Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Negotiating Agency And Personal Narrative In Clinical Social Work Practice : A Qualitative Study Investigating How Clinicians' Experiences Of Multiple Narratives Influence Their Clinical Work, Emily Rebecca Fischer

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory qualitative research study investigated clinical social workers' experiences negotiating agency and personal narrative in their clinical work in community mental health centers (CMHCs). Through three broad research questions, the researcher gathered narrative data which explored the influence of organizational context on clinical work. The study was informed theoretically by organizational systems literature and psychodynamic literature regarding functioning in organizations, and methodologically by narrative theory concepts. Open-ended, naturalistic interviews were conducted with twelve clinical social workers who worked in CMHCs. Three broad themes emerged in the findings: 1) participants' perceptions of agency narrative; 2) participants' narratives about themselves, their …

Religion, Spirituality, And Social Work : A Quantitative Study On The Behaviors Of Social Workers In Conducting Individual Therapy, Meghan Maureen Dwyer

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken in order to determine if and how often social workers integrate spiritual behaviors with clients in individual therapy. There have been a handful of studies on this topic, none which have been conducted in the Western area of the country. In addition, this study asked social workers about their frequency in engaging in such spiritual issues with clients, which previous studies did not examine. It was hypothesized social workers would be more likely to integrate implicit spiritual behaviors and that their agreement and practice of spiritual behaviors with clients would be similar to previous findings. After …

Mothers' Experience Of Having A Child Diagnosed With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Amanda Gane

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to attempt to understand how mothers experience their relationships with their children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This qualitative, exploratory study aimed to expand the body of knowledge on mothers who have children with an ASD and their unique experiences. The majority of previous research done in this area has been quantitative and has not considered the individual experiences of this population. Mothers of children diagnosed with an ASD were recruited from Massachusetts and New Hampshire for this study. Ten mothers with children between the ages of five and nineteen were interviewed …

Exploring The Experiences Of Clinicians Treating Latino Clients Who Utilize Folk Healing Practices, Luz Eneida Cotto

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to explore the opinions, knowledge, and experiences of clinicians treating a Latino client who utilizes folk healing practices in conjunction to psychotherapeutic treatment. This study paid particular attention to how the concurrent utilization of healing practices effect the therapeutic process. The study intended to deepen and expand upon existing literature on the need to integrate traditional folk healing approaches into mainstream sychotherapeutic modalities by offering a closer look at how the clinicians, who are working with Latino populations, interpret the use of indigenous healing beliefs and practices. A number of questions were posed inviting clinicians to …

Embodying The Therapeutic Alliance : An Exploration Of The Working Alliance In The Personal Trainer-Client Relationship, Lindsay L. Davison

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This quasi-experimental study examines, from the standpoint of the personal trainer, the extent to which the working alliance and its component parts of goal, task and bond as defined within Bordin's (1975, 1979) theoretical framework, are experienced in the working relationship between personal trainer and client. Additionally, the study explores whether a personal trainer's or a client's ethnicity or gender, a trainer's age or training history, the frequency of the personal training sessions, or the length of the training relationship impact the working alliance total or its subscale scores. An anonymous online survey was distributed by email to several hundred …

Therapists' Descriptions Of Their Beliefs And Practices Regarding Engaging Resistant Caregivers Of Children And Adolescents, Sarah Becker Crane

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory-descriptive study was designed to address the question: "How do child and adolescent clinicians describe their beliefs and practices with resistant caregivers in ways that adhere to or diverge from their theoretical orientations?" This study was based on the understanding that effective treatment of a child or adolescent must involve their parents, grandparents, or other caretakers, but that not all caregivers are interested in or able to engage with clinicians and/or the child's therapy. The instrument was a survey with fixed and open-ended questions, developed by the researcher. Sixteen child/adolescent clinicians were surveyed. Each respondent held a Master in …

Resilience And Street Level Prostitution : A Collective Case Study, Megan Glennon

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study sought to discover how women in street level prostitution survive "the life," how they get out of prostitution, and how they are able to rebuild their lives. What resiliency factors contribute to their ability not only to survive, but to prosper? This qualitative, exploratory study intended to contribute to the knowledge base on women in street-level prostitution, which, although large, has not had a primary focus on how women leave "the life" and what their lives are like following departure. Three women who had been prostituted at the street level, and in other areas, for at least six …

Together Or Separate : Implications For Expressing Progressive Social Justice And Spiritual Practices, Enroue Halfkenny

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

What happens when people have both a spiritual practice and are engaged in progressive social justice work? How does expressing or engaging in them separately or together affect themselves and the work that they do? This relational, fixed methods research looks at those who have both a spiritual practice and are engaged in progressive social justice work and at how expressing them together or separately effects their perception of themselves and the work that they do (both spiritually and as an activist). A survey, containing 40 statements using a Likert-type scale, eight questions collecting demographic information and several open ended …

Zach's News, Georgia Southern University, Zach S. Henderson Library

Library Publications (1999-2023)

