Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social Work Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
File Type

Articles 61 - 90 of 143

Full-Text Articles in Social Work

The Social Determinants Of Immigrant Well-Being In The United States: A Gendered Perspective, Arati Maleku Jan 2015

The Social Determinants Of Immigrant Well-Being In The United States: A Gendered Perspective, Arati Maleku

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation examines the overlapping effects of structural vulnerabilities that arise from individual’s position in a society translated through gender, race, ethnicity, class, age, and marital status on the well-being of immigrants in the United States. Despite the increasing understanding of migration as a gendered process, research in this area is still limited to gender and/or women ignoring class, ethnicity, or race as relevant axes of structural disadvantage and differentiation. This empirical study addresses this lacuna in knowledge via two objectives: (1) advance a conceptual and methodological model of health and migration that integrates a gendered perspective drawing interconnections, interdependence, …


Predicting Condom Use Behavior In Sexually Active Adolescents: Application Of The Health Belief Model And Developmental Assets Framework, Holli M. Slater Jan 2015

Predicting Condom Use Behavior In Sexually Active Adolescents: Application Of The Health Belief Model And Developmental Assets Framework, Holli M. Slater

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

A significant amount of progress has been made over the past decade to reduce the impact of risky sexual behavior among adolescents; however, rates of unwanted pregnancy and contraction of sexually transmitted infections remain high. Finding ways to mitigate the consequences of risky sexual behavior continues to be a focus of many working with adolescents engaging in risky behavior. This study performed a secondary analysis of data collected during a 5-year evaluation of a teen pregnancy program targeting youth ages 17-19 who were at high risk for dropping out of high school. The goals of this study were two fold: …


Resilience In Families Of Children Who Have Disabilities, Janet Appleby Jan 2014

Resilience In Families Of Children Who Have Disabilities, Janet Appleby

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Families are foundational units that facilitate societal function. They are responsible for many of the integral processes that allow communities to continue to function. Not the least of these processes are providing for the survival of members, and the development of children into adults who constructively participate in society. An understanding of how families adapt, when faced with trauma or overwhelming stress, is important to supporting a constructive external support system and education for future families. How does adaptation successfully proceed when the family includes a child who has a disability? This exploratory research is intended to reveal practices that …


Trauma Treatment: The Influence Of Social Workers' Knowledge, Perceived Self-Efficacy, And Use Of Evidence-Based Interventions, Jose I. Carbajal Jan 2014

Trauma Treatment: The Influence Of Social Workers' Knowledge, Perceived Self-Efficacy, And Use Of Evidence-Based Interventions, Jose I. Carbajal

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This research report asserts that trauma is pervasive and of those traumatized, 10 to 20 percent develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD symptoms do not automatically dissolve, thereby making treatment necessary. However, there is little research regarding social workers' knowledge of trauma and trauma treatment efficacy. Furthermore, there is a gap in the literature specifying social workers' utilization of trauma-focused evidence-based interventions. The aim of this research study was to determine if social workers' level of trauma knowledge and trauma treatment efficacy predicted the use of evidence-based interventions. A cross-sectional design was used to examine social workers' trauma treatment and …


Suicidal Ideation Among Korean Adolescents, Yi Jin Kim Jan 2014

Suicidal Ideation Among Korean Adolescents, Yi Jin Kim

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Purpose: A significantly high rate (18.3%) of Korean adolescents had suicidal ideations in 2012 (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2012) and suicidal ideation is more prevalent among adolescents than any other age group in Korea. Suicidal ideation is one of the most significant factors in predicting an increased risk for future suicide attempts. Considering the fact that suicidal ideation is the onset of the suicidal process triggering more serious suicidal behaviors including suicide intent, attempt, and completion, it is critical to examine the risk factors for suicidal ideation to prevent more risky suicidal behaviors among Korean adolescents. There have …


Communication In Combat Through The Optics Of Internal Working Models, Warren Neil Ponder Jan 2014

Communication In Combat Through The Optics Of Internal Working Models, Warren Neil Ponder

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation asserts that communication between a committed dyad during a deployment affects post-deployment functioning. Historical communication patterns among veterans and their families are examined from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada and the Global War on Terror (GWOT) among others. Recent research has delineated different forms of communication: interactive and delayed. Communication is conceptualized in the three phases of a deployment cycle: pre, during, and post-deployment. However, the largest gap in the current literature is the identification of one theory that explains dyadic communication during a deployment. It is posited that attachment theory is the best orientation available. An online questionnaire …


