Social Work Commons^™

Public Perception And Influential Sources Toward Child Welfare Services, Melissa A. Teague, Nicolas A. Hollis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to answer the following questions: “What is the current public attitude toward public child welfare services and what sources of information have been used to formulate these attitudes?” In answering these questions, child welfare agencies would have a better understanding of what populations to promote public outreach, education, or further community involvement based on demographics and/or which venues to implement such outreach.

This study provides information on previous studies where researchers have looked at the general role of social work and used the gathered information to assess public sentiment. In past research there has …

Integrating Faith In Social Work, Omar Elhanafy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Religion and Spirituality are concepts rarely spoken about in social work programs. Many social work students have expressed that they have not received a proper education on integration of faith into social work practice in their programs. Evidence is given to support this claim and this Proposal will discuss this concept, its importance, and highlight the need for this education. This exploratory study will use a qualitative design which will explore the experiences of participants on how comfortable they feel in using faith in social work practice. The proposal will continue to further explore the validity to this claim through …

The Effects Of Perceived Racism And Discrimination On The Mental Health Of Mexican And Mexican American Social Work Students, Karina Duque Sierra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has shown that experiencing discrimination and racism can have significant and negative effects on people’s mental health. Among those affected are Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a relationship with self-reported mental health of Mexican/Mexican American social work students and self-reported experiences with racism and discrimination. This quantitative study surveyed 101 participants who (a) identified as Mexican and or Mexican American, (b) were 18 years or older (c) enrolled in college, and (d) identified as either a BASW or MSW student. This study utilized a Qualtrics …

Which Interventions Do Social Workers Believe Are Most Effective When Working With Child Abuse Victims?, Ellen Davis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child abuse is often a very traumatic experience that can create long-lasting psychological and emotional effects for some individuals. Social workers often provide treatment services, such as therapy and/or case management services, with the goal of assisting child abuse victims in coping with and overcoming the negative impact of the trauma they’ve experienced. This study evaluates the types of interventions social workers utilize when working with child abuse victims, how the interventions address the resulting trauma of child abuse, which interventions social workers believe are most effective when working with this population, and why those interventions are believed to be …

Life Through The Eyes Of An Undocumented Immigrant In The United States, Yesenia Torres

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project focused on how undocumented immigrants experience their lives in the United States, taking in mind the multiple barriers that prevent them from integrating into the community. This research project surveyed the California State University of San Bernardino School of Social Work students who work or engage with undocumented immigrants. A positivism paradigm research design was used to obtain quantitative data of participant's knowledge of immigrants' past and present experiences while living in the United States. The study's goal was to bring mental health awareness to the well-being and emotional experiences during the resettlement and acculturation of undocumented …

Effectiveness Of Services And Interventions Provided To The Older Adult Population, Michelle Maldonado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The older adult population is set to increase enormously in the United States. With a larger older adult population, there will also be an increased demand for services. This study worked to identify the effectiveness of mental health services being provided to older adults. Given that service providers are often provided minimal resources, providing efficient services assists with purposefully allocating resources. The study used the post positivist paradigm. The researcher developed a set of questions and conducted phone interviews with mental health service providers of older adults. After transcription, qualitative data analysis was completed to identify meaningful connections. The data …

Ensuring Supportive Treatment For Crossover Youth In Child Welfare, Summer Ann Salinas, Sussana Mendoza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to identify which supportive services and treatments are aiding minority crossover youth in child welfare. Literature has stated that minority crossover youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system in comparison to their white counterparts. Literature has also stated that crossover youth make subsequent contact with the adult prison systems due to child welfare involvement and other factors. Factors including prolonged group home placements and lack of rapport with mental health providers. Mental health providers lacking cultural competence and trauma-informed practice can negatively impede crossover youth from learning positive, adaptive coping mechanisms that can …

The Complications When Working With Reactive Attachment Disorder, Susan Herberger, Regene Goens

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aimed to identify the challenges professional care providers face when working with foster youth experiencing Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). Using a qualitative data approach, the researchers interviewed ten professional care providers and performed a thematic analysis of their responses regarding clients with RAD. The study found that professional care providers find this diagnosis to be rare and have a unique set of challenges. The challenges include identifying the disorder and its origins, working with clients who have extreme mood changes, the labeling and stigma that comes with the diagnosis, building rapport and trust, and the inconsistency the children …

