication

From the Dean: Challenging Our Profession;

Perspectives: In The News: Social Work Faculty and Alumni Comment on Latina Mental Health, Saving in China, and the Poverty Line.;

Bookshelf: From the Internet to Economics: What Faculty and Staff are Reading.;

Perspectives by Arlene Rubin Stiffman: Indictment of Cruelty or Testimony of the Human Spirit?;

Perspectives with Gina Chowa: Student Exports Poverty-Fighting Idea to Africa;

Interview: Q&A with Richard A. Gephardt;

Perspectives: A Closer Look at Immigration with Luis H. Zayas; 16 For Love or Money: The Rise of For-Profit Social Services.;

The 4-2-1 Phenomenon: New Partnership Explores Aging in China.;

Anything …

Understanding The Personal And Clinical Utility Of Psychiatric Advance Directives: A Qualitative Perspective, Mimi M. Kim, Richard A. Van Dorn, Anna M. Scheyett, Eric E. Elbogen, Jeffrey W. Swanson, Marvin S. Swartz, Laura A. Mcdaniel

Faculty and Staff Publications

Psychiatric advance directives (PADs) are legal tools that allow competent individuals to declare preferences for future mental health treatment when they may not be capable of doing so as a result of a psychiatric crisis. PADs allow individuals to maintain self–determination during times when they are most vulnerable to loss of autonomy and in need of assistance to make their preferences known and honored. This article describes the content of twenty–eight open–ended, semi–structured qualitative interviews of adults with PADs who have experienced psychiatric crises. The qualitative analysis revealed three major themes from the interviews: (1) PADs as tools for empowerment …

Student Social Workers' Attitudes About Domestic Violence And Implications For Social Work Education, Vonnie L. Hawkins

LSU Master's Theses

This descriptive, correlational and exploratory study used the Domestic Violence Blame Scale and Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance Scale, with questions suggested by the literature, to examine attitudes about domestic violence, knowledge and self-reported preparedness of a purposive sample of student social workers (N=236) in a southern state. An anonymous online web-based survey was used for data collection, and universities distributed the survey hyperlink directly to their students. Response rate was approximately 22% out of an estimated 1060 students who were reported to have received the hyperlink by their universities. Lower victim blame and myth acceptance scores were observed in students …

Interrelationships Between Demographic, Psychosocial, And Academic Characteristics And Ged Attainment Among At-Risk Youth, Judith L. Rhodes

LSU Master's Theses

This exploratory-descriptive research examines demographic, psychosocial, and academic characteristics of at-risk youth (N = 111) who attempted the General Educational Development (GED) Tests. Among students who passed and did not pass the GED Tests, numerous significant relationships emerged. Non-passers were more likely than passers to leave school for academic environment reasons (t = 2.21, df = 109, p < .05). As compared with those who passed the GED Tests, a greater number of moderately strong interrelationships among demographic, psychosocial, and academic characteristics emerged among students who did not pass. Most notably, for non-passers, significantly strong and positive relationships emerged between academic environment reasons for leaving school and two other variables: family reasons for leaving school (r = .55, p < .01) and psychosocial reasons for leaving school (r = .57, p < .05). In addition, a very strong and negative interrelationship emerged among non-passers between academic environment reasons for leaving school and the poverty indicator of status (r = -.68, p < .01). A multivariate perspective is critical for increasing knowledge regarding the social problem of dropout. Such knowledge is crucial for research and policy formation at the local, state, and national levels as well as for school social work practice and education.

The Multiple Meanings Of Domestic Violence: A Constructivist Inquiry, Monica Rene' Leisey

Theses and Dissertations

Spurred by the work of the Battered Women's Movement, domestic violence has been responded to since it emerged as a problem in the 1970s. At first the response was providing places for victims to stay and recover from the violence while also providing opportunities for consciousness raising and empowerment work. As domestic violence became a more recognized problem, policies were created and enacted to end the problem. Through the 1980s and 1990s, changes in federal policies in regards to domestic violence were incorporated. The criminal justice system began incorporating such policies as mandatory arrest and no-drop prosecution policies as well …

Victims' Perspectives On The Process Of Seeking A Protective Order: Predictors Of Perceived Empowerment, Sara-Beth Plummer

