Digital Commons Network^™

Social Impact, Edward F. Lawler, Neil Schoenherr, Patricia Anagos, Mary Ellen Benson, Donna Brodsky, Timothy Poor, Katie Rice-Guter, Rick Skwiot, Rachel Smidt, Toky Branding + Design, Michael Austin

Social Impact Publication

No abstract provided.

Social Impact: North Carolina Students Apply Fcab Knowledge, Melody Brackett

Social Impact Publication

The students have really enjoyed learning the FCAB curriculum because it both applies to their own personal lives and helps prepare them to work with their clients when they get in the field.

New Measures Of Economic Security And Development: Savings Goals For Short-Term And Long-Term Economic Needs, Yunju Nam, Yungsoo Lee, Shawn Mcmahon, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

The long-term economic security and development of a family depend largely upon saving and asset-accumulation, yet most measures of economic well-being focus on short-term consumption needs. This study takes a broader view, developing precautionary, retirement, homeownership and education savings goals. Together these savings goals constitute a new set of asset-based measures of family financial well-being. Estimated savings needs depend upon family type and other assumptions, and we consider investment gains and differences in dollar values over time in our calculations. This study shows that families should save $155 to $572 every month to address all four savings needs. The number …

Implementing Outside The Box: Community-Based Social Service Provider Experiences With Using An Alcohol Screening And Intervention, David A. Patterson Silver Wolf (Adelv Unegv Waya) Phd, Alex T. Ramsey, Carissa Van Den Berk-Clark

Brown School Faculty Publications

Objective: The aim of this study is better understand perceptions of front-line social service workers who are not addiction specialists, but have to address addiction-related issues during their standard services. Method: Six social service organizations implemented a validated alcohol assessment and brief education intervention. After a 3-month trial implementation period, a convenience sample of 64 front-line providers participated in six focus groups to examine barriers and facilitators to the implementation of an alcohol screening and brief intervention. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) usefulness of the intervention, (2) intervention being an appropriate fit with the agency and client population, and (3) …

Childhood Poverty And Psychological Health Of Youths In Hong Kong: Mentoring As A Social Capital Intervention, Hor Yan Lai

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Considering that one out of five youths live in poverty in Hong Kong, and poverty is found to have a negative impact on youths' psychological well-being, this dissertation proposes mentoring as a social capital intervention to improve the psychological health of these young people, both who are locally born and who immigrated from Mainland China. In this dissertation, mentoring is defined as a social capital intervention that changes the social resources available to youths living in poverty, and such changes enhance young people's positive psychological outcomes. Based on the social capital theory, poverty-related and psychological theories, three aims were formulated. …

Section 8 In The St. Louis Region: Local Opportunities To Expand Housing Choice, Molly Metzger

Center for Social Development Research

Section 8 renters in the St. Louis area are highly segregated in poor neighborhoods. I recommend four local actions to increase housing choice for Section 8 renters: St. Louis City: Remove the special occupancy permit requirements for landlords who wish to rent through the Section 8 program. St. Louis City: Revise local fair housing ordinances to include Section 8 as an explicitly protected source of income. St. Louis County and Municipalities: Pass local fair housing ordinances to provide fair housing protections by source of income, explicitly including Section 8. State of Missouri and Missouri Housing Development Corporation: Provide greater transparency …

Home And Workplace Built Environment Supports For Physical Activity, Deepti Adlakha, J. Aaron Hipp, Christine M. Marx, Yang Lin, Rachel Tabak, Elizabeth A. Dodson, Ross C. Brownson

Brown School Faculty Publications

Background: Physical inactivity has been associated with obesity and related chronic diseases. Understanding built environment (BE) influences on specific domains of physical activity (PA) around homes and workplaces is important for public health efforts and interventions to increase population PA. Purpose: To examine the association of home and workplace BE features with PA occurring across specific life domains (work, leisure, and travel). Methods: Between 2012 and 2013, telephone interviews were conducted with participants in four Missouri metropolitan areas. Questions included sociodemographic characteristics, home and workplace supports for PA, and dietary behaviors. Data analysis was conducted in 2013; logistic regression was …

