Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social Work Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 61

Full-Text Articles in Social Work

North Carolina Cps Social Worker Self-Efficacy With Legal Aspects, Michelle E. Bates Jan 2022

North Carolina Cps Social Worker Self-Efficacy With Legal Aspects, Michelle E. Bates

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

North Carolina has the infrastructure to investigate the allegations of child abuse and neglect. However, the problem is that during the investigation, not all children have risk and safety evaluated. Assessing for risk and safety determines the child’s immediate or future need for legal interventions. The purpose of this basic qualitative inquiry was to explore CPS social workers’ self-efficacy with legal aspects when completing abuse and neglect investigations in rural counties in North Carolina. Albert Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy was the theoretical framework used to explain the phenomenon in this study. The research questions were: (a) What are the perceptions …


Human And Social Services Direct Service Professionals' Perception Of Late-Life Cumulative Grief And Loss, Deanna Robinson Jan 2022

Human And Social Services Direct Service Professionals' Perception Of Late-Life Cumulative Grief And Loss, Deanna Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Globally, the adult population 65 and older is anticipated to grow, signaling the necessity of awareness of late-life issues and concerns. Although research has shown that losses and changes in late life are anticipated, there is very little empirical evidence of how HSPs direct care professionals understand, assess, or perceive the complexities of cumulative grief and loss in their 65 and older clients. Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory (CGT) (2014) was used as the conceptual framework a qualitative methodology to explore the understanding, assessment, and perception of the complexities of late-life cumulative grief and loss of HSPs working with adults 65 …


Human Service Professionals’ Perceived Ability To Support Title I Schools During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michael Dewayne Brown Jan 2022

Human Service Professionals’ Perceived Ability To Support Title I Schools During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michael Dewayne Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human service professional practitioners (HSPPs) who work in Title I schools help students overcome challenges including absenteeism and behavioral problems and serve as liaisons between the school, family, and student. The pivot to online education during the COVID-19 school shutdowns meant that HSPP services also pivoted. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand how HSPPs perceived their ability to serve Title I students during the pandemic through the lens of Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 HSPPs who delivered services to Title I students before and during the pandemic. Participants reported their service delivery …


The Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Young Adults Who Have Transitioned Out Of State Or Other Care, Linda Rose Ross Jan 2022

The Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Young Adults Who Have Transitioned Out Of State Or Other Care, Linda Rose Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOver 20,000 young adults are released from state care annually and 100,000 young adults are released from justice centers. Past studies have revealed that young adults 18-24 years of age transitioning out of care are not prepared for independent living and may face many adversities. The problem is that young adults have difficulties finding permanent housing once emancipated from state care, their biological homes, or juvenile justice centers. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of young adults 18-24 years of age and how their experiences and life skills helped on their journey to acquire …


African American Youth Decline To Extend Foster Care Despite Their Needs, Rhonda Flowers-Corpening Jan 2022

African American Youth Decline To Extend Foster Care Despite Their Needs, Rhonda Flowers-Corpening

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the United States, African American children are disproportionately placed in foster care and experience a myriad of problems, including physical and emotional abuse. As a result, negative post-discharge outcomes are revealed in existing literature, such as substance abuse, unemployment, homelessness, sexual promiscuity, and mental health issues. The purpose of this generic qualitative inquiry was to explore the foster care experience from the perspective of African American foster care alumni. The goal was to understand why the decision is made not to extend foster care services, despite their ongoing needs for support and lack of preparation for adulthood. Ecological Systems …


Exploring Challenges School Social Workers Face When Advocating Services For Childhood Trauma And Abandonment, Danielle Mozie Jan 2022

Exploring Challenges School Social Workers Face When Advocating Services For Childhood Trauma And Abandonment, Danielle Mozie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School social workers focus on the growth and development of school-age youth by connecting students with resources in the school and community. One population that school social workers provide services for is youth with childhood traumatic backgrounds. This population may have increased behavioral problems, absenteeism, and lower academic achievement. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to better understand what challenges school social workers face when advocating services for school-aged youth experiencing trauma due to neglect from being abandoned. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory was the conceptual framework. Ten licensed master social workers employed as school social workers in the …


How Being Aware Of Military Culture Influences Social Work Practice With Female Military Personnel, John Raymond Gonzalez Jan 2022

