Social Work Commons^™

Working With Compassion : The Impact Of Loving Kindness Meditation On Compassion Satisfaction And Compassion Fatigue Among Social Workers And Other Mental Health Workers, Dianne Gallo

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Loving kindness meditation is a practice that involves actively cultivating compassion and intentionally directing compassion towards one’s self and towards others. Compassion fatigue refers to burnout and secondary traumatic stress that may result from caregiving, while compassion satisfaction refers to the enjoyment and sense of fulfillment that may come from caregiving. This mixed-methods study explored the impact of one week of a daily ten minute loving kindness meditation practice on mental health clinicians’ levels of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Eleven participants committed to a daily ten minute loving kindness meditation practice for one week during which they worked with …

The Therapeutic Use Of Nurturing Touch With Childen In Play Therapy, Scott S. Folsom

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Play therapy has become a popular treatment model for children that addresses a spectrum of disorders and behaviors. While utilizing play techniques, the use of touch between client and therapist often introduces itself into the therapeutic relationship. Whether incidental, intentional, or initiated by the client or therapist, nurturing touch has become a topic of discussion in regards to its appropriateness, purpose and efficacy. While there has been extensive research into the use of touch with adults in psychotherapy, there is limited information in regards to its use with children. The lack of research and literature leaves therapists, with limited information …

A Qualitative Study Of Mental Health Experiences And College Student Identity, Erin M. Frawley

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study uses a qualitative approach to capture the voices of nine students who self identified as having mental health experiences and who were also taking actions to cope with their mental health experiences from a small private arts college on the west coast. Students participated in one hour-long interviews that focused on students’ conceptions of mental health in relation to their identity, students’ actions related to mental health and students beliefs about the role of mental health in their sense of mattering. The findings suggest that mental health is constructed within student experience and identity differently depending on the …

Exploring Mental Health Treatment For Female Veterans In The Us : Assessing The Influences On Female Veterans In Selection Of Treatment Location, Comparing Va And Non-Va Settings, Bethany J. Ferry

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative survey based study was to learn why women veterans choose VA versus non-VA mental health treatment when they need care. The study was designed to gain insight into choices that women veterans make when selecting mental health care treatment centers, and what motivates them in this choice. Women cited a number of barriers to treatment, particularly regarding accessing treatment through the VA. These barriers included limited appointment times, high turnover of providers, insufficient numbers of veterans and female veterans as providers, and feeling uncomfortable in the treatment environment.

The Effects Of A Yoga Nidra Practice On Mental Health Clinicians' Perceived Stress, Kyla L. Ferguson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Workplace stress is a prevalent problem among mental health professionals, which has been shown to lead to absenteeism, fatigue, and burnout. This pilot study explored the effects of a yoga nidra relaxation practice on stress levels in clinicians working in a community mental health setting. Thirteen clinicians completed the trial, which involved one guided 20-minute yoga nidra practice per week during the workday. Participants were assessed for perceived stress before and after the eight-week trial. Participants reported significantly lowered perceived stress at the end of the study, indicating that yoga nidra may be a useful intervention in managing and preventing …

Bringing The Body Into Treatment : Examining The Clinician's Experience Of A Trauma Informed, Body Based Intervention Alongside Play Therapy For At Risk Youth, Erica Donahue, Alexandra K. Leiter

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This experimental, mixed-method study investigates the clinician’s experience of integrating a trauma informed, body based intervention alongside play therapy for at-risk children ages 2 ½-7. Through a weekly online survey, 12 clinicians from two different mental health agencies-Bayview Associates Outpatient clinic in Quincy, Ma and The Home for Little Wanderers’ early intervention program- participated in providing 4 weeks of data. Six clinicians, 5 from Bayview and 1 from HFLW, used the online survey to report their experience of including a trauma informed, body based intervention alongside their traditional play therapy practice. The same survey was given to the clinicians in …

