Social Work Commons^™

A Guide To Understanding, Building And Sustaining An Effective Therapeutic Community, Sara Loose

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this guide is to facilitate an understanding of therapeutic community/ milieu therapy concepts as well as building and sustaining an effective therapeutic community on each unit, in each cottage, and within Leo A. Hoffmann Center as a whole. This guide includes evidence based research that supports the use of therapeutic community principles, and interventions and evaluation tools that can potentially be used by Leo A. Hoffmann Center to enhance services. Ultimately, the goal of the project is to provide the agency with a tangible, well rounded resource that can be used by the multidisciplinary team to provide …

A Community Based System Of Integrated Clinical Care: Primary Care, Mental Health And Substance Use Treatment, Terri Reuvers

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Our segregated medical and mental health care system misses opportunities for early detection of physical disease. Missed opportunities lead to increased costs. Colorado’s Medicaid health plan estimates that an integrated health program will reduce costs for patients with psychiatric disorders by 10%. The cost of doing nothing may exceed $300 billion per year in the United States (NCCBH, 2010). The purpose of this Capstone project is to critically examine existing models of Integrated Primary and Mental Health care. These models will then be evaluated to identify those most compatible with rural communities in Southern Minnesota.

A Discourse Analysis Of Ontario's Family Health Teams, Rachelle Ashcroft

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Inspired by critical social work practice, this study engages in a discourse analysis of Ontario’s Family Health Team (FHT) model. The purpose for this study is threefold; namely, a) to deepen our understanding of health discourses promoted by Ontario’s FHT model; b) to explore how Ontario’s FHT model compares to Haggerty, Burge, Lévesque, Gass, Pineault, Beaulieu, & Santor’s (2007) conceptual model of PHC; and c) to promote critical reflection in order to help inform decisions on how to improve quality of care and enhance health equity in FHTs. This study is guided using the overarching question: What health care practices …

Can We Get Along, Long Enough To Collaborate?, Martha Lucia Garcia

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Successful collaborations take effort. This study analyzed the process followed by 20 groups of diverse professions that were brought together to solve a community health problem. To this goal a four part model of conflict was adapted and used to understand how conflict emerged, was managed or resolved. The model allowed for the identification of five routes to conflict. Conflict was either averted or managed constructively by most of the groups and a set of productive behaviors is associated with this ability. Experienced collaborators utilize these behaviors at various times throughout the collaborative process to promote group cohesion and the …

Does Corporate Social Responsibility Contribute To Human Development In Developing Countries? Evidence From Nigeria, Kevin Lompo, Jean-Francois Trani

Brown School Faculty Publications

Oil companies have been facing criticism linked to their activities in developing countries from various human rights organisations as well as NGOs and the media. To change this negative perception, companies have been increasingly promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, which aim at improving living conditions of local communities in oil exploitation areas. In this paper, we explore the impact on the well-being of communities of two kinds of CSR initiatives implemented in two areas of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Using multidimensional exploratory methods and checking for robustness using binary logistic regression, we investigate the outcome of CSR …

Child Poverty In A Conflict Situation: A Multidimensional Profile And An Identification Of The Poorest Children In Western Darfur, Jean-Francois Trani, Timothy I. Cannings

Brown School Faculty Publications

Darfur is currently in a very complex situation making humanitarian intervention a very challenging endeavour. The civilian population is caught in the middle of armed confrontation resulting in massive forced displacement as well as in food shortage, lack of access to safe source of water and sanitation facilities, shelter, essential health services. Children are particularly vulnerable in conflict situation as they are higher risk of physical and sexual violence or emotional abuse. Applying the Alkire and Foster index of multidimensional poverty to a selected set of dimensions of deprivation identified through a large scale household survey in Western Darfur carried …

Non-Offending Mothers Of Sexually Abused Children: How They Decide Whom To Believe, Lynn Mcmillan

Theses and Dissertations

Professionals continue to study and refine their understanding of the complex dynamics of child sexual abuse and the role of the non-offending mothers. Of particular clinical and research interest is the response of the mother once she learns that her child disclosed being sexually abused and named the mother's intimate partner as the perpetrator. This qualitative study (n=20) uses in-depth interviews and constructivist grounded theory methods. The focus is how women decide about believing their children's disclosures of sexual abuse, both in terms of what happened to the children and who perpetrated the abuse. The study addresses various factors that …

Interventions That Help The Helpers: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Interventions Targeting Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress And Vicarious Traumatization In Mental Health Workers, Melissa Lynn Bercier

