Digital Commons Network^™

What’S Harm Reduction Got To Do With It? A Study Of The Implementation Of Substance Use Management Practices Among A Sample Of U.S. Domestic Violence Programs, Stephanie H. Ratliff

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Domestic violence programs are essential resources for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Programs offer services that go beyond providing safety and shelter. To improve outcomes, program staff have expanded services to meet the needs of survivors. One population of survivors that has gained attention in the peer-reviewed literature is survivors who use substances (SWUS). These survivors have unique needs and are at increased risk of IPV due to substance misuse. Research about the support available to SWUS after they access shelter is scarce. Using cross-sectional data from a national sample of 97 U.S. domestic violence programs, this study describes …

Fathers’ Perspectives On The Role Of Spirituality In Substance Misuse Disorder Treatment And Engaging With Their Children, Kendra Michelle Eubank

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

The father's role and the extent of involvement with his children have shifted over the past several decades. As a result, researchers have made considerable advances in understanding paternal influences on child development and families. However, one under-researched topic is how fathers' substance misuse, and the recovery process may influence father involvement and effective co-parenting, and specifically, how spirituality plays a role in that. In this qualitative study, fourteen participants participated in semi-structured interviews. The data revealed two main themes: 1) pillars of a spiritual awakening and 2) applying spirituality to healthy fatherhood engagement.

These findings led to four interpretations: …

Links Between Perceived Mother-Adolescent And Father-Adolescent Conflict And Low Self-Control: A Cross-National Comparative Study, Tory Thomas

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The influence of parent-adolescent relationships and adolescent adjustment have been well-documented. Self-control has emerged as a key probabilistic construct in understanding adjustment, well-being, and life success. The present study tests the links between adolescent perceptions of maternal and paternal conflict and self-control. In addition, to understand the extent to which cultural developmental context impacts these associations, the study will employ a cross-cultural comparative lens to test whether cultural context moderates these links. Self-report data were collected from N = 4,924 adolescents (Mage = 16.97 years, 54.08% female) across four countries (China, Czech Republic, Turkey, and the United States). In by …

Patterns Into Pathways For Improving Safety Culture: Refined Latent Class Analysis Informs Tailored Decision Support For South Carolina Dss Safety Culture Improvements, Michaela Voit

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

The rising prevalence of exposures to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) demands a coordinated public health response, as a significant body of research details the cumulative impact of ACEs on chronic morbidities contributing to reduced life expectancy. Child welfare workers (CWW) are embedded in this public health effort, tasked with preventing and mitigating the impacts of ACEs through family and prevention services. The National Partnership for Child Safety (NPCS) may improve the wellbeing of CWWs and the effectiveness of Child Welfare (CW) services by improving the quality of safety culture within CW organizations. To inform NPCS quality improvement efforts, our project …

Physical Activity And Mental Health Symptoms In Adults, Olivia A. Brecht

Graduate Research Papers

The primary purpose of this research study was to analyze the effect of physical activity on the mental health of adults aged 18-80. Existing research has found a significant relationship between physical activity and mental health in adulthood. The current study utilizes secondary data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The target population for the BRFSS study consists of noninstitutionalized adults (aged 18 and older) currently living in the United States. Using SPSS, the current study conducted univariate data analysis and bivariate data analysis. This study investigates various factors including the number of poor mental health days, …

The Effects Of Alcohol Consumption On Cognitive Decline, Ashley Highland

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between alcohol use and cognitive decline among young adults. This study is a quantitative study in which secondary data was used as a means to gather information from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) database. In this study, the researcher analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, such as independent sample t-test, correlations analysis, ANOVA, and Chi-Square test. The findings in this research revealed that there is a significant relationship between cognitive decline and binge drinking in young adults. Meaning, young adults who binge drink are …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Alcohol Use In Adulthood, Callie Franzen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and alcohol use in adulthood among individuals who responded to the BRFSS 2022 study. Secondary data was used to gather information on adults. The BRFSS 2022 survey was a national survey conducted by the CDC that utilized stratified sampling to create two groups of participants based on phone number type. The final number of participants used in this sample was 445,132 adults aged 18 to 80 with 209,238 males and 235,894 females, and the races consisted of 333,514 Whites, 35,876 Blacks, 20,607 Asians, 42,977 Hispanics, …

The Impact Of Alcohol Use On Dating Violence Among Adolescents, Kaygen Kay Deitrick

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between alcohol use and increased rates of dating violence. Additionally, the study proposed potential differences in experienced dating violence rates for sexual minority youth compared to their heterosexual counterparts. This current study utilizes secondary data analysis of the national 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YBRSS). In this study the researcher analyzed data through the use of descriptive statistics that include frequency, mean, standard deviation. The researcher analyzed data through the use of inferential statistics which include independent sample t-test, correlations analysis, ANOVA. The results of this study indicate a …

