Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Attitudes Of Graduate Social Work Students Toward The Disabled: Use Of Yuker's Disabled Persons Scale, Donna Meyer Weggenman

Dissertations and Theses

According to a front page editorial in the Wall Street Journal of January 27, 1976, the major barriers to employment of eight million disabled people are attitudinal. Understanding of attitudes - their sources, and their dynamics - must be achieved in order to progress toward a goal of acceptance of handicapped persons as full and equal partners in our society.

In Their Hearts Forever: The Dynamics Of Stalinism, James Seymour Wilson

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis is a general examination of the Soviet and East European crisis which followed the death of Joseph Stalin in March, 1953. Stalin's character, position, and power were such that the methods he employed in the government of the vast multi-national and multi-state empire bequeathed to his successors could not be made to function in his absence without reform and redefinition. The post-Stalin leadership realized that in order to consolidate its position at the head of the empire a careful program of "de-Stalinization" was mandatory. The prosecution of that program from the announcement of collective leadership in April, 1953, …

The Study Of The Differential Effects Of Visual And Auditory Presentation On Logical Reasoning, Jacob Lauterstein Driesen

Dissertations and Theses

A fundamental task in reasoning is to form some internal representation of the premises that allows the relations between them to be determined. Whether this process is visual or auditory is the subject of a long-standing controversy.

This controversy seems to have reached a stalemate. Another approach is to determine where in the brain reasoning is done. A way of doing this involves looking at differences in the processing and storage of visual and auditory information within the brain. Brooks used this approach in his experiments. His results suggested that a subject who receives spatial information by of the ear …

The Effect Of Declining Timber Supplies And Productivity Increases In The Forest Products Industries Upon Employment In Douglas County, Oregon, Patrick L. Burden

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examines some of the factors that will have significant impact upon employment in Douglas County, Oregon to the year 2000.

The major question this research attempts to answer is: Given a continuation of current policies and programs, what will future employment levels in the forest product industries and total employment levels in all industries in Douglas County be to the year 2000.

A Follow-Up Study Of Children Released From Child Care Centers, Tamsel Tack Cabrera

Dissertations and Theses

Concerned by the increase in the average daily populations at MacLaren School for Boys and Hillcrest School for Girls, Children's Services Division (CSD)has requested research related to children who have been released from child care centers and private institutions.

Child care centers were originally developed as alternatives to the state institutions. As children were diverted to various child care centers, the populations of these two institutions decreased, and plans were made to merge the two schools, thus closing Hillcrest. With the increase in populations at both schools, this is no longer feasible.

As much time and effort is spent in …

Quality Of Life Assessment Of Chronic Hemodialysis Patients At The Artificial Kidney Unit Of Good Samaritan Hospital And Medical Center, Karen Jones Whittle, Michael Tripp, Bruce De Young

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate certain factors that affect the quality of life experienced by the chronic hemodialysis patient population served by the Artificial Kidney Unit at Good Samaritan Hospital and Medical Center, Portland, Oregon. The intent of the study was to discover if there was a significant difference in quality of life between patients who dialyzed at home and patients at the Artificial Kidney Unit (center patients).

For the purposes of this study, House, Livingston and Swinburn’s definition of quality of life was used. Their definition states that quality of life is a function of the …

Retrospective Study Of Participants In Preorgasmic Women's Groups : Looking For Life Changes, Barbara Geiger

Dissertations and Theses

It is the purpose of this research practicum to explore the self-reported changes of women who have participated in Preorgasmic Women's Groups. These groups are a type of treatment program for the problem of primary orgasmic dysfunction, and for women who want to learn to experience orgasm through manual masturbation. A Preorgasmic Group relates to a combination of physiological and psychological components of orgasm. It is distinguished from other therapy techniques in that the program involves only women in a group situation and uses a combination of techniques. It combines group discussion, education of female anatomy and sexual function, and …

A One Case Study Of A Fifteen Year Old Boy In Residential Treatment In The State Of Oregon, Edward S. Cote

Dissertations and Theses

This study concerns one fifteen year old boy in residential treatment in the State of Oregon. He is a diabetic, has been called emotionally disturbed and for nine years and eight months has been a ward of the Children's Services Division.

