Social Work Commons^™

Social Network Assessment For Adult Protective Services (Snaaps), Version 1.0: A Network Canvas Data Collection Instrument, Rebecca L. Mauldin, Laura E. Carter

Social Networks for Social Good Collection-Archive

The Social Network Assessment Protocol for Adult Protective Services (SNAAPS) is a Network Canvas interview protocol designed to support the collection, organization, visualization, and interpretation of social network data from older adults. The protocol was developed for use by Adult Protective Services practitioners, social workers, first responders, and other service providers who assess, refer, and intervene on behalf of older adults' well-being. The protocol facilitates the identification of social network characteristics associated with risk and protection related to elder mistreatment, including support relationships, financial involvement, conflict within the network, frequency of contact, connections to formal services, and patterns of network …

Companionships, Transportation, And Health Among Members Of A Hispanic Senior Center: A Sociometric Social Network Dataset, Rebecca Mauldin Phd, Msw, Vismaya Prakasan Msis, Akshay Thakare Msis, Rupal Parekh Phd

Social Networks for Social Good Collection-Archive

This dataset contains survey and social network data from 42 members of a predominantly Puerto Rican senior center in Hartford, Connecticut. It includes two linked components (1) participant-level information on demographics, health, mobility, and transportation, and (2) a sociometric network of companionship ties among members. The data are designed for use in social network analysis and research on aging, mobility, and social relationships. These data can be used to explore questions such as how companionship ties are structured among older adults in a community setting; whether individuals with similar characteristics (e.g., age, gender, health status) are more likely to form …

Personal Strength As A Core Dimension Of Posttraumatic Growth: A Multi-Method Study Of U.S. Military Veterans, Steven Moore

Social Work Dissertations

U.S. military veterans are frequently exposed to traumatic and morally challenging experiences that can disrupt core assumptions about identity, purpose, and control. While much of the veteran mental health literature has emphasized psychological distress and functional impairment, growing attention has been directed toward posttraumatic growth and strengths-based outcomes. This dissertation examined posttraumatic growth among U.S. military veterans with a specific focus on personal strength as a central dimension of growth following trauma.

Using a multi-method design, this dissertation integrated findings from three complementary studies. First, a scoping review mapped how posttraumatic growth, personal strength, and related constructs have been conceptualized, …

The Cost Of Care: A Mixed Methods Study Of Social Work Student Well-Being, Practicum Pay, And The Future Of Feminized Care In The Health Workforce, Christian Adeleke

Social Work Dissertations

Social work field education, commonly enacted as the practicum, is widely regarded as the profession’s signature pedagogy, yet its material conditions—particularly the prevalence of unpaid or minimally compensated placements—are rarely problematized. This dissertation examined the financial, academic, and well-being consequences of practicum participation among social work students and the mechanisms through which these consequences arise. Using an embedded mixed methods design, the study analyzed secondary data from the Payment for Placements (P4P) survey (N = 618), combining a moderated-mediation structural equation model with a reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended narrative responses. Drawing on feminist political economy and social reproduction …

Community Narratives On Addressing Gender And Power-Based Violence: Asian/Pacific Islander Voices From Dc, Maryland, And Virginia; An Oral History Of The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (Dvrp), Linda Kuo

Social Work Theses - Archive

Between 16% and 55% of A/PI women and 8.4% of men report experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetime (API GBV, 2020). The DC, Maryland, and Virginia tri-state region is home to a growing Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI) population and calls for further learning about their culturally relevant social services. The Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP) is the only pan-A/PI specific anti-violence organization in this area. Grounded in intersectionality and collective memory theory, the current study employs oral history methodology to interview 14 individuals involved in supporting A/PI survivors, who are and have been part of the DVRP community. …

Family Factors And Adolescent Behavior: How Parenting Practices And Parent-Child Relationships Shape Internalizing And Externalizing Behaviors, Angela J. Spikes

