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Volume 50, Issue 1 (2023)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Teaching Beyond Trans-Competency: Exploring Trans-Affirming Pedagogy Through Applied Case Studies, Sam Harrell, Sarah Mountz, Hazel (Bobbi) Ali Zaman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this paper, we share two applied case studies social work instructors can use to teach trans-affirming, anti-oppressive practice. These cases span two practice arenas, child welfare and low-barrier shelter services, and are derived from practice in the authors’ personal and professional experiences in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States. For each case, we describe the accompanying class context, share our pedagogical approach, name the underlying assumptions and structures that facilitate harm, explore relevant practice skills, and identify theoretical, philosophical, and ethical commitments essential for trans-affirming practice. Our approach to social work education on transgender and gender …

"We're All We Have": Envisioning The Future Of Mutual Aid From Queer And Trans Perspectives, Brendon T. Holloway, C. Riley Hostetter, Karaya Morris, Jax Kynn, Maximillion Kilby

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Mutual aid has prevailed for as long as humans have existed. However, the concept of mutual aid became popularized in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the racial uprisings in response to the continued police brutality toward Black people, and an increase in global climate crises. Mutual aid spread as a way of survival and collective care when formal systems, such as federal and local governments within the U.S., were failing to meet people's needs. Using a subset of data from semi-structured interviews, the current study relied on a desire-based research framework and foresight lens to capture the …

Applications Of Transformative Justice Principles For Centering Transgender And Gender Expansive Experiences In Social Work Education And Practice, E. Bickford, Angela Matijczak, Aaron Kemmerer, Florence Martinez, M. Alex Wagaman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social work education has traditionally used frameworks, such as cultural competency, to guide implicit and explicit curricula that shape how we think about communities that live and thrive outside of white supremacist and cis/heteronormative norms and values. While the cultural competency framework intends to promote a level of consciousness and attention that is required to practice with diverse individuals, families, and communities whose identities differ from that of the social worker, it instead inadvertently creates a knowledge base that reinforces harmful power dynamics between social worker and client/community. The cultural competency framework is absent of historical and structural context and …

'Logics Of Redistribution' Under Welfare Reform: The Case Of Welfare For Families With Children, Anthony Huaqui

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article builds upon the “logics of redistribution” approach to welfare state theory, which argues that different theoretical explanations, referred to as “logics”, apply to different programs based on context and constituencies. I argue that individual programs’ can have their logics change over time as well via institutional restructuring in policymaking. To demonstrate this, I use Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), later renamed Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), as a case. This program underwent institutional restructuring in 1996 by way of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). I use yearly state-level data from 1984 …

Deconstructing The Administrative State”: Legal Trends And Consequences, Vicki Lens

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Attacks on the administrative state are escalating. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is on track to reverse key pillars of administrative law that gives deference to an agency’s expertise and knowledge when interpreting its authorizing statute. This article explores the legal, ideological, and philosophical underpinnings of these doctrinal changes in administrative law and the likely effect on administrative governance. It aims to inform non legal stakeholders, including social workers, how legal doctrines and principles shape what executive agencies do, the consequences of doctrinal changes, and the implications for administrators, those they serve, and the larger body politic.

Racial Microaggressions And Asian Americans' Well-Being: A Scoping Review And Exploratory Meta-Analysis, Shinwoo Choi, Amy Alberton, Hyejoon Park, Eun-Jee Song, Heather Gough, Inyoung Stella Lee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

BACKGROUND: Racial microaggressions continue to be a serious problem in the United States. While racialized microaggressions have been a long standing, though under explored, issue for all Asian Americans, Covid significantly amplified both overt and microaggression-based discrimination against Asian Americans because of the links between the origins of the viral spread and China (Lee & Waters, 2021). Despite this history of discrimination against Asian Americans, research in the area of microaggressions has lagged compared to other groups. However, research in this area has recently grown significantly, warranting a synthetic study of existing literature in order to better frame understandings of …

Book Review Of A Clinician's Guide To Gender Actualization: An Approach To Gender Affirming Therapy By Caitlin Yilmazer, Melinda Mccormick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of A Clinician’s Guide to Gender Actualization: An Approach to Gender Affirming Therapy. Routledge, 2022. 157 pages.

