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Engaging San Francisco’S Western Addition In A Community Needs Assessment: A Field Work Report, Bridget Walsh-Dahlberg

Master's Projects and Capstones

San Francisco’s Western Addition is a neighborhood steeped in a history of discriminative policies and actions. Today, while the Western is a vibrant community, it continues to feel the effects of the historic discriminatory practices. This is evident in the disparities seen across many indicators, including: educational success and attainment; health; employment; and housing opportunities. Engage San Francisco, an initiative born from the University of San Francisco’s Leo T. McCarthy for Public Service and Common Good seeks to help improve the lives and success of children, youth and families in the Western Addition through community identified needs. Through campus-community relationships …

Caring For Those Who Care The Most: Bill Wilson Center Wellness Program Assessment, Anne Cunniffe Marcy

Master's Projects and Capstones

Executive Summary

Bill Wilson Center (BWC) is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides mental health services, shelter, and support services to homeless youths and families in Santa Clara County. The agency currently has 137 staff members in the mental health division. The agency currently does not have an existing wellness program. The goal of this project is to evaluate the needs of the employees and what type of wellness activities they are interested in. BWC’s employees are the agency’s most valuable assets. Only through top performance can the agency continue to provide the highest level of services to more than …

Early Patterns Of Change In Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Lauren J. Legato

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Early intervention for young children with behavior problems is important for promoting healthy social/emotional development and reducing the risk of persistent and worsening conduct problems (DuPaul, McGoey, Eckert, & VanBrakle, 2001; Lahey et al., 1995; Shaw, 2013). Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based treatment for young children exhibiting behavior problems (Eyberg, Nelson, & Boggs, 2008). PCIT aims to promote parents’ use of positive attention and effective discipline skills with their children (Zisser & Eyberg, 2010). Although substantial research has demonstrated the efficacy of PCIT in research settings, far fewer studies have tested its effectiveness with clinically referred samples in …

Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes And Their Caregivers: A Longitudinal Assessment Of Metabolic Control And Psychosocial Mediators, Sabrina Anne Karczewski

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role of pediatric medical traumatic stress (PMTS) in response to a type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis for both parents and children and its influence on a child’s future metabolic control. PMTS is a term that represents a continuum of posttraumatic stress symptoms (i.e., intrusion, hyper-vigilance, and avoidance) that occur in response to a medical event that may or may not meet full clinical criteria for a Diagnostic Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnosis. This study examines a theoretical model (see Figure 1) and the interrelationships between a child and/or parent’s level of PMTS in response to …

Disasters And Long-Term Recovery: Introduction To A Special Issue, Katie E. Cherry

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Hmong Culture Club As A Place Of Belonging: The Cultivation Of Hmong Students’ Cultural And Political Identities, Bic Ngo

Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement

In this article, I draw on a year-long ethnographic study of an after school “Hmong Culture Club” to illuminate the ways in which it provides students with a place of belonging. I reveal the ways in which Hmong students in this setting take up ideologies of multiculturalism in response to a sense of the “loss” of Hmong culture. I explore the ways in which the Hmong Club provided Hmong students with a place to belong that simultaneously cultivated their cultural and political identities. Ultimately, I suggest that school extracurricular cultural clubs may provide insights to subtractive schooling (Valenzuela, 1999) as …

Shared Prosperity Initiative As A Solution To The City Of Kalamazoo's Impoverished, Maurice Washington

Honors Theses

The Shared Prosperity Kalamazoo Initiative acts a combatant to reducing poverty for the City of Kalamazoo rather than a solution. Combining micro social work training of treatment plans for clients and its incorporated methodologies to the macro problem of poverty for the City’s constituents emphasizes a unique but valuable perspective to have as a potential policy maker. The question is whether such a perspective is truly applicable and such was the goal of the nearly year-long research. Data obtained from interviews, meetings, focus groups and interviews were reviewed from a prior initiative to formulate much of the research and analysis. …

Behind At The Starting Line: Poverty Among Hispanic Infants, Daniel T. Lichter, Scott R. Sanders, Kenneth M. Johnson

Carsey Publications

In this brief, authors Daniel Lichter, Scott Sanders, and Kenneth Johnson examine the economic circumstances of Hispanic infants using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey annual microdata files from 2006 through 2010. They report that a disproportionate share of Hispanic infants start life’s race behind the starting line, poor and disadvantaged—an important finding because the proportion of all U.S. births that are Hispanic is growing rapidly. The poverty risk is especially high among rural Hispanic infants and those in new destinations. Despite higher poverty risks, Hispanic infants receive less governmental assistance. High Hispanic infant poverty has immediate and long-term consequences …