To Be Or Not To Be Resilient: Barriers And Facilitators In Coping Skills In Adults Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence In Childhood, Sherri Schweiger

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study was designed to explore people’s experiences of domestic violence during their childhood, and how it has affected their resilience in adulthood. It is important to understand what factors contribute to resilience, especially in those who have faced hardships to better help the future generation become resilient and grow up to be healthy adults. Exploring why some people build resilience and not others will aid in identifying factors that influence coping skills. This paper examines interviews of people who had experienced domestic violence at a young age and how it has affected their adult life. The data …

Vicarious Trauma And Implications For Social Work Students, Maria Watts, Meosha Mcafee

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social Work students may experience vicarious trauma at some point in their lifetime. Throughout the course of social work students’ internship experiences and outside employment, the management of trauma exposure is a concern within the field of social work. There are very few studies that have been developed in providing a specific rate of vicarious trauma among social workers and have provided quantitative research on the subject. This research study asks: What intervention strategies do social work students implement to address their vicarious trauma? This research conducted a descriptive study that used a quantitative measure to obtain the findings for …

The Need For Financial Literacy In Social Work Education: A Descriptive Study, Tara Mchenry, Belinda Pacheco

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Although extensively researched over the last twenty years, financial literacy is yet to make its way into mainstream social work curricula. This is puzzling because social workers, in general, work with a clientele that consists predominantly of poor and low-income populations. The profession of social work has the unique opportunity to equip its members with tools to educate and assist clients around topics of personal finance and financial insecurity. Using a purposive sampling method, this study explored the need for a financial literacy course as part of the social work curriculum among 102 undergraduate and graduate students in a large, …

Understanding The Relationship Between Academic Burnout And Field Practicum Satisfaction, Maria Luisa Ramirez, Victoria Jakaub

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout is a topic of significant consideration in social work. The present study intended to generate findings to address the student burnout phenomenon and offer suggestive means for advancing social work practice through mediating factors. The research followed a descriptive quantitative study design that focused on investigating the relationship between academic burnout among MSW and BASW students and field practicum satisfaction. Self-administered surveys were administered using the Qualtrics system, and the statistical analysis was conducted using SPPS version 21. Findings indicated a moderate-high burnout effect among MSW and BASW students with a positive association with age and a decreased satisfaction …

Mental Health, Substance Abuse And Recidivism: Perceptions Of Key Justice System Stakeholders In Southern California, Tabari Zahir

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Despite the 2011 landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court ordering the California authorities to address prison overcrowding, the Golden State still faces significant challenges dealing with the size of its correctional population. Recidivism plays a preponderant role in slowing down the momentum toward overcoming relatively high rates of incarceration across the state. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of key human services stakeholders about the intersection of three major challenges in the California criminal justice system: mental health, substance use, and recidivism. Embracing a continuum of care approach, this study ultimately attempted to explore …

Through A Trauma-Informed And Culturally Sensitive Lens: A Qualitative Study Of Effective Engagement With Native American Communities, Katie Hawkins

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this project was on county and tribal professionals’ views on effective social work engagement with tribal communities in a large rural county located in central California. The importance of this topic is recognized by existing literature, as well as by the findings of this study, which indicate that Native Americans are an understudied group that have unique cultural, historical and service based needs. Additionally, the NASW Code of Ethics (2017) endorses social work practice, research, policies and programs that are attentive to different cultures and that challenge social injustices. The findings of this research project support these …

Treatment Access For Dual Diagnosis Substance Use And Mental Health Disorders, Pedro Banuelos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In 2018, of 1.3 million Latinx adults in the United States facing concurrent issues with substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health disorders (MHD) 93% remained untreated for either diagnosis. This is concerning since Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) data reveals that this population is at greater risk for suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts. They also face structural barriers such as employment, housing, legal involvement, and insurability that further impede access to treatment.

