Social Work Commons^™

Agreement Of Psychiatric Diagnoses Within And Between Groups Of Mental Health Clinicians From Different Disciplines, Wade Mcguire

Dissertations

The development of therapy as a treatment option for mental health problems has led to the creation of different disciplines. Each discipline has developed its own conceptualization of classification and treatment of mental health problems. These conceptualizations have led to different areas of focus for each of the disciplines, specifically counseling, psychology, and social work. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether these areas of focus influence how each discipline diagnoses. For this study, data was collected by having clinicians provide diagnoses for three fictitious clients. The vignettes for the clients were taken from a psychopathology textbook to …

Influences On The Attachment Style Of Deaf Adults With Hearing Parents, Ellen Schaefer-Salins

JADARA

The current study explored variables that could contribute to the development of a secure or insecure attachment style of 15 deaf adults between the ages of 30 and 50 with hearing parents. There is a paucity of information on the relationship of deaf adults to their hearing parent and how that relationship may influence attachment. For the current study, quantitative methods were used to explore both childhood and adulthood variables, such as type of communication used with parents, type and level of schooling, and current attachment style. Variables also studied include age, gender, race, birth order, marital status, the hearing …

African-American Pastors' Mental Health Literacy, Leadership And Counsel: A Systematic Review, Michelle A. Townsend

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

The African-American pastor is a trusted provider of leadership and counseling within the Black church and community. Pastors and ministry leaders are often the first responders of mental health issues faced by their congregants and community members. As a trusted and sought-after source for counseling, the African-American Pastor is a mental health provider to a community who often does not pursue professional mental health counseling. Although the community is susceptible to the same mental illness as other ethnic groups, there is mistrust for the medical and mental health community and inequality in the available resources. This study 1) examined what …

Attachment And Creativity Focused Counseling Intervention For Parents And Adolescents Presenting With A Trauma History, Leah Merle Batty-Hibbs

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The central research question that informed this study asks: How do attachment and creativity focused counseling interventions encourage connection between an adolescent and their parent or caregiver? The research study centered on two mother and son dyads that participated in six weeks of a therapeutic intervention. The modality utilized an attachment and creativity focused approach created by the author. Data was collected through a post intervention semi-structured interview with the parent (adult). Data was transcribed and evaluated with an interpretive phenomenological approach. Six themes were identified by a team of researchers. The findings have implications for clinical practice with parents …

Strengths-Based Behavioral Telehealth With Sexual And Gender Diverse Clients At Center On Halsted, Ing Swenson, Trevor Gates, Michael P. Dentato Phd, Msw, Brian Kelly

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an immediate response and rapid transition from traditional face-to-face behavioral health services to behavioral telehealth at an organization serving sexual and gender diverse (SGD) individuals in Chicago. In this practice innovations article, we explore the unfolding public health crisis and the impact on service delivery for SGD individuals. Using a large multi-service organization as a case study, this paper describes how key members of the staff and leadership team shifted services online as a means of responding to isolation, loneliness, and disparities in access to healthcare for Chicago SGD communities. Lessons learned and practice recommendations are …

Integrating Tf-Cbt And Play Therapy: Promoting Resilience In Child Sexual Assault Survivors, Shayla Polk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Licensed social workers and counselors provide services to children who experience child sexual assault (CSA), which disrupt their normal childhood developmental processes. Trauma outcomes include symptoms related to somatization, inability to cope, feelings of helplessness, decreased self-esteem, difficulty expressing proper emotions, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) combined with play therapy can be helpful for CSA survivors. Still, it is not yet fully understood how therapists perceive the combined approach or how it fosters resiliency in children who experience sexual assault. The purpose of this action research study was (a) to explore the experiences and perspectives …

Application Of Self-Efficacy Training In Group Aural Rehabilitation: An Interprofessional Collaborative Model, Stephen D. Roberts, Nancy A. Delich

JADARA

Few studies have explored self-efficacy training with persons with hearing loss (PHLs), yet alone with their communication partners (CPs). The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine the impact of self-efficacy training as a framework for an Interprofessional Psychosocial Group Aural Rehabilitation (IPGAR) workshop with PHLs and their CPs. Four PHLs and their four CPs consented to participate in the IPGAR workshop that employed interventions including short lectures, psychosocial exercises, communication strategies training, speech perception training, adaptive/stress reduction exercises, and group discussions relevant to mutually established shared goals for each couple. The participants reported improved communication abilities in the …

Art Therapy In Public Education, Sophie Edelman

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review explores the history of art therapy in education. By understanding the history it is clear that art therapy has always been a positive force for students. By learning from the successes and challenges in our history we are better able to plan for future programing and expansion of art therapy programs. Because art therapy was developed in part by educators, the history of art therapy itself is linked with the history of art therapy in schools. In today’s application of art therapy in education there are three models most typically used. The research discusses the strengths and …

