Digital Commons Network^™

Electronic Device Use: How It Affects The Well-Being Of Children And Adolescents, Sabrina Rodriguez, Amandalee Merryman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Electronic device use among children and adolescents is omnipresent. Literature suggests an inverse correlation between electronic device use and the overall well-being of children and adolescents. The current study employed an explanatory research design to explore the association between excessive device use and the well-being of children and adolescents. Researchers collected and analyzed quantitative data in the form of archival data from a local school district’s mental health department. A total of 50 participants, ranging from ages 5 to 17, were randomly selected from the 2018-2019 archived case files. The results of the study suggest that electronic device use has …

Foster Youth's Attachment Styles, Brenda Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This proposed study explored if there was a common attachment style taken on by foster youth. The study explored the types of attachments that are exhibited from foster youth through the perspective of a social worker. The results potentially had an impact on the practices that are used by social workers who have constant interaction with this vulnerable population.

The Effects Of Perceived Racism And Discrimination On The Mental Health Of Mexican And Mexican American Social Work Students, Karina Duque Sierra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has shown that experiencing discrimination and racism can have significant and negative effects on people’s mental health. Among those affected are Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a relationship with self-reported mental health of Mexican/Mexican American social work students and self-reported experiences with racism and discrimination. This quantitative study surveyed 101 participants who (a) identified as Mexican and or Mexican American, (b) were 18 years or older (c) enrolled in college, and (d) identified as either a BASW or MSW student. This study utilized a Qualtrics …

Theory And Diversity: A Descriptive Study Of Erikson’S Psychosocial Development Stages, Anastasiya Samsanovich

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Theories shape society and become a powerful influence on major social decisions. While society has changed over time, some theories—developed decades ago—have remained the same. Among them is the Psychosocial Development Theory developed in the early 1960s by German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst Erik Erikson. Because theories inform practice, it is important to assess their validity. Although widely used over the years and across many disciplines, this theory has not been adequately tested, as the body of scholarship that assesses its empirical contribution is relatively limited in scope. That is, to the researcher’s knowledge, no studies have been conducted under …

Which Interventions Do Social Workers Believe Are Most Effective When Working With Child Abuse Victims?, Ellen Davis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child abuse is often a very traumatic experience that can create long-lasting psychological and emotional effects for some individuals. Social workers often provide treatment services, such as therapy and/or case management services, with the goal of assisting child abuse victims in coping with and overcoming the negative impact of the trauma they’ve experienced. This study evaluates the types of interventions social workers utilize when working with child abuse victims, how the interventions address the resulting trauma of child abuse, which interventions social workers believe are most effective when working with this population, and why those interventions are believed to be …

Protective Factors In Parents Who Abuse Substances, Natalie Garcia Ramirez, Riana Melgoza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research explored the social workers’ perspectives of strengths and protective factors of parents who abuse substances and have history or involvement with public child welfare. The purpose of identifying protective factors in parents who abuse substances is to help mitigate safety risks for children.

The participants of the study are social service practitioners and supervisors with social service practitioner experience in public child welfare. Eight participants were sampled through purposive and convenience sampling. The researchers conducted in depth interviews with the participants to obtain qualitative data regarding their perspective of protective factors of parents who use substances. The participants …

Life Through The Eyes Of An Undocumented Immigrant In The United States, Yesenia Torres

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project focused on how undocumented immigrants experience their lives in the United States, taking in mind the multiple barriers that prevent them from integrating into the community. This research project surveyed the California State University of San Bernardino School of Social Work students who work or engage with undocumented immigrants. A positivism paradigm research design was used to obtain quantitative data of participant's knowledge of immigrants' past and present experiences while living in the United States. The study's goal was to bring mental health awareness to the well-being and emotional experiences during the resettlement and acculturation of undocumented …

Effectiveness Of Services And Interventions Provided To The Older Adult Population, Michelle Maldonado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The older adult population is set to increase enormously in the United States. With a larger older adult population, there will also be an increased demand for services. This study worked to identify the effectiveness of mental health services being provided to older adults. Given that service providers are often provided minimal resources, providing efficient services assists with purposefully allocating resources. The study used the post positivist paradigm. The researcher developed a set of questions and conducted phone interviews with mental health service providers of older adults. After transcription, qualitative data analysis was completed to identify meaningful connections. The data …

