Social Work | Open Access Articles | Digital Commons Network™

Commercialism, Materialism And The Drive To Fulfill Beauty Ideals In The United States, Katie Hickey

Social Work Theses

I surveyed 90 students on the amount of money they spend on beauty products and procedures and simultaneously tested their level of body dissatisfaction.

Go to article

A Study Of Three Program Types' Effectiveness In The Prevention And Awareness Of Hiv/Aids In Sub-Saharan Africa, Kathryn Wood

Social Work Theses

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to over 60% of the world’s AIDS cases; thus, HIV prevention and treatment is a pressing global issue that needs to be addressed with governmental assistance, medication, education, and overall community support. This research paper examines and compares the success of HIV/AIDS treatment, education, and prevention programs in sub-Saharan Africa in order to determine which type of program is the most effective. The three program types that are examined are large-scale governmental policies and organizations, local community run grassroots organizations, and programs that combine grassroots initiatives with umbrella organization assistance. The general consensus of the reviewed …

Go to article

Creative Therapy And Adolescents: Emotion Regulation And Recognition In A Psycho-Educational Group For 9th Grade Students, Stacey Smith-Israel

Social Work Theses

Adolescence is a great opportunity for researchers to examine emotion regulation because of the physical, psychological, and social transformations that occur during this developmental stage. Adolescents that lack emotion regulation capabilities are more prone to expressions of anger, which commonly yield further symptoms of aggression, depression, and drug use. Factors contributing to low levels of emotion regulation during adolescence include stress, influence of childhood, parental influence, and maltreatment. A pre and post test were used to examine the effects of anger in a seven week creative therapy group for ten 9th grade students in a small, public high school in …

Go to article

A Comparative Study Of Self-Esteem: College-Aged Women Vs. Women At Midlife, Audrey Fritton

Social Work Theses

A woman’s self-esteem, defined as “a realistic respect for or favorable impression of oneself,” can have a profound impact on her overall life choices and outlook. Low self-esteem is associated with numerous consequences such as eating disorders, alcohol abuse, sexual promiscuity, and social withdrawal. This study investigated the self-esteem level of college-aged women as compared to that of women at midlife and also identified the external factors that impacted this perception of self-esteem. It was hypothesized that the intense focus on women’s rights and political activism of the 1960’s and 1970’s would have promoted greater self-esteem in young women of …

Go to article

A Study Investgating The Lingering Emotional And Psychological Distress Of September 11, 2001 On College Age Students, Lauren Deluca

Social Work Theses

This study was concerned with understanding the lingering psychological and emotional effects that September 11th continues to play on college age students today and the different factors that impacted their current feelings and emotions. Originally, the researcher wished to explore the relationship between the students’ geographic locations on September 11th, 2001 and their level of psychological and emotional distress in its aftermath. Unfortunately, the responses available for the variable geographic location could not be analyzed in a way that they could be used for this study. The study did, however, provide feedback based on the relationships between other variables indicating …

Go to article

Sexual Abuse In Preschool Aged Children: Teaching Childcare Professionals To Identify Signs And Symptoms, Kristin Pleines

Social Work Theses

Identifying sexual abuse in young children is difficult, but crucial to a child’s immediate well-being and long-term well-being. Because many children spend a large percentage of their day in childcare settings, the aim of this study was to help teach early childhood educators to identify and report sexual abuse. To accomplish this, the researcher designed a training program about sexual abuse and how to report it. The training program was then forwarded via e-mail to ten experts in the childcare field who had previously expressed interest in the study. These experts responded to a survey and provided many other suggestions. …

Go to article

Positive Behavior Support And Student Response To The Behavior Education Program, Kate Paolella

Social Work Theses

School-wide positive behavior supports (SWPBS) is an evidence-based systematic approach that views problem behaviors in a positive, preventative manner. Once a school-wide discipline system is in place, an intermediate-level intervention can be implemented to support the 5% to 15% of students who are at-risk of engaging in more severe behavior. Students who do not respond to universal behavioral approaches and need extra support can benefit from a targeted group intervention like the Behavior Education Program (BEP), which is based on a daily check-in check-out system providing students with immediate feedback on their behavior. This research study described the effectiveness of …

Go to article

A Comparison Of Teachers' Perspectives Of Social Competency Of Autistic Children In Inclusion And Self Contained Classrooms, Tara Noonan

