Social Work Commons^™

Perceptions Of The Homeless Toward Nonprofit Human Service Provider, Lequan M. Hylton

Theses and Dissertations

As the debate intensifies regarding developing remedies to meet the needs of America’s homeless, one solution is for governmental agencies to collaborate with and employ organizations from the nonprofit sector to assist with the needs of the homeless population. Included in the nonprofit sector, faith-based organizations (FBOs) have historically been a source of debate and contention in terms of collaborations with the government. However, Presidents Reagan, George H. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama have embraced the idea of including FBOs in the pool of service providers offering human services. In the Richmond, Virginia region, FBOs and nonreligious nonprofit …

Black Feminist Discourse Analysis Of Portrayals Of Gender Violence Against Black Women: A Social Work Dissertation, Avina Ross

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored media discourse of gender violence against Black women in Black contemporary films. Four Tyler Perry films were examined using a novel, qualitative and analytical framework: Black Feminist Discourse Analysis. Discourses that were studied include, but were not limited to: portrayals of gender violence and victims, character dispositions and interactions, stereotypes, relationship dynamics as well as portrayals of race, gender, sexuality and religion. The use of new and existing controlling images based on systems of race, gender, sexuality and religion were revealed in a transitional and systemic model. Common themes across the films are provided. This research closes …

Wreading, Performing, And Reflecting: The Application Of Narrative Hypertext And Virtual World Experiences To Social Work Education, Linda Ayscue Gupta Phd

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I propose the use of a new media composition of narrative hypertext, performances in a virtual world, and a dialogic process of writing to provide a continuum of learning opportunities in social work education. I suggest that the structure of the hypertext narrative, embedded with hypermedia, mirrors the dissociative aspects of traumatic memory. I argue that work with the multivocality and multisequentiality of narrative hypertext emulates the process of discovery in the clinical interview. The immersive component of work in a virtual world deepens the realism and affective impact of simulations and creates opportunities to practice and …

Hispanic Subgroups, Acculturation, And Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes, Karen G. Chartier, Tom Carmody, Maleeha Akhtar, Mary B. Stebbins, Scott T. Walters, Diane Warden

Social Work Publications

This study explored Hispanic subgroup differences in substance use treatment outcomes, and the relationship of acculturation characteristics to these outcomes. Data were from a multisite randomized clinical trial of motivational enhancement therapy versus treatment as usual in a sample of Spanish-speaking substance abusers. Participants were Cuban American (n = 34), Mexican American (n = 209), Puerto Rican (n = 78), and other Hispanic American (n = 54). Results suggested that Cuban Americans and individuals with more connection to Hispanic culture had lower treatment retention. Hispanics born in the U.S and those who spoke English at home …

Comorbidities And Race/Ethnicity Among Adults With Stimulant Use Disorders In Residential Treatment, Katherine Sanchez, Karen G. Chartier, Tracy L. Greer, Robrina Walker, Thomas Carmody, Chad D. Rethorst

Social Work Publications

Comorbid physical and mental health problems are associated with poorer substance abuse treatment outcomes; however, little is known about these conditions among stimulant abusers at treatment entry. This study compared racial and ethnic groups on baseline measures of drug use patterns, comorbid physical and mental health disorders, quality of life, and daily functioning among cocaine and stimulant abusing/dependent patients. Baseline data from a multi-site randomized clinical trial of vigorous exercise as a treatment strategy for a diverse population of stimulant abusers (N = 290) were analyzed. Significant differences between groups were found on drug use characteristics, stimulant use disorders, …

“I Am Not Free While [Anyone] Is Unfree”: A Proposal And Framework For Enmarginalized Feminist Policy Analysis, Avina Ross

Social Work Student Works

This paper introduces a new feminist approach and framework to policy analysis. As an integration of intersectionality, Black feminist thought and endarkened feminist epistemology, enmarginalized feminist policy analysis (EFPA) offers an intersectional and flexible scope in a framework to assess policy for a diversity of populations, focusing on groups who are forced to live marginal and oppressed lives. Discussion is provided on existing approaches and frameworks in addition to an overview of the theoretical underpinnings of EFPA. A nine-component framework, which includes a section for analyst reflexivity, is provided to guide users in conducting EFPA. The author concludes with implications …

