Social Work Commons^™

Experiences Of Young Adults In Extended Foster Care: An Explortive Study, Elaine Marie Contreras

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Currently, there are thousands of foster youth in the child welfare system. When they reach the age of 18, some of these youth emancipate from the system, while some of them participate in extended foster care. The extended foster care system was implemented to support and provide services to young adults passed the age of 18, to provide them a couple more years to obtain stability in their lives. In order to participate in extended foster care, they have to meet a few requirements, and sometimes this is the minimum level of commitment and effort they contribute. These requirements include: …

Cultural Sensitivity And Elder Abuse: Considerations For Social Work Practice, Katherine R. Bernardo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how social workers identify elder abuse, factors they find contribute to or protect from elder abuse, and cultural considerations they identify as important. The qualitative research approach was utilized, and an interview instrument was created to explore participants’ perceptions and generate recommendations for developing cultural sensitivity in practice. The study sample consisted of 10 social workers with experience working with the elderly population recruited by snowball sampling. Face-to-face interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, and transcribed for analysis. This study found that social workers are particularly knowledgeable about risk factors for elder abuse and …

Beliefs About Substance Abuse Among Adolescents: What Works?, Alma Elizabeth Hernandez, Stephanie Michelle Araiza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore beliefs about what works in substance abuse treatment among adolescents. This was a qualitative study that was comprised of fourteen counselors who were interviewed regarding what works in substance treatment with adolescents. The study identified four themes that contribute to our knowledge about what works in substance abuse treatment among adolescents. The study recommends that future research explore further what works with adolescents in substance abuse treatment, including collaborating with family members, identifying strengths in adolescents, building an authentic rapport with adolescents, and using the latest evidence-based practices.

Are Non-Profit Immigration Organizations Ready For A Comprehensive Immigration Reform?, Sandra Lizeth Molina, Deserae Leanna Quezada

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore whether non-profit immigration organizations are ready for a comprehensive immigration reform. Social workers need to recognize that a lack of readiness among non-profit immigration organizations for a comprehensive immigration reform will lead to a lack of required services for undocumented populations. The sample consisted of twelve religious and non-religiously affiliated non-profit immigration organizations. A qualitative research method was used to analyze the data.

The results of the study concluded that non-profit immigration organizations are not ready for a CIR. Although the organizations are not ready, several factors were found to affect their …

Healthy And Maladaptive Coping Strategies Among Master Of Social Work Students, Jody D. Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore healthy and maladaptive coping strategies among MSW students. The data was collected using self‑reported questionnaires. A total of 47 students participated in this study. Using the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping as a theoretical framework, this study assessed stress levels using the Perceived Stress Scale. The Brief COPE instrument measured coping strategies. The study found relationships between stressors and maladaptive coping and perceived stress. The study recommends that future research on coping strategies among MSW students include greater attention to training MSW students how to deal with stress during their MSW …

What Clinical Approaches Have Service Providers Observed To Be Most Effective When Treating Young Survivors Of Human Sex Trafficking?, Elisa Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Human sex trafficking of minors is generally thought of as a problem that occurs in third world countries; however recent incidents have begun to shine a light on domestic sex trafficking happening in the United States. Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven participants who work with this population and explored treatment approaches they have observed to be effective when treating victims. The common theme was the use of Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), especially when gathering information surrounding the trauma. It is important to note that although TF-CBT has been observed to be effective it does not meet all of …

Hospice Patient's Perception Of Family Support, Claudia Renteria

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative and quantitative study focused on exploring hospice patient’s perceptions of family support. Family support was conceptualized as which family member they expect to receive support from, types of support provided, frequency of support, family communication about medical illness, and type of support that is perceived to be most helpful. Fifteen partcipants between the ages of 70 to 98 were interviewed using purposive sampling. Findings showed that although participants found both physical and emotional support helpful, more than half reported perceiving emotional support as the most helpful. Recommendations for social work practice and research were discussed.

