Social Work Commons^™

Exploring Primary Care Providers’ Compassionate Care And Their Evidence-Based Practice With Death, Grief, And Loss: Patient Experience And Perspective, Kathryn Krzykala

Dissertations

Research on primary care providers’ (PCPs) education regarding Death, Grief, and Loss (DGL) remains limited. Specifically, data is lacking regarding patients' perceptions and opinions on what they need and expect from their PCPs regarding grief and loss. This exploratory mixed-method study comprised 146 participants who had experienced death and non-death loss. It examined participants' perceptions of 1) PCP compassion, 2) PCP utilization of evidence-based grief and loss practices, 3) their own level of comfort discussing DGL with their PCPs during medical visits, and 4) their personal grief and loss experiences. The findings revealed that PCPs' grief-informed evidence-based treatment, as reflected …

A Qualitative Study Of Gratitude Practice Among Won Buddhist Older Adults And Implications For Gerontological Social Work, Sungsim Lee

Dissertations

Although gratitude has been widely studied in social science, existing scholarship has largely relied on Western worldviews and quantitative research frameworks, limiting understanding of lived gratitude experiences within diverse spiritual and cultural contexts, including Eastern spiritual traditions. In Won Buddhism, originating in South Korea, gratitude holds a central place in spiritual life and is understood as an essential practice. This qualitative study explores the views of Won Buddhist older adult practitioners regarding their experiences, benefits, and challenges of engaging in spiritually grounded gratitude practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 practitioners aged 65 and older from English-speaking Won Buddhist communities. …

“I Have A Voice”: Bridging The Communication And Sensemaking Gap Between Restorative Justice Practice And Program Implementation, Stefan Cocorelis

Dissertations

Restorative justice (RJ), a philosophy, practice, and movement inspired by local, largely Indigenous traditions, has increasingly been introduced in modern criminal justice systems as an alternative process to more comprehensively address harmful incidents, heal harms, and meet victim’s needs. While RJ implementation growth is encouraging for its advocates, there remain significant questions around formalized RJ practice. Specifically, little is known about the decision-making process in implementing and administering RJ programming within criminal justice. This dissertation aimed to contribute to the understanding of RJ practice and implementation efforts within criminal justice systems by putting emphasis on practitioners already working directly in …

Who Gets To Be Taken Seriously? Three Atypical Scholars Navigate Doctoral Education At The Intersections Of Race, Neurodivergence, And Veteran Identity, Sr. Richard De La Garza

Dissertations

As a first-generation, neurodivergent, Mexican American/Chicano veteran, I entered the University of San Diego's doctoral program having had experiences that most institutional intake processes would label as risk factors. The Findings chapter of this dissertation begins by describing those experiences—not as a confession, but as the foundation for a systematic inquiry into how doctoral legitimacy is produced, withheld, and defended. The description of my life experiences is followed by a discussion of the doctoral journeys of two other study participants who also were atypical doctoral candidates.

The central argument being advanced is this: What higher education calls "fit," "rigor," and …

Built On Dignity, Backed By Love: A Mixed Methods Study And Curriculum Grounded In Black Caregivers’ Racial Socialization To Cultivate Youth Agency, Heather Watson

Dissertations

This dissertation explores how low-income Black youth and their caregivers experience, interpret, and respond to racial discrimination, with a focus on the development of youths’ dignity as a culturally grounded resilience process. Using a mixed-methods, community-based participatory research (CBPR) design, the study addresses three central aims: (1) to identify the forms of discrimination youth and caregivers encounter and their relationship to racial stress and resilience; (2) to define dignity from the perspectives of youth and caregivers; and (3) to identify caregiver-youth conversations that cultivate dignity and inform the development of the Dignity Development Curriculum (DDC). Data were collected through semi-structured …

Effectiveness Of A Classroom-Based Stress Awareness And Coping Skills Program Among Adolescents From Diverse Backgrounds, Adriane Van Zwoll

