Digital Commons Network^™

The Student Perception Of Student Support Services Provided By California State University Of San Bernardino (Csusb) On Social Work Students’ Outcomes At Csusb, Michael Times, Denise Darling

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Student supportive services assist students by providing academic and mental health support. Overall success fulfills academic requirements and supports mental well-being by providing students with techniques to maintain healthy social relationships during rigorous academic programs. The purpose of this research explores the benefits of student support services for social work students at California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB). The research conducted concluded if supportive services had a direct impact on overall success. Office of Institutional Research as CSUSB has conducted student surveys to assess student satisfaction with supportive services; however, prior research has never been completed per academic program. This …

Parentification: The Long-Term Effects On The Parentified Adult, Andrea Monique Armas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following is a quantitative study, with a sample of 71 adults, ranging from ages 18 to 60, to gather information about the effects of parentification in developing adults. Topics varied from parentification to trust and ethnic characteristics. There is a limited amount of information on the topic of parentification its effects on the developing adult which impact how professions in social services can help those who have experienced parentification. An online questionnaire was created through Qualtrics with 73 questions. The link was distributed through social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. The results showed the relationship between …

Can Social Workers Provide Access To Healthier Food Choices To Low-Income Families With Urban Farming, Nayely Chairez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Low-income communities have higher rates of being food insecure at some point in their lives which can lead to chronic illnesses and have an impact on mental health. Objectives: This research aimed to explore the following: (1) the impact of urban farming in low-income communities and (2) the roles social workers have in addressing food insecurity through urban farming. Methods: This study utilized a qualitative method of collecting data. Data was collected through one-on-one interviews with board members, volunteers, and community members from an urban farm organization. Interviews were conducted and recorded through the online platform …

Social Work Students’ Coping Strategies During The Covid 19 Pandemic, Margarita Bracamontes, Benjamin J. Johnson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social work college students experience unique challenges in their academic programs. The multidisciplinary nature of social work combined with challenging clinical practicums compounds the amount of stress social work students must cope with. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already difficult discipline to create new challenges for social work students. This quantitative study aimed to assess undergraduate and graduate social work students' coping strategies and perceived stress during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Brief COPE Inventory and Perceived Stress Scale. Active emotion-focused, avoidant emotion-focused and problem-focused strategies were analyzed to determine their effect on perceived stress. Results indicate that …

The Caregiver-Biological Parent Relationship’S Impact On Reunification, Karol Valencia Reynoso

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child welfare cases that require the removal of children from the parents require court involvement. Children in foster care are placed in a foster home. Foster caregivers are responsible for the daily care of the court Dependent meanwhile their parent(s) is participating in Family Reunification services.

Interviewing social workers with family reunification case work experience allowed for identification of common barriers or commonalities caused by the relationship between foster caregivers and biological parents. Visitations between the children and bio-parents are a great indicator of reunification likelihood based on the child-parent bond. The study was centered on child welfare social worker’s …

Loss Of Face-To-Face Interaction In Telehealth, Steven Lu

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Telehealth usage has increased dramatically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The loss of face-to-face interaction may have an impact on rapport building, noticing verbal and nonverbal cues, and attitudes towards telehealth which may negatively affect the quality of mental health services. The study aimed to determine if the loss of face-to-face interaction has any effect on the quality of mental health services through telehealth. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research method design using interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed to written form to analyze themes that were present. The study found that the loss of face-to-face interaction can influence rapport …

Identifying Perceptions And Factors Of Pursuing Higher Education In Former Foster Youth, Karina Alicia Galindo, Julissa Arielle Gonzalez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explores former foster youth’s perceptions and factors in pursuing higher education. Twelve participants provided insight on their experiences when in the foster care system that had impacted their pursuance of higher education. Many participants elaborated on their lives after aging out of the system, and how they navigated life as former foster youth. This was done through a self-paced audio recorded interview along with questions regarding demographics and information pertaining to the amount of time each individual spent in the foster care system.