Baseline Survey Of The Third Cohort: A Supplemental Report From The Youthsave Ghana Experiment, Gina Chowa, David Ansong, Rainier Masa, Shiyou Wu, Yalitza Ramos, Meli Blake Kimathi

Center for Social Development Research

Baseline Survey of the Third Cohort: A Supplemental Report From the YouthSave Ghana Experiment

Economic Intervention And Parenting: A Randomized Experiment Of Statewide Child Development Accounts, Yunju Nam, Nora Wikoff, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

Objective: We examine the effects of Child Development Accounts (CDAs) on parenting stress and practices. Methods: We use data from the SEED for Oklahoma Kids (SEED OK) experiment. SEED OK selected caregivers of infants from Oklahoma birth certificates using a probability sampling method, randomly assigned caregivers to the treatment (n = 1,32) or control group (n = 1,098), and provided college savings incentives only to the treatment group. We run regression analyses on a parenting stress scale and six continuous measures of parenting practices. Results: There were no significant differences in parenting outcomes between treatment and control groups, with the …

The Early Good News About Child Development Accounts, Sondra G. Beverly, Margaret Clancy, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

This brief summary of early research findings from the SEED for Oklahoma Kids experiment may help Child Development Account (CDA) proponents communicate the value of such accounts to policymakers, educators and others.

Social Workers Shaping Welfare Policy In South Africa: The White Paper For Social Welfare And Lessons For Policy Practice, Leila Patel

Center for Social Development Research

Social Workers Shaping Welfare Policy in South Africa: The White Paper for Social Welfare and Lessons for Policy Practice

Program Knowledge And Savings In A Child Development Account Experiment, Yunju Nam, Elizabeth Hole, Michael Sherraden, Margaret Clancy

Center for Social Development Research

This study investigates whether participants’ program knowledge is associated with savings outcomes in Child Development Accounts and whether differences in program knowledge explain racial and ethnic disparities in savings outcomes. Analyses of data collected from treatment participants in the SEED for Oklahoma Kids (SEED OK) experiment (N = 1,39) indicate that knowledge of SEED OK program features is low: on average, participants are aware of 1.24 of three features, and averages are lower among Blacks and Hispanics. Logit and Tobit regressions show that program knowledge is positively related to likelihood of holding a SEED OK participant-owned account and to individual …

Innovations In Asset Building, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

Innovations in Asset Building

The Effectiveness Of Community-Based Rehabilitation Programmes: An Impact Evaluation Of Quasi-Randomised Trial, Mauro Vincnzo, Mario Biggeri, Sunil Deepak, Jean-Francois Trani

Brown School Faculty Publications

Background Community based rehabilitation (CBR) programs have been described as highly effective means of promoting the rights and opportunities of persons with disabilities (PwD). Although CBR are often the main way in which PwDs in low and middle income countries access rehabilitation services, there is little literature providing rigorous evaluation of their impact on people’s well-being. Methods Data was collected in the Mandya and Ramanagara Districts of Karnataka state, India, between December 2009 and May 2010. 2,540 PwD were identified and interviewed using stratified random sampling: 1,919 CBR beneficiaries (who joined the program between 1997 and 2009) and 621 persons …

Asset Holdings And Undernutrition Of Young Children: Evidence From China Health And Nutrition Survey, Minchao Jin

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Undernutrition is an underlying determinant of 45% of all childhood deaths annually, resulting in 3.1 million deaths to children less than five years globally (Black et al., 2013). The adverse effects of undernutrition, especially chronic undernutrition, could cause impaired physical growth, mental development retardation, low productivity and poverty during adulthood, and undernutrition of next generation. Worldwide, over 200 million children are undernourished (Black et al., 2013). Thus, there is an imperative to identify effective preventive actions or interventions for child undernutrition. Studies have documented links between undernutrition and low income, but few has tackling the causation from assets to child …

A Mixed Methods Multiple Case Study Of Implementation As Usual In Children's Social Service Organizations, Byron James Powell

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Increasing the adoption and sustainment of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) in children's mental health and social service systems will require the development of evidence-based implementation strategies. In order to ensure that these strategies are feasible, acceptable, sustainable, and scalable, efforts to identify and develop implementation strategies will need to be grounded by a thorough understanding of real world service systems as well as organizational stakeholders' preferences for particular strategies. In other words, there is a need for a better understanding of usual care settings, and in particular, what constitutes "implementation as usual."

