Digital Commons Network^™

A Half-Century Of California Poverty, Robert G. Mogull

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this article, poverty statistics are examined over the past 50 years for insights on trends. Data were tabulated by Decennial Censuses for the state of California and categorized by demographic group. Trends are revealed by evidence from unique calculations of Poverty Indexes, that is, of 'fair shares" of poverty. By examining 5 decades of evidence, it is found that some groups have clearly progressed-specifically Asians & Pacific Islanders, Blacks, and Hispanics, while others have found their recent poverty status deteriorate- especially the elderly, Native Americans, and Whites.

The Potential Of Youth Savings Accounts In Three East African Countries: Kenya, Tanzania, And Uganda, Njeri Kagotho, Proscovia Nabunya, Fred Ssewamala, Vilma Ilic

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper explores the potential of expanding a youth-focused asset-based intervention program for poor communities heavily affected by HIV and AIDS-currently underway in one East African country, Uganda-into similar communities in the other two East African countries: Kenya and Tanzania. This concept paper is informed by prior work on youth-focused asset-based programs first proposed in the United States of America and now successfully implemented in Uganda (Ssewamala, 2008; Ssewamala, Alicea, Bannon, & Ismayilova, 2008; Ssewamala & Ismayilova, 2008, 2009) and grounded in an asset-based development theoretical framework, which denotes an integrated approach to human, social, and economic capital development (Sherraden, …

The Masaryks Of Czechoslovakia: Contributions In Sociology, Social Welfare And Politics, Rebecca L. Hegar

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article profiles contributions to sociology, social welfare and politics by members of the Masaryk family of Czechoslovakia, with primary emphasis on the career of Alice G. Masaryk (or Masarykovd), an applied sociologist and founder of Czech social work. As the daughter of Tomdi G. Masaryk, an academic philosopher and early sociologist who became the first President of Czechoslovakia in 1918, her life and work are inextricably linked with the country's history and with one of the remarkable families of their era. Research for this articlei nvolved searchingl iteraturef rom several disciplines and reviewing historical publications and documents from relevant …

Sweden's Parental Leave Insurance: A Policy Analysis Of Strategies To Increase Gender Equality, Juliana Carlson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Sweden's parental leave insurance is recognized internationally as the premiere parental leave policy addressing gender equality. Since 1974, when the policy changed from maternal to parental leave, policy makers have employed a variety ofstrategies including inducements, rules, and rights, to increase more gender-equal leave taking. Using Stone's (2006) strategy conceptualization, together with the gender systems approach (Crompton, 1999) which frames the gendered and socially constructed nature of earner/caregiver, this analysis examines how each of Sweden's incremental reforms in parental leave policy moved toward the goal of gender equality, with particular attention to father participation in caregiving.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 40, No. 2 (June 2013)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• A HALF-CENTURY OF CALIFORNIA POVERTY - Robert G. Mogull
• THE POTENTIAL OF YOUTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS IN THREE EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES: KENYA, TANZANIA, AND UGANDA - Njeri Kagotho, Proscovia Nabunya, Fred Ssewamala, and Vilma Ilic
• THE MASARYKS OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA: CONTRIBUTIONS IN SOCIOLOGY, SOCIAL WELFARE AND POLITICS - Rebecca L. Hegar
• SWEDEN'S PARENTAL LEAVE INSURANCE: A POLICY ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIES TO INCREASE GENDER EQUALITY - Juliana Carlson
• REMARITAL CHANCES, CHOICES, AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES: ISSUES OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL WELFARE - Kevin Shafer and Todd M. Jensen
• BLACK WOMEN IN THE "BLACK METROPOLIS" OF THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY: THE CASE …

Remarital Chances, Choices, And Economic Consequences: Issues Of Social And Personal Welfare, Kevin Shafer, Todd M. Jensen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Many divorced women experience a significant decline in financial, social, physical, and psychological well-being following a divorce. Using data from the NLSY79 (n= 2,520) we compare welfare recipients, mothers, and impoverished women to less marginalized divorcees on remarriage chances. Furthermore, we look at the kinds of men these women marry by focusing on the employment and education of new spouses. Finally, we address how remarriage and spousal quality (as defined by education and employment) impact economic well-being after divorce. Our results show that remarriage has positive economic effects, but that is dependent upon spousal quality. However, such matches are rare …

Black Women In The "Black Metropolis" Of The Early Twentieth Century: The Case Of Professional Occupations, Robert L. Boyd

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Little research has examined the employment of Black women as teachers, nurses, and librarians in the urban Black communities of the early twentieth century. The present study fills this void, analyzing Census data on the largest urban Black communities at the start of the Great Migration to cities. The results show that, in spite of the supposed advantages of the northern "Black Metropolis," Black communities in the urban North were relatively limited in their potential to offer opportunities for Black women to enter pursuits that were, at the time, mainstays of a nascent class of Black professional women.

