Social Work Commons^™

Grandmothers Laughing: Intergenerational Transmission Of Cultural Beliefs About Pregnancy And Childbirth Among Native American Women, Claudia Robin Long

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation reports findings from a qualitative study of intergenerational transmission of pregnancy and childbirth information among Native American women. Proposed is a theory of intergenerational transmission that explains four pathways used by Indian women to gain information about pregnancy and childbirth. Antecedent, consequent, and core elements are associated with the transmission process.

Discriminant sampling was used to identify the middle generation of Indian mothers and grandmothers, between 36 and 65 years of age, residing on or near the reservation, with experience of assimilation policies that had moved off-reservation temporarily. The researcher used the grounded theory method to analyze responses …

Asian-American Women: An Understudied Minority, Lina Y. S. Fong

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper describes Asian-American women with their inter-ethnic, intergenerational connections. Diversities in race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status influence their lives in family, participation in education, the labor force, and community life. Issues and implications about the myth of Asian- American as model minority, the influence of feminism, and social work service for Asian-American women are also discussed.

An Evaluation Of A Socio-Sexuality Education Program For Individuals With A Developmental Handicap, David Nelson Morrow

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis is an evaluation of eight week socio-sexuality education group for seven individuals with a developmental handicap who live in a twenty-four hour supervised group home. Pre and post-test data collection measured the socio-sexual knowledge of the participants. Attitudes of their primary counsellors toward the sexuality of individuals with developmental handicaps were also measured pre and post-test. A qualitative analysis of the facilitators’ process notes and a post participation focus group with the counsellors provided an understanding of why changes in knowledge and attitude had, or had not, occurred There was a significant increase in the client groups overall …

A Tale Of Two Hannas: Observations On Israeli And Palestinian Women's Resistance To Occupation (1991-1995), Christina Pratt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

An observer reviews the successes and failures of grassroots strategies of non-violent resistance to military occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Particular attention is paid to the role of women's groups and peace organizations in Israel as well as in Israeli Occupied Arab Territories.

Examination Of Knowledge And Attitudes About Human Sexuality As Predictors Of Adolescent Sexual Behavior, Diane Waymire

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study investigated the variables influencing adolescent sexual behavior. Using cognitive learning theory, social learning theory, and social development as an organizing framework, factors influencing adolescent sexual behavior and the respondent's personal demographics were examined for their contribution to explaining adolescent decision-making about sexual activity.

A convenience sample of high school students from a Riverside county school district provided data for the study. Data was gathered by using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 55 students from two of the three school sites within the district participated in the study during the winter quarter of 1995.

The findings of the …

Feminization Of The Aids Epidemic, Mark S. Kaplan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although males still constitute a substantial number of persons with AIDS, it is becoming clear that this is a disease affecting women and minority populations more adversely. Today women, while representing approximately 16 percent of all AIDS cases nationwide that are reported to the Centers for Disease Control, make up the fastest-growing segment of the population with AIDS. This article contends that AIDS is increasingly afflicting women who have little economic, political, or social power. Furthermore, misdirected public policy has been partly responsible for the greater incidence of the disease in certain regions and populations.

Motherhood And Modernity. Christine Everingham & Mothering. Evelyn N. Glenn, Grace Chang, And Linda Rennie Forcey (Eds.). Reviewed By Michelle Livermore, Louisiana State University, Michelle Livermore

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Evelyn N. Glenn, Grace Chang, and Linda Rennie Forcey (Eds.). Mothering, New York, NY: Routledge, 1994, $49,95 hard cover, $16.95 paper cover.

Christine Everington. Motherhood and Modernity. Bristol, PA: Open University Press, 1994. $75.00 hard cover, $25.00 paper cover.

Review Of The Velvet Glove: Paternalism And Conflict In Gender, Class And Race Relations. Mary R. Jackman. Reviewed By Doreen Elliot, University Of Texas At Arlington., Doreen Elliott

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Mary R. Jackman, The Velvet Glove: Paternalism and Conflict in Gender, Class and Race Relations, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1994. $38 hardcover.

Feminism And The Politics Of Difference. Sneja Gunew And Anna Yeatman. Reviewed By Martin Bombyle, Fordham University., Marti Bombyk

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Sneja Gunew and Anna Yeatman, Feminism and the Politics of Difference, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1994. $48.95 hardcover; $17.95 papercover.