Leczenie Uzależnień Materiały Na Zamówienie [Addiction Treatment: Requested Materials], Jaroslaw Richard Romaniuk

Faculty Scholarship

Książka będąca poradnikiem i przewodnikiem po świecie uzależnień jest zbiorem wcześniej opublikowanych artykułów autora, który ma bardzo bogate doświadczenie teoretyczne i praktyczne w tym zakresie. Autor pokazuje swoje spojrzenie na uzależnienia chemiczne i behawioralne, na rolę stresu i traumy w leczeniu uzależnień. Niejako przy okazji dzieli się szeroką i ugruntowaną wiedzą o najnowszych metodach leczenia w USA i wyjaśnia wiele kwestii związanych poruszanymi zagadnieniami, jednocześnie wskazując na wiele wątpliwości i pytań, na które trudno udzielić jednoznacznej odpowiedzi. Tym samym dowodzi, że problematyka uzależnień i ich leczenia jest wielowymiarowa i skomplikowana, co utrudnia stosowanie metod i praktyk.

Głównym walorem tej książki …

Strong Partnerships Require Collaboration: The Investigation Of Interagency Collaboration Efforts Between Schools And Community-Based Organizations In Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness, Iantheya K. Brown

Dissertations

This study provides valuable insights into effective interagency collaboration strategies for supporting students experiencing homelessness. Through qualitative analysis, three overarching themes and seven sub-themes emerged, highlighting the importance of partnership building, support system enhancement, and addressing the complex needs of students experiencing homelessness. The findings underscore the crucial role of early relationship establishment, McKinney-Vento education, transparent communication, and shared information in maintaining and expanding partnerships. However, challenges persist, including discrepancies in definitions and misconceptions about homelessness, necessitating a more empathetic approach. Leadership engagement and culturally responsive practices are essential for navigating these challenges and fostering effective collaboration. By adopting a …

The Influence Of Foster Parent Characteristics On The Relational Permanence Of Foster Youth, Yogita Venkata

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Research suggests that lack of permanency is associated with an increased risk of aggression, mental instability, and delinquent behavior in children (Leve et al., 2012). A crucial component of permanency involves establishing stable connections, including relational permanence with peers and adults, which are believed to enhance the well-being of foster youth (Wekerle et al., 2009). Further, the literature suggests a relationship between a parent’s adverse traumatic experiences, their attachments to their own parents, and their ability to regulate their foster child’s relational permanence to supportive adults and peers. Foster parents who have experienced trauma are often insecurely attached to their …

Master Of Social Work Portfolio: Practicing Idealism, Ana Maria Palacios Figueroa

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Ana Maria Palacios Figueroa's Master of Social Work Portfolio, including narrative and appendices.

Leadership Challenges With Mental Health Literacy And Cultural Stigma In The Hmong Community, Yeng J. Vang

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

It has been nearly 50 years since Hmong refugees started arriving here in the United States, as a result of the Vietnam War. Currently, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is home to the largest concentration of Hmong Americans here in the states, approximately 81,000 (Pew Research, 2019). Because of the war atrocities that many Hmong refugees experienced, scholars and researchers conducted diagnostic assessments during early resettlement, but the data was disaggregated and combined all Southeast Asian refugees together. This made it difficult to determine mental health needs among the different Southeast Asian ethnicities, specifically Hmong Americans. Many years later, the Wilder …

Research On The Lived Experiences Of Adolescents And Adults With Foster Care History: A Scoping Review, John Gyourko, Johanna K. P. Greeson, Nick Vasquez, Linda-Jeanne M. Mack, Ahmir Kenyatta, Richard P. Barth, Antonio Garcia

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

Objective: Many child welfare scholars, practitioners, and funders are calling for greater inclusion of “lived experience” data and stakeholder voices in foster care research. Yet to date there have been no comprehensive summaries of studies that analyze data collected directly from older youth and adults with lived experience in out-of-home care. To address this knowledge gap, this scoping review maps the extent, nature, and sample characteristics of studies that analyzed data provided by persons age 14 and older with lived foster care experience. Method: We conducted a systematic search of 11 scholarly databases to locate studies (published from1999–2021) …

Predictors Of Identity Crime Victimization Of Adolescent Youth In Foster Care, John Gyourko, Greg Ridgeway

