Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Support For Social Workers Treating Adolescent Substance Abusers, Monica Delucia, Kethura Solano

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines the barriers social workers experience when working with adolescent substance users. Research has not fully explored if intervention techniques are effective or suggest other approaches that may support substance use disorder professionals including supervisor support, training, and intervention. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if social workers who provide interventions to adolescent substance users have the adequate resources to be successful in their field. The literature review provides a better understanding of the common themes social workers experience when working with adolescent substance users.

This study used a qualitative design and interviewed 8 professional social …

Chronic Sorrow And The Impact On Parents Of Children With Disabilities, Rhianna Mayra Nordlund

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: Chronic sorrow was assumed to be a common feeling experienced by parents of children with disabilities, and if not supported properly it would impede a parent’s ability to support their child through the treatment of a disability and other life stressors that come with a lifetime diagnosis. This research looked to see how family type, the child’s diagnosis, feelings of support expressed by the parent, societal stigma about disability, and coping abilities impacted the parents’ experiences of chronic sorrow and who is was most at risk of chronic sorrow.

Methods: Through a positivist research design, the researcher addressed 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 …

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 …

Minoritized Groups And Social Integration And Recovery Capital Development In Mutual Aid Fellowships, Kaelyn Doyle, Benjamin Wahl

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the level of engagement in recovery oriented mutual aid self-help groups one has, and the development of Recovery Capital (RC), an important variable in the recovery process from substance use disorders (SUDs). This study further assessed the correlation between self-help engagement and RC development for persons from minoritized groups. Results of this study can help social workers understand the efficacy of referrals to free, community-based mutual aid recovery programs for individuals from different demographic backgrounds, particularly those from minoritized groups, who often face barriers to treatment. A survey of …

Understanding Ethical Dilemmas In Social Work Practice, Arielle Arambula

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study will address how social workers understand ethical dilemmas in everyday practice. Much of the current literature on ethical dilemmas is centered on the NASW Code of Ethics and decision making models and guides. The purpose of this study is to uncover the actual decision making methods that social workers use. This study will be carried out through one-on-one semi-structured interviews with social workers. Data will be analyzed through thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. The findings from this research can shed light on inadequacies regarding education and training, which in turn can help shape stronger social work curriculum.

The Challenges Homeless Men With Hiv/Aids Face When Seeking Housing, Rosey Yvette Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study sought to understand the challenges homeless men with HIV/AIDS face when seeking housing. The research used a post-positivist paradigm. The study included interviews with housing specialists who work with homeless men with HIV/AIDS. The housing specialists work at a non-profit agency serving a large urban county in Southern California. Information obtained from this research allowed the agency to provide better support and services to homeless HIV/AIDS men in the future.

The study uncovered the following challenges homeless men with HIV/AIDS face when seeking housing: affordable housing in safe areas, substance abuse in the homeless population, individuals with mental …

The Impact The Job Stress Of A Child Welfare Social Worker Has On The Quality Of Their Relationship With Their Intimate Partner, Nadine Cazares

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The study focused on identifying the impact the job stress of a child welfare social worker has on the quality of their relationship with their intimate partner. The study examined child welfare social workers in a Child Protective Services department in a county in Southern California. The study utilized a positivist paradigm with data gathered through self-administered online surveys. The researcher utilized the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for the data analysis. The research conducted a correlational analysis, as both the independent variable (job stress) and dependent variable (relationship quality) are interval levels of measurement. The results failed to …

Alternative Approaches To Police Interventions When Responding To Mental Health Crises Incidents, Karen Rivera Apolinar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: This study explored mental health workers perspectives on alternative approaches in responding to mental health crises.

The study was carried out in Southern California, in collaboration with mental health workers who currently work or previously have worked in mental health crisis. It adopted a post-positivists paradigm and data was gathered through individual interviews with mental health workers who have direct experience with mental health crisis response in the community and with the police. The twenty participants in the study were men and women working in the mental health field, and of various backgrounds, licensures, and ages.

