Digital Commons Network^™

Policy Analysis Of Minnesota's Department Of Children, Families, And Learning Violence Prevention Plan, Todd S. Harvey

Theses and Graduate Projects

School violence has received major publicity in recent years due to several violent and premeditated school shootings that received national attention. Gallup polls have indicated over the past three years that school violence is the top concern of parents, resulting in increased public pressure upon school administrators and legislators to develop effective school violence prevention policy. This study examined the Minnesota Department of Children Families and Learning (CFL) official violence prevention plan entitled Unlearning Violence. The analysis compared Minnesota's plan with elements identified in the literature as critical and necessary to prevent violence. The results of the analysis found that …

The Role Of The School Social Worker With English Language Learner Students In Suburban Elementary Schools, Pamela Sue Storry

Theses and Graduate Projects

This descriptive study explores the role of the school social worker with English Language Learner (ELL) students in suburban elementary schools. It has become increasingly more common for classrooms to have students who do not speak English and spend part of their school day in an English Language Learner class. The purpose of the study is to provide information and awareness of immigrant issues to school districts, social workers and teachers. Three school districts with similar demographics, northwest suburbs of a metropolitan area, participated in the study. A survey that included both quantitative and qualitative questions, focused on the role …

Recovering From Mental Illness, Karla Schmitt

Theses and Graduate Projects

Only recently has the notion of recovery for people diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness been considered a possibility. Because of this, research on the topic is limited. This qualitative study sought to explore what the concept of recovery means to people diagnosed with a mental illness. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. Grounded theory analysis was used to identify common themes. Factors that were identified as hindering the participant's recovery were the following: frustration with the 'system' and dehumanizing mental health professionals. Factors that were identified as fostering their recovery included: medications, a sense …

Environmental Factors That Affect Juvenile Delinquency, Helen Marie Lewis

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative study explored the environmental factors that affect juvenile delinquency. One of the most important family life factor that places children at risk for delinquency is inadequate supervision. Findings suggest that there is a strong commonality between truancy and corrections. Five Juvenile Probation Officers and five Children and Family Social Workers were interviewed using open-ended questions. The interviews focused on the services provided to the adolescents and their families by each professional. Results indicate the importance of prevention and intervention at the micro and macro level. Implications for social work practice is also discussed.

Rural Pregnant And/Or Parenting Teenagers And Their Informal Support Systems, Rhonda Burns

Theses and Graduate Projects

Pregnant and/or parenting teenagers are influenced by education level, socioeconomic status and social support systems. Numerous studies of urban pregnant and/or parenting teenagers have examined the formal support systems and their efficacy. Few researchers have examined rural pregnant and/or parenting teenagers and their informal support systems. This quantitative study surveyed 37 pregnant and/or parenting teenagers receiving case management services through Kandiyohi County Family Services, resulting in 7 respondents. The research questions included:

1. What are the perceptions and of rural Kandiyohi County pregnant and/or parenting teenagers regarding their informal support systems?
2. What are their interpretations of the support being offered?
3. Do …

Parent/Caregiver Satisfaction With A Youth Diabetes Climc In A Rural Setting, Donald E. Holland

Theses and Graduate Projects

Studies have shown that a valuable source of information for people who have diabetes and who live in an urban area can be a multi-disciplinary diabetes clinic. This study examined the perceived benefit of such a clinic for the parents/caregivers of children diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes. Using a questionnaire, 112 parents/caregivers of children with diabetes were surveyed; 51 returned the surveys within the time alloffed, and these were used in the analysis. These children and the parents/caregivers were served by a multi-disciplinary diabetes clinic located in the rural Minnesota town of Willmar. Their rcsponses were recorded and analyzed, and showed …

An Evaluation Of The "Freshman Academy's" Programs Effectiveness To Provide A Smaller Community Environment, Dru Kneeland

Theses and Graduate Projects

Large schools of 1000 + students have become very prevalent. Studies have shown, however, that small size and tight-knit structured learning communities allow the school to give increased amounts of attention to students (Cotton, 1996). In larges chools, a sense of anonymity prevails causing students to feel disconnected and without roots, sometimes leading to frustration, anger and rage. As the last few years have shown, the results are violence, anti-social behavior and other serious violations of community rules. Research has shown that small schools have a better chance of meeting the needs of these disenfranchised adolescents by giving them roots …

