Social Work Commons^™

Exploring The Effects Of Mindful Nature Walks On College Student Anxiety, Grace Young

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals pursuing a degree in higher education face challenges that lead to greater levels of anxiety than that of the general U.S. adult population. This disparity, further heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, presents a need for higher education institutions to search for ways to address this spike in student anxiety and other mental health concerns. This mixed-methods study explored mindful nature walks as a low-cost and easily accessible way for college students to reduce levels of experienced anxiety. Using validated quantitative measures, this study examined the impact of three weekly, consecutive 30-minute mindful nature walks on state and general anxiety …

Navigating The Black Nuances: Analyzing And Understanding The Intersectional Perspectives Of Black Transgender Arkansans Utilizing Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs, Kayla Alford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates the current needs of the Black Transgender community in Northwest and Central Arkansas. The participants of this study were asked 40 questions based on each tier of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The participants of the study were three Transgender men, two Transgender women, and three non-binary individuals. Eight semi-structured interviews were completed utilizing narrative theory to expound on the personal experiences and duality of being Black and Transgender through a personal lens. The findings of this study were categorized into eight themes, which were basic needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, self-realization, essence of being Transgender, lack …

Healthy Teen Dating Relationships, Thalia Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Teen dating violence has become a damaging issue in Salinas, California, which forces the community to find immediate solutions to prevent the devastating aftermath of this problem on adolescents. This paper provides ideas for solving this issue by designing the "That's Not Cool" social campaign that was created to maintain healthy relationships between teens. Coordinated with the STRYVE program of the County of Monterey Health Department, the plan was implemented in the Salinas City High School District, where the population is predominantly Hispanic or Latino. As a result of studies, poverty, cultural beliefs, and poor education have been identified as …

Gender Dysphoria In Adolescence And The Models Of Care: A Systematic Literature Review, Arnold Briseno

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This systematic literature review examines and compares the efficacy of gender-affirming care and mixed-method approaches in treating adolescents with gender dysphoria. Through a detailed analysis of existing empirical studies, the research aims to identify optimal strategies that support the mental health and well-being of adolescents who are exhibiting criteria of gender dysphoria. The findings suggest a nuanced landscape where gender-affirming and mixed-method care models offer valuable benefits, highlighting the importance of individualized and flexible treatment approaches. This work contributes to the ongoing discourse on adolescent mental health care, advocating for policies and practices that prioritize the needs of this population, …

Students Of Higher Education Receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program And Its Impact On Mental Health, Cristina Palacios Mosqueda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this research study was the impact of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on the mental health, specifically anxiety and depression, of students pursuing higher education. The study analyzed if food security from receiving SNAP benefits relieved mental illnesses for students pursuing higher education. This study utilized a post-positivist paradigm. The data was obtained through qualitative methods, including 14 audio interviews and verbal observations of current undergraduate and graduate students from Southern California. At the time that the research interviews were conducted, the students participated in the student and discussed their experiences of dealing with mental health symptoms …

The Relationship Between Role Models, Socioeconomic Mobility Beliefs, And Academic Outcomes, Christian Koeu, Marisol Espinoza Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Objective: This study aims to provide insights into the relationships between role models, socioeconomic mobility beliefs and the education outcomes of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. While previous studies highlight the positive influence of role models on academic and career aspirations, the specific relationship between role models and socioeconomic beliefs remains unexplored. Our study addresses this gap by examining whether the presence of role models relates with more optimistic socioeconomic beliefs and how these beliefs, in turn, affect academic outcomes (academic engagement, academic intentions, and grade point average [GPA]). Additionally, we investigate the influence of role model characteristics to …

The Disproportionate Impacts Of Certain Factors That Differentiate The Amount Of Mental Health Referrals Of School A Compared To School B, Jesus Barrientos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between a variety of factors the school of attendance for two schools in the Inland Empire. This research project sought to assess if there are differing rates of exposure to parental substance use, geographical location, diagnosis of anxiety, diagnosis of depression, and exposure to traumatic events based on the high school of attendance. Secondary data was acquired from a school district in the Inland Empire. Fifty assessments from school A and fifty from school B were used; a total of 100 adolescent assessments were used. The adolescent assessment explores the location of living, questions regarding …

Child Maltreatment Primary Prevention Methods In The U.S.: A Systematic Review Of Recent Studies, Maria Godoy-Murillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Child maltreatment remains a widespread issue in the United States of America, (U.S.). Identifying effective methods of preventing child maltreatment is key to reducing the prevalence of this issue. Objective: This systematic review provides an overview of contemporary primary child maltreatment prevention methods in the U.S. to investigate their effectiveness. Methods: Using the OneSearch database, the following keywords were included: (“prevention methods” and “child maltreatment”), (“parental leave” and “child maltreatment”), (“primary prevention” and “child maltreatment”), (WIC and “child maltreatment”), (“home visit” and “child maltreatment”), (“child abuse and neglect” and “primary prevention”), (“affordable housing” and prevention and “child maltreatment”), (“early …

