Digital Commons Network^™

Kinship Diversion : Exploring Experiences Of Relative Probate Guardianship In Los Angeles, Ca., Alison Davies

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored the characteristics and experiences of relative caregivers in Los Angeles County who were involved in a child welfare practice called “kinship diversion.” It specifically examined cases in which caregivers were diverted to probate court to obtain legal guardianship of their relatives' children as an alternative to opening a case with the child welfare system due to allegations of abuse or neglect against the biological parents. Five kinship caregivers were interviewed with a focus on answering the questions of who is diverted to legal guardianship, and why?

The findings of this study showed that diversion occurred …

Do Characteristics Of Children And Families Influence Reported Caregiver Burden? : A Secondary Data Analysis Of The 2009-2010 National Survey Of Children With Special Health Care Needs, Chelsea Davies

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) make up 15% of U.S. children 18 and under. They require increased specialized care, which may pose unique challenges to families. Prior research suggests families from historically disenfranchised groups may experience greater burden due to systems of structural oppression. This quantitative secondary data analysis of the 2009-2010 National Survey of CSHCN (N=40,242) uses a cross-sectional design, testing whether family characteristics (race/ethnicity, caregiver’s gender or education level, and number of CSHCN in the home) or a child’s functional difficulty (chronic pain, behavior, anxiety/depression) are significantly associated with caregiver burden. Results suggest significantly greater time, …

Patient Perspectives On Mental Health Therapy For Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (Me) And Chronic Fatique Syndrome (Cfs), Brooke Denmark

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explored perspectives on mental health therapy of individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and/or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). ME/CFS can lead to major reduction in quality of life; however, due to limited knowledge about etiologies or effective medical treatments, symptoms may be deemed psychosomatic and patients are referred to mental health treatment. This mixed methods study gathered responses from 169 individuals who identified as having ME, CFS, and/or ME/CFS from ten reported countries. Some of the common themes for what participants found most helpful from therapy were validation, help adjusting to the changes in their lives, and processing grief …

Provider Perceptions Of People Who Inject Drugs And Harm Reduction Approaches, Ciara Devozza

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

People who use injection drugs (PWID) continue to face high rates of death and disease, further exacerbated by the ongoing opioid epidemic. Research indicates that stigma toward this population is high among health care providers, which is shown to result in poor health outcomes and ostracize these high-risk patients from treatment. In the U.S., the dominant substance treatment model is abstinence-based, despite evidence from around the world supporting use of harm reduction interventions which focus on goals to reduce the harmful impacts of drug use to individuals and communities. This quantitative study examined nurses’ attitudes toward PWID and nurses’ receptivity …

Perinatal Depression Screening : Using Antenatal Depression Screens And Patient Demographics To Predict Risk For Postpartum Depression :, Jackson Doyle

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study examined the relationship between antenatal depression and postpartum depression in pregnant women at a family health clinic. The aim was to determine whether antenatal depression screens predicted postpartum depression. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Screen (EPDS) was used to screen for depression in 411 pregnant women during the first trimester, third trimester and postpartum phases of pregnancy. Risk factors including patient body mass index, socioeconomic status and marital status were considered predictors of perinataldepression. EPDS scores were analyzed over the three time periods and were compared to body mass index, socioeconomic status and marital status. Results indicated that third …

The Voices Of Survivors Of Suicide : Experiences With Forms Of Support After A Suicide Loss, Nicole Dietze

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to identify forms of support available to and utilized by survivors of suicide, to identify barriers to receiving support, and to gather suggestions and/or critiques regarding survivors’ experiences with the supports they received. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 individuals who had lost a loved one to suicide at least one year prior to the interview. The interviews explored the participants’ experiences with accessing resources, formal and informal supports, negative experiences, and resource recommendations for other survivors of suicide. The findings from this study emphasized how coping with such a profound loss …

Found In Translation : How Social Work Education Can Support Student Practice With Language-Discordant Client Systems, Martha Ann Early

