Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

How Social Work Practitioners Evaluate Their Practice, Leah Kiefer

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Evaluation of social work practice is a fundamental aspect of providing social care and delivering services to society members. As standards of social work practice and the increased recognition of the field of social work in the mental health profession continue to gain prominence, social work professionals are becoming more in touch with evidence-based practice. This online survey of 265 social work professionals are evaluating their practice in many ways. The survey found that participants used more direct interactions, i.e., client feedback tools, client practitioner feedback rather than more analytic methods. Most participants also found workload as a factor that …

Preparation Of Students With An Ebd For Life Post-Graduation: The School Social Worker Perspective, Stephanie A. Adix

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to collect data from the perspective of licensed school social workers regarding the preparation of students with an EBD for life post-graduation. This study conducted six interviews with licensed school social workers to learn about their perceptions of post-graduation preparation, strengths, weakness, transition planning and unmet needs. This research study, like other studies found that students with an EBD are unprepared for life post-graduation. Themes noted were the overall lack of preparation, the skill of survival skills, the lack of preparation for further education, lack of realistic goals and expectations, skills learned, lack of …

Discovering Authentic Self Through Healing Relationships: An Inquiry Of Implementing Alcoholics Anonymous Theoretical Philosophies To Parenting In Sobriety, Necol M. Arens

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This qualitative research study investigated how recovering mothers implemented Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) theoretical philosophies when parenting their children and explored how healing relationships between sober mothers and their children cultivated authenticity, promoted inner healing and improved parent-child relationships. Sober mothers were asked what twelve step concepts they utilized with their children and reflected on how their own recovery experiences helped them to discover their ‘true’ selves. I conducted eight qualitative interviews with sober mothers who attended Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA) along with Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA) and were parenting children, or had previous parenting experiences, to explore any …

Attitude Of Gratitude: Clinician Views On Fostering Gratitude In One Homecare And Hospice Agency, Amie M. Brandtjen

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The topic of this research project is the facilitation of gratitude-focused interventions into clinical treatment plans with clients facing debility or end of life. This is based on the notion that gratitude is a concept of positive psychology and is consistent with the strengths based approach of the social work profession. Gratitude focused interventions encourage the patient to focus on the positives versus negatives. Five qualitative interviews were conducted with clinical social work professionals. Grounded theory methodology and constant comparative analysis were used to analyze transcribed data. Responses to open ended questions regarding preferred therapy modality, positive and negative aspects …

Modifying Psychotherapy When Working With An Adult Diagnosed With A Co-Occurring Intellectual Disability And Mental Disorder, Jesse Virgil Buchner

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Adults diagnosed with an intellectual disability are three to four times more likely than the general population to be diagnosed with a mental disorder. There are traditionally four classifications of intellectual disability: mild, moderate, severe, and profound. Each classification has characteristics that limit the cognitive functioning and abilities of the individual affected. This qualitative research was developed to explore the question of what might constitute some emerging best practices used in modifying psychotherapy when working with adults with a diagnosed intellectual disability and mental disorder. Five current and former psychotherapists and one psychiatrist served as respondents for the project. The …

Perspectives On Living Situations For Children With Classic Autism, Meghan Constantini

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this qualitative study was to interview parents of children with severe autism and professionals work in residential settings to understand their perspectives of living situations for children with severe autism. Challenging behaviors occur with more frequency and intensity in children with severe autism. Living situations have been shown to have a negative impact on behaviors and the quality of life of a child with autism, as a typical home setting can be over stimulating and overwhelming to children with autism due to the nature of their diagnosis. (Nasir & Tahir, 2012). Findings from previous research show that …

Christian Therapists’ Perspectives On The Use Of Prayer In Therapy, Paul J. Dirkse

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Research has been demonstrating the benefits of utilizing spiritual and religious interventions to mitigate symptoms of emotional difficulties in clients that enter therapy. This study specifically aims to investigate Christian therapists’ perceptions on the use of prayer in psychotherapy. Four licensed Christian therapists were interviewed in regard to the following areas: demographics, how prayer is used in therapy, therapist’s perceptions on the use of prayer in therapy, and therapist’s perceptions on the effectiveness of prayer in mitigating symptoms of emotional difficulty. The major themes from the data demonstrate that Christian therapists approach the use of prayer in a client-focused and …

Hospice Social Workers’ Perspectives On Contributing Factors Influencing Compassion Satisfaction, Apryl C. Falk

