Digital Commons Network^™

Barriers To The Use Of Palliative And Hospice Care Among The Latino Population, Diana Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Patients suffering from irreversible and terminal illnesses may benefit from the services provided by Palliative and Hospice Care to control any symptom burden and assist in navigating complex medical decisions. Many patients may express hesitation in accepting and enrolling to this service due to misconceptions. Language barriers may add an additional layer of complexity. This study explored the challenges Palliative Care providers encounter when introducing concept of hospice to Spanish-speaking patients their families for the first time. This study implemented qualitative research methods by using semi-structured one-on-one interviews. Ten members of an In-patient Palliative Care Team at a University Hospital …

Lessons Learned About Services Delivery To Victims Of Domestic Violence During Covid 19 Mandatory Physical Distancing Orders, Veronica Perez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting social distancing guidelines have dramatically limited or excluded in-person services to domestic violence (DV) victims. Service providers have shifted to providing services to DV victims through telehealth as part of the COVID-19 physical restriction orders. This shift in services from in-person to telehealth has impacted the DV victims accessing services and has impacted the service delivery by the service providers. This study aimed to understand the lessons learned about service delivery to victims of domestic violence during the COVID-19 mandatory physical distancing and stay-home orders. This qualitative study used interviews via Zoom to collect data. …

Which Generation Is Having Safe Sex? Millennial Or Gen-Z, Rachel Silver

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This research study aims to examine the sex practices of Millennials vs. Gen Z's. There are many concerns and questions about the long-term effects of hook-up culture for modern youth. In the last few years, there has been a rise in STDs and a decrease in teenage pregnancy. This quantitative research intends to find out where are education gaps are and the most significant motivators for young people to use protection and contraceptives through a list of questions in a survey. The goal is to understand better the similarities and differences between Millenials and Gen-Z's safe sex education and …

Observing Gender Role Salience And Gender Role Flexibility As Potential Buffers Between Levels Of Household Responsibilities And Experiences With Work-Family Conflict And Role Overload, Roberta Alexis Salgado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Despite the known link between the level of household responsibilities and negative experiences/outcomes (e.g. work-family conflict, role overload), few studies have observed how gender-role beliefs may impact these relationships. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between level of household responsibilities and experiences with work-family conflict and role overload. Further, we considered potential buffers of these relationships by examining the moderating effects of gender role flexibility and gender role saliency. Data for the study were collected from a sample of employed parents, 18 years old or older, residing in the United States, who were currently married or …

Combating Domestic Violence: Understanding Military Ipv And The Available Military And Civilian Ipv Interventions, Taylor Coutts

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Intimate relationships within the U.S. military community face domestic violence perpetration at rates three times higher than the civilian population. Currently, both military and civilian agencies work to combat this domestic violence in military relationships. However, delivery of service and intervention techniques are not universal among these providers, and because of this, gaps have been identified. This research, comprised of the nine 45-minute interviews of military agency and civilian non-profit service providers, highlighted four major themes impacting the prevention and intervention of domestic violence in military populations including prevention limitations, conflicting approaches to the truth in a case, lack of …

The Importance Of Self-Care Among Hospice Social Workers, Lillianna Gomez, Divina Perez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social workers in general face daily challenges, but social workers in the field of hospice face unique daily stressors. The purpose of this study was to investigate what self-care methods hospice social workers use to combat burnout and compassion fatigue. One hundred hospice social workers were surveyed. Researchers used two scales to measure participants’ current self-care methods and their current quality of life. Researchers used two tailed Pearson test to analyze relationships between self-care and burnout as well as self-care and compassion satisfaction. Researchers also utilized various SPSS tests to analyze the relationship between demographics and self-care method. Participants reported …

Improving Parenting For Families With Involvment In The Child Welfare System: Perspectives Of Social Workers And Parents In Southern California, Laura Velazquez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Child neglection has been a concerning topic in today's society. Therefore, parent classes have been implemented as a method of prevention services. Through evidence-based interventions and the effective outcomes programs parenting classes have stopped incidents of child neglect and abuse by providing parents with the knowledge, education, and skills to prevent this from occurring. This research was qualitative, and the data collected allowed the researcher to discover the outcomes of how parent education can prevent child neglect. This study had 15 participants, 8 parents, and 7 social workers (N = 15). The findings from this research both from a …

Effectiveness Of Services In Foster Care From The Foster Parents' Perspective, Christina Marie Landeros, Cherish Justine Watson-Nunez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of foster parent perceptions of the services their foster youth were receiving. This study aimed to gather information based on how effective foster parents felt these services were in the hopes that this information can lead to better service provisions. This study conducted a secondary analysis of qualitative interviews of fifteen foster parents with foster children enrolled in Hesperia Unified School District.