Review Of The Philosophical Roots Of Loneliness And Intimacy: Political Narcissism And The Problem Of Evil By Ben Lazare Mijuskovic, Seunghyun (Max) Moon

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of The Philosophical Roots of Loneliness and Intimacy: Political Narcissism and the Problem of Evil. Springer Nature, 2021. 225 pages.

Review Of Rural Social Work: Theory And Practice By Hok Bun Ku, Baohong Wu, Yuanjin Zhou

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of Rural Social Work: Theory and Practice. Social Sciences Academic Press, 2018. 198 pages.

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Mental And Physical Health For Low-Income Women Receiving Tanf, Elizabeth Hendrix, Mary Beth Vogel-Ferguson, Christina Gringeri

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to poorer mental and physical health in adulthood. We examine the experiences of low-income women (N = 884) receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance through a state workforce service agency. Participants averaged 4.66 out of 10 ACEs. Higher ACE scores were significantly associated with increased odds of: any physical health issue, fair/poor physical health, any mental health issue, fair/poor mental health, depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and drug misuse. We discuss implications for state TANF agencies and others administering employment programs, and recommend flexibility in eligible participation activities, including activities …

When Contraceptive Means No Pregnancy: Narrative Account Of Contraceptive Use Among Reproductive Women At The Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana, Akosua Bonsu Karikari, Nana Afia Karikari, Akua Afriyie Karikari, Amos Apraku

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Contraception is a major intervention in improving maternal health. There are about 214 million women of reproductive age in developing countries who are not using modern contraception to prevent pregnancy. For proper locale-specific analysis of female reproductive health issues in Ghana, it is vital to explore the knowledge base and hindrances to contraception use in local communities. We used a phenomenological design to study reproductive- aged women in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region of Ghana in order to comprehend the life world of study participants. This research demonstrates that the majority of the women in the study area …

Lived Experiences Of Voluntary Retirees Within Ghana’S Semi-Urban Space, Michael Tuffour

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this study, we examined the lived experiences of voluntary retirees on formal pension schemes within a semi-urban space in Ghana. This was necessitated by the paucity of knowledge in voluntary retirement within a semi-urban space in Ghana and Africa. Besides, the concept of voluntary retirement within Ghana has not really come to the limelight of research. Based on this we situated our study within a qualitative method approach of phenomenology and used a thematic analysis to assess the lived experiences of seven voluntary retirees with respect to their knowledge of the pension scheme, the challenges they faced as early …

Examining The Early Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Black/African American Adults, Laurie Blackman, Kathryn S. Krase, Donna Wang, Anthony C. Hill, Megan Cambridge

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a disproportionate risk of the disease in communities of color. The present study explored the impact of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-reported adaptation and coping, compared by the race of the respondent. Results from an anonymous, cross-sectional, online survey administered in June 2020 found that Black/African American adult respondents were less likely than non- Black/African American adult respondents to agree that they felt prepared for the COVID-19 outbreak; they were more likely than non- Black/African American adults to agree that they were personally affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, and more likely to …

The Myth Of Programmatic Intervention To Tackle Intergenerational Poverty In Post-Industrial Societies: A Longitudinal Study In Hong Kong As A Vantage Point, Wing Chung Ho

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Through tracking the educational and career trajectories of the young adult members (aged 24–26) of 154 families over 13–15 years, this study suggests that the problem of intergenerational poverty is serious in Hong Kong. Quantitative data indicates that adolescents with poor parents have a 104 percent higher chance of being poor in young adulthood, and nearly 60 percent (58.4%) of the samples follow “the-poor-begets-the-poor; therich- begets-the-rich” pattern across generations. However, the explanatory power of the logistic regression models consisting of confounding factors are weak (R2=0.15). Subsequent focus group discussions with 30 mothers from the samples point to myriad forms of …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Volume 50, Issue 3 (2023)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Case Study - The Outcomes Of Occupational Therapy For An Autistic Teen, Molly Boyle

Honors Theses

This study sought to understand the outcomes of occupational therapy through interviews of a person with autism spectrum disorder (defined below), their family, and an occupational therapist. By interviewing each of these people, this study aimed to examine the impact of occupational therapy on the autonomy and independence of a young adult with autism and his family.

