Job Satisfaction And Stressors: The Direct Support Professional's Experience, Saralynn Emery

Master's Theses

The current service system for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is provided in the form of community-based support. This support is carried out by Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide one-on-one services to individuals in their homes, workplaces, and communities. The current system is undergoing a turnover crisis and there is an enormous need for a quality and reliable workforce of DSPs to continue to carry out services. Previous research has explored factors that contribute to DSP burnout and ultimately turnover. By researching the DSP role from the DSP experience directly, this study examines other factors that contribute to …

How We Fail Us Foreign-Born Veterans: A Scoping Study Of The Literature, Eric Manley

Symposium of Student Scholars

Many foreign-born US service members have taken advantage of expedited naturalization provisions for them to obtain US citizenship through military service. However, while citizenship was almost automatic for veterans in centuries past, today this is more difficult to achieve, and some veterans may even be at risk of deportation because they did not or were not able to naturalize. This scoping study synthesizes academic articles and grey literature, focusing on data, naturalization laws, and executive orders that have an impact on foreign-born veterans and foreign-born service members alike. This group has sacrificed much like their native-born veteran counterparts, yet do …

Age At First Alcohol Use And Weapon Carrying Among Adolescents: Findings From The 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Philip Baiden, Nusrat Jahan, Henry K. Onyeaka, Shawndaya Thrasher, Savarra Tadeo, Erin Findley

Social Work Graduate Research

Background
Although studies have investigated the association between alcohol use and violent behaviors such as weapon carrying, few studies have examined the association between age at first alcohol use and weapon-carrying among adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between age at first alcohol use and weapon carrying among adolescents.

Methods
Data for this study came from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. An analytic sample of 13,442 adolescents aged 14–18 years old (51% female) was analyzed using binary logistic regression. The outcome variable investigated in this study was weapon carrying during the past 30 days, …

Right! From The Start: Improving Maternal-Child Health In The Mississippi Delta, John J. Green, Elizabeth Young Sweeney

Delta Directions: Publications

Right! From the Start (R!FTS) was created nearly ten years ago as a collaborative effort between Women and Children Health Initiatives, Inc. and the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF). The immediate goal of the initiative was to raise breastfeeding rates for mothers and babies in vulnerable families, especially those with preterm and low weight births. A long-term goal was improvement of maternal and child health outcomes in a region plagued by socioeconomic and racial disparities, the Mississippi Delta. R!FTS has gone through three distinct phases of development, which are detailed in this …

Leveraging Technology To Address Disparities In Education: The Role Of School Social Workers To Advance Student Success, Kelli Rogers

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Education plays a critical role in the advancement and survival of ethnic minority children and youth. However, access to quality education still eludes many ethnic minority children as a result of instances of prejudice, institutional racism, and structural discrimination. Due to these obstacles, ethnic minority children and youth often lag behind their white peers in many social indicators including higher rates of poverty and lower educational attainment, which impedes their academic success and upward mobility. Several studies have applied technology interventions to address educational equity issues and found improved performance on state test scores. Therefore, this research examines the role …

Identifying And Measuring Environmental Stressors In Intimate Partner Violence Shelters, Sarah R. Leat

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Environmental stressors within the built environment can greatly impact health. Environmental stressors, such a noise levels, crowding, and housing quality have shown to impact physical healing as well as mental health. Although environmental stressors have been examined within healthcare environments, such as hospitals and clinics, very little research exists about the presence of environmental stressors within shelter environments. Furthermore, even less research has looked at environmental stressors present within intimate partner violence (IPV) shelters. The built environment of IPV shelters and environmental stressors present within the shelter have the potential to greatly impact survivors’ health and influence whether survivors gain …

A Scoping Review Of Interventions Conducted For Racial And Ethnic Minority Older Adults With Dementia, Grace Akomu Amenawon Inegbenehi

Social Work Theses - Archive

The older population in the United States is growing. Within this demographic, ethnic and racial diversity is also on the rise. There are various forms of interventions, such as cognitive activities, regular physical and social activities, the Mediterranean diet, examination on sleep patterns, and other person-centered and emotion-focused interventions to help not only the cognitive health but also the overall quality of life of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD). However, we still lack knowledge on if and how these interventions are effective for patients from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, this study conducted a scoping review to review …