Qualitative data analysis revealed themes and subthemes in positive and negative experiences associated County versus school service referrals, as well as social worker communication with foster families. …

Caregiver And Social Worker Perceptions Of The Impacts Of Covid-19 On Child Welfare Visitation, Christopher Enhelder, Christina Ortiz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by surprise and adversely impacted service delivery in both the public and the private sector. This qualitative study asked two significant questions: 1) What are child welfare caregivers’ perceptions of the impact of COVID--19 on child welfare visitation across the United States? How did child welfare caregivers’ cope with child welfare visitation during the COVID-19 pandemic across the United States? A sample of five child welfare professionals who conducted visitations during the pandemic were interviewed (N = 5). Thematic analysis yielded the following five major themes: 1) COVID-19 took the visitation sector by surprise; …

Utilization Of Telemental Health By Mental Health Professionals During Covid-19, Zayne Boudreauxramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

It has been established that certain barriers and benefits affect a mental health professional’s attitude towards using telemental health. The purpose of this study was to examine a possible relationship between mental health professional’s discipline, theoretical orientation, and treatment approach with their attitudes towards telemental health utilization. This study collected data from 117 mental health professionals from California. A principal component analysis uncovered four factors with attitudes towards telemental health: confidence with telemental health, concerns about telemental health, peer influence, and professional support & behavioral intent. This study showed significant relationships between discipline, theoretical orientation, and treatment approach with confidence …

Social Workers’ Perceptions In Working With Children With Medical Complexities, Elia Galicia, Rosa Espinoza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This research study reviewed some of the challenges that foster care children with medical complexities encounter. The number of children with medical complexities in the foster care system has significantly increased in the last few years. However, little is known about the perceptions of social workers who have worked or will work with this specific population during their careers. This research explored social workers’ knowledge about care and the designed protocols in working with foster children with medical complexities. Variables including social workers’ classification, education level, degree’s background, experience, and completion of training were considered in this study. This …

Predictors Of Depression In Different Subgroups Of Parkinson's Disease: A Neuroimaging Study, Yenny Gabriela Valenzuela

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most debilitating neurodegenerative diseases in the world. PD is typically characterized by its motor symptoms which commonly include tremors, rigidity, postural instability, and repetitive or involuntary muscle movements. Some of the most common non-motor symptoms include cognitive impairment, personality changes, depression, and anxiety. Depression has shown to be a prominent symptom in individuals with PD which affects them at any point during disease progression. However, it has been suggested that depression is more common among individuals with early-onset PD compared to individuals with later onsets. Our first aim investigated depression rates among individuals …

A Need For Support Services Among Hispanic First-Generation College Students, Evelyn Arellano, Jessica Cazares Armenta

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Hispanics are the largest minority group in the United States, yet the retention and graduation rates among Hispanics continue to remain low. This study examined some of the barriers and social challenges that Hispanic First-Generation College Students experience. The main objectives addressed low retention rates, low graduation rates, discussed unique cultural issues, and looked at the most prevalent challenges that this population endures while trying to successfully achieve higher education.

A qualitative approach was utilized to gather data. A total of ten participants were recruited and placed in two focus groups. These focus groups were conducted virtually due to national …

Utilization Of Mental Health Services And Culture: A Qualitative Study Of Monolingual Spanish Speaking Parents In The Inland Empire, Valeria Armentilla Cecena

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health services in the United States have been underutilized despite the fact that millions of Americans suffer from mental health issues. Previous research has largely ignored the views of Hispanics in the Inland Empire. This qualitative study fills this gap in the literature by exploring the underutilization of mental health services among monolingual Spanish-speaking parents in the Inland Empire. This study consisted of 30 participants (N = 30) with whom semi-structured interview were conducted. 12 themes emerged from the analysis of the data. These themes vary from one another and reflect (a) understanding of mental health, (b) stigma, (c) …

The Underdiagnosis Of Adhd In Black Females, Kiana Clerkley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background

Historically, Black women have continued to face discriminatory practices within the various branches of healthcare in America, including mental health.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore the reasons for and factors contributing to the underdiagnosis of Attention Deficit- Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among Black females.