Social Work Theses

Building relationships at the preschool level is a significant developmental milestone of early childhood. Children with disabilities often lack certain social and language skills necessary to build friendships with peers. While many preschool children with disabilities have difficulty building relationships, this study will concentrate on autistic children and their ability to achieve social competency. There are three classroom environments in which preschool children with autism can be educated: the self-contained classroom, the inclusion classroom, and home schooling. This qualitative study attempted to determine whether the self-contained classroom or the inclusive classroom promotes more social competency building in preschoolers with autism. …

Go to article

Exploring The Impact Of Immigrants' Views Of Public Sentiment, Jacqueline Salaway

Social Work Theses

Immigration is an issue that has become increasingly important in American society. An understanding of the issue of immigration, as well as the various issues related to it, is essential in the social work profession. It is apparent through recent changes in national immigration policies that the “pathway to citizenship” is becoming increasingly difficult. The literature reveals that public sentiment about immigration strongly influences the development of these policies. In addition to the influence that public sentiment has on policy-making, it is equally important to understand the ways in which public sentiment impacts immigrants’ perceptions of themselves. This research study …

Go to article

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Principles Of Distributive Justice And Political Ideology, Maryalice Multari

Social Work Theses

Ideology plays a very important role in everyday life, particularly in a President’s term of office. Under the Presidency of George W. Bush, welfare and other Social Services were severely cut due to the fact that he believed in more conservative viewpoints (higher military spending, higher tax cuts for the wealthy, etc.). However, ideologies are not only seen on a grand scale: everyone makes day-to-day decisions based on his/her own beliefs. This study hypothesized that males within the Providence College student body would believe in more conservative ideologies, whereas females would believe in more liberal ones. Statements based on both …

Go to article

The Internal And External Affects Of A Governor's State Budget Cuts On The Department Of Child Welfare, Tara Albury

Social Work Theses

State budget cuts reduce the resources available to the Department of Child Welfare. The Child Welfare Unit has had an increase in caseloads and a decrease in workers, resulting in an increase in caseloads for the remaining workers. In January 2009, the Department of Child Welfare made a transition with a community wide initiative to a more family directed all inclusive, team approach to service provision. The State was divided into four Initiative Regions, with a lead agency in each. This research examines areas of success, changes in staff responsibilities, changes in clients’ participation in services and barriers to the …

Go to article

The Elderly: A Descriptive Study Of The Perceptions Of The Elderly And Their Driving Abilities, Kimberly Pine

Social Work Theses

This study advances the understanding of older driver’s perceptions on their driving abilities. It focuses on examining a deeper and more detailed understanding of the different challenges the elderly are experiencing, in respect to driving and retention of their license. Additionally, it is important for others (such as family, doctors, social workers etc.) to interact with the elderly and assist them in receiving services if they are no longer capable of driving a vehicle, as well as talk with them if they are struggling with giving up their license and consequently their independence. Specifically, the analysis focuses on which gender …

Go to article

An Exploration Of Morale And Decision Making Of Children And Youths In Foster And Residential Care, Kevin Stanford

Social Work Theses

Children who are forced into foster or residential care are one of the most vulnerable populations in the United States. Many of these children have not had the benefit of a positive adult role model in their lives and therefore lack social skills and self-esteem often resulting in criminal activity. Previous research indicates various positive and negative influences on morale and decision making of children and youths in both of these populations. This study aims to build upon previous research in an attempt to improve the lives of youths in foster and residential care by further delving into the influences …

Go to article

Providing For Rhode Islands Juvenile Delinquents: Community Based Services Vs. Incarceration, Shannon Fitzgerald

Social Work Theses

National research has shown that high quality, alternative community based diversionary programs for delinquent youth are both more effective at reducing recidivism and less expensive than incarceration. As the state of Rhode Island faces budgetary issues, not unlike the issues the United States is facing on the national level, they have begun to move toward this model as a way to address juvenile delinquency. But the question is, does Rhode Island have the available resources to provide a better alternative for these youths than incarceration? This exploratory study’s objective was to explore if Rhode Island’s juvenile delinquents will be better …

Go to article

Human Trafficking And Global Policy: A Study On The Casual Factors Of Human Trafficking, Ashley Margarida

