Examining The Contributing Factors To Aging Out Of Foster Care, Aida Justiz Skipper, Ericka Ross

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: There is a need for an enhanced understanding of factors contributing to foster youths’ decision to leave the foster care system prematurely and not participate in the Extended Foster Care (EFC) program given California has the largest population of non-minor dependents in care and a very small percent of transitioning foster youth participating in the EFC program. Purpose: This study examined the factors that impact a youth’s decision to participate in EFC and strived to answer the following question: Is there an association between the social worker-client relationship and a foster youth’s knowledge of EFC? Methods: This quantitative study …

You Call Us Treatment Resistant: The Effects Of Biases On Women With Borderline Personality Disorder, Cassidy Acosta

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explored how negative attitudes toward and discriminatory practices against women with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) affect them and impact their treatment. The study adopted a constructivist paradigm, and data was collected via virtual interviews with research partners (i.e., women with BPD) who use online mental health forums. A final construction was established after the data was interpreted. Ultimately, it was determined that women with BPD face stigma and are described as treatment resistant; however, by providing a supportive treatment environment, women with this diagnosis see positive outcomes. The results of the study are intended to support women with …

Examining The Association Between Family Cohesion And The Risk Of Substance Use In Offspring, Angelica Mendoza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Progress has been made in understanding substance use and its transmission, whether it be biological or environmental, yet there is a lack of research in understanding protective factors and the disruption of developing a substance use disorder. The study was aimed to fill the gap in our understanding of protective factors against familial transmission of substance use disorders by examining the association between family resilience and the risk of transmission to an offspring. We hypothesized that those without a substance use diagnosis would have higher levels of family functioning compared to those with a substance use diagnosis. …

First-Generation Social Work Latinas Balancing Life And Career, Angelica Venegas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The study focused on learning about the successes and challenges first-generation social work Latinas face in the labor sector. The research project shows how Latino cultural values, beliefs, customs, and educational attainment impact Latinas’ careers and overall well-being. The research utilized a post-positivist approach and qualitatively gathered data through interviews with first-generation Latina social workers in Southern California. The study presents qualitative research project results, with quantitative demographics, of first-generation post-graduate Latinas balancing life and career. Themes from the findings include job satisfaction/dissatisfaction, assimilation and enculturation, labor sector discrimination and oppression, familismo and marianismo projection toward individualization, feeling balanced or …

Interventions Available To Children And Adolescents With Oppositional Difiant Disorder: A Scoping Review, Megan George, Jacqueline Laitano

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project aims to explore and identify empirical evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). This study will highlight evidence-based, non-pharmaceutical type interventions discussed in current research, the significance and potential impact it has on the field of social work, and the way in which this scoping review will be conducted.

ODD is a type of childhood disruptive behavior disorder in which children show ongoing patterns of uncooperative, defiant, argumentative, and hostile behaviors. ODD is among the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions in children. Early intervention and treatment are important since various risk factors …

Exploring The Impact Of The Placement Discontinuity In Foster Care, Michelle Sepulveda, Angela Williams

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and purpose: Over the past ten years, there have been more foster parents. Still, foster parents find it difficult to fulfill their obligations. It is crucial to conduct research into the variables that affect foster parents' effectiveness. Method: The Aim of this study was to gather quantitative data utilizing a cross-sectional study from foster parents to determine whether there is a correlation between their level of preparedness to be foster parents and the number of placement changes. The target sample included foster parents who had fostered children within the last twelve months. Although the nonprobability sampling technique was practical, …

Social Determinants And The Sexual Health Of Lgbtq+ People Of Color In The Inland Empire, Irad Leon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Little research exists on the health education and healthcare-seeking attitudes and experiences of LGBTQ+ people of color, especially in areas that are considered low-income. This study sought to find the barriers to sexual healthcare for LGBTQ+ people of color in the Inland Empire. This study was a quantitative, exploratory study that utilized a non-random selection and convenience sample method. Data was collected from seventy-eight participants through an anonymous online survey distributed by an LGBTQ+-centered agency and analyzed with SPSS. It was found that most participants experienced a disconnect between the topics they wanted to learn about in sex education and …

Social Workers’ Perceptions Of Disproportionality And Disparity In The Child Welfare System, Nelyda Rodriguez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Disproportionality and disparity within the United States child welfare system continue to be a problem affecting ethnic minority children and families. This study examined the opinions of social workers on racial disparity in the child welfare system through a qualitative approach. The information on the perceptions of seven child social workers was gathered through open-ended interview questions. The study's findings reveal a range of viewpoints on the factors that contribute to the disproportionality in child welfare, including historical reasons, systemic issues, bias among social workers and society, training, education and cultural humility, and communication between social workers and supervisors. The …

