Digital Commons Network^™

Community Practice: A Training Ground For Social Work Students, Mylo G. Jennings

The Qualitative Report

Providing services to communities while providing education and training for social work practice in communities is at the core of this paper. These activities are discussed and reviewed in the context of social work in communities. Social work field placements (internships) in communities can provide positive learning experiences for students and excellent services to communities. The Winslow Project, a two-year community-focused placement for two group of first year master of social work (M.S.W.) Students is described and the results of this project are discussed. In order to fulfill a commitment to the community concept, students need a well-defined concept of …

Using A Story-Building Approach To Research Comprehensive Community Initiatives, Lori Messinger

The Qualitative Report

This article is the story of the author's experiences as a researcher-storyteller. She delineates the process used to "build a story" of the planning and development of a rural comprehensive community initiative. In a critically reflective look at this approach to community research, the author describes how she selected the research topic, defined the purposes of the research, selected the methods used in data collection and analysis, and approached the construction process of building the story through literary elements such as plot, scene, and voice. The strengths and pitfalls of this approach and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Our New Children: The Surrogate Role Of Companion Animals In Women's Lives, Wendy G. Turner

The Qualitative Report

As the rate of pet ownership increases, companion animals are fulfilling a variety of roles in the lives of their humans. This article provides insight on the role that companion animals play in the lives of women. The women in this study showed stronger attachments to those animals that either preceded the birth of their children, or followed the children leaving home. This finding has potential implications for services provided to women by various helping professions.

Treatment Of Choice Or A Last Resort? A Review Of Residential Mental Health Placements For Children And Adolescents, Karen Frensch, Gary Cameron, Gerald R. Adams

Partnerships for Children and Families Project

Residential treatment is often regarded as a treatment of ‘last resort’ and, increasingly, residential treatment programs are being asked to address the needs of very troubled children and adolescents. This paper is an effort to summarize what is currently known about the effects of residential treatment for children and adolescents. The review is organized into two sections: studies of the effectiveness of group home residential treatment and studies of the effectiveness of residential treatment delivered in residential treatment centres. In both areas, we attempt to identify trends within treatment, as well as patterns found in the literature that characterize post …

The Role Of Microsimulation In Longitudinal Data Analysis, Douglas A. Wolf

Center for Policy Research

The term “microsimulation” has been linked to a range of tools and techniques that are finding growing use in empirical social science applications. This paper considers one such area, namely the potential for microsimulation to serve the needs of the data analyst, in contrast to the more common use of microsimulation by the model user. Furthermore, the focus is on longitudinal rather than cross-sectional data analysis. The paper identifies several types of longitudinal data modeling approaches in which microsimulation is particularly relevant, suggesting algorithms with which to conduct such microsimulations. Microsimulation can be used to extend the range of inferences …

Social Work In Home Health Care (Hhc): Challenges In The New Prospective Payment System (Pps), Ji Seon Lee, Barry D. Rock

Ravazzin Center Publications

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of Male Childhood Sexual Abuse, Teresa Solomon Billings, Judith Gardner Simolke

Theses Digitization Project

The current study investigated characteristics and case variables of sexually abused male children, and how those variables affect the outcome of cases investigated by Child Protective Services. Data was obtained from the RIverside County Department of Social Services, Child Welfare System/Case Management System. It was found that the largest percentages of perpetrators were the siblings of the victims.

The Barriers In Custodial Grandparenting, Sheila Grant

Theses Digitization Project

The quantitative study attempted to examine the barriers and challenges of grandparents raising grandchildren. The primary focus is to explore the problems and concerns to determine what are the specific needs of these redefined families. The researcher employed a questionnaire with some closed and open-ended questions, pertaining to the problems and concerns of custodial grandparents. Twenty-five grandparents in San Bernardino County were interviewed to obtain data regarding this issue. The findings of the study revealed that grandparents and grandchildren both are in need of internal and external resources to enhance, empower and support their inner ability to adjust and cope …

The Effect Of A Lesbian Woman's Coming-Out Experience On Her Psychological Well-Being, Carrie Elizabeth Allen, Cheryl Marie Hughes

Theses Digitization Project

This study was performed to provide social workers with knowledge about the psychosocial risks of a lesbian client's coming-out event. A survey was administered consisting of 22 questions and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depressed Mood Scale (CES-D).