This study’s purpose was to examine barriers to accessing treatment for Latinx populations confronting co-occurring SUDs and MHDs. This study used a qualitative design …

Secondary Trauma And/Or Potential Impacts Related To Military Family Members, Andressa Young

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Military members who have experienced combat deployments are at a greater risk for mental health issues. This can often affect the families who are placed in the role of being a buffer for these returning military members. Furthermore, the prevalence of mental health issues within the military community being at an all-time high has created a parallel prevalence for the family members who are impacted by these military members dealing with mental health issues. This research project examined data and information that was collected both from individual military family members and from persons who directly provide supportive services to military …

Exploring Interventions Related To Caregiver Burnout, Vanessa Leanete Gonzalez, Jakob R. Mccarthy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The aging population is rapidly growing within the United States and with advanced age comes an increased likelihood for the need of assistance in completing various activities of daily living. The caregiving literature has thoroughly documented causes and manifestations of caregiver burnout, but there is little mention of interventions for this population. This study utilized a cross-sectional survey of current caregivers to identify sociodemographic factors and descriptive characteristics related to how each respondent fulfills caregiver duties. The survey also measured personal affect, as operationalized by the Negative and Positive Affect Scale (NAPAS) and level of burnout, as measured by the …

Examining Formerly Homeless Senior’S Experiences Transitioning Into Permanent Housing, Elizabeth N. Collins

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study used a post-positivist approach and asked seniors to reflect on positive and negative factors regarding their adjustment to living in permanent housing. This study aimed to provide an understanding of the unique experiences of seniors and gain additional insight into formerly homeless individuals’ experiences adapting to life in permanent housing. The participants for this study were recruited from a non-profit organization in Northern California. This qualitative study collected data in the form of six semi-structured individual interviews. Interviews were conducted over the phone, audio recorded, and then transcribed for data analysis. Findings from this study indicated that the …

Perception Of Mental Health Among The Latinx Community, Jessica Garcia, Erica Valdez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the perception of mental health among the Latinx community to identify factors contributing to the underutilization of mental health services. This exploratory study conducted qualitative interviews with 16 Latinx individuals. Participants were recruited through a non-probability snowball sampling method. Qualitative data analysis revealed themes, subthemes, and reoccurring concepts through three main focus areas: overall knowledge of mental illness and services, perception toward reasons for mental illness, and respondents’ feedback to increasing utilization of mental health services. Major themes that surfaced in this study on the perceptions toward mental illness reflected culture such …

Bridging The Gap Between Foster Youth And Higher Education: Perspectives Of Social Workers, Marielena Lozano

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research examined the perceptions of child welfare social workers in their role of supporting foster youth. Specifically, this study will focus on factors contributing to support for foster youth to obtain post-secondary education or vocational training.

This study utilized a qualitative research design. Data were collected from individual, semi-structured interviews with six volunteer participants in Southern and Northern California using a snowball sampling method. Throughout the interviews, the researcher asked current or former child welfare social workers to describe their perceptions and experiences in supporting foster youth in obtaining higher education.

The study found several themes related to the …

Familismo And It’S Impact On Anxiety In Latino Young Adults, Ashley M. Yoder, Maria A. Romero

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study is to address the effects of familismo on anxiety levels for Latino adults. In this study, the research takes a deeper look into the cultural aspects of familismo and the increased levels of anxiety for the Latino population. This study defines familismo through the concepts of honor, support, interconnectedness, and subjugation of self for family. This study defines the Latino population as individuals from the Caribbean, South America, and Central America. The concept of familismo needs to be addressed due to the lack of knowledge in social work of this area, as it …

Foster Youth And Components In Pursuing Higher Education, Ashley Teresa Garcia, Magdalena Anastassya Gonzalez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The foster youth population is at higher risk than the general population to not pursue or complete higher education. The literature review provided a stronger understanding of the different components that come with foster youth pursuing higher education and the different factors that play into preventing them from pursuing higher education. The purpose of this research study was to identify what services and/or supports have assisted foster youth in continuing to pursue higher education.