25 Year Club: 41st Annual Gala, Western Michigan University

25 Year Club

25 Year Club: 41st Annual Gala

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

• Reception
• Welcome
• Dinner Buffet
• Remarks
• 1997 in Review
• Recognition - New Club Members from 2020 & 2021
• Induction - New Club Members 2022

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session November 3, 2022, Western Michigan University

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (September 15, 2022 Meeting)

Remarks by the Chair

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association President

Bronco Connect: Discovering Success

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

• Sale of Kalamazoo Downtown Property
• Western Michigan University External Audit
• Changes to the Student Code of Conduct

Consent Items

• Curriculum Proposals
• Personnel Report
• Revised Bylaws for the Paper Technology Foundation
• Revised Western Michigan University Board of Trustees Meeting Dates for 2023
• Annuity and Life Income Funds Performance Report
• Operating …

Instructional Resources To Assess Applied Projects As A Culminating Graduate Communication Student Experience, Michael G. Strawser, Bridget Rubenking, Kelsey Lunsford, Margaret Gravelyn

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

This study reviews the traditional culminating graduate student experiences, theses, and comprehensive exams, as well as a newer, more professionally relevant option, applied research projects. We conceptualize applied projects as student-led, client-connected, hands-on, experiential projects that address a real-world communication problem or topic through the creation of relevant deliverables. We used Glassick et al.’s (1997) scholarship assessed model and the National Communication Association’s communication learning outcomes to determine perceived differences between culminating experiences. Survey results (N = 32) of recent alumni and current master’s level Communication students demonstrate near-equal ratings of applied projects and theses in their ability to both …

Benefits Of Peer-Mentorship For Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Students: A Descriptive Study, Robert G. Gallagher, Razan Hamed

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This study explored the benefits of a new peer-mentorship program designed for Master's-level occupational therapy students.

Method: This was a descriptive study of an entry-level Master’s of occupational therapy (MOT) program. A group of entry-level MOT students participated in the program as mentees (n = 37 in summer 2019, n = 39 in fall 2019) and mentors (n = 9 in summer 2019, n = 8 in fall 2019) for two academic semesters. Feedback about the process and outcomes of the peer-mentorship program was collected at the end of each semester.

Results: The data showed that mentees reported …

Developing An Anti-Racist Practice In Occupational Therapy: Guidance For The Occupational Therapist, Justin E. Lerner, Angie Kim

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

A strong anti-racist practice is critical for occupational therapists who represent an overwhelmingly white and female workforce yet serve people from all ethnic and racial backgrounds. These therapists are commonly unprepared to work with a racially diverse clientele because of a lack of reflective and critical practice grounded in anti-racism. This article provides some critical literature about race and racism in occupational science. We present important concepts for therapists to deepen their understanding of anti-racist practice, including intersectionality, agent and target groups, and equity and equality. We then explore some critical theoretical frameworks that can help conceptualize anti-racist practice, such …

Client-Centered Practice When Professional And Social Power Are Uncoupled: The Experiences Of Therapists From Marginalized Groups, Brenda L. Beagan, Kaitlin R. Sibbald, Tara M. Pride, Stephanie R. Bizzeth

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Client-centeredness is foundational to occupational therapy, yet virtually no research has examined this aspect of practice as experienced by therapists from marginalized groups. The discourse of client-centeredness implicitly assumes a “dominant-group” therapist. Professional power is assumed to be accompanied by social power and privilege. Here, we explore what happens when professional and social power are uncoupled.