Social Work Dissertations

Mental health challenges can emerge across childhood and adolescence, often manifesting as internalizing and externalizing behaviors. These outcomes are shaped by the complex interplay of environmental and contextual influences, particularly parenting practices and family dynamics. This study examines how parental practices and caregiver-child relationship quality influence adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors while accounting for key sociodemographic factors, including sex, race/ethnicity, maternal education, income, and household structure. Using a longitudinal design, secondary data were drawn from the Future of Families and Child Well-being Study. The analytic sample included adolescents and caregivers with data from Wave 5 (Year 9) and Wave 6 …

The Efficacy Of Co-Response Teams: A Scoping Review, Kristen N. Burkhart

Social Work Theses

This scoping review explores co-response teams, a coordinated response consisting of a mental health professional (MHP) and a law enforcement official (LEO). It examines the implementation, effectiveness, and outcomes of these interventions, highlighting barriers and facilitators of co-response teams. The review analyzed peer-reviewed studies from the years 2016-2026. Using the Arskey & O’Malley framework, an initial database search yielded 691 studies of which 30 were included in this review.  The review identifies four areas of ideas: legal system diversion and outcomes, frontline stakeholders' roles and friction, specialized co-response teams, and systemic barriers and resource constraints. Significant gaps remain in long-term …

A Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis On The Lived Experiences Of Labor Trafficking Survivors, Paola T. Chavez Reyes

Social Work Theses

Across the globe, an estimated 27.6 million people are in forced labor. Despite this widespread prevalence, labor trafficking (LT) in the United States remains difficult to identify and is often overlooked. This study aims to synthesize LT experiences of survivors and providers accounts at the point of recruitment and during victimization to inform identification efforts. A qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis was conducted using directed content analysis guided by Social Cognition Theory. Peer-reviewed studies documenting LT survivor experiences from 2013-2025 were systematically analyzed to identify the interaction between cognitive processes, environmental influences, and behavioral responses. Across seven studies, the findings reveal that …

Risk Factors Of Child Sex Trafficking: A Gender-Based Scoping Review In The U.S. And Cross-Border Contexts, Peyton Forbes

Social Work Theses

Child sex trafficking is a major public health issue affecting the youth population of the United States and internationally. This scoping review examines risk factors on multiple levels including individual, family, community, and macro and digital contexts. A systematic search of databases identified 32 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Findings suggest that individual-level risk includes cumulative exposure to violence and trauma, substance use, mental health and behavioral problems, child welfare and justice involvement, runaway behavior, educational disruption, limited social support, and intersection demographic vulnerabilities (e.g., gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, disability). Family‑level risk reflects unstable or unsafe home environments characterized by substance use, …

Adolescent Girls’ Experiences Of Digital Dating Abuse Through Social Media: A Scoping Review, Kiara E. Rodriguez

Social Work Theses

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a prevalent adverse childhood experience with lasting psychological and behavioral consequences. As adolescents increasingly engage with social media, with 95% of teens aged 13-17 reporting using it, digital spaces have become a significant context in which dating abuse can occur. Digital dating abuse (DDA) refers to patterns of abusive behaviors that are directed toward a dating partner through digital technologies, including social media and mobile phones. Despite the growing role of social media in adolescent relationships, research on how adolescent girls experience DDA in these contexts remains limited. The central question for this scoping review …

Exploring How Yoga Affects Embodiment In Female Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence: A Scoping Review, Kenzie R. Albers

Social Work Theses

Introduction: With violence against women continuing to rear its ugly head across the world, it remains imperative for helping professionals and researchers to continue advocating for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Yoga shows promising results for people who have experienced trauma and have depressive or anxious symptoms. One area of research not explored is the effect of yoga on female IPV survivors’ feelings of self-embodiment and bodily autonomy.

Methodology: This scoping review was conducted based on the five-step framework created by Arksey and O’Malley. The guiding research question was: What does the current literature suggest about the effects of …

Navigating Academic Accommodations For Students With Chronic Illnesses In Higher Education: A Scoping Review, Lauren M. Sutton

Social Work Theses

College is a very important and exciting chapter in students’ lives, one that will prepare them for a career and the rest of their lives. For one student population though, this also comes with additional unknowns, obstacles, and institutional barriers. This student population is students with disabilities. For a student with a disability pursuing a degree in higher education, there are institutional barriers that can be addressed by receiving academic accommodations, reducing or removing institutional barriers that disproportionately affect these students. The barriers faced by a student with a disability vary greatly by student, their disability, their major or program, …