Dissertations

The ongoing youth mental health crisis in the United States, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, has highlighted the urgent need for accessible and effective school-based interventions. This dissertation evaluates the effectiveness of Stress Less: Resilience for Success™, a single-session, classroom-based stress awareness and coping skills program implemented by NAMI Metro Suburban in diverse middle and high schools in the western suburbs of Chicago from 2018 to 2024. Using the CDC’s Framework for Program Evaluation, this study analyzes secondary data from 7,225 pre-test and post-test surveys and is complemented by qualitative informational interviews with current and former NAMI staff and volunteers …

Examining Nonprofit Social Service Sector Burnout And Turnover: Trait Mindfulness As A Moderator Of Work-Life Balance And Compassion Fatigue, Melissa L. Brown

Dissertations

Nonprofit burnout and turnover surpass all national industries, specifically in the social services subsector. In contrast to their for-profit counterparts, nonprofit turnover rates remain on the rise. While literature indicates that one of the primary drivers of nonprofit turnover is burnout, more granular research proposes that nonprofit social service employees encounter a distinct form of burnout generated by the exposure to secondary traumatic distress known as compassion fatigue. This study investigated the antecedents of this phenomenon by examining trait mindfulness as a moderator of work-life balance and compassion fatigue among nonprofit social service providers. To sustain a workforce that provides …

Becoming A Beloved Community: A Restorative Reckoning For A Radical Conversion To Transform Discourse In Higher Education, Latasha Tomay Varlack-Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation critically examines the misappropriation of Restorative Justice Discourse (RJD) within three predominantly white institutions (PWIs), analyzing 59 institutional documents through Critical Discourse Analysis, Relational Critical Discourse Analysis, and Rhetorical Criticism (Fairclough, 1995; Vaandering, 2021; van Dijk, 2008). Tribal Colleges and Universities and South African institutions have emerged as exemplars of authentic RJD, countering co-optation within PWIs. The findings demonstrate that RJD as applied in PWIs is framed in ways that attenuate its transformative potential, perpetuating color-evasiveness (Bonilla-Silva, 2017) and obscuring the intersectional experiences of Black, Indigenous, and disabled communities (Crenshaw, 1991; Million, 2009).

Grounded in decolonial praxis (Smith, …

The Integration Struggles Of Myanmar/Burmese-Catholic Youth Refugees In The United States, Nant Thazin Shwe

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Myanmar, previously known as Burma, generates a significant yearly refugee exodus stemming from ongoing ethnic conflicts, political instability, human rights violations, and the targeted persecution of Christian minority groups. Individuals seek shelter and improved opportunities in other nations. From 2011 to 2023, for example, Burmese refugees represented the largest group among U.S. refugee arrivals, accounting for 18 per cent.

Presently, there is a lack of knowledge about what the Burmese-Catholic youth refugees experiences during their integration journey into the US society. This qualitative study aimed to shed light on how the larger socio-cultural and religious environment intersects with Burmese-Catholic …

Exploring Contributions Of Partnerships Between Employers And Disability Organizations On Recruitment, Hiring, Training, Retention, And Accommodation Of Individuals With Disabilities In Mississippi, Peter Oluwadare Kalejaiye

Dissertations

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 provides equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities (IWDs) by prohibiting discrimination in employment. However, one out of four IWDs face discrimination in employment in the United States (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Additionally, despite establishing the Office of Disability Employment Policy and enacting the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to help integrate IWDs into the workforce, IWDs face barriers to equal and equitable employment (NASEM, 2017). Previous studies recommend partnerships between employers and disability organizations (DOs) to provide employment opportunities and benefits for IWDs through recruitment, hiring, training, retention, and …

Useful Measures Of Adult Attachment And Object Relations In Psychotherapy, Matilde A. Torallas Huerta

Dissertations

This is a literature review of objective and projective measures of attachment and object relations in adults, with the objective of reviewing outstanding research to identify the key factors for adult attachment assessment considered within attachment and object relations theories, what measures of adult attachment styles and dysfunction work best, and to provide key themes of assistance in the measurement of attachment and object relations in adult clients in psychotherapy. Theoretical foundations of attachment and object relations theory are reviewed as well as objective and projective instruments grouped by format. The 10 themes found to be useful in the assessment …

The Role Of Affordable Housing In Enhancing Tenants' Economic Stability In Connecticut: A Focus On Income, Employment, And Housing Stability, Osaid Zubi