Parent And Child Vagal Tone: Examining Parenting Behaviors As Moderators Of The Association, Rebecca Graham

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that learning how to regulate one’s emotions is critical to successful child development and is associated with adaptive social functioning and psychological adjustment (Dunn & Brown, 1994; Eisenberg, Fabes, Guthrie, & Reiser, 2000; Eisenberg, Fabes, & Murphy, 1996). Children’s emotion regulation abilities are thought to be influenced by both child (e.g., age, temperament) and parent characteristics (e.g., parenting behaviors, parental regulation; Eisenberg, Cumberland, & Spinrad, 1998). Resting heart rate variability (HRV) has emerged as a potentially important biomarker associated with emotion regulation (Porges, 2007; Thayer & Lane, 2000); however, there are still significant gaps in research. In particular, …

Peer Victimization And Drd4 Genotype Influence Problem Behaviors In Young Children, Lisabeth Fisher Dilalla, Kyle Bersted, Sufna Gheyara John

Articles

Decades of research supports the presence of significant genetic influences on children’s internalizing (emotional), externalizing (acting out), and social difficulties, including victimization. Additionally, being victimized has been shown to relate to further behavioral problems. The current study assessed the nature of the gene-environment relationships between the DRD4 gene, peer victimization, and externalizing and internalizing difficulties in 6- to 10-year- old children. 174 children (56% girls; 88.6% Caucasian, 3.4% African American, 8% mixed race or Mayan) and their parents were administered victimization and problem behavior questionnaires, and DRD4 was genotyped for the children. An interaction between genes (DRD4) and environment (victimization) …

Cultivating Partnerships: A Case Study For Moving Beyond Campus-Centric Approaches To Sexual Violence Prevention, Wm. Michael Fleming, H. Alan Heisterkamp

eJournal of Public Affairs

The prevalence of sexual violence on college campuses and in secondary schools requires institutional action. Yet the responsibility for preventing sexual violence does not rest on college campus communities or secondary schools alone. This study reports on one midwestern university’s efforts to develop partnerships for building institutional capacity to prevent sexual violence within colleges and universities, as well as secondary schools, in collaboration with community sexual violence prevention specialists utilizing the Mentors in Violence Prevention model. Findings from this study offer preliminary evidence that these partnerships are facilitating attitudinal change and increasing perceptions of efficacy in bystander behavior and programming …

Delta Narratives: Saving The Historical And Cultural Heritage Of The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Steve Boilard, Robert Benedetti, Margit Aramburu, Gregg Camfield, Philip Garone, Jennifer Helzer, Reuben Smith, William Swagerty, Marcia Eymann, Tod Ruhstaller, David Stuart, Leigh Johnsen, Dylan Mcdonald, Michael J. Wurtz, Blake Roberts, Margo Lentz-Meyer

College of the Pacific Faculty Reports

From August 2014 through July 2015, the Delta Narratives project, on contract to the Delta Protection Commission, addressed two questions. First, in what ways does the historical experience of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta contribute to an understanding of key themes in regional and American history? Second, how might Delta stories gain wider appreciation within the region, throughout Northern California, and among people in the rest of California and beyond?

Scholars on the project team documented ways the history of the Delta illustrates trends in land management and reclamation, technological shifts in transportation and agriculture, the impact of ethnicity and labor …

Minnesota 4-H Youth Program Quality Improvement Model, Margo Herman, Samantha Grant

Journal of Extension

The University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development made an organizational decision in 2011 to invest in a system-wide approach to implement youth program quality into the 4-H program using the Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA) tool. This article describes the four key components to the Minnesota Youth Program Quality Improvement model, the reasons for investing in this work, and recommendations for other states that may build youth program quality improvement models.

Strongwomen® Program Evaluation: Effect Of Strength Training Exercises On Physical Fitness Of Participants, Anil Kumar Chaudhary, Beth Van Horn, Marilyn Corbin

Journal of Extension

The StrongWomen® Program (SWP) is a nationally disseminated group strength-training exercise and nutrition education program delivered by Extension. The study reported here examined the effect of strength training exercises in SWP on improvement in physical fitness of program participants. Senior Fitness Test was used to collect data. Upon analysis of paired t-tests, significant differences were found between pre-test and post-test across all the six fitness measures. Overall, SWP helped participants to improve their body strength and physical fitness and decreased risk of falls and fractures, which indicates the increased independence and quality of life among older adults.