The Use Of Specialization : ǂB Are Artists A Clinically Distinct Population?, Camila D. De Onis

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This research study explored how clinical social workers perceive their practice with clients who self-identify as artists. The study was based on qualitative interviews with 13 participants who described their clinical experiences with people who self-identify as artists and discussed whether they believe that this type of client is clinically distinct. Using grounded theory (Engel & Schutt, 2013), the study analyzed responses, clinical examples, nature of interventions, and personal reflections that each participant shared about her or his practice. Case vignettes provided real-world examples of the great satisfaction participants feel about their work with so-called artist-clients as well as concrete …

We Were Treated Like Machines : Professionalism And Anti-Blackness In Social Work Agency Culture, Mark D. Davis

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory study sought to answer two overarching research questions: (1) To what extent is there color-blind anti-Black bias in the way that professionalism is defined and enforced in social work agency culture? (2) What are exacerbating and ameliorating factors for this anti-Black bias? I developed a mixed-methods online questionnaire and recruited 246 participants via e-mail and Facebook. Participants were mostly White female social workers 18-39 years old, though the sample was disproportionately African American as compared with the general social worker population. When participants were asked if they perceived anti-Black bias in professionalism at their agencies, 42.7% answered yes …

Deconstructing Latinx Racial Paradigms : Cross-Cultural Constructions Of Race And Their Impact On Dominican-American Racial Identity, Jacqueline I. Cosse

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Conversations in the United States around Latinx populations often discuss Latinx racial identity as a singular entity. Though Latinx is a gender-neutral term for Latino and Hispanic populations, the terms “Hispanic” and “Latino” have slowly become umbrella terms for the racial and ethnic identities of people from over 20 different countries and cultural backgrounds. The amalgamation of these varying cultures and communities into a singular racial categorization results in a reductive framework: one that limits individualization within Latinx-American racial identity. These limitations were looked at via qualitative research with specific reference to Dominican populations: a community whose racial categories reference …

Moving Past The Culture Bound Syndrome : Looking For Acute Social Withdrawal Outside Japan, Evan W. Correy

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The aim of this study was to determine whether acute social withdrawal (also known as hikikomori) is a culture bound syndrome, or if it exists in cultures outside Japan.

Surveys in both online and paper form were made available on Internet forums and were sent to Internet addiction clinics and private therapists across country. Questions on the survey assessed demographic information and included exploratory questions on treatment for hikikomori, a place for participants to provide information to the mental health community at large, and feedback from hikikomori participants regarding their lived experiences.

The demographic data indicated that acute social withdrawal …

How Does Hip Hop Serve As A Catalyst For Collective Resistance : "Fight The Power"- A Beats, Rhymes, And Life Approach : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Beats, Rhymes And Life, Maria Camila Camacho

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explores what elements of social justice, Hip Hop, and therapy the Oakland, California based agency Beats, Rhymes, & Life, Inc. (BRL) engages in to ignite Collective Resistance among its members, youth, and the outside community. The study utilized a mix of both narrative and phenomenological approaches throughout. In total, twelve participants were interviewed, however, only six participants were included for the purpose of this research and ranged from teaching artists, clinicians, community members, and leaders of BRL. Each participant was asked a series of questions regarding (1) Hip Hop, (2) Oppression and Power, and (3) Collective Resistance …

How Different Technological Mediums May Reduce Attitudinal Barrier To The Utilization Of Psychotherapeutic Relationships, Collin T. Browne

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored the use of communication technologies in the context of psychotherapeutic relationships, examining how technology might affect attitudinal barriers preventing young people from utilizing psychotherapy. Research findings emerged from semistructured Skype interviews with 10 participants (age 18-30 years) focused on their beliefs on psychotherapy, communications technology, and the idea of integrating technology into the psychotherapeutic relationship.