Dissertations

Compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and vicarious traumatization have received widespread attention in the literature due to an increased awareness of negative effects mental health workers experience when working with people who have been traumatized. Mental health workers become more vulnerable to significant stress when they work with trauma victims, which can lead to many negative consequences that can affect their own health as well as their treatment of their clients. While there is much that we are learning about the causes and outcomes of mental health workers' exposure to their clients' trauma, there has been less focus on effectiveness …

Liberian Refugee Women's Personal Narratives On The Effects Of War On Motherhood, Florence Wanjiru Kimondo

Dissertations

One major effect of displacement by war and subsequently living in a refugee

camp is the disruption of the social, cultural, economic and legal institutions of

communities; this affects parenting and a child's development. Few research studies

address the effects of war, political upheaval, and displacement on parenting, specifically

the experience of motherhood and the cultural socialization process of children. Yet, most

research points at the undeniable connection between social and cognitive competence

and the social and physical context, with changes in these contexts influencing the

competencies parents' inculcate in their children. Furthermore,

there is sparse literature focusing specifically on …

Remembering The Cultural Trauma Legacies Of Slavery: African American Young Adult Perceptions On Racism, Ethnic Identity, And Racial Socialization, Kimya Pearl Barden

Dissertations

The purpose of this research investigation is to explore cultural trauma theory on African American young adult development. Cultural trauma theory asserts the adverse cross-cultural encounter, North American slavery, reproduces intergenerational psychosocial legacies for contemporary African Americans. Accordingly, cultural trauma theory is used to explore with African American young adults three "slave" legacies: ethnic identity formation, perceptions of racism, and racial socialization experiences. A qualitative case study approach is used for (N=26) participants enrolled in either college or a GED program. Each young adult participates in either an individual or focus group interview. To aid in data triangulation, older African …

The Presence Of Empathy In Male Completers Of A Partner Intervention Program, Katherine Dahlberg

Dissertations

There is an abundance of research which has explored the complex nature related to men who commit partner abuse including: causative factors, co-occurring variables, treatment efficacy, and attrition and recidivism rates. Although, all of these issues are relevant to understanding and eliminating the problem of partner violence, unexplored conditions still remain. For instance, the mystery surrounding an abusive man's level of remorse for his behavior; particularly, his capacity for empathy toward his victim and related insights to how his behavior has had an impact on his victim have been under-researched. Exploring the ways in which abusive men think and learn …

The Effects Of Acculturation, Health, Socioeconomic Status, And Perceived Respect On Older Adult Depression: Analysis Of Korean American Older Adults In Chicago, Kyungsoo Sim

Dissertations

This study explored the extent to which acculturation level, health condition and SES influence depressive symptoms mediated or moderated by perceived respect and current geographical background of 121 Korean-American older adults in the Chicago metropolitan and its suburban area.

A multi-method approach was imported to analyze self-collected quantitative survey data from two groups of 80 participants in Chicago and 41 in the suburbs, qualitative interview data from 4 focus groups, 2 in-depth interviews and GIS (Geographic Information Systems). In the survey, Suinn-Lew Asian Stress-Identity Acculturation Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale-30, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, Health Perception Questionnaire-36, 13-item questions …

The Effects Of An Experiential Learning And Mentorship Program Pairing Medical Students And Persons With Cognitive Impairment: A Qualitative Content Analysis, Darby J. Morhardt

Dissertations

The United States population is aging rapidly and with it a tremendous rise in the number of people with dementia. In the future, as now, physicians and other health care professionals will likely provide the majority of health care for older people and those with dementia. The non-geriatric trained workforce must have the attitudes, knowledge and skills needed to provide high quality care for this aging and increasingly cognitively impaired population. There is evidence that prevailing stigma regarding older adults can be modified with experiential opportunities early in students' career. Few of these programs are aimed at persons with dementia. …

"Keeping It Real": An Evaluation Audit Of Five Years Of Youth-Led Program Evaluation, Jeffrey J. Bulanda, Katie Szarzynski, Daria Silar, Katherine Tyson Mccrea

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Youth are increasingly seen as competent in participating in research and program evaluation, two activities previously reserved for adults. This paper is a report of the findings from an evaluation audit of Stand Up! Help Out!, a participatory action after-school youth leadership development program for disadvantaged urban youth that utilized youth evaluations to develop a best practices service model. The youths’ feedback assisted providers in improving services so that youth engagement in the program was 99% (by comparison with national highs of 79%). Here, we describe an important aspect of the process of youth-led program evaluation leading to such high …

The Employment Hope Scale: Measuring An Empowerment Pathway To Employment Success, Philip Young P. Hong, Sangmi Choi

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

This chapter presents findings on revalidation of the Short Employment Hope Scale (EHS- 14) using a recently collected independent sample of 661 low-income jobseekers. This client- centered measure captures an aspect of multi-dimensional psychological self-sufficiency (SS) as a process-driven assessment tool. The original employment hope metric was constructed as a 24-item six-factor structure from its earlier conceptualization resulting from client focus group interviews.