The Identification Of Maltreatment In Children With Disabilities: An Education Program, Jessica Leigh Ahmann

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

Competing Infant Feeding Information In Mothers’ Networks: Advice That Supports V. Undermines Clinical Recommendations, Sato Ashida, Freda B. Lynn, Natalie A. Williams

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective: To identify the social contextual factors, specifically the presence of information that supports v. undermines clinical recommendations, associated with infant feeding behaviours among mothers in low-income areas.

Design: Cross-sectional survey evaluating social support networks and social relationships involved in providing care to the infant along with feeding beliefs and practices.

Setting: Out-patient paediatric and government-funded (Women, Infants, and Children) clinics in an urban, low-income area of the south-eastern USA.

Subjects: Eighty-one low-income mothers of infants between 0 and 12 months old.

Results: Most mothers reported receiving both supportive and undermining advice. The presence of …

Competing Infant Feeding Information In Mothers’ Networks: Advice That Supports V. Undermines Clinical Recommendations, Sato Ashida, Freda B. Lynn, Natalie A. Williams, Ellen J. Schafer

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective: To identify the social contextual factors, specifically the presence of information that supports v. undermines clinical recommendations, associated with infant feeding behaviours among mothers in low-income areas.

Design: Cross-sectional survey evaluating social support networks and social relationships involved in providing care to the infant along with feeding beliefs and practices.

Setting: Out-patient paediatric and government-funded (Women, Infants, and Children) clinics in an urban, low-income area of the south-eastern USA.

Subjects: Eighty-one low-income mothers of infants between 0 and 12 months old.

Results: Most mothers reported receiving both supportive and undermining advice. The presence …

Family, Dirt-Bikes, And Education, Liz Moss

Staff Work

"Having the privilege of joining others in the work of bringing education and literacy to students and educators in Ethiopia is life-giving."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­what makes a person feel most alive from In All Things - an online hub committed to the claim that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has implications for the entire world.

http://inallthings.org/family-dirt-bikes-and-education/

Play It Safe!®: A School-Based Childhood Physical And Sexual Abuse Prevention Program, Joan M. Blakey, Jeffry W. Thigpen

Journal of Adolescent and Family Health

Childhood physical and sexual abuse is a major public health problem that has devastating, long-term effects on children, if not addressed. School based prevention programs are a viable solution to address this problem. However, the majority of research has focused on school based sexual abuse prevention programs. Very few studies have included prevention programs that combine physical and sexual abuse into a single abuse prevention program. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Play it Safe!® program, a school-based physical and sexual abuse prevention program intended to increase the likelihood that children will recognize abusive situations, learn how …

Chinese Parents' Perspectives On Adolescent Sexuality Education, Carolyn P. Edwards, Wenli Liu, Jessica Dennis

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Structural equation modeling was used to examine a model of factors related to Chinese parents‟ level of involvement in sexuality education for adolescents. Greater parental education was indirectly related to parents‟ engagement in sexuality education through its relationship with more traditional cultural values, greater perceived knowledge of sexuality, and increased quality of the parent-child relationship. The model was found to be largely consistent regardless of the gender of the parent or child and the residence of the family. Results demonstrate that there are multiple pathways to consider within the topic of Chinese parental involvement in sexuality education.

Model-Based Clustering Of Incomplete Data, Chantal Larose

Doctoral Dissertations

Several important questions have yet to be answered concerning clustering incomplete data. For example, how can disparate solutions from multiply imputed cluster results be resolved? Additionally, can a model-selection criterion be developed which can detect the correct number of LCA classes after multiple imputation has been performed? Finally, as cluster analysis depends on measures of uncertainty, what is the eect of missing values on such measures? This thesis presents new theorems, methodologies, and applications which demonstrate solutions to these pressing questions.

Youth With Disabilities Talk About Spirituality:A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Patricia J. Baldwin, Jan Evans, Nicole Etherington, Megan Nichols, Virginia Wright, Janette Mcdougall

The Qualitative Report

There is little known about what spirituality means for youth with disability or about the potential relevance of youths’ spirituality in pediatric rehabilitation. This study explored perceptions of spirituality for youth with disabilities. Using a qualitative descriptive methodology, we examined the lived experiences of eighteen youth ages 11-20 years with disabilities including cerebral palsy, central nervous system disorder or autism spectrum disorder. In individual interviews, followed by a focus group, youth identified key spiritual themes – the importance of their beliefs, personal sources of comfort and strength, finding purpose in helping others, significance of personal connections, and strengths-based perspectives on …

Adopting A Financial Capability And Asset Building Curriculum At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Michael Rochelle, Gena Mcclendon, Melody Brackett, Michael Wright, Margaret Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

Social workers currently engage in financial capability practice with low-income and financially vulnerable individuals and families in diverse practice settings but typically lack professional preparation for this work. In response, several schools of social work have begun developing curriculum. Using an in-depth interview methodology, this study explores the experiences of faculty and administrators (N=19) at four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that adopted a curriculum in financial capability and asset building. Findings show that key reasons for adopting are the relevance of the content to student and community needs, faculty interest, and alignment with program, institutional, and professional goals. …

The Lancaster County Juvenile Reentry Project - Follow-Up Report, Anne M. Hobbs, Sommer Fousek

Reports

In 2011, Lancaster County received a planning grant under the Second Chance Act administered by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Using these funds, a team of stakeholders examined the limited reentry services available to juveniles who return to Lancaster County after a stay in a Nebraska Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center (YRTC).

