Digital Commons Network^™

Strategies That Logistics Leaders Use For Achieving Successful Process Improvement, Henry Childs Childs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The successful implementation of process improvement (PI) could reduce operating costs of the Department of Defense, which could lessen the impact of budget reductions and the mounting costs of the expanding global mission requirements. Organizations fail to achieve the return on investment for PI and expected savings because of leaders' inabilities and experiences in integrating critical success factors into PI to improve processes. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies that logistics leaders use to implement PI in the military aviation industry. Six purposively selected group and squadron civilian leaders with over 10 years of …

Effect Of Social Support And Disclosure Of Child Abuse On Adult Suicidal Ideation: Findings From A Population-Based Study, Philip Baiden, Barbara Fallon, Kofi Antwi-Boasiako

Social Work Faculty Publications & Presentations-Archive

Background: To examine the proportion of Canadian adults with a history of child abuse who disclosed the abuse to child protection services before age 16 years and identify the effect of social support and disclosure of child abuse on lifetime suicidal ideation.

Exploring Moral Distress For Hospital Social Workers, Sophia Fantus, Rebecca A. Greenberg, Barbara Muskat, Dana Katz

Social Work Faculty Publications & Presentations-Archive

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the concept of moral distress in hospital social work. Moral distress evolves from an ethical dilemma, wherein an individual is unable to implement a course of action perceived to be morally right. Moral distress is an integrity compromising experience, resulting in conflict between one’s personal, professional and organisational values. To our knowledge, no research has been conducted exploring the manifestation of moral distress in hospital social work. Our intention is to describe the concept of moral distress and theorise how this ethical phenomenon transpires in the field of hospital social work. Moral …

The Emergence Of Ethical Issues In The Provision Of Online Sexual Health Outreach For Gay, Bisexual, Two-Spirit And Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: Perspectives Of Online Outreach Workers, Sophia Fantus, Rusty Souleymanov, Nathan Lachowsky, David Brennan

Social Work Faculty Publications & Presentations-Archive

Background: Mobile applications and socio-sexual networking websites are used by outreach workers to respond synchronously to questions and provide information, resources, and referrals on sexual health and STI/HIV prevention, testing, and care to gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GB2M). This exploratory study examined ethical issues identified by online outreach workers who conduct online sexual health outreach for GB2M. Methods: Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted between November 2013 and April 2014 with online providers and managers (n = 22) to explore the benefits, challenges, and ethical implications of delivering online outreach services in Ontario, Canada. Interviews …

Spiritual Leadership: Achieving Positive Health Outcomes In African-American Christian Churches, Cynthia Bracey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, African-American residents are an underserved population with evidence of higher health disparities than those associated with any other race, contributing to escalating health care costs. Despite the absence of health promotion and wellness training, pastors in predominately Black churches accept the responsibility for addressing more than the spiritual needs of their church members. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory research study was to explore the perspectives of African-American Christian pastors on giving health guidance and their lived experiences as health promotion advocates. A total of 10 African-American Christian pastors were voluntarily recruited from 3 southern …

Telehealth In Palliative Care: A Systematic Review Of Patient Reported Outcomes, Barbara A. Head, Tara J. Schapmire, Yongqiang Zheng

Faculty Publications - College of Social Work

A systematic review was conducted to explore published quantitative and qualitative research describing patient-reported outcomes of palliative telehealth intervention studies. Multiple databases were searched for articles published between January 2006 and May 2016, which met study criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias for quantitative articles. For studies reporting qualitative outcomes, a checklist was used to evaluate trustworthiness of the methodology. Of the 6 studies reporting quantitative outcomes, 3 studies were rated as having moderate study quality, and 3 studies were rated as having low study quality. Of the 6 studies reporting qualitative …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Counselor Competencies In Working With Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Their Families, Katherine A. Feather

Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a profound diagnosis that affects 1% of the world’s population (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]; 2015a). Counselors can play a dynamic role in treating ASD and promoting greater life satisfaction; however, the counseling field has not identified how counselors develop their competencies working with children with ASD and their families. Therefore, the phenomenological investigation examined the experiences of 15 counselors in the field and their self-perceived competencies of treating ASD. A model of ASD counseling competencies development emerged from the data. Participants described the developmental components of Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies …

Mental Health Attitudes And Stigma Among Medical Students: An Evaluation Of The Student Mental Health Initiative, Jennifer Hess Kengeter

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

There is a plethora of literature on the formation and prevalence on mental health stigma; however, literature on anti-stigma programs is scarce. The current mixed method study evaluated an anti-stigma program for medical students that contained a peer testimony component. A total of 25 participants were included in the quantitative component of the study. Data were collected over 3 consecutive years. All participants attended the Student Mental Health Initiative (SMHI) and completed a pre- and post-survey examining stigmatizing beliefs and negative attitudes toward mental illness. The qualitative portion of the study was a focus group with two participants who examined …

Sexual Violence As An Occupational Hazard And Condition Of Confinement In The Closed Institutional Systems Of The Military And Detention, Hannah Brenner, Kathleen Darcy, Sheryl Kubiak

Faculty Scholarship

Women in the military are more likely to be raped by other service members than to be killed in combat. Female prisoners internalize rape by corrections officers as an inherent part of their sentence. Immigrants held in detention fearing deportation or other legal action endure rape to avoid compromising their cases. This Article draws parallels among closed institutional systems of prisons, immigration detention, and the military. The closed nature of these systems creates an environment where sexual victimization occurs in isolation, often without knowledge of or intervention by those on the outside, and the internal processes for addressing this victimization …

Role-Play Assessments As A Measure Of Parenting Skill, Scott A. Jensen, Carolynn Steiner

College of the Pacific Faculty Articles

Various forms of assessments of parenting skill are used across studies including parent self-report, observations of parent and child interactions, and role-play assessments of parenting skill. Role-play assessments, though used in several studies, have not been sufficiently evaluated so as to understand their reliability and validity as measures of parenting skill. The current study compared repeated role-play assessments and parent– child interactions across 5 weeks for 4 parents. Consistency across role-play assessments was adequate (80%), but the variability of parent behavior with their own child across sessions (59% similarity) led to poor similarity with role-play assessments (63%). Findings suggest promise …

Social Networks In The Context Of Microfinance And Intimate Partner Violence In Bangladesh: A Mixed-Methods Study, Nadine S. Murshid, Allison Zippay

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This mixed-methods study draws from social network theory to examine disclosure and help seeking for intimate partner violence among microfinance participants in Bangladesh. This study uses data on women from the nationally representative Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2007 and from in-depth interviews with 30 microfinance participants in Dhaka. Propensity Score Matching analyses indicated that increase in social contacts due to microfinance participation was not associated with disclosing IPV. Responses from the urban sample indicated that reasons for nondisclosure include feelings of shame, stigma, and fear of being perceived as weak by others. Implications regarding how microfinance organizations can tap …

How The Immigration And Deportation Systems Work: A Social Workers Guide, Carol Cleaveland

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Not only is the question of immigration controversial, it is complex -- laden with legal nuances as well as implications for human and civil rights. This article provides an overview of what happens to an immigrant who seeks to enter the country ‘legally,’ as well as the challenges for an immigrant who enters the country without authorization. Social workers who serve immigrants may find themselves called on to advocate for clients as they traverse a labyrinth court system. I introduce this system to help practitioners and students understand the paths to legal immigration in the United States, as well as …

