Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Perception Of Parentification: A Qualitative Study Of Hispanic Families In Southern California, Kaylin Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Previous research has not thoroughly studied parentification in California. This study seeks to fill this gap by exploring how is child parentification is perceived among Hispanic families in the High Desert region of California. Guided by the premises of Bowlby’s Attachment Theory and Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory and utilizing a qualitative approach, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with six Hispanic Americans residing in California’s High Desert area (N = 6). Thematic analysis of the data generated six major themes: (1) children as a resource in the household, (2) parentification requires parental consent, (3) parentification depends on child’s age, (4) parentification …

Averting Educational Disruptions For Migrant Children, Natalie Elisarraraz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Migrant children entering the United States face unique challenges when being introduced to the country’s public education system. Not properly addressing the adversities migrant children and families face and their effective resources and strengths when navigating a new educational system can cause a detrimental delay to their potential academic success. This study sought to investigate the educational disruptions experienced by migrant students. This study also explored the relationship between the unique strengths migrant students possess and their use by school staff to the interventions utilized. This study utilized a qualitative design of primary data collected on the experiences of six …

As Seen On Tv: Representation Of Women In Advertisements And The Effects On Women’S Self-Perceptions, Self-Objectification, And Self-Dehumanization, Kori Gearhart

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

When women are exposed to sexually objectifying advertisements, they experience many adverse effects such as increases in self-objectification and dehumanization of other women (Vaes, Paladino, and Puiva, 2011). Because these effects might be amplified by food advertisements in which the line between a woman’s body and a food item is non-discernible, we examined whether “women as consumable” advertisements lead women to implicitly self-dehumanize and experience reduced body satisfaction. Women (N=129) viewed a woman in hamburger advertisement. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, control condition (non-sexualized woman with a burger), sexualized condition (topless woman with burger), and edible …

The Impact Of Implicit Bias On The Overdiagnosis Of Schizophrenia, Ace Ogbebor

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

According to the American Psychiatric Association (2017), Black Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and less likely to be diagnosed with a mood disorder in compassion to their White counterparts presenting with the same symptoms. To address mechanisms of implicit bias and the implications for mental health practice, it is imperative to investigate the diagnostic process of students who will enter the field of mental health.

According to the Council on Social Work Education, 80% of MSW graduates work in positions providing micro-level direct service to individuals, families, and groups (CSWE, 2019). Moreover, 80% of MSW graduates …

Overcoming Self-Objectification Through A Mind Body Awareness Program, Alexandra Winner-Bachus

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As previous communication scholars have noted, “In light of epidemic levels of self-objectification leading to a host of negative consequences for girls and women, intervention is crucial” (Kite, 2013, pg. III). The purpose of this MA project is to design and conduct a workshop to assist women in resisting self-objectification. The following literature review outlines the theoretical foundations for the project, as well as the most constructive interventions suggested by previous research. I will first review the literature on objectification and self-objectification, then examine the impacts of self-objectification on women. Next, I will discuss what the literature suggests as the …

The Impact Of School-Based, Trauma-Informed Counseling Programs On Student Mental Health, Student Achievement, And Dropout Rates, Matthew Pacheco

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the integration of trauma-based counseling programs into the school systems would significantly impact students who have been affected by trauma. In addition, this study discusses the importance of implementing school-based, trauma-informed programs to assist trauma-impacted students in addressing student mental health, school achievement, and school dropout rates. This paper examines interviews of clinicians who work at a school-based, trauma-informed program and have first-hand knowledge of working with trauma-impacted students. This study is an exploratory, qualitative study design that utilized non-probability/purposive sampling via in-depth interviews to gather data to study the tangible …

Social Workers’ Knowledge And Preparedness In Serving Clients With Experience Of Intergenerational Trauma, Geneva Gandelman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study explored intergenerational trauma and self-assessed competency levels of social workers who serve clients experiencing possible intergenerational trauma. Intergenerational trauma is a wide-spread issue, as it affects over a quarter of children and over half of adults in the United States. Intergenerational trauma, though affecting many clients, is not often discussed, and many mental health professionals are either uninformed on this topic or not interested. This study explored social workers’ self-assessed general knowledge of intergenerational trauma, training on intergenerational trauma, and whether they have knowledge of interventions or techniques tailored to working with families and individuals with possible …