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

Identity crimes pose serious risks and challenges for youth in foster care. As young people move through various out-of-home placements and schools, their personal data are often widely disseminated, difficult to secure, and thus vulnerable to theft and misuse. When they transition from foster care to adulthood, identity crime victims with compromised credit histories may be denied loans, employment, and/or housing during the already-precarious period of emerging adulthood. Even though federal law requires state child welfare agencies to conduct annual credit checks for adolescent youth in foster care, little is known about the factors contributing to risk of identity crime …

Latinx Respects: Using Theatre To Prevent Dating Violence, Heidi Adams Rueda, Patricia Newman, Kathleen Mcgee

Social Work Faculty Publications

Teen dating violence is a serious health issue facing youth in the United States. A nationally representative survey found that 8.0% percent of youth who had dated within the past year had been physically hurt on purpose by a dating partner and another 6.9% had experienced sexual violence (Kann et al., 2018). Latinx females experience physical and sexual violence at higher rates compared to national averages (i.e., 9.2% and 11.1%, respectively; Kann et al., 2018). Further, nearly 30% of romantically involved youth have been victims of digital dating abuse within the past year (Hinduja & Patchin, 2021).

Sexual Health And Dating With Disabilities: Understanding The Perspectives Of Parent Resource Coordinators (Prcs), Heidi Adams Rueda, Anne Woodruff Jameson, Maggie Neujahr, Amber Godsey, Lynda Hayes, Jessica Johnson, Sam Montemarano, Carly De Bruin

Social Work Faculty Publications

Young people with disabilities have unique needs concerning dating and sexuality compared to their peers without disabilities. Research supports that young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) desire more education and support. However, young people with I/DD often lack formal and informal sex education and dating information. Despite these barriers, youth with disabilities report feeling empowered when they receive information on sexual and dating health, and when they are included in discussion with community members, family, and close friends about their dating and sexual wants and needs. This study responds to the need to better understand how to support …

Challenges And Coping Strategies In Transitioning From Caregiving To Widowhood: A Systematic Review, Abby Baumbach, M. Courtney Hughes, Yujun Liu

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Ninety-one percent of surviving spouses in the U.S. cared for their spouses before they died. This review explores the challenges of the transition from caregiving to widowhood and different coping strategies used by widowed spousal caregivers. A systematic review of literature on the transition from caregiving to widowhood was conducted using four major academic search engines. Overall, 280 articles were identified, with 22 meeting the inclusion criteria. Challenges for widowed caregivers included experiencing care burden, letting go of the caregiver role, grief, and triggers. Widowed caregivers’ coping strategies included social support and services use, filling the time gap, finding spirituality, …

Families At The Center: Leading For Home Visiting Systems Change, Callie H. Lambarth, Beth L. Green, Center For Coordinating Oregon Home Visiting Systems

Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services Publications

The Center for Coordinating Oregon Home Visiting Systems (CCOHVS) launched in February 2024 at the Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services at Portland State University. The CCOHVS functions as a program-neutral backbone organization for a coordinated system of prenatal and early childhood home visiting services. Its work will move the state closer to the vision described in the Raise Up Oregon 2.0 (RUO) strategic plan1 for early childhood systems, namely to create “equitable, integrated, accessible, inclusive, anti-racist and family-centered” early learning services, with a focus on ensuring this system meets the needs of pregnant people and families with …

Alternative Shelter Evaluation Report, Jacen Greene, Todd Ferry, Emily Leickly, Franklin H. Spurbeck

Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative Publications and Presentations

This report summarizes research by Portland State University’s Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative for the Joint Office of Homeless Services on the cost, participant experiences, and client outcomes in village-style and motel shelters as compared to each other and to traditional, congregate shelters.

The Kaleidoscope Effect: A Solution Focused Approach To Hazing Prevention A Mixed Methods Study, Akeya Shonte Simeon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examined the complexities surrounding hazing behaviors within the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Association (PHA) student populations, as well as the perspectives of college administrators. Harmful health behaviors, such as hazing, sexual violence, and substance misuse, continue to plague these organizations, impacting over 750,000 undergraduate students across more than 770 campuses in the United States. The research employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, starting with an analysis of IFC and PHA responses from the What Works for Fraternity and Sorority Safety and Success survey, focusing on five institutions: Baylor, James Madison, Louisiana State, Penn State, and Washington State …

Decolonizing Disability In Social Work: A Conversation On Colonialism, Autumn Asher Blackdeer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The present work seeks to prompt a paradigm shift in the conceptualization of disability within social work through three main goals: a) Problematize the dominant disability discourse in social work, b) Illuminate present day manifestations of settler colonialism and their intersection with disability in social work, and c) Introduce decolonization and its compatibility with disability justice to reckon with disability and colonialism in social work. First, the present work will illuminate social work’s dedication to the medical model, evidence-based practice, and hollow notions of empowerment and inclusion. Next, in viewing intersections of ableism with other forms of oppression, this work …

Msw Portfolio, Rachel Elizabeth Andrade

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

My MSW portfolio consists of my detailed journey throughout the coursework through U of M and practicum experiences.