Understanding Victims Of Human Trafficking: Identifying Macro And Micro-Level Mental Health Implications, Abbigail Pereyra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study seeks to understand the mental health implications for adolescent victims of human traffic. This will be explored on both a micro and macro-level through the perspective of mental health professionals who have experience working with this unique population. It is important to better understand the multi-faceted impact of service delivery and barriers which victims of human trafficking often face. Equally important is how services and resources can be tailored to meet the needs of this population. This exploratory study utilized qualitative methods for data collection. Data was collected by facilitating interviews and a focus group with mental health …

Effects Of Corporal Punishment On Parents, David Martinez, Linda Saleh Borghol

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

There has been limited research regarding the effects of corporal punishment on parents. This qualitative study examined the effects of corporal punishment on parents and the reasoning behind their particular discipline practices. The study provides an overview of the thoughts and emotions parents feel before and after utilizing corporal punishment. The data were collected through interviews of parents who utilized corporal punishment as their main form of discipline. We interviewed parents through Zoom meetings in order to gather data that would help this study. Researchers interviewed eight parents who expressed the effects they experienced from utilizing corporal punishment. Analysis of …

Perceived Financial Strain And Its Effects On College Students’ Welfare, Monica Contreras, Clarissa Adrianna Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between perceived financial strain and the physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being of students in college. The quantitative study used online surveys to gather data from ninety-eight college participants. The data gathered from the surveys suggests there is a relationship between perceived financial strain and student well-being. Students reported an impact on their friend, peer, and familial relationships and reported higher levels of worry, sadness, and frustration. In addition, all three categories of student well-being were associated with overall perceived financial strain, indicating as financial stress increased, it affected physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being. Results indicate …

Examining The Relationship Between Technological Skills And Success In Higher Education Among Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Ebony Cubias

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background and purpose: Research has tended to focus on the outcomes of how digital inclusion for incarcerated individuals has helped reduce the rate of recidivism rather than the success rate in higher education for formerly incarcerated individuals. This study was implemented to examine the relationship between technological skills and academic achievement amongst formerly incarcerated individuals in higher education. Methods: This observational study used cross-sectional data from participants recruited from Project Rebound in California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB). Participants were recruited using purposive sampling method. Students who participated were over the age of 18, formerly incarcerated, and currently enrolled in …

Safety Organized Practice Training And Implementation In Central California, Alison Lucado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study focused on the macro level implementation of the Safety Organized Practice framework for best practice in Child Welfare social work. Safety Organized Practice is a social work framework for engagement with families that is used in California and various other states. It is a relatively new approach to social work in Child Welfare so many agencies are in various stages of implementation. This study gathered qualitative data through virtual interviews with social workers.

The key findings of this study were that Safety Organized Practice implementation needs to start at the supervisor and management level to ensure social workers …

Does The Use Of Social Media Have An Impact On Young Adults Body Identification?, Glycell Robledo Felix, Ashley Olmedo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The present study investigated how social media use has an impact on Body Identification among Young Adults. Both female and male participants (N=104) from the ages 18-30 were randomly sent a link that would take them directly to a survey. The survey took approximately five minutes for the participants to complete. Participants were asked a set of questions regarding what they saw on social media that made them feel insecure about their body image. Many of the participants responded that the main content that would make them feel dissatisfied with their body on social media was about fitness, cosmetic surgery, …

Aged Out Youth's Perception On The Needs Of Emancipated Foster Youth, Linda Murillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

For youth who turn eighteen years of age while they are in the foster care system, turning eighteen can mark the start of a difficult struggle. Foster youth face housing instability, financial insecurity, struggle to obtain a higher education, health insurance insecurity and a higher risk of arrest than youth not in foster care. This research study seeks to assess how effective current policy is at meeting the needs of foster youth aging out of the foster care system and transitioning into young adulthood. At the micro-level this study helps social workers effectively implement transition plans with their clients and …

Resilency And Fatherless Households, Joshua Ellis-Kennedy, Crystal Angelica Orellana

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Fatherlessness is a complex and prevailing issue in society associated with many vulnerabilities and unfavorable outcomes. This study seeks to describe and identify the contributing factors to resilience among individuals who were raised in fatherless homes. Findings from this research would contribute to the body of knowledge that focuses on promoting resiliency and would specifically provide insight on contributing factors to resiliency that can help mitigate the negative consequences of fatherless homes.

