Digital Commons Network^™

Mindfulness And Burnout Among Social Workers, Erick Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout is a negative psychological response to workplace stress, and it manifest as emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a decrease in personal accomplishment. Experiencing burnout leads to physical health problems such as headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and respiratory problems. Social workers have been identified at high risk for developing burnout due to a high number of caseloads, limited supervisory support, and because they often work with clients with complex social situations. Burnout among social workers leads to high turnover rates, negatively impacts the quality of services, and adversely affects therapeutic relationships. Previous studies have examined the efficacy of mindfulness interventions on burnout …

Five Influential Factors That Can Impact A Client- Social Worker Relationship During Reunification, Desiree Alfaro

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project examined the client-worker relationship to examine whether five factors related to engagement positively or negatively affected family reunification. Qualitative data were gathered during face-to-face interviews with seven Parent Partners who currently work in the field of child welfare and witness daily interactions between social workers and their clientele; this third-party- perspective is based on their interactions during which they assist clients with information, guidance, and support during the reunification process. These interviews were transcribed and then coded using directed content analysis to confirm whether these five dimensions of engagement were present in their child welfare cases.

Based …

The Role And Impact Of Long-Term, Faith-Based Reentry Programs After Incarceration, Louie John Martinez, Rebecca Graf

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this exploratory study is on individuals who have completed long term, faith-based reentry programs after incarceration. Through one-on-one interviews with participants, this study will examine the impact that long-term, faith-based treatment programs have had in helping persons with a criminal past re-acclimate back into society. As more reentry programs focus on skills-based treatment only, this study seeks to explore the integration of faith and spirituality in long-term faith-based treatment programs in conjunction with other treatment modalities. This study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the critical elements necessary to help individuals overcome their past and collateral …

Factors Leading To Foster Youth Obtaining Higher Education, Stephen Burwell, Keyln Leeker

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Former foster youth face many challenges in obtaining higher education. This research project gathered data through face to face, qualitative interviews with seven former foster youth and two former child welfare workers. The purpose of this study was to identify various contributing factors that the participants identified as positive or negative reasons for obtaining higher education.

This study utilized an interview questionnaire, using open ended questions to gather personal insight and develop a better understanding from the perspectives of the nine participants. Each former foster youth shared their own personal experiences of being in the foster care system. Both former …

Exploration Of Pet Ownership Related To Stress In Social Work Students, Aly Vancil

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The problem statement is: Does pet ownership contribute to social work student’s mental health as indicated by stress levels? The significance of this study is that further studies must be conducted in order to determine if there are long term benefits between human and animal interactions. In the research, there are many limitations that we explore because each study was done on a specific campus, or on a selective study body, or on an animal owner or non-animal owner. The research design used for the study was a quantitative survey design on Qualtrics that was sent to all the students …

Social Work Graduate Students Self-Reported Knowledge Of Treatment Options For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Kerry Morgan

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Students who study to obtain the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree will undoubtedly serve clients with histories of family violence, chronic or terminal illness, immigration, racism, mass violence/terrorism, or even natural disasters. With the theme of trauma being ever prevalent in their internships and work, it is important to consider the perceptions that MSW Students have about PTSD treatment modalities and exploring their interests in expanding their knowledge about PTSD. A selection of MSW students were asked questions about their knowledge and interest in treatment options for PTSD. The results showed a diverse variation of knowledge for the seven …

Serving And Protecting People With Mental Illness And/Or Developmental Disabilities: An Evaluation Of The Los Angeles Sheriff Department’S Field Operations Crisis Intervention Skills Program, Veronica Plascencia, Melissa Mcdonald

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT The Los Angeles Sheriff Department’s Field Operations Crisis Intervention Skills (FOCIS) program is a collaborative effort aimed at preparing law enforcement officers for crises that involve individuals with severe mental illness and/or developmental disabilities. That is, the ultimate goal of the program is to train officers to serve, protect, and build connections with the community’s most vulnerable citizens. Embracing a pre-experimental design, this study assessed the effectiveness and applicability of the FOCIS program among 53 law enforcement officers in Los Angeles County. Findings from non-parametric analyses revealed that the FOCIS training increased officers’ knowledge on mental illness and developmental …