A theme analysis of the interviews produced four major findings: (1) psychotherapy is an especially difficult endeavor to begin and maintain; (2) certain qualities of the therapist (trust, expertise, and ‘fit’) are of particular importance; (3) voice and body language are …

African-American And Black Women's Process Of Learning, Unlearning And Resisting Internalized Racism, Bianca M. Blakesley

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to address the research question, how do African American/Black Women unlearn internalized racism, and to understand the relationship between internalized racism and racial identity development. Internalized racism was defined as the acceptance of negative, stereotypical or devaluing ideas and beliefs about ones own racial group, and about oneself as a member of that group.

A series of 11 interview questions explored the processes in which Black women learn and unlearn racism over time. Thirteen self-identified Black/African-American women were interviewed regarding their experiences. They were further questioned regarding their methods of coping with and resisting …

Compassion Fatigue And Compassion Satisfaction : Experiences Of Helping Professionals In The Homeless Workforce : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Boston Healthcare For The Homeless, Boston, Massachusetts, Joshua Beebe

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Homeless workforce staff perform their duties with clients for whom themes of crisis, suffering and distress are common. Such working conditions are characteristic of settings in which workers are vulnerable to workplace stress and burnout. Compassion for those we help can affect us in positive and negative ways. Using a cross-sectional design, 44 homeless workforce staff in one large agency completed a 87-item online questionnaire designed to examine burnout and secondary trauma and whether the personal characteristics of empathy and reactivity would be associated with improved workplace functioning (less burnout and greater job satisfaction). Contrary to our expectations, this sample …

Social Workers And Nurses In Labor And Delivery Units : Supportive Partnerships Or Parallel Work Lives?, Allison M. Barbey

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Despite increased research on the misconceptions of social work, further investigation is needed to explore the impact of such attitudes on specific practice settings, including their effects on interdisciplinary collaborations. In an effort to help address this gap in research, this study explored the dynamics of social workers’ and nurses’ interactions using labor and delivery units as a lens. In this mixed method study, 71 participants, comprised of both nursing and social work professions completed an online survey inquiring how each profession views its own roles, that of the other profession, and factors that influence collaborations, if they occur at …

Santeria And Mental Health : Bridging The Gap Between The Social Work Profession And Orisha, Penelope Williams

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study was conducted with the purpose of exploring how Orisha priest and priestesses dealt with issues of mental health with in their Iles and/or community. This study was made possible by the participation of seven priests and priestess, by conducting semi-open ended narrative interviews. The findings indicated that issues of mental health were present and dealt with in a number of ways by elders in the community. The results show that collaborative measure need to be supported between elders in the Santeria community and the social work profession, in order to establish culturally competent and therapeutic results to …

The Impact Of Clinical Social Workers' Conceptualizations Of Moral Injury On Their Treatment Actions In Work With Veterans, Zachary P. Wigham

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory study was designed to determine how clinical social workers’ conceptualizations of Moral Injury impacted their treatment actions in work with veterans. Additionally, this study allowed insights into the clinical social workers’ education and practice on Moral Injury.

Using semi-structured interviews with licensed clinical social workers who each held a Master of Social Work degree and held at least two years of experience working with veterans, this study gathered data from 7 participants. This study gathered data categorized under five major areas: demographics, conceptualizations and related data, sources of learning and frequency of contact, treatment actions, and perceived skill …

Bless Your Heart But Hide The Children : The Effect Of Entertainment Media Depictions Of Social Workers On Public Opinions About Social Work As A Profession, Abigail R. Spear

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explored the effects of entertainment media depictions of social workers on public opinions of social work as a profession. Specifically, this study focused on the power of short clips depicting a social work character to influence participants’ views of social work as positive or negative and the social desirability of social work as a profession. One hundred and nineteen participants viewed a short video clip, which included a positive, negative, or no depiction of a social worker. Participants then completed a survey assessing positive or negative attitudes towards social workers and the desirability of social work as a …