The study found …

Social Workers Perspective On Barriers To Family Reunification, Laura Velasquez, Annamarie C. Merrill

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this study is social worker’s potential perspective on barriers to family reunification in a child welfare services agency located in Central California. A constructivist research paradigm was applied to this study as it permitted the researchers to use a subjective methodology for collecting qualitative data. The study gathered data using interviews with child welfare social workers to construct a joint understanding of social workers perspective on barriers they face when reunifying child welfare families. Child welfare social workers identified numerous barriers to effective social work both in practice and in policy. The barriers found were a lack …

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 …

School Faculty’S Knowledge And Awareness Of School-Based Mental Health Programs, Bianca Gonzalez Vargas, Cristal Cortes-Vazquez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Children between the ages of five and eighteen spend a significant amount of time in school settings where they may have the opportunity to receive mental health services if needed. Children come into contact with many school faculty members, such as teachers, social workers, counselors, secretaries, administrators, and many more. These faculty ideally would be able to identify and properly refer children to mental health services. However, prior research demonstrates that many faculty members are not aware of the various types of mental health services and programs provided in schools. In addition, for mental health services to be correctly offered …

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 …

What Is The Importance Of Social Work Involvement In Hospice Care Transitions For Ill Children And Their Families, Natalie Rodas, Guillermina Morales

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Thousands of children who face terminal illnesses die annually in the United States, 10% of those children and their families have hospice care services available. Through this study, the importance of social work involvement in hospice care transitions for ill children and their families were examined. Due to the scarcity of social work in hospice care settings, this study helped amplify research on the importance of social workers in hospice care for ill children and their families. The study consisted of individual interviews held via Zoom with medical social workers that have experience working in pediatric hospice care. The individual …

Former Foster Youth And The Utilization Of Mental Health Services In Postsecondary Education, Jacqueline Viadas, Liliana Lua

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The current research indicates that former foster youth entering post-secondary education do not have the same outcomes as the general population when it comes to the completion of educational goals (AA degree, Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree). This research study used an exploratory design which focused on finding the role that utilization of mental health services and treatments play on academic outcomes for this population. Through qualitative interviews, respondents served as experts in this area and they provided their unique experience regarding this topic. The goal of this study was to reduce uncertainty in the literature, identify past barriers, limitations, …

Adverse Effects For Siblings Who Witness Child Abuse, Leslie Chaires

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research explores the adverse effects on the mental health of children who have witnessed child abuse on siblings or relatives and interventions that can help mitigate adverse effects. The adverse effects of being abused have continued to be studied by different fields, such as child development and social work, but the children not directly abused are the missing voice in the literature on child abuse and mental and behavioral health. Social workers frequently have contact with children who have been victims of abuse or have witnessed child abuse. Social workers and other mental health providers can bring further insight …

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 …

Assessing Rural Northern California Foster Parent Recruitment Strategies, Ava M. Hagwood

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: This research proposal aims to better understand the effectiveness of current recruitment of Resource Family Approved (RFA) foster parents in a rural Northern California region. Approximately half of the foster youth at the selected research site were placed out of county due to a lack of available in-county privatized foster homes or RFA foster homes. By assessing the effectiveness of current recruitment rates, researchers identified effective future recruitment efforts. This understanding can lead to an increase in local foster homes and aid increased Family Reunification efforts.

Methods: The study partnered with a rural Northern California Resource Family Approval (RFA) …

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 …

The Effect Of Response Format On Faking In Personality Measurements Used For Personnel Selection, Gilberto Sanchez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to explore intentions of faking during personality measurements and determine the best option to address intentions of faking during high stakes situations when comparing Likert-Scale items with Multidimensional Forced Choice (MFC) measures. Participants (N=618) participated in the study which consisted of answering items on impression management and self-deceptive enhancement. Afterward, participants were placed randomly in an “answer honestly group” or “answer as if you are applying to your dream job” to fill out a Big 5 personality measurement. Findings from the study indicated that the personality traits of conscientiousness and neuroticism were positively …

Full Court Press: The Influence Of Midnight Basketball, Talk Radio, And Racial Coding On The Violent Crime Control And Law Enforcement Act Of 1994, George “Matt” Patino

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

During the latter half of the twentieth century, “dog whistle” rhetoric increasingly entered the common vernacular, normalized by politicians and media personalities. Initially, the terminology was ambiguous, but it became racially charged when the media started broadcasting images of African Americans alongside the “thug” label. This research explores how “dog whistles” were, in part, a neoconservative response to the liberal policies of President Lyndon B. Johnson and his “Great Society.”