Recovery Oriented Services And Engagement In Psychiatric Services, Graciela Arzola, Mayra Beas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focused on individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition and are currently engaged in mental health services in the local community. The research question was to determine if a correlation exists between individuals who participate in recovery-oriented services and the rate of engagement to psychiatric services. The research was a descriptive study design. The data gathered was quantitative as it is based on survey data which was selected using snowball sampling. The researchers reviewed 72 surveys administered to mental health professionals at outpatient mental health clinics throughout Southern California. Using the Pearson coefficient test, the …

Disproportionality Of African American Children In The Child Welfare System: Social Workers' Perspectives, Estelita Abigael Hassler, Acacia Gretchen Lovett

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

African American children are detained at quadruple the rate in comparison to other ethnic groups within the child welfare system. This overrepresentation has been a controversial topic for decades. This study presents caseworkers’ perceptions as to the reasons for the disproportionality.

The literature review revealed that African American families have unequal access to resources and opportunities and outcomes. That is, their length of stay in foster care is prolonged and the reunification process is also longer.

This qualitative study involved face-to-face interviews with 12 caseworkers with past and current experience in two California county child welfare agencies. The interview …

Fresh From The Fight: The Transition Into Civilian Life, Robert Harris, Keena Carter

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

While research regarding stigma in mental health can be found and studied with ease in today’s research, the specification on how stigma impacts the population of athletes is not as heavily researched. Through this research project the question of how stigma impacts an athlete’s willingness to receive mental health services was answered. There are not many athlete specific programs, services, or even questions on assessments for athletes in the field today. This study shows the ways athletes are impacted from mental health issues, and provide some light on ways stigma impacts these struggles. This was found through the use of …

Bullying Hurts, Katrina Marie Gonzalez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research projects purpose was to research the prevalence of bullying/harassment in schools in a city within the Inland Empire. The city is left confidential to protect the confidentiality of study participants. The researcher utilized the post positivist approach to guide the research processes. The study was completed through interviews with parents which contained qualitative questions. The researcher will create a webpage that’s link was posted to Facebook city sites. This website lead to a more private location where research participants were able to gather more information about the study and sign up to participate.

The research participants needed to …

The Effects Of Eating Disorders And Body Dissatisfaction On School Achievement, Briana Ribota

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Eating disorders are no longer an invisible phenomenon. Eating disorders are caused by a multitude of factors which include a combination of biological, environmental abnormalities, and/or psychological, such as: nutritional deficiencies, sexual abuse, poor self-esteem, trauma, and/or social pressure (Strother et al., 2012). These food related issues can cause embarrassment and pain, along with severely jeopardizing one’s health if not recognized and treated (Strother et al., 2012). As a result of the complexities of eating disorders, young adults are annihilated with managing life impediments rather than focusing on academic achievement. A qualitative post positivist study will be conducted by interviewing …

Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Asynchronous Online Discussions As A Supplement To Face To Face Interactions: A Meta Review, Rachel Lisa Worrell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Today’s technological age is evolving students away from the traditional classroom model with over three million students exclusively enrolled in online classes (Classes and Careers, 2018) with many online courses attempting to provide an online educational experience that parallels a traditional face to face (f2f) model. Researchers have deduced that there is no significant difference between online and f2f courses.(Johnson et al., 2000; Nguyen, 2015) however, modifications must be made due to the differences in the delivery modes of instruction. Asynchronous online discussion forums can be an effective tool for improving student learning outcomes (Green et al., 2014; Tony Bates, …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Services To Combat Homelessness At A Southern California Rescue Mission, Cody Cheyenne Kennedy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study was to examine the effectiveness of the services provided at a Southern California rescue mission aimed at combating homelessness in the region. The Constructivist paradigm was used to examine the relevant services provided at this facility. The integrated approach is optimal to provide comprehensive service. Because of this, Functional Theory was the preferred theoretical orientation for this study. Participants were selected though critical case and maximum variation sampling. Data was gathered through questions asked by the researcher, and data analysis occurred using open coding. Findings supported the effectiveness of a comprehensive approach to combat homelessness which incorporates …

What Affects Adult African American Males’ Use Of Mental Health Services?, Nicole Reyes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project examined barriers that affect adult African American males’ use of mental health services because existing research suggests that they frequently experience barriers to obtaining mental health services. Data were gathered through interviews with ten adult African American males on their perspective about their barriers to mental health service use such as socioeconomic disparities, misunderstanding of mental health services due to stigma, a religious or spiritual aspect, inability to access the proper professional services, and overall cultural competence in comparison to other non-African American counterparts who have obtained mental health services.