Children's Experiences Of Companion Animal Maltreatment In Households Characterized By Intimate Partner Violence, Shelby Elaine Mcdonald, Elizabeth A. Collins, Nicole Nicotera, Tina O. Hageman, Frank R. Ascione, James Herbert Williams, Sandra A. Graham-Bermann

Social Work Publications

Cruelty toward companion animals is a well-documented, coercive tactic used by abusive partners to intimidate and control their intimate partners. Experiences of co-occurring violence are common for children living in families with intimate partner violence (IPV) and surveys show that more than half are also exposed to abuse of their pets. Given children's relationships with their pets, witnessing such abuse may be traumatic for them. Yet little is known about the prevalence and significance of this issue for children. The present study examines the experiences of children in families with co-occurring pet abuse and IPV. Using qualitative methods, 58 children …

Men And Women From The Stride Clinical Trial: An Assessment Of Stimulant Abstinence Symptom Severity At Residential Treatment Entry, Karen G. Chartier, Katherine Sanchez, Therese K. Killeen, Allison Burrow, Thomas Carmody, Tracy L. Greer, Madhukar H. Trivedi

Social Work Publications

Background and Objectives

Gender‐specific factors associated with stimulant abstinence severity were examined in a stimulant abusing or dependent residential treatment sample (N = 302).

Method

Bivariate statistics tested gender differences in stimulant abstinence symptoms, measured by participant‐reported experiences of early withdrawal. Multivariate linear regression examined gender and other predictors of stimulant abstinence symptom severity.

Results

Women compared to men reported greater stimulant abstinence symptom severity. Anxiety disorders and individual anxiety‐related abstinence symptoms accounted for this difference. African American race/ethnicity was predictive of lower stimulant abstinence severity.

Discussion and Conclusions

Women were more sensitive to anxiety‐related stimulant withdrawal symptoms.

Scientific …

Explaining The Frequency Of Alcohol Consumption In A Conflict Zone: Jews And Palestinians In Israel, Zohar Massey, Karen G. Chartier, Mary B. Stebbins, Daphna Canetti, Stevan E. Hobfoll, Brian J. Hall, Kerem Shuval

Social Work Publications

Experiencing stress and exposure to terrorism may have an adverse effect on health risk behaviors. Few studies have examined alcohol use among adults living in Israel under chronic, stressful terrorism-related conditions. In this study, we examined the relationships of demographics, past stressful events, and terrorism exposure to the frequency of alcohol use and the mediating roles of depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. We used three waves of data from a 2007–2008 nationally representative sample of Jewish and Palestinian adults in Israel. We assessed past stressful events, in addition to direct and indirect exposures to terrorism. Results indicated that …

Helping Students Graduate: An Examination Of The Services Provided By A Dropout Prevention Program, Caren Putzu

Theses and Dissertations

The Alliance for Excellent Education (2011) estimates every 26 seconds in America, a student drops out of school. Numerous intervention and prevention approaches have been implemented to reduce the incidents of school dropout. One program, Communities In Schools (CIS), has shown promise in impacting the issue of school dropout by attending to both academic and non-academic factors at play in influencing a student’s risk for dropping out. The primary aim of this secondary data analysis was to develop an increased understanding of CIS services, to explore whether service provision varies systematically in relation to student outcomes and student characteristics, and …

Assessing Lgbtq Youth Cultural Competency In Direct-Care Behavioral Health Workers: Development And Validation Of A Measure., Megan E. Gandy

Theses and Dissertations

Direct-care workers can provide an array of service types to children, adolescents, and their families in behavioral health treatment. They may also work in a variety of settings (e.g., group homes, inpatient units/hospitals, residential treatment, treatment foster care, day treatment, in-home treatment, etc.). Direct-care workers typically are involved in the supervision of youth and in the implementation of a treatment plan developed by the youth’s treatment team. For youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) and are receiving behavioral health services, such workers form a critical part of their therapeutic experience. However, …

“Rip It!”: A Juxtapositional And Critical Discourse Analysis Of Gender Violence In 3 Tyler Perry Films, Avina Ross