Social Work Theses

Victims of human trafficking may be exploited for prostitution, sweatshop labor, domestic work, and as child soldiers for armed conflicts. Elements of human trafficking include deception, recruitment, transportation, coercion, exploitation, and forced labor. Statistics of individuals trafficked vary according to source, but it is estimated that 700,000 to 4 million individuals become new victims of human trafficking every year. The literature on policies pertaining to human trafficking demonstrates a lack of international collaboration and inattention to the causal factors associated with human trafficking. This studied hypothesized that a positive relationship exists between a country’s view on prostitution, tolerance of male …

Go to article

New Ways Of Addressing The Psychological Traumas Of War: Supplementing Traditional Social Supports To Prevent Homelessness Among Mentally Ill Veterans, Leeann Byrne

Social Work Theses

Both nationally and in Rhode Island, there is a high prevalence of veterans in the homeless population. Many homeless veterans suffer from serious mental health issues and military specific traumas, adding to the social stigma they face. To avoid homelessness, veterans need to treat their mental illness with the assistance of their social support networks. Despite incredible advances in technology and mental health care, provision of mental health services to veterans still remains very traditional. With an influx of veterans returning from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, a greater number of younger clients will be entering the system. …

Go to article

Francophone African Immigration To The United States: Causes And Implications For American Social Work Practice, Whitney R. Henderson

Social Work Theses

Francophone, or French-speaking, West Africans immigrants within the United States are of particular interest due to their choice of relocation. It is noteworthy because they are choosing not to immigrate to France, where there is excellent healthcare offered and the language commonality between France and the immigrant. This research studies why members of this population were choosing the United States over France. This exploratory research of Francophone West African immigration to the United States was conducted via face-to-face interviews with three members of this particular population in Providence, Rhode Island. Results from the interviews indicated that there are various reasons …

Go to article

Dealing With The Unsuccessful Cases: An Assessment Of The Experiences And Process Of Coping With Patient Suicide In Mental Healthcare Professionals, Jennifer Heinemann

Social Work Theses

Mental health care professionals will inevitably encounter all types of “unsuccessful cases” in their line of work. Patient suicide is the extreme of these cases and can have a negative impact on their personal and professional life. This study sought to continue and expand research in this area by investigating the experiences and impact of patient suicide on all mental health professionals, the services available to them, and their opinions on best practice methods. Twenty- eight in-patient and five out-patient mental healthcare workers in Rhode Island were surveyed for this study. Analysis confirmed the impact of patient suicide on professionals …

Go to article

Barriers To Utilization Of Prenatal Care For Low Income Women Living In Rhode Island: Impact Of The Client-Service Provider Relationship, Nicole Lescarbeau

Social Work Theses

Federal legislation was enacted in the 1980’s to expand Medicaid eligibility of prenatal care coverage. Despite this focus however, many women still continue to not utilize care early or adequately (Regenstein, Cummings, & Huang, 2005, p.1). This study examines how barriers to utilizing early and adequate prenatal care, such as a lack of transportation and/or childcare, affect women of low income living in Rhode Island. Specifically, the focus is on the clients’ perceptions of the client-prenatal service provider relationship. This study also examines the impact of utilization of early and adequate prenatal services, and of substance use, on birth outcomes …

Go to article

International Policies And The Social Work Response: The Example Of Nafta, Lindsay Adamski

Social Work Theses

The policies made in the United States can have an important impact on the rest of the world and policy makers must consider the effect of U.S. policies not only on the citizens of the United States, but the global community as well. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is an example of a policy of the United States that has changed the economy of Mexico, and in many ways made Mexico more dependent on the United States. This paper looks at the effect NAFTA has had on the economies, jobs, and workers of both Mexico and the United …

Go to article

The Increase Of Bipolar Disorder In Children And Adolescents, Kristen Wroblewski

Social Work Theses

This cluster study investigates the different possibilities that may have caused an increase in the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in children and adolescents, including comparison to diagnosis in other countries. The same criteria for diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder for adults are used for children and adolescents, which may be misdiagnosed due to other disorders having the same characteristics, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In the cluster study, current and past students’ files at an alternative school were analyzed to determine whether the diagnosis had increased within the setting. Main findings were that Bipolar Disorder did increase over the …

Go to article

The Relationship Between Parental Substance Abuse And The Effects On Young Children, Lindsey Capaldi

