Support For Social Workers Treating Adolescent Substance Abusers, Monica Delucia, Kethura Solano

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines the barriers social workers experience when working with adolescent substance users. Research has not fully explored if intervention techniques are effective or suggest other approaches that may support substance use disorder professionals including supervisor support, training, and intervention. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if social workers who provide interventions to adolescent substance users have the adequate resources to be successful in their field. The literature review provides a better understanding of the common themes social workers experience when working with adolescent substance users.

This study used a qualitative design and interviewed 8 professional social …

Chronic Sorrow And The Impact On Parents Of Children With Disabilities, Rhianna Mayra Nordlund

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: Chronic sorrow was assumed to be a common feeling experienced by parents of children with disabilities, and if not supported properly it would impede a parent’s ability to support their child through the treatment of a disability and other life stressors that come with a lifetime diagnosis. This research looked to see how family type, the child’s diagnosis, feelings of support expressed by the parent, societal stigma about disability, and coping abilities impacted the parents’ experiences of chronic sorrow and who is was most at risk of chronic sorrow.

Methods: Through a positivist research design, the researcher addressed the …

Minoritized Groups And Social Integration And Recovery Capital Development In Mutual Aid Fellowships, Kaelyn Doyle, Benjamin Wahl

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the level of engagement in recovery oriented mutual aid self-help groups one has, and the development of Recovery Capital (RC), an important variable in the recovery process from substance use disorders (SUDs). This study further assessed the correlation between self-help engagement and RC development for persons from minoritized groups. Results of this study can help social workers understand the efficacy of referrals to free, community-based mutual aid recovery programs for individuals from different demographic backgrounds, particularly those from minoritized groups, who often face barriers to treatment. A survey of …

Understanding Ethical Dilemmas In Social Work Practice, Arielle Arambula

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study will address how social workers understand ethical dilemmas in everyday practice. Much of the current literature on ethical dilemmas is centered on the NASW Code of Ethics and decision making models and guides. The purpose of this study is to uncover the actual decision making methods that social workers use. This study will be carried out through one-on-one semi-structured interviews with social workers. Data will be analyzed through thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. The findings from this research can shed light on inadequacies regarding education and training, which in turn can help shape stronger social work curriculum.

Alternative Approaches To Police Interventions When Responding To Mental Health Crises Incidents, Karen Rivera Apolinar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: This study explored mental health workers perspectives on alternative approaches in responding to mental health crises.

The study was carried out in Southern California, in collaboration with mental health workers who currently work or previously have worked in mental health crisis. It adopted a post-positivists paradigm and data was gathered through individual interviews with mental health workers who have direct experience with mental health crisis response in the community and with the police. The twenty participants in the study were men and women working in the mental health field, and of various backgrounds, licensures, and ages.

The study found …

Increasing Teacher Awareness Of Mental Health In Children, Sarah Alexis Cortes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health issues in school-aged children have become a larger issue especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Because children spend a large amount of time in a school setting, it is important to utilize teachers to assist in preventing, recognizing, and supporting mental health issues in their students. This can be difficult however, when many states throughout the United States of America, have little to no requirements for mental health training in both their credential programs and their school districts. This can leave teachers feeling less comfortable and lack an understanding of how to prevent, recognize, and support, student mental health …

How Has The Covid-19 Pandemic Impacted Clients Of The Early Development Center, Daniella Loera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The research project explored the impact of factors that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and families and children in the early development center, resulting in a decrease of child attendance. This research sought to analyze the impacts in one community to prepare for future national emergencies across different communities. The study was conducted with clients of a non-profit organization that offers services through their early development center for ages six weeks to five years old. Data was obtained through survey responses from participants to analyze their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses were analyzed through statistical analysis using SPSS. The …

Former Foster Youth And The Utilization Of Mental Health Services In Postsecondary Education, Jacqueline Viadas, Liliana Lua

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The current research indicates that former foster youth entering post-secondary education do not have the same outcomes as the general population when it comes to the completion of educational goals (AA degree, Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree). This research study used an exploratory design which focused on finding the role that utilization of mental health services and treatments play on academic outcomes for this population. Through qualitative interviews, respondents served as experts in this area and they provided their unique experience regarding this topic. The goal of this study was to reduce uncertainty in the literature, identify past barriers, limitations, …

Assessing Rural Northern California Foster Parent Recruitment Strategies, Ava M. Hagwood

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: This research proposal aims to better understand the effectiveness of current recruitment of Resource Family Approved (RFA) foster parents in a rural Northern California region. Approximately half of the foster youth at the selected research site were placed out of county due to a lack of available in-county privatized foster homes or RFA foster homes. By assessing the effectiveness of current recruitment rates, researchers identified effective future recruitment efforts. This understanding can lead to an increase in local foster homes and aid increased Family Reunification efforts.