The Reintegration Experiences Of Ex-Child Soldiers In Liberia, Gracie E. Brownell Jan 2013

The Reintegration Experiences Of Ex-Child Soldiers In Liberia, Gracie E. Brownell

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Previous researchers have reported the lasting effects of child soldiering and the difficulties that ex-child soldiers experience as they transition to civilian living. The primary purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding about the reintegration experiences and meaning of reintegration as perceived by ex-child soldiers located in or near Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia. Furthermore, this study explores participants' expectations, perceptions of the reintegration process as well as contributing factors and obstacles to reintegration that helped shaped their reintegration experience within the context of Liberia. A phenomenological research design was used to study the reintegration experiences …


Systemic Components Of Care That Affect Self-Sufficiency For Youth Transitioning Out Of Foster Care, Amy M. Strong-Blakeney Jan 2013

Systemic Components Of Care That Affect Self-Sufficiency For Youth Transitioning Out Of Foster Care, Amy M. Strong-Blakeney

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Although research indicates that former foster youth fare poorly in a number of domains of self-sufficiency upon leaving care, it is unclear whether their poor outcomes are related to systemic components of care. The purpose of this study was to examine the systemic components of foster care that either promote or inhibit self-sufficiency in foster youth once they transition from care through the lens of Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory. Using data gathered from both Child Protective Services and Transitional Resource Action Center's databases, the study described in this dissertation explored factors of care that most influence former foster youth's self-sufficiency. Results …


Ecological Correlates Associated With The Academic Achievement Of African American Youth, Latoya Leshea Smith Jan 2013

Ecological Correlates Associated With The Academic Achievement Of African American Youth, Latoya Leshea Smith

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

There has long been an achievement gap between African American youth and their European counterparts. This phenomenon has constantly been studied and continues to be a concern in not only the education arena, but also the social work field. The current study was conducted using The Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The Ecological Systems Theory was used in order to guide the current study in order to determine which factors are correlated with the high academic achievement of African American youth. The overall purpose of the proposed study was to analyze ecological correlates that contribute to academic achievement among African …


Geography Of Disability. An Analysis Based On The Socioeconomic Levels Of Two Metropolitan Areas: Monterrey, Nuevo Leon And Dallas, Texas, Silviya Pavlova Nikolova Jan 2013

Geography Of Disability. An Analysis Based On The Socioeconomic Levels Of Two Metropolitan Areas: Monterrey, Nuevo Leon And Dallas, Texas, Silviya Pavlova Nikolova

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This doctoral project investigated the performance of disability within two different political, cultural, and socioeconomic environments. Data were analyzed from decennial census data from Mexico (2010) and the U.S. (2000) that included a measure of disability prevalence and the activities on which disability status is assessed. In Chapter 1, the relevance of the study to the understanding of disability as a context-related matter was explained. Comparative statistics and scholarly reports on disability have been used to discuss the existing discrepancies between disability trends in developing and developed countries. An emphasis for a construction of multifactorial comparative model for disability research …


Development And Validation Of The Resilience Protective Factors Inventory: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Kristin Whitehill Bolton Jan 2013

Development And Validation Of The Resilience Protective Factors Inventory: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Kristin Whitehill Bolton

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

The concept of resilience was empirically discovered over 40 years ago. Over the last several decades' researchers continued to generate a theoretical and empirical evidence base relative to the concept of resilience. This study builds on the existing theoretical and empirical literature of resilience in an attempt to construct a measurement model capable of assessing the protective factors associated with resilience in an older adult population. The development of the tested measurement model was two-fold (N=151). First, a qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis (QIMS) of qualitative studies on resilience among older adults was performed. Findings from the QIMS revealed 9 factors: Grit, …


Professional Preparation And Practices Of Child Custody Evaluators: A Comparative Study Of Masters-Level And Doctoral-Level Practitioners, Aaron Robb Jan 2013

Professional Preparation And Practices Of Child Custody Evaluators: A Comparative Study Of Masters-Level And Doctoral-Level Practitioners, Aaron Robb

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

While a substantial amount of the research on child custody evaluation practices has focused on psychologists and psychiatrists, virtually none of the existing research has addressed child custody evaluation practices of social workers or other mental health professionals. This study explores and describes the training and practice differences between doctoral-level child custody evaluators, primarily psychologists, and their masters-level counterparts, who are drawn from a much wider professional background. The exact population of evaluators in the community is unknown, thus a snowball sampling method was utilized for outreach to evaluators who then provided responses to a survey instrument. Statistical comparisons of …


Bystander Sexual Violence Prevention Program: Implementation And Evaluation With High-Risk University Males, Nada Elias-Lambert Jan 2013