Supporting Formerly Incarcerated Individuals In Higher Education: A Quantitative Study, Lisa Marie Jones-Wiertz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

People from various backgrounds in the United States have college aspirations. However, those with marginalized characteristics, particularly formerly incarcerated individuals, face multiple barriers in their quest for higher education. This study carries a twofold purpose: (a) determining the extent to which formerly incarcerated individuals in higher education in California feel supported and (b) determining types of support associated with educational success among formerly incarcerated individuals in higher education in California. Using the Person-in-Environment Framework, the nonprobability sampling methods of convenience and snowball, and a quantitative research design, this study surveyed 51 formerly incarcerated students enrolled across the California State University …

Cultural And Structural Barriers Of Utilizing Mental Health Services In A School-Based Setting For Latinx Populations, Silvia Lozano, Bridgette Guadalupe Calderon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative research study aimed to reduce mental health service disparities in Latinx communities and helps fill in the gap by addressing cultural and structural barriers to utilizing MHS in a school-based setting for Latinx youth. There is limited research regarding Latinx parents’ perspectives and the reservations they have on utilizing school-based mental health services (MHS) for their children. This study identified six important themes: cultural factors, trust and rapport, reservations, access and awareness, parental involvement and challenges, and school-based resources. Implications for school districts are that they can use these findings to increase early intervention mental behavioral health programs …

Machismo: The Impact It Has On Hispanic Male College Students Receiving Mental Health Services, Sara Barillas, Alexander Aguirre

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Machismo is an ideology held within the Hispanic community that endorses the expression of men’s dominance and power as well as aspects of bravery, honor, dominance, and reserved emotions. Higher rates of belief in machismo are connected to higher post-traumatic distress, stress, and depression. The goal of the study is to determine to what extent Machismo has an impact on male Hispanic college students’ beliefs about mental illness and their willingness to seek help. The following is a quantitative study. This study utilized male college students enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs. Additional …

Food Policy Council, Alexandra G. Winn, Kirsten Hannah Jaquish, Shelby Lynn Davis, Alexandra N. Ehlers, Joshua Lohnes

Undergraduate Scholarship

Nourishing Networks is a workshop that promotes the development of Food Policy Councils, which are a group of community members that advocate for the Right to Food in their community. Through conversation surrounding food access barriers and strategies in their community, the workshop aims to educate participants on how they can improve food access in their community. This research project sought to conduct Nourishing Networks meetings in a variety of West Virginia counties with the intention of accompanying local community members and organizations to create a Food Policy Council for their region. Using a standardized organization process, curriculum, and reporting …

Seeding Sparks For The Right To Food, Alexandra Grace Winn, Shelby Lynn Davis, Kirsten Hannah Jaquish, Alexandra N. Ehlers, Joshua Lohnes

Undergraduate Scholarship

Seeding Sparks for The Right to Food partnered with Voices of Hunger to disperse a grant to community leaders. These community leaders have projects that are aimed to advance the Right to Food and promote food security. This project interviewed the applicants and pulled out common themes among their responses to further understand their motivations and passions related to food justice.

Effects Of Role Models And Empathy On Moral Foundations In Pre-Health Students, Jenna Mccormick

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

The presence and quality of a role model while a medical student progresses through their graduate level training has a positive impact on their ability to succeed. This is especially applicable when considering a student’s empathy levels and changes in their moral foundations during their education. Though medical school can oftentimes be a more stressful and rigorous environment, research has not yet evaluated whether these findings already begin at the undergraduate level. The data for this study is panel data including pre-health undergraduates and those who at some point were pre-health. This study looks at how mentorship while in undergraduate …

Beyond Ethnicity: Perceptions Of Racial Identity Among Latina/O/X Students At An Hwcu, Sebastian Lema

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

The Latino population in the United States has grown significantly, contributing to 52% of the nation's population growth in the past decade, according to the Pew Research Center. While research often focuses on the Latino population’s ethnicity, it often overlooks the diverse spectrum of racial identities within this community, leading to a homogenized understanding of their experiences. This study challenges this by examining how Latina/o/x students at Hope, categorized as White-identifying (WI), non-White-identifying (NWI), and international students (IS), perceive their racial identity in the context of privilege, racism, colorism, and belonging. Our total sample is 55 students (20 WI, 20 …

Effects Of Empathic Concern, Social Support, Health, And Burnout On Undergraduate Pre-Health And Nursing Students’ Stress, Caroline Davenport