Immigrant Health Disparities: Does Neighborliness Improve Health?, Kofi Danso

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using data from the California Health Interview Survey, this cross-sectional study examined the differential role of neighborhood social capital and other socio-demographic variables in predicting the health of immigrants and native-born Americans. The results revealed a statistically significant association between age, marital status, and poverty level, English proficiency, education and employment, self-reported health, and immigrant and non-immigrant status. With the exception of neighborhood trust, neighborhood social capital indicators such as social cohesion, neighborhood safety, and civic participation were found to significantly predict both immigrant and non-immigrant health. Neighborhood trust was significant for non-immigrants, but was not predictive of immigrant health. …

The Influence Of Socio-Cultural Factors On College Students’ Attitudes Toward Sexual Minorities, Mark D. Olson, Eros Desouza

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Research has indicated that age is a significant predictor of tolerance toward sexual minorities. However, outdated measures and social desirability may hinder attempts to accurately detect bias. This study explores attitudes toward gay males among a sample of students in the Midwestern United States. We investigate the influence of gender, religiosity, and political orientation on students’ attitudes. Students’ political orientation was found to be the strongest predictor of attitudes. In contrast to previous research emphasizing the relationship between age and tolerance, our study suggests that socio-cultural factors have the greatest influence on bias. This has critical implications for social work …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 44 No. 2

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Serving No One Well: TANF Nearly Twenty Years Later- Kristin S. Seefeldt

Barriers to Food Security Experienced by Families Living in Extended Stay Motels- Stephanie Gonzalez Guittar

Impact of Short Lifetime Limits on Child Neglect - Vicky N. Albert and William C.

King The Policy Nexus: Panhandling, Social Capital and Policy Failure- Amanda R. Tillotson and Laura Lein

The Impact of Concentrations of African Americans and Latinos/Latinas on Neighborhood Social Cohesion in High Poverty United States Neighborhoods -Laurie A. Walker and Daniel Brisson

The Association Between Neighborhood Factors and Mexican Americans’ Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review - Kai Wei …

Review Of Behind From The Start: How America’S War On The Poor Is Harming Our Most Vulnerable Children. Lenette Azzi-Lessing. Reviewed By Kristen Ravi., Kristen Ravi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Lenette Azzi-Lessing, Behind from the Start: How America’s War on the Poor is Harming Our Most Vulnerable Children. Oxford University Press (2017), 248 pages, $29.95 (hardcover).

Review Of The Money Cult: Capitalism, Christianity, And The Unmaking Of The American Dream. Chris Lehmann. Reviewed By Daniel Liechty., Daniel Liechty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Chris Lehmann, The Money Cult: Capitalism, Christianity, and the Unmaking of the American Dream. Melville House (2016), 398 pages, $28.95 (hardcover).

Embodying Our Future Through Collaboration: The Change Is In The Doing, M Palmer, P White, S Wooltorton

Arts Papers and Journal Articles

Contributors to this special edition have agreed that we want a future of ecojustice and ecological sustainability. Our paper unpacks experiences of oppression within the context of middle class academic privilege, undertaking resistances and working, in relationship, learning to live more sustainably in the Year of Living Sustainably. In this writing we argue the case for activism in the academy and collaboratively build resilience towards more sustainable ways of being. By co-writing and analysing fictionalised stories we demonstrate how contemporary universities contribute to the unsustainability of social and ecological systems. This paper presents a love story grounded in poststructural ecofeminist …

Views Of Reality: Perceptions Of Police Responses To Mentally Ill People, Kiara L. Gonzalez Cruz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Society’s views about mental illness can influence their views regarding police-response strategies used with the mentally ill. The purpose of this study is to analyze the question: does mental illness impact perceptions of delinquent behavior and police responses? It is important to understand the effects of these interactions to better assist those affected by mental illness and avoid uncertain risks/injuries to the police and citizens involved in an incident. Labeling theory suggests that people may come to identify and act in ways that reflect how others label them as well as come to define mentally ill individuals in accordance with …

When Children Are Water: Representation Of Central American Migrant Children In Public Discourse And Implications For Educators, Theresa Catalano

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Since June, 2014 when the U.S. government began to document an increase in unaccompanied/separated children arriving in the United States from Central America, these children have become a frequent topic in media discourse. Because rhetoric about immigration issues have been shown to affect schooling of these children, the present paper aims to examine how these children are represented in the discourse of one community. Findings from this critical multimodal discourse analysis reveal multiple strategies of representation that result in the dominant metaphor of IMMIGRANT CHILDREN ARE DANGEROUS WATER and negative perceptions that have implications for the education of these students.