The Examination Of Confidentiality In A School Based Setting, Hannan M. Dababneh, Kalisha -Koran Ayisha Vault

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study explored the policies and procedures that

education systems abide by, as well as how these policies are enforced to protect the confidentiality of dependent children’s private information from being exposed in their schools to non-relatives and uninvolved parties to their case. Elementary, middle school, and high school faculty’s perception of confidentiality was explored to identify individual competence when working with social workers during their direct contact visit with dependent children on school premises. Data collection included anonymous online surveys of 30-school faculty of various schools in the Southern California. There were no significant findings to support school …

Effects Of Life Events On The Onset Of Delayed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Aging Combat Veterans, Meaghan L. Martin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research examined life events that affect the onset of delayed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in aging combat veterans. A common result from experiencing combat trauma is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. There is a rapidly growing veteran population experiencing delayed onset Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The occurrence of additional life stressors may increase the likelihood that someone will develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in response to a prior traumatic event. Participants of the study were combat veterans over the age of 65. Qualitative data were gathered from interviewing participants on life events they have experienced since combat exposure as well as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder …

Attitudes Toward Antisocial Personality Disorder Among Clinicians, Theresa Matich

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to explore the attitudes toward antisocial personality disorder among clinicians. The researcher created a 15 question survey to interview clinicians in hopes of eliciting information about their attitudes toward this population. The survey consisted of seven open ended questions and eight Likert scale questions. The researcher analyzed the data by transcribing the interviews and looking for common themes among the responses. Likert scale questions were tallied and compared in SPSS to determine the spread of the answers. The results of the study showed there are negative attitudes among clinicians currently in direct treatment settings; …

Experiences Of Successful Young Adults In Extended Foster Care In San Bernardino County, Nicole M. Chavarria, Denise M. Johnson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This is a qualitative study that was conducted in conjunction with San Bernardino County to explore the experiences of you adults in Extended Foster Care. Extended Foster Care is an extension of foster care services offered from age 18 to 21 as a result of the passing of Assembly Bill 12. This study focuses specifically on the experiences of young adults deemed “successful” based upon their enrollment in school, work status, and overall plans for their future. The data was collected through telephone and face-to-face interviews with young adults currently involved with Extended Foster Care in San Bernardino County. …

Beliefs About Self-Care Among Oncology Providers, Dimitri Shabree Ashford

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The research question in this project explores self-care practices that oncology providers utilize to manage stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue in their work environment. As an exploratory study, this research project examines self-care practices among the oncology providers and how self-care relates to the quality of patient care. The survey provided to the participants focused on the individual well-being such as spiritual, social support, physical, and emotional support. Findings from this study indicated that oncologist utilize spiritual self-care more than any other medical professional. The older adults utilize their social support systems more than the younger adults. Individuals with three …

Outcomes For Young Adults In Extended Foster Care, Katie Sue Netzel, Michelle Becerra Tardanico

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined the outcomes for young adults in Extended Foster Care. Extended Foster Care is a relatively new program within the Child Welfare system, which provides services for former foster youth between the ages of 18 and 21 to become more successful, independent young adults. Before the implementation of Extended Foster Care in 2012, most of the foster children were left to fend for themselves after they turned 18, which resulted in negative outcomes. Extended Foster Care is a seemingly helpful program; however, due to its new existence there has been very limited research regarding the outcomes of these …

The Transition To Adulthood: Experiences Of Young Adults With Asperger Syndrome, Cassandra M. Nafziger

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study sheds insight into the unique, daily struggles of individuals with Asperger Syndrome (AS) as they transition into adulthood. The majority of research available regarding individuals diagnosed with AS focuses on childhood experiences. What happens when these individuals age out of high school? What are their experiences with becoming independent, successful adults? This study elicited qualitative data concerned with individual experience from seven participants between the ages of eighteen and thirty years old. Data were collected through three face-to-face and four email interviews. Data were analyzed to identify specific challenges of adult life. All participants expressed challenges in social …