Method: In-depth interviews grounded in critical phenomenology were conducted with Canadian therapists (n = 20) who self-identified as disabled, minority sexual/gender identity (LGBTQ+), racialized, ethnic minority, and/or from working-class backgrounds. Iterative thematic analysis employed constant comparison using ATLAS.ti for team coding. …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session September 15, 2022, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (June 23, 2022 Meeting)

Remarks by the Chair

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association Director of Outreach

Inspiring Global Impact; Earth Sciences Remote Sensing (ESRS)

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

• State Capital Outlay Plan Priority List
• Closing of Quasi-Endowments Valued Less Than $50,000

Consent Items

• Personnel Report
• One-Day Liquor License Application, Richmond Center for Visual Arts, October 14, 2022
• Annuity and Life Income Funds Performance Report
• Operating Cash Investment Performance Report

General Public …

Counseling Supervisors' Experiences Facilitating Supervisees' Cultural Competence, Christopher D. Bozell

Dissertations

A vital attribute of counselors to provide quality client care is cultural competence. Counseling supervisors are tasked to demonstrate cultural competence in supervisory interventions by aiding the supervisees in increasing their knowledge, awareness of attitudes and beliefs, and skills related to culturally sensitive practice. Although many professional organizations require counseling supervisors to provide culturally competent supervision, very few studies have examined how counseling supervisors demonstrate their skills. This qualitative Descriptive Phenomenological study explored the experiences of counseling supervisors when facilitating supervisees’ cultural competence.

Ten individual semi-structured interviews with counseling internship site supervisors were conducted to collect data about their experiences …

Power, Privilege, And Permission: A Qualitative Study On The Perspectives Of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Who Serve Racially Diverse Clients, Cherrelle Singleton

Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experiences of vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRC) serving racially diverse clients and how VRCs are trained and educated to work with racially diverse clients. VRCs are typically employed by federally funded state or federal rehabilitation agencies. In their role, they aim to provide individualized tools and services that empower people with disabilities by alleviating barriers to being successful when preparing for and maintaining employment and being independent in their adult life (Donnell et al., 2013). Often tasked to work with clients who have marginalized identities including race and disability, VRCs must be able to understand and …

Richard Nielsen, The Milwood Transfer And Sports Fan, University Libraries

East Campus Oral Histories

Richard Nielsen sits with Cassie Kotrch during the State and U High Summer 2022 Reunion to share his prepared remarks and memories of his time on East Campus.

Thomas Reid: Self-Proclaimed Faculty Brat, University Libraries

East Campus Oral Histories

U High Alum Thomas Reid sits with Cassie Kotrch during the Summer 2022 State and U High Reunion weekend to share his story.

From Isolation To Connection: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Older Adults’ Social Participation Using The Cov19-Qol Scale, Kathleen Melei, Jill Linder

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Social isolation during COVID-19 has the capacity to impact older adults’ physical health, mental health, and quality of life. Using an occupational therapy perspective of social participation as an occupation, the current study explores (a) the extent to which social participation (habits/routines) has changed following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, (b) differences in perceptions of social participation in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and (c) differences in scores on the COVID-19 Quality of Life (COV19-QoL) scale by demographics, access to health care, and lifestyle routine.

Method: Community-dwelling adults (N = 230) 65 years of age or …

Occupational Therapy’S Psychosocial Role For Young Children Transitioning Out Of Foster Care, Patrick J. Walker, Bryan M. Gee, Sharon Leonard

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Unmet needs for children in the foster care system lead to hardships with social participation, healthy relationships, and occupational engagement. Despite an understanding of these needs, there is minimal research on occupational therapy’s role for young children transitioning from foster care back to their biological parents.

Method: A single case report was completed via occupational-based interventions focused on psychosocial development, such as emotional regulation and appropriate social skills. All nine interventions were intended to be provided via 45-min individual treatment sessions followed by biological parent coaching for 15 min with strategies such as role-playing, sensory techniques, and trauma-informed …