The Strange Life Of Stanley V. Illinois: A Case Study In Parent Representation And Law Reform, Josh Gupta-Kagan

Faculty Publications

This Article helps describe the growth of parent representation through an analysis of Stanley v. Illinois—the foundational Supreme Court case that established parental fitness as the constitutional lynchpin of any child protection case. The Article begins with Stanley’s trial court litigation, which illustrates the importance of vigorous parental representation and an effort by the court to prevent Stanley from obtaining an attorney. It proceeds to analyze how family courts applied it (or not) in the years following the Supreme Court’s decision and what factors have led to a recent resurgence of Stanley’s fitness focus.

Despite Stanley’s requirement that states prove …

The Daily Gamecock, Monday, February 20, 2017, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

February

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Monday, September 25, 2017, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

September

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Thursday, September 7, 2017, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

September

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Thursday, September 14, 2017, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

September

No abstract provided.

The Daily Gamecock, Thursday, August 24, 2017, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

August

No abstract provided.

Examining Students’ Self-Perceived Competence And Comfort In An Experiential Play Therapy Counseling Course: A Single Group Pretest-Posttest Investigation, Paulina Flasch, Dalena Taylor, Rikke Nynne Clauber, Edward Robinson Iii

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The current study utilized a single-group pretest-posttest design to evaluate students’ self-perceived competence and comfort of using a variety of play therapy techniques and interventions with a range of client populations as a result of taking a one-week intensive course in Play Therapy. In an effort to conduct course evaluation and explore student’s self-perceived comfort and competence related to play therapy the researchers created the Play Therapy Comfort and Competency Survey based on the content of the course. The results indicated statistically significant scores between the pre- and posttest measures, as measured by participants’ self-perceived higher competence and comfort levels …

Shaping Our Literate Lives: Examining The Role Of Literacy Experiences In Shaping Positive Literacy Identities Of Doctoral Students, Christy M. Howard, Melissa Adams-Budde, Joy Myers, Grant Jolliff

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which literacy histories and present literacy experiences of doctoral students shaped their literacy identities. Data were collected through surveys, interviews, and visual identity representations. This paper focuses on the literacy stories of two doctoral students with positive literacy identities. Findings suggest that participants valued literacy as a social learning experience from an early age through higher education. These social experiences with reading and writing can take many forms and can be embraced in various home and school contexts. Additionally, these findings highlight the need for schools to create and …

The Role Of Student Major In Grade Perception In Chemistry Courses, Andrew Karatjas, Jeffrey Webb

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The Kruger-Dunning effect was studied as it related to performance in chemistry courses based on student differences in academic background. Student major was chosen as the classification to look at the effect of students with different interests/specializations. Chemistry majors tended to predict lower performance than biology majors, while unexpectedly many non-natural science majors predicted higher examination scores than those majoring in the physical sciences.

A Historical Overview Of Art And Music-Based Activities In Social Work With Groups: Nondeliberative Practice And Engaging Young People’S Strengths, Brian Kelly, Lauren Doherty

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

This article provides a historical overview of the use of art and music-based activities in social work with groups. The authors review archival, empirical, and theoretical literature that explores the use and effectiveness of these activities in the recreation movement and group work practice from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries, the Hull House settlement in Chicago from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries, and in recent group practice in social work and related fields. Findings suggest that art and music-based activities encourage and facilitate nondeliberative practice and allow for important opportunities to engage young people’s strengths.