The following year, Lancaster County officials brought together multiple agencies to develop a systematic juvenile reentry approach, which subsequently became known as the Lancaster County Juvenile Reentry Project. From January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015, a total of 126 youth were served under the …

Doctalk Newsletter May/June 2015, Maine Department Of Corrections

DOCTalk Newsletter

In this issue:

• Snowshoe Chair made at Charleston goes to Washington DC
• Plant a Seed Project in Region 2 - Adult
• Honor Guard Academy

Partnerships In Employment National Transition Systems Change Project: Building A Transition-To-Employment Agenda, Institute For Community Inclusion, University Of Massachusetts Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

The national Partnerships in Employment (PIE) National Transition Systems Change Project was established in 2011 by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. This five-year project focuses on improving, developing, and implementing policies and practices that raise community expectations and overall employment outcomes for youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD). Now in the last phase of the funding cycle, the eight state projects involved in the PIE initiative (Alaska, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Tennessee, and Wisconsin) are uniquely positioned to provide youth employment recommendations to federal, state, and local agencies. In this document, we share several of the findings …

Predictors Of Preschool Children's Body Mass Index: Breastfeeding Duration, Child Eating Behaviors, And Parental Feeding Practices, Amy J. Encinger

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The current study examined how breastfeeding duration, child eating behaviors (Satiety and Food Responsiveness), and parental feeding practices (Environment and Parental Control over Food) are related to body mass index (BMI) among preschool-aged children. Participants were 224 primary caregivers (M age = 30.36; 90% mothers) of preschool-aged children (M age = 4.22 years, 55% male) from three Midwestern preschools serving low-income children. Mediated multiple regression analyses examined the effects of the various child eating behaviors and parental feeding practices as mediators of the relation between breastfeeding duration and child BMI. Three main findings emerged. There was a significant …

A Question Of Excluding Immigration Status In Civil Court: Why Torres Got It Right, Nicholas T. Davis, F. Michael Hart

New Mexico Law Review

This Article addresses the issue of New Mexico’s treatment of immigration status in four parts. Part I explores the history of New Mexico. From its earliest days New Mexico demonstrated an acceptance of immigrants into society. Many New Mexico laws grant rights to residents of the state regardless of immigration status, and as a result, undocumented immigrants have become large contributors to the state’s economy. Part II discusses New Mexico’s approach to issues involving a party’s immigration status. Although New Mexico has not explicitly prohibited the introduction of a party’s immigration status, case law suggests New Mexico courts would deny …

Effects Of The Strong Kids Curriculum As A Targeted Intervention For Students At-Risk For Developing Depressive Disorders, Danielle D. Williams Psyd

All Student Scholarship

Children who show signs of depression are at greater risk of having depression as adults as well as developing comorbid conditions. A multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) approach is currently the best evidence-based method for addressing behavioral and mental health concerns in a school setting. At this time, few research-based interventions exist that adequately address internalizing behaviors such as those associated with depression. Strong Kids is an evidence-based social-emotional learning curriculum that can be used at both the universal and secondary levels of prevention. It is designed to address internalizing behaviors; however, it has only been tested as one chronological …

Using Group Model Building To Understand Factors That Influence Childhood Obesity In An Urban Environment, David A. Nelson, Christopher J. Simenz, Sarah P. O'Connor, Yvonne Greer, Ann L. Bachrach, Tony Shields, Brett A. Fuller, Katie Horrigan, Kathleen Pritchard, Judy B. Springer, John R. Meurer

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Despite increased attention, conventional views of obesity are based upon individual behaviors, and children and parents living with obesity are assumed to be the primary problem solvers. Instead of focusing exclusively on individual reduction behaviors for childhood obesity, greater focus should be placed on better understanding existing community systems and their effects on obesity. The Milwaukee Childhood Obesity Prevention Project is a community-based coalition established to develop policy and environmental change strategies to impact childhood obesity in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The coalition conducted a Group Model Building exercise to better understand root causes of childhood obesity in its community.

Methods: …