Social Work Commons^™

What Social Workers Need To Know About Cyberbullying, Laura Jeanette Franco, Brenda Maria Miranda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Cyberbullying (CB) has been a growing concern that has affected students, parents, and professionals in significant ways.One of the main professionals that have been affected by CB are school social workers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify what social workers need to know about CB. This study used a qualitative study design because we wanted to obtain an in-depth examination of CB views and beliefs.Data was gathered from 8 middle school teachers, a school principal and a school counselor from a public school in the western region of the United States.In the study participants were interviewed with …

Social Workers In International Relief And Development: A Natural Fit, Sharon Pittman, Carman L. Sugawara, Mark E. Rodgers, Andrea Bediako

Interdisciplinary Journal of Best Practices in Global Development

This study sought to examine the compatibility between social work competencies with humanitarian assistance job skills requirements in the market. A systematic analysis of international job descriptions (N=500) was conducted with a focus on the skills required of potential employees. The main themes identified and operationalized into discrete skills and/or behaviors were: technical expertise, intra- and extra-organizational competencies, personal abilities, sector specialization, education, and language requirements. To aid educators in curriculum building, the identified skills were cross-referenced with the Council on Social Work Education’s Education Policy and Accreditation Standards practice behaviors to determine how they translate into standardized competencies. The …

Kate Martin: Individual And Couples Therapist And Workshop Leader, Erin Olson, Diana S. Richmond Garland

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Whether she is working as therapist with a couple in crisis in her office or leading a workshop in a church fellowship hall, Kate sees this as her way, as she says, of "answering God's call to bring redemption."

A Qualitative Study Exploring The Perceptions Of Social Workers Concerning Independent Living Programs In Conjunction With Post-Secondary Education After New Jersey Foster Youth "Age-Out" Of The Foster Care System, Patrick L. Beatty

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this research study is to investigate the perceptions of New Jersey social workers regarding potential barriers that may exist with foster care youth maturity development, independent living programs emphasizing foster care alumni post-secondary education achievement, and social worker departmental training relating to their understanding of independent living programs.

The design of this qualitative study focused on New Jersey Division of Children & Family volunteer participants consisting of three district office manager interviews, and three social worker focus group discussions from specific geographic locations throughout New Jersey. The interview and focus group questions were developed after comprehensive research …

Designing A Measure: Measuring Social Workers' Attitudes Toward Lgbt Youth In Child Welfare, Christi E. Bell, Raul A. Salcedo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study reports the results of an exploratory factor analysis conducted to analyze the reliability of a pilot instrument created to evaluate social workers’ attitudes toward LGBT youth in the foster care system. The sample (n = 60) included social workers, supervisors, and staff from the County of San Bernardino Children and Family Services. Data were collected from February 2011 to March 2011. A two factor solution yielded the best results; Chronbach’s alpha for factor one yielded a strong result for internal consistency reliability (α = .777) and for factor two yielded a less strong result (α = .628). Strategies …

Heteronormativity, Homonormativity, And Gender Variance In The Classroom : Perceptions And Reflections From School Social Workers, Dirk De Jong

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Public school personnel encounter increasing numbers of gender-variant and transgender students, according to anecdotal reports. Very little is known about the response of social workers to this rather new phenomenon. This qualitative study, framed conceptually by notions from Queer theory, attempted to explore the perceptions, attitudes, and self-reported practices of a sample of school social workers in the Northeastern United States with respect to gender socialization and gender variance in the classroom. The data were collected by way of individual interviews.

The Development And Pilot Of A New Macro Social Work Field Evaluation Instrument, Sarah P. Maynard

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The dissertation study explores the complex concepts of macro social work student competence and describes the development and pilot of a field evaluation that employs the use of qualitative student descriptors in the evaluation of macro social work students. A qualitative student descriptor is a short statement that describes a behavior of a social work student. When used for field evaluation purposes, field instructors are given a list of qualitative student descriptors that cover a range of competency levels. Field instructors are asked to indicate which statements best describe their student. Each qualitative student descriptor is linked with a 1-5 …

Toolkit For Mental Health Professionals, Social Workers, And Guidance Counselors Working With Immigrant And Refugee Students, Rojina Maya Mccarthy

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this Capstone project is to develop a best practices toolkit for social workers and mental health professionals working with immigrant and refugee students in school setting. The toolkit is intended to be disseminated by The Advocates for Human Rights to social workers, guidance counselors, and other mental health professionals who work with immigrant and refugee children. This toolkit will also be used by the staff in the organization.

