Social Work Commons^™

Writing Life Stories: A Phenomenological Study Of Memory And Meaning For People With Early Stage Alzheimer's Disease, Jennifer E. Dimond Msw

All Student Scholarship

There are an estimated five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease; experts believe that by mid-century, that number will more than triple. The disease is the sixth leading case of death in the U.S., and the only one among the top ten with no known cure, treatment or means of prevention. An emerging body of research suggests that providing people with Alzheimer’s opportunities to tell their life stories can help them negotiate their personal identities and may have positive impacts on their sense of self. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach is used to understand the lived experience of people with early …

The Use Of Meditation And Yoga As A Treatment Tool For Juvenile Offenders In Residential Treatment Centers For Relapse Prevention, Danielle K. W. Ballard-Green

Graduate Research Papers

Although crime has continued to decline over the last decade, the incarceration of minority youth happens at higher rates compared to their white counterparts. Incarcerated youth face trauma at high rates. Trauma can impact an individual's behavior and response to stress. Many incarcerated youth have substance use disorders (SUDs) and a relapse of substance use can result in a relapse of criminal behavior. When a youth is heavily immersed within the juvenile justice system, they are often placed within residential treatment centers (RTC). There are minimal treatment approaches that are successful within RTCs; they do not address the difficulty the …

The Green Classroom Initiative: Developing A Non-Formal Educational Resource To Promote Positive Youth Development In An Elementary School In The Central Valley Region Of Costa Rica., Marlee Cea

Capstone Collection

While Costa Rica is not the most under-developed country in Central America, it still experiences poverty and school drop outs on par with neighboring countries and some exceptional regions of the United States. The primary focus of this thesis is to discuss how the “Green Classroom” initiative, a Peace Corps Volunteer’s attempt to create sustainable change, is rooted in modern educational theories; and how they have influenced the organizations and practical methodologies used to engineer this project. A secondary focus is on the process the volunteer and vital project partners experienced to create a sustainable educational resource for a primary …

Effects Of Native American Geographical Location And Marital Status On Poverty, Tess Collett, Gordon Limb, Kevin Shafer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examined the association between geographic location (urban, rural, and tribal) and marital status on poverty among the Native American community. A sample of 5,110 Native Americans in the 2008-2010 American Community Survey were used for analyses. Results indicated that Native Americans were similar with the general population in their geographic location, marital status, and poverty. We found that the protective characteristics of marriage in the Native American community varied according to geographic location. We also discuss the impact this may have on the Native American community and what practitioners and policy makers should consider when working with the …

Engaging Employers As Partners In Subsidized Employment Programs, Sarah Taylor, Sarah Carnochan, Gina Pascual, M J. Austin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The majority of studies of subsidized employment programs for public assistance recipients and low-income, unemployed individuals have focused on employment and earnings outcomes for participants. As employers are key stakeholders in a subsidized employment program, engaging them effectively is essential. This paper reports on interviews with 81 employers in four Northern California counties regarding their experiences in working with employees in a subsidized employment program. The findings focus on marketing, program structure, and suggestions for program improvement.

Review Of Inequality, What Can Be Done? Anthony B. Atkinson. Reviewed By James Midgley, James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Anthony B. Atkinson, Inequality, What Can be Done? Harvard University Press (2015), 400 pages, $29.95, (hardcover).

Review Of $2.00 A Day: Living On Almost Nothing In America. Kathryn J. Edin & H. Luke Shaefer. Reviewed By Edward U. Murphy, Edward U. Murphy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Kathryn J. Edin & H. Luke Shaefer. $2.00 a Day: Living On Almost Nothing in America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, (2015), 240 pages, $28.00 (hardcover).

Review Of The Hero's Fight. Patricia Fernandez-Kelly. Reviewed By Katrina Bell Mcdonald, Katrina Bell Mcdonald

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Patricia Fernandez-Kelly, The Hero’s Fight. Princeton University Press (2015), 422 pages, $21.00 (hardcover).