Dissertations

This study examined the role of affordable housing in promoting economic stability among low- and moderate-income households in Connecticut. Focusing on income security, employment opportunities, and housing retention, this research highlighted the significance of affordable housing as a means to alleviate financial strain, support job retention, and foster community resilience. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, the study gathered insights from tenants, policymakers, and developers through conducting interviews and a focus group. Connecticut was chosen as the study site due to its high cost of living and affordable housing shortage, exacerbated by its proximity to New York City. Findings underscore the economic …

The Relationship Between Task-Oriented Self-Efficacy, Openness To Experience And Internal & External Barriers To Social Work Educators To Teach Online Courses, Nancy Swindle

Dissertations

This study investigated the attitudes of social work faculty at accredited programs in the United States toward teaching online courses. An online survey was used to gather data on faculty members' internal and external barriers to teaching online, their openness to new experiences, and their confidence in creating and teaching online social work courses. Correlation and bivariate analyses were used to understand the relationships between these variables. The results showed positive relationships between years of teaching experience, faculty age, and self-efficacy scores, as well as between years of experience and professional training. However, these relationships were not statistically significant. Similar …

Abriendo Caminos: A Case Study Of An Online Bilingüe Msw Program, Celeste Natividad Sanchez

Dissertations

Latine students are underrepresented in social work education. This case study focuses on the Online Bilingual MSW (OBMSW) Program, the first bilingual (Spanish and English) and online MSW program in the mainland United States. The purpose of this study was to explore and have a greater understanding of how the OBMSW program is providing an alternative educational pathway specifically for Latine students. Purposeful sampling was used to identify seven interview participants who have had direct involvement in the creation, design, and/or implementation of the OBMSW program. A document review of program documents was also conducted. Data were analyzed using the …

“I Really Like The Idea Of Being The Source Of Change”: The Perspectives Of Black And Latine Youth Experiencing Low Income About How Personal Change Occurs In Out-Of-School Group Programs, Kevin Miller

Dissertations

Structured out-of-school programs (OSPs) can be contexts in which youth can be producers of their own positive change (Eccles & Gootman, 2002). However, despite a considerable body of research documenting the benefits of participating in OSPs, there is a lack of knowledge about how youth of color in low-income communities define positive personal change in OSP settings. As a result, many OSPs and interventions designed for youth of color rely on adult practitioners’ or researchers’ perspectives of the change process, which may weaken program impact and fail to holistically meet youths’ developmental needs. This study uses a critical realist scientific …

Child-Parent Psychotherapy In Child Welfare, Michelle Saulnier

Dissertations

Objective: Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) is a therapeutic model that works within the caregiver relationship with children 0 – 6 years old who have experienced trauma or maltreatment. This study utilized a mixed methods design to evaluate how CPP was implemented within a child welfare waiver project in one Midwestern city. This study also looks at various factors impacts on CPP service delivery outcomes and examines how CPP impacts child welfare outcomes within the context of a larger evaluation. Methods: A sequential mixed methods design was completed with descriptive, and correlation statistical analysis completed. In addition, person-time fixed level analysis was …

Assessing The Role Of Psychological Self-Sufficiency And Organizational Factors In Achieving Economic Self-Sufficiency Among Low-Income Populations, Alanna Jeeyoung Shin

Dissertations

Low-income populations in the United States face complex challenges amid persistent high levels of poverty, income inequality, and child poverty (OECD, 2023; OECD, 2024; Smeeding & Thévenot, 2016; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023b). Influenced by neoclassical economic theory and human capital theory, work-first initiatives like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) focus on fostering individual change by enhancing employable skills (Kim, 2010). These programs predominantly emphasize personal responsibility as a strategy for reducing poverty. However, multilayered barriers remain that hinder the achievement of economic self-sufficiency (Hong et al., 2014). To challenge the prevailing approach focusing on the individual level, …

Clinical Social Workers, Telemental Health And The Covid-19 Pandemic, Juli Chaffee

Dissertations

As a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and due to the shelter in place order that most states required, licensed clinical social workers (CSW’s) were forced to switch from in person services to telemental health services almost overnight. Many did so without previous training, adequate technology, a confidential office, or professional support. While there is a growing body of research regarding the increased use of telemental health in the mental health field during COVID-19, there is minimal research which narrows in what it was like for the CSW’s who made this transition. The purpose of this study was to better …

Bridging The Gap: Psychopharmacologic Education And Side Effect Screening For Non-Prescribing Mental Health Professionals, Elaine Fitzgerald

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The United States is experiencing a growing demand for pediatric mental health support. Surges in mental health diagnoses and psychotropic medication prescriptions have occurred, compounded by a shortage of psychiatric providers. Non-prescribing mental health professionals are well-positioned to recognize psychotropic medication side effects. However, psychologists and counselors lack formal pharmacology education.

