Social Justice Theatre And The Impact On Theatre Artists, Stevie Taken

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Theatre as an agent for social change has significantly impacted communities and entire countries. Examining how subversive theatre impacts those who engage with it to affect positive social change is a worthwhile endeavor. Theatre possesses the power to inspire empathy in people, which leads to progressive political action. This study explores the impact of participating in social justice theatre has on the artists who engage in it.

The literature reviewed in this study examines the impact attending subversive theatre has on audience members, its aim is to inspire empathy as a tool to create progressive social change. This study expands …

Services Available In The Mixtec Community And The Barriers To Those Services, Currie Bailey Carmon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: While outreach and services continue to expand within marginalized communities, this research aims to identify services accessible to the Mixtec population within the North County of San Luis Obispo and identify the barriers to accessing those services. Methods: This study was conducted by interviewing service providers 18 years or older, who work within the Mixtec community in the private sector, child welfare services and within the school settings. The researcher utilized the post positivist paradigm, and data was gathered through semi-structured Zoom interviews with the service providers. Results: The study sample featured 6 participants who work within the Mixtec …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Child Abuse Investigation Outcomes, Kelly Gasso

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic essentially changed every system in America. In particular, it has created many unfamiliar challenges for child welfare agencies because they had to make immense changes to how they conducted their established practice. These changes aimed to keep the safety of children at the forefront, and simultaneously integrate higher safety protocols for social workers without putting children at risk. In response, the focus of this research proposal was to understand the effect COVID-19 had on child abuse investigations.

This research project utilized qualitative data in the form of interviews from a convenience sample of child welfare emergency response …

Program Evaluation Of Teen Parent Support Group, Brianne Yvonne Irene Brophy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study used qualitative methods to identify the specific components of a teen mother support group that participants found most helpful. The purpose of this research was to highlight the support group's unique traits that attribute to their success in aiding teen mothers in graduating from high school, obtaining higher education, obtaining stable employment, and achieving their parenting goals. The study is composed of one-on-one interviews with three teen mothers who have been connected to the support group for over eight years. The responses suggest that four components of the support group help teen mothers in achieving success in …

Is There A Relationship Between Professorial-Student Racial Match And Academic Satisfaction Of African American Social Work Students, Ashlei Armstead

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Although in most recent years, the academic achievement gap between African- American and Caucasian students have slightly decreased, it continues to be a national issue. Previous studies have found that African American students are more likely to receive disciplinary punishment, such as suspension or expulsion, causing them to have lower grades and higher dropout rates, when paired with a Caucasian teacher. On the contrary, when they are paired with an African American teacher, they tend to experience higher rates of academic satisfaction. These findings tend to derive from studies that solely focused on racial match and academic …

How Are Medical Social Workers Equipped With Adequate Training To Detect And Report Elder Abuse In Hospice, Crystal Garcia, Katherine Barba

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: This study explored how equipped medical social workers are with adequate training to detect and report elder abuse in hospice.

This study was carried out in Southern California with the help of participants who currently or have previously worked as medical social workers in hospice. The eleven participants are all women of varying backgrounds in age, ethnicity, cultures, work experience, and licensures.

In the United States, elder abuse is known to affect approximately one out of ten Americans aged sixty and over. However, there are ways we can combat elder abuse. One of the major ways is by properly …

Mental Health Literacy And Attitudes Toward Mental Health Help-Seeking Among College Students Of Non-Mental Health Professions, Hannah Metz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

College students who do not study mental health-related topics are a population that are particularly susceptible to mental health problems due to the stress of higher education and potential lack of mental health literacy. If this population has low levels of mental health literacy, they may not recognize a need to seek help and may be influenced against seeking help due to perceived negative stigma. This study sought to measure the level of mental health literacy among this subpopulation, as well as their attitudes toward seeking help for mental health issues by using a survey questionnaire which included two instruments …

School-Based Suicide Prevention Program For Lgbtq Students, Ching Lok Tse

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: The study focused on the school-based suicide prevention program for LGBTQ students. It aimed to identify risk factors facing LGBTQ students and examine the areas for improvements on the current suicide prevention program to better support LGBTQ students.

Methods: The study was conducted with the support of mental health professionals serving high school students. The study adopted post-positivism and utilized ecological systems theory as the theoretical orientation. Qualitative research instruments including one-on-one interviews were employed for data collection.