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Stress among undergraduate students is an inevitable consequence of difficult studies, and this may especially be the case for pre-health and pre-nursing students. This research was aimed to determine whether the level, type, or combination of stressors affected pre-health and pre-nursing majors to greater degrees or in different ways. The data come from 531 undergraduate students who initially self-identified as pursuing either a pre-health or pre-nursing degree, and were surveyed once per year. The present data set includes Freshman through Junior years. The second and third wave asked students about their greatest stressors (open ended) and numerically rate the degree …

Moral Foundations In Undergraduate Pre-Health Students, Grace Rellinger

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Moral Foundations Theory argues that there is an automatic nature to the decisions that we make. These can be of significant importance to healthcare professionals who make decisions impacting their patients' lives. Throughout their undergraduate years, students begin to solidify their identity and develop their morals in this formative time. This could be shaped by the pre-health professional track or more specifically what the student studies during this time. Political beliefs are also evolving during this stage and have a consistent relationship with moral foundations. There is also a tentative relationship between empathy and each foundation. Currently, research does not …

The Different Impacts On Mental Health From Burnout And Boredom In Undergraduate Pre-Health And Nursing Students, Lexi Siefke

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Poor mental health has been shown in pre-medical students starting in undergraduate and persisting throughout their careers (Fang et al. 2010). Further, mental health has also been associated with burnout in medical student populations and boredom in general populations, making it difficult to distinguish burnout and boredom from one another. Research has not shown how mental health, boredom, and burnout relate to and are different from one another in undergraduate students. Our data include 510 pre-health and nursing students in three separate cohorts, each surveyed over the course of four years. To measure mental health, students were asked how many …

Foster Parent Experiences Of Stress During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rebekah Yurschak

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Foster parents face many unique parenting challenges due to their role. Many foster parents feel isolated and may lack close friends who understand their experiences. They face constant change and uncertainty as they navigate the caring of vulnerable children, often with complex needs and in complex situations. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated these feelings of isolation and uncertainty, as well as adding increased stress to the lives of foster parents. The present study explored the experience of stress among foster parents during COVID-19. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 licensed foster parents in one Midwestern state during the summer of …

Health Care Professionals’ Stigma Toward People With An Opioid Use Disorder: Preliminary Findings On The Effect Of Amount Of Contact Has On Stigma, Gabriela Murza, Cris Meier, Lily Ward, Sydney O'Shay, Rachel Myrer

Transforming Communities

Opioid-related deaths are the leading cause of injury deaths in Utah. Individuals who seek treatment for opioid misuse report stigma from healthcare professionals as the leading barrier to accessing treatment. Health professionals provide a variety of treatment options in efforts of combating high rates of opioid misuse. However, these professionals may not be properly trained in stigma reduction strategies, thus leading to poor client care and outcomes. The current study examined the association between contact with individuals who misuse opioids and stigma perceptions among healthcare professionals. A one-time survey was administered to healthcare professionals who practice in Utah using convenience …

Serving The Voiceless: Analyzing Local Organizations For Immigrant Empowerment, Daniel Kabithe, Acia Diallo, Kiya Demps, Chance Brown, Aliyah Whitfield

Undergraduate Research Events

This research project delves into the landscape of community organizations that serve the immigrant population in Louisville, Kentucky, focusing on 6 key entities: La Casita Center, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Catholic Charities of Louisville, English Conversation Club, Backside Learning Center, and American Community Center. Through a combination of interviews, phone calls and research, we discovered the roles, missions, and offered services by each organization. Through these methods, we identified some of the critical needs within the immigrant community and examined how these organizations address them. Additionally, we discovered that not only did our research highlight the importance of the services provided, …

Take A Closer Look: Combating Ageism Through The Use Of Children's Literature, Janice Buehrer

Honors Projects

This project was completed as my final honors project for Bowling Green State University in the spring of 2024. I wrote and illustrated the children's book, "Take a Closer Look," designed for kindergarten through second-grade children. The goal of the book is to be used as a value-socialization device to instill positive perspectives on aging within younger generations. The book itself is meant to be an intergenerational tool as adults read the book about older adults to children, reaching the entire lifespan.

Hubungan Presepsi Dukungan Sosial Teman Sebaya Dan Supervisor Dengan Tingkat Burnout Mahasiswa Saat Melaksanakan Praktikum : Studi Pada Mahasiswa Ilmu, Zatadini K. Paradasa, Getar Hati

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Students assigned with field practice (practicum) are prone to experiencing burnout. This study focuses on Social Welfare students who are currently undertaking practicum assignments. Burnout conditions can disrupt their social functioning and impacting target groups, institutions, and universities. One factor related to burnout is social support perceived by students. However, there is still minimal research related to burnout and social support among practicum students from social departments in Indonesia. Therefore, this study aims to describe the relationship between social support and burnout. This study uses a quantitative approach with descriptive objectives. The sample in this study was …

Patricia A. Tomson Center For Violence Prevention Spring 2024 Newsletter, University Of Northern Iowa. Patricia A. Tomson Center For Violence Prevention.

