Examining Homelessness And Its Effects On Functioning Among Foster Care Alumni, Silvia Romero

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Homelessness among foster youths is so dire that understanding the impacts of homeless among this population is imperative. The aim of this study was to examine the nature of homeless using a subsample from the Inland Empire and to examine the effects of homeless on their functioning in the following domains: understanding and communication, mobility (getting around), self-care, getting along with others, life activities (work/school), and participation in society. Methods: This descriptive study used a cross-sectional design to gather quantitative data to examine the frequency, duration, and effects of homelessness. Participants were former foster youth between the …

Don't Say Gay: How Laws Are Tools For Hate, Discrimination, And Violence, Christina Hartman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

American society teaches the narrative that the law is preeminently fair and just. The law is not now and never has been a bulwark for the rights of the marginalized, voiceless, or those who remain powerless. Instead, states effectively wield law to alter the social meaning behind thought patterns and behavior—whether through the writing of new laws, passing of new laws, or the disregarding of current laws—to mobilize a large population to accept a group as different or other. Florida’s 2022 “Don’t Say Gay” law is an example of that method aimed at the LGBTQ+ community and part of a …

The Impact Of Transformational Leadership And Workplace Relationships On Employee Burnout And Their Correlation To Turnover Intention And Organizational Commitment, Teni Davoudian

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Organizations are built through the contributions of their employees, which is why when employees leave, organizations suffer a significant loss. This can be foreseen by an employee’s level of organizational commitment and burnout which contribute to turnover intention. Measures can be taken to reduce burnout through nurturing leadership and the development of healthy workplace relationships. The purpose of this study is to examine the respective relationship between transformational leadership and workplace relationships on turnover intention and organizational commitment with interest in the mediating role of employee burnout. Leadership has a strong influence on individuals and organizations. It largely contributes to …

Preserving Placement For Children With Behavioral Issues: A Qualitative Study Of Child Welfare Social Workers In The United States, Jessica Katelyn Quin, Tara Belle Beam

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Children in foster care experience complex trauma that puts them at risk for frequent placement changes. Such changes can have a negative impact on child welfare social workers’ job performance. This exploratory study identified areas that need to be addressed for social workers to meet expectations for placement preservation. More specifically, this qualitative study explored the perceptions of child welfare social workers’ competence and confidence regarding placement stability for foster children who have behavioral issues. Interviews were conducted with seven child welfare workers across three states: California, Nevada, and Texas (N = 7). Thematic analysis procedures revealed the following six …

The Impact Of Social Media Use On Social Isolation And Mental Health Among Young Adults, Mariana Romo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social media use has become part of the everyday routines of society. It is very common to see people, especially young adults, be involved in more than one social media platform. It is also known that because of the features of social media less in-person interactions are required, which brings up the question of whether people feel more lonely or socially isolated with the increased use of social media platforms. Due to this increasing attachment to the use of social media and its possible relationship with social isolation and loneliness it is important to understand if there are any implications …

Examining The Relationship Between Technological Skills And Success In Higher Education Among Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Ebony Cubias

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and purpose: Research has tended to focus on the outcomes of how digital inclusion for incarcerated individuals has helped reduce the rate of recidivism rather than the success rate in higher education for formerly incarcerated individuals. This study was implemented to examine the relationship between technological skills and academic achievement amongst formerly incarcerated individuals in higher education. Methods: This observational study used cross-sectional data from participants recruited from Project Rebound in California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB). Participants were recruited using purposive sampling method. Students who participated were over the age of 18, formerly incarcerated, and currently enrolled in …

Effects Of Corporal Punishment On Parents, David Martinez, Linda Saleh Borghol

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

There has been limited research regarding the effects of corporal punishment on parents. This qualitative study examined the effects of corporal punishment on parents and the reasoning behind their particular discipline practices. The study provides an overview of the thoughts and emotions parents feel before and after utilizing corporal punishment. The data were collected through interviews of parents who utilized corporal punishment as their main form of discipline. We interviewed parents through Zoom meetings in order to gather data that would help this study. Researchers interviewed eight parents who expressed the effects they experienced from utilizing corporal punishment. Analysis of …

Safety Organized Practice Training And Implementation In Central California, Alison Lucado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focused on the macro level implementation of the Safety Organized Practice framework for best practice in Child Welfare social work. Safety Organized Practice is a social work framework for engagement with families that is used in California and various other states. It is a relatively new approach to social work in Child Welfare so many agencies are in various stages of implementation. This study gathered qualitative data through virtual interviews with social workers.

