Social Work Commons^™

Professionals’ Perceptions Of Readiness For Providing Services To Sexually And Commercially Exploited Youth, Raeven Mayes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) is a social phenomenon that is affecting youth in large numbers. This qualitative research study focused on professionals’ perceptions of readiness to provide services to CSEC youth based on the professional training and experience they have acquired. The professionals' perceptions were gathered through the use of face-to-face interviews. Participants were debriefed following the interviews and their participation was terminated. The data gathered from the interviews was analyzed using a bottom up approach through the use of open and axial coding. The study found that many employees had a lack of training in regard to …

Educators' Barriers To Reporting Child Maltreatment, Miriam Figueroa, Mariaisela Maldonado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify educators’ perceptions of barriers to reporting child maltreatment. This study used a survey design with self-administered questionnaires. Sixty five teachers from a large southern California school district participated in the study. Quantitative and demographic data was collected using Linkedin and Facebook to recruit study participants. The questionnaires gathered information about their knowledge, training, experience, and professional responsibility regarding reporting suspected maltreatment.

This study found that most educators received training in reporting requirements and were able to spot signs of maltreatment. However, the study also revealed that some participants had a low comfort …

Barriers That Influence Hispanics Decisions To Access Mental Health Care Services, Carolina Peters

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Despite the existing research on barriers to mental health services among minority ethnic groups, little is known about the barriers to the access of mental health services among different Latino groups. This research attempted to understand potential barriers such as gender, income, and education, among Mexican’s and other Latino subgroups (Salvadorian, Puerto Rican, Honduran, and other). Through the gathering of quantitative data in the form of surveys, research defined that there are no significant findings in barriers to access mental health services among Hispanics. A limitation encountered was limited participation of Latino subgroups. Future studies can improve on this limitation …

The Challenges Of Acculturating In The Los Angeles County: Immigrants Of Latin American Countries, Melissa Saldana-Alvarez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study intends to identify the barriers that may impede new immigrants from successfully acculturating in the United States. The researcher collected qualitative data through audio-recorded face-to-face-interviews with the participants. Participants were recruited through a local agency that provides a number of services to immigrant in the community. Data collected was transcribed and analyzed for the development of categories of individual, family, group, organizational, and community involvement in the lives of new immigrants who attempt to acculturate in this country. The research findings reveal the need for mental health, medical, and educational services, and workshops about rights and laws in …

Are Social Work Services Provided To Deployed Military Families Adequate, Janet Walker

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study was initiated to discover if Social Work services are as prevalent as they should be for deployed service families and troops abroad. Previous studies seem to suggest that social workers are minimally portioned without a true dedicated purpose. This study determined through input from enlisted personnel and their families what social work services are available to deployed military personnel and their families.

Deployed enlisted personnel and their families have a unique experience that from time to time cause trauma, both physical and mental. Whereas in the past, trauma was experienced only by fighting men, today’s military is multi-gendered …

Mental Health Therapists' Views On The Challenges Latinos Face To Continue Services, Jessica Gutierrez, Elizabeth Casas-Valdovinos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors leading Latinos to withdraw from mental health services through the perspective of mental health therapists. This study employed a qualitative design and data were collected from face-to-face and phone interviews with 10 therapists from Riverside and San Bernardino County. The results of this study identified that Latino client’s low levels of mental health literacy contributed to a higher level of mental health stigma that led to premature withdrawal from services. The study also found that language barrier and job-related issues were major challenges Latino families faced in their continuation of …

Athletes With Mental Health Illnesses, Trenton Allmang

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus for this research study is to understand the development of mental health symptoms that result from sports engagement. Participating in sports for several years within different developmental stages of human life can increase the probability of identity conflict and mental distress. This study addresses the risk factors that contribute to the development of mental health illnesses from former athletes’ perspectives through qualitative research. The study includes former male and female participants ages 18 and older as well as their family members, friends, sports stakeholders, sports officials, coaches, social workers, and athletic training staff. This study was conducted from …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Mediation Orientation Programs For Child Custody Recommending Counseling, Arlene Trevizo, Ana Paulina Romero Baltazar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of a Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC) orientation program on encouraging parental agreements in child custody and visitation cases. We used qualitative research methods by interviewing CCRC counselors to identify common case factors involved in obtaining full agreements. The interview questions addressed commonly noted case factors, perspectives of the mediators in regard to tools used by parents from the orientation programs, and areas of potential enhancement to the orientation. Eight mediators were interviewed, and their interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed using conventional content analysis. As a result of this study, the themes that arose …