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study’s research question was "How can schools of social work support their students to work with language-discordant client systems (LDCS)?" In addition to the need for general support, social work students are preparing to enter a field where the patient population is growing increasingly diverse in terms of ethnicity, culture and language ability. Participants in the study described herein were current and recent social works students who were recruited for sample membership via broad social media outreach, supplemented with outreach to the researcher's professional network

The findings of this study indicate that the role of schools of social work …

Barriers To Mental Health Treatment For Refugees In Maine : An Exploratory Study, Hayley Fitzgerald

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers refugees face when it comes to accessing mental health treatment in Maine. Research suggests that refugees underutilize mental health services throughout the United States, despite equal to higher rates of mental health symptoms when compared to the general population. To acquire data, eight refugees were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Participants were asked to share about their perceptions of mental illness and mental health treatment, discuss coping mechanisms that they find useful, and offer suggestions for providers working with refugees. Major findings included that stigma, fear, language, and cultural …

"They Don't Say It Up Front" : Immigrant-Origin High School Students' Experiences Of Disrespect And Racial Microaggressions By Teachers : A Project Based Upon A Group Research Investigation, Leah A. Gold

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study used counter-storytelling methodology from Critical Race Theory to explore 15 racial and ethnic minority immigrant-origin high school students’ experiences of racial microaggressions by teachers. Previous research focuses on overt racism with youth or microaggressions with adults, but has not addressed subtle racism experienced by high school students. The findings suggest immigrant-origin experience teacher disrespect as racial microaggressions, including those that are related to immigrant identity. Though not conclusive, the results indicate that experiences of racial microaggressions and responses may differ for immigrant-origin youth with different generation status. Teachers’ racial sensitivity and school climate were demonstrated to be …

The Role Of Spirituality In The Reconstruction Of Identity In Older Women, Elin Hardenberg

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study examines whether spirituality plays a role in how older women integrate changes in their identity as they age. The research questions guiding this study are: 1) how do women navigate changes in identity in older adulthood; and 2) what role does spirituality play in the reconstruction of a woman’s identity in older adulthood? Erikson’s stages of development are used as a framework for understanding where participants are in their developmental process. The study was conducted by interviewing six women between the ages of seventy and ninety who self-identified as having an opinion about their relationship to spirituality. It …

How Our Service Systems Impact Resiliency And Recovery Of Domestic Violence Survivors : Clinical Perspectives, Emily Riddle Jacobs

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative research study explores clinicians’ perceptions of how current social service systems impact domestic violence survivor resiliency and recovery from abuse. The study utilizes a narrative analytic approach examining semi-structured interviews gathered from nine clinicians working in the trauma field. Through using the theoretical frames of intersectionality, trauma theory, and post-traumatic growth theory, the study focuses on the potential for growth and resilience among trauma survivors. This study found that survivors experienced more nuanced post-traumatic growth with ambivalence around new self-development, resiliency, and feelings of empowerment. The research suggests that the current social service systems re-traumatize survivors and replicate …

"If You Lived In Your Body, You'd Be Home By Now" : Clincians' Perspectives On Somatic Practices In Psychotherapy, Natasha Sunil Jeswani

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

While the 21st century has seen increased popularity in somatic practices, there is little cohesive understanding of how these practices are effective and what common value their various branches bring to psychotherapy. This qualitative narrative research study compiles clinicians’ perspectives on their use and understanding of somatic practices in psychotherapy, along with challenges they have experienced in using such methods. The study qualifies such practices as meditation-based, trauma related, or movement-based and ultimately necessitates the inclusion of somatic practices in psychotherapy.

"Translating The Language Of The Body" : Engaging Individuals Who Self-Harm In Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Dani Kowalski

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory study was to gain a deeper understanding of how individuals who self-harm develop ways of communicating about self-harming experiences in therapy. The study used semi-structured interviews with twelve participants to gather qualitative data about their experiences, with a focus on identifying what aspects of therapy were helpful to them, and what was difficult about engaging in therapy.

