Digital Commons Network^™

“I Was Determined To Fulfill This Image Of Myself That I Wanted Of A ‘Good Asian Student’”: A Photovoice Study Of Asian American College Student Mental Health, Lalaine Sevillano, Joanna C. La Torre, Taylor A. Geyton

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Asian American (AsA) youth and emerging adults are growing at a faster rate than all other racial and ethnic populations in the United States. Burgeoning empirical evidence shows that they are experiencing increased adverse mental health outcomes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, trends in AsA youth and emerging adults’ utilization and help-seeking behaviors remain low. Health equity scholars posit that the model minority stereotype continues to obscure and minimize these mental health disparities. The current study aims to contribute to this vital research through a Photovoice study with AsA emerging adults. Fourteen AsA undergraduate students (M age …

In Their Own Words: Lgbtqia Plus Stigma In Secondary School, Erin Stevenson, Greg Sandman

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

LGBTQIA+ youth often face stigma from society as they develop their personal identities. In the United States, legislation has recently been focusing on reducing protections in schools for queer youth and limiting access to resources like gender affirming healthcare. Youth have increasingly been targeted for identifying as queer and have experienced verbal and physical violence for expressing their gender identities. Research links stigmatization with increased mental health and substance use problems. However, there is limited information on how stigma experienced during adolescence may continue to impact young adults over time. Using a qualitative retrospective framework, LGBTQIA+-identified undergraduates (N = 8) …

A Humanistic Approach To Politics: Ahp's Call For An "Authentic" Politics Of Truth And Accountability, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

As human beings on this tiny planet in the cosmos we call Earth, we live as ‘citizens’ in a variety of people-determined land demarcations that we call countries, each with its own unique version of politics. Citizens in the United States and people in the world, therefore, are engaged in a variety of political dramas. It is fair to say that in the United States and globally, the current political climate is very divisive. In the United States and globally, humanity is at an inflection point in the evolution of its consciousness at individual and collective levels. Out of fear, …

Lived Experiences, Perceptions, And Caregiving Trajectories Of Family Caregivers Of Youth With Substance Use Disorders (Suds) In Zambia, Ireen Manase Kabembo

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

There is unequivocal evidence that family caregivers contribute to healthcare systems worldwide by providing care for persons with chronic illnesses in the home setting. his study explores the lived experiences, perceptions, and caregiving trajectories of 30 family caregivers of youth aged 16-24 diagnosed with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) in Zambia. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews, a caregiving timeline, and participant observation and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Guided by the integrated theoretical framework of positioning theory and the theory of caregiving dynamics, this study offers a new lens for understanding caregiver’s experiences regarding caregiver identity, self-perceptions, interpersonal relationships, …

Changing The Narrative: Student Empowerment In Unequal School Contexts, Stephanie A. Nisle-Mikos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educational experiences affect a wide variety of life outcomes for individuals. The type of education an individual receives influences their occupation, the neighborhood in which they live, and even their risk of mortality (National Research Council, 2013; Sasson, 2016). In particular, the life trajectories of students who attend high-poverty schools are not the same as youth who attend schools with greater resources (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2013; Taylor, 2005). In this dissertation, I provide a brief background on current rates of disproportionality in education and examine how specific theoretical constructs and educational policies may be used to explain …

Diverse And Inclusive Social Matters In Select Dissertations At Hbcus: A Summative Analysis, Vance D. Keyes, Latocia Keyes

Journal of Research Initiatives

Historically, Black colleges, universities, and social workers have shared a history of serving marginalized people. This research is conducted at a point in time when the profession and academic field of social work have expressed an interest in eliminating racism, but more so in upholding the values of social work education in support of working with marginalized populations. Social work as an academic discipline and the origin of Historically Black Colleges and Universities is introduced. The integration of social work in Historically Black Colleges and Universities is analyzed by cataloging the number and type of institutions that offer social work …

Smoking Social Norms Among Spanish-Speaking Mexican-Origin Persons Who Smoke, Yessenia Castro, Zully C. Guerra, Josephine T. Hinds, Jose E. Velasquez, Tatiana Londoño, John R. Moore, Nazanin M. Heydarian, Jessica K. Perrotte

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

In the United States, smoking rates increase with greater acculturation among Mexican-origin women, but not among men. Conversely, greater acculturation is associated with higher likelihood of quitting among Mexican-origin men who smoke, but not among women who smoke. Long-standing speculation is that adoption of smoking social norms in the U.S. that are less restrictive for women and more restrictive for men compared to smoking social norms in Mexico may account for these patterns. However, it is unknown whether persons who smoke actually perceive such differential norms. The current study characterized smoking social norms in the U.S. and Mexico among Spanish-speaking …