This study used a qualitative design and interviewed 10 former or current foster youth over the phone and through an online video call. The researchers provided …

Child Abuse Awareness And Prevention Programs In Elementary Schools: An Educators' Perspective, Sara Headen

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project focuses on educators’ perceptions regarding implementing a child abuse awareness and prevention program in elementary schools. Participants for this project were teachers who were recruited from an elementary school located in Southern California. This project was completed using a qualitative data gathering method. Interviews were conducted and recorded through a video conferencing software program. The data gathered from the interviews was then transcribed and analyzed. The study found that all the participants were in support of implementing a child abuse awareness and prevention program in elementary schools. Concepts related to educator’s perception included their experience reporting child …

Mental Health Services For Detained Youth, Arlene Padilla, Vanessa Salcedo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

On any given day thousands of youth are detained in a juvenile detention facility in the United States as a result of involvement in the juvenile justice and criminal system. Youth’s access to resources such as mental health services are often impacted by this. Therefore, the researchers of this study have analyzed the youth’s utilization and access to behavioral health services within the juvenile halls of Riverside County. Using a quantitative method, the researchers found statistically significant differences between the utilization of services from the 2015-2016 fiscal year to that of 2019-2020. Additionally, the researchers provided implications and recommendations. The …

The Role Of Historical Trauma In Anxiety Formation In Latinx Community Members, Victor Manuel Luna

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Historical trauma has its roots in the plights of indigenous people years after the initial incident of colonization and has had lasting effects on them. The Latinx community is made up of all the groups of people, many different racial, ethnic groups, and nations, that make up Latin America. This group is connected by a similar history of colonization, slavery, war, and migration. Within the United States, the Latinx community can be further connected by the rhetoric and policies that have been used against them.

The purpose of the study was to explore how historical trauma played a role in …

Social Worker’S Adjustment And Perception When Dealing With Double-Exposure During A Natural Disaster, Magaly Santos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Limited research captures the perceptions and adjustments of social workers living and providing treatment in the same communities during a disaster. Few studies have captured the stressors and responsibilities put on social workers during an ongoing disaster. This paper reports the findings of the double-exposure captured using a qualitative approach in collecting interviews from nine mental health professionals who continued working during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A constructivist paradigm was used to capture each participant’s reality. Participants described the sudden change to remote work as difficult when having to find the balance between work and life demands, providing …

Advanced Social Work Students’ Motivation And Preparedness: Covid- 19 Remote Learning Experience, Andrea Patricia Godinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak impacted the Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate students’ education and field instruction. Engagement in classes in remote or restricted field placements was a new and evolving form of learning. This study investigated social work students’ level of motivation and preparedness entering the field after the novel form of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This comparative quantitative exploratory study surveyed 70 advanced-year social work students. This study was undertaken as a means to learn about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, to benefit future cohorts, and to facilitate preparedness of faculty and staff for remote learning. …

Mental Health Issues Among The Elderly Population, Katrina Johnson, Mi Young Son

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The aging population has experienced a steady growth over the past several decades not only in the United States but also worldwide. This growth comes with increased needs for mental health services. The American Psychological Association (2019) estimated that the number of senior citizens in the United States with mental health and behavioral problems could reach 15 million in 2030. This study explored social workers’ perceptions of the apparatus of mental health services that target older adults. Using a snowball sampling, this study drew nine social workers, mostly Asian-Americans (N = 9). The findings generated four major themes, which were …

Assessing Effectiveness Of Child And Family Teaming As A Prevention Strategy In Rural County Child Welfare Services, Rose Gennett Martin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project is an analysis of Child and Family Teaming (CFT) utilized in rural California child welfare departments as a prevention strategy to court intervention and children being placed in care. Currently, the mandates for CFT in the state of California only apply to children who have been removed from their homes. Within the rural counties of this study, CFT is viewed as best practice, and it is offered to families as an opportunity to engage with the agency and strategize to create safety in order to mitigate removal and/or the need for court intervention.

The research project followed …

Effects Of Role Reversal Between Parent And Adult Offspring, Daisy Z. Zamorano, Antonio D. Quezada

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The research study was conducted to gain a better understanding of the experiences of individuals who have undertaken the huge task of caring for a parent and therefore have experienced a role reversal. Research focused on the effects that caregiving has on caregivers, with an emphasis on how their role as caregivers impacts their mental, emotional, and physical health.