Social Work: A New Phenomenon In China, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Social tensions are bubbling in China. Are social workers the way to maintain social stability?

Influences On Social Workers' Approach To Informed Consent Regarding Antidepressant Medications, Janet Acker

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Psychotropic medications have become an increasingly frequent aspect of mental health treatment, and social workers are uniquely poised to have insight to a client's experience of medication treatment as well as to observe and process with the client the way that medications are working or not working. They are also obligated to support clients with a meaningful informed consent process. This study adopts the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1988) as a lens through which to better understand the factors related to clinical behavior around informed consent when social workers are working with those who are using or considering antidepressant …

A Survey-Based Study Of Social Workers' Critical Consciousness And Practice With Lgb Clients, Cynthia Lynn Bott

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Social workers are responsible for providing the majority of mental health and substance abuse services in the United States in the role of direct service. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LBG) individuals utilize these services at rates that are believed to be higher than other populations. The field of social work embraces social justice as one of its core principles. This cross-sectional survey of 220 BSW and/or MSW social workers investigates two questions: what is the relationship among key aspects of social worker critical consciousness, i.e., attitudes about social justice, change agency, and awareness of heterosexism; and in what ways does …

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

LSU Master's Theses

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

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

LSU Master's Theses

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

Social Workers In Rural Places: A Study Of Practitioners In The Upper Peninsula Of Michigan, Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

No abstract provided.

A Critical Analysis Of The Epas Competencies And Practice Behaviors, William A. Anderson, Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

This papers reviews the changes in the expectations regarding EPAS Competencies and Practice Behaviors since first presented by CSWE and how that has affected program development and outcome assessment. The language of the EPAS is critiqued from several perspectives, including Bloom's Taxonomy, face validity, and exhaustiveness.

Characteristics And Case Outcomes Of Families That Participate In Team Decision Making, Veronica Mendez Lopez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to identify the demographics, case characteristics, and outcomes of families that participate in Team Decision Making (TDM) within the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, Children's Services Division. The study used secondary data from Riverside County Child Welfare System/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) and Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) databases. Data was collected from 2253 families that first entered CWS and participated in TDM between the years 2008-2012.

Policies In Hospital Social Work, Jolene L. Reisdorfer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The goal of this project was to create an environment that provides a professional standard of care to ensure patient safety. This project will address the absence of policies in the Social Service Department at Mayo Clinic Health System, Southwest Region. A standard of care is a detailed standardized model of an intervention process that discusses the goals, objectives, settings, process, procedures and interventions (Gayle, 2005). Policy development must occur to assure that patients with social service needs are being identified appropriately and are being provided necessary interventions to meet their needs (Gordon & Rehrs, 1969). The project also identified …

Louisiana Social Workers: A Study On Attitudes Toward Lgbt Youth, Rachel Kathleen O'Pry

LSU Master's Theses

Social workers in most professional practice settings will encounter young clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). It is therefore important that variables influencing levels of homophobia and transphobia among these workers be analyzed. In this study, the author sought to examine the attitudes and perceptions of social workers in Louisiana toward LGBT youth. These attitudes and perceptions were then compared to individual variables such as religion, previous training on sexual orientation and gender identity, and race. The Religious Commitment Inventory (RCI), Genderism and Transphobia Scale (GTS), and Heterosexual Attitudes Toward Homosexuals (HATH) scale were completed by …

Foot Soldiers For Social Justice: Realities, Relationships, And Resilience, Carole J. Olson, Holly A. Riffe, Caroline Reid, Norma Threadgill-Goldson

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Social justice is embraced as a central mission of social work, yet how the profession defines social justice lacks a clear and common understanding. This qualitative study explored social justice as perceived and practiced by social workers in diverse practice settings in mostly rural areas, small towns, and small cities. Their experiences illustrate ways that social workers engage and advocate for their clients with the goal of improving access to tangible and intangible resources through both conventional and unconventional means. The authors provide insight into the resilience that bolsters social workers’ efforts as they navigate between practice ideals and realities.