Cultivating Resilience : Antidotes To White Fragility In Racial Justice Education, Katherine E. Roubos

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explores what skills, tools and approaches may be helpful antidotes to white fragility in racial justice education. This study is in response to the challenge posed by white fragility, as defined by Robin DiAngelo (2011) in which white people experience such extreme emotions in response to learning about racism in the USA that they become either defensive such that they are unable to engage in a learning experience, or so swept up in guilt or shame that they require substantial emotional tending in order to continue to engage in the educational experience. Robin DiAngelo frames this phenomenon …

"We Are All Mentally Ill" : Grassroots Efforts To Provide Lgbtq Affirmative Psychotherapy & Social Services, 1960-1987: Oral History Project, Seattle, Washington, Dexter Rose

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This thesis reports on the preliminary oral history findings collected for a larger national study directed by David S. Byers and Stephen Vider. The findings reported here focus on experiences of clinicians and social service providers in Seattle, Washington. Another student, José Hernandez conducted similar field research in Los Angeles, California. Both projects were under the supervision of the principal investigators.

The larger study—and this thesis—examines the motivations and strategies of clinicians and social services workers offering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) affirmative psychotherapy and social services during a time when homosexuality and later egodystonic homosexuality were listed …

"I Own My T!" : The Experience Of Older Transgender People Of Color Regarding Personal Identity, Systems Of Support, And Desires For The Future, Venae N. Rodriguez

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

While it has been widely reported that transgender individuals experience mistreatment in all aspects of life, transgender people of color, who have rarely been the focus of studies, are faced with even higher incidents of bias (Auldridge, et al., 2012; Dunn & Moodie-Mills, 2012; Grant, et al., 2011). Especially absent is writing on older transgender people of color (Auldridge, et al., 2012; Cook-Daniels, 2015; Fredricksen-Goldsen, et al., 2013; Persson, 2009; Van Wagenen, Driskell & Bradford, 2013). Also missing is literature on the resiliency of transgender people of color and transgender elders. Finally, of the few studies that do exist, most …

First-Generation College Students And Class Consciousness : Exploring How Social Class Influences College Adjustment, Rachel L. Redd

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

First-generation college students (FGCS), defined as students whose parents have not obtained a bachelor’s degree, is a new identity constructed primarily over the past decade. Utilizing the umbrella term of FGCS is problematic as it places a heavy concentration on parental education and lack of cultural capital, ignoring how current class experiences in the context of other identities, such as race and gender, shape adjustment to college. The purpose of this quantitative study was twofold: (a) to examine whether class consciousness affects first-generation students’ adjustment to elite, non-profit private undergraduate institutions, and (b) to examine how the intersectionality of race, …

How I Got Over : Young African American Men Tell The Story Of How They Achieved Academic Success : A Descriptive Study, Rebecca M.C. Ramer

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

African American males fall behind their White counterparts in almost every measure of academic success. College completion rates for Black males are the lowest among all racial/ethnic groups in the United States. This exploratory study interviewed 13 African American men who were currently enrolled in college or who had graduated college. The goal of the study was to identify factors that these successful men identified as having contributed to their academic achievement. Thirteen men between the ages of 18 and 40 who identify as African American participated in semi-structured interviews that were recorded and then analyzed using a grounded theory …

Social Workers' Education, Training, And Experience In Practice With Clients Bereaved By Suicide Death, Nicole S. Nejad

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study is a mixed-methods descriptive survey of social workers with and LCSW or LMSW about their understanding of suicide survivorship, and their access to professional training related to treatment of survivors of suicide loss. The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes and experiences of clinical social workers with regards to their education and training, as well as their knowledge and comfort level, in treating patients who are bereaved by a suicide death. Results show that social workers have limited opportunities for education and training in suicide bereavement, however they desire increased training opportunities in a variety …

Experience Of The Undocumented Worker In The Berkshires : An Exploratory Study, Tristan Muriel