Methods: The study partnered with a rural Northern California Resource Family Approval (RFA) …

The Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Gang Membership, Johanna Ulloa

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Youth gang membership is on the rise and has become a significant problem within communities and has led to serious consequences, such as high degrees of delinquency and homicide. Prior research has proposed that history of exposure to childhood trauma is a significant risk factor. Objective:This study examined the association between adverse childhood experiences and gang involvement. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional observational study used to gather quantitative data, using a non-random sampling strategy. Participants for this study included adults (i.e., 18 years or older) within the general population, who were literate in English and …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Resilience In Social Work, Margeaux Wilkins, Jazmine Salazar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

High turnover rates continue to plague the field of social work highlighting the need for a new approach. This mixed-method study explores the relationship between the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) of social workers and their resilience in the field. Quantitative data was gathered from an online survey including demographic information and social workers’ ACEs scores. Qualitative data was gathered from interviews relating to social workers’ resilience and coping mechanisms employed in the field. The quantitative data was analyzed for any correlations and patterns based on demographic information. A thematic analysis was completed to identify common themes and points of discussion …

The Barriers Direct Social Service Workers Face When Working With Incarcerated Youth, Elizabeth Padilla, Valerie Mercado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research examined the barriers direct social service workers face while working with incarcerated youth. Using an exploratory method with a qualitative approach. Researchers interviewed participants with experience in working with incarcerated youth and conducted interviews via Zoom. A purposive method was used and incorporated the snowball sampling technique and explored the barriers direct social service workers experience when working with families, probation, and the juvenile justice system. Data analysis identified three common themes: challenges in engaging families, lack of understanding between direct social service workers, probation, and their work, and challenges associated with collaboration between agencies. Limitations to this …

Preserving Placement For Children With Behavioral Issues: A Qualitative Study Of Child Welfare Social Workers In The United States, Jessica Katelyn Quin, Tara Belle Beam

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Children in foster care experience complex trauma that puts them at risk for frequent placement changes. Such changes can have a negative impact on child welfare social workers’ job performance. This exploratory study identified areas that need to be addressed for social workers to meet expectations for placement preservation. More specifically, this qualitative study explored the perceptions of child welfare social workers’ competence and confidence regarding placement stability for foster children who have behavioral issues. Interviews were conducted with seven child welfare workers across three states: California, Nevada, and Texas (N = 7). Thematic analysis procedures revealed the following six …

Perceptions Of The Impact Of Parental Mental Health On Adult Children, Samantha Ann Gallo-Vargas, Queray Mcmihelk Jr.

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study sought to gain further understanding of the perceptions of parental mental illness on adult children. Previous research suggests that parental mental illness may create generational trauma that impacts children even into adulthood. This study used a qualitative, exploratory approach, including in-depth interviews with eight individuals who grew up with a parent or caretaker with a mental illness. The participants ranged from ages 18 to 45 and came from various cultural and socioeconomic statuses. The interviews followed a semi-structured interview guide that the researchers designed. The findings of this study suggest that most of the participants used their experience …

Impact Of Outdoor Adventure On The Self-Esteem, Self-Confidence, And Comfort Level Of Black And Brown Girls, Nathan Benham

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

While there have been many studies that have focused on the effect of outdoor adventure and physical activity on self-confidence and self-esteem for adolescents (Bélanger et al., 2019; Dale et al., 2019; Lubans et al., 2012), there are few that focus solely on adolescent girls (Evans et al., 2020), and even less that focus exclusively on Black and Brown adolescent girls. This study aimed to expand the available data on how outdoor adventure and physical activity impacted self-confidence and self-esteem on Black and Brown adolescent girls. Recruiting participants from Atabey Outdoors, a non-profit outdoor program that specializes in providing outdoor …