Aging With A Chronic Illness: Symptom Burden, Everyday Challenges, And Quality Of Life Among Older Adults With Multiple Sclerosis, Swasati Handique

Social Work Dissertations

This three-article study examined the quality of life and everyday lived experience of older adults living with multiple sclerosis (MS). The first article is a scoping review of 14 peer-reviewed studies published between 2012 and 2025, conducted in accordance with Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage framework and the PRISMA checklist. The second article is a cross-sectional study using the Aging Concerns, Challenges, and Everyday Solution Strategies (ACCESS) Phase II data set of 60 older adults living with MS. Multiple linear regression and moderation analysis was conducted to examine the association between physical symptom burden and quality of life, and whether participation …

Behind The Curtain: A Literature Review Of Personal And Ecological Risk Factors And Current Multi-Level Interventions For Performing Artists, Christopher A. Robles

Social Work Theses

Performing artists experience psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, burnout, and substance use disorders, at rates significantly exceeding those of the general population. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (EST) and the Person-in-Environment (PIE) perspective, this structured literature review synthesizes research published between 2010 and 2026 to examine individual personality traits, environmental stressors across meso- and macro-systems, and existing multi-level mental health interventions for performing artists. Findings reveal that while traits such as high openness to experience, sensory processing sensitivity, and perfectionism foster artistic expression, they also heighten vulnerability to occupational stressors, financial precarity, social isolation, and venue-based substance exposure. Current …

Impact Of Family And Social Determinants Of Health On Behavioral And Bmi Outcomes In Adolescents With And Without Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: An Ecological System Perspective, Pingnan Li

Social Work Theses

Adolescence is a critical developmental period during which behavioral and physical health outcomes are shaped by social and family determinants of health; yet limited research has examined how these determinants operate among adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) within a multilevel ecological framework. To address this gap, this thesis used data from Years 9 and 15 of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), with a final analytic sample of 3,176 adolescents at Year 15, including 150 with IDD. Descriptive analyses first examined the differences in demographic characteristics, behavioral outcomes (externalizing and internalizing behaviors), and physical outcomes …

Study Of Parental Substance Use Effects On Children, Cydnee R. Lacy

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Many children with substance use and mental health problems witness substance use and mental health struggles in their household. Research has shown a strong connection between parental substance use disorders (SUDs) and the likelihood of children engaging in similar behaviors. Existing literature uses data collected before the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas this study utilizes data collected during the pandemic. It is essential to examine whether the relationship between parental substance use and children’s substance use increased, as children spent more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prevalence of substance use and mental health problems will be used to examine the …

A Review Of Studies Assessing Modifiable Risk Factors For Dementia Among Family Caregivers In The United States Based On Behavioral Risk Factorsurveillance System (Brfss), Shruthi Ranjithkumar

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) face an increased risk of developing dementia due to advanced age and modifiable risk factors. The 2024 Lancet Commission Report identified 14 such risk factors, whose mitigation could reduce dementia cases by 45%. Despite this, research on modifiable dementia risk factors among ADRD caregivers remains limited. This study investigates whether peer-reviewed studies utilizing Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data assess modifiable dementia risk factors among ADRD caregivers. A PubMed search retrieved 27 relevant articles, which were analyzed for risk factors identified by the Lancet Commission, including traumatic brain injury, …

Technology-Facilitated Abuse (Tfa): Analyzing Trends, Tactics, And Victim Responses On Reddit, Solomon G. Dandekar

Computer Science and Engineering Theses - Archive

The increasing integration of technology into daily life has provided numerous benefits but also significant risks, particularly when exploited by malicious actors in cases of technology facilitated abuse (TFA). Per- petrators can misuse technology to monitor, control, and intimidate their partners, random strangers, etc. exacerbating cycles of abuse. From location tracking and cellphone surveillance to smart device manipula- tion, spyware, and doxing, digital tools have become powerful instruments for coercion and control. This research project investigates the role of technology in stalking and harassment by analyzing discussions on a relevant subreddit where victims share their experiences, strategies for coping, and …