Asian Discrimination: In The Field Of Social Work, Sunghay Cho

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research explored how anti-Asian rhetoric influences the work experiences and lives of Asian American (A.A.) social workers. This is a qualitive, exploratory study that used a non-probability, convenience sample, and snowball technique for sampling, and interviews with participants via Zoom who identified as Asian American and who had completed their master’s degree in social work. It was found that different types of anti-Asian rhetoric influence Asian American social workers’ own expectations of themselves, their mindset, creates fear, and even sets limitations. It was also found that immigration status/generation (first/second generation) has an influence on their experiences as well. This …

Built Lives: Khwajasaras, Jouno-Karmis, And The Politics Of Non-Normative Kinship And Citizenship In South Asia, Salman Hussain, Simanti Dasgupta

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

This paper examines how relationships are ‘built’ among khwajasaras [non-normative non-binary persons] and female jouno karmis [sex workers] in two sites in Pakistan and India respectively. We focus on the non-normative nature of these relationships, first, to disassemble gender normativity itself; second, to argue that the colonial legacy of bureaucratic norming of kinship in South Asia, anchored in legal consanguinity and affinity on one hand, and territory and patriarchy on the other, erases these found relationships. Finally, in formulating what we term, ‘relative kinship’ –authenticating one's identity and belonging as a citizen typically through a male kin –we trace the …

Rural Social Work Practice: Trauma-Focused Interventions Social Workers Use, Jose Carbajal

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This research study examines rural social workers’ level of trauma knowledge and trauma treatment self-efficacy and the use of evidence-based interventions (CBT, TF-CBT, CPT, EMDR and PE). A retrospective design was used to examine Texas rural social workers’ use of evidence-based interventions. The Texas rural social worker sample (N=19) was extrapolated from a larger study (N=1007) conducted in 2014 examining Texas social workers’ trauma treatment and their use of evidence-based interventions. Descriptive and correlation statistical procedures were implemented to analyze the data for the current study. The results show social workers’ knowledge of trauma and treatment self-efficacy scores are above …

Ot Employment Program Addressing Homelessness For Women Experiencing Homelessness, Amber Hoffman, Susan Macdermott

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Women experiencing homelessness face many barriers to employment participation. Occupational therapy (OT) is a well-suited profession to address employment barriers; however, there is a lack of OT programs that address the unique barriers to employment participation for women experiencing homelessness. The purpose of the capstone project was to develop a program focused on employment obtainment and maintenance for women experiencing homelessness. The employment program was developed based upon the findings from an in-depth literature review and needs assessment.

Attitudes Of Muslim Americans Regarding Prejudice And Discrimination Displayed By Non-Muslims, Munder Abderrazzaq

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

Abstract

Muslim Americans have reported experiencing racial profiling, physical threats, and verbal abuse based on their religion, ethnicity, and color (Samari, 2016). These types of lived experiences can have negative personal consequences for Muslim Americans and influence their attitudes and behavior toward non-Muslims. A literature review conducted by Simon et al. (2018) suggests the need for research that explores the point of view of minorities regarding intolerance displayed by majority members. Intolerance is defined as the refusal and unwillingness to tolerate or respect individuals from different social or minority groups who hold different beliefs. Prejudice and discrimination can hinder the …

Culturally Responsive Domestic Violence Interventions For Immigrant Communities In The United States: A Scoping Review, Abha Rai, Kristen Ravi, Nibedita Shrestha, Luis R. Alvarez-Hernandez

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

Immigrants are at a higher risk of domestic violence (DV) victimization due to their unique positionality in the United States. The goal of this scoping review is to examine the extent to which cultural responsivity is incorporated in DV interventions developed for immigrant communities. Peer-reviewed articles between 2005–2021 were reviewed across 11 databases. Our sample included n = 15 articles that highlighted interventions designed for diverse immigrant groups, including Latinx and Asian groups. Building unique interventions for specific immigrant groups would allow for prioritizing the needs of survivors while engaging in direct service provision by social workers.