The EHS measure was initially validated using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), resulting in a 14-item two-factor structure with Factor 1 representing ‘psychological empowerment’ and Factor 2 representing ‘goal-oriented pathways’. In the following revalidation process using a …

“Where’S Beebee?”: The Orphan Crisis In Global Child Welfare From An Autoethnographic Perspective, Katherine Tyson Mccrea

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Empowering Counseling Program Description, Katherine Tyson Mccrea

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Developing A White Anti-Racism Identity: A Psycho-Educational Group Model, Kathryn Kristin Berg, Shirley Simon

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

This paper describes and assesses a seven session psycho-educational group on anti-racism identity development for White European-American undergraduate students at a midwestern U.S. university. It is predicated on the premise that Whiteness can simultaneously privilege and harm White people, and that White students have the potential to become personally invested in the challenging of systematic racism. It is also based on the idea that a group structure presents an ideal format for addressing this topic. Peer support, a safe environment, and information are requisites for facilitating personal exploration of this sensitive subject. A group model for addressing this topic is …

Advancing Trauma-Informed Systems Change In A Family Drug Treatment Court Context, Laurie Drabble, Shelby Jones, Vivian Brown

Faculty Publications

A growing body of literature documents the importance of trauma-informed and trauma-specific services and systems change in both addiction treatment and child welfare fields. The overall aim of this qualitative study was to explore barriers, benefits, and facilitating factors associated with a trauma-informed systems assessment and improvement initiative conducted in the context of a family drug treatment court (FDTC). Semistructured in-depth interviews with 12 key informants and historical analyses of project documents over a 4-year time span were conducted. Results underscore the relevance of trauma-informed systems change in collaborative contexts designed to address the complex needs of children and families.

Evaluation Findings From Santa Cruz County’S “Roots & Wings” Initiative, Kathy Lemon Osterling, Amy D'Andrade

Faculty Publications

This report provides new findings on three outcome areas within the Roots and Wings Initiative: 1) systems change to promote concurrent planning and permanency (Staff Permanency Survey results), 2) recruitment and licensing outcomes, 3) Resource home questionnaire results, and 4) long-term outcomes related to permanency, placement stability and sibling placements. Overall, there are a number of indicators that are changing in the intended direction, suggesting that Roots and Wings activities are influencing key outcomes.

Continuing Attachment Bonds To The Deceased: A Study Of Bereaved Youth And Their Caregivers, Erica Hill Sirrine

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although grief is a universal experience impacting the lives of many children and adolescents each year, not much study has been afforded to this population. In addition, the concept of a continuing attachment bond (CAB) or ongoing relationship to the deceased and its role as adaptive or maladaptive in the bereavement process is in its infancy of research among adult populations and is largely unstudied among bereaved youth. This mixed-methods study attempted to bridge the gap by examining the relationship between CABs among a sample of 50 bereaved youth (ages 11-17) and their bereaved adult caregivers. In addition, the study …

Value Conflicts In Psychotherapy, Aaron P. Jackson, Jamie Hansen, Juliann M. Cook-Ly

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy has historically been viewed as value neutral; however, over the last half-century, developments have led many scholars to conclude that we can no longer dismiss the role of values in therapy. Our position is that therapists and clients will inevitably encounter value conflicts during the course of psychotherapy. This article postulates how such conflicts can be addressed so as to preserve and promote the integrity and well-being of both client and clinician. We review challenges to value neutrality and summarize ethical considerations. We discuss strategies to manage values in psychotherapy and conclude by recommending areas for consideration in professional …

The Louisiana Recovery School District's Long Term Relationship To Student Dropout And Achievement, Jandel Crutchfield

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

May 14, 2013 marked the 10 year anniversary of the creation of the Louisiana Recovery School District (RSD), the turnaround intervention for low performing public schools. Since 2003, the RSD has grown to include over 80 schools across the state. The purpose of this multilevel longitudinal study was to examine the relationship of the Louisiana Recovery School District to student and school outcomes including risk of dropout and standardized test scores. The dissertation measured these influences over time (2007-2010). The data collected were derived from Louisiana’s Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) and quantitative data on dropout status from the Louisiana Department …