Results: Seven themes emerged from this study, including the lack of social support and acceptance, internal struggles with identity in heteronormative …

Examining Social Determinants Of Health Of Formerly Incarcerated California Students Who Graduated From Project Rebound, Ashley C. Adams

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Project Rebound is an educational based program that supports justice impacted individuals in obtaining higher education. The purpose of this study is to explore specific social determinants of health for these justice impacted students, and how these social determinants may improve after graduation. Specifically, this study will examine participants’ housing, mental health, substance use, employment, and finances during and after their participation in Project Rebound. This study is important, as there is little research on Project Rebound, their alumni, and how social determinants of health may be impacted by enrollment. This study is quantitative, and uses online surveys to gather …

Promoting Resilience For Children In Foster Care, Brenda Lara

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Many children enter the child welfare foster system every year and spend a significant amount of time in this system. While in foster care, many children experience stress and trauma. Trauma and adversity have been found to have a significant negative impact on children’s future success and well-being. Resiliency becomes important when combatting trauma experiences. This study looked at how child welfare social workers play a role in promoting resilience for children in foster care. The purpose of this study was to explore and highlight positively impactful resilience building child welfare social work practices from the perspective of former foster …

The Impact The Job Stress Of A Child Welfare Social Worker Has On The Quality Of Their Relationship With Their Intimate Partner, Nadine Cazares

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The study focused on identifying the impact the job stress of a child welfare social worker has on the quality of their relationship with their intimate partner. The study examined child welfare social workers in a Child Protective Services department in a county in Southern California. The study utilized a positivist paradigm with data gathered through self-administered online surveys. The researcher utilized the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for the data analysis. The research conducted a correlational analysis, as both the independent variable (job stress) and dependent variable (relationship quality) are interval levels of measurement. The results failed to …

The Challenges Homeless Men With Hiv/Aids Face When Seeking Housing, Rosey Yvette Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study sought to understand the challenges homeless men with HIV/AIDS face when seeking housing. The research used a post-positivist paradigm. The study included interviews with housing specialists who work with homeless men with HIV/AIDS. The housing specialists work at a non-profit agency serving a large urban county in Southern California. Information obtained from this research allowed the agency to provide better support and services to homeless HIV/AIDS men in the future.

The study uncovered the following challenges homeless men with HIV/AIDS face when seeking housing: affordable housing in safe areas, substance abuse in the homeless population, individuals with mental …

Social Workers Perspective On Barriers To Family Reunification, Laura Velasquez, Annamarie C. Merrill

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this study is social worker’s potential perspective on barriers to family reunification in a child welfare services agency located in Central California. A constructivist research paradigm was applied to this study as it permitted the researchers to use a subjective methodology for collecting qualitative data. The study gathered data using interviews with child welfare social workers to construct a joint understanding of social workers perspective on barriers they face when reunifying child welfare families. Child welfare social workers identified numerous barriers to effective social work both in practice and in policy. The barriers found were a lack …

What Is The Importance Of Social Work Involvement In Hospice Care Transitions For Ill Children And Their Families, Natalie Rodas, Guillermina Morales

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Thousands of children who face terminal illnesses die annually in the United States, 10% of those children and their families have hospice care services available. Through this study, the importance of social work involvement in hospice care transitions for ill children and their families were examined. Due to the scarcity of social work in hospice care settings, this study helped amplify research on the importance of social workers in hospice care for ill children and their families. The study consisted of individual interviews held via Zoom with medical social workers that have experience working in pediatric hospice care. The individual …

School Faculty’S Knowledge And Awareness Of School-Based Mental Health Programs, Bianca Gonzalez Vargas, Cristal Cortes-Vazquez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Children between the ages of five and eighteen spend a significant amount of time in school settings where they may have the opportunity to receive mental health services if needed. Children come into contact with many school faculty members, such as teachers, social workers, counselors, secretaries, administrators, and many more. These faculty ideally would be able to identify and properly refer children to mental health services. However, prior research demonstrates that many faculty members are not aware of the various types of mental health services and programs provided in schools. In addition, for mental health services to be correctly offered …