From Ex-Offenders To Hopefuls: Exploring Changing Narratives And Personal Stories Of Desistance, Darby Buckley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research for this thesis seeks to understand how recently incarcerated individuals understand recidivism and how they desist from criminal activities and re-offending behaviors. It seeks to understand if desistance is occurring in a re-entry organization and if so, when. Participants from a Las Vegas, Nevada re-entry organization called HOPE for Prisoners (HFP) are the focus of this research. Overall, the purpose of this study is to see how a local re-entry non-profit organization helps assist with services and opportunities for individuals who were formerly incarcerated. Analyzing the research from this project will help provide information regarding how individuals who are …

Examining Predictors Of Student Perceptions Of University Responses To Sexual Misconduct, Megan Giovannini

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The prevalence of college students’ experiences with sexual violence has been well documented (e.g., Cantor et al., 2015; Fisher, Cullen & Turner, 2000; Krebs et al., 2007), along with the negative consequences associated with sexual victimization (e.g., Campbell, Dworkin & Cabral, 2009). Court cases, student disclosures, and media coverage have brought more attention to university responses to sexual misconduct and have attempted to hold universities accountable. The purpose of this study is to examine predictors of student perceptions of university responses to sexual misconduct, therefore adding to the existing literature. It is among one of the first to examine predictors …

Learning About Healthy Relationships And Sexuality For Adults With Disabilities, Vanessa Karjack

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities receive little to no sex education; as a result, they often struggle to have fulfilling and healthy relationships, experience limitations in physical interactions, and are at risk of being taken advantage of by others. Sommaro et al. (2019) explained that individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD) are often placed into one of two categories: they are treated as either eternal children or sexual deviants. These ideas are based on old knowledge and are known to be inaccurate. However, current systems of care struggle to move forward from these notions. A …

Redesigning Schools Of Social Work Into Schools Of Social Work And Social Justice: Opportunities For Civic And Organizational Renewal In A Justice Reform Environment, Bowen Mcbeath, Michael J. Austin

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper explores the re-envisioning of a school of social work into a School of Social Work and Social Justice. The thought experiment identifies how a school can meet its educational and social justice mission in response to the historic crises of 2020. An outgrowth of the aspirational strategic vision statement is the proposed strengthening of democratic learning spaces involving students and faculty members, better alignment of school curricular reform with human service workforce dynamics and social work practice needs, and an emphasis on culturally responsive leadership. The overall intention is to identify opportunities for social work schools and departments …

The Needs Of Undocumented Immigrants To Succeed Socially, Emotionally And Economically, Haysee Zarazua

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to understand undocumented immigrants needs when striving to succeed socially, emotionally, and economically in the United States. Undocumented immigration is prevalent in this country and these individuals face fear of deportation, discrimination, language barriers, trauma and acculturative stress. Considering the challenges and mental health repercussions that undocumented immigrants experience; it is important to discover what can be done to improve their livelihood. A qualitative study was completed with participants that work with undocumented immigrants to better understand needs and barriers. The study found that legalization and lack of access to resources such as mental …

Perceived Barriers Affecting Lgbtq Community From Mental Health Services, Baltazar Pulido-Mejia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The LGBTQ community has been viewed as a high-risk group for mental health disorders. Untreated mental health disorders place members in this group at a higher rate for substance use and chronic medical illness. This study examined perceived barriers members from the LGBTQ community face when accessing mental health services. The chosen paradigm structure has a focus on human behavior which is conducive in exploring the study question that addresses specific barriers that the LGBTQ community may perceive as harmful. This study found barriers present internally and externally within the LGBTQ community. Internally within the LGBTQ community a fear of …

Mental Health In Child Welfare Social Workers, Sintia Mota Muniz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project focuses on child welfare social workers’ mental health and what mental health services they can benefit from having. For this study, the six participants were recruited from the Southern California area. They all currently work in the child welfare field. The data for this qualitative study was collected through interviews. All interviews were completed telephonically and then transcribed for data analysis. The study findings found the lack of management support in child welfare agencies and a lack of self-care practice have a negative effect on social workers’ mental health and their service delivery. The findings revealed that …