Perceptions Of Licensed Independent Social Workers On How Their Master Of Social Work Program Prepared Them To Work With Substance-Using Clients, Kelly A Vacca

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to a lack of accreditation standards requiring Master of Social Work (MSW) degree programs to include substance use and addiction-related courses, many MSW graduates in the United States are unprepared to meet the needs of this growing population. The purpose of this qualitative study, which was underpinned by Bandura's self-efficacy theory, was to explore the perceptions and experiences of licensed independent social workers (LISW) regarding the role their MSW program education played in preparing them to work with substance use and addicted populations. The six participants identified as having graduated from an accredited MSW program, holding a bachelor’s degree …

Perceptions Of Licensed Independent Social Workers On How Their Master Of Social Work Program Prepared Them To Work With Substance-Using Clients, Kelly A Vacca

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to a lack of accreditation standards requiring Master of Social Work (MSW) degree programs to include substance use and addiction-related courses, many MSW graduates in the United States are unprepared to meet the needs of this growing population. The purpose of this qualitative study, which was underpinned by Bandura's self-efficacy theory, was to explore the perceptions and experiences of licensed independent social workers (LISW) regarding the role their MSW program education played in preparing them to work with substance use and addicted populations. The six participants identified as having graduated from an accredited MSW program, holding a bachelor’s degree …

Maine Regional Care Teams: Collaborating To Improve Youth Wellbeing In Maine, Emma Schwartz, Jillian Foley, Jill Ward, Ahmen Cabral, Timothy Atkinson

Justice Policy

This report provides a look back at the past three years of the Regional Care Team initiative, which helped connect 165 youth to community-based resources in those first three years through a collaborative multi-systems model. The report details the extent of cross-system collaboration that continues as a part of this initiative and summarizes feedback from partners, examines data on youth referrals, their histories of system involvement, and funding. The report recommends next steps to expand prevention, community intervention, and reintegration supports for youth.

Making Room, Rachel Strompf

Masters Theses

Massachusetts is the only state in the United States with a right-to-shelter law which guarantees shelter for families with children and pregnant women.¹ As of February 2024, 3,500 homeless families with children are being sheltered in a motel or hotel with an average length of stay of 14 months, because traditional family shelters have reached capacity.^2,3 While these families are provided temporary shelter, these shelters do not allow for the development of a true sense of “home.” While a motel meets the needs of rudimentary shelter, motels were never designed as long-term accommodations and certainly not with a …

Community Awareness Of Domestic Violence In Arumeru District, Arusha, Tanzania, Rehema John Magesa

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Domestic violence continues to be prominent among many communities worldwide despite different efforts and strategies geared towards eradicating it. Women and girls are among the main victims of this violence. Lack of or limited awareness of the problem perpetuates the problem. However, much of the levels of awareness of the problem are lacking. This study aimed to establish community awareness of domestic violence and the levels of awareness and determine the association between respondents' characteristics and the level of awareness of gender-based violence. The study employed both probability and non-probability sampling techniques to acquire the respondents. One hundred women and …

Applying An Intersectional And Multi-Systemic Level Approach To Adei Institutional Assessments In Social Work Higher Education, Diana A. Melendez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Institutional Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ADEI) tools and assessment models are needed to support schools of social work in demonstrating compliance with the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). This study develops a new tool and model for ADEI institutional assessment in social work higher education using a collaborative, intersectional and multi-systemic level approach. The primary aim of the project was to develop and test a new tool to gather and document experience(s) of coloniality within a social work higher education institution, from multiple stakeholders’ perspectives, as a usable model of ADEI …

Family Fragments: Pressure And Proximity In First-Episode Psychosis, Cassandra B. Seltman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study explores the value of assuming a position that decenters the identified patient in families with a member with schizophrenia. Instead, a systemic view of the family is taken, as subject to pressures from without and within, and utilizing observable processes for the management and discharge of tension. It attempts the difficult balance of thinking dynamically without sacrificing scientific rigor, considering the social without discounting the biological, and exploring the functionality of the family without collapsing into blame, reductive cause-and-effect thinking, and the search to prioritize one true origin.