Ensuring Supportive Treatment For Crossover Youth In Child Welfare, Summer Ann Salinas, Sussana Mendoza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to identify which supportive services and treatments are aiding minority crossover youth in child welfare. Literature has stated that minority crossover youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system in comparison to their white counterparts. Literature has also stated that crossover youth make subsequent contact with the adult prison systems due to child welfare involvement and other factors. Factors including prolonged group home placements and lack of rapport with mental health providers. Mental health providers lacking cultural competence and trauma-informed practice can negatively impede crossover youth from learning positive, adaptive coping mechanisms that can …

The Complications When Working With Reactive Attachment Disorder, Susan Herberger, Regene Goens

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aimed to identify the challenges professional care providers face when working with foster youth experiencing Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). Using a qualitative data approach, the researchers interviewed ten professional care providers and performed a thematic analysis of their responses regarding clients with RAD. The study found that professional care providers find this diagnosis to be rare and have a unique set of challenges. The challenges include identifying the disorder and its origins, working with clients who have extreme mood changes, the labeling and stigma that comes with the diagnosis, building rapport and trust, and the inconsistency the children …

The Effectiveness Of Alcoholics Anonymous In Helping Adult Men Recover From Alcohol Use Disorder, Kenneth Aurthir Wiggins

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project explored the effectiveness of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12-Step recovery process among males ages 21 to 67 who have abstained from using alcohol for more than one year following residential treatment while using all the suggested AA 12-Step program concepts as their base. This study also examined males ages 21 to 67 that have been unable to maintain sobriety for a year or more following residential treatment while partially using the suggested AA 12-Step program concepts as a base. Participants in the study were enlisted from the recovery community in Southern California, and qualitative interviews were conducted …

To Be Or Not To Be Resilient: Barriers And Facilitators In Coping Skills In Adults Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence In Childhood, Sherri Schweiger

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study was designed to explore people’s experiences of domestic violence during their childhood, and how it has affected their resilience in adulthood. It is important to understand what factors contribute to resilience, especially in those who have faced hardships to better help the future generation become resilient and grow up to be healthy adults. Exploring why some people build resilience and not others will aid in identifying factors that influence coping skills. This paper examines interviews of people who had experienced domestic violence at a young age and how it has affected their adult life. The data …

Vicarious Trauma And Implications For Social Work Students, Maria Watts, Meosha Mcafee

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social Work students may experience vicarious trauma at some point in their lifetime. Throughout the course of social work students’ internship experiences and outside employment, the management of trauma exposure is a concern within the field of social work. There are very few studies that have been developed in providing a specific rate of vicarious trauma among social workers and have provided quantitative research on the subject. This research study asks: What intervention strategies do social work students implement to address their vicarious trauma? This research conducted a descriptive study that used a quantitative measure to obtain the findings for …

Understanding The Relationship Between Academic Burnout And Field Practicum Satisfaction, Maria Luisa Ramirez, Victoria Jakaub

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout is a topic of significant consideration in social work. The present study intended to generate findings to address the student burnout phenomenon and offer suggestive means for advancing social work practice through mediating factors. The research followed a descriptive quantitative study design that focused on investigating the relationship between academic burnout among MSW and BASW students and field practicum satisfaction. Self-administered surveys were administered using the Qualtrics system, and the statistical analysis was conducted using SPPS version 21. Findings indicated a moderate-high burnout effect among MSW and BASW students with a positive association with age and a decreased satisfaction …

Decreasing The Stress Associated With Completing An Online Master Of Social Work Program, Grant Horner

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research reveals that there are high attrition rates and additional stresses common among online programs. Using the positivist paradigm, this study identified the relationship between stress and certain factors associated with an online Master of Social Work program at a University in Southern California. Four hypotheses were tested to determine if a significant relationship existed between stress levels and the factors of social connection, employment, family status, and year in the program. The study did not find significant relationships between stress levels and the four factors. However, the study revealed relationships exist between social connection and stress levels, employment and …