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This paper explores hospice social workers experiences with regards to compassion satisfaction and their work. Existing research on the topic of compassion satisfaction recognizes that it could be the mitigating factor in preventing compassion fatigue, or even worse burnout among individuals with highly stressful professions. The proposed factors that help increase compassion satisfaction are utilizing self-care methods, education, training material, supervision, and organizational support (Alkema, Linton & Davies, 2008; Adams, Boscarino & Figley, 2006; Harr 2013; & Slocum et al., 2013; Conrad & Kellar-Guenther, 2006). The sample of this study, which included eight hospice social workers, participated in a thirty …

Visual Media And Asd: Impact On Social Interactions Of Adolescents, Audra J. Hanly

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

There’s a wealth of research that provides evidence of an association between visual media and behavior problems among typically developing children. However, no research was located that examines the association between these variables in adolescents with ASDs. This current study begins to fill this gap in literature while examining possible positive effects of visual media on social behavior through the following research question: What effect does visual media have on the social interactions of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders? The design of the present study was a cross-sectional, quantitative study in which twenty participants completed an online questionnaire.

The present …

Challenges Specific To Women In Detoxification Settings: Providers’ Perspectives, Danielle S. Iano

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Within detox settings, women with substance use disorders may present with a myriad of risk factors and consequences related to their use. This research explored biopsychosocial issues specific to women using detoxification services and how medical concerns, comorbid mental health issues, trauma history, and pregnancy/children affected subsequent linkages to treatment by interviewing professionals who worked with this population within detoxification settings. Licensed professionals (n=8) were interviewed regarding their experiences with women in detox settings. The resulting data from interview transcriptions were analyzed, and themes that developed included admission contexts, vulnerability, comorbidity, barriers to treatment, and integrated care. Findings …

Practice What You Preach: Dbt Therapists’ Skill Utilization In Burnout Prevention, Kate Browning Jergensen

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between DBT practitioners’ skill use and consultation team on burnout and stress levels. The study was exploratory in nature and used a mixed methods convenience sample that surveyed DBT practitioners through an international list serve. Burnout and stress were measured along with skill use, perspectives on consultation team, and demographic information. The sample included 135 survey responses and participants varied in demographic information. Results found that there was a negative correlation between burnout and skill use and that in general practitioners use the skills on a frequent basis and find …

Bullying Prevention: How To Foster Positive Interactions Among Elementary Aged Youth, Sara E. Johnson

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Bullying has been identified as one of the most widespread forms of violence encountered in U.S. schools, with 30% of children reporting being the victims of bullying sometime during their lives, and approximately 10% reporting being victimized on a regular basis. This research sought to identify common threads that seem important for individuals working with children in school settings to be aware of in order to effectively prevent and respond to bullying based on current prevention efforts and curriculum a sample of Minnesota schools are currently utilizing. A qualitative research design was used to obtain data from a sample of …

Native American Spirituality And Healing In A Euro-American World, Carol Johnson

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This study focuses on Native American spirituality and healing in a Euro-American world. Six interviews were conducted, two each at three different rural tribes in northern Minnesota. The people interviewed were leaders or teachers in local tribes and also elders who are respected in the communities. Some of the common themes that emerged were (a) a change in the communities, viewed as overtaken by drugs and alcohol and feeling unsafe; (b) changes in traditional spirituality; (c) changes in language; (d) honoring true American war heroes; (e) changes in values and views of the ways of living; and (f) the prevalence …

Social Work Perspectives Of Quality In Nursing Homes Compared To Minnesota Nursing Home Report Card And Nursing Home Compare, Nicole A. Leasure

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The number of older adults requiring nursing home level of care continues to rise and is expected to continue as the baby boom generation ages. The quality of nursing home care has been a significant policy issue for several years, as poor quality of care continues to be an endemic problem in many of the U.S nursing homes. The Nursing Home Reform Act passed in 1987 was designed to set quality standards to improve nursing home care quality. In 1998 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid responded by implementing Nursing Home Compare, which is a tool to inform consumers about …

The Family’S Voice: Caregiving For An Older Adult, Deborah J. Mason

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to explore the family as a unit, in particular the effects on the multigenerational family when at least one person is giving care to an adult over the age of 65. While, most prior research focused on the caregiver, this study looked at family as a whole single unit. The respondents were asked to describe how the caregiving affected them personally as well as how it affected the family.