From Isolation To Communication: Connecting Adults Who Have Hearing Loss With Their Communication Partners, Stephen D. Roberts, Nancy A. Delich

JADARA

As Baby Boomers enter the late adulthood stage of life, hearing loss continues to be one of the most prevalent, chronic, and isolating conditions facing older adults today. Research has focused on the negative consequences of hearing loss on the health and the person’s well-being, but it is equally important to recognize that hearing loss also leads to communication loss. The resulting social isolation and the collateral effects of hearing loss on the communication partner are the focus of this mixed-method study that explored the hearing loss-related quality of life for both parties. Five overarching themes emerged from the analysis, …

Differences Between Pharmacists’ Perception Of Counseling And Practice In The Era Of Prescription Drug Misuse, J. D. Thornton, Precious Anyanwu, Vaishnavi Tata, Tamara Al Rawwad, Marc L. Fleming

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: This study was conducted to assess pharmacists' practices when counseling patients on their prescription medications, and their preferences for training.

Methods: Five focus group discussions of community pharmacists (n=45, with seven to eleven participants in each group) were conducted in a major metropolitan city in the southern United States. Participants were recruited via email using a list of community pharmacists provided by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. All focus group discussions were structured using a moderator guide consisting of both discrete and open-ended questions. Qualitative analysis software was used to analyze the data with a thematic analysis approach. …

Help-Seeking Stigma And Attitudes In College Students And Parents, Samantha Sperling

Senior Honors Theses

Help-seeking stigma is a hindrance to obtaining treatment for mental illness and is related to people’s attitudes toward seeking help. Therefore, learning about the various types of stigma and gaining predictive knowledge of the constructs has value. Self-stigma and perceived stigma of others, as well as the attitudes people hold towards seeking help, were compared in college students and their parents. A sample of college students at a private Christian university and their parents were surveyed using the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH) scale, the Perception of Stigmatization by Others for Seeking Help (PSOSH) scale, and a short form of …

An Interprofessional Collaborative Approach To The Development Of A Content Valid Interview Questionnaire For Persons With Hearing Loss And Their Communication Partners, Nancy A. Delich, Stephen D. Roberts

JADARA

An assessment instrument needs to be valid in order for data to be accurately interpreted and applied. Currently, few rigorous content evaluations have been conducted on hearing-related questionnaires. This study describes a multiphase approach for obtaining content validity evidence in the development of a questionnaire that explores quality of life for persons with hearing loss and their communication partners. A panel of 15 interprofessional experts evaluated 41 questionnaire items for content relevance and content clarity. Findings revealed an overall scale of .99 for content relevance and .85 for content clarity, indicating high content validity for the revised 40-item questionnaire.

Developing Information On Mental Health And Counseling Services, Katherine Bustamante

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Taylor Farms Center for Learning (TFCFL) is an afterschool program, which is located in East Salinas, serving primarily 76% of Hispanic and Latino children and families. Providing various programs to break down barriers for children to experience success. Every year in the United States, up to 20% of children and youth experience a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder but nearly half of all children receive no mental health services. Due to this few agency-sponsored services address this health issue and TFCFL wants to make sure they are offering the right kind of services for their community. This research project will …

A Multicase Study Exploring Women’S Narratives Of Infertility: Implications For Counselors, Staci L. Born, Christin L. Carotta, Kristine Ramsay-Seaner

Staci Born

Infertility affects 6.7 million women in the United States (Chandra, Copen, & Stephen, 2013). Women’s experiences with infertility are not only influenced by biological health factors, but also by social, cultural, and personal variables. Given the prevalence and complexity of infertility, additional research is needed to further examine the nuances of women’s experiences. The purpose of this multicase study, as informed by four individual cases, was to explore how women construct their infertility narratives. Review of reflective journals found five common elements: (1) Emotional Rollercoaster, (2) Mind-Body (Dis)Connection, (3) Secret Identity, (4) Supportive vs. Constrained Communication Patterns, and (5) Fatalistic- …

A Multicase Study Exploring Women’S Narratives Of Infertility: Implications For Counselors, Staci L. Born, Christin L. Carotta, Kristine Ramsay-Seaner

The Qualitative Report

Infertility affects 6.7 million women in the United States (Chandra, Copen, & Stephen, 2013). Women’s experiences with infertility are not only influenced by biological health factors, but also by social, cultural, and personal variables. Given the prevalence and complexity of infertility, additional research is needed to further examine the nuances of women’s experiences. The purpose of this multicase study, as informed by four individual cases, was to explore how women construct their infertility narratives. Review of reflective journals found five common elements: (1) Emotional Rollercoaster, (2) Mind-Body (Dis)Connection, (3) Secret Identity, (4) Supportive vs. Constrained Communication Patterns, and (5) Fatalistic- …