This study’s findings were able to identify overarching themes on former foster youth, such as …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Life Outcomes Among Social Workers, Kazandra Dominique Farrell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) constitute a public health threat by increasing the risk of chronic health conditions in adulthood. This study asked two relevant questions: 1) How do social workers with a history of adverse childhood experiences deal with ACEs-related trauma? 2) What are factors influencing social workers' response to adverse childhood experiences-related trauma? Embracing a mixed-methods research approach, this study recruited a sample of 35 social work professionals (N = 36). Spearman Rho Correlation and Mann-Whitney U Test results show no statistically significant relationships between age, gender, ethnicity, education, social work experience and impact of social work on personal …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Social Workers’ Ability To Provide Services, Victoria Fuller

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

As the COVID-19 pandemic has widely impacted society, it significantly limited social workers in performing their work. This qualitative study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted social workers’ ability to provide services to their clients, to learn how they overcame obstacles, and what advice they would offer for future crises. The study provides future social workers and policymakers with the benefit of firsthand knowledge of barriers and adaptations discovered, in efforts to support vulnerable client populations. The data was collected through interviews of social workers who worked at human service agencies near the northern region of Los Angeles County, …

Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces): Role Of Emotional Intelligence On Psychological Distress, Ariana Romero, Sean Panganiban

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Currently, over 60% of adults in the U.S have suffered from at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE). The impact of ACEs on mental health and well-being has been immensely researched over the past couple decades. The current study aims to see how emotional intelligence impacts psychological distress among individuals who have experienced ACEs. Researchers conducted a quantitative study in which 3 surveys were administered to a group of 93 voluntary participants via Qualtrics on social media platforms. Participants completed the following surveys: BEIS-10 (Emotional intelligence measure), K-6 (psychological distress measure) and the ACEs questionnaire. Results found that there was …

Coping With The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In Southern California: A Qualitative Study Of Families In Poverty, Jaqueline Nunez Cruz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

There is a gap in the social welfare literature concerning the perspectives of low-income families about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives. This qualitative study contributes to the literature by exploring how families in poverty across Southern California survived the pandemic. Interviews were conducted with 10 heads of household (N = 10) to determine the impact of the pandemic and the strategies used to cope with the crisis. Thematic analysis of the data revealed five key themes: a) the devastating impact of the pandemic on low-income families, b) the use of various coping mechanisms by families, b) …

The Privatization Of The Prison System In The United States: A Comparative Study Of Rehabilitative Resources, Wendi Witherell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Facing high rates of mass incarceration and prison overcrowding, the United States of America seems to believe that the privatization of its prison system could be a viable solution to the aforementioned problems. Despite the increased incarceration rates of the past few decades, the gradual privatization of the prison system is an understudied area. It is therefore important to understand the rationale behind the movement away from the public sector toward the private sector. This cross-sectional study adopted three theoretical approaches—Models of Incarceration Theory, Political Explanation Theory, and Overcrowding Theory—in an attempt to determine such rationale. It was hypothesized there …

Coping Skills Amongst Social Workers, Sandra Quezada

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study used a questionnaire to identify coping behaviors and feelings of social workers dealing with work related stress. The purpose of this research was to identify the most used coping behaviors of social workers. Data was collected from thirty-six participants who had access to southern California social worker blogs. Findings were that over half (63.9) of participants used emotion focused behaviors such as “growing as a person” and “discuss feelings with someone” as a coping behavior. The findings contribute to coping research, but this research also identifies social workers as not using enough coping behaviors. Recommendations for social …

Homelessness In Southern California: A Look Toward Prevention, Briana Sanchez, Esmeralda Arellano

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Despite living in the richest country in the world, many individuals and families across the United States face the harsh reality of homelessness. A social phenomenon, homelessness has affected hundreds of thousands of people every year. The impact of homelessness has been detrimental across the whole country, including Southern California. This exploratory study raised two questions: (1) What are contributing factors to homelessness in Southern California? (2) How can homelessness in South California be prevented? Taking a qualitative approach, this study interviewed 15 participants, 10 social workers and 5 people living in/or having experienced homelessness (N = 15). Thematic analysis …

Social Workers’ Experiences During Covid-19, Maija Slisco

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify personal and professional challenges that social workers faced while working in-person with clients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This research utilized an exploratory qualitative design. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight participants. Participants were MSW postgraduates recruited through convenience sampling methods. Data was collected via in-depth interviews to identify universal challenges social workers experienced. Through thematic analysis of open coding, the following five semantic themes emerged: safety concerns/risks, ethical professional dilemmas, decreased ability to engage in self-care/increased acquisition of unhealthy habits, loss of connection, and emotional distress Through axial coding, it was found …