How Being Aware Of Military Culture Influences Social Work Practice With Female Military Personnel, John Raymond Gonzalez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Active-duty women in the military seek help through the Family Advocacy Program (FAP) on military bases from social workers with a master’s degree in social work (MSW) who are hired by the federal government or by firms that contract with social workers to serve military personnel. Most of those social workers have no military background per se, which brings into question how being aware of the military culture might influence their practice with female military personnel. Grounded in self-awareness theory, which places focus on one's awareness relative to one's culture and environment at any time, the purpose of this action …


Social Workers’ Perceptions On Partnering With Police To Address Violent Police Encounters Towards African Americans, Adrian Springfield Jan 2022

Social Workers’ Perceptions On Partnering With Police To Address Violent Police Encounters Towards African Americans, Adrian Springfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research documents the pervasiveness of violent police encounters towards African Americans in the United States and importance of a multidisciplinary approach between social workers and police to prevent police violence. However, little is known about social workers perceptions and experiences on partnering with police to address violent police encounters towards African Americans. Informed by Tuckman’s group formation theory and Bell’s critical race theory, the purpose of this generic qualitative inquiry study was to explore social workers in the United States perceptions and experiences on partnering with police to address violent police encounters toward African Americans. Using semistructured interviews, data was …


School Social Workers’ Perceptions Of Compassion Fatigue Syndrome, Gloria I. Collazo Cartagena Jan 2022

School Social Workers’ Perceptions Of Compassion Fatigue Syndrome, Gloria I. Collazo Cartagena

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School social workers face domestic violence, trauma, social violence, and mental and emotional health problems in their work context. Indeed, compassion fatigue results from professionals’ continuous exposure to these problems. This study explored school social work professionals’ perceptions of compassion fatigue. For this, the following questions were explored:the perception of school social workers working for the Puerto Rico Department of Education about compassion fatigue.


The Impact Of Mindfulness On Communication With Health Care Providers For Older Adult Quilters, Mary Peyton Cauthorn Gill Jan 2022

The Impact Of Mindfulness On Communication With Health Care Providers For Older Adult Quilters, Mary Peyton Cauthorn Gill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractActive aging plays a pivotal role in countering the effects of multimorbidities and enhancing mental and physical well-being of individuals. Prior research supports the benefits of mindfulness, a key component of active aging, in enhancing older adults’ physical and mental health, but the effect of mindfulness on older adults’ communication with medical social workers and other health care providers has not been studied. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of how older quiltmakers experienced mindfulness and how this affected their communication with their health care providers. The study, which drew from empowerment theory, …


How Social Workers Contribute To Outcomes Of Adolescent Participants In Wilderness Programs, Tracy Dockler Jan 2022

How Social Workers Contribute To Outcomes Of Adolescent Participants In Wilderness Programs, Tracy Dockler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The wilderness environment has become recognized as a viable treatment modality for addressing the psychosocial and behavioral needs of treatment-resistant adolescents. Even though social workers provide services in these specialized programs, little is known about how they perceive the contributions they make to the outcomes of the adolescent participants. The conceptual framework of wilderness treatment with a focus on the wilderness experience, as well as on the physical, social, and psychosocial aspects of participant functioning guided this study. In this qualitative study, a semistructured interview guide was used to elicit the thoughts of five master’s level social workers (MSWs) regarding …


Continuity Of Care For Adult Offenders With Severe And Persistent Mental Illnesses: An Action Research Study, Lakeshia C. Gonzalez Jan 2022

Continuity Of Care For Adult Offenders With Severe And Persistent Mental Illnesses: An Action Research Study, Lakeshia C. Gonzalez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For decades, the representation of adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses (SPMI) in the criminal justice system has steadily grown despite public recognition and increased federal implementation of mental health courts and diversion programs. Though more is known about risk factors associated with psychiatric and criminal recidivism among this population, a gap in the literature remains on collaborative interventions and continuity of care between inpatient mental health and criminal justice facilities. Grounded in resilience theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to examine challenges social workers faced when attempting to facilitate discharge planning between inpatient mental health facilities …


Intersectional Invisibility Of Black Lgbtqia+ Client Strategies For Bias And Discrimination Prevention, Dr. Tonya Y. Griffith Jan 2022

