Social Work Commons^™

Influence Of Responsibility-Based Physical Activity Within A Secured Juvenile Correctional Facility, Dallas J. Jackson, Ron French, Terry Senne, David Nichols

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

La-Icp-Ms Analysis Of Quartzite From The Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, Bonnie L. Pitblado, Molly Boeka Cannon, Hector Neff, Carol M. Dehler, Stephen T. Nelson

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

We report the results of LA-ICP-MS analysis of 402 quartzite samples representing 48 collection loci in the Upper Gunnison Basin (UGB), Colorado and determine the extent to which the sources can be geochemically discriminated from one another using this non-destructive technique. The ability to differentiate among the sources would open the door to provenance studies of the quartzite chipped-stone tools and debitage that constitute 95% or more of most of the 3000-plus prehistoric site assemblages documented in the UGB. Our samples represent prehistorically quarried and non-quarried quartzite sources, including outcrop (primary) and gravel (secondary) deposits. The results reveal spatial and …

Targeting And Local Health Promotion, Reed Geertsen

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Almost two-thirds of

our adult population is overweight, and more than one-third are obese. The

obesity rate is twice what it was in 1970. Most local health departments try to

address this problem with nutrition and weight control clinics, but these clinics are often

underutilized. This study examined the effects of nine independent variables on a person's

inclination to use a nutrition/weight control clinic at ·a local health department in one of Utah's

twelve health districts. It was undertaken to identify the types of individuals who were most

likely to use …

Ethnicity And Gender Comparisons Of Health Consequences In Adults With Alcohol Dependence, Karen G. Chartier, Michie N. Hesselbrock, Victor M. Hesselbrock

Social Work Publications

The moderating effects of ethnicity and gender on factors associated with physical health consequences in adults with alcohol dependence was examined using data from the 2001–2002 U.S. National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Black and White respondents with a lifetime diagnosis of DSM-IV alcohol dependence were selected for the study (n = 3,852). A multiple-group structural equation model tested ethnicity, gender, and intervening variables as predictors of physical health status in alcohol dependent men and women. Study findings offer implications for clinical practice with alcohol dependent individuals by identifying likely target groups and problems for intervention.

Religiosity And Spirituality: Meaningful Activities For Aging Adults, Andrew Phillip Rodriguez Bauer

Theses Digitization Project

This study examines the religious and spiritual activities that held the most value for older males and females, gender differences in these salient activities, and how elders rank church related activities with the idea of acquiring an understanding of the effects these activities had for the elderly. This study employed an in-person survey that used qualitative and quantitative methods to explore religiosity and spirituality. Participants were representative of the Christian religious and spiritual church congregations of the Inland Empire area, San Bernardino County.

Substance Abuse Among Elders, Yvonne Shubu-Ola Johnson

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to discover interventions that work best for substance abusing elders.

Transracial Adoptions: Common Challenges And Needed Resources, Jennifer Deneen Selegue, Stephanie Agnes Siringoringo

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to identify common challenges families encounter when adopting a child of a different race and/or ethnicity than themselves. When children are adopted into a family where the members do not share their same race and/or ethnicity, they have a more difficult time fitting in at school and feeling like they have a secure place in society.

Social Work In Action: Promoting The Well-Being Of Elders, Denise Muelli Miller, Kristynne Lyn Simmons

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research study was to examine the well-being of elders who are 65 years old and above. This study used a post-positivism paradigm and conducted face-to-face interviews with both elders and social workers who provide services to elders. The site for this research project was at West End Family Counseling Services (WEFCS), located in San Bernardino County along with an informal gathering of elders and social workers.

Ageism In American Society: Are Aging Women Of Color Assertive Enough?, Tina Maria Doss-Collins

Theses Digitization Project

The study focus was ageism and assertiveness in aging women of color. The study examined a relationship between ageism occurring with these women and their response to it, if any. There were 41 participants in this study. They were all women of color 60-years of age and older. The participants were members of a church located in Los Angeles County.

Barriers To Critical Thinking Across Domains, Reed Geertsen

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

The transfer of critical thinking across domains presents both a significant

challenge and meaningful opportunity for college education as well as

programs of continuing education and · efforts to encourage lifelong learning.

After examining different approaches to teaching critical thinking, this paper examines some of

the barriers to transfer across domains using an interactionist perspective. This perspective

underscores the fact that developing and using critical thinking is a lifelong endeavor due to the

tunnel-vision tendencies that naturally follow from situated learning in a particular domain. Two

case studies are presented to illustrate the potential blinding effects of situated learning

resulting …

Play And Learning In The Primary Years .G2200, Jennifer Gerdes, Tonia Renee Durden, Lisa M. Poppe

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

During the school day, there should be opportunities for children ages 3-8 to gain a deeper understanding of academic concepts through play. Children’s play needs to be encouraged as an essential part of their healthy development. A wide variety of play experiences is necessary to develop a complex and integrated brain.

