Social Work Commons^™

Sense Of Humor, Stress, And Burnout In Medical Social Workers, Kerby Plante

Theses and Graduate Projects

This quantitative study used survey research methodology to explore the relationship befween sense of humor, stress, and burnout in medical social workers. The hypothesis of this study is that a sense of humor will decrease stress, which in turn will descrease burnout for social workers. This study surveyed 75 medical social workers in the State of Minnesota on their use of humor and their current stress and burnout level. The study used the Sense of Humor Rating Scale, the Job Stress Survey, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory as the measures to quantify the variables. The study found that stress is …

Spirituality And Disability : What Are The Dynamics And Significance Of Spirituality In The Lives Of People With Physical Disabilities, Michele Berndt

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative study attempted to explore the significance and dynamics of spirituality in the lives of people with physical disabilities in coping with barriers that are placed on them by society. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the importance of the spiritual dimension in constructing disability. This study was based on a pure qualitative strategy. Data that reveal the participants' experiential point of view have been evaluated and analyzed using elements of Hermaneutics. The data was obtained by conducting in-depth interviews with four physically disabled individuals. The interview questions focused on the psycho-social-spiritual perspectives of disability. The participants …

An Exploratory Internet Study Of Perceptions Of Academic Accommodations Among Post-Secondary Students With Disabilities, Lance Hotchkiss

Theses and Graduate Projects

This is an exploratory internet study of post-secondary students with disabilities regarding their academic accommodations. Review of the literature on academic accommodations shows that a decade after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) there is still room for improvement. Previous studies found that social work schools and programs were not following their own code of ethics in the education of social work students with disabilities. Implications for social work include: working with students with disabilities as part of an active team, firm policies on campuses about accommodations, ways of accessing a respondent base for further studies, institutional …

A Hermeneutic Study: The Impacts Of The Harm Reduction Approach On Women Living In Abusive Relationships, Darla Segelstrom

Theses and Graduate Projects

Despite the number of services available to battered women, few focus on working with those who remain in the abusive relationships. The Harm Reduction approach is one geared towards working with women who have not yet made the decision to leave their abusive partner. This hermeneutic, interpretive study of women's narratives revealed that the harm reduction approach provided non-judgmental support, which was conducive to increasing women's overall awareness of themselves, their situation, and their options. It is recommended that social workers and other human service agencies recognize the complexity, individuality and strength in each battered woman they encounter, facilitate a …

Program Evaluation Of Integrated Community Services, Julie R. Humbert

Theses and Graduate Projects

This is a quantitative study of the program Integrated Community Services for adults with severe and persistent mental illness. This program evaluation compares a random sample of quality of life surveys of adults (N=14) who have been involved in the assertive community treatment program. The survey results include vocational, housing, financial, and mental health needs of adults with severe and persistent mental illness. A case management staff survey (N=5) reports on perceptions of the quality of life of individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and how the Integrated Community Service team works together. This study is important because it …

The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Attrition In Youth Care Workers, Cole Trimble

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory quantitative study was conducted to determine the relationship between job satisfaction and attrition among current and former youth care workers in a group home setting. Participants (N = 35) included 14 current employees and 21 former employees from the Sheriffs Youth Programs of Minnesota Agency that completed a job satisfaction survey. The survey results show a significant correlation among current and former youth care worker's perceptions in relation to job satisfaction. Specifically, the current and former youth care workers both identified training as the most important characteristic to their job satisfaction. Additionally, former employees identified supervision issues as …

An African-Centered Model For The Group Treatment Of Domestic Violence, Robert John Wehling

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to develop a group treatment program for social workers to help them work effectively with African-American men who have committed domestic violence. The program model uses an African-Centered perspective, incorporating differentiation therapy and an ecological, systems perspective. A twelve-week group treatment program is developed to help men understand and take responsibility for their abusive behavior. It empowers men by helping them take control of their lives, to improve their self-definition, regulate their emotional state, and deepen their understanding of their rich cultural heritage.