Transnational Parenting, Rachel May, Alyssa Kelly, Savannah Hale, Rebecca Carrell, Rebekah Sheard

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The goal of this presentation is to offer a review of current literature on transnational parenting to educate others on the effect that it has on family dynamics. We will first discuss the reasons for transnational parenting, as well as social restrictions which cause children to be left behind. In addition, we will discuss the effects of transnational parenting on the part of the child that can include traumatic separation experiences, family role confusion, and poor parent-child relationship health. Next, we will discuss the ramifications that immigration has on gender roles in the family and how the economic status of …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Character Education Program In A Single-Sex, Urban Charter High School: Learning From Teacher And Student Perceptions Of Its Implementation., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Students who are taught the Illinois State Board of Education’s social and emotional learning standards are granted skills that help them make positive contributions to society. Well-rounded individuals have acquired abilities that allow them to make sound decisions, interact with others, and develop self-awareness skills. Adept individuals who have the skills to teach students strategies that help them to develop an emotional intelligence should implement character education programs using evidence-based strategies. Students who attended a single-sex charter school in an urban area participated in a program evaluation to determine if it was being implemented with fidelity. Students and program implementers …

Increasing School Social Worker Supports For Schools In Illinois: Policy Recommendations For Supporting Student Learning And Growth., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Administrators and board members at the Illinois State Board of Education recommended that schools with certain demographics hire one social worker for every 350 students. The policy has yet to be implemented despite high rates of student poverty, lagging test scores, school bullying, suspensions, and an increased number of school shootings. The Illinois State Board of Education’s social and emotional learning standards guide educators and policy makers to interact and educate each student. School social workers equipped with the necessary skill set provide services, implement district-wide social and emotional learning programs, and work with various stakeholders to monitor progress. A …

Increasing The Buy-In And Effectiveness Of A Social And Emotional Learning Class Program In A Single Sex, Urban And Charter High School: Social And Emotional Learning Specialists And Student Perceptions Of Its Implementation., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Social-emotional learning has yet to be implemented in many schools in America. Without adequate social and emotional skills, students struggle to navigate their academic and social environments. Students attending a single-sex, urban charter school participated in focus groups and completed surveys about their perceptions of a social-emotional learning program that was implemented during the 2015–2016 school year. Social-emotional learning facilitators completed surveys and participated in focus groups to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the program. Graphs and themes based on the information gathered from the surveys, open-ended questions, and focus groups were used to analyze the data. Both students …

Is Counseling Integral To Buprenorphine-Assisted Opioid Addiction Treatment? Examining Counseling Participation And Treatment Retention At A Richmond, Virginia Clinic, John R. Gyourko, Hilary Colin King

Social Work Student Works

Treatment providers in Virginia are required by law to offer counseling or referrals to all clients receiving medication-assisted opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment (American Society of Addiction Medicine, 2016; Medical Society of Virginia, 2018). Prescribing physicians widely regard counseling as a critical component of medication-assisted OUD treatment (Lin, Lofwall, Walsh, & Knudsen, 2019), and clients perceive counseling to be among the most important factors promoting recovery from opioid dependence (Hay, Huhn, Tompkins, & Dunn, 2019). Research investigating the efficacy of counseling as an OUD treatment component, however, has been equivocal to date (Brown, 2018; Dugosh et al., 2016). The current …

Empowering Students Through The Application Of Self-Efficacy Theory In School Social Work: An Intervention Model, Nancy A. Delich, Stephen D. Roberts

International Journal of School Social Work

Self-efficacy is a construct well suited for social workers in the educational setting. Among the various job functions that school social workers assume, a large portion of their time is directed toward providing counseling and clinical services. Perceptions of self-efficacy are based upon the extent students expect to successfully attain their goals. Self-efficacious students with strong beliefs in their abilities will choose activities and social situations where they believe that they will be successful. Thus, they will be motivated to devote more time and effort toward accomplishing related goals. Conversely, inefficacious students of similar intelligence and capabilities may choose to …

Grace As Psychotherapy: Suggestions For Therapists With Latter-Day Saint Clients, Matthew R. Draper, James S. Mcgraw, Daniel Sturtevant, Richard D. Draper

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

There is a growing body of literature that shows how perfectionism has tremendous effects on a person’s well-being. Specifically, maladaptive perfectionism continues to have an alarming influence on many individuals’ experiences with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicidal ideations. Interestingly, for religious or spiritual individuals, perfectionism is often colored by profound religious themes that further complicate treatment. This paper seeks to explore this issue by introducing the case of Sister Vivi, a Mormon woman who suffered a great deal of depression and anxiety, and eventually a suicide attempt due to perfectionism entwined within her religious beliefs. In cooperation with her …

Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership (Encap), Community Needs Assessment: Douglas And Sarpy Counties, Jeanette Harder, Tova Hettinger, Keyonna King, Jerry Deichert

Reports

The mission of ENCAP is “to eliminate the causes of poverty by strengthening individuals, families, and communities through self-sufficiency initiatives in Douglas and Sarpy counties.”