Participant Perceptions Of Project Rebound: A Qualitative Study, Martin Johnson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Many formerly incarcerated (FI) individuals choose education to increase the chances of success and lower recidivism. Various interventions like mentoring and reentry programs help alleviate challenges and promote the success of FI students. One reentry program that offers educational and case management services to FI students is Project Rebound (PR). An initiative of the California State University system, PR seeks to enhance student success through support and connections with campus and community resources. However, there is a lack of research on PR's effectiveness. This study attempted to fill this literature gap by exploring the question: How do Project Rebound participants …

The Effect Of The Perception Of Mental Health Services On Asian Americans, Angela Dao

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Previous studies have examined mental health issues and barriers in minorities, such as Asian Americans. With a basic understanding of the differences in mental health perception, this study dove deeper into the effect of perception of mental health services has on Asian Americans. The knowledge and understanding that arose from this study will ideally contribute to increased acceptance and usage of mental health services. The study was conducted in an interview format with volunteers from the community. The data was analyzed through transcription and coding. The findings of the study included a difference in generational acceptance of mental health services …

Msw Students: How Prepared Are They To Work With Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Youth?, Evelyn I. Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) youth population is growing, and it is important that the social work field is prepared to serve this population. There is a lack of data regarding LGBTQ youth due to discriminatory practices that encouraged them to remain closeted or not share their gender identity/sexual orientation. Today youth are feeling more empowered to self-identify as LGBTQ and it is important that Master of Social Work (MSW) students going into the field be prepared to work with this population. This is an exploratory study guided by the critical theory paradigm that aims to capture …

Social Work Students' Understanding Of Childhood Psycho-Emotional Maltreatment By Caregivers, Todd M. Rubin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child psychological, emotional maltreatment (CPEM) presents to the social work profession as one of the most challenging to detect, prevent and intervene. The consequences of CPEM have been equally devastating to a child’s development compared to all other forms of childhood maltreatment. The purpose of this study is to assess graduate social work students’ knowledge of CPEM as a determinant of their clinical preparedness to work with families in practice. The rationale for this study is to explore how the lack of focus on CPEM in university education, field experience, and field supervision impacts a social worker’s ability to prioritize …

Interdisciplinary Studies Masters Degree In Anthropological & Science Based Education, Robert Porter

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The goal of this project is to develop anthropological and science-based curricula that will emphasize a place-based approach while actively engaging students in their education. I developed two curricula for elementary aged students in San Bernardino. The first curriculum was based anthropologically on the local history of indigenous groups and early San Bernardino history. The second was based on paleontology here in California with a focus on dinosaurs and fossils.

To improve and validate the curricula I sent the examples to educational experts and had them critique the lessons and information provided. Then I used their input to improve the …

Financial And Familial Challenges Faced By Undocumented First-Generation Students In Higher Education, Alexia Garcia, Karen Murillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As a first-generation student, it is difficult to navigate a higher education with little to no support. Having an undocumented status as a first-generation student the challenges and barriers increase. This study utilized snowball sampling through qualitative virtual interviews with 10 undocumented first-generation students. The data collected from the interviews was presented using content thematic analysis. The three major themes identified were access and barriers to financial resources, meeting family and educational expectations and perseverance. The findings identified the limited financial resources for undocumented students, and the influence of the family unit on the student’s educational experience. A key finding …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On School-Aged Children’S Mental Health: Mixed-Method Study Of Families In Southern California, Christina Williams

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

On March 13, 2020, the director of Services to Students with Disabilities came out of the office and stated the employees and students were not returning to school effective immediately due to the world’s shutdown over COVID-19. COVID-19 swiftly created panic causing toilet paper and water to be rationed, but who really took the time to think about how this would affect school-aged children and their families. How does shutting down in-person learning and household dynamics change when a disease taking the lives of almost a million people sweeps across the United States of America. Were parents ready to teach …

How Knowledgeable Are Social Work Students On The Concept Of Compassion Fatigue And Do They Engage In Measures To Prevent It?, Jessica Duran

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

One of the effects of working in a helping field such as social work is the concept known as compassion fatigue. The definition of compassion fatigue varies among the literature but generally centers around the impact that stress has on professionals and their empathy.The literature on compassion fatigue mentions the negative effects it has on professionals and their clients. However, there are protective measures that can be taken in an effort to minimize adverse outcomes. Therefore, this study sought to assess the familiarity of the concept of compassion fatigue among social work students as well as the student’s engagement in …