Social Work Theses

This was a relational study investigating the implications of a parents drug use on a young child’s life. A review of the literature revealed that a child is severely impacted by their parent’s drug and alcohol abuse. Prenatal or postnatal use of drugs or alcohol can mean health, mental, social and emotional issues for a child. The relational study compared children whose parents have a history of drug or alcohol abuse to the children whose parents did not. The sample was observed in the Head Start setting and consisted of 77 children. The children whose family life did not include …

Go to article

Foster Youth And The "Aging Out" Age In Rhode Island, Kelsey Creeden

Social Work Theses

Foster care is a temporary placement of children and youth with others outside of their home due to child abuse or neglect. Since its 19th century origins, the foster care system has evolved to focus on three goals of providing safety, well-being, and permanency until the child leaves the system, either by reunification, adoption, or “aging out”. Because these youth often “age out” without a home, job, or support system, programs such as the Life Skills Program and the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative are working toward providing this population with skills that will assist them in successfully aging out …

Go to article

The Lack Of Mental Health Professionals And Services For Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Kiley Morgart

Social Work Theses

Children who are deaf or hard of hearing are vulnerable to abuse and are not receiving proper care at an early age due to their parents’ negative reactions towards having a child who has a hearing impairment. The lack of proper care and their vulnerability to abuse puts these children at a high risk of not developing properly. A qualitative study was undertaken using interviews to find services/agencies that provide help to parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing in Rhode Island. Findings indicate that there is a sufficient amount of service for parents but these parents …

Go to article

Effective Interventions For Treating Superficial Self Mutilators, Maria Palladini

Social Work Theses

Self-cutting is the most common form of self-mutilation in adolescents but there is insufficient knowledge as to which treatment methods to reduce self-mutilation are most effective. This exploration into the causes of self-cutting and the treatment interventions, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), compares adolescents who had DBT treatment with those who have used other treatment methods. Research findings indicate that the average age of adolescents in treatment was 15 years old and had been in treatment at least one time prior. Adolescents in DBT treatment showed signs in reducing/stopping self-cutting behavior along with improving communication skills with caregivers. Implications …

Go to article

The Need For Gender And Age Specific Life Skill Groups, Sara Pateras

Social Work Theses

Adolescent life skill groups can strengthen self-esteem, develop appropriate body image, and improve peer and adult relationships while providing a sense of unity and support for its members. By separating boys and girls, adolescent life skill groups encourage the easeful gender specific discussions. This research investigated the effectiveness of adolescent girls’ life skill groups on increasing self-esteem, developing appropriate body image, and improving both peer and romantic relationships. This research evaluated the results of a pre-test and post-test administered to 174 participants in a life skill group ran by Big Sisters of Rhode Island. This study found that the average …

Go to article

A Call For The Spiritual Dimension To Be Included In Social Work Education, Stephanie Sullivan

Social Work Theses

Spirituality is a concept that is not easily definable and because of that, many people shy away from fully understanding how one’s belief system can affect other factors in life. As a professional social worker, it is one’s duty to look at the whole individual because every system is intertwined with another. When pondering over whether or not aspects of spirituality is used in everyday social work practice, one must ask the question about the worker’s view on spirituality. This qualitative research study shows how spirituality in social work is arguably important both personally and professionally in the profession. After …

Go to article

Social Work With Affluent And Low-Income Families: Attribution Theory, Katharine Terbush

Social Work Theses

A study to assess attribution theory and the work done by social workers with wealthy and poor families was performed using two vignettes identical in information suggesting abuse, with one described as a wealthy family and the other a family living in poverty. Attribution theory suggests that humans label and assume certain traits to be true of different persons based on their status in our society. A person with a wealthy status may be viewed by their social worker as less likely to be abusive to their children because of their status, while a person living in poverty would be …

Go to article

Issues Regarding The Peruvian Maternal And Child Healthcare System, Patrick Cassidy

Social Work Theses

This paper highlights the deficiencies of the Peruvian Healthcare system. Despite the treaties and covenants the Peruvian government has signed, it has done little to mitigate the ills of its broken healthcare system. Peru’s current healthcare system is characterized by inequality between women, children, the poor and the wealthy. Furthermore, there is a lack of accessibility to maternal and child healthcare services that violates every individual’s right to health. The Peruvian government has been unresponsive towards the needs of women, children, and rural culture. Ineffective non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been incapable of alleviating Peru’s broken system. Additionally, Peru has not …