Extended Foster Care: Self-Sufficiency Needs In The Perspective Of The Youth, Miranda Renee Rubio, Carmen Covarrubias

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to analyze current and former foster youths’ experiences in the Extended Foster Care (EFC) program. The program was created to better support youths’ self-sufficiency needs for recipients ages eighteen to twenty-one. This vulnerable population continues to grow in the public child welfare system and research is limited on how recipients far after leaving EFC. Previous literature illustrates foster youth who exited the program struggled to transition into adulthood. Many youth faced challenges such as homelessness, unstable employment, and involvement with the criminal justice system.

The researchers conducted a qualitative study of seven participants’ …

The Impact Of Social Media On Mental Health: A Mixed-Methods Research Of Service Providers’ Awareness, Sarah Nichole Koehler, Bobbie Rose Parrell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The relationship between heavy use of social media and an increase in mental health disorders has long been established. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding mental health practitioners/providers’ responses to this issue. This mixed-methods research embraced two theoretical perspectives—Ecological Model and Generalist Intervention Model—toward determining the extent to which mental health practitioners/providers assess for the impact of heightened use of social media on mental health. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 95 mental health practitioners (N = 95) via Qualtrics.

Non-parametric tests and descriptive statistics showed that prior training, agency’s values, and credentials impact mental health …

General Internship Satisfaction As A Function Of Perceived Supervision Quality And Emotional Intelligence, Eva Huerta

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The current study utilized a quantitative design to investigate the extent to which MSW students’ general internship satisfaction (GIS) is related to their perceptions of supervision quality (SQ), and their emotional intelligence (EI). Participants were 53 individuals recruited from students enrolled in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program at an ethnically diverse Southern California university. Participants were required to be participating in their first or second year of field placement. An online survey solicited demographic information and participant responses to measurement scales for the three variables under investigation. Variable data were recorded on a 1-to-7 Likert scale, with comparatively …

The Use Of Self-Disclosure In Clinical Practice: Exploring Graduate Social Work Students’ Perceptions, Kevin Alsina

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The use of self-disclosure in clinical practice has been a controversial issue among professionals across many helping professions, including social work. The guidance on self-disclosure from the National Association of Social Workers, via its code of ethics, has been arguably vague. As a result, the topic remains ambiguous within the social work profession. Using a Grounded Theory approach, this study aimed to obtain the perceptions of 137 graduate social work students on the use of self-disclosure in practice. Through three major themes and six sub-themes, the results confirmed the lack of clarity pertaining to the use of self-disclosure in social …

Social Workers Fostering Higher Education Within Foster Youth, Magally Villarreal, Danahly Contreras Reyes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following research study examines foster youth and higher education, specifically focusing on the roles social workers do or might play in helping foster youth pursue higher education. The literature suggests that child welfare agencies have implemented programs for foster youth to be able pursue a higher education and for social workers to assist with the process, to improve foster youths’ educational outcomes. However, there continues to be a gap between foster youths’ aspirations and achievements.

This study uses a qualitative design, using in-depth interviews with social workers in Southern California. A snowball sampling method was used to recruit participants, …

Mindfulness And Burnout Among Social Workers, Erick Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout is a negative psychological response to workplace stress, and it manifest as emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a decrease in personal accomplishment. Experiencing burnout leads to physical health problems such as headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and respiratory problems. Social workers have been identified at high risk for developing burnout due to a high number of caseloads, limited supervisory support, and because they often work with clients with complex social situations. Burnout among social workers leads to high turnover rates, negatively impacts the quality of services, and adversely affects therapeutic relationships. Previous studies have examined the efficacy of mindfulness interventions on burnout …

Five Influential Factors That Can Impact A Client- Social Worker Relationship During Reunification, Desiree Alfaro

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project examined the client-worker relationship to examine whether five factors related to engagement positively or negatively affected family reunification. Qualitative data were gathered during face-to-face interviews with seven Parent Partners who currently work in the field of child welfare and witness daily interactions between social workers and their clientele; this third-party- perspective is based on their interactions during which they assist clients with information, guidance, and support during the reunification process. These interviews were transcribed and then coded using directed content analysis to confirm whether these five dimensions of engagement were present in their child welfare cases.