Out Of Institutions, Into Society: A Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis Exploring The Shared Experiences Of Veterans And Formerly Incarcerated Persons Reintegrating Into Civilian Life, Hannah C. Pederson

Social Work Theses - Archive

The reintegration experiences of veterans and formerly incarcerated persons (FIPs) share significant parallels, yet there is a notable lack of literature exploring these similarities. This study employs qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis (QIMS) methodology, a cross-study qualitative analysis approach developed specifically for the social work field, to identify commonalities in the reintegration narratives of U.S. veterans transitioning from military service and FIPs returning to civilian life post-incarceration. The author conducted a QIMS on ten studies published between 2006 and 2024 (N=172). The QIMS yielded seven overarching themes: supports, mental health and wellness, institutional residue, culture shock, socioeconomic hardships (“it’s hard out here”), …

Experiences Of Community Leaders And Organizers Within The Stop Six Community, Caitlin Herron

Social Work Theses - Archive

Although community-based and grassroots leadership research exists, little exists in the way of exploring the personal and relational experiences of community organizers to their work and to their community. Using data collected from semi-structured interviews with self-identified community leaders, this research addresses insights into their lived experiences. In particular, a thematic exploration looks at what appeared across each interview. This research is intended to serve as a basis for future research into the lived experiences of community organizers outside of one specific experience or cause, but rather to take an in-depth look into them, their perceptions, and their relationship to …

From Insight To Experience Mapping Experiential Approaches To Cultivating Self-Awareness In Undergraduate Social Work Curricula, Georgianna E. Goff

Social Work Theses - Archive

This scoping review examines the current state of experiential learning methodologies used to increase self-awareness among undergraduate social work students. While the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) emphasizes self-awareness as a core professional competency, the literature reveals a notable lack of a standardized, field-wide definition and a reliance on fragmented pedagogical approaches. This Review systematically analyzed nine empirical studies, mapping the key characteristics, theoretical frameworks, and teaching methods. The findings indicate that most studies used qualitative or mixed-methods designs, with a majority relying on Kolb’s and Dewey’s experiential learning theories to bridge the gap between classroom theory and professional …

Developing The Rural Older Adult Dementia Prevention-Health Behaviors (Road-Hb) Questionnaire: A Mixed Methods Approach To Instrument Development, Jessica Cassidy

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Older adults living in rural communities are at heightened risk of dementia; however, preventative strategies can reduce these risks. To facilitate dementia prevention efforts in rural communities, this methodological study developed the Rural Older Adults Dementia prevention–Health Behaviors questionnaire (ROAD-HB) by applying a lifespan approach to the Health Belief Model (HBM). The questionnaire contained three embedded instruments and was constructed following a stage development design involving item pool processes with community and expert review panels. Convergent mixed methods were used to assess the ROAD-HB’s validity, including a pretest in 36 older adults from two rural Northeast Texas counties and cognitive …

Understanding The Sociodemographic Correlates Of Early Social Security Retirement, Erica D. Robinson

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative sample of Americans aged 50 and older, this study employed logistic regression analysis guided by intersectionality theory and the Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis (IBPA) framework to examine the influence of marital status, ever having children, educational attainment, self-reported health, and race/ethnicity on receiving Social Security retirement benefits early (before reaching the Social Security Administration’s full retirement age (FRA)) among women. Individuals’ monthly and total lifetime Social Security retirement amounts, as well as longevity, are influenced by when they begin receiving Social Security retirement payments. Findings revealed that reporting excellent/ …

Burnout Among Nurses In The United States, Faheem Ohri

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Burnout is an exhausted state of the body, mind, and emotions, characterized by feelings of “depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment” resulting from prolonged and continuous occupational stress. Burnout among nurses in the United States (U.S.) is a growing concern with significant implications for healthcare professionals and patient outcomes. Nurse burnout compromises patient safety and workforce stability, but pre-pandemic national correlates remain understudied. This dissertation examined employment settings and demographic correlates of burnout among U.S. nurses using the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN) secondary datasets. Compared inpatient burnout odds pre-/post-pandemic using national twin surveys. Jackknife complex survey logistic regression …