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative exploratory study attempts to understand how undocumented workers navigate living in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Berkshire County is known as a fairly liberal area of the state of Massachusetts. This can be observed through the most recent election turn out which was taking place during this study, where 84% of the total Berkshire active voting population voted for democratic primary candidates while 10% supported Donald Trump and his anti-immigrant sentiment. Observing this, more respectful treatment towards undocumented workers can be expected in this area. This study recruited 12 undocumented workers through a snowball non-probability approach. Each participant was interviewed …

Differential Diagnosis Of Emerging And Young Adult Disorders : A Case Vignette Study Of Ptsd And Psychotic Disorders, Elizabeth L. Liepold

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The present study investigated the diagnostic decision-making process of clinical social workers. The study sought to explore how they distinguish between psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, and post-traumatic stress symptoms, such as flashbacks, in emerging and young adults. One objective of this study was to understand clinician diagnostic choices in order to increase diagnostic accuracy with young adults who may be particularly vulnerable to first episode psychosis. Sample. The study’s sample included 105 licensed clinical social workers, who actively practiced in the United States. Methods. The study used an exploratory - descriptive design implemented through an online survey. The …

Hiv-Serodiscordant Couples, Pre-Exposure, Prophylaxis And Relationship Satisfaction, Eli Latto

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed-methods study explored the use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and relationship satisfaction in HIV-serodiscordant couples. “Serodiscordant” refers to couples in which one partner is living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and one is not. PrEP is a daily dose of the antiretroviral medication Truvada, taken as a prevention measure by HIVnegative individuals at substantial risk for contracting the virus. This study was conducted via an anonymous online survey with both quantitative and open-ended questions to determine whether there is any relationship between the use of PrEP and relationship satisfaction in HIVserodiscordant couples. Data was analyzed by comparing people in …

Internalizing A Social Justice Identity Through Hip Hop Values In The Beats, Rhymes, And Life Academy : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Beats, Rhymes And Life, Alfredo E. Laris

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed method study investigates how the Beats, Rhymes, and Life Academy helps its members subvert systems of oppression. Through a quantitative survey and a qualitative 1.5-hour semi-structured interview, participants assessed their experience with social justice activism while in the BRL Academy. The study outlined three ways subversion of systemic oppression occurs: by developing one’s feeling of individual agency and empowerment to achieve one’s goals, developing a social justice identity, and empowering their community with the use of the first two factors.

The study found that Academy members felt like they had developed their own strength and were more aware …

Beats, Rhymes, Life & Resilience : Hip Hop Therapy With Youth Of Color : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Beats, Rhymes And Life Inc, Emily S.L. Schwartz

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study seeks to understand if participation in Therapeutic Activity Groups (TAGS) at Beats Rhymes & Life helps young people to develop greater resilience. In this paper, resilience is defined in two parts: the ability for participants to engage their inner strengths and characteristics to overcome adversity and the capacity to identify and utilize community and interpersonal resources. This study consists of a quantitative analysis to create a revision of the program’s existing pre/post treatment survey and examine resilience as reported by ten youth participants.

The findings revealed that participation in TAGs had a statistically significant impact on participant’s ability …

From Spitting Rhymes To Inspiring Minds : The Role Of Hip Hop Therapy In Treatment Engagement Amongst Latinx And Black Youth : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Beats. Rhymes And Life, Tatiana R. Padilla

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the implications of utilizing an innovative cultural framework to engage at-promise youth in clinical group work. This researcher collaborated with Beats, Rhymes and Life, an Oakland based organization that has effectively engaged youth at-promise through Therapeutic Activity Groups (TAGs). Treatment effectiveness is evident in the continued requests from mental health providers in community mental health clinics to partner with BRL’s TAG program, youth self-referrals, and youth requests to repeat the program. Based on this, the current study aims to understand what aspects of the TAGs promote treatment engagement- indicated by re-enrollment- for …