Human Sexuality Knowledge And Attitudes Among Graduate Social Work Students, Denette Michelle Wilson

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research was to obtain empirical evidence regarding the knowledge and attitudes among graduate social work students. It examines the relationship between age, previous sex education, marital status and the amount of human sexuality knowledge.

The Effects Of Pubertal Timing On Deviant Behaviors In Adolescent Females, Angela Sadowski

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research project was to examine the relationship between age at menarche and the development of behavior problems. The research was designed to determine if there is any significance to the hypothesis that early maturing girls engage in more problematic behaviors than their on-time or later maturing peer.

An Examination Of The Association Between Psychosocial Stressors And Drinking Patterns Among Gay Men, Dawn Melissa Linne, Jamie Danielle Grossberg

Theses Digitization Project

This study examined alcohol usage among gay men in terms of the relationship between specific psychosocial stressors and rates of alcohol usage.

Nurturing Thenext Generation Of Wisconsin’S Dairy Farmers, B. Barham, Douglas B. Jackson-Smith, S. Stevenson, J. Taylor

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

A strong dairy economy has both economic and social benefits for Wisconsin. While support for beginning dairy farmers is not the only way to sustain and increase dairy productivity, it is an important strategy that can renew the dairy industry with new farmers. There are many challenges in attracting new people to the dairy business. New dairy farmers often face high start-up costs for land, equipment, and facilities. Volatile milk prices, long hours, and hard work reduce the appeal of a career in dairy farming. In the 1990s, prospective dairy farmers could readily find off-farm jobs that often paid better …

Financial Abuse Of Elders, April Lashawn Thomas-Holmes

Theses Digitization Project

The proposed research study explored the extent and nature of financial abuse crimes amongst elders in San Bernardino County. This study utilized a descriptive research method. This study identified characteristics of victims and perpetrators, contributing factors associated with financial abuse, the degree of trauma an elder will experience depending on the type of financial crime committed. This study will provide an overview of the different types of financial abuse cases reported and determine if there is a significant difference and/or similarities of these types of crimes committed against male and female elderly in San Bernardino County.

Motivation To Volunteer Within A Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Stefani June Massongill

Theses Digitization Project

This exploratory study sought to identify factors which motivate individual participation in volunteer services for the Long-Term Ombudsman Program of the Volunteer Center of Riverside County.

An Exploratory Study Of Foster Care Emanicipation In An Adult Population: Home Again, Home Again, Elizabeth Waldon, Debbie Ann Davis

Theses Digitization Project

This qualitative study explored the foster care emanicipation experience of adults who had "aged out" of the foster care system. This study found that foster care had negative impacts on participants' ability to form attachments while in foster care and in their adult relationships.

Client Outcomes In The Adult Protective Service System, Susan Lee Brown

Theses Digitization Project

This study examined the outcomes that clients are experiencing with the Adult Protective Services System in the County of San Bernardino. The study was exploratory and discriptive. Data were extracted from closed case records from the period of September 1, 1999 until August 31, 2000.

Ethnic Identity Formation And Self Esteem In Adolescents Of Mexican Descent, Barbara Jean Hale

Theses Digitization Project

A survey of four classes of ELD (English language deficient) students of Mexican descent was performed at Rancho Verde High School, Moreno Valley, CA in March, 2001 in an attempt to determine whether adolescents of Mexican descent who develop an identity close to their Mexican roots have higher levels of self-esteem than those who develop an identity close to their American experience.

