Social Work Commons^™

Academic Satisfaction Of Graduate Students In Mental Health Professions: Mediating Roles Of Burnout And Engagement, Yu Ying Li

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Academic satisfaction for students is as critical to their retention and well-being as job satisfaction for working adults; however, it has received limited empirical attention particularly among graduate students in mental health-related programs. One of the barriers to mental health trainees’ satisfaction with their academic training is burnout. The current study evaluated the applicability of Study Demands-Resources (SD-R) framework (Lesener et al., 2020) to trainees. Specifically, this study examined the relations between study demands (i.e., perceived stress), study resources (i.e., supervisory alliance and social support), student burnout, student engagement, and academic satisfaction. It also tested if student burnout and engagement …

Becoming-With The Earth: Contemplative Practice As A Critical Onto-Epistemic Resource For Planetary Belonging, Care, And World-Making, Megan M. Fowler

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In an era of accelerating planetary crisis, social work is called to reimagine its theories, methods, and practices beyond anthropocentric frameworks that separate human wellbeing from the health of the Earth and its resplendent living systems. Working in the space of transformative eco-social work, a growing chorus of voices contends that eco-centric responses require broadening the scope of health, welfare, justice, and care to extend beyond the human, to include the more-than-human world upon which all life intimately depends—understandings resonant with Indigenous and other relational knowledge systems long marginalized by colonialist-capitalist-modernity. Drawing from eco-feminist, eco-queer, decolonial, and post-anthropocentric lineages of …

Through Our Eyes: An Exploration Of Hope Among Opportunity Youth, Judith L. Fenlon

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Opportunity youth—young people aged 16–24 who are disconnected from both school and employment—experience significant barriers to successful transitions into adulthood. Existing research has largely focused on deficits, risk factors, and outcomes associated with disconnection, often overlooking the strengths, resilience, and aspirations of these young people. Hope has been identified as a critical factor associated with educational achievement, psychological well-being and future orientation; however, little research has explored how opportunity youth experience hope in the context of systemic inequities. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of hope among low-income opportunity youth and to examine the factors …

School-Based Interventions With Youth Engaging In Bullying Behaviors: Effective Strategies From The Perspective Of School Social Workers, Elizabeth A. Crowe

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Bullying is a nationally recognized social problem associated with harmful consequences for all youth involved. Despite their crucial role in bullying interventions and student success, the practices and perspectives of school social workers are notably absent from academic literature. This survey research study sought to identify strategies that school social workers use with youth engaging in bullying behavior; distinguish which strategies are the most and least effective from the perspective of school social workers; and recognize the supports and barriers school social workers face when implementing bullying interventions.

Survey data from a sample of school social workers answered these questions. …

Exploring Identity And Belonging Through Housing Pathways: Resettlement Experiences Of Female Ukrainian Refugees, Stephanie M. Duncan

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Background: This dissertation examines the resettlement experiences of female Ukrainian refugees in Germany following the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, which displaced over 8.5 million Ukrainians, including 1.2 million to Germany by April 2024. Focusing on Munich, the study explores the interplay of housing pathways, identity, and belonging, emphasizing gendered challenges faced by women, particularly single mothers and caregivers, navigating trauma, systemic barriers, and cultural adaptation. Organized into three articles, this work employs a social justice lens to address structural barriers, such as discriminatory housing markets, economic exclusion, and limited access to resources, which disproportionately impact marginalized women, …

Pathways To Disclosure And Treatment Among Individuals With An Attraction To Minors, Theodore Jackson

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Child sexual abuse prevention is a significant social concern in the United States and internationally. While there have been some successful efforts to reduce recidivism risk among individuals who have committed sexual offenses, we fall short when preventing first time offenses. Therefore, looking at ways to provide treatment to those who are more at-risk for a first offense seems like a potential solution to this problem. One such relevant risk-factor is attraction to minors. This study is a qualitative examination using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of how people who are attracted to minors make the decision to disclose their attraction, seek …

Can Financial Inclusion-Based Interventions For Poverty Alleviation Build Sustainable Livelihoods? Voices From Mutual Solidarity Groups (Muso) In Haiti., Meera R. Bhat

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Scholars, policymakers, changemakers, and social workers have attempted to define, understand, and eradicate poverty. Its endurance raises the prospect that these efforts may be incomplete or faulty. This thesis will probe this concern by examining poverty and poverty alleviation programs through the lens of a holistic intervention-based framework known as the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF). The first paper introduces the SLF and uses it to undertake a conceptual analysis comparing demand and supply driven poverty alleviation interventions that are based on financial inclusion. Next it uses the SLF as a methodological tool to compare financial inclusion programs, as operationalized by …

I Get It From My Momma: Exploring The Process Of Transgenerational Resiliency Among Two Generations Of Single Black Mothers, Destiny A. Bender