Specialists, Generalists, And Policy Advocacy By Charitable Nonprofit Organizations, Heather Macindoe, Ryan Whalen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Previous research finds modest levels of engagement in policy advocacy by charitable nonprofits, despite legal regulations permitting nonprofit advocacy and the significance of public policy to nonprofit constituencies. This paper examines nonprofit involvement in policy advocacy using survey data from Boston, Massachusetts. Nonprofit participation in policy advocacy is associated with professionalization, resource dependence, features of the institutional environment, and organizational characteristics such as size and mission. Drawing from population ecology theory, we examine an additional aspect of organizational mission: whether a nonprofit serves a specialized or general population. We find that nonprofits serving specialized populations are more likely to participate …

The "L" Word: Nonprofits, Language, And Lobbying, Jocelyn D. Taliaferro, Nicole Ruggiano

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite the many benefits associated with policy advocacy, many nonprofit organizations do not lobby. Recently, scholars have called attention to the possibility that the vagueness and ambiguity of the term lobbying may hinder policy advocacy activities, though few studies have systematically explored the relationship between nonprofit professionals' perception of this term and political activity. This study explored the social construction of the term "lobbying" by examining nonprofit leaders' beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding lobbying activities. Participants reported having a strong aversion to the term "lobbying" and preferred alternative language to describe their political activities. Implications for practice and research are …

Review Of Making Care Count: A Century Of Gender, Race, And Paid Care Work. Mignon Duffy. Reviewed By Jennifer R. Zelnick., Jennifer R. Zelnick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Mignon Duffy, Making Care Count: A Century of Gender, Race, and Paid Care Work. Rutgers University Press (2011). 185 pages, $24.95 (paperback).

Review Of Striving To Save: Creating Policies For Financial Security Of Low-Income Families. Margaret Sherrard Sherraden & Amanda Moor Mcbride, With Sondra G. Beverly. Reviewed By Carol B. Stack., Carol B. Stack

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Margaret Sherrard Sherraden & Amanda Moor McBride, with Sondra G. Beverly, Striving to Save: Creating Policies for Financial Security of Low-Income Families. University of Michigan Press (2010). 340 pages, $65.00 (hardcover).

Review Of Stayin' Alive: The 1970s And The Last Days Of The Working Class. Jefferson Cowie. Reviewed By Robert Forrant., Robert Forrant

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Jefferson Cowie, Stayin' Alive: The 1970s and the Last Days of the Working Class. The New Press (2010). $21.95 (paperback).

Review Of For Love And Money: Care Provision In The United States. Nancy Folbre (Ed.). Reviewed By Jill B. Jones., Jill B. Jones

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Nancy Folbre (Ed.), For Love and Money: Care Provision in the United States. Russell Sage Foundation (2012). $35.00 (paperback).

An Examination Of Civic Engagement Behaviors Among Members Of Social And Cultural Fraternities And Sororities, Gary Gribble Wiser Jr.

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Examination Of The Role Of Implicit Clinical Judgments During The Mental Health Intake, Ora Nakash, Margarita Alegría

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

We examined the characteristics of therapists' implicit clinical judgments during the mental health intake. Following the intake sessions with new clients, we conducted 129 semistructured interviews with 47 therapists. We found that 82% of therapists and 75% of interviews included reference to implicit clinical judgments. Therapists referred to these judgments as a cognitive process that relied on knowledge acquired through past clinical experiences and was primarily based on nonverbal cues and affective communication. Therapists used implicit processes when evaluating how to facilitate a good working alliance, what diagnostic information to collect, and how to decide on a diagnosis. The majority …

Research Evidence On The Cyfi Model Of Children And Youth As Economic Citizens, Margaret S. Sherraden, David Ansong