Based …

The Role And Impact Of Long-Term, Faith-Based Reentry Programs After Incarceration, Louie John Martinez, Rebecca Graf

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this exploratory study is on individuals who have completed long term, faith-based reentry programs after incarceration. Through one-on-one interviews with participants, this study will examine the impact that long-term, faith-based treatment programs have had in helping persons with a criminal past re-acclimate back into society. As more reentry programs focus on skills-based treatment only, this study seeks to explore the integration of faith and spirituality in long-term faith-based treatment programs in conjunction with other treatment modalities. This study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the critical elements necessary to help individuals overcome their past and collateral …

Factors Leading To Foster Youth Obtaining Higher Education, Stephen Burwell, Keyln Leeker

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Former foster youth face many challenges in obtaining higher education. This research project gathered data through face to face, qualitative interviews with seven former foster youth and two former child welfare workers. The purpose of this study was to identify various contributing factors that the participants identified as positive or negative reasons for obtaining higher education.

This study utilized an interview questionnaire, using open ended questions to gather personal insight and develop a better understanding from the perspectives of the nine participants. Each former foster youth shared their own personal experiences of being in the foster care system. Both former …

Exploration Of Pet Ownership Related To Stress In Social Work Students, Aly Vancil

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The problem statement is: Does pet ownership contribute to social work student’s mental health as indicated by stress levels? The significance of this study is that further studies must be conducted in order to determine if there are long term benefits between human and animal interactions. In the research, there are many limitations that we explore because each study was done on a specific campus, or on a selective study body, or on an animal owner or non-animal owner. The research design used for the study was a quantitative survey design on Qualtrics that was sent to all the students …

Social Work Graduate Students Self-Reported Knowledge Of Treatment Options For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Kerry Morgan

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Students who study to obtain the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree will undoubtedly serve clients with histories of family violence, chronic or terminal illness, immigration, racism, mass violence/terrorism, or even natural disasters. With the theme of trauma being ever prevalent in their internships and work, it is important to consider the perceptions that MSW Students have about PTSD treatment modalities and exploring their interests in expanding their knowledge about PTSD. A selection of MSW students were asked questions about their knowledge and interest in treatment options for PTSD. The results showed a diverse variation of knowledge for the seven …

Serving And Protecting People With Mental Illness And/Or Developmental Disabilities: An Evaluation Of The Los Angeles Sheriff Department’S Field Operations Crisis Intervention Skills Program, Veronica Plascencia, Melissa Mcdonald

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT The Los Angeles Sheriff Department’s Field Operations Crisis Intervention Skills (FOCIS) program is a collaborative effort aimed at preparing law enforcement officers for crises that involve individuals with severe mental illness and/or developmental disabilities. That is, the ultimate goal of the program is to train officers to serve, protect, and build connections with the community’s most vulnerable citizens. Embracing a pre-experimental design, this study assessed the effectiveness and applicability of the FOCIS program among 53 law enforcement officers in Los Angeles County. Findings from non-parametric analyses revealed that the FOCIS training increased officers’ knowledge on mental illness and developmental …

Recovery Oriented Services And Engagement In Psychiatric Services, Graciela Arzola, Mayra Beas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focused on individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition and are currently engaged in mental health services in the local community. The research question was to determine if a correlation exists between individuals who participate in recovery-oriented services and the rate of engagement to psychiatric services. The research was a descriptive study design. The data gathered was quantitative as it is based on survey data which was selected using snowball sampling. The researchers reviewed 72 surveys administered to mental health professionals at outpatient mental health clinics throughout Southern California. Using the Pearson coefficient test, the …

Disproportionality Of African American Children In The Child Welfare System: Social Workers' Perspectives, Estelita Abigael Hassler, Acacia Gretchen Lovett

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

African American children are detained at quadruple the rate in comparison to other ethnic groups within the child welfare system. This overrepresentation has been a controversial topic for decades. This study presents caseworkers’ perceptions as to the reasons for the disproportionality.

The literature review revealed that African American families have unequal access to resources and opportunities and outcomes. That is, their length of stay in foster care is prolonged and the reunification process is also longer.

This qualitative study involved face-to-face interviews with 12 caseworkers with past and current experience in two California county child welfare agencies. The interview …

Bullying Hurts, Katrina Marie Gonzalez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research projects purpose was to research the prevalence of bullying/harassment in schools in a city within the Inland Empire. The city is left confidential to protect the confidentiality of study participants. The researcher utilized the post positivist approach to guide the research processes. The study was completed through interviews with parents which contained qualitative questions. The researcher will create a webpage that’s link was posted to Facebook city sites. This website lead to a more private location where research participants were able to gather more information about the study and sign up to participate.