Foster Care Workers' Emotional Responses To Their Work, Alissa Schwartz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The field of child welfare struggles with high rates of job turnover. This study describes the contributors to and experiences of foster care workers' emotional responses to their work. Uniquely drawing from the field of Positive Psychology, it describes and conceptualizes the relationships of multi-level contributors to foster care workers' emotional reactions at work. In-depth interviews conducted with 25 foster care workers found that negative emotions were more prominently featured than positive, but that working in an agency with positive workplace characteristics mitigated this relationship. Theoretical implications and limitations of taking a Positive Psychology approach to the study are discussed.

Why Do Social Service Supervisors Have So Much Trouble Hiring Social Workers Across Rural Minnesota?, Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

This session focuses on current knowledge pertaining to difficulties in hiring and retaining social service providers across rural areas - with special attention to rural Minnesota.

Best Practices Of A Social Worker's Role In Supporting Family Caregivers Enrolled In Hospice Care, Jessie Wolf

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to explore best practices are for hospice social worker’s providing care to family caregivers enrolled in hospice. This project explored processes and assessment tools that other hospice agencies in rural Minnesota utilized while caring for the family members of hospice patients. The information obtained was used to provide recommendations to Mayo Clinic Health System- Mankato Hospice program to further improve the hospice programming and the social worker’s role.

Is There Really A Problem With Hiring Rural Social Service Staff? An Investigation Of Rural Minnesota Social Service Supervisors, Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

This study was designed to further investigate concerns about hiring social service staff in rural areas. Surveyed rural-based social service supervisors across Minnesota.

Implications For Child Welfare Teaching And Human Services Personnel Perspectives Experiences Of Children With Special Needs, Sarah Huesmann

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Social Work Ethics Computer-Based Training Minnesota State University, Mankato Department Of Social Work, Rebecca Robinson-Wargelin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

At the Community Behavioral Health Hospital, St.Peter (CBHH),a discussion was held regarding Ethics Continuing Education Hours(CEUs). The Minnesota Board of Social Work(MNBSW)and Minnesota State Statute 148D.130 require that Licensed Social Workers receive two hours of ethics-specific CEUsper licensure renewal. Through this discussion,it appeared that it would be beneficial to create an ethics computer-based training(CBT), which would be of no expense to State Operated Services(SOS)Social Workers.This option would also provide convenience for social workers, who as a majority,reside within rural areas.The CBT created is in accordance to requirements of the MNBSW and has an emphasis to include the National Association of …

Integrating Spirituality In Practice: From Inner Journey To Outer Engagement, Holly Nelson-Becker

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

No abstract provided.

Social Workers In Rural Areas: Research On Workforce Issues, Recruitment, And Retention, Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

This presentation addresses a brief history of knowledge around rural social work, the current state of knowledge on rural workforce issues, the social work workforce in rural and remote areas, recruitment and retention issues and concerns, and suggestions for future development of social work workforce, research, and knowledge development.

Professional Burnout: Are Social Workers As Crispy As We Think?, Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

This presentation focuses on burnout among social workers. The presentation will include historical and empirical information, findings from current research on the topic, and suggestions for identifying and managing burnout.

Are There Differences Between Rural And Urban Social Workers? Understanding Educational And Demographic Predictors, Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

No abstract provided.

Ethnic/Racial Matching Of Clients And Social Workers In Public Child Welfare, Robin Perry, Gordon E. Limb

Faculty Publications

Although considerable debate exists throughout the human-service literature regarding the potential benefits and limitations associated with ethnic/racial matching of clients and workers, there are few studies that examine the prevalence of this practice with large representative samples. This study utilizes a secondary analysis of data collected from 4813 public-child-welfare workers throughout California. Using census data to control for county-specific population demographics, American-Indian, Hispanic/Latino(a), Caucasian, and Asian-American child-welfare workers are more than two times more likely to have caseloads with a high percentage of clients who match their race/ethnicity than workers self-identified as another race/ethnicity. African-American workers are 1.28 times more …