Social Workers' Perception On Hiv/Aids And The Effects On Their Service Delivery, Elsa Rodriguez, O'Shonda Mcdowell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between social workers’ perceptions of the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) /AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) population and the effects on their service delivery. This study used a quantitative online survey with a self-administered questionnaire. Data was collected for 60 social worker participants for this study. Participants were provided a postcard to a link of the questionnaire that surveyed participants’ regarding demographics, general knowledge, knowledge about contracting HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS risk, and service delivery. Implications from the correlation coefficients identify a significant negative relationship between stigma and HIV/AIDS knowledge, suggesting that higher levels of stigma were present …

An Exploratory Mixed Methodology Study Into The Theoretical Foundation Of Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Bradford Tyler Dawson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Equine-assisted psychotherapy is emerging as a new alternative therapy method. As the field is new, there is limited amount of research looking at the current theoretical foundation being utilized in the therapeutic process. This study aims to explore the field of equine-assisted psychotherapy and its current theoretical foundation. The main question guiding this study was: What are the therapeutic theories and themes guiding the current practice of equine-assisted psychotherapy? The study consisted of six in-person qualitative interviews with current practitioners of equine-assisted psychotherapy. A short Likert-type scale was also used to quantitatively gather descriptive statistics about theories currently being used …

Human Service Providers’ Perception Of The Quality Of Client Services Provided As Related To Their Level Of Self-Care, Joseph Ray Brinson, Luis Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explored human service providers’ perception of the quality of client services provided as related to the providers’ level of self-care. We utilized a quantitative research approach to survey 54 human service providers from three Southern California agencies. An independent t-test was conducted to analyze the difference between participants’ perceptions of self-care by age, gender, and level of education. This study revealed a significant difference was found between gender and social care. Females are more likely to maintain an open, trusting relationship with someone who they can share their frustrations with, sustain balance in their life by pursing a …

Informed: The Impact On Decesion Making During An Unplanned Pregnancy, Jamie M. Stallings

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to determine if there was a significant difference between women who had unplanned pregnancies and the amount of information those women received about their pregnancy options regarding parenting, adoption, and abortion, and those who were not. Additionally, the level of information about pregnancy options, and whether it would reduce termination of pregnancies was examined. The aspects explored included the information available to clients and the decision making process for women who have experienced an unplanned pregnancy. The methods for this study involved using an anonymous survey via Survey Monkey. Additionally, this study examined …

Cultural Competence Among Oncology Health Care Providers, Junelle F. Gemarino

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine cultural competence among oncology health care providers. Specifically, the study assessed how career type, presence of previous diversity training, and education affected overall cultural competence of oncology health care providers.

The study used a quantitative survey design with self-administered questionnaires. A total of 36 voluntary oncology health care providers completed the cultural competence assessment survey. Participants were asked of their cultural awareness/sensitivity, cultural behaviors, previous experiences of diversity trainings, and some demographics questions. Descriptive (e.g. mean, frequency distributions) and inferential (e.g. t-test, one-way analysis of variance) statistics were used to analyze the …

Single Women's Views Toward The Institution Of Marriage, Natalie M. Yorba-Perez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore single women’s views towards the institution of marriage. This study utilized a qualitative design. In-depth face-to-face interviews with ten unmarried women living in San Bernardino County were conducted to collect the data. Participants were asked in a structured interview to provide their views towards premarital sex, cohabitation, non-marital childbearing, divorce, and same sex marriage.This study found that women’s liberal and conservative views towards premarital sex, cohabitation, non-marital childbearing, divorce, and same sex marriage did not affect a women’s desire to enter the institution of marriage. Furthermore, the study indicated that women exhibited …

Designing A Measure: Measuring Social Workers' Attitudes Toward Lgbt Youth In Child Welfare, Christi E. Bell, Raul A. Salcedo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study reports the results of an exploratory factor analysis conducted to analyze the reliability of a pilot instrument created to evaluate social workers’ attitudes toward LGBT youth in the foster care system. The sample (n = 60) included social workers, supervisors, and staff from the County of San Bernardino Children and Family Services. Data were collected from February 2011 to March 2011. A two factor solution yielded the best results; Chronbach’s alpha for factor one yielded a strong result for internal consistency reliability (α = .777) and for factor two yielded a less strong result (α = .628). Strategies …