Factors Influencing Males In Their Choice Of Social Work As A Career, Frieda Kepple Heim

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Southeast Asian Refugees In Canada: Gender Differences In Adaptation And Mental Health, Roger Gary Edwards

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis involves secondary analysis of epidemiological data concerning a large cohort of Southeast Asian refugees resettled in British Columbia, Canada, who were surveyed three times over a ten year period. Male-female differences in the mental health impact of adaptational demands, such as the acquisition of host language skills and securing employment were the focus for the thesis. The psychometric properties of the mental health scales used in the study demonstrated high internal consistencies and construct validity in both male and female samples. There was evidence to suggest that the external validity of the study was somewhat compromised by the …

Race, Gender, Occupational Status, And Income In County Human Service Employment, R.L. Mcneely, Jerome L. Blakemore, Robert O. Washington

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Data obtained from more than 1,900 public welfare workers employed in five regions of the country were examined to compare occupational status and earnings by race and gender. The study group was stratified so that respondents' educational attainment and job seniority levels could be taken into account. Findings indicate the presence of significant sex and race-linked differences.

Women And Homelessness: Evidence Of Need To Look Beyond Shelters To Long Term Social Service Assistance And Permanent Housing, Elizabeth Huttman, Sonjia Redmond

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Based on two surveys of staff in 25 homeless shelters in the San Francisco Bay area, this study focuses on services to homeless women and their children. Both the advantages and disadvantages of shelter living are discussed, as well as obstacles to moving homeless women and their children into permanent housing. The survey finds that there is a need for rapid movement out of the shelters and a concomitant need for long term social services.

The Reagan Legacy: Undoing Class, Race And Gender Accords, Mimi Abramovitz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The impact of Reaganomics on women, workers, and person of color is explored by looking at structural forces in the political economy that encourage business and government at one time to support and another time to undermine the welfare state. The expansion of the welfare state from 1935 to the mid-1970s meshed well with the needs of profitable production, political legitimacy and patriarchal control. With the economic crisis of the 1970s, the welfare state became too competitive with capital accumulation and too supportive of empowered popular movements and had to go. Women, persons of color, and the poor ranked high …

An Investigation Of The Ability Of Elementary School-Aged Children To Learn Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Concepts, Leslie Maureen Tutty

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The current research was designed to investigate a wide range of variables which could affect the ability of elementary school children to learn and to remember child sexual abuse prevention concepts. The major questions posed for the study were: how much do the children know about child sexual abuse before participating in a prevention program, do children learn the prevention concepts after participating in the program and do they remember the concepts over time (five months). Age was considered a critical variable, so three age groups were delineated: Grades 1, 3 and 6. A smaller sample of kindergarten children were …

Gender, Employment And Psychosocial Well-Being, David C. Congdon

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although authors are increasingly addressing the specific needs of men and women at work, no theory based comparison of how employment affects their psychosocial well-being has been available. A six dimensional index was developed to explore a social exchange model of the associations among employment, psychosocial well-being, and worker productivity for men and women. Findings based on two samples of 41 (instrument pretest) and 143 (model test) employed and unemployed union workers suggest strong reliability and validity estimates for the index, support for the model, high explanatory power, and different results for men and women. Implications for further research and …

Women In Blue-Collar Occupations: An Exploration Of Constraints And Facilitators, Kris Kissman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study reports on some of the variables which facilitate and impede work satisfaction among women in nontraditional occupations. A small sample of women working as machinists, pipe fitters, carpenters, electricians, technicians, and construction workers reported that sexual harassment on the job impeded their work satisfaction. Respondents' perceptions of equality in pay and promotion on the job, and congruence between work and domestic roles, served to enhance work satisfaction. Age was related to a sense of competence, perception of equality on the job, and congruence between work and domestic roles. Social support significantly enhanced work satisfaction.

Family Structures And The Feminization Of Poverty: Women In Hawaii, Susan Meyers Chandler, Jennifer Williams

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The quality of life for many single mothers and their children is shrouded in economic hardship. Women outside the traditional nuclear family, attempting to raise children, are doing so in poverty and without much public support. Marital disruption, teenage mothers, and out of wedlock births have resulted in an alarming number of improverished children living in America. This paper examines census data in the state of Hawaii and the impact of family structure on the quality of lives of women with children. Women living in multigenerational family arrangements, rather than in "traditional" families have higher income, holding family size constant. …

Marginal Women Unite! Organizing The Disabled Womens Network In Canada, Sharon D. Stone

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper discusses the Disabled Women's Network's (DAWN) history, issues, goals, structure, organizing tactics and ongoing problems. DAWN is an example of the ability of oppressed people to organize and advocate for their rights against overwhelming odds.

Predictors Of Job Satisfaction Among Three Racial/Ethnic Groups Of Professional Female Human Service Workers, R. L. Mcneely

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Three hundred and thirty-six female human service workers were studied to determine whether or not racial/ethnic status was related to job satisfaction among managerial, supervisory and professional employees. Both overall and intrinsic satisfaction were assessed. Two groups were similar in the patterns predictive of their satisfaction but the third group appeared to be influenced by concerns peculiar to those achieving recent professional status.

Sex-Role Stereotypes About Social Work Administration, Reginald O. York

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this article, the issue of sex-role stereotype about administration was examined through a survey of social workers in one state. The analysis of data revealed that, in their descriptions of the good social work administrator, females held a greater preference for the male stereotype than did males. This female preference substantially explained the overall preference for the male stereotype over the female stereotype for the entire sample. The need for further examination of this female preference for the male stereotype about administration is discussed.