The sample for this study included 16 adult family members of caregivers for a person over age 65. Data was collected utilizing an online survey. …

Effective Preventative Interventions Of Substance Use, Amanda Logan

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Substance use among adolescents remains a serious problem in most rural communities in part due to the well-documented failure of most prevention programs. Despite these challenges some prevention programs have been deemed both reliable and valid. Three such programs include the:

Adolescent Transitions Program, Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14, and Guiding Good Choices. This paper provides a systemic review of these three programs and offers suggestions to community leaders for successful program implementation.

Risk And Protective Factors: Suicide In The Military, Nicole Gauer Patnode Fisher

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Suicide rates in the military are on the decline, yet on the rise in the National Guard and Reserve components. Training programs to educate and raise awareness about suicide have been implemented in all branches of the military. There is a lot of research about suicide risk and protective factors in the general population and Active Duty military population, but there is not research that identifies service members’ perceptions on what those risk and protective factors may be. Nor is there research that explores the perceptions of stigma in the military regarding suicide. Knowing how service members perceive suicide risk …

Foster Parents’ Key Barriers To Agency Training And Support Groups, Ruth Patton

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

In 2012, more than 185,000 American children lived in nonrelative foster homes. While some states do not require foster parents to receive ongoing training or agency support, these services have been shown to decrease foster parent attrition and improve the experience for both parents and children. Despite the benefits, foster parents do not regularly take advantage of agency training and support options. Previous research has revealed that common barriers to support and training group attendance are both structural (e.g., timing and inconvenience) and perceptual (e.g., relevance of training). This study showed that foster parents experience similar barriers, despite believing that …

School Choice And Self-Efficacy, Jessie Mayo Phillips

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This study explores school choice policy and its relationship to student feelings of self-efficacy. Bandura’s (1999) Social Cognitive Theory is used to conceptualize the research question. School choice is the predominant model in which many families find themselves embedded as their student approaches schooling. Given this context, families/students that make a conscious choice about where to attend school tend to have positive academic outcomes. A sample of 36 students from a mid-sized, private university in St. Paul, Minnesota was surveyed about whether or not they chose their high school, how they felt about the school they attended, and then assessed …

The Role Of Resilience In Adolescents With Complex Trauma: A Look At Therapists’ Perspectives, Abby O. Schwebke

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this research study was to look at what resilience factors therapists view to be important in their work with adolescents who have experienced complex trauma. This study used a qualitative research design, in the form of semi-structured interviews to collect data. The main findings of this study showed that 100% of the participants perceive healthy attachments to be a leading resilience factor in complex trauma. Additionally, according to the participants in this study, unhealthy coping skills (promiscuity, chemical use, self-harm and dissociation) were discussed as survival techniques. Finally, the use of resilience in therapy was addressed with …

Bridging The Silos: The Effects Of Including Social Workers In Integrated Healthcare Teams In The Treatment Of Chronic Pain, Anne C. Spiro

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

An exploratory study of how the inclusion of social workers on integrated treatment teams affects the satisfaction of chronic pain patients. This study utilizes a mixed methods approach: interviews with social workers currently working in integrated healthcare teams as well as anonymous survey data collected from people who identified as having experienced chronic pain in order to provide as much initial data as possible. A content analysis reveals qualitative themes including patient advocacy, the power of integrated healthcare, and the importance of the mind/body connection in integrated healthcare. Qualitative and quantitative both find evidence of a lack of social worker …

Clinical Social Workers’ Competency In Practice With Same-Sex Couples, Emily Smuder

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This study was conducted to seek out Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers and their competency in working with couples of the same-sex. With in the last year the State of Minnesota passed law, providing the freedom for all to marry, which prompted the idea for this research. The study asked what LICSW’s overall competency is with working with couples, and whether years in practice, types of training, whether training has been received in this area affects competency. The research further looked at whether those who had and had not received training and whether their years in practice affects their thoughts …

Lgbt Community Members Experiences Of Support During Family Formation And Parenting, Serena A. Vruno

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This study explores how members of the LGBT community experience support systemically during family formation and parenting. Six Caucasian women, who identified as lesbians, were interviewed in relation to their perceptions of support during family formation and parenting. The researcher asked 12 semi-structured questions to capture the level of support LGBT members receive by family, friends, general public and professionals (i.e., social workers). The majority of the respondents felt supported systemically in part because of the intentional environment they chose to live in and the family of choice chosen as a support system. Although the participants felt supported by the …