Social Support And Crime: A State-Level Analysis Of Social Support Policies, Jessica Brown

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

There is a growing theoretical and empirical tradition that examines the relationship between social support and crime. While academic research supports the idea that social support inhibits crime, public discourse and the popular media often assert that support, especially instrumental support to the poor, can increase crime. This article adds to the growing literature by including multiple forms of social support in an investigation of the relationship between social support and property crime and violent crime over a ten year period. Results indicate that while some forms of support have the expected negative relationship with crime, others displayed a significant …

Review Of Addicted. Pregnant. Poor. Kelly Ray Knight. Reviewed By Cara Kelly, Cara Kelly

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Kelly Ray Knight, addicted. pregnant. poor. Duke University Press (2015), 328 pages, $94.95 (hardcover), $24.95 (paperback).

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 43, No. 3 (September 2016)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Title of Contents:

INTRODUCTION TO THE SYMPOSIUM - Richard K. Caputo and Michael Lewis

REIMAGINING EQUITY AND EGALITARIANISM: THE BASIC INCOME DEBATE IN AUSTRALIA - Jennifer Mays and Greg Marston

NEXT STEPS ON THE ROAD TO BASIC INCOME IN CANADA - James P. Mulvale and Sid Frankel

PROSPECTS FOR A UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME IN NEW ZEALAND Keith Rankin

LESSONS FROM SWEDEN: SOLIDARITY, THE WELFARE STATE, AND BASIC INCOME - Almaz Zelleke

BASIC INCOME GUARANTEE: THE GENDER IMPACT WITHIN HOUSEHOLDS - Sara Cantillon and Caitlin McLean

SUSU: CAPITALIZING DEVELOPMENT FROM THE BOTTOM UP - David Stoesz, Isabella Gitau, Richard Rodriguez, and …

The Burden Of Colonial Debt And Indebtedness In Second Generation Filipino American Families, Maria J. Ferrera

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Second generation Filipino Americans (SGFAs) are more likely than other ethnic groups to be depressed and engage in risk behaviors. I discuss challenges SGFAs face with particular focus on the intersection of colonial mentality and intergenerational family conflict. In-depth interviews were conducted with thirty SGFAs. Narratives revealed evidence of both colonial debt, a form of colonial mentality or sense of gratitude for "civilizing" their indigenous culture, and family indebtedness to first generation parents. Combined with a strong inclination to assimilate, the weight of this indebtedness has had a detrimental effect on SGFAs emotional well being.

Review Of Black Male Violence In Perspective: Toward Afrocentric Intervention. P. Tony Jackson. Reviewed By Husain Lateef., Husain Lateef

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

P. Tony Jackson, Black Male Violence In Perspective: Toward Afrocentric Intervention. Lexington Books (2015), 171 pages, $80.00 (hardcover).

The Environment-Within-Person Perspective: Integrating A Mindfulness Framework Into Social Work Practice, Yvonne Unrau, Melinda Mccormick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Over the last 25 years there has been increasing recognition of the role that traumatic stress plays in a wide range of health, mental health, and social problems affecting client populations served by social workers. Traumatic stress is generated by conditions in one's external environment, mediated by internal cognitive processes, and stored in the physical body. Generalist social work practitioners are trained to address conditions of the environment through a social justice lens and to help clients think through logical steps of a problem-solving or change process. However, social workers are not typically trained to understand or respond to trauma …

Introduction To The Special Issue: Mind-Body Interventions In Social Work Practice, Melinda Mccormick, Yvonne Unrau

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Introduction to the Special Issue

A Systematic Review Of Yoga Interventions In The Incarcerated Setting, Alexandra S. Wimberly, Jia Xue

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

While yoga interventions in the incarcerated setting are on the rise, little is known regarding their efficacy. The objective of this article is to assess the effects of yoga on the well-being of incarcerated populations. Two reviewers systematically searched PubMed, PsycInfo, EBSCO MegaFILE, Web of Science, Science Direct, AMED, and Google Scholar for yoga intervention studies in jails and prisons. The search yielded 54 results; ten papers met inclusion criteria. Evaluated outcomes included stress, cognitive performance, mental and physical well-being and re-incarceration rates. While the majority of yoga practiced was hatha, yoga interventions also included a focus on yogic philosophy …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 43, No. 4 (December 2016)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE - Melinda McCormick and Yvonne A. Unrau

THE ENVIRONMENT-WITHIN-PERSON PERSPECTIVE: INTEGRATING A MINDFULNESS FRAMEWORK INTO SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE - Yvonne A. Unrau and Melinda McCormick