The Impact Of Gender On Productive And Social Activities, Keith M. Kilty, Virginia Richardson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Increasing numbers of women are becoming members of the labor force. Yet it is not clear to what extent working for wages relieves women of their responsibility for traditional and non-paid activities, such as household work and child care. This study examines the impact of gender on the division of domestic labor among working women and men. This research focuses on three kinds of productive activities (paid work, household work, and child care). In addition to productive activities, two kinds of social activities (time spent with relatives and friends, and time spent in entertainment activities) are included. This research also …

Services For Battered Women, Decky Fiedler, Katharine Hooper Briar, Marianne Pierce

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Counseling, case management and advocacy services for battered women seeking legal aid broaden their resources and options for dealing with abuse. Findings from a demonstration project specify the range of needs and services mobilized to effectively aid these women with the major life adjustments they and their children face.

Understanding Gay And Lesbian Aging, Philip M. Kayal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Studying the aging process of "gay men" and "lesbians" is problematic because it assumes that sexual orientation as such is a valid ontological concept and research category. As a master status, sexual orientation by itself is not a particularly useful explanatory variable. Objectivity is further limited by the sexism and homophobia of both the sociological profession and its "in-house" researchers and theoreticians. Perceptions of gay/lesbian aging are particularly colored by the heterosexist emphasis on family life. Arguments are made that institutionalization of the elderly is really the political manifestation of personal and social values which are insensitive to the needs …

The Wife Of The Alcoholic; Sexist Stereotypes In The Alcoholism Literature, James T. Decker, John Redhourse, Roberta D. Green, Richard Starrett

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Current alcoholism literature, alcoholism education, and alcoholism treatment suggests that the wife of the alcoholic is every bit as sick (physically, mentally, and spiritually) as her practicing alcoholic husband. How did we come to this view of the wife of the alcoholic?

This paper will review 1) how the wife of the alcoholic has been regarded over the years; 2) how these portraits of the wife of the alcoholic that appeared in the scholarly literature have influenced current thinking and treatment, and 3) how this body of literature and the popular concepts of the wife of the alcoholic that evolved …

Women, Conservatism, And Social Welfare, Kristine Nelson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The timing of this special issue is particularly fortunate, coming as it does during a period of reassessment and retrenchment in the women's movement. The attacks of the New Right, the defeat of the Equal Rights Amendment, and the growing maturity and sophistication of the women's movement, have spurred an intense reexamination and reanalysis of basic tenets and strategies. The articles in this special issue, although broadly diverse, reflect this effort to come to a deeper analysis of women's oppression and of effective ways to overcome it.

Some Thoughts On The Patriarchal State And The Defeat Of The Era, Zillah Eisenstein

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

What does it signify politically--that is what does it tell us about the relations of power of the 'state' in 1982--that the Equal Rights Amendment has not been ratified? It tells us that the patriarchal foundations of the state, even when narrowly defined in terms of the law, remain necessary to those in power. Or (at least) that those in power, particularly in this case state legislators as well as President Reagan, think that the political system of capitalist patriarchy cannot abide women's (legal) equality.

Defeminizing Social Policy, David Stoesz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social policy initiatives by the evangelical right and neoconservative movements are reversing liberal programs that have benefited women. This represents an attempt to defeminize social policy. Essential to this transformation are theoretical interpretations of economics and sociology which, combined with religious conservatism, portend the restoration of patriarchal culture. The ideology guiding the defeminizing of social policy is so pervasive as to suggest that regaining ground lost will be exceedingly difficult for those promoting social services for women.

Defeating The Era: A Right-Wing Mobilization Of Women, Barbara Ehrenreich

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In an irony that feminists and their liberal supporters have yet to fully grasp, the opponents of the Equal Rights Amendment celebrated its defeat as a "great victory for women' and as a "great achievement by women." The ERA had been a major--perhaps the major--goal of the American feminist movement for ten years. It would have rendered unconstitutional dozens of arcane state laws which limit women's property rights during and after marriage. It would have strengthened women's position as wage-earners--helping open up higher-paying, traditionally male jobs, and providing a wedge against all the subtle, informal mechanisms of wage discrimination. It …

The Conservative Program Is A Women's Issue, Mimi Abramovitz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Conservative program strikes deeply at the institutions that support the economic independence and security of women. This paper reviews social welfare budget cuts, the relaxation of affirmative action and workplace health and safety rules, and the social issues agenda of the New Right for their impact on women's economic, social and political status. It describes how the Reagan Administration's economic recovery program victimizes women, especially minority women. Not only is the "feminization" of poverty intensified, but women are sent from the paid labor market back to unpaid labor in the home, aided and abetted by the social issues agenda …