The key findings of this study were that Safety Organized Practice implementation needs to start at the supervisor and management level to ensure social workers …

Aged Out Youth's Perception On The Needs Of Emancipated Foster Youth, Linda Murillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

For youth who turn eighteen years of age while they are in the foster care system, turning eighteen can mark the start of a difficult struggle. Foster youth face housing instability, financial insecurity, struggle to obtain a higher education, health insurance insecurity and a higher risk of arrest than youth not in foster care. This research study seeks to assess how effective current policy is at meeting the needs of foster youth aging out of the foster care system and transitioning into young adulthood. At the micro-level this study helps social workers effectively implement transition plans with their clients and …

The Role Of Sharks In The Human Ecological Systems Of Isla Cedros, Baja California, Alyssa Canoff

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Remains of sharks are found worldwide in various archaeological contexts, but generally, the relationships between humans and sharks have been rare research topics. This thesis will present and discuss the shark remains found during the archaeological investigations at Isla Cedros, an island off the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula. I will discuss the distinct species of sharks in the assemblage, the types of remains, the contexts they were found in, and incorporate what is known about each species to interpret the diverse types of relationships humans have with sharks at Cedros. By incorporating human-behavioral ecology and symbolic behavior …

Asian Discrimination: In The Field Of Social Work, Sunghay Cho

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research explored how anti-Asian rhetoric influences the work experiences and lives of Asian American (A.A.) social workers. This is a qualitive, exploratory study that used a non-probability, convenience sample, and snowball technique for sampling, and interviews with participants via Zoom who identified as Asian American and who had completed their master’s degree in social work. It was found that different types of anti-Asian rhetoric influence Asian American social workers’ own expectations of themselves, their mindset, creates fear, and even sets limitations. It was also found that immigration status/generation (first/second generation) has an influence on their experiences as well. This …

Services Available In The Mixtec Community And The Barriers To Those Services, Currie Bailey Carmon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: While outreach and services continue to expand within marginalized communities, this research aims to identify services accessible to the Mixtec population within the North County of San Luis Obispo and identify the barriers to accessing those services. Methods: This study was conducted by interviewing service providers 18 years or older, who work within the Mixtec community in the private sector, child welfare services and within the school settings. The researcher utilized the post positivist paradigm, and data was gathered through semi-structured Zoom interviews with the service providers. Results: The study sample featured 6 participants who work within the Mixtec …

Students' Educational Outcomes For Hybrid Msw Program, Carolina Profeta

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed post-secondary social work program mode of learning throughout the nation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social work program transitioned from in-person to hybrid a modality. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of the social work program’s hybrid modality on students’ learning outcomes. Specifically, this study will examine participants’ cognitive presence, perceived effectiveness, and student perceptions. This study is important, as there is no research on social work program’s hybrid modality on students’ learning outcomes. This is a quantitative study and uses online surveys to gather results. The ANOVA and chi …

Staff Turnover In Child Welfare, Maleena Flores

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The turnover rate amongst child welfare workers is an ongoing problem that has yet to find a durable solution. Past studies have examined factors that contribute to workers’ intention to leave and factors that may impact that decision. Purpose: This study explored this issue from the perspective of present and former child welfare workers in southern California counties by examining the relationship between turnover intention and psychological safety. Methods: This observational study used a cross sectional design to gather quantitative data via self-report through an online survey. Pearson product-moment correlation analyses were performed to examine the relationships between psychological …

The Relationship Between Mental Health And The African American Academic Experience, Adelola Ige

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between mental health and the African American academic experience.

Parent-Child Attachment When Parenting A Child With A Disability, Giulianna Zocchetti

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Parent-child attachment is a commonly researched topic, but parent-child attachment when a child has a disability has received limited attention in the literature. This study seeks to examine the impact of parenting a child with a disability on parent-child attachment. This study was conducted on a Facebook forum that posts about parenting with children who have developmental disabilities.