Methods

This study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods by use of collecting self-report scales and conducting individual interviews. Eight Black women were recruited by posting fliers on social media accounts that served as ADHD support groups among women. I collected data with the results of the self-report scale and …

Covid-19 Pandemic, Social Class, And Online Instruction Survivability: A Qualitative Study Of Low-Income Families With Children In The K-12 Education System, Antonio Leanos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative study highlights the problems that distance learning has had towards low- income families who had children in K-12 system enrolled in distance learning during Covid-19. Major themes that were presented were separation of being a teacher/parent, technical issues, social interactions, communication, and patience. Parents expressed their survivability with their children enrolled in distance learning during Covid-19 and shared their positive and negative experiences with the schools their children attended. The K-12 Education System in the United States uses a one-size-fits-all instructional approach that does not distinguish between low- income students and their middle-to-high income counterparts. Based on the …

Measuring Competency In Social Work: Lgbtqia Populations, Desirae Nicole Aguirre, Samantha Raquel Stephens

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The study conducted interviews to measure the level of competency social workers have assisting members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, and asexual community (LGBTQIA+) using a qualitative exploratory research design. Data was collected from nine social workers from the United States of America. Key findings indicated the participants generally did not feel competent to work with this community, particularly transgender persons. Training at work, through school, or learned on their own about serving LGBTQIA+ clients were generally limited in scope. Lastly, findings on what the participants thought the specialized needs of the transgender population were …

Examining Geographic Variation In Mental And Behavioral Health Outcomes Of Sexual Minority Youth, Kerry M. Mcloughlin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Sexual minority youth (SMY) are a population vulnerable to behavioral health challenges. While behavioral health disparities between SMY and heterosexual youth are well documented, less attention has been given to how such disparities vary geographically. The aim of this study is to begin to fill this gap by using a national dataset to examine how behavioral health disparities between SMY and heterosexual youth vary by geography. Understanding how SMY’s experiences vary by location will allow social workers to better allocate resources. Secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study was conducted to …

Latinas' Cultural Beliefs Affect On Their Postpartum Mental Health, Cindy Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Postpartum depression affects Latinas at a higher rate than the general population; however, Latinas often refrain from seeking mental health services due to their cultural beliefs. By examining Latinas’ experiences and perspectives on postpartum depression and how their cultural beliefs impact them. This study provides insight to increase postpartum depression awareness and mental health service seeking among Latinas. In this exploratory study, a qualitative approach was utilized in which Latinas were recruited to participate in interviews containing open-ended questions, then transcribed into transcripts. The transcripts were reviewed for accuracy, coded for themes, and examined by utilizing thematic analysis. The findings …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Social Work Students, Rosanne Cabonce

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project describes the relationship between anxiety and social support in Bachelors and Masters of Social Work students (N = 80) in a public state university. College students, specifically Social Work students, have been adversely affected due to consequences of COVID-19. Different areas of their life including their academic, financial, and especially, their mental health (e.g. anxiety) have been impacted due to the pandemic. A quantitative, descriptive study is conducted utilizing instruments to investigate anxiety and social support these students face during the pandemic. Correlation analysis is utilized to determine the relationship between anxiety and social support. Not many …

Disenfranchised Grief In Queer Companionship And Chosen Family, Derek Lowell Corns

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined the ways in which queer people experience disenfranchised grief when mourning the death of a loved one who also identified as queer/LGBTQIA2S+ and whose relationship with one another existed outside of cisgender/heteronormative frameworks. Research suggests that the life experiences as LGBTQIA2S+-identified people can vary in specific ways to those of cisgender heterosexual people, and in the occurrence of death and bereavement, such circumstances can be further complicated and disenfranchised by the types of relationships the bereaved and the deceased shared. Through interviews and qualitative data analysis, this study provided supportive and informative insight into social work practice …

Inter-Agency Collaborations Among Mental Health And Law Enforcement Professionals In San Bernardino County During Covid-19: A Qualitative Study, Sonya Mcisaac

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As first responders, law enforcement officers and mental health professionals are constantly sought after regarding the delivery of critical services to people in need. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought almost everything to a halt. It is therefore important to understand how social services were delivered during the crisis. It has been assumed in the literature that interprofessional collaboration is an important service delivery framework. However, because COVID-19 is a relatively recent public health phenomenon, relevant studies on interprofessional collaboration between law enforcement officers and mental health professionals are scant, if not non-existent. This qualitative study addresses this gap by exploring …

Mary Julia Workman: Catholic Progressivism In Los Angeles (1900-1920), Jose Castro