This research study used a qualitative research …

Lifetime Interpersonal Victimization Profiles And Mental Health Problems In A Nationally Representative Panel Of Trauma-Exposed Adults From The United Kingdom, Ruby Charak, Maria Louison Vang, Mark Shevlin, Menachem Ben-Ezra, Thanos Karatzias, Philip Hyland

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Traumatic event exposure has been associated with negative psychological outcomes. There is, however, a dearth of research on revictimization. The current study examined patterns of lifetime interpersonal victimization based on six types of childhood maltreatment, physical and sexual assault, and assault with a weapon during adulthood via latent class analysis (LCA), with gender as covariate. Using a three‐step approach, we assessed differences across the latent classes in symptoms and diagnosis of depression, anxiety, and DSM‐5 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A trauma‐exposed adult sample representative of the United Kingdom population (N = 1,051) was recruited online through a research panel. …

Working With The Homeless Population: An Exploratory Study Of Graduate Social Work Student’S Confidence And Willingness, Ana Rosa Ortiz, Mariam Kiara Lowe

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Homelessness is a multilayered problem that affects hundreds of thousands of people across the United States. The social work profession cannot rest on its laurels when large numbers of individuals and families suffer due to a lack of shelter, a necessity. Historically, social work was at the vanguard of interventions against homelessness. However, over the past 30 years or so, the profession arguably has shifted its focus toward micro practice. As a result, macro issues such as poverty and homelessness have received comparatively less interest in the field. Using an exploratory design, this study examined factors associated with level of …

Cultural Humility: Racial Disparity And Disproportionality How It Relates To Child Welfare And Mandated Reporter Training And Preparedness, Jennifer A. Perry, Ashley L. Castro

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The research problem was mandated reporters’ in a public assistance setting and child welfare social workers’ perception of cultural humility and cultural training. The research proposed that the lack of cultural humility training for both mandated reporters in public social service sectors and child welfare social workers has an impact of on the disparity and disproportionality in child welfare cases. A critical theory approach was adopted, and qualitative data was collected via face-to-face interviews. A snowball sampling strategy was used to select study participants. Study findings suggested that there is a cultural humility training provided to child welfare social workers, …

Removing Barriers To Mental Health Service Utilization For Individuals With Sensory Impairments, Kery Silva

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The present study explored common themes and barriers associated with mental health service utilization among people with sensory impairments. The ultimate goal is to promote social workers’ preparedness to serve individuals with sensory disabilities. This study is significant considering that (1) a large proportion of people with sensory disabilities do not receive mental health services and (2) there is a paucity of studies within the field of social work that examine barriers to mental health services for the aforementioned population. In this qualitative study, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 professional social workers (N =14) who have direct experience …

Social Workers' Knowledge And Experience Working With Mixed Race Youth And Families, Ashley R. Bennett, Mellissa M. Duchesne

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of social workers’ knowledge and experience in working with mixed race youth and families. The literature review suggested that biracial and multiracial individuals struggle with identity issues, along with several barriers that affect their interactions with social workers, and the social workers’ abilities to provide services for mixed race clients. The literature review also discussed the public's perception of social workers in dealing with minorities, most of which included the notion that social workers are biased. The literature review also discussed the use of technology in child welfare, and …

Theorizing Racial Microaffirmations As A Response To Racial Microaggressions: Counterstories Across Three Generations Of Critical Race Scholars, Daniel Solórzano, Lindsay Pérez Huber, Layla Huber-Verjan

Seattle Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Rwu Law News: The Newsletter Of Roger Williams University School Of Law 06-2020, Roger Williams University School Of Law, Michael M. Bowden, Katie Mulvaney

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

The Dark Triad And Honesty-Humility: A Preliminary Study On The Relations To Pornography Use, Peter Muris, Henry Otgaar, Cor Meesters, Eirini Papasileka, David Pineda