Admitting A Loved One To A Nursing Home: A Family Experience, Karen Hinrichs

Theses and Graduate Projects

Admitting a loved one to a nursing home is often a traumatic event for family members. The Minnesota Department of Health states that nursing homes are experiencing higher resident turnover rates due to shorter lengths of stay for nursing home residents. With increased resident turnover, social workers have less time to orient each resident's family to the facility. Yet, numerous studies have concluded that residents, family members, and staff are more satisfied in nursing homes that view the resident and family as clients rather than only the resident. A needs assessment was completed in a 140-bed nursing home in a …

Is Mother Loss Curriculum Effective In Promoting A Healthy Grieving Process?, Patricia A. Hill

Theses and Graduate Projects

The death of a mother for a daughter carries certain effects that are different than those experienced with the death of a father or another loved one. This practice evaluation was initiated to study the effectiveness of the curriculum in promoting a healthy grieving process. Current literature is minimal in regards to the impact of mother loss on adult daughters as well as methods in which to assist adult daughters through the grief process. The research design and method included a grief/depression self test which was administered as a pre/post-test and eight weekly evaluations. Both were quantitative although the evaluations …

A Hermeneutic Experience Of Social Workers With Dying Prisoners, Ted R. Page

Theses and Graduate Projects

This hermeneutic qualitative study sought to discover the effectiveness of social work practice with dying male prisoners. An in depth interview was conducted of two male social workers who have worked with dying male prisoners. Hermeneutics is an interpretative approach to understanding the world around us through the narratives of the participant, in this study the social worker's narrative. This study attempted to catch a glimpse into the world of social workers as they practice their craft with dying prisoners. One social worker went into the prison to serve the dying prisoner, the other social worker helped early released dying …

Female Adolescent Offender's Experience With Restorative Justice Practice, Leslie Ann Houghtaling

Theses and Graduate Projects

This hermeneutic study examines the lived experience of one female juvenile offender as she went through the restorative justice practice of either victim-offender mediation (VOM) or group conferencing. Hermeneutics is an interpretive approach to looking at everyday experiences and uncovering what is usually hidden from us. When asked about her experience, one theme stood out as essential for the participant: becoming trustworthy. Several aspects including being listened to, re-developing relationships, and making amends with those who were harmed by the crime marked the participant's transformation. These findings correspond with Erikson's psychosocial stages of adolescence and young adulthood, as well as …

A Descriptive Study Of Accessibility To Mobile Crisis Services, Joni M. Heine

Theses and Graduate Projects

Mobile crisis services are seen as a secondary modality in provision of health care services. Past research indicated a lack of integration into the health care system and funding as obstructions. Accessing these services is limited to law enforcement, jails, emergency rooms, crisis line phone contacts, and providers. This research explored a mobile crisis service from greater Minnesota as a primary modality in health care services by examining who was accessing the service, voluntary or non-voluntary individuals in relation to hospitalization, and follow up and does this relationship vary by gender, utilizing the chi-square statistical test. Hospitalization and follow up …

Political Involvement And Noninvolvement Of Social Work Practitioners, Thomas A. Skarohlid

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study interviewed 8 social work practitioners from a nonprobability convenience sample in the public and private sector, using a one-to-one semi-structured interview guide. Content analysis of interview transcripts identified major themes in the perceptions of social workers involvement or noninvolvement in political activity. Findings suggest that social work practitioners are involved in advocacy activity at both the micro and macro levels. There were differences in personal resources and interests of social work practitioners, that influenced political involvement or noninvolvement in both the public and private sector. The expansion of advocacy beyond casework to the broader aspects of macro …

Methamphetamine Treatment: A Hermeneutic Study, Sandra S. Hamann

Theses and Graduate Projects

This hermeneutic study examines and compares the life experiences of three methamphetamine users who have been in chemical dependency treatment for their methamphetamine use. Findings of this researcher indicate that cognitive behavioral practice models have the best results when working with chemical users. There are few chemical dependency treatment programs which address methamphetamine users as needing different treatment approaches than other chemical users. Research indicates that those chemical dependency programs that address the multiple needs of the methamphetamine users and not just their drug use have the best results with helping them maintain long-term recovery from their chemical use. The …

From A Father's Point Of View: A Hermeneutic Study Of Non-Custodial Fathers And The Contributions That They Make To Their Children's Lives, Susan Pohl

Theses and Graduate Projects

This research is a hermeneutic study of three non-custodial fathers and contributions that they make to their children's lives. The literature review explores how children benefit from the presence of their fathers in their lives. The hermeneutic design was used asking the question, "What do you believe are the contributions that you make to your child's life?" The findings reveal that the fathers believe that they are contributing to their children's cognitive development, the development of humor, educational support, social emotional development, and identity. Implications for social work practice and programming are discussed.