Participants spoke about the therapeutic encounter as one among many socio-cultural contexts in which changes of self-injury occurred. Findings suggest that engaging individuals who self-harm in therapy involves an understanding of self-harm as a communication of distressing experiences, …

Looking For Ghosts Everywhere : The Effects Of Vicarious Traumatization On Mental Health Interpreters Who Work With Refugees, Sophie Anna Lembeck

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study aimed to add to the available literature on vicarious traumatization among mental healthcare interpreters who work with refugees. I attempted to further this research by interviewing 12 mental health interpreters who work with refugee clients in order to ascertain their experiences with vicarious traumatization. All participants interviewed presented with physical and/or psychological symptoms associated with vicarious traumatization, although they were unfamiliar with the concept of vicarious traumatization itself. Participants’ reactions to working with traumatized clients manifested in various physical and psychological ways and ranged in severity. Previous literature suggests that symptoms of vicarious traumatization are exacerbated when interpreters …

Working With Trauma : A Qualitative And Retrospective Exploration Of The Experiences Of Clinicians Who Work With Trauma, Allyson Rebecca Lent

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The current study explored the gap in understanding the experiences of clinicians who work with trauma given the interesting intersection of high prevalence of trauma and demonstrated lack of training in working with trauma survivors. To this end, this qualitative and exploratory study sought to gain a retrospective understanding of clinicians’ training and career experiences in an effort to glean what has worked well in preparing skilled clinicians to work with trauma. Findings confirmed that clinicians do not feel prepared to do trauma work upon graduating from their degree programs and that they must seek out training opportunities in order …

Benefits And Challenges Of Offering Peer Support To Student Survivors Of Campus Sexual Violence, Zoe Amanda Levenson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study examines the self-perceived benefits and challenges to college students in their role as peer supporters for survivors of campus sexual violence. The study identifies emotional, educational, professional, and social benefits and challenges experienced by peer supporters, as well as strategies used by students to mitigate challenges. The study is based on the perspectives of 11 college students who offer peer support through on-campus programs. Data was gathered through semi-structured telephone interviews.

Major benefits included positive emotions (fulfillment, sense of purpose, empowerment), influence on career paths and opportunities, a sense of community, improved interpersonal skills, and increased social capital. …

Exploring The Impact Of Mental Health On Infant Growth In Urban West Bengal, India :: A Retrospective Cohort Study Exploring The Association Of Mental Health Status Of Parents With A Deterioration In Weight For Age Z Score (As An Indicator Of Under-Nutrition) Of Children Under The Age Of 4 In A Cohort Living In An Impoverished Urban Community In West Bengal, India, Noah E.C. Levinson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Underweight malnutrition is considered the underlying contributing factor in 45% of all child deaths worldwide. Employing a retrospective cohort study design, we explored the association of mental illness symptoms of parents with a deterioration in weight for age z score (as an indicator of under-nutrition) of their children under the age of 4 in a cohort living in an impoverished urban community in West Bengal, India. Results, inconsistent with other studies, indicate that the association is not statistically significant among the studied population. The likely explanation is the intensive, multi-faceted nutrition interventions of Calcutta Kids, an organization working for many …

Gender Identity And Childhood Experiences : An Introductory Quantitative Study Of The Relationship Between Gender Identity And Adverse Childhood Experiences, Liam P. Malone

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

It has been established that individuals with transgender* identities experience abuse and trauma at higher frequencies than individuals with non-transgender identities (Mascis, 2011). Gender dysphoria currently exists as a mental health diagnosis, perpetuating stigma as well as pathologizing gender variance. Clinical social workers have preserved a harmful formulation that gender dysphoria is a disorder caused by trauma. There has been scarce quantitative research to date exploring a relationship between transgender identities and adverse childhood experiences. This study aims to: (1) contribute to a foundation of introductory quantitative research on how childhood experiences interact with gender identity, (2) examine the frequency …

Understanding And Negotiating Access To Preventative Sexual Health Care Biotechnology In Online Communities : A Thematic Analysis Of The Facebook Group ""Prep Facts: Rethinking Hiv Prevention And Sex, Dorothy Manley