Foster Care Experience, Group Support, And Life Outcomes: A Qualitative Study, Alameta James

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study utilizes the perspectives of foster care alumni to explore the effectiveness of the child welfare system. Based on experiences with general and peer related services while in foster care, participants were asked to evaluate and discuss how interventions they received contributed to areas of their life, including adult independent living. The study used an exploratory method with a qualitative approach to search for categories and themes related to the services, interventions, and activities implemented with foster youth and the effect that had on their lives. Interviews were deduced into six categories: demographics, therapeutic services, education, social support, …

The Role Of Trauma Coping Self-Efficacy And Shame In The Relationship Between Variants Of Self-Blame And Psychological Outcomes, Melody Robinson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Exposure to sexual violence is associated with deleterious mental health consequences (Campbell et al., 2009). Survivors’ perceptions of self-blame can exacerbate these difficulties (Miller at al., 2007). Characterological self-blame has been associated with negative outcomes (e.g., PTSD, depression, & anxiety; Hassija & Gray, 2013; Janoff-Bulman, 1979). On the other hand, behavioral self-blame may be more adaptive, especially when the victim believes they have control over their future behavior (Hassija & Gray, 2013). However, the underlying mechanisms that account for both variants of self-blame’s impacts warrant further investigation. We predicted that posttraumatic shame, conceptualized as negative attributions and criticisms towards the …

Fostering Resilience Amongst Social Workers In The Social Work Field, Rocio Patino, Yesenia Rojas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The high burnout levels and low retention rates of social workers prove to be significant problems for social service agencies across the country who are experiencing employee shortages and providing a less than adequate grade of customer service as a result. This quantitative study assesses the deficiency of resilience-based skills amongst MSW graduate students who are currently employed/interning within the social services agencies across Southern California State Counties in hopes that these deficiencies may be addressed in the future. This cross-sectional study utilized an exploratory research design and consisted of a self-administered questionnaire which was electronically provided to its participants. …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Social Service Providers Who Worked With The Homeless Population, Franco Padilla, Cynthia Jimenez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Minimal research has been conducted to evaluate the effects COVID-19 has had on social service providers and their ability to deliver services to the homeless population during the pandemic. This research study seeks to focus on three areas that include: the mental health of the social service providers, the ability to adapt and provide services to the homeless population through telehealth, and the available resources social service providers were able to access to assist their clientele. To explore the impact of COVID-19 on social service providers who work with the homeless population, a qualitative cross-sectional research study was conducted through …

Identifying Groups Most Prone To Become Homeless, Jesse Kruse

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This paper will attempt to determine if some groups are more prone to homelessness than other groups within the United States. Then, it will try to determine if some groups are more prone to homelessness within the Inland Empire. Research was conducted to identify if some contributing factors that cause homelessness affect some groups more than other groups. If the contributing factors to become homeless differs between different subgroups of homeless individuals, then perhaps different intervention strategies could be applied to each subgroup.

Contributing Factors Of Childhood Parentification: An Examination Of Familial Characteristics, Tameka M. Ferguson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study provides more insight into childhood parentification's contributing factors, focusing on familial characteristics. The research sought to identify common components present in the family structures of parentified children. The researcher conducted a qualitative study utilizing purposive and snowball methods to recruit ten participants who were social work professionals and/or students working with parentified youth (one of whom also identified as a parentified child themself). The researcher used open-ended questions to determine common factors that parentified clients and their families demonstrate while working with social workers. This study identified four contributing factors to the parentification in youth. The study’s findings …

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 …

Girl Power?: 2017’S Wonder Woman As A Feminist Text And Icon In An Era Of Post-Feminist Media, Rachel Richardson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Media, including film, have the incredible potential to influence viewers and disrupt or contribute to dominant ideologies. In an era of post-feminist media where women are seemingly empowered under the guise of ‘girl power,’ there continues to be very limited social, financial, and professional options for women and girls. The same can be said for film when female characters appear to be in control of their own lives and bodies, though they are pressured into making the ‘correct’ choices. The 2017 film rendition of Wonder Womandirected by Patty Jenkins intended to change that. This textual analysis of the film …

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 …