Digital Commons Network^™

A Systematic Review Of The Efficacy Of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (Cst) On Quality Of Life In Persons With Dementia, R. Babiarz, B. Haden, S. Karlin, J. Mark, A. Williams, M. Ferraro, M. C. Potvin

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Quality of life (QoL) is an established outcome measure of patients with dementia and is strongly influenced by an individual's environment and mood. While there are many outcomes that can be examined with Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) interventions, this systematic review focused on quality of life.

Eastern Washington University Commencement Program, 2020, Eastern Washington University

Commencement Programs

Program for Eastern Washington University's spring commencement in 2020

Remorse In Parole Hearings: An Elusive Concept With Concrete Consequences, Nicole Bronnimann

Missouri Law Review

Remorse is a profound and complicated emotion and it is one that is evaluated in a surprising number of legal contexts. One particularly high-stakes evaluation of remorse occurs in the context of discretionary parole, when a parole board is deciding whether to release an inmate back to the community. This Article explains the arguments justifying the evaluation of remorse in parole hearings, evaluates how remorse is directly and indirectly incorporated into a typical parole hearing, presents legal and psychological research about the effect that the presence or absence of remorse may have on parole commissioners’ judgment of inmates’ culpability and …

Uncovering The "Hidden Crime" Of Human Trafficking By Empowering Individuals To Respond, Laura Shoop

Georgia State University Law Review

This Note will examine current state law promoting awareness of human trafficking and identification of trafficking survivors in the United States and make recommendations as to what further measures, if any, state legislators should take to increase awareness, identification, and reporting of human trafficking. Part I explains the history and development of human trafficking legislation at the federal and state levels. Part II analyzes the methods that states currently use to promote public awareness and identification. Part III discusses a proposal for amending current state law to better encourage and facilitate awareness of human trafficking and the identification and reporting …

Provision Of Mental Health Services By Critical Access Hospital-Based Rural Health Clinics, John A. Gale Ms, Zachariah T. Croll Mph, Nathan First Lcsw, Msw, Ma, Sara Kahn-Troster Mph

Rural Health Clinics

Residents of rural communities face longstanding access barriers to mental health (MH) services due to chronic shortages of specialty MH providers, long travel distances to services, increased likelihood of being uninsured or under-insured, limited choice of providers, and high rates of stigma. As a result, rural residents rely more heavily on primary care providers and local acute care hospitals to meet their MH needs than do urban residents. This reality highlights the importance of integrating primary care and MH services to improve access to needed care in rural communities. Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are ideally positioned to help meet rural …

Redemption At A Correctional Turning Point: Public Support For Rehabilitation Ceremonies, Leah C. Butler, Francis T. Cullen, Alexander L. Burton, Angela J. Thielo, Velmer S. Burton Jr.

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The authors studied the extent to which the American public would support the implementation of rehabilitation ceremonies, including certificates. Using a national-level survey they commissioned YouGov to undertake, the authors examined public views about the redeemability of offenders--whether they believe that those convicted of felonies are intractably criminal or have the potential to change for the better. Results of the survey indicate substantial belief in offender redeemability and support for rehabilitation ceremonies and certificates.

An Interprofessional Learning Opportunity Regarding Pain And The Opioid Epidemic, Patricia Stoddard-Dare, Kelle K. Deboth, Madalynn Wendland, Ryan Suder, Joan Niederriter, Rebecca Bowen, Sara Dugan, Miyuki Fukushima Tedor

Criminology, Anthropology, & Sociology Faculty Publications

An interprofessional response is needed to mitigate the deleterious effects of the opioid epidemic. Here we describe an interprofessional workshop for n=307 students from social work, pharmacy, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology designed to help prepare professionals to work competently in interprofessional teams while serving clients impacted by substance misuse. A total of n=201 participants provided informed consent and completed a pre- and post-test electronic survey to measure the influence of the interprofessional workshop. Findings from a paired sample t-test reveal statistically significant differences at post-test regarding participant’s self-described confidence 1) identifying their values and beliefs …

The Lead, June 2020, Lindenwood University

The Lead

The Lead is an electronic newsletter produced by the Lindenwood College of Education & Human Services.