Children With Porencephaly: A Study Of Services, Dana Kaufman, Elisabeth Mason

Dissertations and Theses

This study was conducted to serve as a follow-up of services received and/or needed by families with children who have been identified by Crippled Children's Division of the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center as having porencephaly, usually a severe form of brain damage. Porencephaly refers to cystic cavities or lesions in the brain caused by a prenatal insult to the brain resulting in varying degrees of motor and mental deficits. These children have been seen in general as part of the Cerebral Palsy Clinic. There may be a lack of awareness on part of the parents and the staff …

Program Planning For Community Residents Who Have Been Released From Mental Institutions, Joseph D. Condon, Margaret Ann Drackert

Dissertations and Theses

Zion Lutheran Church in Portland has had contact with a number of neighborhood residents who have been released from mental institutions but who have had little community support. The Church has felt the need for some time to develop a residential program for former patients in the area they serve. The authors of this report agreed to conduct a needs assessment and to develop a program relative to the results of the assessment.

A needs assessment identified the target population, attempted to determine what services they would use and how such services might best be delivered. The assessment was conducted …

The Attitudes Of Youth Workers On Delinquency And Delinquency Programs, Gary Lee Dominick, Carol Swartz, Michael Orval Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

This research developed from our interest in juvenile delinquency. We wished to examine how youth workers think about the causes of delinquency, the structure of delinquency programs, and their own role as workers. These perceptions will be examined by looking at workers' responses to statements dealing with 1) juvenile delinquency causation, 2) programs for treatment and prevention, and 3) the role of the worker. The responses will be examined in the light of a theoretical framework reflecting the continuum between theories and programs based on individual causation and those emphasizing societal factors.

Service Delivery To Deaf Persons : A Survey And Proposal, Patrick F. Walsh

Dissertations and Theses

This paper will identify the problems faced by deaf people in terms of social and emotional, and then discuss the research on factors which contribute to the problems. The first section will define deafness, investigate the psychological characteristics of the deaf, and then identify the incidence of mental or emotional problems. The second section will review the literature on factors which contribute to the emotional problems of the deaf. The final section will review the literature on the service system available to the deaf. Throughout this presentation, the writer will summarize with personal conclusions. These summaries will both capsulize the …

Women In Menopause: A Study Of Gynecologist's Perceptions, Zadell Cogan, Sharon Kennedy

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the needs of women experiencing menopause. Since women at this time experience physical, social and emotional changes, they may have a special need for services. Doctors were selected as the population for study because they treat so many women at this age and because they are powerful transmitters of our culture. This exploratory study was designed to provide descriptive information about the doctors' perceptions.

Results are reported from interviews with seventeen gynecologists from the Portland metropolitan area in Oregon. Attempts were made to interview all female gynecologists in the area. Male gynecologists …

An Evaluation System For Alcohol And Drug Programs, Michael J. Schrunk

Dissertations and Theses

The Office of Programs for Alcohol and Drug Problems is the designated "Single State Authority" for the planning and development of alcohol and drug programs. It is within the State Mental Health Division, and is the interface between the Division, the counties, and the federal government with regard to alcohol and drug programs. The Division's Office of Management Support Services (MSS) is charged with the responsibility of developing an evaluation system for programs. This is being done in regard to the needs of programs and decision-makers concerned with programs. The Program Office is now providing input to MSS largely through …

Personal Incidental Fund: A Study In Policy Making, Shirley Rackner

Dissertations and Theses

Originally, the focus of this project was to be a policy analysis and survey of the new procedures and regulations established by the state of Oregon for the protection and management of nursing home residents' Personal Incidental Funds (PIF). The analysis was to be divided into four phases, according to a pre-planned timetable. The last phase was to be a field survey of the policy's impact upon nursing homes and adult service workers. The timetable was synchronized with that of the Congregate Care Consultant from the Public Welfare Division's (PWD) Adult Services Unit, whose responsibility it was to develop and …

Self-Esteem And The Elderly : An Exploratory Study Of A Residential Population In A Home For The Aged, Vernon E. Hoffer

Dissertations and Theses

The two primary purposes of this exploratory study were (1) to establish the theoretical tenability of focusing on the maintenance of self-esteem as a means for enhancing the quality of life in the institutionalized elderly, and (2) to identify factors related to self-esteem in a home for the aged sample.