Integrating Faith In Social Work, Omar Elhanafy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Religion and Spirituality are concepts rarely spoken about in social work programs. Many social work students have expressed that they have not received a proper education on integration of faith into social work practice in their programs. Evidence is given to support this claim and this Proposal will discuss this concept, its importance, and highlight the need for this education. This exploratory study will use a qualitative design which will explore the experiences of participants on how comfortable they feel in using faith in social work practice. The proposal will continue to further explore the validity to this claim through …

The Effects Of Perceived Racism And Discrimination On The Mental Health Of Mexican And Mexican American Social Work Students, Karina Duque Sierra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has shown that experiencing discrimination and racism can have significant and negative effects on people’s mental health. Among those affected are Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a relationship with self-reported mental health of Mexican/Mexican American social work students and self-reported experiences with racism and discrimination. This quantitative study surveyed 101 participants who (a) identified as Mexican and or Mexican American, (b) were 18 years or older (c) enrolled in college, and (d) identified as either a BASW or MSW student. This study utilized a Qualtrics …

Life Through The Eyes Of An Undocumented Immigrant In The United States, Yesenia Torres

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project focused on how undocumented immigrants experience their lives in the United States, taking in mind the multiple barriers that prevent them from integrating into the community. This research project surveyed the California State University of San Bernardino School of Social Work students who work or engage with undocumented immigrants. A positivism paradigm research design was used to obtain quantitative data of participant's knowledge of immigrants' past and present experiences while living in the United States. The study's goal was to bring mental health awareness to the well-being and emotional experiences during the resettlement and acculturation of undocumented …

The Need For Financial Literacy In Social Work Education: A Descriptive Study, Tara Mchenry, Belinda Pacheco

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Although extensively researched over the last twenty years, financial literacy is yet to make its way into mainstream social work curricula. This is puzzling because social workers, in general, work with a clientele that consists predominantly of poor and low-income populations. The profession of social work has the unique opportunity to equip its members with tools to educate and assist clients around topics of personal finance and financial insecurity. Using a purposive sampling method, this study explored the need for a financial literacy course as part of the social work curriculum among 102 undergraduate and graduate students in a large, …

Understanding The Relationship Between Academic Burnout And Field Practicum Satisfaction, Maria Luisa Ramirez, Victoria Jakaub

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout is a topic of significant consideration in social work. The present study intended to generate findings to address the student burnout phenomenon and offer suggestive means for advancing social work practice through mediating factors. The research followed a descriptive quantitative study design that focused on investigating the relationship between academic burnout among MSW and BASW students and field practicum satisfaction. Self-administered surveys were administered using the Qualtrics system, and the statistical analysis was conducted using SPPS version 21. Findings indicated a moderate-high burnout effect among MSW and BASW students with a positive association with age and a decreased satisfaction …

Profiling A Unique Female Serial Killer: Aileen Wuornos's Life Of Violence, Phyllis Chesler

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Hunger Is A Racial Issue: Closing The Gap Through Strategic Planning In After School Programs, Hannah Pipher

Senior Capstone Papers

One particular social determinant of health: food insecurity, is gaining curiosity amongst researchers, social workers, and public health experts for its role in the bio-psycho-social health of children, specifically in low-income populations (LIP’s) and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). The literature demonstrates that due to historical disenfranchisement and systemic oppression, BIPOC children are three times more likely to experience this phenomenon than those in White households. BIPOC children also experience chronic health conditions related to malnutrition or unhealthy eating, higher rates of psychological distress due to the social stigmatization of food insecurity, and predicted behaviors in the classroom …

Inclusive Male Adolescent Identity Formation In Group Settings, Austin Miller

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The principal developmental task of adolescence is the formation of an individual’s identity. Through much of human history there has been an intentional design of practices that harness this developmental energy and channel it through structured experiences where the individual earns a targeted identity through certain actions. These practices continue in recognizable forms that target specific identities and fulfill the individual psychological need of identity formation and the societal need of transition into adulthood. Inherent to these identity formation experiences is the group setting, where a variety of capabilities for identity achievement exist. This research project explores what structures and …

Type Of Immigrant Discrimination And Their Copying Strategies, Sarabjit Gill

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to shed some light on the different types of discrimination that Hispanic and Latinx individuals experience in the United States. Does education level play a role in the kind of discrimination the Hispanic/ Latinx population experiences? Further studies must be conducted to determine the role of education level and immigrant status in Hispanic/Latinx discrimination. The researcher used the Quantitative method for this study by designing a Qualtrics survey sent to all the participants. A Qualtrics survey was also sent to students in the School of Social, via email by the Administrative Support Coordinator. …