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Amber Thornton

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This reflection on my journey through the Master of Social Work (MSW) program highlights the transformative influence of critical self-reflection, research, policy analysis, and leadership in shaping my development as a social worker. The program has equipped me with key competencies to engage effectively with individuals, families, groups, and communities, promoting empowerment and advancing social justice. Through hands-on experiences in individual engagement, family assessment, group intervention, and organizational evaluation, I have gained a holistic understanding of social work that emphasizes empathy, tailored interventions, and systemic change. My involvement in policy practice and advocacy has underscored the importance of evidence-based research …

Becoming An Advanced, Integrated Social Work Practitioner, Lindsay Klug

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio reflects the author's journey of self-discovery and gaining real-world experience in the field of social work. It describes how the author has demonstrated mastery over the social work competencies outlined by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the University of Montana.

Barriers And Bridges To Well-Being For Latinx Immigrant Youth In A New Latinx Destination: A Digital Narrative Inquiry, Jenn M. Lilly

Social Service Faculty Publications

An increasing number of Latinx young people in the United States are facing unique challenges to attaining and maintaining well-being as residents of new Latinx destinations. This study analyzes the testimonios of 12 Latinx immigrant youth (aged 18–21) who participated in a digital narrative research project in New Orleans – a new Latinx destination in the US South. Findings are interpreted and discussed through the lens of the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST), revealing Latinx young people’s perspectives on the barriers to experiencing well-being, the “bridges” that helped them to experience well-being despite those barriers, and the ways …

“I Learned To Bottle Up My Feelings From A Young Age”: A Narrative Analysis Of Latina Young People’S Family Mental Health Socialization, Jenn M. Lilly

Social Service Faculty Publications

Latina young people report high levels of mental health problems and low levels of help-seeking compared with their white peers, but little research has examined factors influencing their mental health views. Inductive analysis of 25 participants’ narratives revealed that Latina young people described three stages in the development of their mental health-related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors: undergoing a process of family mental health socialization, suffering in silence, and attaining a new perspective. Within each of these phases, participants shared stories that attest to their agency and resilience. This research uncovers a novel theoretical construct, “family mental health socialization,” which elucidates …

Assertive Community Treatment As An Alternative To Incarceration For American Pretrial Detainees, Brian Zampella, Simone Talton, Jonathan Lam, Anzalee Khan, Tuborah Bryant, Michal Kunz

Social Service Faculty Publications

In the United States and elsewhere around the world, people with serious mental illness (SMI) are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Clinical interventions to divert such individuals out of correctional settings, including Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), have been shown to reduce rates of criminal justice recidivism when modified to allow for the use of court sanctions to encourage treatment adherence. However, these interventions are noted to be underutilized as alternative to incarceration (ATI) programs. This paper summarizes the results of a retrospective cohort study conducted in a New York State forensic psychiatric hospital of 87 pretrial detainees admitted after …

Considering A Unified Model Of Artificial Intelligence Enhanced Social Work: A Systematic Review, Michael Garkish, Lauri Goldkind

Social Service Faculty Publications

Social work, as a human rights–based profession, is globally recognized as a profession committed to enhancing human well-being and helping meet the basic needs of all people, with a particular focus on those who are marginalized vulner- able, oppressed, or living in poverty. Artificial intelligence (AI), a sub-discipline of computer science, focuses on develop- ing computers with decision-making capacity. The impacts of these two disciplines on each other and the ecosystems that social work is most concerned with have considerable unrealized potential. This systematic review aims to map the research landscape of social work AI scholarship. The authors analyzed the …

Introducing Generative Artificial Intelligence Into The Msw Curriculum: A Proposal For The 2029 Educational Policy And Accreditation Standards, Maria Rodriguez, Lauri Goldkind, Bryan Victor, Barb Hilz, Brian Perron

Social Service Faculty Publications

The most recent Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) demands that social workers develop competence in the ethical and professional deployment of technology. Arguably, artificial intelligence has become a critical element in the technological landscape, most recently with the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Beginning in late 2022, there has been an explosion of interest in GenAI, along with a massive and ongoing rollout of GenAI tools for personal and professional use, such as ChatGPT. While GenAI will undoubtedly affect social work practice, scholars and ethicists have raised crucial concerns about GenAI, its potential …