The research participants needed to …

The Effects Of Eating Disorders And Body Dissatisfaction On School Achievement, Briana Ribota

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Eating disorders are no longer an invisible phenomenon. Eating disorders are caused by a multitude of factors which include a combination of biological, environmental abnormalities, and/or psychological, such as: nutritional deficiencies, sexual abuse, poor self-esteem, trauma, and/or social pressure (Strother et al., 2012). These food related issues can cause embarrassment and pain, along with severely jeopardizing one’s health if not recognized and treated (Strother et al., 2012). As a result of the complexities of eating disorders, young adults are annihilated with managing life impediments rather than focusing on academic achievement. A qualitative post positivist study will be conducted by interviewing …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Services To Combat Homelessness At A Southern California Rescue Mission, Cody Cheyenne Kennedy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study was to examine the effectiveness of the services provided at a Southern California rescue mission aimed at combating homelessness in the region. The Constructivist paradigm was used to examine the relevant services provided at this facility. The integrated approach is optimal to provide comprehensive service. Because of this, Functional Theory was the preferred theoretical orientation for this study. Participants were selected though critical case and maximum variation sampling. Data was gathered through questions asked by the researcher, and data analysis occurred using open coding. Findings supported the effectiveness of a comprehensive approach to combat homelessness which incorporates …

Working With The Homeless Population: An Exploratory Study Of Graduate Social Work Student’S Confidence And Willingness, Ana Rosa Ortiz, Mariam Kiara Lowe

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Homelessness is a multilayered problem that affects hundreds of thousands of people across the United States. The social work profession cannot rest on its laurels when large numbers of individuals and families suffer due to a lack of shelter, a necessity. Historically, social work was at the vanguard of interventions against homelessness. However, over the past 30 years or so, the profession arguably has shifted its focus toward micro practice. As a result, macro issues such as poverty and homelessness have received comparatively less interest in the field. Using an exploratory design, this study examined factors associated with level of …

Cultural Humility: Racial Disparity And Disproportionality How It Relates To Child Welfare And Mandated Reporter Training And Preparedness, Jennifer A. Perry, Ashley L. Castro

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The research problem was mandated reporters’ in a public assistance setting and child welfare social workers’ perception of cultural humility and cultural training. The research proposed that the lack of cultural humility training for both mandated reporters in public social service sectors and child welfare social workers has an impact of on the disparity and disproportionality in child welfare cases. A critical theory approach was adopted, and qualitative data was collected via face-to-face interviews. A snowball sampling strategy was used to select study participants. Study findings suggested that there is a cultural humility training provided to child welfare social workers, …

Removing Barriers To Mental Health Service Utilization For Individuals With Sensory Impairments, Kery Silva

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The present study explored common themes and barriers associated with mental health service utilization among people with sensory impairments. The ultimate goal is to promote social workers’ preparedness to serve individuals with sensory disabilities. This study is significant considering that (1) a large proportion of people with sensory disabilities do not receive mental health services and (2) there is a paucity of studies within the field of social work that examine barriers to mental health services for the aforementioned population. In this qualitative study, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 professional social workers (N =14) who have direct experience …

Social Workers' Knowledge And Experience Working With Mixed Race Youth And Families, Ashley R. Bennett, Mellissa M. Duchesne

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of social workers’ knowledge and experience in working with mixed race youth and families. The literature review suggested that biracial and multiracial individuals struggle with identity issues, along with several barriers that affect their interactions with social workers, and the social workers’ abilities to provide services for mixed race clients. The literature review also discussed the public's perception of social workers in dealing with minorities, most of which included the notion that social workers are biased. The literature review also discussed the use of technology in child welfare, and …

Creating Comprehensive Wrap-Around Services For The Homeless Community: Exploring Network Activity Among Shelters And Service Organizations Within The South-Side Of Chicago, Gloria West

Dissertations

We may not all agree that the homeless community is increasing and that their essential needs to survive such as food, healthcare and housing are quality of life rights for everyone. We must adopt the compassion of the medical industry and understand the importance of how community programs and services impact their survival. The sense of urgency to address the issues of homelessness does not appear to be moving as fast as other government agendas hindering families and individual’s ability to achieve self-sufficiency. It is expected that the priorities within this population are addressed immediately, it should be understood that …