Exploring Permanency Rates Within The Southern California Counties Of Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino And San Diego, Karrene Turner

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The term permanency within child welfare is the right for all children to have a childhood with a nurturing and permanent family. For children within foster care, it means a permanent family-based living situation with one of the following: parents, permanent placement with relatives, reunification with parents or adoption (Freundlich et al., 2006). The purpose of this study is to examine the perceived differences in permanency rates within 12 months of entry in child welfare within the Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego within a 10-year time span. The study will use pre-existing data …

Examining The Obstacles In Rehoming The Homeless With Substance Use Addiction, Denise Ortuno

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the obstacles in re-homing the homeless with substance use to provide an understanding of the issues and possible solutions through the lens of social work caseworkers. The method of research was interviewing caseworkers from a homeless shelter that works with the homeless population with substance use. The caseworkers were interviewed via Zoom by the researcher who provided them with questions pertaining to their work with said population. The caseworker’s answers were then coded for themes, and categorized. The results indicated that there is a need to foster trust with the homeless with substance use, in order …

Effective Resources For Online Learning A Study On Elementary Aged Children, Marlene Mora-Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify which resources have been most effective by examining an elementary school site with 22 parent and teacher participants. The increase in online learning in the past 5 years across kindergarten through 6^th grade students required educators and students to know which are the most effective and relevant resources that supplement learning. Online Google surveys were used to gather data which was inputted into SPSS to examine a univariant analysis. The results determined Lexia Core 5 to be the best resource for academic improvement and Google Classroom to be the most effective …

The Role Undocumented Student Resource Centers Play In Supporting Undocumented Students In Higher Education, Cynthia Boyzo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Undocumented Students face many challenges in their daily lives. Accessing higher education is a challenge alone. Many undocumented students get discouraged to attend higher education due to financial constraints. The students that do attend institutions for higher education encounter different challenges. According to Murillo (2017), 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school each year nationwide; however, only half (49%) attain a degree or enroll in college. Many institutions have developed Undocumented Student Resource Centers to provide a safe and welcoming environment for undocumented students. The purpose of this study explored how Undocumented Student Resource Centers support undocumented students throughout their …

Examining Homelessness And Its Effects On Functioning Among Foster Care Alumni, Silvia Romero

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Homelessness among foster youths is so dire that understanding the impacts of homeless among this population is imperative. The aim of this study was to examine the nature of homeless using a subsample from the Inland Empire and to examine the effects of homeless on their functioning in the following domains: understanding and communication, mobility (getting around), self-care, getting along with others, life activities (work/school), and participation in society. Methods: This descriptive study used a cross-sectional design to gather quantitative data to examine the frequency, duration, and effects of homelessness. Participants were former foster youth between the …

How Language, Healthcare Insurance Status, Stigma, Age, And Educational Attainment Influenced The Utilization Of Mental Health Services Among The Latino Male Population, Esmeralda Solis, Annika Coe

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Latinx individuals comprise the largest ethnic minority group in the US but are the least likely to use mental health treatments despite experiencing increased mental health difficulties. This study conducted a secondary data analysis of the 2020 and 2021 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) by UCLA’s Center for Health Policy Research. This study tested whether mental health service use among Latino males could be predicted based on language, healthcare insurance status, stigma, age, and educational attainment. The logistic regression analysis results explained that of the predictor variables, two, age and healthcare insurance status, were statistically significant. Our research aims to …

Barriers And Challenges That Lgbtq+ Individuals Face When Acquiring Mental Health Care Services., Stephanie Nunez-Rivera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to address the challenges and barriers that LGBTQ+ individuals face when accessing mental health care services. This research is significant because though LGBTQ+ community faces many challenges such as discrimination and trauma, which greatly affect their mental health, yet LGBTQ+ specific mental health care is not widely available. This unavailability has resulted in only 12.6% of mental health care institutions having LGBTQ+ specific mental health care services. In addition, the small percentage of LGBTQ+ programs that are available in mental health institutions are not available in every city or region, which has resulted in …

Social Justice Theatre And The Impact On Theatre Artists, Stevie Taken

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Theatre as an agent for social change has significantly impacted communities and entire countries. Examining how subversive theatre impacts those who engage with it to affect positive social change is a worthwhile endeavor. Theatre possesses the power to inspire empathy in people, which leads to progressive political action. This study explores the impact of participating in social justice theatre has on the artists who engage in it.