Decreasing The Stress Associated With Completing An Online Master Of Social Work Program, Grant Horner

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research reveals that there are high attrition rates and additional stresses common among online programs. Using the positivist paradigm, this study identified the relationship between stress and certain factors associated with an online Master of Social Work program at a University in Southern California. Four hypotheses were tested to determine if a significant relationship existed between stress levels and the factors of social connection, employment, family status, and year in the program. The study did not find significant relationships between stress levels and the four factors. However, the study revealed relationships exist between social connection and stress levels, employment and …

“In This Industry, You're No Longer Human”: An Exploratory Study Of Women’S Experiences In Pornography Production In Sweden, Meghan Donevan

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Despite being a global, billion-dollar industry, very little is known about the conditions women face within the pornography industry. The aim of this study was to explore women’s experiences in pornography production, with a particular focus on structural antecedents to entrance, coercion, and violence within the industry, as well as current needs and any barriers to exiting the industry. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine women with experiences in pornography production in Sweden. Participants identified young age, financial insecurity, earlier exposure to sexualized violence, and poor mental health as typical antecedents to entering the pornography industry. Once in the …

It’S Not All Aces: The Role Of Negative Parental Influences And Criminal Thinking In Juvenile Offending Behaviors, Branna Humphrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and criminal thinking in causing criminal behavior has been explored extensively in criminal justice research. Based on the concepts of ACEs and the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Scale, the negative parental influences and criminal thinking styles of 1,354 juvenile offenders were examined to establish that negative parental influences and criminal thinking are separately associated with juvenile problem and offending behavior, and that criminal thinking mediates the relationship between negative parental influences and juvenile problem and offending behavior. Analyses showed support for criminal thinking as a pathway from negative parental influences to juvenile …

Exploring The Prevalence Of Social Isolation In Students At A Christian College In West Texas, David Bryan Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The concept known as “social isolation” is a problem that affects many people, but there are certain populations that do not have adequate research performed on them. Specifically, college students face a risk of social isolation that is detrimental to their well-being and academic success, and there is a gap in the literature about this relationship. This study explored the prevalence of social isolation in college students at a Christian college in West Texas and examined various factors to determine whether any protective factors or at-risk factors existed. An online survey was sent out that used 11 demographic factor questions …

Effect Of Nutrition On Resilience In Adults With Childhood Trauma, Carrie Merrill, Nicole Wickstrom, Katie Munn, Timothy Mclaughlin

Thinking Matters Symposium

While previous studies have shown that healthy nutrition has a positive effect on our physical and emotional well-being (Marsman et al., 2018; Harbottle, 2019), it is unknown whether those benefits extend to individual levels of resilience among those who have suffered childhood trauma. The purpose of this research is to better understand how nutritional habits influence the relationship between childhood trauma and resilience. A Qualtrics survey design was used to collect data related to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), resilience, and nutritional intake, and was sent via email to University of Southern Maine students and faculty of the school of social …

Intersectionality And Accessibility To Social Services, Nora Khuder

Thinking Matters Symposium

In times of a crisis the intersectionality of sex, class, and ability creates a vulnerable population. Many available “resources'' are exhausted, due to high demand. Intersectionality signifies the impact of multiple intersecting identities in society as a direct correlation to the specific and unique barriers of marginalized groups. Resources are currently limited due to the lack of representative data. Although many studies have been conducted, many researchers have failed to capture the need of social services in rural areas.

The Impacts Of Social Media Sites Such As Instagram And Facebook On Emerging Adult’S Perceptions Of Self-Esteem And Body Satisfaction, Wynne Cushing, Samantha Shandorf, Courtney Piccirillo, Abby Frazier

Thinking Matters Symposium

This study investigated the impacts of social media use, specifically Facebook and Instagram, on emerging adults’ perceptions of self-esteem and body satisfaction. Limited research exists regarding the influence of demographic variables, such as gender, race, and geographic location, on the relationship between social media use and negative outcome variables. The researchers utilized a cross-sectional survey design with a target population of University of Southern Maine students. Researchers hypothesize that emerging adults who spend more time on Facebook and Instagram are more likely to have lower self-esteem and body satisfaction than emerging adults who spend little to no time on Facebook …