Incarceration Effects On Attaining Higher Education For Formerly Incarcerated Youth, Francey Oliva, Daniela Garcia Robledo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Incarceration disrupts areas of a juvenile’s life on multiple levels, including personal, social, and educational. Incarceration can present many obstacles for youth who are in pursuit of furthering their education. This research project sought to assess if the five identified factors, including quality of precollege education, mentoring, reentry services, family supports, and socioeconomic status, played a role in adults, who were formerly incarcerated youth, pursuing higher levels of education. The study utilized an online survey to gather numerical data on the participant’s perception of how they believe these factors influenced them. A bivariate analysis was used to analyze if the …

Perception Of Mental Health Among The Latinx Community, Jessica Garcia, Erica Valdez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the perception of mental health among the Latinx community to identify factors contributing to the underutilization of mental health services. This exploratory study conducted qualitative interviews with 16 Latinx individuals. Participants were recruited through a non-probability snowball sampling method. Qualitative data analysis revealed themes, subthemes, and reoccurring concepts through three main focus areas: overall knowledge of mental illness and services, perception toward reasons for mental illness, and respondents’ feedback to increasing utilization of mental health services. Major themes that surfaced in this study on the perceptions toward mental illness reflected culture such …

The Utilization Of Mental Health Education In Schools For Prevention Not Just Intervention, Ashley Williams

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The prevalence of mental illness in adolescents is more extensive than in previous years. In schools, social workers have been utilized to address mental health episodes in students, however, they generally do not get involved until the adolescent’s mental health episode is critical and unmanageable without social support. This needs to change. The purpose of this research study is to assess for adolescent’s knowledge of mental illness and mental wellness. The targeted population is school-aged children in grades K through 12, however the respondents of the study were student educators due to the protected status of school-aged children. This study …

Perceived Maternal Stress, Coping Strategies, And Suggested Interventions In Caring For Children With Both Medical Complexities And Developmental Delays, Lisa Poff

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative study highlights caretaker stress and coping in mothers of children with complex medical needs in addition to developmental delays. Areas of stress were complex, affecting emotional health, careers, and even vacations. Burnout theory was utilized to address the increased stress levels in these mothers. However, this theory was supplemented with Stress and Coping theory after qualitative data analysis as there were other factors that allowed these mothers to persevere—in particular, a type of coping identified as “meaning-based coping,” where situations are positively re-appraised and ordinary events are imbued with positive meaning. The mothers expressed their desire for more …

Bridging The Gap Between Foster Youth And Higher Education: Perspectives Of Social Workers, Marielena Lozano

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research examined the perceptions of child welfare social workers in their role of supporting foster youth. Specifically, this study will focus on factors contributing to support for foster youth to obtain post-secondary education or vocational training.

This study utilized a qualitative research design. Data were collected from individual, semi-structured interviews with six volunteer participants in Southern and Northern California using a snowball sampling method. Throughout the interviews, the researcher asked current or former child welfare social workers to describe their perceptions and experiences in supporting foster youth in obtaining higher education.

The study found several themes related to the …

Native American Veterans And Mental Health: Culture Vs Modern Medicine, Willis Dean Torres Jr.

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aims to determine that, when it comes to mental health, are Native American veterans more inclined to utilize their cultural practices, or seek out modern Western medicine practices to attain mental wellness. The significance behind this research is to help future social workers and social service agencies better understand that perhaps when it comes to Native American veterans’ cultural practices should be taken into consideration when helping to try to attain mental wellness. The study will include interviews conducted with Native American veterans. The data will help to determine which types of practices are better suited for each …

Foster Youth And Components In Pursuing Higher Education, Ashley Teresa Garcia, Magdalena Anastassya Gonzalez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The foster youth population is at higher risk than the general population to not pursue or complete higher education. The literature review provided a stronger understanding of the different components that come with foster youth pursuing higher education and the different factors that play into preventing them from pursuing higher education. The purpose of this research study was to identify what services and/or supports have assisted foster youth in continuing to pursue higher education.