Graduate Research Posters

This qualitative study uses juxtapositional, intersectional and critical discourse analyses as one composite framework to assess Black female victimness and matriarchy in three Tyler Perry films. Findings exposed a transitional archetype model consisting of 5 domains (Victim, Bitterfruit, Matriarch, Forgiver and Princess) whereby victimized characters are portrayed using racist and sexist stereotypes. Additionally, rich juxtapositions in the films with regard to Black female victimness and matriarchy were also revealed. These juxtapositions play out in the transitional archetype model and reiterate a harmful racist gendered stereotype: strong, Black women (matriarchs) are not and cannot, by way of their strength, aggressiveness and …

Identifying Differences Between Privatized, Partially Privatized, And Non-Privatized State Foster Care Systems: A Comparative Study Examining Efficiency And Effectiveness, Dorothy C. Coles

Theses and Dissertations

Privatization of the public child welfare system has become increasingly popular since its introduction in the early 1990s. State governments that initiate the privatization of foster care services rationalize the changes with claims of effectiveness and/or increased efficiency of services for children and families. There has been no real focus on identifying what efficiency of the system means for children and their families, nor what aspects of effectiveness focuses on children in foster care. As a result, the unintended consequences of this total restructuring of foster care bureaucracy, through the privatization of the state foster care system – and its …

Twenty Years Of Virginia Organizing: A Historical Analysis, Ruth Berta

Graduate Research Posters

Virginia Organizing is a non-profit, non-partisan statewide grassroots community organization aimed at empowering people to affect change in their communities. They celebrated their 20^th anniversary in 2015 and this process evaluation identifies the unique role that the Virginia Organizing State Governing Board has had in governing the organization. It determined the historical themes from this governing body’s 20 years of meeting minutes and assessed its membership diversity over time. In attempting to answer these questions: What themes emerge from the first 20 years of Virginia Organizing State Governing Board meeting minutes? How has the diversity of the membership of …

A National Scan Of Psychiatric Involuntary Hold Policies, Evan D. Peters

Undergraduate Research Posters

Psychiatric involuntary holds are initiated when an individual suffering from mental illness is deemed a danger to themselves or others. Each state and the District of Columbia has its own legislation outlining the process for involuntary holds and the assessments that take place during a hold. A variety of individuals, professional and non-professional, can be involved in the process. Each state also sets a time limit during which a person can be held, and specific language that details the behavior of individuals that are eligible for psychiatric involuntary holds. This information was gathered by examining each states' codes involving psychiatric …

Exploring Dimensions Of Well-Being Among Spouses Of Active-Duty Service Members, Lisa A. Gray

Theses and Dissertations

During an era when the United States has been engaged in the longest waging wars in U.S. history, military families have been exposed to extraordinary amounts of stress and have had to learn to adapt in a culture where repeated deployments, recurrent family separations, and frequent relocations have become the norm. A surge in research in recent years on the families of Service members has brought increased attention to the unique challenges and demands of spouses, raising concerns about how to best meet their needs. Despite the increased attention, few studies have focused on spousal well-being. Acknowledging this lack of …

Measuring Mental Health Provider Stigma: The Development Of A Valid And Reliable Self-Assessment Instrument, Jennifer L.K. Charles

Theses and Dissertations

Provider-based stigma is defined as the negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of mental health providers toward clients they serve. Often unintentional and unknowingly conveyed, this phenomenon has been indicated in previous research (e.g. Lauber, Nordt, Braunschweig, & Rössler, 2006; Nordt, Rössler, & Lauber, 2006; Hugo, 2001; Schulze, 2007). Other instruments crafted to measure provider stigma have utilized theory in their development, without incorporating the voice of the client (e.g. Wilkins & Abell, 2010; Kennedy, Abell, & Mennicke 2014). To better address the social injustice posed by provider stigma, the profession requires a valid and reliable measure, guided by theory, which …

Community Collaboration In Virginia Legal Aid Programs: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Investigation, Andrew C. Schoeneman

Theses and Dissertations

Legal aid programs comprise a robust national infrastructure attempting to alleviate and reduce poverty. Since their proliferation as part of the War on Poverty, these organizations have provided individual civil legal assistance and engaged in collective legal and political strategies to advance systemic change. Starting in the 1980s, however, public policies have been enacted to cut funding and restrict the ability of federally funded legal aid programs to engage in collective and systemic advocacy. As a result, the ability of programs to work alongside low-income communities has been compromised. The histories and core commitments of legal aid and social work …