Psychotropic Prescription Use Among Foster Care Alumni Medicated With Psychotropic In Childhood, Zoe D. Daugherty

Social Work Theses - Archive

Psychotropic medication use among youth in foster care has been a longstanding concern in child welfare research, with studies consistently documenting disproportionately high prescribing rates, frequent polypharmacy, and the use of potent or off-label medications to manage behavioral or trauma-related symptoms. This study conducted an inductive thematic review of 17 peer-reviewed articles, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies, to explore the lived experiences of foster youth and foster care alumni related to psychotropic medication use and mental health treatment. Guided by principles of reflexive thematic analysis, findings across diverse methodologies were synthesized to better understand how systemic, clinical, and experiential …

Factors Associated With Residential Treatment Discontinuation For Black Adults With Co-Occurring Mental Health And Substance Use Diagnoses Living In States With Expanded Medicaid Vs. States Without Expansion, Gabrielle Scott

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation investigated factors associated with treatment discontinuation of residential substance use programs for Black adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use diagnoses living in states that had expanded Medicaid versus states without expansion. This study explored and identified gaps in the research pertaining to treatment retention for Black adults since 2014, the year when Medicaid expansion began. The study focused on Black adults aged 18 or older who self-identified as Black or African American with a current diagnosis of co-occurring mental health and substance use diagnoses at the time of their discharge from a residential substance use treatment …

Repowering Through Indigenous Research Methodologies: A Case Study Of Culturally Appropriate Mental Health Interventions For Native/ Indigenous Men, Stephen Silva-Brave

Social Work Theses - Archive

Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing have the power to strengthen social work and healing practices for all communities. This study explores how relationships and connections create spaces that feel more like ceremony than research, where trust, storytelling, and shared knowledge guide the way. Bringing Native/Indigenous (N/I) men together in Talking Circles, this work reflects how culturally rooted approaches can shape meaningful mental health support that honors lived experience and community care. Instead of following rigid models created outside of Indigenous ways of life, this approach prioritizes relational accountability, centering voices often excluded from traditional research. Through conversations with …

The Invisible Struggle: Unveiling The Realities Of Living With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Maura A. Stewart

Social Work Theses - Archive

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of rare connective tissue disorders that impact multiple systems of the body and are frequently misunderstood or misdiagnosed. This thesis explores the lived experiences of adults with EDS, focusing on the physical, emotional, and systemic challenges they face in daily life and healthcare. Using a mixed-methods survey, data were collected from 83 participants across the United States and beyond. The results revealed common themes of delayed diagnosis, medical dismissal, mental health struggles, and lack of access to knowledgeable providers. While chronic pain and fatigue were the most frequently reported symptoms, participants also described emotional …

The Unintended Consequences Of Normalization: Unmonitored Mental Health Discourse Among Youth And Suicide Risk, Farley Morris

Social Work Theses - Archive

Suicide has become an increasingly common cause of death among U.S. children ages 10–14. In 2001, suicide accounted for 8% of deaths in this age group; by 2010 the proportion rose to 12%, and by 2020 it reached 22% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). Although factors such as adverse childhood experiences (Felitti et al., 1998; Jones et al., 2024), psychache (Shneidman, 1998), burdensomeness (Joiner, 2005; O’Connor, 2011), and hopelessness (Bat Tonkus et al., 2022; Qiu et al., 2017) are associated with suicide, these elements alone do not explain the significant rise in suicide deaths over the past …

Academic Preparedness And Institutional Support For Low-Income Students: A Scoping Review Of College Success And Retention, Davina Wilson

Social Work Theses - Archive

Students from lower-funded high schools often enter college with lower levels of academic preparedness and limited access to advanced coursework, individualized advising, and extracurricular opportunities, all of which contribute to disparities in retention and academic success. These inequities, rooted in longstanding school funding gaps and systemic barriers, disproportionately affect first-generation and racially minoritized students, who may also experience cultural mismatch or isolation within college environments. This scoping review synthesizes existing research conducted by other scholars to examine how academic preparedness and institutional support services such as tutoring, mentoring, bridge programs, and college transition initiatives influence college readiness for students from …