Intersectional Invisibility Of Black Lgbtqia+ Client Strategies For Bias And Discrimination Prevention, Dr. Tonya Y. Griffith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Those who identify as members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities have been victims of bias and prejudicial attitudes. Because LGBTQIA+ people embody all cultures, races, religious convictions, and socioeconomic statuses, this creates additional barriers for some community members who identify as both Black and LGBTQIA+. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore social workers’ perceptions of intersectional invisibility when working with Black LGBTQIA+ clients and the strategies that social workers identify as beneficial in averting discrimination and bias when working with this community. Implicit bias theory and intersectionality theory …


Value Co-Creation Paradigm Framework For Integrating Evidence-Based Practices In Child Welfare, Georgina Horton Jan 2022

Value Co-Creation Paradigm Framework For Integrating Evidence-Based Practices In Child Welfare, Georgina Horton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAlthough there has been increased utilization of evidence-based practice (EBP) in child welfare services, it has not been comprehensively incorporated or fully embraced by key decision makers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore a value co-creation (VCC) paradigm as a viable framework for collaboration between stakeholders in child welfare, and to explore what attitudes are necessary to enable child welfare stakeholders. The VCC paradigm framework comprising three elements (engagement platforms, experience domains, and capability ecosystems) was used to guide the study. Data were collected from semi structured, in-depth interviews with four key decision makers in the …


Mental Health-Medical Crisis Team Impact On First Responder Outcomes On Persons With Mental Illness, Mary Josephine Lakey Jan 2022

Mental Health-Medical Crisis Team Impact On First Responder Outcomes On Persons With Mental Illness, Mary Josephine Lakey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Persons with mental illness (PMIs) are 16 times more likely to experience harm when interacting with police than individuals without mental illness. This inequity has recently become prominent in American discourse due to the ubiquitous use of cell phones and social media, where videos of incidents between police and PMIs circulate. In this generic qualitative research, members of a collaborative mental health and emergency medical service professionals (EMSPs) team in an urban area were interviewed to assess the team members’ perceptions of the impact of the program on frequency of adverse outcomes during interactions with PMIs. The theoretical framework for …


Transitional Experiences Of Young African American Women In Foster Care, Tiarra Michelle Myers Jan 2022

Transitional Experiences Of Young African American Women In Foster Care, Tiarra Michelle Myers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emancipated foster youth continue to experience fewer positive outcomes after foster care despite the changes in legislation and the implementation of additional transitional living programs and supports such independent living programs. This quantitative research study followed a non-experimental, secondary data analysis to examine how independent living programs impact the outcomes for African American young women who have transitioned out of the foster care system compared to their Caucasian young women peers at age 17 and age 21. The exploratory study used data from the Children’s Bureau National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) Cohort 2. A cross-section comparison analysis was conducted …


Addiction Therapists’ Working Alliances With Battered Women With Substance Use Disorders, Lee O'Hara Jan 2022

Addiction Therapists’ Working Alliances With Battered Women With Substance Use Disorders, Lee O'Hara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the United States, 1 in 3 people with a substance use disorder is a woman who experienced domestic violence in her lifespan; yet only 1 of 5 people in treatment are women, which implies gender-specific difficulties to therapeutic engagement. There are documented inequalities and unmet needs among battered women with substance use disorders when therapists vary in their ability to form a working alliance with patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of addiction therapists’ working alliances with battered women with substance use disorders. The theoretical framework was based in transcendental phenomenology theory and …


The Experiences Of Female Survivors Of Sexual Assault When They Make A Police Report, Tracy L. Rainey Jan 2022

The Experiences Of Female Survivors Of Sexual Assault When They Make A Police Report, Tracy L. Rainey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nearly 20% of all women will be the victim of an attempted or completed sexual assault within the United States, yet less than one quarter of victims will report their experienced crime to law enforcement (LE). Many survivors of sexual violence experience apprehension about reporting sexual assault, due to fear of social consequences, relational consequences, and fear of the reprisal from LE officers. The purpose of this interpretive descriptive qualitative study was to describe and interpret the experiences of adult, female sexual assault survivors when they make a LE report about their victimization. Resilience theory, which is the study of …


Experiences Of Social Workers Providing Sentencing Advocacy For Youth Of Color, Steven Robinson Jan 2022