How Prepared Are Social Workers To Help Their Clients Diagnosed With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?, Isabel Marin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to understand the competence social workers have with diagnosing and treating OCD. The study is significant since there are many sufferers of OCD who are misdiagnosed. Researchers have found that over 50% of individuals with OCD have been misdiagnosed (Glazier et al., 2015). This study will be significant for all mental health workers including MSW graduates and Master in Social Work students. By understanding what social workers know or do not know about the mental illness OCD we are then able to understand what improvements need to be made in the field of …

Promoting Health Equity Among Racial And Ethnic Minorities During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alexandra Viramontes, Deserry Salgado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Racial and ethnic minorities experience disproportionate health outcomes during a pandemic, yet preparedness plans have failed to address the social determinants of health that produce the most severe impact. By examining social workers’ perspectives on the health disparities faced by racial and ethnic minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study provides insight into the ways in which services can be improved in a future health crisis. In this exploratory study, a qualitative approach was utilized where social workers were asked to participate in interviews consisting of open-ended questions. The qualitative data was obtained in the form of interview transcripts, which …

Impact Of Job-Related Stressors On Levels Of Compassion Fatigue, Curnishia Woodbury

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Compassion fatigue is an area of concern for direct practice social workers who engage with trauma material. This phenomenon has been deemed the cost of caring. The purpose of this study was to identify a relationship between job-related stressors such as caseload size, weekly supervision and job satisfaction and compassion fatigue. A total of 10 child protection social workers from various Southern California counties constituted the study sample. The Pearson Coefficient Correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between the identified variables. The findings revealed that there was a moderate correlation between caseload size and compassion fatigue as well …

Social Work Students Competency Addressing Sexual Health Needs Of Clients, Laken Beltran

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The contents of this study explored how competent social work students feel addressing sexual health issues with clients. Social workers could experience a multitude of problems when feeling incompetent and under-educated when helping clients with sexual problems. Various theories in the realm of social work and psychology alike see the person as a whole, with multiple facets contributing to whom the individual is. Sexual health, experiences, attitudes and sexuality are an integral part of what makes an individual who they are. A qualitative approach was utilized for this study which consisted of a 10-question interview for MSW students. This study …

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences In Social Work Students, Geraldine Mclean, Delacey Kim

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the following study is to explore and examine the connection between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and well-being of social work students at an undisclosed Southern California university. A quantitative study was conducted which included the responses from 89 students at the undisclosed university. Participants were administered two questionnaires via a Qualtrics online survey. One questionnaire measured the number of ACEs a participant had experienced in childhood. The second questionnaire measured the participant’s current level of well-being. The study’s results revealed that overall, social work students experience greater ACE scores as compared to the general population. However, despite …

To What Extent Do Gender Role Stereotypes Impact Mental Health Professionals’ Perceptions Of Men, Raeshema Holland

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Many people suffer from mental health disorders. Gender disparities in mental health treatment and research need to be continuously addressed to ensure that all individuals seeking emotional support receive adequate and competent care. This research focused on bringing awareness to men's neglected mental health needs. Results are discussed in the context of theories of social roles and ambivalence towards men. This study used social role theory and ambivalent sexism theory to explain best how western traditional gender norms can impact us all. Ambivalent sexism pertains to how our attitudes and beliefs can be shaped and are extremely complex. Ambivalent biases …

Systematic Literature Review: Culturally Appropriate Approach To Advance Care Planning For Ponca Tribe Elders, Priscila Soto Prado

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Advance Care Planning is understudied in Native American and Alaskan Natives communities. There is a strong need for further research on culturally adapting advance care planning (ACP) for indigenous communities. Specifically, for the Ponca Tribe, culturally adapting the ACP used would ideally increase the acceptance of ACP in that community. This systematic literature resulted in identifying four themes other tribes have utilized to culturally adapt their ACP, advance directive, palliative and/or end-of-life processes in an effort to increase completion rates. The four themes were involving the elders with the adaptation process, increasing education efforts and awareness of ACP and ADs, …

In Memoriam, Remembering Dean Phillip Blumberg, Richard S. Kay

Connecticut Law Review

Phillip I. Blumberg served as Dean of the University of Connecticut School of Law from 1974 to 1984. These remarks were first delivered to the University of Connecticut School of Law faculty at the Faculty Workshop held on November 10, 2021. They have been lightly edited for publication.