Indigenous Women And Traditional Paths To Healing, Lisa Mariano-Grise

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explored Indigenous women’s perspectives about and applications of Traditional healing practices. As Indigenous women experience a disproportionate amount of trauma compared to other populations, this study sought to understand the preferred methods of healing among Indigenous women. Taking a qualitative approach, this study involved semi-structed interviews with five Indigenous women in California (N=5). Results from thematic analysis yielded five different themes: 1) Indigenous women use a variety of Traditional ceremonies and practices for healing, 2) Loss and grief are some of the motivational factors for Indigenous women to pursue healing through Traditional means, 3) Collective healing is important …

The Benefits Of Support Groups For Individuals Who Experience Auditory And Visual Hallucinations, Joseph Stewart

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Four members of a peer-support group that focuses on experiences of auditory and visual hallucinations participated in interviews to explore ways that support groups benefit this population. The researcher had special interest in the domains of reduction of discomfort, reduction of stigma, and increase of functioning. This qualitative study used thematic coding to analyze interview data. Regarding the ways that participation in the support group benefits members, eight themes were identified: the group providing a safe space, growth in communication skills, meeting belongingness needs, participation increasing euthymia, increased ability to cope with symptoms, normalization of people experiencing hallucinations, addressing stigma …

Staff Turnover In Child Welfare, Maleena Flores

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The turnover rate amongst child welfare workers is an ongoing problem that has yet to find a durable solution. Past studies have examined factors that contribute to workers’ intention to leave and factors that may impact that decision. Purpose: This study explored this issue from the perspective of present and former child welfare workers in southern California counties by examining the relationship between turnover intention and psychological safety. Methods: This observational study used a cross sectional design to gather quantitative data via self-report through an online survey. Pearson product-moment correlation analyses were performed to examine the relationships between psychological …

Students' Educational Outcomes For Hybrid Msw Program, Carolina Profeta

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed post-secondary social work program mode of learning throughout the nation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social work program transitioned from in-person to hybrid a modality. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of the social work program’s hybrid modality on students’ learning outcomes. Specifically, this study will examine participants’ cognitive presence, perceived effectiveness, and student perceptions. This study is important, as there is no research on social work program’s hybrid modality on students’ learning outcomes. This is a quantitative study and uses online surveys to gather results. The ANOVA and chi …

Services For American Indian/Alaska Natives Foster Youth Victims Of Sexual Exploitation: The Social Worker’S Perspective, Maria Marquez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focused on child welfare workers and practitioners’ perceptions of Native American foster youth sex trafficked victim clients' most pressing needs. The research also sought to understand the perspectives of social workers and practitioners on services for the victimized youth. The study was conducted in a large urban county in Southern California, with social workers and practitioners that work with American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) foster youth in child protective services, clinical settings, and a tribal entity. The study adopted a post-positivism paradigm. The data was collected through interviews of individual social workers and practitioners servicing AI/AN youth in the …

Adverse Effects For Siblings Who Witness Child Abuse, Leslie Chaires

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research explores the adverse effects on the mental health of children who have witnessed child abuse on siblings or relatives and interventions that can help mitigate adverse effects. The adverse effects of being abused have continued to be studied by different fields, such as child development and social work, but the children not directly abused are the missing voice in the literature on child abuse and mental and behavioral health. Social workers frequently have contact with children who have been victims of abuse or have witnessed child abuse. Social workers and other mental health providers can bring further insight …

Non-Spanish Speaking Latinos' Experiences Of Intragroup Marginalization And The Implications For Ethnic Identity, Marissa Ayala

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study will explore how non-Spanish speaking Latinos perceive themselves amongst fellow Latinos and formulate their identity in the absence of the Spanish language. Limited research has been conducted to see how Latinos are impacted by not being able to speak Spanish and how this may reinforce negative self-schemas. However, attention has been given to how bilingual Latinos can embrace the benefits of staying connected to their heritage roots. As well as how Spanish positively impacts the identity of Latinos. Therefore, there is a need to understand non-Spanish speaking Latino's experiences of intragroup marginalization and identify how these experiences have …

Attitudes Of Social Work Students On The Use Of Psychedelics As A Mental Health Treatment In Clinical Settings, Amanda Nickles

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Although psychedelic substances are currently categorized under federal law as a Schedule I controlled substance, there has recently been a renewed interest in the use of psychedelics to treat a number of mental health and substance use disorders. Research is garnering positive results in clinical trials, although much fear and stigma still surrounds psychedelic use. Future social workers’ presence in both macro level practices, advocating for mental health treatments and access to care, as well as their work in micro level clinically focused practices adds to their relevancy and legitimacy in advocating for potential policy changes on therapeutic psychedelic usage …