• Library entrance from parking lot re-opened!
• Strategy Guide for Winning the GSU Game: Secrets from a Librarian

Mothering The Mother : Can A Postpartum Doula Enhance Maternal Self Confidence And Maternal Empathy In A Primiparous Mother?, Binda Colebrook

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study asks whether postpartum doulas enhance maternal empathy and maternal self-confidence in primiparous (first time) mothers in the postpartum phase and whether this is true across a socioeconomically diverse sample of women. A postpartum doula provides support to new mothers and their families in the first weeks postpartum. While quite a lot of research has been done on labor support doulas, less is known about the impact of the postpartum doula. No studies were found on whether they enhance maternal self-confidence and empathy. Because there are so few studies on postpartum doulas, an exploratory, qualitative method was used. In …

The Impact On The Self Of Growing Up With A Sibling With Autism Spectrum : An Exploratory Study, Margaret M. Dickey

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explores the structure of the self in people who grew up with a sibling with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This research utilized a quantitative survey to assess their representations of self. D.W. Winnicott's theory of True and Self guided this investigation. The study utilized self-report to explore participants' identification with True and Self characteristics. Questions were phrased in past and present tense as a means of assessing how participants' representations of self have changed over time. At the end of the survey, participants were asked two open-ended questions which generated qualitative data and resulted in a mixed-method …

The Intersection Of Religion, Spirituality And Social Work : Implications For Clinical Practice, Andrea Leigh Giese-Sweat

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Although a substantial body of literature has emerged in recent years addressing the role of religion in clinical social work practice, we know very little about what actually happens in clinical practice. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine what we could learn from the practice wisdom of clinical practitioners about how issues of religion and spirituality actually emerge in their practice. The sample was comprised of twelve licensed clinical practitioners who agreed to engage in a face-to-face interview to discuss their practice wisdom. The sample was skewed towards white, heterosexual women, which is representative of the field. …

Interracial Relationships From The Perspective Of Cambodians In Western Massachusetts, Vuthy Chhum

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

A qualitative study was done in Western Massachusetts of how Cambodian people view interracial relationships. A total of 12 participants were involved consisted of seven men and five women. All participants had grown up in Cambodia, but were currently living in the U.S. This project explores traditional views some participants had and the role assimilation had on some of the participants. There are many factors discussed in this study involving participants' thoughts on interracial relationships, as well as anecdotal experiences.

The Use Of Psychoeducation In The Treatment Of Ptsd With Military Personnel And Their Family Members : An Exploratory Study From A Clinician's Perspective, Mary Elizabeth Fisher

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explores clinician's use of psychoeducation in the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with military personnel and their family members. Seven clinicians working with military personnel or in a military setting were asked a series of questions about psychoeducation and its use in the treatment of PTSD. Utilizing interviews, clinicians provided rich and detailed narratives outlining the following questions: (1) Is psychoeducation an appropriate intervention method in the treatment of PTSD? If so, when is it appropriate to use or incorporate psychoeducation in the treatment process with military personnel and/or their family members? and (2) What have …

Marketing First Impressions: Academic Libraries Creating Partnerships And Connections At New Student Orientations, James G. Rhoades Jr., Arianne Hartsell

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Academic libraries look for successful marketing strategies to promote positive perceptions among students. To do this, librarians need to find venues and partnerships outside the library. Florida State University Libraries discovered that participating in new student orientation networking sessions creates opportunities to generate lasting first impressions among incoming freshmen and their families. After analyzing three years of successive student and family evaluations, which measured presentation rankings and attendance, the library was able to determine the utility and effectiveness of participating in the orientation program. Related literature and an analysis of the evaluations both indicate that universities and students benefit when …

Proximal And Longitudinal Outcomes Of Person-Environment Fit: A Positive Psychological Approach, Tiffany Greene-Shortridge

All Dissertations

The current study proposed a model that incorporated a positive psychological approach into the person-environment fit domain. Within a longitudinal investigation, person-organization fit, person-job fit, and person-supervisor fit were examined in relationship to both organizational and employee outcomes through direct and indirect paths. Psychological empowerment and specific positive psychological states were examined as sequential moderators of the various proposed relationships. This study's sample consisted of 174 patient health care employees, excluding nurses and practitioners. In addition, supervisor ratings of performance were collected for the sole purposes of this study. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to test the proposed measurement …

A Grounded Theory Of The Dynamic Nature Of Constraints To Leisure And Successful Coping Process, Harriet Dixon

All Dissertations

This study followed the grounded theory design of Strauss and Corbin (1990, 1998) in order to generate a theoretical model that describes, explains, and predicts the dynamic nature of constraints to leisure experienced by adults who had been previously constrained from learning to swim but were successful in coping with constraints. Theoretical and convenience sampling techniques yielded a final sample size of 28, with 23 participants being female and five males. All participants in the study stated he or she was interested in learning to swim earlier in life, but were constrained, and were, at the time of the study, …