Literature reviewed relative to the importance of self-esteem, its development, and its maintenance or change indicated that (1) self-esteem is related to personal satisfaction and effective social functioning: (2) self-esteem develops and is maintained or changed as a function of factors in an individual’s immediate interpersonal environment; and (3) institutionalization …

A Descriptive Study Of The Pragmatic Issues In Obtaining An Abortion Among Sixty-Five Women At Lovejoy Specialty Hospital, Portland, Oregon, Barbara E. Bordner, Wendy Green, Susie Milberg

Dissertations and Theses

In view of the current diversity of public opinion concerning the legalization of abortion in this country, it appears timely that a study of the pragmatic issues faced in obtaining an abortion be undertaken. The researchers see this as a step toward narrowing the lag between the enactment of the abortion law and the delivery of services that allow the right of abortion to be an accessible choice for women.

There has been a change in public opinion, regarding the right of abortion, only recently. In 1960, a public opinion poll showed that fewer than 15 percent of the population …

Psychiatric Emergency Services In Oregon, Maren L. Hersrud, Karalee Kiser, Catherine M. Knox

Dissertations and Theses

Psychiatric emergency services are recognized as an essential component in the provision of mental health care. This study describes the delivery of psychiatric emergency services in selected Oregon comm.unities. The theoretical framework was developed to consider the problem of psychiatric emergency service delivery from the perspective of the individual experiencing the emergency, the social milieu, and the health care system. The literature describing psychiatric emergency service programs, the characteristics of those who use these services and the roles of direct service providers was reviewed. On the basis of the review a study was undertaken to describe the delivery of psychiatric …

Social Impact Assessment At The Neighborhood Level, William H. Triest

Dissertations and Theses

This paper originated as a result of one of the stated objectives of the Salem Primary Prevention Project. That project, operating jointly with Marion County Community Mental Health, Salem School District 24J and the City of Salem’s Community Development Department, has had as one of its stated objectives, the development of a mechanism to review the impact of planned change at the local level.

For several years both the staff and Advisory Committee for the Primary Prevention Program had wrestled with the complexity of developing such a review or assessment mechanism. Existing literature on social impact assessment appeared to deal …

A Survey Of Neighborhood Attitudes Toward The Mentally Retarded And Community Group Homes, Fred T. Cooprider

Dissertations and Theses

This paper will cover the following subject areas: a brief history of attitudes toward and treatment of the retarded, to give an historical perspective to current developments; a review of current research of attitudes toward the retarded; a statement of the research question and the research design; the results of this research; and a concluding discussion.

An Investigation Of The Combined Effect Of Agency Support And Professional Social Workers' Training On The Type Of Family Therapy Practiced By Agency-Based Social Workers, Betsy Marsh Mccartor, Margaret Labby

Dissertations and Theses

All persons are born into some form of family unit. The traditional family is a unit of people who live together over periods of time and have ties of marriage and kinship. Even if that unit is separated, as in death or adoption, qualities of one's personhood are closely connected with forebears and parents. Whether for good or bad, the family profoundly affects the individual.

The family is an important unit. Many stresses impinge upon it. The church and extended family are less influential on the family today. The school is less influential. Where does the family turn for support? …

Motivational Factors Behind Repetitive Abortions, Kelly Osmont, Ellen Wolfford

Dissertations and Theses

This practicum intends to explore the motivational factors behind repeat abortions. The underlying assumptions of this study include: (1) women have abortions; (2) women have repeat abortions. Based on these assumptions, the two research questions are (1) are there significant factors in the causation of repeat abortions, and (2) what are the implications regarding the lack of information and service to women which have a direct relationship to repeat abortions.