When treating family members as discrete units around an identified …

Recognizing Elder Abuse In Mongolia: Experiences Of Family Physicians, Ariunsanaa Bagaajav

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Elder abuse is a globally recognized social problem with serious consequences. The most recent meta-analysis estimates the prevalence of elder abuse at 17%. Studies conducted in Asian countries suggest prevalence rates higher than the global average. Social stressors including alcoholism, unemployment, and poverty related to economic transitions, many of which apply in Mongolia, are associated with elder abuse. International studies have found that health care providers play critical roles in detecting cases of elder abuse. Due to universal access to primary care in Mongolia, family physicians are uniquely positioned to interact with potential victims of elder abuse. However, the extent …

Social Workers Working With Intimate Partner Violence Survivors: The Influence Of Trauma Work On The Social Worker’S Intimate Relationships, Claire T. Mccue

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Working therapeutically with trauma survivors, such as survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) carries a risk of vicarious traumatization (VT) for social workers, as well as the potential for vicarious post-traumatic growth (VPTG). This phenomenological study sought to explore and understand how vicarious exposure to trauma affects social workers who treat survivors of IPV and their intimate relationships positively and negatively. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 social workers working directly with survivors of IPV in New York while being involved in their intimate relationships.

Utilizing the constructivist self-development perspective, the study found social workers experienced physical, emotional, …

Determining Factors For Improved Uptake Of Harm Reduction Services In The United States: A Study Of Inclusive, Culturally Sensitive Messaging, Lauretta Ekanem Omale

Dissertations

Harm reduction refers to public health policies and programs aimed at decreasing the adverse consequences associated with drug use. While harm reduction services (e.g., syringe exchange programs) can mitigate health risks, marginalized groups face barriers to service access and utilization, partially due to ineffective messaging approaches that fail to align with cultural values and experiences. A one-size-fits-all approach to messaging can negatively impact service utilization, health outcomes, and health disparities. Ineffective communication can lead to poor adherence to treatment, poorer health outcomes, and increased adverse events.

Culturally insensitive communication contributes to stigma, mistrust, and lack of perceived relevance, discouraging service …

An Exploration Of Contributors To Intergenerational Trauma Transmission In American Families: Parental Life Experiences And Parenting Styles., Shantrell P. Sutton-Mckenzie

Dissertations

Preexisting research on intergenerational trauma transmission primarily addresses biological and behavioral routes of transmission, leaving little room for systemic influences. This research reviews preexisting biological and behavioral contributors and explores systemic contributors to intergenerational trauma transmission in American families as it relates to post-traumatic growth, parental centrality distress, and parenting styles. It was that post-traumatic growth and parental centrality of distress (comprised of ACES, centrality of events, and access to community resources) and PTG predict parenting styles. The research hypothesis was partially supported. It was found (1) Post-traumatic growth, ACEs, and perceived access to community resources while parenting added significantly …

Orienting Volunteers On Cultural Awareness And Empathy While Working With Refugees, Sangya Dhungana

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

It is imperative to recognize that effective volunteer engagement in refugee resettlement hinges upon a deep understanding of cultural dynamics and sensitivities. This paper explores the challenges and complexities of volunteer engagement with refugees, offering insights from the author's experiences, scholarly literature, and theoretical frameworks. The writing highlights the importance of cultural awareness, empathy, and reflective practice in supporting refugees during resettlement while acknowledging the need for ongoing learning and evaluation of volunteer approaches. Relevant concepts and theories from the Critical and Creative Thinking courses are included, integrating perspectives into the author’s analysis of volunteer experiences. Additionally, the paper incorporates …

Dignity Of Risk And Self-Determination In The Disability Rights Movement, Sarah Broussard

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Scoping Review On The Use And Meaning Of Sport In Prison And After Detention, Marie-Lou Libbrecht, Pascal Delheye, Rosie Meek, Rudi Roose

Journal of Prison Education Research

The aim of this study was to provide knowledge on existing literature and research regarding the use and meaning of sports during and after incarceration. To achieve this, a scoping review was conducted, entering one hundred and seventeen combinations of search terms related to sports and incarceration into Google Scholar and Web of Science, focusing on titles and/or key terms. Ultimately, one hundred and fifty-two publications were included in the scoping review. The identified literature and research on 'the meaning of sports during and after detention' discuss the outcomes related to physical and mental health, behaviour, and the rehabilitation of …

Exploring Social Work Leadership Skills At The Veterans Health Administration: A Transformational Leadership Perspective, Jose Arturo Camacho

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the problems in the field of social work leadership is the lack of a theoretical framework to guide its practice. Bass' transformational leadership theory (TFL) offers a framework for the field of social work leadership. However, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the largest employer of social workers in the United States, has not examined TFL skills with its social work leaders nor its effect on employee job satisfaction. This quantitative, cross-sectional, web-based study was designed to bridge the gap between social work leadership practice and leadership theory. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) survey was administered to 26 VHA …

Child Savings Accounts And Other Tax-Advantaged Accounts Benefiting American Children: Testimony Before The U.S. Senate Committee On Finance, William Elliott

Center for Social Development Research

This Perspective presents testimony given by Dr. William Elliott during “Child Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Advantaged Accounts Benefiting American Children,” a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, on May 21, 2024. Noting findings from children’s account research―including findings from the SEED for Oklahoma Kids experiment conducted by the Center for Social Development―Dr. Elliott discusses the 401Kids Savings Account Act and the American Opportunity Accounts Act, as well as proposals for Child Savings Accounts, Baby Bonds, Child Development Accounts.