This study explores how “Great Society” policies aimed to balance the liberal expansion of Civil Rights with neoconservative “law and order” policing strategies. This research also investigates how right-wing talk …

The Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Gang Membership, Johanna Ulloa

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Youth gang membership is on the rise and has become a significant problem within communities and has led to serious consequences, such as high degrees of delinquency and homicide. Prior research has proposed that history of exposure to childhood trauma is a significant risk factor. Objective:This study examined the association between adverse childhood experiences and gang involvement. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional observational study used to gather quantitative data, using a non-random sampling strategy. Participants for this study included adults (i.e., 18 years or older) within the general population, who were literate in English and …

Impacts Of Poverty On Language Development How Low Socio-Economic Status Students Are At An Academic Disadvantage, Farbod Samari

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Socioeconomic status impacts a variety of mental health outcomes, including language development. Delays in language development have consistently been linked to poverty. Decreases in vocabulary and phonological awareness are among developmental delays in school-aged children living in poverty. This research aims to contribute to the field of human services by examining the negative impacts of poverty on language development from a social worker’s perspective. As social workers thrive to serve disadvantaged populations, this research brings awareness to how language development deficiencies occur in school-aged children living in poverty.

To fulfill the purpose of this study, a quantitative, descriptive/explanatory design …

Social Work Student's Perception, Knowledge, And Preparedness In Serving Unaccompanied Migrant Children, Miriam Flores Portillo, Estela Flores-Portillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following is a quantitative study, conducted at Southern California University with a convenience sample of 56 Bachelor Social Work (BSW) and Master Social Work (MSW) participants. A Qualtrics questionnaire was administered during the fall 2022 semester and utilized to assess the social work’ students’ general perception, knowledge, and preparedness in serving unaccompanied migrant children. This population was chosen to assess because social work students are most likely to work with unaccompanied migrant children at a micro/macro level through their field placements or future employment. This study seeks to shed light on the different levels of knowledge, experiences, and competency …

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 …

Human Suspicious Activity Detection, Nilamben Bhuva

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The detection of suspicious human activity is a crucial aspect of ensuring public safety and security. The aim is to identify suspicious behavior. To accomplish this, we employ the LRCN, a long-term recurrent convolutional network, to detect anomalous activity. It is important to consider the temporal data of the video when classifying suspicious behavior, and the framework uses a combination of CNNs and RNNs to analyze video frames and extract relevant features. The key milestones of this project include conducting research, collecting and pre-processing data, designing and training the model, and evaluating its performance. The resulting detection system can accurately …

With Liberty And Justice For All? Examining The Role Of Hegemony Throughout U.S. History In Influencing Multilingual Discriminatory Practices Within Academic Policies And Legislation, Katie Olivia Wallen

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The discriminatory systems that multidialectal and multilingual users experience in the United States have historically influenced how educators and policymakers approach the construction of academic policies and curricula. These hegemonic systems shape and inform linguistic attitudes that have continually imparted prejudice against non-White language users, resulting in a gap of inclusivity for diverse student populations. Research aiming to address this gap has traditionally approached linguistic discrimination by specifically examining the use of dialects or non-English languages in the classroom rather than the underlying systems that affect both multidialectal and multilingual users similarly. Through the lens of policy and social construct …

Residential Care Staff Views On The Training That They Receive And Their Perceptions On Preparedness In Regard To Working With Residents, Deziray Sorieya Marroquin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze residential care staff’s views on the training that they have received at residential group care facilities. Training is an important component of preparing staff to work with children within the child-welfare system. The literature review suggested that there were various factors that hindered residential care staff from being able to provide the necessary care for the residents. Such factors included inadequate training, supervision, burnout, and high turnover rates within residential group care facilities.

The study used a qualitative, exploratory design. The data was collected from in depth interviews with six participants who …