The literature reviewed in this study examines the impact attending subversive theatre has on audience members, its aim is to inspire empathy as a tool to create progressive social change. This study expands …

Analyzing The Impact Of Automation On Employment In Different Us Regions: A Data-Driven Approach, Thejaas Balasubramanian

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Automation is transforming the US workforce with the increasing prevalence of technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. As a result, it is essential to understand how this shift will impact the labor market and prepare for its effects. This culminating experience project aimed to examine the influence of computerization on jobs in the United States and answer the following research questions: Q1. What factors affect how likely different jobs will be automated? Q2. What are the possible effects of automation on the US workforce across states and industries? Q3. What are the meaningful predictors of the likelihood of …

Services Available In The Mixtec Community And The Barriers To Those Services, Currie Bailey Carmon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: While outreach and services continue to expand within marginalized communities, this research aims to identify services accessible to the Mixtec population within the North County of San Luis Obispo and identify the barriers to accessing those services. Methods: This study was conducted by interviewing service providers 18 years or older, who work within the Mixtec community in the private sector, child welfare services and within the school settings. The researcher utilized the post positivist paradigm, and data was gathered through semi-structured Zoom interviews with the service providers. Results: The study sample featured 6 participants who work within the Mixtec …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Child Abuse Investigation Outcomes, Kelly Gasso

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic essentially changed every system in America. In particular, it has created many unfamiliar challenges for child welfare agencies because they had to make immense changes to how they conducted their established practice. These changes aimed to keep the safety of children at the forefront, and simultaneously integrate higher safety protocols for social workers without putting children at risk. In response, the focus of this research proposal was to understand the effect COVID-19 had on child abuse investigations.

This research project utilized qualitative data in the form of interviews from a convenience sample of child welfare emergency response …

Program Evaluation Of Teen Parent Support Group, Brianne Yvonne Irene Brophy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study used qualitative methods to identify the specific components of a teen mother support group that participants found most helpful. The purpose of this research was to highlight the support group's unique traits that attribute to their success in aiding teen mothers in graduating from high school, obtaining higher education, obtaining stable employment, and achieving their parenting goals. The study is composed of one-on-one interviews with three teen mothers who have been connected to the support group for over eight years. The responses suggest that four components of the support group help teen mothers in achieving success in …

Placement Instability And Its Effects On The Mental Health Of Foster Youth, Tyra Turner, Shalynn Burton

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The present study investigates the impacts of placement instability and how that can affect a foster youth’s mental health. There has been minimal research investigating this problem from the perspective of a social worker. This quantitative research explores the effects of placement instability and its impacts on the mental health of former foster youth. Former foster youth were randomly selected from various geographic locations to participate in a brief survey to evaluate their state of mental health. Participants were randomly selected across various social media platforms and were asked to complete questions on the K10 scale which is a …

Is There A Relationship Between Professorial-Student Racial Match And Academic Satisfaction Of African American Social Work Students, Ashlei Armstead

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Although in most recent years, the academic achievement gap between African- American and Caucasian students have slightly decreased, it continues to be a national issue. Previous studies have found that African American students are more likely to receive disciplinary punishment, such as suspension or expulsion, causing them to have lower grades and higher dropout rates, when paired with a Caucasian teacher. On the contrary, when they are paired with an African American teacher, they tend to experience higher rates of academic satisfaction. These findings tend to derive from studies that solely focused on racial match and academic …

How Are Medical Social Workers Equipped With Adequate Training To Detect And Report Elder Abuse In Hospice, Crystal Garcia, Katherine Barba

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: This study explored how equipped medical social workers are with adequate training to detect and report elder abuse in hospice.

This study was carried out in Southern California with the help of participants who currently or have previously worked as medical social workers in hospice. The eleven participants are all women of varying backgrounds in age, ethnicity, cultures, work experience, and licensures.

In the United States, elder abuse is known to affect approximately one out of ten Americans aged sixty and over. However, there are ways we can combat elder abuse. One of the major ways is by properly …