Center for Social Development Research

Research Evidence on the CYFI Model of Children and Youth as Economic Citizens

Relationships Between College Savings And Enrollment, Graduation, And Student Loan Debt, William Elliott Iii, Hyun-A Song, Ilsung Nam

Center for Social Development Research

Relationships Between College Savings and Enrollment, Graduation, and Student Loan Debt

Death And Dying In Young Adults: Reflections From A Surviving Parent, Andreya Stephenson

Undergraduate Research Conference

Dying is a process that all must face. No one is left untouched by death. Research reveals that preparation and using hope as a coping strategy can help make the process easier on the dying and bereaved. These strategies are more difficult to employ when the dying person is a young adult in what should be the prime of life. The purpose of this project is to gain a better understanding of how young adults with terminal illness prepare for death so that professionals can better serve that population.

¿Cuánta Conciencia Tenemos Hacia El Maltrato De Los Niños? / How Aware Are We About Children Abuse?, Angela Bauman

Spain: Language, Community, and Social Change

This semester I worked with Aldea Infantiles SOS, an NGO aiming to place children without a concrete home or security into secure housing with a loving family. Founded in 1949 by a WWII veteran from Austria, this program has grown internationally with 119 autonomous members active in one hundred and thirty-three countries and governs itself through a system similar to the United Nations. Twice a week I traveled to the school, Ave Maria las Vistillas, where I volunteered with two groups of kids participating in the sports program, aiming to teach teamwork skills and improve integration into society.

For this …

Do Age-Friendly Characteristics Influence The Expectation To Age In Place? A Comparison Of Low-Income And Higher Income Detroit Elders, Amanda J. Lehning, Richard J. Smith, Ruth E. Dunkle

Social Work Faculty Publications

Currently there is limited evidence linking age-friendly characteristics to outcomes in elders. Using a representative sample of 1,376 adults aged 60 and older living in Detroit, this study examined the association between age-friendly social and physical environmental characteristics and the expectation to age in place, and the potential differences between low- and higher-income elders. Based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) age-friendly guide, we identified six factors reflecting age-friendly characteristics. Logistic regression models indicated that regardless of income level only neighborhood problems were significantly associated with expecting to age in place. Low-income elders were more likely to expect to age …

The Challenges Of Minority, Non-Affluent Students: Perceptions Of The Transitions To College, Justin Gilliam

Social Work Theses

This study explored whether low income minority students at a predominantly White institution felt socially, financially, and academically prepared for college. A review of the literature revealed that the supports necessary for low income minority students to ensure a positive transition to college are their family members, staff members at their high school, mentors, and college preparation programs. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted through interviewing eight participants who fit this study’s definition of a low income minority. The findings from this study revealed that family members, mentors, staff members at their high school, and college preparation programs were supports …

Female Students’ Perceptions Of Sexual Victimization In The College Environment, Nicole Sadoski

Social Work Theses

Research indicates that sexual victimization is a significant problem on college campuses in the United States. Ranging from unwanted sexual contact to rape, sexual victimization of female students is not only a pervasive issue in the college environment, but it also may lead to devastating short- and long-term consequences for survivors, including physical, psychological, and emotional implications. In an effort to better understand the scope of this issue, the researcher attempted to conduct a comprehensive study about female students’ perceptions of sexual victimization at a mid-size, Northeastern, Catholic, liberal arts college. Participants’ recommendations for ways in which colleges can educate …

Obstacles In Human Service Work With Teen Mothers, Chloe Casale

Social Work Theses

Research has shown that it is extremely beneficial for teen mothers to have support during their pregnancy and during their new experience of motherhood. Teen mothers can be extremely vulnerable because of the many obstacles they may face including unhealthy relationships, lack of education attainment, mental health concerns, and isolation. One source of support can come from human service workers. In an effort to better understand the obstacles faced by teen mothers, and thus the obstacles faced by home visitors, this study focused on the stories, opinions, and experiences of those who are working with teen mothers in a home …

The Effects Of Advertising And The Media’S Portrayal Of The “Thin Ideal” On College Women’S Self-Image, Mary Sheehan