This study employed a mixed methods, multiple-case study of …

Coping With Intimate Partners' Substance Use And Gambling Problems: The Role Of Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Megan Petra

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Intimate partners of the estimated 30.6 million United States residents with substance and/or gambling problems (SGP) experience significant stress, such as disrupted family life, financial trouble, and increased risk for related problems such as intimate partner violence (IPV). This results in considerable distress and physical/mental health problems. Though SGP are often chronic, the treatment rate is low, and there is little help available for intimate partners of those with untreated SGP. Before we can create effective assistance and empowerment programs for intimate partners of people with SGP, we must understand the function of coping and social support in the task …

Rebound Neighborhoods In Older Industrial Cities: The Story Of St. Louis, Hank Webber, Todd Swanstrom

Center for Social Development Research

Rebound Neighborhoods in Older Industrial Cities: The Story of St. Louis

Heterogeneous Effects Of Child Development Accounts On Savings For Children's Education, Jin Huang, Youngmi Kim, Michael Sherraden, Margaret Clancy

Center for Social Development Research

In this study, we use data from SEED for Oklahoma Kids (N = 2,77), a statewide policy experiment testing Child Development Accounts (CDAs), to examine effects on individual savings for children’s postsecondary education. Built on the account structure of the Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan, the experiment automatically opened state-owned 529 accounts for children in the treatment group with a $1,000 initial deposit, and encouraged their caregivers to open and save in participant-owned 529 accounts. Using quantile regressions and statistical match, the study focuses on the effects of CDAs on the shape of the savings distribution among participants who hold …

Education Loans And Wealth Building Among Young Adults, Min Zhan, Xiaoling Xiang

Center for Social Development Research

This study examines the association between education loans and postcollege wealth accumulation among young adults. Data come from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, and the analyses control for a number of student characteristics, college experiences, and parental income. Results from a treatment-effect model indicate that having education loans upon leaving college is negatively related to postcollege net worth, financial assets, nonfinancial assets, and value of primary housing. Furthermore, having education loans also has a negative impact on the value of net worth among Black young adults. The relationship between the amount of education loans and wealth accumulation is …

Lack Of Emergency Savings Puts American Households At Risk, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Blair Russell, Brad Tucker, Krista Comer

Center for Social Development Research

Lack of Emergency Savings Puts American Households at Risk

Organizational Leaders’ And Staff Members’ Appraisals Of Their Work Environment Within A Children’S Social Service System, David A. Patterson Silver Wolf (Adelv Unegv Waya) Phd, Catherine N. Dulmus Phd, Eugene Maguin Phd, John Keesler, Byron James Powell

Brown School Faculty Publications

Several studies have demonstrated the effect of an organization’s culture and climate on the delivery of services to clients and the success of clinical outcomes. Workers’ perceptions are integral components of organizational social context, and in order to create a positive organizational culture and climate, managers and frontline staff need to have a shared understanding of the social context. The existing literature does not adequately address that discrepancies in perceptions of culture and climate between frontline staff and managers impact the implementation of policies and services. The purpose of this study is to compare the workgroup-level culture and climate of …

Motivating Students Through Classroom-Based Service Learning: Toward Adoption And Impact, Anne S. Robertson, Amanda Moore Mcbride, Saras Chung, Allison Williams

Center for Social Development Research

Motivating Students Through Classroom-Based Service Learning: Toward Adoption and Impact

Social Challenges And Policy Innovations By Social Workers In Australia, Manohar Pawar

Center for Social Development Research

By summarizing the social challenges in the contemporary Australian context, this article aims to discuss policy innovations by Australian social workers. Acknowledging that the concept of policy innovation is broad and sometimes ambiguous, it looks at four examples by social workers. Drawing on secondary data analysis, it discusses how social workers played an important role in introducing legislative changes/amendments to protect children in difficult circumstances, resisted a refugee policy that incarcerates innocent children, challenged and changed procedures and policies within an organization, and influenced policymakers to revert budgetary decisions to enhance access to services. These examples show the social workers’ …