Patient Experience In An Interprofessional Collaborative Practice For Underserved Patients With Heart Failure, Connie White-Williams, Maria R. Shirey, Reid Eagleson, Wei Su, Terri Poe, Brittany Fitts, Vera Bittner

Patient Experience Journal

Heart failure is a complex chronic condition that results in multiple patient visits throughout the care continuum. Patient experience has associations with clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine patient experience among the underserved in a specialized interprofessional collaborative practice heart failure clinic. This prospective study utilized both qualitative and quantitative data to describe the patient experience within an interprofessional collaborative practice. Data were collected from patient experience surveys in 1128 patients seen in the Heart Failure Transitional Care Services for Adults (HRTSA) clinic between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2021. Interprofessional collaborative practice surveys were …

Career Interests, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

Career interests reflect individuals’ “trait-like preferences for activities, environments, and outcomes that motivate goal strivings and achievement” (Jones et al., 2020). Simply put, interests are a series of likes and dislikes that develop alongside one’s cognitive abilities and personality to shape human behavior (Jones et al., 2020; Low et al., 2005). Interests, thus, drive the amount of time and effort individuals spend acquiring knowledge and abilities within a certain domain and their pursuit of educational and career goals (Jones et al., 2020). According to vocational choice theory, individuals tend to seek work that aligns with their interests, and when this …

The Role Of Community Outreach Programs In Partnership With The University Of Mississippi In Combating Food Insecurity In The Oxford/Lafayette Area, Gabrielle Miller

Honors Theses

Grow Club is a community outreach programming effort that was formed in Oxford, Mississippi in the fall of 2020 by University of Mississippi undergraduate students. The program works towards bringing community members as well as university students and staff together in attempts at alleviating many stressors felt by local community members living in poverty. This written work aims to offer a breakdown of how this program began and the steps taken to recognize a community need, formulate solutions, and work with the community to offer resources.

Dissecting The Interrelations Of Suicidality And Mental Health Across First Responder Subtypes Seeking Treatment: A Cross-Sectional Study, Alaina Beauchamp, Warren Ponder, Katelyn Jetelina

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

First responders are routinely exposed to traumatic events that can affect their mental health to the extent of suicidal ideation and suicide completion. The purpose of our study is to inform the comparability of predictors of suicidality across first responder types to elucidate the most efficacious targets for intervention and clinical intercession. Clients (N = 224) sought counseling services between 2015 and 2020 at a not-for-profit organization. We conducted a matched study with cases defined as those with suicidality at baseline and those without suicidality at baseline (controls). First responder types were law enforcement officers (LEOs), firefighters, and emergency …

What Works For Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Men? A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Jack R. Menges, Marie L. Caltabiano, Alan Clough

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men experience significantly higher rates of suicide, trauma, alcohol related deaths and unemployment than other Australian men. Despite significant levels of government intervention, rates of family violence, unemployment and incarceration continue to increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. As a subset of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, there has been a lesser focus on how to meaningfully improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. This systematic review seeks to understand what interventions, programs and activities are successful in improving the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men …

Assessing Clinical Social Workers’ Self-Efficacy Regarding Perinatal Mental Health Disorders, Ashley Sullivan

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation sought to explore social workers’ perceived levels of knowledge, self-efficacy, and awareness of perinatal mental health. This study looked at how identifying as a parent, different social work licensures, and having additional training on perinatal mental health affect social workers' knowledge, self-efficacy, and awareness responses. Utilizing a quantitative survey, this dissertation found having additional training on perinatal mental health to have a significant impact on social workers’ knowledge, self-efficacy, and awareness.

Exploring social workers’ knowledge, self-efficacy, and awareness of perinatal mental health allows for self-reflection of one's own ability to assist this vulnerable population. Continued research in this …

The Use Of Animal-Assisted Therapy In Educational Settings, Jasmine Morris

Honors Scholar Theses

Animal-Assisted therapy is a form of goal-based intervention where an animal is a part of the treatment process. This study evaluated two different interventions that use animal-assisted therapy practices in educational settings. The first intervention studied was a UConn IDEA Grant project titled “Promoting Positive Well-Being Among Adolescent Girls of Color Using an Animal Care Framework”. Results were analyzed using a two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), fitting separate models to each grade, and chi-squared analysis. There was no significant impact of the intervention on increasing student knowledge of the content covered in the program The second intervention studied was the …

Evaluating The Feasibility Of Implementing A Prescription Drug Misuse Prevention Intervention In The Community: A Mixed Methods Study, Tamara Al Rawwad, Vaishnavi Tata, Matthew A. Wanat, Danielle Campbell, Douglas Thornton

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Background

This study is part of a state-wide effort to promote the safe disposal of prescription medications and mitigate prescription drug misuse. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a two-component prevention intervention through Community Prevention Organizations (CPOs) in Texas. The first component involved the distribution of in-home disposal products (IHDP) and the second focused on providing education of the risks of prescription drug misuse.

Methods

This study followed a mixed methods sequential explanatory study design. In the quantitative phase, the extent to which CPOs carried out the intervention was determined by the distribution rate – …