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This thesis seeks to understand how access is being negotiated between the U.S. health care system, resources, and institutions by locating conversations about access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) within the lay led Facebook group PrEP Facts: Rethinking HIV Prevention and Sex. The study offers insight into the fault lines within the health care system and how men who have sex with men (MSM) are managing these fault lines, and providing mentoring and guidance to each other, when seeking access to preventive care. Narratives in the Facebook group illustrate who is accounted for and who falls between the gaps within …

Social Climate In Social Work Training : The Influence Of The Learning Environment On The Emerging Social Worker's Professional Identity As An Agent Of Social Justice, Tatiana MartíNez

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

In Master of Social Work programs, one of the objectives of the field practicum is the development of a professional self. A field placement agency may encourage, discourage, and/or limit the student’s ability to implement social justice interventions in their work with clients which may impact their development of a professional identity as it relates to social justice. In this exploratory study, qualitative data was obtained through eight semi-structured interviews. The findings confirm that the social climate of a field placement agency influences the student’s ability to develop aspects of their professional identity dedicated to engaging in social action activities. …

Alexithymia And Comparison Of Alternative Treatments To Talk Therapy For People Who Have A Mental Health Diagnosis, Rebekah Milhoan

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This research study was a quantitative, descriptive investigation of the relationship between the rate of alexithymia in the mental health population and exploring the helpfulness of alternative treatments compared to traditional talk therapy.

An online based questionnaire, using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), a Likert scale used to measure the presence of alexithymia, and an open-ended comment section, was administer anonymously to fifty-four people with a mental health diagnosis. The major areas of interest were levels of alexithymia in the mental health population and finding out about the helpfulness of alternative treatments.

Participants had higher than average scores on the …

The Retrospective Narratives Of Young Adults With Adhd : How Self-Concept Development Impacts Psychosocial Functioning, Malcolm B. Miller

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explores how young adults with ADHD construct self-concept, and how their self-concept impacts psychosocial functioning. Research shows that those with ADHD are more likely to experience significant setbacks across the lifespan due to impairments that negatively impact functioning in multiple life domains. Several studies note high comorbidity between ADHD and internalizing symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Although existing research suggests neurobiological correlations, there has been little investigation into other causal relationships. This researcher interviewed eight young adults with ADHD hoping to illuminate other possible pathways between ADHD and the presentation of comorbid internalizing symptoms and …

A Correlative Analysis Of Mystical Experiences And Lasting Symptom Improvement From Mdma-Assisted Psychotherapy For Treatment-Resistant Ptsd : A Project Based Upon An Investigation Sponsored By Multidisciplinary Association For Psychedelic Studies (Maps), Michiko A. Mitsunaga-Whitten

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Before the Controlled Substance Act of 1985 categorized psychedelic substances as criminalized schedule I drugs, psychiatrists used ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as a catalyst to psychotherapy. Over two decades later, this project seeks to contribute to the renaissance of psychedelic research. Specifically, this study focuses on participants’ experience of treatment in the recent FDA approved Phase 2 clinical study, “A Randomized, Triple-Blind Phase 2 Pilot Study Comparing 3 Different Doses of MDMA in conjunction with manualized psychotherapy in 24 Veterans, Firefighters, and Police Officers with Chronic, Treatment-resistant PTSD.” The current study presents results from correlation analyses of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire …

From Yellow Peril To Model Minority : ǂB Deconstruction Of The Model Minority Myth And Implications For The Invisibility Of Asian American Mental Health Needs, Lynda Anne Moy

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The model minority myth is a racial stereotype imposed upon Asian Americans, often depicting them as a successful and high-achieving monolithic group in the United States. This paper examines sociopolitical functions of the term “model minority” and implications for this broad and diverse racial group by reviewing existing literature and conducting an analysis of qualitative interviews with 12 Asian Americans. The findings of this study suggest that while the model minority myth appears to be a positive stereotype, it may lead Asian Americans to experience distress through (a.) a sense of confinement, (b.) treatment as foreigners, and (c.) …