An Evaluation Of Transitional Services - A Program For Youth With Aggressive Episodes, Lyla Peterson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Youth who display aggressive tendencies has been a domain of

increasing interest in the arena of social work. This

qualitative program evaluation examined if Transitional

Services was viewed as helpful in reducing the clients'

aggressive episodes while participating in the program, This

study also investigated Anoka County's Transitional Services and

its mission to promote a smoother transition from a restrictive

out-of-home placement back into the clients home environment.

Five social workers completed a qualitative questionnaire that

focused on the program's services for its assistance in

lessening youth aggression, and factors pertaining to family

reunification. The outcomes are based on common …

Fathers' Lived Experiences Of Perinatal Loss: A Hermeneutic Study, Leann R. Nelson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Despite a growing body of perinatal loss research since 1970, the lived experiences of fathers bereaved by perinatal death are virtually unexamined. This interpretive study presents shared meanings and common themes uncovered, using hermeneutic research methodology, in the transcribed texts of in-depth interviews with three bereaved fathers. The fathers' narratives revealed how they lived with two abiding philosophical questions--"Why us?" and "What if?"--during and for a long time after the actual loss experience. Fathers' cultural understanding of life and death as a natural progression was undermined by their loss experience, leaving them with an understanding of the tentativeness of life …

A Study Of School Social Workers' Perceptions Of Disruptive School Behaviors And Their Role In Response To The Problem, Thomas E. Lucy

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study examines the topic of disruptive behavior in the schools, with a focus on how the role of the school social worker relates to this issue. Specifically, this research asked two questions. First, how do school social workers perceive the issue of disruptive behavior in the schools? Second, what is the role of the school social worker in addressing this issue? To answer these questions, 75 school social workers from the Minnesota School Social Work Association were given a self-administered mail survey. The data showed that school social workers feel disruptive behavior is an increasingly difficult issue faced in …

Substance Dependent Women And Family Support, Christina Marie Decker

Theses and Graduate Projects

This hermeneutic study was undertaken to discover the lived experience of two substance dependent women with family support. This study attempted to capture the experience of two women and show how this experience affected their recoveries. The use of the hermeneutic research method allowed the researcher to engage in a process with the participants, both shaping and being shaped by the experience. The women's experiences were interpreted around the theme of connection. This involved a fluid process by which the women disconnected from original family, connected with other supports and then reconnected with original family in their new role as …

The Role Of Community Support Programs With Mothers And Fathers Who Are Mentally Ill, Deborah A. Hesli

Theses and Graduate Projects

Although issues faced by adults with mental illness have been visible for centuries, the implications of mental illness on parenting have only recently been considered. Consequently, service providers in the mental health field have begun to examine their roles with these families, such as balancing the rights of the parent with disabilities with the vulnerabilities of the children. This study asked service providers in the mental health field about their roles working with parents with mental illness and their children. A questionnaire was completed by twenty-one Community Support Program staff working in an urban setting with parents with a mental …

The Experience And Coping Of Hospital Social Workers With Critical Incidents, Amy B. Hertle

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study is to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of seven hospital social workers surrounding stress and coping with critical incident experiences. Participants were gathered through a non-probability sample and identified by a key informant in the field of hospital social work. Research was conducted through an in-depth interview where participants were asked to describe personal critical incident experiences and methods used to cope with stress. Results found that situations involving life and death, personal connections and politics of the environment were most often viewed as critical incidents. Furthermore, these experiences were best …

Early Childhood Professional's Interpretations Of Preschool Children's Acting Out Behaviors In The Classroom, Stacy L. D'Amico

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory qualitative study asks early childhood professionals for their interpretations of preschool children's acting out behaviors in the classroom setting. A non-probability convenience sample was selected. Six early childhood professionals were interviewed using a face-to-face semi-structured guide. All six participants currently hold teaching positions in early childhood classrooms. Interview questions focused on interpreting children's acting out behaviors as well as intervention methods used in response to this behavior. Responses from participants varied based on their experiences with children who may act out aggressively. Level of training and education as an indicator for varied responses is examined. How teachers interpreted …

Measuring Patient Satisfaction: A Study Of Former Nursing Home Residents, Bethany J. Roberts