Experiences Of Social Workers Providing Sentencing Advocacy For Youth Of Color, Steven Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The punitive sentencing of minority youthful offenders is contrary to the juvenile justice system’s founding principles of rehabilitation. Moreover, the introduction of mitigation helps to inform the courts’ decisions on the most appropriate recourse; however, few researchers have studied the experiences of social workers who provide sentencing advocacy for minority youth. This basic qualitative study explored the experiences of social workers in Louisiana involved in addressing sentencing disparities of minority youth and the changes social workers perceive as necessary to reduce these disparities. Six social workers in Louisiana were interviewed regarding their experiences related to providing sentencing advocacy for minority …


Adolescents’ Perspective On Social Media Contributing To Suicidal Ideations And Attempts, Shavon Mariah Brooks Jan 2022

Adolescents’ Perspective On Social Media Contributing To Suicidal Ideations And Attempts, Shavon Mariah Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media has become mainstream over the past decade, with new applications that adolescents can download to stay in consistent contact with their peers. Though social media can enhance the ability for communication, it seems to also have the ability to alienate, burden, and exacerbate depression and potential self-harm. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore five adolescent’s perspective on social media contributing to suicide ideations and attempts. The theoretical research was built upon Joiner’s interpersonal theory of suicide. Two research questions were explored in this study, which were the adolescent’s perspective on social media triggering suicidal ideations …


How Social Workers In Long Term Care Facilities In The State Of Florida Assist Lgbt Aging Adults To Acclimate To Each Other And The Facility, Katherine Louise Curci-Degaro Jan 2022

How Social Workers In Long Term Care Facilities In The State Of Florida Assist Lgbt Aging Adults To Acclimate To Each Other And The Facility, Katherine Louise Curci-Degaro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The elderly LGBT community is growing in the State of Florida, and some members of this group face inequalities when accessing long-term care services. Social workers play an important role in assisting residents to acclimate to their settings, and without their involvement, LGBT older adults may be forced back into secrecy regarding their sexual orientation. For social workers in long term care facilities, understanding how discrimination, oppression, and stigma interacted in the lives of these LGBT older adults is important in understanding these adults and their experiences in long-term care facilities. This doctoral project used a qualitative research design. Fifteen …


Social Support Needs Of African American Single Parent Women Residing In Atlanta, Tyneisha Douglas Jan 2022

Social Support Needs Of African American Single Parent Women Residing In Atlanta, Tyneisha Douglas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social workers may serve marginalized groups of people such as single parents who may face challenges and barriers to raising a healthy family. African American mothers are more likely to have adverse experiences with parenting without a partner or additional supportive primary caregiver than women in other racial groups. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the mental health challenges that impact African American women who are single parents. Social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected from individual interviews with ten parents from daycare centers in the metropolitan Atlanta area that …


Length Of Stay In A Homeless Shelter And Mitigating Homelessness, Uwemedimo S. Etteyit Jan 2022

Length Of Stay In A Homeless Shelter And Mitigating Homelessness, Uwemedimo S. Etteyit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHomelessness is a major public health issue in the United States. Every night, thousands of people have no residence to call their own. Most homeless persons turn to homeless shelters for help. Despite the homeless shelters, the problem of homelessness persists. This study examined the concept that the length of time spent at a homeless shelter is related to the homeless persons mitigating their homelessness through home placement, jobs, and healthcare access. Homelessness was examined using the socioecological model with its attendant levels of influence. On the intrapersonal level, socioeconomic status, education, old age, veteran status, and disability were factors. …


Coping With Sibling Suicide: The Experiences Of Saint Lucians Of African Descent, Charmaine Hippolyte Emmanuel Jan 2022

Coping With Sibling Suicide: The Experiences Of Saint Lucians Of African Descent, Charmaine Hippolyte Emmanuel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe loss of a loved one to death is difficult. However, the loss to suicide entails increased pain and anguish due to the stigma attached to suicide. Sibling loss to suicide is a global concern as individuals can experience complicated grief reactions, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideations. These health concerns can negatively impact the individuals’ health and general well-being in the absence of healthy coping mechanisms. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Saint Lucians of African descent. The participants were 20 to 60 years old and had lost a sibling to …