This study used a qualitative design and interviewed 10 former or current foster youth over the phone and through an online video call. The researchers provided …

Professional Quality Of Life Of Mental Health Practitioners Doing Trauma Work, Ashley Larios, Ana Campos Chagolla

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

A practitioner’s reaction to client trauma can have both positive and negative impacts on the individual’s professional quality of life as well as the quality of services provided to the client. Professional quality of life embodies a practitioner’s compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious trauma. While past research has focused on factors that negatively impact professional quality of life, the proposed research aimed to explore what individual and agency factors help to positively increase professional quality of life. The study utilized a mixed methods approach, which included the participants scores on the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) as …

Familismo And It’S Impact On Anxiety In Latino Young Adults, Ashley M. Yoder, Maria A. Romero

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study is to address the effects of familismo on anxiety levels for Latino adults. In this study, the research takes a deeper look into the cultural aspects of familismo and the increased levels of anxiety for the Latino population. This study defines familismo through the concepts of honor, support, interconnectedness, and subjugation of self for family. This study defines the Latino population as individuals from the Caribbean, South America, and Central America. The concept of familismo needs to be addressed due to the lack of knowledge in social work of this area, as it …

Psychosocial Challenges On Latinx Caregivers, Brenda Perez, Ingrid Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the research disclosed in this study is to describe the experiences and hardships caregivers in the Latinx community face. In order to understand the psychosocial challenges that Latinx caregivers experience, the study compared Latinx to non-Latinx caregivers in order to answer the question, “What psychosocial challenges do Latinx caregivers experience?” A convenience sample of twelve caregivers were interviewed. The qualitative approach used in this study allowed a better insight into the problem which could bring public awareness and provide better resources to this population. The exploratory study was directed by a series of questions which were open-ended …

Mental Health Among The Latinx Population, Jocelyn Mendoza Sierra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health in the Latinx community has been stigmatized for several years. In the Latinx community mental health is disregarded and oftentimes not addressed and overlooked by immediate family members. The purpose of this study is to address the reason why people do not access mental health services. The methods used in this study consisted of a qualitative approach and participants were asked open ended questions. A total of eleven participants (N=11) were gathered and consisted of both female and male participants who identify as Latinxs. The key findings from this research indicate that seeking mental health services was viewed …

Child Abuse Awareness And Prevention Programs In Elementary Schools: An Educators' Perspective, Sara Headen

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project focuses on educators’ perceptions regarding implementing a child abuse awareness and prevention program in elementary schools. Participants for this project were teachers who were recruited from an elementary school located in Southern California. This project was completed using a qualitative data gathering method. Interviews were conducted and recorded through a video conferencing software program. The data gathered from the interviews was then transcribed and analyzed. The study found that all the participants were in support of implementing a child abuse awareness and prevention program in elementary schools. Concepts related to educator’s perception included their experience reporting child …

Mental Health Services For Detained Youth, Arlene Padilla, Vanessa Salcedo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

On any given day thousands of youth are detained in a juvenile detention facility in the United States as a result of involvement in the juvenile justice and criminal system. Youth’s access to resources such as mental health services are often impacted by this. Therefore, the researchers of this study have analyzed the youth’s utilization and access to behavioral health services within the juvenile halls of Riverside County. Using a quantitative method, the researchers found statistically significant differences between the utilization of services from the 2015-2016 fiscal year to that of 2019-2020. Additionally, the researchers provided implications and recommendations. The …

Social Worker’S Adjustment And Perception When Dealing With Double-Exposure During A Natural Disaster, Magaly Santos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Limited research captures the perceptions and adjustments of social workers living and providing treatment in the same communities during a disaster. Few studies have captured the stressors and responsibilities put on social workers during an ongoing disaster. This paper reports the findings of the double-exposure captured using a qualitative approach in collecting interviews from nine mental health professionals who continued working during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A constructivist paradigm was used to capture each participant’s reality. Participants described the sudden change to remote work as difficult when having to find the balance between work and life demands, providing …

Covid-19 Impact On Lifestyle And Psychosocial Issues, Ayana M. Smith, Bessie Josephine Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

COVID-19 is a pandemic that hit the United States recently in early 2020 affecting individuals with regards to behavior, healthcare, education, recreation and social interaction, and employment and economic impact. The purpose of this study was to survey San Bernardino residents to identify, describe, and evaluate the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on their lives to understand their needs and to plan for future pandemics. This exploratory study used a qualitative method to collect data from 12 respondents in video interviews. A major finding was that, regarding behavior, most if not all participants had behavior changes to comply with Centers for …