Academic Library Instruction, Evidence-Based Practice, And Social Workers: An Exploratory Survey, Kimberly D. Pendell, Ericka Kimball

Library Faculty and Staff Publications and Presentations

When social work students graduate and move into their professional practice, they also move into a vastly different information landscape than that of the academic environment. To better understand the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) and information sources in practice, the authors performed a national survey of social workers. This survey provides a snapshot of how frequently social workers employ EBP, their use of research articles and other information resources, and their prior library instruction. The researchers make recommendations for increased consideration of the practice environment in library instruction, open access advocacy, and outreach to the field.

Staff Perspectives Regarding The Influence Of Trauma On The Intimate Partnering Experiences Of Adolescent Mothers In Residential Foster Care, Autumn M. Bermea, Heidi Adams Rueda, Kwynn M. Gonzalez-Pons

Social Work Faculty Publications

Adolescent girls in foster care are disproportionately vulnerable to pregnancy and parenthood. These experiences of motherhood might be partially attributable to experiences of trauma, including sexual trauma. Trauma, particularly related to domestic violence and sexual abuse, have been linked to subsequent struggles in intimate relationships, such as dating violence or engagement in unsafe sexual behaviors. Although some research has begun to investigate experiences of trauma on relationships, there has been a lack of focus on intimate relationships in general and how they have been influenced by past and/or current traumatic experiences. The present study draws on 12 interviews with program …

Felony Disenfranchisement: Factors Relating To Support For Restoration, Alexis K. Karpf

Student Theses

Felony Disenfranchisement, a collateral consequence, strips justice-involved individuals of their voting rights. While this policy is enacted in 48 states and the District of Columbia, a majority of community members are unaware of its existence. The current study used three hypotheses to guide its research about how education about disenfranchisement policy impacts a community member's opinion:1) Participants exposed to information about the effects of disenfranchisement will be more supportive of enfranchisement than those in the control condition; 2) Participants who receive the vignette featuring the White justice-involved individual will indicate a higher level of support for enfranchisement compared to those …

Church Planting, Humanitarian Services, And Christian Holiness In Central India : A Study Of The Life And Mission Of Ernest And Phebe Ward, Shivraj Kumar Mahendra

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

University Of Central Florida Undergraduate Catalog, 2020 - 2021, University Of Central Florida

UCF Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Ramen And Peanut Butter: Food Insecurity At Lawrence University, Barbara Espinosa

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Food insecurity is a rapidly growing public health concern all over the world. Federal efforts to reduce food insecurity have shown themselves to be successful in providing lower income people with more access to food (Mabli and Ohls 2014), but they neglect some parts of the population, like college students (Davison and Morrel 2018). The prevalence of food insecurity among United States’ college students varies from 21% to 59% according to different studies, making the percentage of food insecure college students outstandingly larger than at the household level of 11% (Davison and Morrel 2018, Henry 2017). Chaparro et al. (2009) …

A Time Like No Other: 4-H Youth Development And Covid-19, Mary E. Arnold, Roger A. Rennekamp

Journal of Extension

In this thought leader commentary, we review the potential devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people, including trauma, impacts on mental health, socioemotional distress, and changes in academic learning. Stating that 4-H is uniquely positioned to mitigate these effects through intentional positive youth development efforts, we present a call to action for 4-H educators and Extension administrators as we move from initial reaction to recovery and beyond. We recommend four research-based strategies to ensure that youths not only survive, but thrive, in this time like no other.

Importance Of Adding Objective Data To Stakeholder Data In Needs Assessments, Jonathan J. Swinton, Tasha Killian, Paige Wray

Journal of Extension

When completing a needs assessment, Extension professionals should include both objective county data and stakeholder input data. Specifically, Extension professionals should identify potential areas of need, source available objective data, source data from relevant county stakeholders, and analyze similarities and differences in objective and stakeholder data. Needs assessments should be conducted in this manner to confirm the needs of a county; address risk of data skewed by subjective stakeholder opinion, particularly in small counties; and identify areas of greatest need. This method has been shown to be effective through implementation in a target rural county.