A Study On The Recovery Process For Women Who Have Exited The Sex Industry, Sonia Guilfoos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

There are different reasons why women enter the sex industry; many of them were sexually abused as children and have been psychologically deceived, which is indicative of their vulnerable state and complex needs. Today, many studies show that the amount of women involved in sex work continues to rise. As a result more strip clubs have surfaced in the United States, and more and more females continue to obtain employment from these adult establishments. The purpose of this study is to get more information about the recovery process for women who have exited the sex industry. The methods used for …

A Social Construction Of Affordable Housing And Nimby In A Southern California County, Stefany K. Nelson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The constructivist paradigm was used in the research study to focus on the challenges with affordable housing and concentrations of Housing Choice Voucher recipients in a county in Southern California. Viewed through the lens of Social Stratification posed by Max Weber, ones opportunities in life are based on his/her position of class, status and power, where by those with lower positions are excluded from opportunities. The literature discusses the goal of the Housing Choice Voucher Program is to deconcentrate poverty and provide opportunities to move to higher income areas in order to provide opportunities for social upward mobility. Residential socioeconomic …

The Relationship Between School-Based Mental Health Services And Academic Achievement, Jessica Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between school-based mental health services and academic achievement. The study focused on (N=38) students in elementary and middle school, who participated in services from the 2012-2013 school year. The test scores before and after they received services were gathered from an existing database to determine how effective school-based mental health services were. The results indicated there was not a significant difference in measures of academic achievement before and after school-based mental health services. However, results demonstrated a positive relationship between test scores before and after school-based …

Chronically Homeless: Service Needs, Patricia Carole Beamer Ms, Sharon Ella Hodges Ms

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the service needs being met and the needs not being met as perceived by the chronically homeless who call the park their home. The authors thought this an important study to examine to better understand the service needs of the homeless. The study used a qualitative design for collecting data which involved face-to-face interviews with ten of the homeless people at the park. Four primary themes, three of which had two subthemes each, were identified through a thematic analysis. The primary theme of mistrust of services had subthemes of safety and restrictions …

Perspectives Of Social Work Students On Nutrition And The Nutrition Effects On Mental Health, Diana Tran

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Nutrition is related to the mental well-being of clients. However, the nutritional views and practices of social workers in the mental health field have not been thoroughly explored. By using the post-positivist paradigm, 15 mental health social work students were interviewed for their perspectives regarding nutrition and nutrition’s effect on stress. Their main ideas were identified, connected, and organized to develop a theoretical statement. The resulting theory focused on the development of social work students' perspectives in applying nutrition into their mental health practice. The students were influenced by a variety of background factors, including their education, barriers to applying …

Therapeutic Counseling Intervention: A Contribution To The Behavior And Academic Progress In Students With At-Risk Behaviors, Doris Ann Baker

Theses Digitization Project

This study investigated the impact of therapeutic counseling on at-risk and high-risk behaviors in at-risk students in School Mental Health Services Program in the Pomona Unified School District. These behaviors included fighting, defiance, class disruption, angry outbursts, substance abuse, property damage, gang affiliation, truancy, social withdrawal, depression, self-injury, and suicidal ideation.

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

Theses Digitization Project

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

Substance Abuse Among Elders, Yvonne Shubu-Ola Johnson

Theses Digitization Project

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

A Description Of The Demographics And Characteristics Of Families That Receive Multiple Child Welfare Referrals, Devin Wayne Edwards

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to identify the demographic variables that distinguish recidivistic families, those that have received three or more DCFS (Department of Child and Family Services) re-referrals over a one-year period, from other families. Child welfare service recidivism is a historically expensive and socially damaging issue that should be further researched.