Methods: The quality improvement (QI) initiative was guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model. The evidence-based psychopharmacologic education for non-prescribers utilized a quasi-experimental pre- and post- test design. Data collected from clinicians included knowledge, confidence, and skill concerning psychotropic medications. The Psychotropic Medication Monitoring Checklist (PMMC) screen clients …

An Exploration Of Contributors To Intergenerational Trauma Transmission In American Families: Parental Life Experiences And Parenting Styles., Shantrell P. Sutton-Mckenzie

Dissertations

Preexisting research on intergenerational trauma transmission primarily addresses biological and behavioral routes of transmission, leaving little room for systemic influences. This research reviews preexisting biological and behavioral contributors and explores systemic contributors to intergenerational trauma transmission in American families as it relates to post-traumatic growth, parental centrality distress, and parenting styles. It was that post-traumatic growth and parental centrality of distress (comprised of ACES, centrality of events, and access to community resources) and PTG predict parenting styles. The research hypothesis was partially supported. It was found (1) Post-traumatic growth, ACEs, and perceived access to community resources while parenting added significantly …

Determining Factors For Improved Uptake Of Harm Reduction Services In The United States: A Study Of Inclusive, Culturally Sensitive Messaging, Lauretta Ekanem Omale

Dissertations

Harm reduction refers to public health policies and programs aimed at decreasing the adverse consequences associated with drug use. While harm reduction services (e.g., syringe exchange programs) can mitigate health risks, marginalized groups face barriers to service access and utilization, partially due to ineffective messaging approaches that fail to align with cultural values and experiences. A one-size-fits-all approach to messaging can negatively impact service utilization, health outcomes, and health disparities. Ineffective communication can lead to poor adherence to treatment, poorer health outcomes, and increased adverse events.

Culturally insensitive communication contributes to stigma, mistrust, and lack of perceived relevance, discouraging service …

A Holistic And Collaborative Behavioral Health Detection Framework Using Sensitive Police Narratives, Martin Keagan Wynne Brown

Dissertations

Identifying behavioral health is paramount for law enforcement officers to provide appropriate follow-up community care. In the current practice, law enforcement offices manually identify these behavioral health cases to allow the designation of the relevant follow-up resources. Police reports generated by officers' response to 911 calls remain an untapped resource for identifying such incidents. Therefore, we advocate for the incorporation of manual annotations from experts, natural language processing (NLP), active learning, advanced machine learning, and ensemble techniques to detect behavioral health cases within police reports. In this dissertation, we develop tools and frameworks to automatically detect behavioral health cases from …

Nonprofit Leader Experiences In Sector-Bending After Lean Six Sigma Training: Tension, Concepts, And Changed Behaviors, Beverly Codallos

Dissertations

Government, business, and nonprofit represent three distinct types of organizations governed by different legal frameworks designed to facilitate collective action (DiMaggio & Anheier, 1990). The emergence of hybrid forms and increasing isomorphic pressures in the nonprofit sector (Bromley & Meyer, 2017; McCambridge, 2014) have challenged the traditional separation of organizational forms. This study explored the phenomenon popularized as sector-bending, “a wide variety of approaches, activities, and relationships that are blurring the distinctions between nonprofit and for-profit organizations, either because they are behaving more similarly, operating in the same realms, or both” (Dees & Anderson, 2003, pg. 16). This qualitative study …

Returning To School After A Pandemic: K-12 School Mental Health Practitioners’ Perspectives Returning To School In Regard To Mindset, Behavior, Performance, And Social Connections, Viridiana Benitez Esparza