As shown in the logic model below, ENCAP currently provides behavioral health, nutrition, family development, and transportation services. The logic model shows outputs and short-term outcomes as expected results of providing these services, as well as the resources needed to accomplish these outcomes. Serving people at 125% of the poverty line and below, ENCAP’s long-term outcomes are to assist individuals and families in achieving economic security, having improved mental health, increased access to food, having …

Social Stigmas Of Mental Health Counseling For The Youth Population, Norma Edith Morales, Kiah Kristionne Marks

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study was a quantitative survey that examined the parental perspectives concerning mental health counseling after their children received mental health services. The focus of this study was to analyze changes in parental perspectives in regard to mental health services for their children. The study considered social stigmas and diagnostic labels associated with mental health and counseling for mental health. The study found that parents whose children received mental health services reported they and their children had a positive experience. In addition, parents were open to receiving mental health counseling services in the future. The study was conducted within a …

Telemental Health Services As A Targeted Intervention For Individuals Who Are Deaf And Hard Of Hearing, Teresa Crowe

JADARA

Deaf and hard of hearing individuals who have chronic mental illness are a population that is underserved. Like their hearing counterparts with mental illness, individuals who are Deaf and hard of hearing often face medical and treatment disparities. The purpose of this paper is to propose the use of telemental health (TMH) services, or services provided via videoconferencing technology, as a targeted intervention that may provide relief to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals with mental health problems. This paper addresses several areas that are important when considering service provision to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals, including a working …

High School To College Transition Among Black Males: An Action Research Project, Orval Albert Jewett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A participatory action research project involving social workers as stakeholders from high schools and the local community college in Nassau County, New York, provided the basis for an inquiry that addressed the effectiveness and implementation of clinical social work practice with Black male students transitioning to community college from high school. This study addresses how clinical social work practice may be utilized to enhance the experience of the transition process for Black male students from high school to college. Through the use of a qualitative in-depth interview process, 16 school-based social workers provided professional perspective and expertise that resulted in …

Deaf Seniors: Experiencing Oppression, Audrey K. Frank Ph.D.

JADARA

The article was written because of the huge need to collect data on oppression experienced by deaf seniors. Open-ended responses were collected from 91 participants aged 50 years and older from five states in the areas of health care, lack of communication with family members, neighborhood, workplace, and hearing children taking over their deaf parents’ role. In the health care field and workplace, deaf seniors had experienced oppression when they did not have the full communication accessibility. There was a lack of awareness of understanding how to make it fully communication-accessible through interpreters and technology and also, the implications of …

Advocacy In Action: A Framework For Implementation Of The American Counselors Association Advocacy Competencies On A Local Level, Jeffrey M. Lown

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Despite calls from within the professional field and external forces, counselors have faced ongoing challenges in their efforts to be effective advocates for their clients and themselves. A review of the literature reveals that throughout the history of the profession, prominent figures have called on counselors to assume advocacy roles, and that some initiatives have been successful in fostering lasting change. However, as counselors and their clients’ needs continue to evolve, so too must strategies to address these needs be reevaluated and new initiatives put into place.

In this paper, I have outlined a committee structure and agenda that seeks …

Beliefs Among Licensed Clinical Social Workers About Assessing Parents Abused As Children, Emma Celina Duarte

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child abuse is a pressing national issue that affects thousands of children every year in the United States. The lifelong implications of child abuse been well documented in the literature, which identifies psychopathology, interpersonal violence and suicide risk, and substance abuse as a prominent triad of the negative sequelae of child abuse. Parents abused as children represent a subgroup that introduces additional domains of clinical interest and unique needs, including parenting stress and perceived parenting competence. These complex clusters of needs are clinically significant, and the beliefs licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) hold about parents abused as children can significantly …

Responding To Trauma: Help-Seeking Behavior And Posttraumatic Growth In A College Sample, Aaron J. Burrick

Honors Scholar Theses

Research indicates that traumatic experiences can impact college students’ mental health, academic abilities, and relationships with peers. Trauma and associated symptoms of PTSD can lower students’ well-being and increase the risk of withdrawing from the university. Research also emphasizes the importance of psychological help-seeking as a way to experience posttraumatic growth. This study examines traumatic experiences, help-seeking attitudes, barriers, and behaviors, and posttraumatic growth in a sample of 168 undergraduate college students. Results indicated an overwhelming preference for informal help-seeking resources and the importance of traumatic severity in the decision to seek help. Additionally, female participants reported greater traumatic severity …