Reducing Depression And Anxiety With Equine Activities, Denise Todd

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Anxiety and depression are among the most popular mental health issues in the United States and across the globe, as many people continue to face personal, familial, and systemic challenges in their lives. It is believed that equine activities (those that involve interactions with horses) can play a significant role in alleviating anxiety and depression levels in adults. So far, however, the existing scholarship contains just a handful of studies supporting such a claim. Using a pre-experimental design, this study sought to extend the mental health literature by assessing the impact of equine activities on anxiety and depression among …

Professionals’ Perceptions Of Readiness For Providing Services To Sexually And Commercially Exploited Youth, Raeven Mayes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) is a social phenomenon that is affecting youth in large numbers. This qualitative research study focused on professionals’ perceptions of readiness to provide services to CSEC youth based on the professional training and experience they have acquired. The professionals' perceptions were gathered through the use of face-to-face interviews. Participants were debriefed following the interviews and their participation was terminated. The data gathered from the interviews was analyzed using a bottom up approach through the use of open and axial coding. The study found that many employees had a lack of training in regard to …

Educators' Barriers To Reporting Child Maltreatment, Miriam Figueroa, Mariaisela Maldonado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify educators’ perceptions of barriers to reporting child maltreatment. This study used a survey design with self-administered questionnaires. Sixty five teachers from a large southern California school district participated in the study. Quantitative and demographic data was collected using Linkedin and Facebook to recruit study participants. The questionnaires gathered information about their knowledge, training, experience, and professional responsibility regarding reporting suspected maltreatment.

This study found that most educators received training in reporting requirements and were able to spot signs of maltreatment. However, the study also revealed that some participants had a low comfort …

Barriers That Influence Hispanics Decisions To Access Mental Health Care Services, Carolina Peters

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Despite the existing research on barriers to mental health services among minority ethnic groups, little is known about the barriers to the access of mental health services among different Latino groups. This research attempted to understand potential barriers such as gender, income, and education, among Mexican’s and other Latino subgroups (Salvadorian, Puerto Rican, Honduran, and other). Through the gathering of quantitative data in the form of surveys, research defined that there are no significant findings in barriers to access mental health services among Hispanics. A limitation encountered was limited participation of Latino subgroups. Future studies can improve on this limitation …

The Challenges Of Acculturating In The Los Angeles County: Immigrants Of Latin American Countries, Melissa Saldana-Alvarez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study intends to identify the barriers that may impede new immigrants from successfully acculturating in the United States. The researcher collected qualitative data through audio-recorded face-to-face-interviews with the participants. Participants were recruited through a local agency that provides a number of services to immigrant in the community. Data collected was transcribed and analyzed for the development of categories of individual, family, group, organizational, and community involvement in the lives of new immigrants who attempt to acculturate in this country. The research findings reveal the need for mental health, medical, and educational services, and workshops about rights and laws in …

Are Social Work Services Provided To Deployed Military Families Adequate, Janet Walker

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study was initiated to discover if Social Work services are as prevalent as they should be for deployed service families and troops abroad. Previous studies seem to suggest that social workers are minimally portioned without a true dedicated purpose. This study determined through input from enlisted personnel and their families what social work services are available to deployed military personnel and their families.

Deployed enlisted personnel and their families have a unique experience that from time to time cause trauma, both physical and mental. Whereas in the past, trauma was experienced only by fighting men, today’s military is multi-gendered …

Mental Health Therapists' Views On The Challenges Latinos Face To Continue Services, Jessica Gutierrez, Elizabeth Casas-Valdovinos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors leading Latinos to withdraw from mental health services through the perspective of mental health therapists. This study employed a qualitative design and data were collected from face-to-face and phone interviews with 10 therapists from Riverside and San Bernardino County. The results of this study identified that Latino client’s low levels of mental health literacy contributed to a higher level of mental health stigma that led to premature withdrawal from services. The study also found that language barrier and job-related issues were major challenges Latino families faced in their continuation of …