Parental Perceptions And Experiences Of Physical And Emotional Violence Between Siblings: A Mixed-Methods, Comparative Case Study, Nathan Perkins

Theses and Dissertations

Sibling violence is a common occurrence for many children yet this form of family violence has received minimal attention in research compared to other forms of child maltreatment. With parents as an integral component in the lives of many children, parental perceptions and experiences of violence between siblings are important to understand. Furthermore, with the increased variation in family structures within society, inclusion of multiple types of families in research is necessary to encompass a broad understanding of sibling violence. This case study included seven parents from four different family structures to examine their perceptions and experiences of physical and …

Crossing Boundaries: Building A Model To Effectively Address Difference In Community Practice, Jason Sawyer

Theses and Dissertations

Community organizing has a rich tradition within the field of social work. Prevailing community practice models, approaches, and frameworks remain primarily based on practice wisdom, experience, and intuition. Difference, pervasive in various contemporary contexts of practice, largely mediates interactions at the community level. Although difference is addressed at various levels of the practice continuum and within the IFSW and NASW codes of ethics, few methodologically driven tools exist within the literature to guide practitioners. This grounded theory study initiates early development of a community practice model based on forging alliances across boundaries of difference. The Critical Difference Engagement model is …

United States Women Marines’ Experiences And Perspectives About Coping With Service Life: A Phenomenological Study, Beth-Ann Vealey

Theses and Dissertations

Women are expanding their numbers and roles in the United States military. This new generation of military women is exposed to unique factors related to their gender that contribute to challenges for psychosocial well-being and optimal performance. In support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), researchers have identified unique factors for military women, including increased combat exposure, continued military sexual trauma and harassment, and conflicting dual roles. These factors may create obstacles that inhibit help-seeking behaviors and support for military women, and remain an under-researched topic of study. Gender-specific research on military women is limited; current …

Dementia Caregivers: An Exploration Of Their Knowledge, Beliefs, And Behavior Regarding Advance Care Planning For End-Of-Life Care, Mariette Klein

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore what knowledge dementia caregivers have about advance care planning (ACP), how they learn to execute formal advance directives (ADs) or have engaged in an informal ACP process, and how they understand their roles as decision makers for the patients. Factors that contribute to the completion of an ACP process such as demographic, psychosocial, and situational factors are identified. From the grounded theory data analysis, a theory emerged about how ACP is accomplished and used by caregivers. Findings reveal that caregivers understand ACP as having the power to shape the dying process for …

A Demonstration Of Canonical Correlation Analysis With Orthogonal Rotation To Facilitate Interpretation, Patrick V. Dattalo

Social Work Publications

This paper describes and demonstrates Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) with orthogonal rotation to facilitate interpretation. The purpose of CCA is to explain the relationship between two or more sets of variables. CCA can be thought of as a kind of principal components analysis on two set of variables, except that the criteria for the pairs of linear combinations is that they have the highest possible correlation while being orthogonal to “earlier” pairs. Social work researchers should rarely be satisfied with a strategy that determines which sets of variables to model on purely statistical grounds. However, there are times when there …

Partnering For Mental Health Promotion: Implementing Evidence Based Mental Health Services Within A Maternal And Child Home Health Visiting Program, Lisa A. Gray, Sarah Kye Price

Social Work Publications

This article details the clinical foundations of a social work focused community-based participatory research project promoting women’s mental health during and around the time of pregnancy. Specifically, we discuss the theoretical, empirical and organizational implementation of an enhanced engagement model of mental health service delivery that integrates evidenced based practices into the structure and services of an existing non-profit maternal and child health home visiting agency. The model is grounded in literature addressing barriers to accessing mental health care among minority women living in low-income communities. We discuss informing the intervention through direct consumer involvement, as well the rationale supporting …

Framing Ethnic Variations In Alcohol Outcomes From Biological Pathways To Neighborhood Context, Karen G. Chartier, Denise M. Scott, Tamara L. Wall, Jonathan Covault, Katherine J. Karriker-Jaffe, Britain A. Mills, Susan E. Luczak, Raul Caetano, Judith A. Arroyo

Social Work Publications

Background

Health disparities research seeks to eliminate disproportionate negative health outcomes experienced in some racial/ethnic minority groups. This brief review presents findings on factors associated with drinking and alcohol‐related problems in racial/ethnic groups.