The Influence Of Electronic Word Of Mouth In An Online Travel Community On Travel Decisions: A Case Study, Irem Arsal

All Dissertations

As a result of embracing the Internet, online travel communities have become an important information source for travelers. The members of these communities communicate through postings called electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) the act of sharing information on a particular topic. Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is informal communications among consumers regarding the usage or characteristics of goods and services on the Internet (Litvin, Goldsmith, and Pan, 2008). Furthermore, the influence of eWOM has been found to be influential on consumer purchasing behavior (Guernsey, 2000). Thus, an understanding of the potential of eWOM in online travel communities on travel decisions has implications for tourism …

Restrictions On Credit: A Public Policy Analysis Of Payday Lending, Petru Stoianovici

All Dissertations

Using state level data between 1990 and 2006, I find no empirical evidence that payday lending leads to more bankruptcy filings, which casts some doubt on the debt trap argument against payday lending. I capture the intensity of the payday lending activity in a state by the number of payday lending stores.
I control for restrictions on payday lenders by including into the analysis six variables that I construct that rank legislative provisions across states and across time.

Influence Of Overseas Travel Experiences On The Worldviews Of U.S. Backpackers, Mark Kanning

All Dissertations

Backpacking as a type of overseas travel has become a global phenomenon represented by people of various nationalities forming a postmodern dynamic, nomadic global community of travelers influencing, and being influenced by, each other and the locales in which they visit. Typically associated with overseas budget travel, backpacking has become an important component of global travel and tourism. However, research on backpackers. from the United States have not been well represented in the travel and tourism literature. Recent publication has called for research to be conducted on backpackers originating from around the world including the United States. This dissertation addresses …

Handing Out Five Media Medals

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Here is an admittedly quirky list of some pieces I’ve come across recently that seem medal-worthy. Not all deal with “big” topics. Isn’t that fitting where the Games are concerned, though, since Olympic athletes don’t just compete in globally popular sports (like soccer) but also in ones that have few practitioners and, shall we say, niche followings (like synchronized diving)?* This list focuses almost exclusively on Western and English language publications, so I hope readers will bring Chinese and other publications into the mix via their comments. And while I’d like to award medals to some China Beat pieces (they …

Communiqué, August 18, 2008, Lindenwood University

Communiqué

The Communiqué was the faculty/staff newsletter for Lindenwood University/College from 1982 to 2016.

Web-Based Resources For Learning Chinese

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Back in May, we posted a list of recommended language and literature sites for students of Chinese. We pointed out that these five sites were only the tip of the iceberg; there are literally hundreds of other sites offering live Chinese lessons, interactive exercises, flashcards, and other learning tools and tips. Here are five more of our top picks among sites with significant free offerings for language learners:

1. The rich collection of goodies on Eric Peterson’s Online Chinese Tools site includes Chinese dictionaries, file converters, a text annotator, a romanization converter, and a popular Chinese text reader program called …

Central Florida Future, Vol. 40 No. 68, August 18, 2008

Central Florida Future

Capture folk art; Smart card comes home; Fire leaves students homeless; Sam's club offers student incentive; Pegasus Palooza to kick off fall semester; ide sharing service offered.

Zach's News, Georgia Southern University, Zach S. Henderson Library

Library Publications (1999-2023)

• New Additions and Changes: Research Databases from Henderson Library
• Case Law wants to be free

Lanthorn, Vol. 43, No. 02, August 18, 2008, Grand Valley State University

Volume 43, July 10, 2008 - June 7, 2009

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

St. Mark’S Catholic Community Of The Deaf, August 17, 2008

Saint Mark's Catholic Community of the Deaf

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Edmonton, Canada

Saint Mark's Catholic Community of the Deaf Finding Aid

St. Francis Of Assisi Catholic Church And Center For The Deaf Sunday Bulletin, August 17, 2008

Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and Center for the Deaf Sunday Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Landover Hills, MD

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and Center for the Deaf Sunday Bulletin Finding Aid

Ddasaccident665, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 17 August 2010 [the Victim] the deminer was working in his clearance lane excavating a detected signal, his excavation tool touched a mine and caused it to explode. According to the investigation report the signal was not pinpointed correctly and the deminer has used his bayonet directly on the top of anti-personnel mine, so the accident happened. Unfortunately the victim deminer was not fully dressed with PPE, so he got severe injuries on his eyes, whole face and finger of his left hand.

Hand Grenades And Olympics, Lijia Zhang

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

At my school, sports lessons included an exercise where we threw hand grenades (made from wood topped with metal to resemble the real thing) against a wall that stretched a red slogan with the reason for our militaristic “sport” – “exercise our bodies and protect our motherland.” We feared that China might be invaded one day by the American imperialists or Soviet revisionists. Indeed, the whole West seemed holding evil intent towards us. Living in a closed country, we had little idea about the outside world.

I went to school in Nanjing in the early 70s, when the revolutionary fever …