Bystander Sexual Violence Prevention Program: Implementation And Evaluation With High-Risk University Males, Nada Elias-Lambert

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This research reports the findings of an evaluation of a theoretically-based, peer-facilitated, bystander sexual violence prevention program to determine its effectiveness at changing attitudes and behaviors related to sexual violence with university males who are at low- and high-risk of using sexually coercive behavior. Bystander interventions focus on men and women as bystanders to change social norms in a peer culture that supports abusive behaviors. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of these interventions with high-risk populations, which is the focus of this study. A bystander sexual violence prevention program was presented to 142 fraternity members in 2012. A quasi-experimental …


Deterrent Effects Of Reliable Structured Decision-Making Protocols On Spouse Abuse Perpetration And Re-Offense In The U.S. Army, Tyler Dumars Jan 2013

Deterrent Effects Of Reliable Structured Decision-Making Protocols On Spouse Abuse Perpetration And Re-Offense In The U.S. Army, Tyler Dumars

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Since the early 1980s, victims' rights advocates, law enforcement officials, health care practitioners, and policymakers have all worked diligently to reduce or arrest the high levels of intimate partner violence (IPV) in military communities. Despite increased awareness and funding, new treatment approaches, and numerous policy changes, IPV in the military continues to be a deeply entrenched and recalcitrant problem. In January 2008, the Army began using a structured decision-making protocol (the Decision Tree Algorithm) that requires users to assess whether alleged incidents of intimate partner abuse coincide with evidence-based maltreatment definitions, and indicate that actual harm (or the potential for …


Development Of An Adaptation Model For Health Interventions For Sexual And Gender Minorities: A Grounded Theory Study, Pamela Hancock Bowers Jan 2013

Development Of An Adaptation Model For Health Interventions For Sexual And Gender Minorities: A Grounded Theory Study, Pamela Hancock Bowers

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

A dearth of literature exists on health issues impacting sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations. SGM face health disparities linked to stigma, discrimination, and denial of their civil and human rights. Albeit limited in scope and depth, available data suggests sexual orientation and gender identity have been an important demographic factor associated with higher risk for several negative health outcomes such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Some of the major inequities affecting SGM include tobacco use, alcohol and illicit drug abuse, being overweight/obese, psychiatric disorders, and violence. The SGM who face health disparities created by the use of various …


Reproductive Health In India : An Empowerment Model, Fanghsun Wei Jan 2012

Reproductive Health In India : An Empowerment Model, Fanghsun Wei

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study examined the effects of social and economic factors on women's reproductive health in India. Primarily, the study analyzed data from the India Human Development Survey I (IHDS-I 2004-2005). Several statistical methods were used to analyze the data, including descriptive analysis, regression, structural equation modeling (SEM), and multinomial regression. The regression result suggests that social capital, spousal communication, region, autonomy, and accessibility all have significant positive effects on women's reproductive health in India. The SEM suggests that all independent variables have significant effects on women's reproductive health. Multinomial regression offers similar results as regression. Income has no effect on …


Emerging Adulthood As A Unique Stage In Erikson's Psychosocial Development Theory: Incarnation V. Impudence, Alicia Victoria Patterson Jan 2012

Emerging Adulthood As A Unique Stage In Erikson's Psychosocial Development Theory: Incarnation V. Impudence, Alicia Victoria Patterson

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation adds to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development by adding a stage between adolescence and young adulthood called emerging adulthood. It was theorized that the crisis of emerging adulthood, incarnation versus impudence, is resolved through experimental sexuality, temporal and spatial social and intimate relationships, interdependence and self-sufficiency and dependence and helplessness, and relativist and absolutist ideological experimentation. Research on transitions to adulthood and a sociological phenomenon of emerging adulthood, boomerang children, provide the background for study of Eriksonian emerging adulthood. An online questionnaire was created to collect data to determine if the theorized dimensions of emerging adulthood contribute to …


Modeling Son Preference In Pakistan, Sadia Saeed Jan 2012

Modeling Son Preference In Pakistan, Sadia Saeed

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Gender has become one of the most politicized issues in South Asian countries over the past 100 years. They were expected to cook for the family, clean the house, feed their children, look after all family members, and give birth to a male child. When a woman gave birth to a male child she was considered very respectable in the family. Son preference is one of the oldest issues in most societies, with males given preferential treatment over females. In spite of the rapid advancement in education and communication, the desire for a son continues to remain (NIPS, 1992). Sons …