Methods

Those discussed are as follows: (i) biological pathways to alcohol problems, (ii) gene × stress interactions, (iii) neighborhood disadvantage, stress, and access to alcohol, and (iv) drinking cultures and contexts.

Results

These factors and their interrelationships are complex, requiring a multilevel perspective.

Conclusions

The use of interdisciplinary teams and an epigenetic focus are suggested to move the research forward. The application of multilevel research to policy, …

A Multi-Site, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Clinical Trial To Evaluate The Efficacy Of Buspirone As A Relapse-Prevention Treatment For Cocaine Dependence, Theresa M. Winhusen, Frankie Kropp, Robert Lindblad, Antoine Douaihy, Louise Haynes, Candace Hodgkins, Karen G. Chartier

Social Work Publications

Objective—To evaluate the potential efficacy of buspirone as a relapse-prevention treatment for cocaine dependence.

Method—A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 16-week pilot trial conducted at six clinical sites between August 2012 and June 2013. Adult crack cocaine users meeting DSM-IVTR criteria for current cocaine dependence scheduled to be in inpatient/residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for 12–19 days when randomized, and planning to enroll in local outpatient treatment through the end of the active treatment phase were randomized to buspirone titrated to 60 mg/day (n=35) or to placebo (n=27). All participants received psychosocial treatment as usually provided by the SUD treatment programs …

Characteristics Of Adults Involved In Alcohol-Related Intimate Partner Violence: Results From A Nationally Representative Sample, Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez, Nadine M. Connell, Michael S. Businelle, Wesley G. Jennings, Karen G. Chartier

Social Work Publications

Background

More than 12 million women and men are victims of partner violence each year. Although the health outcomes of partner violence have been well documented, we know very little about specific event-level characteristics that may provide implications for prevention and intervention of partner violence situations. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate substance abuse and dependence as risk factors for event-level alcohol-related intimate partner violence (IPV).

Methods

Data were derived from Wave II of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (2004–2005). Eligible participants (N = 2,255) reported IPV the year before the survey. Negative …

Fathering And Child Maltreatment: A Grounded Theory Study, Jennifer Shadik

Theses and Dissertations

Literature related to fathers and child physical abuse and neglect is lacking (Guterman & Lee, 2005; Lee, Bellamy, & Guterman, 2009). The purpose of this study was to better understand several pertinent aspects of fathering related to maltreatment. Three research questions were examined: 1.What are the attitudes, behaviors and contexts of fathers who have abused or neglected a child that relate to maltreatment? 2. What are the resources and capacities of these fathers which could be capitalized on? 3. How does goodness-of-fit or a poor fit between the father and child impact the parenting relationships of these fathers? Fifteen fathers …

Understanding The Impact Of Regulatory Changes On The Implementation Of Therapeutic Day Treatment: A Case Study Approach, Angie Mann-Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Therapeutic Day Treatment (TDT) is a community-based mental health treatment program regulated and funded by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This case study sought to understand how DMAS regulatory changes impacted the implementation of the TDT program in the Commonwealth between fiscal years 2004 and 2011. In an effort to respond to this question, sources of qualitative and quantitative data were collected including: TDT fee-for-service data, regulations in the Community Mental Health and Rehabilitative Services manual guiding the implementation of the TDT program, and structured interviews with eight key stakeholders who interface with …

Food Landscapes: A Case Study Of A Cooking And Art- Focused Program For Teens Living In A Food Desert, Jessica R. Norris

Theses and Dissertations

This study constructs themes and propositions about the experiences of youth participants in the fall 2013 Food Landscapes program at the Neighborhood Resource Center in Richmond, Virginia. During the program, youth participated in cooking-based volunteerism with adults with disabilities and created short videos about their experiences. In this study, I analyzed pre- and post-program participant interviews, twice-weekly program observations, and facilitator reflections to understand how Food Landscapes affected youths’ conception of community engagement and communication strategies. This case study offers insight into how youth experience after-school programming of this design. Based on my findings, youth develop and rely upon a …