Patricia A. Tomson Center for Violence Prevention Newsletter

Contents:

--- Mentors in Violence Prevention Programming News
--- NEW MVP Youth Advisory Council
--- MVP Training of Trainers
--- UNI MVP Service-Learning Project
--- NEW MVP State Partnership
--- MVP Student Leadership Summit
--- Event Programming News
--- This is Where I Learned Not to Sleep Film Screening
--- Stand Up Guy Campaign

Analyzing The Intersectionality Of Race And Socioeconomics In Foster Care And Child Welfare, Isabella Gallardo

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Racial disparities continue to persist in the child welfare system, resulting in disproportionate representation and differential treatment for children from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Understanding the root causes, systemic factors, biases, and consequences of these disparities is vital for discovering solutions to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all children. I synthesize existing research conducted on racial disparities in child welfare, delving into systemic factors, biases, and their consequences. The dataset I most utilized is from the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN). Correlation analysis was used to show the relationship between racial disproportionality and systematic …

Kajian Literatur Distribusi Kompensasi Dampak Tempat Pengelolahan Sampah Terpadu (Tpst) Bantargebang: Analisis Keadilan Distributif Dan Keadilan Sosial, Wahyu Pratama Tamba

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

The waste problem in Jakarta is a complex issue related to the large volume of waste, dependence on Bantargebang TPST, and the various environmental impacts caused. Waste from Jakarta brought to Bantargebang TPST reaches 6,500-7,000 tons daily. This TPST hurts the environment and the health of the surrounding community, as well as the risk of ARI, air pollution, groundwater pollution, and environmental aesthetics. As compensation for these negative impacts, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government allocates compensation funds for affected communities. This is regulated in Article 10 letter (e) of DKI Jakarta Regional Regulation number 4 of 2019 which states that …

Telaah Konsep Asset Bassed Comunity Development Bagi Pembangunan Pariwisata Berbasis Masyarakat, Silva Amanda, Rudi Saprudin Darwis

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

The tourism sector is one of the sectors that contributes the largest foreign exchange in Indonesia. To develop this, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy continues to encourage the community-based tourism industry, with one of them developing a tourist village program. One way to realize the tourist village program in Indonesia is to use the Asset Based Community Development approach by emphasizing the use of potential assets owned by an area. The purpose of this research is to identify the potential or assets that exist in a village/region that can be developed into a tourist village by emphasizing community …

Supporting Resource Equity For Oregon’S Home Visiting Workforce: Exploring Racial, Ethnic & Linguistic Differences, Beth L. Green, Nicole M. Lauzus, Yumi Lee, Erin Gaines, Ron Joseph

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Home visitors of color—those whose lived experience and background reflect the cultural, racial and linguistic diversity of so many Oregon families—cope with compounding stressors related to structural racism, bias and documented pay inequities.

This learning brief is the first in a series to share findings from a 2023 statewide survey of Oregon’s home visiting workforce. This study has provided a wealth of information about this workforce and how to improve and support its well-being and retention, with a focus on the needs and experiences of home visitors of color and those who speak languages other than English.

An Investigation Of The Validity Of A Framework Constructed To Predict And Facilitate Upward-Stability, Timothy Streett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This study is an investigation of the validity of the theoretical assumptions of a programming model which posits that it is not income but rather a collection of personality and dispositional constructs which provide the foundation of an economically stable life, and that empowering those in poverty to improve their economic situation must begin with these constructs or will be a failed effort. The author provides a review of significant literature supporting the idea that these constructs are associated with better outcomes in many aspects of life. The author then provides original investigative research utilizing a self-administered, 40 item agree/disagree …

Development And Preliminary Validation Of The Sexual Minority Identity Emotion Scale, Jacob Goffnet, Samantha Robinson, Anna Hamaker, Mohammod Mahmudar Rahman, Sheree M. Schrager, Jeremy T. Goldbach

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Emotions influence health behaviors and outcomes, yet little research has examined the emotion–health relationship among sexual minorities. The few studies in this area have used general measures of feelings without regard for identity, despite the literature positing emotions as culturally and contextually specific. This critical limitation obscures inferences made in studies that have found emotions to predict mental health outcomes for sexual minorities. This study begins to address this gap by developing and examining the preliminary validation of the Sexual Minority Identity Emotion Scale, a measure of shame and pride specific to the identity experiences of sexual minority adolescents. The …