EVOLVING FROM AN ILLUSIONARY AND SELF DESTRUCTIVE QUEST FOR POWER TO A STATE OF EMPOWERMENT: THE CURATIVE POTENTIAL YOGA MAY HOLD AS A VEHICLE TO RECLAIMING BODILY EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN WITH ANOREXIA - Heather C. Pizzanello

BEING ON THE MAT: A PROCESS EVALUATION OF TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA FOR WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS - Amy B. Smoyer

A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS IN THE INCARCERATED SETTING - …

Being On The Mat: A Process Evaluation Of Trauma-Informed Yoga For Women With Substance Use Disorders, Amy B. Smoyer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Yoga practice is associated with positive health outcomes, including benefits related to managing substance use disorders and trauma symptomology. However, low-income vulnerable communities have limited access to yoga. This process evaluation of a trauma-informed yoga program for women with substance use disorders demonstrates the feasibility and utility of using noncertified yoga instructors to offer a basic yoga in community-based agencies. Participants describe outcomes related to relaxation, mindfulness, and movement that are well-aligned with their recovery needs. Study findings suggest the utilization of instructors with minimal training has the potential to expand research about and access to yoga among marginalized communities.

Review Of Dreams And Nightmares: Immigration Policy, Youth, And Families. Marjorie S. Zatz And Nancy Rodriguez. Reviewed By Xiafei Wang., Xiafei Wang

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Marjorie S. Zatz and Nancy Rodriguez, Dreams and Nightmares: Immigration Policy, Youth, and Families. University of California Press (2015), 202 pages, $85.00 (hardcover), $39.95 (paperback).

Undocumented Fears: Immigration And The Politics Of Divide And Conquer In Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Jamie Longazel

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

The Illegal Immigration Relief Act (IIRA), passed in the small rust-belt city of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, in 2006, was a local ordinance that laid out penalties for renting to or hiring undocumented immigrants and declared English the city’s official language. The notorious IIRA gained national prominence and kicked off a parade of local and state-level legislative initiatives designed to crack down on undocumented immigrants.

In Undocumented Fears, Jamie Longazel uses the debate around Hazleton’s controversial ordinance as a case study that reveals the mechanics of contemporary divide-and-conquer politics. He shows how neoliberal ideology, misconceptions about Latina/o immigrants, and nostalgic imagery …

Hybrid Arrangements As A Form Of Ecological Modernization: The Case Of The Us Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grants, Dana R. Fisher, Anya Galli Robertson

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

How are environmental policy goals implemented and sustained in the context of political stagnation surrounding national climate policies in the United States? In this paper, we discuss Ecological Modernization Theory as a tool for understanding the complexity of climate governance at the sub-national level. In particular, we explore the emergence of hybrid governance arrangements during the local implementation of federal energy efficiency programs in US cities. We analyze the formation and advancement of programs associated with one effort to establish a sub-national low carbon energy policy: the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program administered by the US Department …

Social Work Ethics: Decision Making And Accountability, James J. Clark, Molly Malany Sayre

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

Book accompanies course that examines the interplay of social work, values, ethics, and decision-making processes. Through the use of practice scenarios, social workers will learn how to approach risk management and thorny ethical dilemmas that are common to many practice areas. The course discusses the role of laws and regulations in regard to ethics, highlights the importance of the distinction between legal and moral problems, and describes the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.

Older Mexican Americans: Role Of The Family And Mental Health Service Utilization, John M. Gonzalez, Denise Longoria, Romeo Escobar, Leyla Feize

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This study explored role of the family and mental health service utilization by older Mexican-Americans. Using qualitative exploration, the study investigated family factors influencing their mental health service utilization. The researcher used a purposive sample and interviewed 20 older Mexican Americans, who completed outpatient mental health services located in Texas. Kleinman’s explanatory model (1980) guided the ethnographic content analysis. Findings show the family took several roles to facilitate use of mental health services. The family was involved with respondents throughout the process of help-seeking and accessing mental health services. Family members helped respondents recognize their mental distress by noticing behavior …

Improving Children's Academic Performance Through Parent Engagement: Development And Initial Findings From The Your Family, Your Neighborhood Intervention, Stephanie Lechuga Peña