This research study used a variety of methods and procedures. First, this study was conducted using quantitative methods. The research used a self-administered survey on the platform SurveyMonkey. The study used snowball sampling to recruit participants. To analyze the data, descriptive and …

Promoting Resilience For Children In Foster Care, Brenda Lara

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Many children enter the child welfare foster system every year and spend a significant amount of time in this system. While in foster care, many children experience stress and trauma. Trauma and adversity have been found to have a significant negative impact on children’s future success and well-being. Resiliency becomes important when combatting trauma experiences. This study looked at how child welfare social workers play a role in promoting resilience for children in foster care. The purpose of this study was to explore and highlight positively impactful resilience building child welfare social work practices from the perspective of former foster …

Increasing Teacher Awareness Of Mental Health In Children, Sarah Alexis Cortes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health issues in school-aged children have become a larger issue especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Because children spend a large amount of time in a school setting, it is important to utilize teachers to assist in preventing, recognizing, and supporting mental health issues in their students. This can be difficult however, when many states throughout the United States of America, have little to no requirements for mental health training in both their credential programs and their school districts. This can leave teachers feeling less comfortable and lack an understanding of how to prevent, recognize, and support, student mental health …

How Has The Covid-19 Pandemic Impacted Clients Of The Early Development Center, Daniella Loera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The research project explored the impact of factors that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and families and children in the early development center, resulting in a decrease of child attendance. This research sought to analyze the impacts in one community to prepare for future national emergencies across different communities. The study was conducted with clients of a non-profit organization that offers services through their early development center for ages six weeks to five years old. Data was obtained through survey responses from participants to analyze their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses were analyzed through statistical analysis using SPSS. The …

Services For American Indian/Alaska Natives Foster Youth Victims Of Sexual Exploitation: The Social Worker’S Perspective, Maria Marquez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focused on child welfare workers and practitioners’ perceptions of Native American foster youth sex trafficked victim clients' most pressing needs. The research also sought to understand the perspectives of social workers and practitioners on services for the victimized youth. The study was conducted in a large urban county in Southern California, with social workers and practitioners that work with American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) foster youth in child protective services, clinical settings, and a tribal entity. The study adopted a post-positivism paradigm. The data was collected through interviews of individual social workers and practitioners servicing AI/AN youth in the …

Attitudes Of Social Work Students On The Use Of Psychedelics As A Mental Health Treatment In Clinical Settings, Amanda Nickles

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Although psychedelic substances are currently categorized under federal law as a Schedule I controlled substance, there has recently been a renewed interest in the use of psychedelics to treat a number of mental health and substance use disorders. Research is garnering positive results in clinical trials, although much fear and stigma still surrounds psychedelic use. Future social workers’ presence in both macro level practices, advocating for mental health treatments and access to care, as well as their work in micro level clinically focused practices adds to their relevancy and legitimacy in advocating for potential policy changes on therapeutic psychedelic usage …

How Does Having A Pet During The Coronavirus-19 Pandemic Among University Students Affect Anxiety And Depression, Sugey Gonzalez-Escobedo, Jessica Morales Sanchez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined whether having a pet among university and college students is associated with anxiety and depression during the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. A modified survey of a non-probability sample was conducted during a 5-month period during the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. A total of 115 students voluntarily participated and completed the survey. In the midst of the pandemic, students were forced to isolate themselves in their homes. This isolation may have caused anxiety and depression in students. However, a furry companion could have alleviated any anxiety/depression symptoms they may have endured during this time. This research contributes to the literature in regard …

Examining Educators’ Perceptions And Preparedness On The Needs Of Undocumented Students, Imelda Duran Herrera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explored educator perspectives on the needs that undocumented students have and perceived preparedness on supporting students in this population. This study arose from the need to further explore how prepared educators are to address the many barriers that undocumented students face in navigating school and their home lives. Using a mixed-methods research approach, this study gathered educator perceptions through quantitative survey data and qualitative interviews. Survey data used descriptive statistics to analyze demographic data and used statistical correlational analyses between variables to explore the question of educator’s perceptions of undocumented students’ needs and preparedness. Thematic analysis of gathered …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Resilience In Social Work, Margeaux Wilkins, Jazmine Salazar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