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Abstract

Aim: This dissertation examines how resilience is transmitted across two generations of Black women (18 to 70 years of age). It aims to enhance our knowledge of the meaning of resilience in the context of single motherhood and how beliefs, values, faith-based approaches to coping, and culturally driven approaches to mothering influence outcomes for the next generation. Knowledge gaps regarding theoretical formulations of resilience and single Black mothers are discussed. Methodology: The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with ten women (five mother-daughter dyads). A phenomenological inquiry was conducted to explore the meaning-making process of resilience for mothers; human development, ecological …

Weaving A Tapestry Of Community Based Child Trafficking Interventions In High-Trafficking Incidence Areas In Ghana, Crispin Mbamba

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Background: This dissertation addresses the urgent issue of child trafficking in high-incidence areas of Ghana, where sociocultural, economic, and structural factors sustain and exacerbate this complex social challenge. The rationale for the study is grounded in the need for a holistic understanding of child trafficking beyond traditional justice-based approaches. The research emphasizes the necessity of community-led interventions informed by local cultural norms and protective values that have been largely unexplored in the Ghanaian context. Specifically, this dissertation applies an integrative approach, rooted in the Ubuntu philosophy, to explore community interdependence as a central component of sustainable anti-trafficking interventions.

Methods: …

How Does Social Capital Influence The Preferences For Aging In The Community? Based On The Study Toward Older Adults In Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, Biyun Xiang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study examines how social capital influences older adults’ preferences for aging in the community, focusing on Yuexiu District, Guangzhou. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study explores family, structural, and cognitive dimensions of social capital.

Quantitative data were collected through 439 surveys, with 400 valid responses from adults aged 60 and above. Regression analysis identified key predictors of aging-in-community preferences, including family financial support, care commitment, activities with grandchildren, community trust, mutual help, and service satisfaction.

Qualitative data from 10 interviews with community service workers revealed six themes: (1) access to services like fitness and health screenings; (2) levels of …

How Do Young Adults With Drug Use Disorder (Dud) Utilize Treatment? Exploring And Examining Lived Experiences Towards Treatment Completion In Indonesia, Dewi Kartikawatiningsih

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In Indonesia which has the highest rate of drug addiction in Southeast Asia, there is currently little knowledge about how young adults perceive the barriers faced when completing treatment or how treatment providers' perspectives influence their treatment completion. Understanding and identifying barriers to treatment completion is essential to making drug treatment more effective. The purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives and live experiences of young adults with DUD and their addiction counselors to develop a deeper understanding of treatment needs. This study interviewed 33 clients and 15 counselors from the rehabilitation center of the Badan Nasional Narkotika …

Coping With Stress In Caregiving Among Korean Immigrant Parents Of A Child With Adhd, Jinhee Koo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Parents of children with ADHD were found to struggle with additional demands in caregiving. Immigrant populations reported acculturative stress as they encountered immigration stressors, including language barriers, cultural differences, lack of social support, discrimination, and so forth. Belonging to both social groups, Korean immigrant parents of children with ADHD are likely to face numerous stressors and undergo a great deal of stress. Nevertheless, little has been known about how they experience stress and coping. It is important to identify their experiences because the knowledge can be used to support their well-being and quality of life. To fill this gap, this …

“I Felt From That Place”: A Qualitative Case Study Of Emerging Practices To Build Youth Peer Supports In Residential Care, Catherine S. Kramer

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background and Purpose: Effectively responding to children and youth who experienced trauma and enter the foster care system is an ongoing challenge in child welfare. In response to the poor outcomes for children and youth in foster care, and the growing understanding of the effects of complex trauma, the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) was enacted in 2018 by Congress to overhaul the child welfare system. Among many required changes, states were required to establish guidance and processes for residential agencies to become qualified residential treatment programs (QRTPs) consistent with federal guidelines, which prioritized becoming trauma informed.

The Complexities Of Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Study Of Health, Behavioral Health, And Quality Of Life Among Women With And Without Disabilities, Anne-Marie Gomes

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background and Purpose: The negative effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on behavioral and physical health and well-being long after exposure are a global and national concern. For over two decades, ACEs have been associated with numerous medical conditions, health risk behaviors, and poor mental and physical health outcomes. However, few studies have examined the effects of ACEs on the health outcomes of persons with disabilities (PWDs). The main objective of this study was to examine the impact of ACEs on women with and without disabilities, their health and well-being.