Clinician’S Perspectives On Physical Holds: The Impact On Adolescents With Abuse History, Keeli N. Wagner

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Recently, the use of physical holds or physical restraints on adolescents in residential and psychiatric treatment facilities has become a rising controversy among the professionals working in these settings. The literature discusses the debate more in detail, touching on the potential psychological risks associated with these holds and whether or not this outweighs the need to perform these holds to ensure safety for these adolescents. This research was designed to study this controversy in more detail, specifically examining the effects of physical holds on adolescents with a history of abuse through the experiences and perceptions of the clinicians who have …

Adjustment Differences In Teenage Children: Foster Care Versus Group Homes, Torrie Katya Ward

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The number of adolescents who are in the social welfare system is growing yearly due to a variety of family circumstances such as inadequate care for the adolescents, physical or mental abuse, and drug use or charges of some type. The purpose of this study was to explore the adjustment differences with adolescents who have been placed in foster care versus group homes. Using the qualitative design, six social work volunteers were interviewed regarding their general knowledge about the struggles of teenagers in foster care or group homes. Data were analyzed using both inductive and deductive approaches in which categories …

A Systematic Review Of Wilderness Therapy: Theory, Practice And Outcomes, Lindsey Jo Van Hoven

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine current literature on wilderness therapy in order to identify any consistent themes. Ten studies were located and key data was identified on theoretical foundations, therapy components, populations being served, as well as outcomes. Results identified six theoretical foundations of wilderness therapy: Systems Theory/Family Systems, Eclectic Framework, Attachment Theory and Family Systems Theory, Group Therapy Theory, Motivation to Change Theory and Psychodynamic Theory. Numerous consistent themes were identified within wilderness therapy components, in addition to several independent components. Wilderness therapy was identified as a treatment modality for a wide range of populations and …

The Refugee Experience: Involving Pre-Migration, In Transit, And Post Migration Issues In Social Services, Whitney Keltner Wessels

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

In this systematic review, I investigate interventions used to address pre-migration, in transit, and post migration stressors amongst the three settings of the refugee relocation process: pre-migration, in transit, and post migration. After a comprehensive search of the literature, nine articles met the inclusion criteria determined for this study. The nine studies were then coded with predefined categories based on intervention setting and the types of issues that were address by the interventions. I found that of the nine studies, eight involved interventions in post migration settings. I also found that eight of the nine studies address pre-migration issues, one …

What Is The Phenomenology Of Complicated Grief In Parentally Bereaved Children And Adolescents?, Jeanne M. Abicht

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The experience of parental loss in childhood and adolescence is often a trauma unparalleled as the most stressful period during the first decades of life. The literature cites contributory factors in the etiology of parentally bereaved children’s grief experience as relationship to the deceased parent, circumstances of parental death, and adjustment of the surviving parent. The research explored the contextual variables that are protective or increase the risk of vulnerability of complicated grief. Eight adults who experienced the death of a parent or custodial grandparent during childhood or adolescence were interviewed. Primary themes related to complicated grief include the surviving …

Spiritual Coping And Posttraumatic Growth After Sexual Assault, Richelle Amundson

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The interpersonal nature of sexual assault has been theorized to negatively impact recovery. Access to supportive others is critical to positive outcomes and in particular, to posttraumatic growth. Spirituality may provide access to supportive social and spiritual relationships; however, spirituality can also be a source of increased distress when accessed in less adaptive ways. This research sought to understand how spirituality impacts posttraumatic growth after a sexual assault. The research design was an exploratory, non-probability sample. Respondents were primarily Caucasian and of young adult age. Respondents were more likely to access personal spirituality than communal spirituality. Participants were reached through …

Interracial Relationships: Stressors Among Races, Samuel Anderson

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This study explored the similarities and differences in stressors that individuals in interracial unions come accross, based on the racial makeup of the couple. This study investigated the following research question: what are the fundamental stressors that impact a heterosexual non-White individual that marries a White partner? How, if at all, do these stressors vary by the race of the non-White individual? Twenty videos posted on YouTube under the search term "interracial marriage stress" were found using quota sampling. Ten of the videos had a White male and a on-White female and ten of the videos had a White female …