Emerging Adults' Lived Prenatal Care Experiences As First-Time Mothers: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study, Linda Mcclerklin Jan 2022

Emerging Adults' Lived Prenatal Care Experiences As First-Time Mothers: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study, Linda Mcclerklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPrenatal care is fundamental in the lives of expectant mothers. Studies have highlighted the prenatal care experiences of mothers ranging from adolescents to older women, which included the experiences of emerging adults. However, emerging adults bring particular social, emotional, and developmental concerns to pregnancy experiences that are distinct from those of their counterparts. This study explored these experiences to answer the question of what are emerging adults’ lived prenatal care experiences are as first-time mothers. Interpretive phenomenology and assumptions from critical race, feminist, communication, and intersectionality theories helped frame the study. Through purposive and snowball sampling, nine participants were selected …


Development Of A Capacity Building Program To Promote Trauma-Informed Services, Juan Miguel Medina Jan 2022

Development Of A Capacity Building Program To Promote Trauma-Informed Services, Juan Miguel Medina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Wichita County, Texas experienced decreased academic performances of elementary level children in 24 out of 45 communities. Higher numbers of traumatic experiences increase a child's risk of not meeting developmental benchmarks. The purpose of this capstone project is to support the development of a trauma-informed capacity-building program. Ungar's resiliency theory was used to understand the factors related to building resilience in children to prevent trauma. Using action research, the researcher explored how developing program content may improve an agency's system readiness to deliver effective trauma-informed care. Data were collected from a focus group with local social workers. Content analysis was …


Empathy-Based Strain Among Social Workers Working With Couples Experiencing Infidelity, Jared And Rachel Taylor Jan 2022

Empathy-Based Strain Among Social Workers Working With Couples Experiencing Infidelity, Jared And Rachel Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) social workers engaged in the practice of couples therapy often work with the issue of infidelity, which can be traumatizing to clients. EFT relies heavily on empathy-based interventions that allow the therapist to experience the pain of clients in the process of facilitating the repair of a couple's attachment bond. Yet the nature of EFT with infidelity can increase social workers’ risk of developing empathy-based strain (EBS), which can lead to personal and professional detriment and practice that harm clients. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe how social workers who practice EFT …


The Perceptions And Practices Of Child Welfare Caseworkers And Decision-Making Related To Reunification, Sonja D. Ulrich Jan 2022

The Perceptions And Practices Of Child Welfare Caseworkers And Decision-Making Related To Reunification, Sonja D. Ulrich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The child welfare system exists to support safe and healthy families. When children cannot remain safely with family, they are removed and often placed with nonrelatives. Only half of all of the children removed from their homes achieve reunification. In the current study, research questions examined the perceptions of caseworkers in determining whether or when a child could reunify with their family of removal, and how the perceptions of the caseworker affected their practice regarding reunification. Using social learning theory as a framework, a caseworker’s decisions were viewed as a balance between their work environment and their personal perceptions. Following …


The Social Worker’S Experience Regarding Social Isolation In Middle Schools, Jeanne Williams Jan 2022

The Social Worker’S Experience Regarding Social Isolation In Middle Schools, Jeanne Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMiddle school is a time when adolescents struggle with social challenges, self-identity, and self-esteem. Social workers are critical stakeholders to support families in schools; these professionals serve in a unique capacity to assist with attendance, provide medical and behavioralsupport and connect families with resources to mitigate barriers to students’ success. Little is known, however, about the role social workers play in preventing and addressing the social isolation of middle school students. The purpose of this project was to explore the role of the social worker as it relates to preventing and addressing the social isolation of middle school students. Self-determination …


Understanding How Healthcare Social Workers Respond To Adult Medical Trauma, Sonya Anthony Jan 2022

Understanding How Healthcare Social Workers Respond To Adult Medical Trauma, Sonya Anthony

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medical trauma in the hospital is a growing health disparity often accompanied by social determinants. Assisting in alleviating disparities and social determinants is a standard of care embedded in social work practice. This research was conducted to examine healthcare social workers’ experiences responding to and managing the psychosocial impacts of adult medical trauma in an acute inpatient environment. The goal of the research was to identify if a need exists for trauma-informed training among healthcare social workers. The research question examined how healthcare social workers respond to medical trauma. The model of case management, trauma-informed care, and systems theory were …