Research collected as part of the report Crisis in the Kindergarten: Why Children Need to Play in School (2009) shows that children are spending fewer than 30 minutes a day in purposeful play or choice time in the kindergarten classroom, even less in grades 1-3. In contrast, young children …

Brain Development And Learning In The Primary Years .G2198, Jennifer Gerdes, Tonia Renee Durden, Lisa M. Poppe

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

In the primary years, children are beginning to think in complex ways about themselves, their environment, and others. Teachers can play a role in honing children’s brain development and learning.

The Importance Of Outdoor Experiences In The Primary Years .G2202, Jennifer Gerdes, Tonia Renee Durden, Leanne Manning, Julia C. Torquati

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Daily experiences in natural environments can have immediate and long-lasting benefits for children. Increased physical activity is associated with decreases in depression and anxiety and increases in levels of concentration. It also is a key strategy in addressing childhood obesity.

Research overwhelmingly supports the need for children to experience natural environments often and in a variety of ways. For many reasons, children are spending increasing amounts of time inside the house watching television and playing video games. Also, many schools are cutting recess times or eliminating recess all together in favor of spending more time during the day focusing on …

Recognition Of Loss: Disenfranchised Grief And The Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Julia Anna Soto

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to assess provider awareness and perception of service needs, and of the grief and loss issues that children with incarcerated parents face. These issues include the behavioral and emotional state of the child, the attribution of behaviors and emotions to grief, types of referrals, support and services offered for these children, placement disruptions, and keeping maternal contact.

Assessing Depression Among Elders: How Are We Doing?, Kayli Nicole Stohler

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to understand medical social workers' and licensed registered nurses' decision-making process for recognizing late-life depression. The study participants involved in this research project included 10 medical social workers and 9 licensed registered nurses from Redlands Community Hospital. For this study, interviewing was the primary source of collecting data.

The Psychological Effects Of Ageism On Older Adults: Are There Any?, Christina Denise Nieblas

Theses Digitization Project

The focus of this study was the psychological effects and experiences of ageism on older adults. Data was gathered qualitatively through interviews with seventeen older adults living in independent living apartments of a continuing care retirement community. The study site was a continuing care retirement community with independent living apartments for older adults in Riverside County, California.

Perspectives On Aging: Stereotypes And Implicit Personality Theories, Reannin Michelle Weinstein

Theses Digitization Project

Current research regarding perspectives on aging discusses perspectives of older adults aged 65+ and college aged young adults, but does not include a discussion of perspectives of individuals aged 30-60 on aging.

Juvenile Life Without The Possibility Of Parole: Constitutional But Complicated, Christopher A. Mallett

Social Work Faculty Publications

The Supreme Court's recent decision in Miller v. Alabama found that juvenile life without the possibility of parole sentences for homicide crimes was unconstitutional if mandated by state law. Thus, allowing this sentence only after an individualized decision determines the sanction proportional given the circumstances of the offense and mitigating factors. This decision, for a number of reasons, does not go far enough in protecting those youthful offenders afflicted with maltreatment victimizations, mental health problems, and/or learning disabilities - all potential links for some adolescents to serious offending and potentially homicide. While the Supreme Court has not protected these youthful …

Countervailing Parental Monitoring On Teenage Deviance, Cheng-Hsien Lin

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

The Boston Miracle Version 2.0: The Organizing Role Of Technology In The Boston Police Department's Community Problem Solving Strategy, Michael J. Jenkins

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Role And Decision-Making Process Of The Juvenile Court Judge: A Descriptive Survey, Nathan C. Lowe, Adam K. Matz, Amy J. Messer

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

Critical Reflectivity And The Development Of New Culturally Relevant Teachers ., Tonia Renee Durden, Diane M. Truscott

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Three case studies present how preservice teachers use reflections while learning to teach. Interviews and document analysis reveal that critical reflections evidence greater understanding of culturally relevant pedagogy and offer a platform for critical consciousness. Using critical reflectivity to develop teachers’ understandings of culturally relevant pedagogy is discussed.

Managing The Polarities Of Democracy: A Theoretical Framework For Positive Social Change, William J. Benet

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

People around the globe have embraced democracy to bring about positive social change to address our environmental, economic, and militaristic challenges. Yet, there is no agreement on a definition of democracy that can guide social change efforts. The Polarities of Democracy model is a unifying theory of democracy to guide healthy, sustainable, and just social change efforts. The Polarities of Democracy model consists of ten elements, organized as five polarity pairs: freedom & authority, justice & due process, diversity & equality, human-rights & communal-obligations, and participation & representation. In this model each element has positive aspects and negative aspects and …

Materials And Environments That Promote Learning In The Primary Years .G2199, Jennifer Gerdes, Tonia Renee Durden, Leanne Manning

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Teachers can use multiple strategies to create a stimulating and responsive environment for children in the primary years. These strategies can lead to children’s overall social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.