The Red Cross: Perceptions Of An International Organization At The Local Level, Jennifer M. Bratsch

Theses and Graduate Projects

This research presents a case study of local Red Cross chapters in an upper Midwestern state. The study looked at the knowledge level, interest level, and resources available to provide international education programs and activities. The survey design included both quantitative and qualitative questions, as well as, an inventory checklist of the physical, economic and human resources in each chapter's community. A description of the history and structure of the Red Cross, as well as, a look at organizing complexity and a report about local interest in international issues substantiates the literature review. Forty-one surveys were sent to all the …

Perceptions Of Social Workers Concerning Possible Gaps In The Discharge Planning Process At Regional Treatment Centers, Kathleen A. Goblirsch

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study examined the possible barriers that social

workers encountered in both rural and urban regional mental

health treatment centers. Twenty-three social workers at four

regional treatment centers completed a questionnaire that was

used to determine perceived roles and decision-making processes

used by the respondents. Social workers evaluated and made

recommendations to improve the discharge process. Social workers

identified housing limitations, patient disagreement, waiting

lists, behavior problems, and lack of community services as

factors that limit patients from being discharged from regional

treatment centers. Social workers discussed the need for

community resources to be more accessible and the need …

Evaluating The Engagement Process Of Involuntary Male Clients In A Court-Ordered Domestic Abuse Program, Colleen Cunningham

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the level of resistance in involuntary clients participating in a domestic abuse treatment program. Using a time-series design, the study explores at which point in treatment, if at all, these clients become engaged in the treatment process. Twenty-one men attending a domestic violence program participated in the study. Survey questionnaires were administered to study participants at weeks one, three, and five of the treatment program. The survey focused on the level of resistance to treatment each man displayed. In addition, the survey explored the level of accountability program participants exhibited for …

The Development Of A Support Group Curriculum For Parents Of Infants Hospitalized In A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Pamela L. Dehkes

Theses and Graduate Projects

The birth of a premature infant can be an emotionally devastating experience for most families. The separation of caregiver and child during tnis time can also inhibit behaviors that facilitate healthy parent-child attachment. Research suggests that adequate parental support during the time of hospitalization can significantly reduce the negative effects of an NICU experience, which can reduce the likelihood of later parent-child attachment issues and foster better developmental outcomes for the child. The focus of this thesis is a support group curriculum, which has been developed using both the research regarding the NICU experience, and a parent survey taken in …

The Leap Of Faith Exploring Social Workers' Role In Therapeutic Foster Care And The Impact Of Implementing The Strengths Perspective, Joshua M. Kent

Theses and Graduate Projects

The strengths perspective has received significant attention in recent years in both academic and practice settings. Examining its implementation will provide important information about how it can function as a practice model, and therefore facilitate the development of this emergent model. The present study focuses on the implementation of a pilot project designed to incorporate the strengths perspective in therapeutic foster care. The study examines how the strengths perspective affects social workers' roles and responsibilities in therapeutic foster care, and what can be learned about the strengths perspective by examining its implementation in an agency setting. The findings show that …

Attribution Of Blame In Father-Daughter Incest Cases: Perceptions Of Social Workers And Case Aides, Jane E. Leclair

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study exarnined the attribution of blame in father-daughter incest cases by surveying the perceptions of 100 social workers and case aides. The random sample of 74 women and 26 men were mailed a self-repoft survey packet including two Likert-type, ordinal level scales: The Jackson Incest Blame Scale (JIBS) which measured offender, victim, societal and situational factors; and the JEL Blame Scale which measured mother blame. With a response rate of 30Vr, findings were reported in the median and mode. JIBS findings indicated most blame was aftributed to the offender, little to the victim, with varying amounts of blame …

The Process Of Resilience, Denise R. Vikturek

Theses and Graduate Projects

Resilience is the overcoming of some risk factor resulting in positive adaptation. Respondents from a mental health center and a medical institution who are involved in individual and family therapies completed a quantitative survey identifying specific traits, relationships and experiences impacting an individual's adaptation to adversity. The hypothesis was that if practitioners can identify these specifics they can help clients learn to recognize and seek out such traits, relationships, and experiences. The implication for practice is that through such teaching practitioners can increase the likelihood of client positive adaptation to adverse situations.