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine K-12 school mental health practitioners’ perceptions of their experiences working with students following the 2-year educational/social/emotional trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to the mental health practitioners’ mindset, behavior, performance, and social connections. Methodology: The researcher conducted a phenomenological study examining particular experiences of participants to understand their perspective during a phenomenon (McMillan & Schumacher, 2006). This qualitative study interviewed 12 school mental health practitioners who served in K-12 public schools after the pandemic in Los Angeles County, California. Semi-structured interview questions were used for data collection and aligned …

The Contribution Of Mindfulness Practice To Supporting Children And Their Families’ Challenges Among School Social Workers: A Qualitative Multicase Study Of School Social Workers In California, Catalina Andrade

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the challenges school social workers experience when supporting students and their families in their schools. Additionally, the purpose of this study was to understand how school social workers use mindfulness practices to help them respond to the challenges of working with the students and their families in their school based on Lesser’s mindfulness model (2019): love the work, do the work, don’t be an expert, connect to your pain, connect to the pain of others, depend on others, and keep making it simpler. Methodology: In this multicase study, the …

Strong Partnerships Require Collaboration: The Investigation Of Interagency Collaboration Efforts Between Schools And Community-Based Organizations In Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness, Iantheya K. Brown

Dissertations

This study provides valuable insights into effective interagency collaboration strategies for supporting students experiencing homelessness. Through qualitative analysis, three overarching themes and seven sub-themes emerged, highlighting the importance of partnership building, support system enhancement, and addressing the complex needs of students experiencing homelessness. The findings underscore the crucial role of early relationship establishment, McKinney-Vento education, transparent communication, and shared information in maintaining and expanding partnerships. However, challenges persist, including discrepancies in definitions and misconceptions about homelessness, necessitating a more empathetic approach. Leadership engagement and culturally responsive practices are essential for navigating these challenges and fostering effective collaboration. By adopting a …

Analysis Of Trauma Screening As A Potential Predictor Of Congregate Care Placement As A Key Factor In Caseworker Decision Making, Amy Louise Perricone

Dissertations

The placement of foster care children into congregate care (CC) facilities has been debated regarding whether CC can provide safety and healing, or if it is harmful and retraumatizing to children. In recent years CC has come under scrutiny due to high per diem costs and increasing reports of abuse and even death of children. In response, the federal Families First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) was enacted in 2018 with a goal of reducing the number of children in CC. Since then, efforts have been implemented nationwide to achieve this goal. This study explored the value of statewide trauma screening …

The Way To Well-Being Through Safety, Trust And Freedom: A Youth-Driven Framework For Older Youth In Child Welfare, Bridget Marie Colacchio

Dissertations

The current study looks at the experience of well-being among young people who experienced foster care in the United States. The objective of the project was to seek a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of well-being from the perspective of those with most direct knowledge of it: youth in care themselves. Chapter 1 includes an overview of the social, historical, policy, and clinical landscape underpinning the study, starting with a summary of the current state of the child welfare system in the United States. This includes a look at two key contextual factors – structural racism and neoliberalism – that …

Barriers And Facilitators To Library Social Work Practice In The United States: A Mixed-Methods Study, Margaret Ann Paauw

Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Library social work is an emerging field where libraries and social workers partner to meet the psychosocial needs of library patrons. With libraries being situated as the last truly public spaces, they are positioned as centers of communities and have called upon the field of social work to assist in navigating the changing landscape of their patrons. Library social work has been around for over ten years, yet research has struggled to keep up with practice. This study was the first nationwide study on library social work from the perspective of the people who are doing the …

Assessing The Risk, Addressing The Need: A Mixed Method Approach To Designing A Strengths-Based, Post-Incarceration, Correctional Assessment For Women, Rashonda Johnson

Dissertations

Women are the fastest-growing segment of the incarcerated population, steadily increasing since 1985 (ACLU, n.d.). More than one million women are behind bars or have some involvement with the criminal justice system. The rapid growth of incarceration among women has led scholars and researchers to address the growing needs and risk levels that lead to increased recidivism rates. The creation of assessment tools specifically focused on female populations began in 1999. However, before this time, instruments were historically designed for men within the criminal justice system, and addendums were added to these tools to be used with female populations (Voorhis …