To promote optimal development of the whole child, children need a variety of materials available to them daily that provide both challenge and success. They also need daily exposure to music, art, and movement activities.

Victimization, Urbanicity, And The Relevance Of Context: School Routines, Race And Ethnicity, And Adolescent Violence, Anthony A. Peguero, Edwardo L. Portillos, Jun Sung Hong, Juan Carlos GonzáLez, Lindsay L. Kahle, Zahra Shekarkhar

Social Work Faculty Publications

The United States is undergoing a historical racial and ethnic demographic shift. There is limited criminological research exploring if and how these changes influence variation in the relationship between routine activity theory and adolescent violence. Although the link between routine activities and victimization has been tested and well established, criminologists have questioned if routine activities can explain adolescent violence across different social contexts. Prior research demonstrates that there are potential nuances in the theoretical connections between routine activities and victimization, particularly when considering race and ethnicity. This study builds on previous research by questioning if the elements of routine activities …

Conceptualizing Age-Friendly Community Characteristics In A Sample Of Urban Elders: An Exploratory Factor Analysis, Richard J. Smith, Amanda J. Lehning, Ruth E. Dunkle

Social Work Faculty Publications

Accurate conceptualization and measurement of age-friendly community characteristics would help to reduce barriers to documenting the effects on elders of interventions to create such communities. This article contributes to the measurement of age-friendly communities through an exploratory factor analysis of items reflecting an existing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy framework. From a sample of urban elders (n =1,376), we identified six factors associated with demographic and health characteristics: Access to Business and Leisure, Social Interaction, Access to Health Care, Neighborhood Problems, Social Support, and Community Engagement. Future research should explore the effects of …

Impact Of Dual Disorders, Trauma, And Social Support On Quality Of Life Among Women In Treatment For Substance Dependence, Suzanne Brown, Min Kyoung Jun, Meeyoung Oh Min, Elizabeth M. Tracy

Social Work Faculty Publications

Objective Women with dual disorders report lower levels of social support than women with substance dependence alone, and lower levels of social support have been associated with lower quality of life among individuals with substance use disorders. However, little is known about the impact of trauma symptoms and violence exposure on quality of life for women with dual disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of dual disorders, trauma, and social support related to recovery on various domains of quality of life among women in substance abuse treatment.

Methods This study utilized multiple standardized measures and …

Understanding The Behaviors And Beliefs Of African-American/Black Fathers: A Qualitative Examination, Nicholas James Gomulinski

Wayne State University Theses

UNDERSTANDING THE BEHAVIORS AND BELIEFS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK FATHERS: A QUALITATIVE EXAMINATION

by

NICHOLAS J. GOMULINSKI

May 2013

Advisor: Dr. Stella M. Resko

Major: Social Work

Degree: Master of Social Work

The positive influence father involvement has on children has been widely examined and embraced. Despite this, examination of men's beliefs on parenting and where they learn their parenting practices has only recently received attention. This study surveyed African-American/Black fathers in five focus groups (N=26) regarding where they felt they learned how to be a father, and what parenting behaviors they use or believe in. The responses from the participants were …

Quality, Objectivity, And Tone In Media Portrayals Of Care For Older Adults, Jennifer Van Loan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In response to the growing population of older adults who will need assistance to care for themselves, this research evaluates media coverage of care options for older adults presented in local newspapers, an informational resource used by baby boomers and older generations interested in planning for their futures and caring for their loved ones. Computer databases for four newspapers representing the Capital Region of New York State were scanned for keywords to identify articles about older adult care, then articles were reviewed to ensure they were relevant to older adult care. A quantitative content analysis was performed on the articles …

Parental Influence On Inhalant Use, Alina M. Baltazar, Gary L. Hopkins, Duane C. Mcbride, Curtis J. Vanderwaal, Sara Pepper, Sarah Mackey

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to examine the dynamics of the relationship between parents and their adolescent children and their association with lifetime and past-month inhalant usage. The population studied was seventh- through ninth-grade students in rural Idaho (N = 570). The authors found a small, but consistent, significant inverse correlation between parental bonding and monitoring of behavior and inhalant usage. There was also a significant positive correlation between verbally aggressive behavior in the family and inhalant use. The data imply that family interaction may play a significant role in the use of inhalants and that the family can …