Somali Immigrant Families: A Foreign Life Experience In The United States, Elizabeth Moleye Bel

Theses and Graduate Projects

As immigrants move to the United States, many are challenged by a host of dilemmas ranging from adaptation to a new environment to assimilation into the mainstream culture. The purpose of the qualitative study is to gain a deeper Understanding of the experiences of five Somali immigrant families as they adjust to life In the United States. When asked about their experience, the participants revealed Similar feelings include those of loneliness, frustration, and loss. Implication for social work practice include providing valuable details to assist professionals as they develop Culturally sensitive programming, as well as educating the general public about …

The Concept Of Hope In Social Work Practice And Education, Wayne Luebbert

Theses and Graduate Projects

The concept of hope has been and continues to be part of the research literature in many human service fields, such as medicine, psychology and nursing. The research on hope in these fields has shown that its presence can have multiple benefits for persons in differing forms of distress. However, any discussion on hope has been conspicuously absent from most social work literature for almost forty years. This qualitative study has been designed to begin a begin a discussion on the role of hope in social work practice and education. Seven social workers were interviewed on their understanding of hope, …

Risk And Resilience Factors Linked To Problem Behavior Among Urban Culturally Diverse Adolescents, Stephanie L. Crosby

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study examined several risk and resilience factors associated with sexual intercourse, gang involvement, and alcohol and drug use among 332 urban culturally diverse adolescents aged 12-16 years. In general different patterns of risk and resilience factors were found to predict the three problem behaviors. Delinquency was the only factor that was significantly linked to sexual intercourse, gang involvement, and substance use.

Discriminant analyses supported that delinquency was differentially associated with low problem vs. high problem urban adolescents. In addition when compared to the high problem urban youth the resilient youth tended to have higher academic competence and intact two …

Quality Of Life And Panic Disorder, Rebecca J. Wyatt Kinnander

Theses and Graduate Projects

Panic disorder has been associated with pervasive social and health consequences similar to or greater than those associated with major depression. Studies have been found that support findings concerning diminished quality of life for persons currently being treated, or shortly after treatment for anxiety disorders, but little is said in regards to quality of life (QOL) in years that follow treatment. This research project attempts to ascertain if there is a difference between the findings of previous studies with this more recent examination of QOL in panic disorder patients. Furthermore, implications for practice show use of quality of life assessment …

Parent Satisfaction With A Supervised Visitation Program, Mary K. Rose

Theses and Graduate Projects

Supervised visitation is contact between a non-custodial parent and one or more children under the supervision of a third party. The need for supervised visitation is great. Clients in these programs are often court ordered and are therefore involuntary. The goal of this study was to at one particular program in Hennepin County in Minnesota from the user’s perspective. A survey was distributed to 46 adult clients: twenty-three of the subjects were custodial parents and twenty-three were non-custodial parents. The items on the survey both qualitative and quantitative. The response rate was poor. Only 15.22%of the surveys were returned. However, …

Social Support Of Sudanese Refugees In Anoka County, Minnesota, Leslie Kay Anderson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Using a qualitative research design, this study reports findings from interviews with five Sudanese refugees regarding sources of social support available to them in Anoka County, Minnesota. The potential sources of support explored were family and relatives; Sudanese and other African friends; American friends; and American Sponsors and social service agencies. Themes of culture shock and differences between support in Sudan and support in the United States emerged. Implications for social work practice and research are discussed.

Parent Involvement Within An Inner-City School: Perspectives Of Parents And Educators, Lisa Zurek

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory qualitative study was executed to expand the knowledge of the issues surrounding parent involvement within an inner-city school. Educators from Tuttle Elementary School responded to qualitative interview guide questions. Parents in focus groups answered questions from a guide. Factors surrounding parent involvement such as the reasons why parents chose to be involved in their child's education or not via the perception of educators and parents were emphasized in the interviews and focus groups. It was found that there are various aspects that effect whether a parent is involved in their child's education include transportation, day care, and work …

Historical Analysis Of African Immigrants With Specific Reference To Ethiopia: Their Cultural Adaptation, Resiliency And Implication For Social Work Practice, Haregewoin Tsegaye

Theses and Graduate Projects

Because of political unrest, civil wars, and economic problems in Africa, the number of African immigrants entering the United States since 1960 has greatly escalated. Beginning in 1914, for example, when junior military officers overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie's Government up to 1991, a year in which a new group took over power and introduced the administration of the country based on ethnic lines to the present time, thousands of Ethiopians fled their country to escape execution, torture, and arbitrary arrest. Although those Ethiopians who did so managed to avoid political and economic sufferings at home, the new way of life …

High School Students' Perception Of Developmental Assets, A Gender Comparison, Delia Vandyke