Self-Report Of Illicit Adolescent Drug Use: A Methodological Discussion, Mario Bolivar, Judy Casey, Susan Goldsmith, Stanley Hahn

Dissertations and Theses

In this paper we will discuss our unsuccessful attempt to conduct a self-report study of delinquent behavior in an urban multi-racial high school in Portland, Oregon. Much of this report reflects our preparation in conducting a self-report study and our analysis of why if failed.

The contention of this study is that delinquent behavior, and not juvenile delinquency is the major problem facing youth serving agencies and the public. The purpose of this study is an attempt to refine an often used method of measuring delinquent behavior – the self–report.

Favoring a self–report technique of data collection rather than an …

Toward An Understanding Of Men And Masculinity: Some Dimensions Of The Social Construction Of Knowledge In Social Work Professional Journals, Robert Bailey, Denny Patella

Dissertations and Theses

This work is an attempt to critically evaluate the way men and masculinity have been portrayed in and through social work journals and to develop an annotated bibliography of the professional periodical literature as it relates to the masculine gender role. It is also an analysis of authorship in order to determine differential participation by the sexes in social work journals. These analyses will be used to assess the current status of “masculinity” and gender role issues in the profession and to suggest areas of future growth.

A Model For Decision Making: A Systems Approach, Eleanor Weitman

Dissertations and Theses

This paper addresses itself to the problem of the analysis of the decision making processes in the area of Human Resources Planning.

Social Profile Of The Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area, Terry L. Cross

Dissertations and Theses

The objective of this research study is to identify the Metro area in such a manner as to give planning personnel a composite picture of the area. Such a picture should not only give physical and statistical data but should also provide a feeling for the area and its parts. The reader of this report should be able to perceive from it the conscience of the community. It should show strengths and weaknesses of the communities, methods of solving problems, intra-and inter-community relationships and roles and community identity. It should be concerned ·with how well the community (and subparts) meets …

Social Work Intervention And Patients' Utilization Of The Kaiser Health Care System, Pegi Sten, Liz Swint Young

Dissertations and Theses

This study was an analysis of social work practice in a medical setting: analyzing the work of a medical social worker in an outpatient clinic located in a metropolitan area. The primary purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate the performance of a medical social worker in a Kaiser-Permanente outpatient clinic and to determine if there were possible associations between social work intervention and patient utilization of existing services offered by the Kaiser Health Care system, also referred to herein as Kaiser. Specifically, the study attempted to determine if there were quantitative changes in patient contacts, and utilization of …

The Therapeutic Community: Treatment As Viewed By Former Addicts, Barbara Ward, Robert York

Dissertations and Theses

The research effort is an outgrowth of the authors exposure to the field of drug treatment in general, and therapeutic communities in particular. Both were acquainted with people who were graduates of therapeutic communities, and had been involved in m.any discussions concerning the relative merit of therapeutic communities as opposed to other methods of drug treatment.

An Aspect Of The Process Of School Desegregation: The Effects Of Reading Ability Grouping On Social Attractiveness And Peer-Perceived Success, David A. Johnson

Dissertations and Theses

Research on the effects of school desegregation has failed to produce conclusive findings. An over emphasis on the outcomes of school desegregation, usually assessed through the use of standardized test scores, has created a situation in which there exists a paucity of studies of the day to day process of school desegregation: instructional practices, student interaction, and teacher behavior in the classroom. More research on the process of school desegregation is needed if its results or outcomes are to become more interpretable.

Theoretical Differences In Kissinger And Schlesinger's Models Of The International System, Wayne Alan Schroeder

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis is a study of national security decision making in the Ford Administration. The subject for study is the Kissinger- Schlesinger controversy in the Ford Administration. The thesis will attempt to prove that the differences that emerged over issues of national policy were due to deep theoretical disagreements as to the nature of the international system, the utility of power in the nuclear age and the means by which to preserve detente.

An examination of the substantive policy differences will be preceded by an examination of the conceptual disagreements between the Secretaries on topics that are fundamental to any …