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined victims' perceived sense of empowerment during the process of seeking a Preliminary Protective Order. A cross sectional survey design with stratified sampling was used to gather information from women seeking Preliminary Protective Orders in Richmond City, Virginia. During a six month period 89 women agreed to participate, for a response rate of 83 percent. In general, the sample consisted of women who identified themselves as African-American, single, with either a high school/GED degree, and/or some college education.Overall, the women found the steps during the process of seeking an Order, either easy or very easy. In general, the …

Focal Point, Volume 21 Number 01, Portland State University. Regional Research Institute

Research and Training Center - Focal Point

This Focal Point issue focuses on child traumatic stress, particularly as experienced by children involved in the child welfare system. The causes and effects of traumatic stress are discussed, as are evidence-based treatments, and prevention strategies.

Lsu Mental Health Service Program Evaluation, Elizabeth S. Johnston

LSU Master's Theses

This study includes a program evaluation of LSU Mental Health Services and its impact on the college students receiving services. The study used both an outcome survey (Schwartz Outcome Survey-10) to determine any changes in current life functioning and a satisfaction survey (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8) to assess the client’s perceived contentment with services provided. The expectations were that students would demonstrate an improvement in their current functioning after receiving treatment and that their outcome scores would correspond positively to reported client satisfaction scores. Results reveal that the student participants reported significant improvement in their overall functioning. In addition, the participants …

Social Impact: Scattered Image, Rick Skwiot

Social Impact Publication

Most inside the social work profession agree that it has an image problem, which affects recruitment, pay, status, funding, and social influence. But they often disagree on who is a social worker, what the term "social work" means, whether to re-brand or scrap the term, who ought to do it, and what the image problem really is. Whatever it may be, it causes at least one social work school dean to worry "a lot" and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to launch a multi-year campaign to change the image.

A Qualitative Study Of Experiences Of Aboriginal Caregivers Of Children With Developmental Disabilities, Joyce Ellen Clouston

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

A qualitative study of 20 caregivers of Aboriginal children with developmental disabilities revealed that caregivers continue to be guided by values rooted in traditional Aboriginal societies where all children were considered gifts of the Creator. The lives of vulnerable children had purpose, they were treated with respect, and the self-growth of the caregiver was connected to care of the child. The needs of young families were supported within a web of relationships in family and community. Disruptions to traditional family relationships began in the colonial era with the negation of Aboriginal culture and spirituality, and continue in many communities in …

Ida Accessibility: Learning More About Whether Individual Development Accounts Can Work For Canada’S Poor, Molly Elliott

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) or matched saving accounts are programs designed to facilitate the building of capital and assets in low-income households. Based on the model of asset-based welfare policy, these programs propose to combat poverty through inclusion of the poor in asset building opportunities, which traditionally have been available to only middle and upper income households. Described as an anti-poverty strategy, Individual Development Accounts are growing in international popularity with asset-based policies already being included in Canadian income assistance programs. In order to better understand what some of the barriers might be to this anti-poverty program structure, this thesis …

Teaching Parenting Skills In A Methadone Treatment Setting, Randy R. Gainey, Kevin P. Haggerty, Charles B. Fleming, Richard F. Catalano

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Family factors significantly affect children’s risk of substance abuse, delinquency, and other problem behaviors (Arthur, Hawkins, Pollard, Catalano, & Baglioni, 2002). Children of substance abusers represent a particularly high-risk population. Prenatal exposure to addictive substances and the medical complications that may arise are important factors that, from conception, place this population at high risk of drug abuse and other problem behaviors (Griffith, Azuma, & Chasnoff, 1994). As children of substance abusers mature, their lives are characterized by exposure to continued drug and alcohol abuse by family members, recurrent or chronic illnesses, frequent moves, financial troubles, legal conflicts, family disorganization, and …

Taking It On: Disclosure, Stigmatization, And Self-Esteem, Eileen M. Brennan, Julie M. Rosenzweig, Anna M. Malsch, Lisa Maureen Stewart, John Conley

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

PDF version of a presentation given at the Building on Family Strengths: State of the Science Conference, Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health, Portland, OR, in May 2007.