Pearl Chase And Thomas More Storke: Two Community Builders In Twentieth Century Santa Barbara, California, Jacqueline M. Zeledon

History Dissertations - Archive

Pearl Chase (1888-1979) and Thomas More Storke (1876-1971) are the main protagonists in this dissertation which analyzes Santa Barbara, California, and its twentieth- century development. These two individuals dedicated their lives to improving, maintaining, and preserving their unique city, as they supported—and often led—many architectural, civic, educational, environmental, and infrastructural projects. Chase and Storke were selected to headline this dissertation because they were excellent examples of community builders whose prolific endeavors resulted in many achievements. Some of these accomplishments have become Santa Barbara icons for which the city is known, such as its picturesque architectural style and a University of …

The Quality Of Primary Care Performance In Private Sector Facilities In Nairobi, Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Survey, Gulnaz Mohamoud, Robert Mash

Family Medicine, East Africa

Background: Integrated health services with an emphasis on primary care are needed for effective primary health care and achievement of universal health coverage. The key elements of high quality primary care are first-contact access, continuity, comprehensiveness, coordination, and person-centredness. In Kenya, there is paucity of informa- tion on the performance of these key elements and such information is needed to improve service delivery. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the quality of primary care performance in private sector facilities in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study using an adapted Primary Care Assessment Tool for the Kenyan context …

Health Disparities In Adults With Developmental And Intellectual Disabilities, Tulsi Patel

Nursing | Senior Theses

This paper reviews literature pertaining to the treatment of people with developmental disabilities. It will emphasize the inadequacies of health care in this population. The literature that will be discussed focuses on disparities in care via proxy, sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with disparities, assessing the needs of this population, the prevalence of disabilities in rural and urban settings, and the comparison of health disparities between adults with and without developmental disabilities.

For the purpose of this paper, a few terms will be defined. Developmental disabilities (DD) will be defined as “a group of conditions due to an impairment in …

The Racial Disparities In The Foster Care System As Explained By Professionals Working Within The System, Vanessa Wilson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Systemic racism leads to Black people being overrepresented in sectors of life such as poverty, homelessness, and incarceration. However, because of this same systemic racism, Black children in the United States are subjected to disadvantages in many aspects of life— one of which is foster care. Children raced as Black are two and a half times more likely than white children to be reported to Child Protective Services resulting in them entering the foster care system twice as often as white children (Miller, Cahn, and Orellana 2012). While past studies have examined the number of children in foster care that …

Hispanic Hoosiers: Ethnonym Use Among The Hispanic Population In The Midwest, Ericela Yetlanezi Sahagun

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study expands on previous research on one dimension of ethnic identity construction within the Hispanic community by considering ethnonym usage. A majority of the research on Hispanic identity in the U.S. has been conducted in the western region of the country. However, regional differences with varying concentrations of Hispanic populations can have a huge impact on ethnic identity and by extension, ethnonym adoption and usage. For many, ethnonyms are symbols of who a person is, how they perceive themselves, and how they want the world to perceive them. Previous studies have acknowledged the relationship between ethnic identity and ethnonym …

Enhancing Depression Screening For The Adolescent Population In The Pediatric Emergency Department By Utilizing The Patient Health Questionnaire: A Quality Improvement Project, Chelsea Alvarez

DNP Projects

Background:

Mental health disparities make up 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in people ages 10-19. Many cases of mental health are unidentified and left untreated. Failure to address mental health disorders in children can lead to poor outcomes of health and well-being. Evidence-based practice supports the utilization of screening tools such as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression screening in adolescents ages 12-18 years.

Objectives:

By implementing the PHQ-9 in the pediatric emergency department, the goals for this quality improvement project were to increase staff knowledge on the PHQ-9, improve staff screening compliance, and to …

Adolescent Connectedness: A Scoping Review Of Available Measures And Their Psychometric Properties, Ezra Too, Esther Chongwo, Adam Mabrouk, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Introduction: Adolescent connectedness, a key component of positive youth development, is associated with various positive health outcomes. Several measures have been developed to assess this construct. However, no study has summarized data on the existing measures of adolescent connectedness. We conducted this scoping review to fill this gap. We specifically aimed to: (i) identify the existing measures of adolescent connectedness, (ii) determine the most frequently used measures among the identified measures, and (iii) summarize the psychometric properties of these measures with a keen interest in highlighting their cross-cultural utility and validity.

Methods: We searched CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, PubMed, …