Religion And Spirituality In Social Work Practice With Older Adults: A Survey Of Social Workers, Elizabeth Antoinette Fraser

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Family Of Origin Violence, Shaming, And Insecure Attachment Styles In Men Who Batter, Larissa Alexandra Elias

Theses Digitization Project

This was an exploratory study designed to better understand the extent to which domestic batterers have experienced exposure to family of origin violence, shaming by a parent, and developed insecure attachment styles during childhood.

Interdisciplinary Team Perceptions Of Efficacy In The Workplace And With Client Families, Eugenia Arlene Turner

Theses Digitization Project

This constructivist study examined the perceptions that an interdisciplinary team has about themselves in the work setting and during fieldwork interactions while working with client families. Twelve staff members of a program that provides supportive services for the families of severely handicapped children responded to a bank of fifteen questions in an effort to examine the relationship between team members perceptions of their roles and how those perceptions affect their job performance and satisfaction.

Attitudes And Practices Of Corporal Punishment With Ethnicity And Religiosity As Predictive Variables, Denise Rodriguez, Allen Kay Sackett

Theses Digitization Project

This study explores the relationship between ethnicity and level of religiosity, and parental or caregiver practices of physical punishment as a discipline style.

A Comparison Study: Self-Report Of Verbal Abuse And Dependent/Insecure Personality Traits By Particpants [Sic] In Court Mandated Domestic Violence Treatment, Rosemary Jane Ferris

Theses Digitization Project

This project examined existing data that measured whether men who completed court-mandated group treatment for domestic violence have lower measures of non-physical violence and dependent/insecure personality traits than their still enrolled counterparts. The data review used two anonymous self-report instruments: The Non-Physical Abuse of Partner Scale (NPAPS) and The Dependency and Insecurity in Romantic Love Scale (DIRLS).

Perceptions Of Gender Socialization Among African-American Female Caretakers, Cherise Michelle Carpenter

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Attachment Behaviors Displayed By Children In Foster Care, Denise Cathleen Rice

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of attachment, secure or insecure, displayed by foster children after a minimal one-hour separation from their foster parent. The sample consisted of fifty foster parents (22 males and 28 females) who had foster children ranging in ages from 3-12. The foster children have lived in the current foster care placement for at least one month. To measure the foster child's level of attachment to the foster parent, the foster parent completed a demographic survey as well as the Parent/Child Reunion Inventory (Marcus 1988). Analysis was conducted using a variety of …

Investigating Adaptive Coping Mechanisms In Elderly Spousal Cargivers, Elaine Margaret Foytik

Theses Digitization Project

This research investigated the coping strategies that elderly caregivers use when caring for a spouse with brain impairment, categorizing their strategies into an external or internal locus of control.

African American Children In The Child Welfare System: An American Tragedy, Dana Claire Cunningham

Theses Digitization Project

The enormous amount of African American children in the foster care system is a concern for many professional social workers, and others who are interested in this issue.

Facing The Death Of A Child : Effects On The Family System, Rita Kae Conger

Graduate Research Papers

The death of a child could very well be the most difficult crisis a family system can face. The uniqueness and severity of this type of crisis make it quite important for those in the counseling field to be aware of the many different aspects of a child's death which may be very significant to the child's family.

For this reason, the purpose of this paper is to describe a number of variables which affect the healing process. These variables include the cause of death, the age of the child at the time of death, family dynamics, and the relationship …

Factors Influencing Social Workers Commitment To The Field Of Gerontology, Susan Savella Cole, Teresa Marie Alarcon

Theses Digitization Project

Due to the impending "elder boom" the need for gerontological social workers is increasing. This study examined what attracted workers to enter this field and what motivates them to stay. The research also focused on the relationship between the social worker's commitment and their perceived need for training and education in the field of gerontology.

The Effects Of Child Protective Investigations On Families, Children, And Workers In Unsubstantiated Cases, Tara Elizabeth Agajanian

Theses Digitization Project

The objective of this study was to determine some of the effects of child protective service investigations on families, children and the workers, when the allegations are determined to be unfounded and no abuse and/or neglect is further suspected.