High turnover rates continue to plague the field of social work highlighting the need for a new approach. This mixed-method study explores the relationship between the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) of social workers and their resilience in the field. Quantitative data was gathered from an online survey including demographic information and social workers’ ACEs scores. Qualitative data was gathered from interviews relating to social workers’ resilience and coping mechanisms employed in the field. The quantitative data was analyzed for any correlations and patterns based on demographic information. A thematic analysis was completed to identify common themes and points of discussion …

Social Work’S Role In Addressing Police Oppression: Social Workers’ Perspectives, Jess Husband

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) and other marginalized identities experience constant oppression by the systems of policing. Based on the NASW Code of Ethics, social workers have an ethical responsibility to challenge social injustices. Because of the interactions between the two professions, social workers are in a unique position to engage in this social justice issue. Objective: This research study explored social workers’ perceptions of their ethical responsibilities in responding to oppressive policing. Methods: This concurrent nested mixed-method study gathered data from 12 participants. Participants were social workers within the state of Texas, recruited through …

How Stigma Impacts The Utilization Of Mental Health Services Among Young Adults' Within Three Different Ethnic Minority Communities, Ivette Garcia, Melissa E. Gomez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health is an important aspect of every individual’s life. However, regardless of its importance, mental health is a topic that does not get much recognition. It is often simply brushed under the rug and ignored. Consequently, individuals who have mental health diagnoses may or may not choose to seek the necessary assistance. This specifically seems to be the case among adolescents and young adults within various ethnic communities, which may be due to the stigma surrounding mental health in their communities. To illustrate, regardless of the high prevalence rate of mental health issues among the minority youth, many of …

The Barriers Direct Social Service Workers Face When Working With Incarcerated Youth, Elizabeth Padilla, Valerie Mercado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research examined the barriers direct social service workers face while working with incarcerated youth. Using an exploratory method with a qualitative approach. Researchers interviewed participants with experience in working with incarcerated youth and conducted interviews via Zoom. A purposive method was used and incorporated the snowball sampling technique and explored the barriers direct social service workers experience when working with families, probation, and the juvenile justice system. Data analysis identified three common themes: challenges in engaging families, lack of understanding between direct social service workers, probation, and their work, and challenges associated with collaboration between agencies. Limitations to this …

Transforming Black Students’ Higher Education Experiences And Lives: A Proposal For The Csu, Don Lundy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

For decades, a racial “achievement gap” has persisted in U.S. higher education. Specifically, White students have outperformed Black students on a number of indicators, including college admissions, standardized test scores, and graduation rates. This graduate project considers several explanations for this persistent inequity. The root of the problem, it argues, is U.S. higher education’s history of racism and exclusion and the oversaturation of whiteness in these institutions. In other words, U.S. higher education was built for and continues to serve White students at the expense of Black students. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) show us that when whiteness is …

Prolonged Exposure To Congregate Care And Foster Youth Outcomes, Tiffany Acklin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Long-term exposure to congregate care settings can place foster children at greater risk for negative life outcomes in adulthood such as homelessness, incarceration, and substance use. The significance of this quantitative study is found in the benefits to both the micro and macro fields of social work as well as the practical applications to child welfare practices regarding placing children in congregate care settings. These findings are essential for guiding and improving the already existing child welfare policies and practices regarding the length of stay in congregate care settings as well as providing supportive services to children who are already …

Placement Instability And Its Effects On The Mental Health Of Foster Youth, Tyra Turner, Shalynn Burton

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The present study investigates the impacts of placement instability and how that can affect a foster youth’s mental health. There has been minimal research investigating this problem from the perspective of a social worker. This quantitative research explores the effects of placement instability and its impacts on the mental health of former foster youth. Former foster youth were randomly selected from various geographic locations to participate in a brief survey to evaluate their state of mental health. Participants were randomly selected across various social media platforms and were asked to complete questions on the K10 scale which is a …