Using Constructivist Grounded Theory To Generate Participatory Research Empowerment Guideposts (Pregs) For African American Communities To Address Racial Health Disparities, Helen Irene Thurman

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Racism has multi-systemic impacts on African Americans resulting in longstanding racial health disparities. Increasingly, researchers use participatory research in their health equity efforts. Participatory research is rooted in the principle of empowerment and centers community lived experience to generate meaningful solutions while shifting conventionally held positions of power within research engagement and within systems more broadly. Yet the research literature on empowerment lacks consensus of its operationalization and measurement. What’s more, it is unclear to what degree existing frameworks of empowerment are derived from the communities they seek to engage and empower. Thus existing frameworks of empowerment could be strengthened …

Navigating Gendered Racism Through Coping And Radical Healing: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Black Women’S Mental Health In Doctoral Programs, Phylicia Keys

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Gendered racism emerges as a pervasive mental health concern among Black women doctoral students. However, there is a scarcity of existing literature on the strategies being used to maintain mental well-being while navigating gendered racism among Black women doctoral students. To address the current gaps in scientific knowledge, this dissertation completed individual semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), and the lens of Black Feminist Thought and Intersectionality were used as guiding theoretical frameworks to examine narratives of fifteen Black women doctoral students at universities in the United States. The study findings provided insight into coping strategies and the role of …

Contested Places: A Typology For Responding To Place-Based Harms, Amie Thurber, Amy Krings, Mónica Gutiérrrez, Jason Sawyer, Greer A. Hamilton

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

In response to historic and ongoing devaluation of certain people, and concurrently, the places they live, many communities are grappling with how to respond to place-based harms. This has produced a wide range of responses, such as calls for “Land Back,” reparations programs, arts-based neighborhood regeneration, and local history initiatives. This paper explores the potential roles community practitioners can play in these contested places. Drawing on a review of the literature, this paper offers an emerging typology for responding to place-based harms.

Living On The Outskirts Of Things: Women And Nonbinary People Of Color With Cognitive Disabilities Describe Their Employment Experiences, Laura Spura Rodriguez

Dissertations and Theses

This study examines the experiences of discrimination and the strategies used to navigate employment for women of color and nonbinary people of color (POC) with cognitive disabilities (CD) through their own narratives. Using Dis/ability Critical Race Theory and an interpretive description methodology, this study engaged 10 women of color and/or nonbinary POC with CD in semi-structured interviews in order to answer the following research questions: 1) What stories do women of color and nonbinary POC with CD tell about their experiences seeking employment? 2) What are the narratives of women and nonbinary POC with CD about their experiences of racism, …

Music Therapy As A Support Model In Massachusetts Special Education: A Literature Review, Bonnie Diamond

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Mental health directly impacts student propensity for making academic progress in the public education system. For children with disabilities, it is especially vital to develop and implement techniques within special education that deliver personally tailored benefits. According to the United States Department of Education, music therapy offers highly effective support to a wide range of students within the school setting so that they may achieve academic success and be supported in their social/emotional development (U.S Department of Education, 2011; AMTA, 2021). In examining the multifaceted ways that music therapy can offer support within the structure of education and mental health, …

Mandated Parent Education: Applications, Impacts, And Future Directions, Cheri Shapiro, Crystal Hill-Chapman, Stephanie Williams

Publications

Mandated participation in parent education programs is a common practice across the United States for families who are undergoing divorce or who are involved in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems. Mandates to participate in parenting programs create substantial challenges for families, service providers, and service systems. Furthermore, the type and quality of the parenting services accessed vary widely, and their impacts need to be better understood. To address this need, an overview of the current state of the empirical literature on the impacts and outcomes of mandated parenting interventions for divorce and in child welfare and juvenile justice …

Human Trafficking: Foreign National Adolescent Survivors In The United States, A Call To Expand Otip Eligibility Letters, Ailleene L. Maldonado

Master's Theses

The Office of Trafficking in Persons grants child eligibility letters to foreign national minors who have been confirmed victims of trafficking. These OTIP Eligibility Letters provide recipients with public benefits to the same extent as a refugee but do not grant protection from removal or pathways towards legal permanent residence. Additionally, many OTIP recipients have unaccompanied minor status in the United States. In order to capture the experience of OTIP recipients, this research explores existing literature on trafficking trauma and migration stressors/ trauma. Additionally, this research identifies international and national legal frameworks to define trafficking and acknowledge the responsibility that …