Use Of Emerging Technologies To Assess Differences In Outdoor Physical Activity In St. Louis, Missouri, Deepti Adlakha, Elizabeth L. Budd, Rebecca Gernes, Sonia Sequiera, J. Aaron Hipp

Brown School Faculty Publications

Introduction: Abundant evidence shows that regular physical activity(PA) is an effective strategy for preventing obesity in people of diverse socioeconomic status (SES) and racial groups. The proportion of PA performed in parks and how this differs by proximate neighborhood SES has not been thoroughly investigated. The present project analyzes online public web data feeds to assess differences in outdoor PA by neighborhood SES in St. Louis, MO,USA. Methods:First, running and walking routes submitted by users of the website MapMyRun.com were downloaded. The website enables participants to plan, map, record, and share their exercise routes and outdoor activities like runs, walks, …

Estimating The Prevalence And Correlates Of Psychiatric Disorders And Mental Health Problems Among Undocumented Mexican Immigrants Using The National Latino And Asian American Study, Elián P. Cabrera-Nguyen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the prevalence and correlates of psychiatric disorders and mental health problems among undocumented Mexican immigrants using the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS). Two approaches were used to obtain estimates for likely undocumented Mexican immigrants (LUMIs): (1) creation of a proxy variable, and (2) multiple imputation using chained equations. Results indicated that LUMIs had greater prevalence rates for specific anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and poor self-rated mental health compared to documented Mexican immigrants. Next, potential mediators of poor mental health were identified. Finally, LUMIs were compared with other Latino groups by nativity status. This study concludes …

Collective Efficacy And Community-Based Crime Prevention In Trinidad And Tobago: Contributions To The Theory Of Collective Efficacy, Donna-Mae Margaret Knights

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Reducing crime has been the most intractable problem facing successive government administrations in Trinidad and Tobago since the late 1990s. Community based crime prevention must be an important element of any multi-faceted crime abatement strategy. Collective efficacy which purports to describe a community's capacity for social regulation is associated with lower levels of crime and has become an objective in crime prevention policy (IADB Loan Proposal, TT-L1003, n.d.). This study seeks to examine the applicability of the theory of collective efficacy to Trinidad and Tobago, understand how collective efficacy works, and discover whether and how collective efficacy could be increased …

Research Report: Assessing The Impacts Of Service Learning On Middle School Students: Wyman's Teen Outreach Program®, Amanda Moore Mcbride, Anne Robertson, Saras Chung

Center for Social Development Research

Research Report: Assessing the Impacts of Service Learning on Middle School Students: Wyman's Teen Outreach Program®

Research Summary: Testing Universal College Savings Accounts At Birth: Early Research From Seed For Oklahoma Kids, Sondra G. Beverly, Margaret M. Clancy, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

SEED for Oklahoma Kids is a large-scale policy test of automatic and progressive Child Development Accounts (CDAs), and it is the first truly universal model in the United States. The SEED OK CDA is universal in that it opens an Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan (OK 529) account on behalf of every infant in the treatment group. This report summarizes key findings and conclusions from SEED for Oklahoma Kids research. Even at this early stage, SEED OK research is informing policy and the design of college savings plans at the state level. Amore recent summary of SEED OK research is …

Pathways From Caregiver Problematic Substance Use To Child Harm: A Secondary Data Analysis Of The National Survey Of Child And Adolescent Well-Being Ii, Kristen D. Seay

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Caregiver problematic substance use is a prevalent problem within the child protective services (CPS) system that is associated with negative outcomes for children. Utilizing path analysis models, this dissertation deepens our understanding of the direct and indirect (mediating and moderating) pathways from caregiver problematic substance use to indicators of child harm in two CPS populations: all families investigated for maltreatment (Aim 1) and a sub-group of families in which the children remained in the home after the investigation (Aim 2). Data for these analyses came from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II (NSCAW II), a landmark, longitudinal …