Women's Disclosure Of Hiv/Aids Status And It's Relationship To Intimate Partner Violence, Yasoda Sharma Jan 2012

Women's Disclosure Of Hiv/Aids Status And It's Relationship To Intimate Partner Violence, Yasoda Sharma

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

The purpose of this cross-sectional survey study is to examine the frequency and severity of physical, sexual and emotional intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by women before and after diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. This research also examines the effect of social support on the IPV experienced by these women. During the fall of 2011, women living with HIV/AIDS and receiving services from AIDS Outreach Center located in the southwestern part of the United States were recruited to participate in a study through the purposive sampling method. They were asked to complete surveys about their HIV/AIDS diagnosis, disclosure, level of IPV experienced, …


Exploring Emerging Advocacy Networks Among Ngos Fighting Female Sex Trade Human Trafficking In Japan, Chie Noyori Corbett Jan 2012

Exploring Emerging Advocacy Networks Among Ngos Fighting Female Sex Trade Human Trafficking In Japan, Chie Noyori Corbett

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study is an exploratory qualitative research investigating current advocacy networks among NGOs trying to alleviate female sex trade human trafficking (FSTHT) in Japan. The principal objective is to identify the structure, context and process of how advocacy networks are emerging. This study grounds its philosophical belief in constructivism; and constructivist grounded theory inquiry was employed as a research strategy. Data collection was conducted through 9 open-ended telephone or face-to-face interviews, 7 demographic questionnaires through e-mail, direct observation at a conference, and other documentation. The constructivist grounded theory analytical approach guided the analysis stage by observing how participants construct meanings …


Inter-Ministerial Coordination And Collaboration In Social Programs: A Case Study Of The Human Development Program Oportunidades, Guillermina Benavides RincóN Jan 2012

Inter-Ministerial Coordination And Collaboration In Social Programs: A Case Study Of The Human Development Program Oportunidades, Guillermina Benavides RincóN

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

The purpose of this research is to use the case study approach to determine how coordination is achieved in the Program for Human Development: Oportunidades (Opportunities). Oportunidades is the largest anti-poverty program in Mexico. The program has its origins in the Program for Education, Health and Nutrition (Programa de Educación, Salud y Alimentación, PROGRESA) implemented in 1997 under the administration of former President Ernesto Zedillo. In 2002 the new elected government change its name to Oportunidades without any substantial changes in its operation. The Program began in 1997 serving 300 thousand families; today 5 million people are enrolled. This means …


Posttraumatic Growth And Positive Macro-Level Outcomes, Patricia Dearman Moser Jan 2012

Posttraumatic Growth And Positive Macro-Level Outcomes, Patricia Dearman Moser

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Common patterns and themes emerge from the unique experiences of individuals who have managed to turn personal tragedies into positive macro-level outcomes, such as societal change or agency creation. A number of research questions exploring the factors that influence an individual's decision and ability to create positive change from trauma, pain or suffering were explored throughout the study. Interviews and document reviews contributed to the study of why and how some individuals have been able to accomplish such commendable undertakings. A purposeful sample of nine individuals, both males and females, were interviewed. Purposeful and snowball methods of sampling were used …


Reproductive Health Of Tribal Populations In India: A Sustainability Approach, Mashooq Azad Salehin Jan 2012

Reproductive Health Of Tribal Populations In India: A Sustainability Approach, Mashooq Azad Salehin

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

In the context of global climate change, the sustainability approach takes a holistic view of development through preservation of nature during the course of socioeconomic and human development. Reproductive health functions as an integral component of human development, enabling `continuity' of human species through successful `reproductive processes'. Prior studies on reproductive health are restricted to determinants such as fertility, family size, and infant mortality with limited focus on developing a holistic or comprehensive explanation of reproductive health. Although social and economic factors have been identified as reproductive health factor in prior studies, ecological component has been overlooked historically in understanding …


Evaluating Drug Court Effectiveness And Exploring Racial Disparities In Drug Court Outcomes: A Mixed Methods Study, John R. Gallagher Jan 2012

Evaluating Drug Court Effectiveness And Exploring Racial Disparities In Drug Court Outcomes: A Mixed Methods Study, John R. Gallagher

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Mixed methods were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Drug Impact Rehabilitation Enhanced Comprehensive Treatment (D.I.R.E.C.T.) program, and to explore the factors that may contribute to racial disparities in drug court outcomes. The D.I.R.E.C.T. program is an adult drug court located in Fort Worth, Texas. The most predictive variables of graduating the D.I.R.E.C.T. program were being employed or a student at time of admission into the program, having fewer positive drug tests, and being Caucasian. The most predictive variables of not recidivating were not having a violation within the first 30 days of the program and graduating the program. …