A Preliminary Investigation Of The Demographic, Systematic Risk, And Systematic Promotive Factors That Influence Higher Educational Attainment Among Foster Care Youths And Young Adults Who Age Out Of The Foster Care System, Dana R. Hunter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory-descriptive study was to investigate the demographic, systematic risk, and systematic promotive factors that best predicted higher educational attainment among foster care youths and young adults who exit the foster care system. The researcher conducted a secondary data analysis on National Youth in Transition Data (NYTD) and child welfare administrative data collected by a child welfare agency in the southern region of the United States. The survey participants in this study consisted of a sample of 1,266 current foster care youths and 157 young adults who aged out of care between the ages of 14 and …

Louisiana Department Of Children And Family Services : A Case Study Of Child Welfare Workers' Burnout, Crystal Ward

LSU Master's Theses

Social work can be an extremely gratifying profession. However, social workers who are exposed to graphic realities related to vulnerable and traumatized individuals and families may experience challenging workload demands and increased levels of burnout. To best understand and support these key human service workers, it is important to investigate variables influencing levels of burnout. In this study, the author examined whether specific individual worker characteristics contribute to burnout among child welfare workers in Louisiana. Characteristics were compared to individual variables such as job tenure, agency department, supervisor/front line worker, and educational background. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) was completed …

Interrelationships Of Caregiving Characteristics, Burden Of Caregiving, Depressive Symptomology, Physical Health, Self-Care, Life Satisfaction And Social Support Of Social Workers, Katherine Riker Sternberg

LSU Master's Theses

With increasing numbers of Americans engaged in unpaid, informal caregiving for adults over the age of 18, there is a need for research that investigates caregivers’ experiences, with particular emphasis on their health and well being. This is the first known study to examine the experiences of social workers, engaged in direct practice, who are also managing responsibilities related to informal caregiving. The study examined interrelationships among social workers’ caregiving characteristics, burden of caregiving, depressive symptomology, physical health, self-care, life satisfaction and social support. Hypotheses included: (1) Burden of caregiving is positively correlated with depressive symptomology. (2) The burden of …

Taking Up Space: A Case Study Exploration Of The Relationship Between Citizenship And Free Humanities Programs In Canada, Jessica L. Klassen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Citizenship is increasingly being utilized as the discourse to discuss inclusive and exclusive realities within a polity. This case study examines free humanities programs in Canada, which offer free university-level courses in the humanities to people experiencing marginalization in society. The stated intention of the programs is that, through education in the humanities, critical reflection, and access to the university space, students will increasingly engage in active citizenship and participate in the public sphere. This thesis explores the extent to which this intention has been realized. Primary data was collected from sixteen students, professors, and program coordinators of free humanities …

"The Road Less Travelled;" Women's Journeys To Community Leadership In The Waterloo Region, Lyndsey A. Butcher

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this research study is to explore the experiences of women within the Region of Waterloo along their journeys to community leadership. The literature review reveals the predominance of deficits-based research on the barriers preventing women from attaining positions of leadership and a significant gap in scholarship on female community leaders. This qualitative study consisted of semi-structured interviews with 15 female community leaders. It was influenced by an intersectional feminist perspective and used a constructivist grounded theory approach. The findings of this study offer three groups of related factors that can encourage, support and recognize the increasing number …

The Efficacy Of Aggression Replacement Training With Female Juvenile Offenders In A Residential Commitment Program, Jody Anne Erickson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Female adolescents are increasingly being charged with crimes of violence, and the literature is lacking as to how best to reduce their aggressive tendencies. In the past, girls represented a small portion of all youths involved in criminal justice systems, and studies involving effective treatment options for them were rarely conducted.

Aggression Replacement Training® is a 10-week, evidence-based, group treatment intervention designed to advance moral reasoning, improve social skills, and manage angry feelings. Numerous outcome studies of Aggression Replacement Training® with both offending and non-offending male adolescents and with male and female adolescents together have yielded mixed results. The question …

The Baby Blues: Mothers' Experiences After Adoption, Brigette Barno Schupay

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

It is not uncommon for new mothers to experience depression. However, depression after the arrival of a child is not limited to biological mothers. The term Post-Adoption Depression Syndrome (PADS) was created to capture the unique type of depression that may occur after adopting a child. The nature and prevalence of depression after adoption is still largely unknown since there is little published research exploring the experiences of mothers in the first year after adopting a child. The characteristics of this disorder are reportedly comparable to postpartum depression in a biological mother. A review of postpartum literature reveals risk …