Social Work Theses

This study explores the relationship between media images’ portrayal of the “thin ideal” and college women’s self-image and self-esteem. A review of the literature validated the researcher’s hypothesis that women are negatively affected by the media’s portrayal of “ideal” body types. However, the review of literature also presented a contrasting theme that media images can positively affect women through motivation and determination to maintain healthy lifestyles. A mixed methods study using Rosenberg’s Self Esteem Scale and media images portraying different body types was used to examine this relationship. Findings indicated that the level of the women’s self-esteem prior to completing …

Prevalence Of Bullying At The Elementary School Level: A Descriptive Analysis, Katherine M. D’Ascenzo

Social Work Theses

A quantitative, descriptive study on the prevalence of bullying at the elementary school level was conducted in Providence, Rhode Island. A review of the literature outlined the definition of what aggressive behavior constitutes as bullying, details the aggressor and target roles and confirms the potentially harmful consequences of bullying. Factors such as the aggressor and target’s grade level, gender and race were documented to explore whether these factors held an influential role in the bullying incidents. Findings suggested that elementary aged children bully students within their same grade and of similar gender. Another finding revealed that race is not a …

Best Practices Regarding Homelessness And Mental Illness, Brittany Kowaleski

Social Work Theses

Preliminary research indicates that homelessness is a growing problem in the United States, especially in Rhode Island. It is very common for those who are homeless to also be impacted by a mental illness, which creates an additional barrier for them to overcome. This qualitative research collected stories from homeless individuals in Rhode Island regarding their perceptions of services that work best to overcome homelessness as well as related problems, including mental illness and substance abuse. This is a local and national problem, and understanding the stories from those who “live” the experience of homelessness is valuable for practice and …

Fostering The Orphaned And Vulnerable Child: Exploring Identity Economics In Relation To Orphaned And Vulnerable Children In The Eastern Cape And Cape Town, South Africa, Khaliyah Yasmeen Washington

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

According to UNICEF, 3.7 million children are orphaned in South Africa (2010). Parliament enacted the Children’s Act on April 1, 2010 to grant and protect the rights orphaned or vulnerable children (OVC). The Children’s Act aims to promote the well being of children, prevent abuse or neglect, and increase options for the care of children found to be in need or care and protection (Jamieson, Mahery, and Scott 2011). Children not receiving care and protection from a parent or guardian are placed in one of three options of alternative care. One being child and youth care centers (CYCC); also known …

Evaluasi Program Penguatan Perempuan Usaha Kecil (Puk) (Evaluasi Sumatif Terhadap Program Penguatan Puk Yang Dilakukan Asosiasi Pendamping Perempuan Usaha Kecil Di Solo), Agung Cahyanto

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This research is a study summative evaluation PUK Strengthening Program in Solo with a quantitative approach. The goal is to measure outcome indicators and analyzes the factors that influence the achievement of outcomes based on aspects of the process and input. The analysis was done by means of univariate and bivariate with cross table, Chi Square and Kendall Tau. The results showed that the outcome indicators has not been achieved. Factors that influence the outcome of the process aspect are ability to identify and solve problems, quality of production, volume of business, business innovation, profit exhibitions, as well as participation …

The Impact Of Home Visitor Relationship Quality On Parenting And Child Outcomes: Does Maternal Age Matter?, Elizabeth A. Colsey

Senior Honors Theses

Early Head Start (EHS) is an early intervention program that seeks to mitigate the effects of risk for those families with young children. Consistent with attachment theory, the home visiting component of EHS targets parent-child relationships in order to combat negative child outcomes. Research indicates that children of adolescent mothers are susceptible to poor outcomes both in childhood and adulthood. The current study utilized EHS data from 1198 parent-child dyads to assess the indirect relationship of home visitor quality on child aggression through parent quality, as moderated by maternal age. Findings indicated that home visitor quality may have a greater …

Easy Effective Counseling: A Strategy For Busy Pastors, Benjamin Karner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastors are expected to counsel various people with various problems. However, in most circumstances, pastors have little time to prepare for counseling sessions and cannot be long-term therapists. Therefore, it is critical for the pastor to be able to quickly and effectively give substantial guidance to counselees. The purpose of this project is to develop and implement a pastoral counseling program with a decision management focus. A survey will be conducted with at least one hundred (100) pastors who engage in counseling as part of their regular ministry duties. This project will develop and communicate a practical counseling approach for …