Theses and Graduate Projects

This quantitative study explores the findings from a local study using an instrument developed by the Search Institute: "Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors. This 156-item anonymous survey was administered to 203 suburban high school students who are receiving alternative or non-traditional educational services. The research measures developmental assets, risk, and protective factors and includes a gender comparison. The findings from the survey are compared against a national sample of 24,740 students in 11th and 12th grade. The research is relevant to social workers who want to know how this adolescent population spends their time, what are their perceptions …

The Mandate To Report Child Abuse And The Clergy Privilege Of Confidentially: How Are These Understood?, Brant Moore Thomsen

Theses and Graduate Projects

While clergy in Minnesota are mandated to report child abuse, they are also mandated to keep information confidential. While many studies have been completed looking at the behavior of mandated reporters, and many others have been completed looking at the ethical issues faced by the clergy who experience this dual mandate, little research has brought the two together. This qualitative study explored the perceptions of child protection workers in Dakota County in Minnesota, and pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who serve congregation in Dakota County.

The findings show that within each group there are a variety of …

Probation Officers Reporting Of Mental Disorders And Treatment Among Juveniles In Ramsey County, Theresa A. Pease

Theses and Graduate Projects

A descriptive research study focusing on the mental health services available to juveniles in the juvenile justice system who have mental health diagnoses. Ramsey county juvenile probation officers were surveyed to provide information regarding this population.

Juveniles in the juvenile justice system have been identified as having a high incident of mental health disorders and are a population in great need. The goal of the study was to answer several questions related to the number of youth with mental disorders in a metropolitan juvenile justice system. The information was collected using a short survey distributed to the county's 44 juvenile …

The Twin Cities Hospice Movement, David A. Larson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This historical study analyzed information about the development of hospice from ancient times to the modern hospice movement. In this study special attention is given to the modern hospice movement, which began in Britain in 1967, and began in the United States in 1974. The purpose of this historical study was to explore and discuss the development of hospice programs Twin Cities, MN, as compared to the hospice movement on a national level.

The study will describe the local hospice movement as seen through the experiences of three local death and dying activists. Throughout the study, the social ideals behind …

Surveying Parents Perceptions Of Wraparound Services In A Special Education Setting, Brenda Chapman

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study was developed and implemented to gain a better understanding of parent and caregiver perceptions on the influence of the wraparound programming in special education process. This project was completed at a Level V, special education program, located in a suburb of a large metropolitan area, which provides services using the wraparound philosophy and funding. Traditional services have not focused on addressing parents views in the change process (VanDenBerg, 1996). Seeking parent and caregiver perceptions provides the opportunity for them to voice concerns and provide input into the change process. A questionnaire was developed and used to examine parent …

A Family Resource Center's Impact On Community Connection And Social Support, Cathy A. Mumm

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceived needs of participants at the Rosemount Family Resource Center as well as to explore if the family resource center was making an impact in the participant's level of social support and connection to the community. The hope was to have a clearer idea of what the participants need and to meet those needs through services and programs offered at the family resource center. One of the goals of the family resource center is to create a community where its residents feel supported and take that feeling of support back to …

The Importance Of Family-Centered Professional Behaviors To Parents Of Children Receiving Day Treatment Services, Cindy A. Torborg

Theses and Graduate Projects

Although many agencies and professionals identify their services as family-centered very few have evaluated their practice to determine the legitimacy of this claim. This exploratory quantitative study elicited survey responses from a random sample of 75 parents and/or guardians of children with severe emotional disturbances who have received family services through Catholic Charities Day Programs. Parents and/or guardians used the Family-Centered Behavior Scale to evaluate the professional behaviors of the family service providers, and rate the importance of these behaviors in the service process. The results indicate that the level of satisfaction with the family practitioner directly correlates with the …

Borderline Personality Disorder: Effectiveness Of The Dbt Model, Lynn Braun Larson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has become increasingly prevalent in the mental health field (Linehan, 1993). Approximately 1-3% of the population is diagnosed with BPD (Linehan, Oldham, & Silk, 1995). Throughout the past decade, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been utilized in the treatment of BPD. Six mental health practitioners were interviewed to determine the effectiveness of DBT with BPD. The research question addressed the ability of individuals with BPD to learn effective problem-solving skills in the areas relating to suicidal/self-mutilating behaviors, number of hospitalizations, interpersonal relationships, impulsiveness, and emotional instability. Some common themes discovered from the practitioners thoughts/perceptions about the …