Teenage Waist-Land: Social And Environmental Determinants Of Childhood Obesity, Shing Pang Jan 2012

Teenage Waist-Land: Social And Environmental Determinants Of Childhood Obesity, Shing Pang

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

In the past three decades, childhood obesity has emerged as a growing concern for authorities in diverse disciplines. Authorities in law, economics, medicine, nursing, psychiatry, education, and social work have dedicated research and resources in an attempt to arrest or reverse this alarming trend. Guided by existing gaps in contemporary research, this study expanded the knowledge base by examining the social and environmental determinants of childhood obesity for youths aged 13 to 17 year-olds. The social and environmental determinants of this research were guided by the Ecological Systems Theory and Social Capital Theory, and those determinants included academic development, medical …


The Individual And Collective Effect Of Us Colonialism In Puerto Rico: A Scale Construction And Validation, With Implications For Social Work Education And Practice, Maria De Lourdes Martinez Aviles Jan 2011

The Individual And Collective Effect Of Us Colonialism In Puerto Rico: A Scale Construction And Validation, With Implications For Social Work Education And Practice, Maria De Lourdes Martinez Aviles

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

"Understanding the individual and collective psychology of the people of Puerto Rico requires an understanding of both the history of its colonialism and the U.S. laws that have helped shaped the social world of the Puerto Rican people, in the United States and in the colony itself"(Rivera Ramos, 2001, p. 4). This research presents theoretical and empirical support for the notion that colonialism is an important current issue, and so are its broad psychosocial effects. It sustains the concept that colonialism is a relevant and unresolved subject matter for Puerto Ricans and an important issue to be revised and debated …


The Validation Of The Trauma Assessment For Young Children, Heidi Lynne Strickler Jan 2011

The Validation Of The Trauma Assessment For Young Children, Heidi Lynne Strickler

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Young children experience a variety of traumatic experiences ranging from divorce and witnessing family violence, to living with parents who have addictive behaviors, to experiencing severe illness and injury, to experiencing population wide traumas, to experiencing physical or sexual abuse or other forms of child maltreatment. Young children between the ages of 3 and 7 are in the preoperational stage of cognitive development and consequently process these experiences in a different manner than adults. As a result, assessment measures need to take this cognitive processing into account and look at the children's views of their experiences. Psychosocial development is equally …


Factors Associated With High School Completion Among Foster Youth Leaving Care, Elizabeth Garza-Higgens Jan 2011

Factors Associated With High School Completion Among Foster Youth Leaving Care, Elizabeth Garza-Higgens

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study explores factors associated with high school completion among foster youth leaving care. Educational outcomes for youth leaving care are examined based on an integrative model of ecological theory and attachment theory. The study utilized a cross-sectional, non-experimental design for exploring factors associated with high school completion among foster youth leaving care. A survey instrument was utilized for extracting data from a child welfare agency database. The data was collected one one point in time comparing the differences between youth who completed high school to those who dropped out. Chi-square analysis were utilized for comparing differences between groups and …


Modernization And Contraception In Kenya From 1998 To 2008-2009., Diana Alaka Opollo Jan 2011

Modernization And Contraception In Kenya From 1998 To 2008-2009., Diana Alaka Opollo

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

The objective of this study is to examine the factors that influence contraceptive use in Kenya. More specifically, the study focuses on the determinants of membership in two categories of contraceptive use: modern contraception methods and other contraception methods. Additionally, the study will describe the differences in contraceptive use between 1998 and 2008-2009 and attempt to examine what factors caused and propelled changes. In order to explain the categorical variations, this study uses two theories: modernization theory and human capital theory. In describing changes between 1998 and 2008-2009, this study will examine both individual as well as societal factors related …


Determinants Of Modern Contraceptive Use In Cameroon From 1991 To 2004, Consoler Tenug Teboh Jan 2011

Determinants Of Modern Contraceptive Use In Cameroon From 1991 To 2004, Consoler Tenug Teboh

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

The purpose of this research is to examine the determinants of contraceptive use among women ages 15-49 of childbearing age (WCA) and to describe the compositional and processual changes that have taken place in Cameroon between 1991 and 2004. The study constituted a sample size of 3,871 and 10,656 15 to 49 year old women of childbearing from 1991 and 2004 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey datasets respectively. Regression results confirmed that there was considerable support for the hypotheses in 1991 and 2004 except for age at first marriage which was significant but contradictory to the direction proposed in the …