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Your Family, Your Neighborhood (YFYN) is an educational intervention with families in low-income and subsidized housing communities. YFYN supports households facing issues associated with poverty. These include supporting low-income families as they navigate their children's experience in poor performing schools, barriers and access to healthcare and role in addressing the challenges of living distressed neighborhoods they live in. Through the 10-week manualized curriculum, families work on connections that affect multiple systems in their lives with a focus on the family, school and neighborhood. This mixed methods study describes the development and provides results of the YFYN intervention on parental involvement …

Navigating The Transition Into Motherhood: Women's Experiences Of Control, Emotions, And Social Ideals, Jody Sue Sauer-Sargent

Wayne State University Dissertations

In this dissertation, I sought to give postpartum women their own voices so that they could help define the postpartum experience on their own terms. It fills important gaps within the literature on new mothers’ experiences. A phenomenological approach was used, emphasizing the lived experiences of the women, with an overlay of autoethnography, where the personal experience of the researcher becomes important primarily in how it illuminates the phenomenon being studied. Thus, my personal experience of pregnancy into early motherhood is interwoven throughout this dissertation. Forty-two women participated in the in-depth, face-to-face interview, followed by a questionnaire. The qualitative data …

The Efficacy Of Psychosocial Services In Comprehensive Cancer Care: A Program Evaluation, Nicola B. Mucci

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

On average, regardless of other factors, persons affected by cancer will experience some level of distress associated with the disease and its sequelae. Left untreated, psychosocial problems can, and often do, adversely affect a person's health and healthcare treatment. As a result, national initiatives have been implemented to recognize and treat psychosocial stressors to optimize a person's functioning and facilitate successful movement through the medical system. A program evaluation was conducted to examine how Providence Regional Cancer Partnership has addressed the psychosocial needs of its patient population. Specifically, the psychosocial services department, Patient Support Services, was evaluated to understand how …

Muliple Roles As Predictors Of Subjective Well-Being In African American Women, Sha-Rhonda Michea Green-Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The role strain caused by the multiple roles of some women can impact their stress levels and health outcomes, which negatively affects reported subjective well-being (SWB). The culture and race of African American women has a complex effect on how they experience stress and manage their health. Some research shows the harmful rippling effect of stress for African American women is distinct from other racial groups and men. The purpose of this quantitative archival study was to understand how the SWB of African American women can be predicted by their age, years of education, household income, number of children, and …

Measuring Knowledge And Attitudes Of Clinicians About Motivational Interviewing With Troubled Adolescents, Sophia Joseph Parrilla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescents with acting-out behavior have an increased risk of dropping out of high school, incarceration, and early mortality. Researchers have indicated the need for studies using motivational interviewing (MI) to promote behavioral change. There is a gap in the literature about the efficacy of MI with adolescents and clinicians' knowledge of, and attitude toward, MI. Using self-determination theory as the grounding theory, this study examined the knowledge and attitudes of 73 clinicians on the island of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, about knowledge and attitudes of MI and whether it predicted the use of MI as a therapeutic intervention for adolescents …

Reimagining Equity And Egalitarianism: The Basic Income Debate In Australia, Jennifer M. Mays, Gregory Marston

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Reimagining equity and egalitarianism calls for rethinking traditional welfare responses to poverty and economic security in Australia. Similar to other advanced Western democracies, Australia has pursued policies underpinned by neoliberal economics in an effort to curtail perceived excesses in public expenditure over the past three decades. In response to these policy settings, commentators and policy activists have increased their attention to the potential of a universal and unconditional basic income scheme to address economic insecurity. This paper positions basic income within the context of Australia's welfare state arrangements and explores the potential of the scheme to respond to economic insecurity, …

Lessons From Sweden: Solidarity, The Welfare State, And Basic Income, Almaz Zelleke

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Progressive critics of a universal basic income argue that most nations face a budgetary choice between a full basic income and investment in public goods, including universal health care, free and well-funded education, and universal pensions, and have prioritized a robust welfare state, or the "Swedish Model," over basic income. But examination of Swedish economic policy reveals that the welfare state is only one of the ingredients of the Swedish Model, and that another is an interventionist labor market policy unlikely to be expandable to larger states without Sweden's cultural and demographic characteristics. Indeed, evidence suggests that Sweden's own recent …