Impacts Of Poverty On Language Development How Low Socio-Economic Status Students Are At An Academic Disadvantage, Farbod Samari

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Socioeconomic status impacts a variety of mental health outcomes, including language development. Delays in language development have consistently been linked to poverty. Decreases in vocabulary and phonological awareness are among developmental delays in school-aged children living in poverty. This research aims to contribute to the field of human services by examining the negative impacts of poverty on language development from a social worker’s perspective. As social workers thrive to serve disadvantaged populations, this research brings awareness to how language development deficiencies occur in school-aged children living in poverty.

To fulfill the purpose of this study, a quantitative, descriptive/explanatory design …

Foster Parent Training, Retention, And Satisfaction: An Exploratory Study, Dennisse Moreno Romo, Dulcinea Catota

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated that foster parents who experience high levels of stress and frustration with the foster care agency are more likely to consider terminating their participation in foster care agencies. This quantitative study's purpose was to explore the relationship between training and foster parents’ satisfaction in their foster care agency, and between training and foster parent retention in their foster care agency. Participants completed an online questionnaire using Qualtrics software. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, using statistical tests including frequencies and Pearson's R. The hypothesis that training would correlate positively with satisfaction and retention of foster parents …

Social Work Student's Perception, Knowledge, And Preparedness In Serving Unaccompanied Migrant Children, Miriam Flores Portillo, Estela Flores-Portillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following is a quantitative study, conducted at Southern California University with a convenience sample of 56 Bachelor Social Work (BSW) and Master Social Work (MSW) participants. A Qualtrics questionnaire was administered during the fall 2022 semester and utilized to assess the social work’ students’ general perception, knowledge, and preparedness in serving unaccompanied migrant children. This population was chosen to assess because social work students are most likely to work with unaccompanied migrant children at a micro/macro level through their field placements or future employment. This study seeks to shed light on the different levels of knowledge, experiences, and competency …

Social Work’S Role In Addressing Police Oppression: Social Workers’ Perspectives, Jess Husband

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) and other marginalized identities experience constant oppression by the systems of policing. Based on the NASW Code of Ethics, social workers have an ethical responsibility to challenge social injustices. Because of the interactions between the two professions, social workers are in a unique position to engage in this social justice issue. Objective: This research study explored social workers’ perceptions of their ethical responsibilities in responding to oppressive policing. Methods: This concurrent nested mixed-method study gathered data from 12 participants. Participants were social workers within the state of Texas, recruited through …

Examining Educators’ Perceptions And Preparedness On The Needs Of Undocumented Students, Imelda Duran Herrera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explored educator perspectives on the needs that undocumented students have and perceived preparedness on supporting students in this population. This study arose from the need to further explore how prepared educators are to address the many barriers that undocumented students face in navigating school and their home lives. Using a mixed-methods research approach, this study gathered educator perceptions through quantitative survey data and qualitative interviews. Survey data used descriptive statistics to analyze demographic data and used statistical correlational analyses between variables to explore the question of educator’s perceptions of undocumented students’ needs and preparedness. Thematic analysis of gathered …

Residential Care Staff Views On The Training That They Receive And Their Perceptions On Preparedness In Regard To Working With Residents, Deziray Sorieya Marroquin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze residential care staff’s views on the training that they have received at residential group care facilities. Training is an important component of preparing staff to work with children within the child-welfare system. The literature review suggested that there were various factors that hindered residential care staff from being able to provide the necessary care for the residents. Such factors included inadequate training, supervision, burnout, and high turnover rates within residential group care facilities.

The study used a qualitative, exploratory design. The data was collected from in depth interviews with six participants who …

How Stigma Impacts The Utilization Of Mental Health Services Among Young Adults' Within Three Different Ethnic Minority Communities, Ivette Garcia, Melissa E. Gomez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health is an important aspect of every individual’s life. However, regardless of its importance, mental health is a topic that does not get much recognition. It is often simply brushed under the rug and ignored. Consequently, individuals who have mental health diagnoses may or may not choose to seek the necessary assistance. This specifically seems to be the case among adolescents and young adults within various ethnic communities, which may be due to the stigma surrounding mental health in their communities. To illustrate, regardless of the high prevalence rate of mental health issues among the minority youth, many of …