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mary Julia Workman was a social activist in the early twentieth century. She was the founder of the Brownson Settlement House in Los Angeles. By the 1900s. during the Progressive Era, Mary Julia Workman, a Catholic activist, led a group of women to help the immigrants that were segregated and discriminated in the growing city of Los Angeles. Although Catholic activism was influenced by the Protestant Progressive ideology, Mary Julia Workman provided social justice to the marginalized. Her Americanization methodology would be focused to learn from the foreigner culture and adapted it to our society. Meanwhile, the Americanization efforts promoted …

Perceived Barriers To Mental Health Service Use Among Latinx Women With Postpartum Depression Symptoms, Mayra Alvarado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine what are the perceived barriers to mental health service use among Latinx women with postpartum depression symptoms. The literature on women with postpartum depression symptoms showed that barriers like concern of judgment, lack of support, and lack of knowledge of PPD were some of the reasons why they did not seek treatment.

The study uses in depth, qualitative interviews with seven Latin women who gave birth within the last two years, and experienced postpartum depression symptoms. The interviews were conducted from February 2022 through March 2022.

Thematic analysis uncovered the following five …

Self Care And Burnout Among Child Welfare Workers During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Stephanie Carranza, Claudia Castillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The study was designed to explore associations between burnout and self-care practices among child welfare social workers and how they were impacted during the Coronavirus pandemic. The researchers completed a qualitative study with research participants by completing interviews via Zoom. All research participants composed of current and former child welfare social workers. Through the data gathered, the researchers found that there were no associations between burnout and self-care practices during the pandemic. It was concluded that burnout has remained consistent regardless of self-care practices prior and during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Evolution Of Stigma: Understanding The Progression Of Stigma On Receiving Mental Health Services Within Latinx Communities In The Inland Empire, Joanna Gutierrez, Ciel Rivas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The stigmatization of mental health services within the Latinx community has led to the underutilization of these services within this population. This study examined whether the stigma on receiving mental health services has evolved over the years within the Latinx community of the Inland Empire region. An analysis of the evolution of this stigma brings insight on why this stigma exists, and what has made it increase or decrease. The study was conducted through a qualitative procedure; Individual interviews were conducted where the information gathered was analyzed through thematic analysis to identify overlapping ideas and topics. The findings supported that …

Assessing The Prepardness And Comfortability Levels Of Graduate Social Work Students Discussing Sex And Sexuality, Sarah Anne Champion Macedo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study utilized surveys to assess the preparedness and comfortability levels of graduate social work students discussing sex and sexuality with future clients using a quantitative exploratory research design. The purpose of the research was to assess graduate social work students' preparedness and comfortability levels discussing sex and sexuality and to determine possible recommendations for graduate social work education and potential policy changes concerning sex education for graduate social work students. The data was collected from sixty-two participants, from a Southern California University, who were sent a survey via their student emails. The data was analyzed using SPSS. The study …

Pandemic And Substance Use: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Vanessa E. Ermilio

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The COVID-19 Pandemic called individuals to stay at home which may have impacted individuals to become not only physically, but socially isolated as well. With social isolation, comes an increase in mental health complications which may lead to an increase in substance use. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential association between COVID-19 social isolation and substance use among college students.

Method: The present study’s data was collected from a public, four-year university located in Southern California. The survey was disseminated through instructors at the university and students were incentivized with extra course credit to participate. …

Perceived Social Worker Competency For Addressing Loss Among Children, Adriana Lopez Cota, Catalina Herrera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social workers provide services in an array of settings which greatly include providing supportive services and resources to children and families. Studies have shown that although social workers are generally trained for comprehensive services, grief and loss have been seemingly left out of social work education and training, leaving many social workers incompetent to address clients presenting with grief/loss (Boss, 2006, Griese et al., 2017, Murty et al., 2015). Unfortunately, this leads to inadequate social work services for many children presenting with grief/loss (Lenhardt, 1997). This study will take a quantitative approach to gather information on the perceived competence of …

College-Aged Student’S Perspective Of Sexual Violence Via Social Media Usage, Emily Bautista, Marijane Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Sexual violence is of significant concern on college campuses. Concurrently, college aged students regularly use social media platforms as socializing agents. Little is known concerning the influence of social media usage on the way college students perceive sexual violence. Feminist theories were used to conceptualize ideas involving perceptions of sexual violence. This research used quantitative measures to examine the influence of social media usage on college-aged students’ perspectives of sexual violence as measured by consent attitudes. Data was obtained from Reddit users. Correlation analysis found a relationship between hours spent per day on social media and positive attitudes toward establishing …