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The present article reports on a preliminary study exploring the relationships between Dark Triad (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy) and honesty-humility personality traits and pornography craving and deviant pornography use in a sample of 121 participants (46 men and 75 women) who completed an online survey. Narcissism and psychopathy were positively related to pornography craving and deviant pornography consumption, while honesty-humility appeared to be negatively associated with these pornography-related variables. Furthermore, the data suggested that these relationships were only present in men and not in women. While the current results should be interpreted with caution in the light of a number of …

Barriers To Sexually Exploited Cambodian Women Integrating Into Churches: Perspectives Of Sexually Exploited Women And The Christian Community, Tricia J. Hester, Sopheak Kong, Glenn M. Miles

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The aim of this cross-sectional study is two-fold. First, it investigates the barriers experienced by sexually exploited Cambodian women when integrating into Christian churches. Second, it explores pastors’ perspectives towards sexually exploited women integrating into churches. A mixed-method approach to data collecting was designed. Participants’ answers were gathered by the staff of a faith-based non-governmental organization (NGO) in Cambodia that assists women in exiting the commercial sex industry. The concept of spirituality is important to distinguish, within the context of this study, because it has been found within research to play a meaningful and relevant role in the (re)integration process. …

Supporting Survivors Of Public Mass Shootings, Rebecca G. Cowan, Craig Blum, Gary Szirony, Richard J. Cicchetti

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Mass casualty incidents, particularly mass shootings, are a serious issue in the United States. These incidents have increased over the past two decades and more than 32 public mass shootings have occurred since 2016, with approximately 12.8 incidents occurring each year. Since 1966, there have been over 1,202 fatalities and countless injuries due to public mass shooting incidents. Therefore, it is essential that professional counselors are equipped to treat primary, secondary, and tertiary victims of these incidents. The purpose of this article is to examine the current literature on public mass shootings, including psychological consequences, treatment considerations, ethical and legal …

Therapist Effects On Dropout In Couple Therapy, Kwin L. Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the strong efficacy of couple therapy, many couples still do not benefit from treatment. Marriage and family therapy scholars have argued that therapists play a crucial role in the delivery of successful couple therapy, yet little research has documented that the therapist in couple therapy has a significant impact on outcomes. Known as the study of therapist effects, this study sought to assess the amount of variance attributed to the therapist in couple therapy outcomes. Using dropout as the outcome variable, this study analyzed data from 1192 couples treated by 90 therapists at a university-based training clinic. Results from …

Implementation Of Naptip Policy In Nigeria, Usman Usman Mika’Il

Student Works (2020-2029)

Human trafficking is a complex, clandestine and a global issue involving countries, as a source, transit or destination nations. Nigeria has been a severe source country. The exploitation of young females into sex trafficking in Nigeria is highly prevalent than other types of trafficking in the country. Fortunately, the government shows willingness and readiness to fight human trafficking. In this context, the passage of the first private bill saw the establishment of a National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and other related matters in the year 2003. The NAPTIP Act is the primary policy document dealing …

Behavioral Health: Summary, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Critically Appraised Topics

No abstract provided.

Using Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral To Treatment To Address Problematic Alcohol Use At A University Student Health Center, Tajuane H. Dockery

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Problematic drinking is a public health concern on college campuses. College students who do not have their risky drinking behaviors addressed are at greater risk for developing Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Despite known risks associated with drinking on college campuses, many college health centers miss an opportunity to address these behaviors because they lack a systematic process for identifying students at risk and referring them for treatment. This evidence-based project evaluated the effectiveness of using Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) to identify students with risky drinking behaviors and the impact the screening process had on facilitating a referral …

Telehealth For Transition Age Youth And Young Adults: Privacy, Emotional Safety And Welfare During Covid-19 And Beyond, Maria Hermsen-Kritz

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

The past few months have seen a boom in the use of telehealth for providing mental health services as agencies and providers rapidly adapt to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with this has come a proliferation of guidance documents and tip sheets on responsibly engaging clients in telehealth.

The tips that follow provide options for protecting the emotional safety, privacy and welfare of transition-age youth and young adults while they are participating in virtual mental health care. These were compiled over the course of several conversations with providers currently working with this population, including youth peer support …