Understanding Attitudes Among Professionals Who Interact With Youth Who Exhibit Problematic Sexual Behavior, Erin Gardner

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Problematic sexual behaviors (PSB) among youth have been a prominent public health and social concern. Although these behaviors have previously been considered to comprise a “curiosity” or an “experimentation”, PSB is now recognized as causing harm and suffering for victims and family members while also having a considerable economic influence in medical, behavioral health, social services, and criminal justice systems. Much research has examined how perceptions and attitudes impact our behaviors towards PSB among adults, but none examines how perceptions and attitudes impact our behaviors towards youth. Knowing there are several gaps in literature, the current study was conducted to …

Substance Use & Systems Impact: A Mixed-Methods Community-Based Participatory Action Study, Jordan Dyett

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Individuals, families, and communities who use drugs or have a history of substance use have been highly criminalized, stigmatized, and their perspectives marginalized in research and policy. Furthermore, trajectories of research on this community tend to focus on pathologizing individuals and focus on prevention or abstinence-based outcomes, failing to embrace a broader critique of societal forces that marginalize communities and contribute to substance use. Despite the increase in deaths due to drug toxicity, policy and practice at large have failed to embrace the expertise of those with lived experience using substances, and instead continued to rely on carceral logics to …

Effects Of Grant Termination For Orphans, Vulnerable Children And Their Caregivers In Windhoek, Namibia, Miriam Winnie Hasheela

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Namibia faces complex child welfare policy dilemmas in providing sustainable support for the increasing number of AIDS-orphaned youth transitioning into adulthood. While Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) social grants have played a vital role in poverty alleviation and childhood development (Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, 2021), the abrupt termination of these grants for youth when they reach 18 years of age without any transitional support has posed significant risks to their well-being. While much research in Namibia (Mnubi-Mchombu and Ocholla, 2014; Van Der Brug, 2012.) has examined the impact of OVC grants on children under the …

Factors That Influence Clinicians' Intention To Use A Trauma-Informed Approach To Care In Women's Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Lauren Cestone

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Aims: Regardless of literature citing the effectiveness of trauma-informed care (TIC) (e.g., Capezza & Najavits, 2012; Covington, 2008; Morgan et al., 2020), implementation is lacking in settings that serve women with substance use disorders (SUD) (Bartholow & Huffman, 2023; Capezza & Najavits, 2012; Terplan et al., 2015). Not implementing TIC often results in methods that are trauma-inducing, may prevent the achievement desired outcomes, and lead to negative outcomes such as drop-out and relapse (Brown et al., 2013; Capezza & Najavits, 2012; Claus & Kindleberger, 2002; Hales et al., 2019; SAMHSA, 2014). This study aims to provide a theoretically driven empirical …

Protecting Foreign Victims Of Trafficking In Iceland: An Interpretive Analysis Of Policy Efforts, Hlin Saethorsdottir

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Social justice and human rights are fundamental principles of social work. Today’s globalized world requires social workers to expand their local perspectives and to be alert to the negative sides of globalization, such as trafficking in person (TIP), which affects all countries around the world. TIP is a severe form of exploitation and a grave human rights violation (Jones et al., 2007). Iceland has been categorized as a transit and destination country for foreign victims who are mainly trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation (U.S. Department of State, 2016b).

Although much has been written on TIP, some scholars have pointed …

The Hidden Curriculum In Social Work Graduate Programs: Implications For Professional Socialization And Practice, Mette Christiansen

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The professional socialization of master level social work students is an area of evolving research, and studies have found inconsistent results. Lack of empirical knowledge leaves the social work profession vulnerable to assumptions about the preparation of its practitioners and to unintentional socialization that might contradict the mission of social work. Using the framework of the hidden curriculum, i.e., unstated norms and values transmitted to students, sheds light on how faculty, staff, peers, and the implicit practices in MSW education influence students’ socialization. Twenty-second year MSW students from three different MSW programs participated in focus groups during their second year …

Incarceration Experiences And Post-Release Drug Addiction Recovery Among Previously Incarcerated Women With A Drug Addiction, Chiao-Yu Yang

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Aims: This dissertation research explores incarceration experiences among adult women with drug addiction histories. It aims to enhance our knowledge of the meaning of incarceration and the prolonged influence of the experience on women’s drug addiction recovery, filling knowledge gaps regarding women, substance use, and incarceration. Methodology: The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with twenty-two (22) formerly incarcerated women in the Northeast and Midwest United States. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the meaning of incarceration to the participants; the deprivation model of imprisonment, the life course theory, intersectionality, and the therapeutic jurisprudence perspective guided the analysis. Findings: Women with …

Narrating Trauma, Developing Resilience, And Making Policy : A Comparative Study Of Traumatized Young Adults Caused By Aids-Related And Post-Disaster Bereavement In China, Shaojie Pan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Children can be affected by a variety of traumatic events as they grow up, but they still have the potential to show resilience. Along with the accumulation of research on trauma, resilience has also become an influential concept in the field of social welfare. Existing research has tentatively explored the socially constructed nature of trauma and resilience. From a social constructionist perspective, it is the narratives and interactions of people who have experienced traumatic events and other stakeholders that collectively shape the meaning of trauma and resilience. More importantly, these personal narratives, as well as larger social discourses, may have …