Athletes With Mental Health Illnesses, Trenton Allmang

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus for this research study is to understand the development of mental health symptoms that result from sports engagement. Participating in sports for several years within different developmental stages of human life can increase the probability of identity conflict and mental distress. This study addresses the risk factors that contribute to the development of mental health illnesses from former athletes’ perspectives through qualitative research. The study includes former male and female participants ages 18 and older as well as their family members, friends, sports stakeholders, sports officials, coaches, social workers, and athletic training staff. This study was conducted from …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Mediation Orientation Programs For Child Custody Recommending Counseling, Arlene Trevizo, Ana Paulina Romero Baltazar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of a Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC) orientation program on encouraging parental agreements in child custody and visitation cases. We used qualitative research methods by interviewing CCRC counselors to identify common case factors involved in obtaining full agreements. The interview questions addressed commonly noted case factors, perspectives of the mediators in regard to tools used by parents from the orientation programs, and areas of potential enhancement to the orientation. Eight mediators were interviewed, and their interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed using conventional content analysis. As a result of this study, the themes that arose …

Extended Foster Care: Self-Sufficiency Needs In The Perspective Of The Youth, Miranda Renee Rubio, Carmen Covarrubias

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to analyze current and former foster youths’ experiences in the Extended Foster Care (EFC) program. The program was created to better support youths’ self-sufficiency needs for recipients ages eighteen to twenty-one. This vulnerable population continues to grow in the public child welfare system and research is limited on how recipients far after leaving EFC. Previous literature illustrates foster youth who exited the program struggled to transition into adulthood. Many youth faced challenges such as homelessness, unstable employment, and involvement with the criminal justice system.

The researchers conducted a qualitative study of seven participants’ …

The Impact Of Social Media On Mental Health: A Mixed-Methods Research Of Service Providers’ Awareness, Sarah Nichole Koehler, Bobbie Rose Parrell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The relationship between heavy use of social media and an increase in mental health disorders has long been established. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding mental health practitioners/providers’ responses to this issue. This mixed-methods research embraced two theoretical perspectives—Ecological Model and Generalist Intervention Model—toward determining the extent to which mental health practitioners/providers assess for the impact of heightened use of social media on mental health. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 95 mental health practitioners (N = 95) via Qualtrics.

Non-parametric tests and descriptive statistics showed that prior training, agency’s values, and credentials impact mental health …

General Internship Satisfaction As A Function Of Perceived Supervision Quality And Emotional Intelligence, Eva Huerta

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The current study utilized a quantitative design to investigate the extent to which MSW students’ general internship satisfaction (GIS) is related to their perceptions of supervision quality (SQ), and their emotional intelligence (EI). Participants were 53 individuals recruited from students enrolled in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program at an ethnically diverse Southern California university. Participants were required to be participating in their first or second year of field placement. An online survey solicited demographic information and participant responses to measurement scales for the three variables under investigation. Variable data were recorded on a 1-to-7 Likert scale, with comparatively …

The Use Of Self-Disclosure In Clinical Practice: Exploring Graduate Social Work Students’ Perceptions, Kevin Alsina

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The use of self-disclosure in clinical practice has been a controversial issue among professionals across many helping professions, including social work. The guidance on self-disclosure from the National Association of Social Workers, via its code of ethics, has been arguably vague. As a result, the topic remains ambiguous within the social work profession. Using a Grounded Theory approach, this study aimed to obtain the perceptions of 137 graduate social work students on the use of self-disclosure in practice. Through three major themes and six sub-themes, the results confirmed the lack of clarity pertaining to the use of self-disclosure in social …

Social Workers Fostering Higher Education Within Foster Youth, Magally Villarreal, Danahly Contreras Reyes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following research study examines foster youth and higher education, specifically focusing on the roles social workers do or might play in helping foster youth pursue higher education. The literature suggests that child welfare agencies have implemented programs for foster youth to be able pursue a higher education and for social workers to assist with the process, to improve foster youths’ educational outcomes. However, there continues to be a gap between foster youths’ aspirations and achievements.

This study uses a qualitative design, using in-depth interviews with social workers in Southern California. A snowball sampling method was used to recruit participants, …