Playing Together : A Clinician's Perspective On The Use And Value Of Play In Therapy With Couples, Teresa Musick

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine couples therapists perceptions of their use and value of play in the therapeutic encounter. Secondary to the main hypothesis, this thesis also solicited couples therapists to comment on their experience in couples therapy as a client and how this impacted their sense of relationship satisfaction. Forty-four couples’ therapists representing a variety of licensing credentials (psychologists, LPC’s, MSW/LMSW/LICSW, MFT’s) and time in practice completed a brief online questionnaire. The questionnaire asked participants to rate their use, value, and experience of play in the therapeutic encounter. Results indicate that clinicians who participated in this …

The Translation Of Anti-Racism Values From The Professional Into The Personal For White Social Workers Who Have Lived In North Or West Philadelphia, Lauren Hope Newman

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This research explores how white social workers who were exposed to anti-racism values during their social work education, execute these values while living in the gentrifying neighborhoods of North or West Philadelphia. Twelve white social workers participated in semistructured interviews in which they described their anti-racism education/training, their motivation for moving to North or West Philadelphia, and how they felt they translated the antiracism values that were learned or reinforced for them in their education into their lives in their gentrifying communities. The findings display the importance in equipping people with the tools to engage within their community and guide …

Innocent Until Proven Guilty : ǂB Not For The Families Vicarious Incarceration Within A County Jail, Molly O'Connor

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

When an individual goes to jail, family members are often left in the shadow of the incarceration.This qualitative research study contributes to the incarceration literature by focusing on caregivers’ experiences at county jails, and by suggesting the usage of the term vicarious incarceration to fully encompass the levels of impact that incarceration has on the family. Caregivers in the present study engaged in a semi-structured interview modeled after Megan Comfort’s (2009) examination of secondary prisonization at San Quentin. Findings indicate that caregivers visiting a county jail do experience secondary prisonization, both at the jail and within the home. However the …

Exploring Experiences Of, And Responses To, Microaggressions As Disrespect From Teachers In High School Classrooms : A Person-Centered Approach, Emily Ann Peck

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The present study examined the relationship among high school students’ experiences of microaggressions and disrespect perpetrated by teachers and their perceptions of school connectedness and projections of their own bystander intervention behaviors. There is reason to believe that peer bystanding behavior, defined as either intervention in the moment, or active supporting after the event, are protective in terms of the otherwise cumulative impact of microaggressions. Using interviews from seventeen high school students, and quantitative data from nine participants, this research prioritized the voices of students, their narratives, and their meaning making process after such events occur. Findings suggest that participants …

Clinician Vulnerability : Openness To Influence In Relational Therapy, Christine Powers

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The current study examined how clinicians practicing relational psychotherapy experience their own vulnerability in the therapeutic relationship with clients. The study followed a qualitative, phenomenological research methodology. The researcher interviewed ten experienced clinicians who practice relational psychotherapy. Four major themes emerged as significant findings. First, vulnerability was described as a quality of engagement in the therapeutic relationship that is open, engaged, and resonant. Second, participants expressed a sense of risk associated with mutual vulnerability. Third, participants emphasized the importance of mutual vulnerability for client’s healing. Fourth, participants described vulnerability as a developmental capacity. These findings have significance for the field …

You Don't Know How Strong You Are Until Being Strong Is Your Only Option : Examining Resiliency In Survivors Of A Parent Or Caregiver's Suicide, Haley A. Rice

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Suicide is a prevalent public health issue in the United States as it intimately effects many Americans annually. This study explored the bereavement and coping processes as well as strength and resiliency of adult children who lost their parent to death by suicide. Twelve adult children were recruited for this study through social media and suicide support groups. Participants were interviewed by phone and interviews were transcribed and analyzed using an inductive approach. The following themes were identified: intensity of the loss, secondary trauma of suicide, feelings of stigma, solace in talking about their parent, researching mental illness, attending grief …