A Phenomenological Study Of Social Workers' Meaning Of Food, Mood, And Their Readiness To Adopt Dietary Interventions With Clients Who Are Depressed, Ronald Anthony Bunce

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

As incidence of depression rises worldwide and treatment effectiveness remains flat, interest grows in developing novel treatments to improve outcomes for those seeking help for depression. Research on diet, nutrition, and depression suggests that food affects mood. The literature addresses how a certain dietary pattern may be incorporated in clinical treatment as a modifiable risk factor with those presenting with depression, but the voices of social workers are absent. Given that social workers are the largest providers of therapeutic services for those experiencing depression, the field has much to contribute to the development and assessment of new, non-pharmaceutical, treatment protocols. …

“Talking Sweet And Moving Quiet”: Trauma And Resiliency In Gang-Involved Girls In Belize, Kristcha Deguerre

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background: Currently, the research exploring gangs in Belize is growing, with one exception; current research excludes gang-involved girls and women. Besides a previous pilot study conducted by this author, there is no known research on gangs in Belize that includes girls and women. Given the extent to which gang violence and activity is increasing within Belize, it is crucial to understand the entire gang-involved population in order to combat this growing social issue.

The Role Of Micro-Business Owners’ Social Networks : Mutual Aid In Community-Led Economic Eevelopment, Kelly J. Gross

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation sought to fill gaps in our knowledge of the role that social networks play in fostering economic development in low-income, urban, highly distressed communities. It utilized both a quantitative methodology using social network analysis (SNA) and a qualitative methodology using NVivo v.12 software to identify themes emerging from interviews and observation. Although social networks have empirically been shown to support better success rates for small businesses in the United States, less is known about micro-business networks and the contributions they make to economic development efforts in a low-income setting. The study focuses on “micro-business owners,” which were the …

"Tu Eres Inmigrante, Pero Con Mucho Honor": Exploring School-Based Identity Messaging, Belonging, And Biculturalism In Central American Immigrant Students, Stephanie L. Carnes

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study explores the lived experiences of Central American immigrant youth (N = 20) in two high schools located in the same Northeastern state in the U.S. This student sub-demographic represents one of the fastest growing populations in U.S. public schools (Suárez-Orozco & Todorova, 2009; Sibley & Brabeck, 2017). As the primary institutions charged with reception and social inclusion, schools shape trajectories of acculturation, bicultural identity development, and social integration for immigrant youth.

Describing Participation In Veteran Peer Support : A Secondary Analysis Of Women Veterans' Experiences, Amanda L. Matteson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This research explores peer support described by women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Women military veterans are a growing subpopulation with unique experiences and challenges as women who have served in a male-dominated warrior culture. Understanding women veterans’ experiences and how they view peer support will help improve their mental health and well-being. Research questions included: (1) How do women veterans describe peer support for their mental health and well-being? (2) What does peer support mean to the woman veterans in this study? (3) For what life situations is peer support helpful for women veterans? (4) …

Child Protection Policy Dimensions Across Catholic Archdioceses And Civil Statutes : A Comparative Content Analysis, Jeffrey Trant

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Since 2002, the Catholic Church in the United States has enacted a national child protection framework to address child sexual abuse. However, child protection policies within the context of the Catholic Church are currently not well understood. This study was guided by the following questions: (1) How do child protection policy dimensions differ in Catholic archdioceses in the United States? (2) How do child protection policy dimensions differ across and between Catholic archdioceses and civil statutes? The present study utilized a generic qualitative methodology employing comparative content analysis to conduct a policy analysis using publicly available child protection policies from …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Social-Emotional Well-Being And Health Behaviors Of Urban Youth, Nelia Mayreilys Quezada

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

A significant body of research has established that individuals lacking social support, self-esteem, and coping skills have poor physical health outcomes (House et al., 1998; Thoits, 2011; Uchino, 2009). Youth living in urban communities are at greater risk of poor mental and physical health outcomes due to a lack of access to safe places for physical activity, healthy foods, and limited social ties (Babey et al., 2016; Heller Isner et al., 2017; Thoits, 2011). This study examines the relationship between social-emotional well-being and health behaviors among youth (N=100) ages 11 to 19 in a small urban community. Based on prior …

Women's Work History And Mental Well-Being : Evidence From The Indonesian Family Life Survey, Nurul Widyaningrum

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Most research on women and work in developing countries has focused on factors and contexts that shape women’s employment choices and options, gender segregation in the labor market, and the meaning of work for women. Studies on the outcomes or consequences of work are less common and tend to focus on income as the primary outcome of interest. Using a combined capability and feminist framework, this study identified Indonesian women’s work patterns and their relationship to women’s mental health. The capability approach was used to choose work outcomes that are not merely income-based, while the feminist perspective was used to …