Theses and Graduate Projects

It is be becoming more common for patients to be admitted short-term to nursing homes for rehabilitation and recovery, however, little attention is paid to their satisfaction with the services they receive. This study explores how patient satisfaction is related to discharge, using a quantitative survey research design. The survey was mailed to the universal sample of 60 patients discharged back to the community within a six-month time frame from a St. Paul nursing home. Findings indicate a correlation between how former patients rate their satisfaction with nursing home care and their preparedness at the time of their discharge. The …

Effective Interventions For Victims Of Workplace Violence As Perceived By Employee Assistance Professionals, William Anthony Curti

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this exploratory study is to describe effective interventions in helping victims and witnesses of violence in the workplace. The literature review revealed the problem of workplace violence, and the potentially negative effects this violence has on the individuals who are victims or witriesses to this trauma. Companies and organizations have enlisted the support of Employee Assistance Program counselors who are trained in Critical Incident Stress Debriefings. The goal of this type of debriefing is to help prevent the long-term negative effects of critical incidents. Questionnaires were sent to two hundred twenty Employee Assistance Professionals in the upper …

A Direct Practice Evaluation On The Effectiveness Of Using A Strength-Based Approach With Children Living In Foster Care, Emily E. Vincent

Theses and Graduate Projects

This mixed method qualitative / quantitative direct practice evaluation was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of working from a strength-based versus a problem-based approach with children living in foster care. A strength-based approach focuses on a client's positive qualities and identifies the skills they possess that will help them to overcome their situation. The purpose for this approach is to build on and encourage, through a strength-based practice, the certain individual attributes of the child and family and community supports that can enhance resiliency in children.

Three boys living in foster care ages 8-11 were evaluated three times over a …

Social Workers: Their Role And Relationship With The People They Serve, Sheila Moriarty

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions that social service workers have of their role and relationship with the people they serve. This study explored these questions of role and relationship through stories told by the social service workers about their work. The literature review reveals that there has been little research looking at the role and relationship with people using the stories of social service workers. Postmodernism and its challenge to the social service worker role as expert is the conceptual framework for this thesis. The research method is hermeneutics. It recognizes the legitimacy of lived …

A Community Grief Support Program For Children A Needs Assessment, Peggy Wolner

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the need for a community grief support program for children, Nineteen professionals who work directly with children participated in this study. Data were collected utilizing an interview with a closed- and open-ended item questionnaire. Among the topics discussed were knowledge of existing grief support services, interventions to facilitate a child's adjustment to death and the need for a grief support program for children Findings indicated all of those who participated in the study felt a grief support program for children was needed. Participants provided useful information for the development of future programs. …

Development Of A Workshop Curriculum: Ensuring Culturally Competent Services For African Immigrants And Refugees, Tsehai Wodajo

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a workshop that will help to secure culturally competent social services for African immigrant and refugee families. The framework of the workshop focused on two areas. The first is to help the workers to become culturally competent by carrying out ethnic sensitive inventory to assess their competency. Skills developed included what to do during pre-contact. during problem identification and specification, goal formation, problem solving and termination. The second area focused on how to assess the needs and strengths of African immigrant and refugee families. Culturagram and Eco-map are the two major assessment …

Adolescents And Young Adults In Transition: From Homelessness To Permanent Housing, Tona L. Willand

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study explores the intrapersonal and environmental factors associated with change in the transition from homelessness to permanent housing from the perspective of young women who have experienced it. Three young women were interviewed face-to-face in semi-structured interviews, using a non-probability convenience sample. Content analysis was used to identify intrapersonal and environmental factors that affected the process of change. Research participants identified goal-directed behavior, persistence and hope as intrapersonal factors in effecting change. Supportive relationships and practical assistance were identified as supportive factors in the transition period. The findings are discussed in relation to research from the literature, and the …

Maturity And Responsibility In "Troubled" Families, Ruthelle Winfrey West

Theses and Graduate Projects

Despite increased knowledge and trained professionals in the field of human behavior, growing numbers of dysfunctional families are overwhelming the human service systems and society at-large. This qualitative study focused on the childhood experiences of two women from "troubled" families and exprored their perceptions and interpretations of their parents' maturity and responsible behavior. Their comments were then compared. to the Global Crlteria of Maturity. The phenomenological approach was used in exploring the childhood experiences of these women. It was found through the study that the two women perceived their parents' behavior as being responsible but, on the other hand, they …