Go to article

The Role Of Elementary School Physical Activity In Combating Childhood Obesity, Bridget Freeman

Social Work Theses

Childhood obesity is currently on the rise because of the lack of emphasis on physical activity, overeating and malnutrition; it has especially been escalating in children of low income families. Physical education and recess in elementary and high schools are being eliminated or reduced as the requirements of the “No Child Left Behind Act”. This study compared the opportunities available to exercise in eleven low income, medium income, high income, and private elementary schools hypothesizing that low Socioeconomic status children may be at greater risk due to the cost of healthy food, neighborhood safety, and issues restricting at home physical …

Go to article

Full-Text Articles in Social Work

Commercialism, Materialism And The Drive To Fulfill Beauty Ideals In The United States, Katie Hickey

Social Work Theses

A Study Of Three Program Types' Effectiveness In The Prevention And Awareness Of Hiv/Aids In Sub-Saharan Africa, Kathryn Wood

Social Work Theses

Creative Therapy And Adolescents: Emotion Regulation And Recognition In A Psycho-Educational Group For 9th Grade Students, Stacey Smith-Israel

Social Work Theses

A Comparative Study Of Self-Esteem: College-Aged Women Vs. Women At Midlife, Audrey Fritton

Social Work Theses

A Study Investgating The Lingering Emotional And Psychological Distress Of September 11, 2001 On College Age Students, Lauren Deluca

Social Work Theses

Sexual Abuse In Preschool Aged Children: Teaching Childcare Professionals To Identify Signs And Symptoms, Kristin Pleines

Social Work Theses

Positive Behavior Support And Student Response To The Behavior Education Program, Kate Paolella

Social Work Theses

A Comparison Of Teachers' Perspectives Of Social Competency Of Autistic Children In Inclusion And Self Contained Classrooms, Tara Noonan

Social Work Theses

Exploring The Impact Of Immigrants' Views Of Public Sentiment, Jacqueline Salaway

Social Work Theses

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Principles Of Distributive Justice And Political Ideology, Maryalice Multari

Social Work Theses

The Internal And External Affects Of A Governor's State Budget Cuts On The Department Of Child Welfare, Tara Albury

Social Work Theses

The Elderly: A Descriptive Study Of The Perceptions Of The Elderly And Their Driving Abilities, Kimberly Pine

Social Work Theses

An Exploration Of Morale And Decision Making Of Children And Youths In Foster And Residential Care, Kevin Stanford

Social Work Theses

Providing For Rhode Islands Juvenile Delinquents: Community Based Services Vs. Incarceration, Shannon Fitzgerald

Social Work Theses

Human Trafficking And Global Policy: A Study On The Casual Factors Of Human Trafficking, Ashley Margarida

Social Work Theses

New Ways Of Addressing The Psychological Traumas Of War: Supplementing Traditional Social Supports To Prevent Homelessness Among Mentally Ill Veterans, Leeann Byrne

Social Work Theses

Francophone African Immigration To The United States: Causes And Implications For American Social Work Practice, Whitney R. Henderson

Social Work Theses

Dealing With The Unsuccessful Cases: An Assessment Of The Experiences And Process Of Coping With Patient Suicide In Mental Healthcare Professionals, Jennifer Heinemann

Social Work Theses

Barriers To Utilization Of Prenatal Care For Low Income Women Living In Rhode Island: Impact Of The Client-Service Provider Relationship, Nicole Lescarbeau

Social Work Theses

International Policies And The Social Work Response: The Example Of Nafta, Lindsay Adamski

Social Work Theses

The Increase Of Bipolar Disorder In Children And Adolescents, Kristen Wroblewski

Social Work Theses

The Relationship Between Parental Substance Abuse And The Effects On Young Children, Lindsey Capaldi

Social Work Theses

Foster Youth And The "Aging Out" Age In Rhode Island, Kelsey Creeden

Social Work Theses

The Lack Of Mental Health Professionals And Services For Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Kiley Morgart

Social Work Theses

Effective Interventions For Treating Superficial Self Mutilators, Maria Palladini

Social Work Theses

The Need For Gender And Age Specific Life Skill Groups, Sara Pateras

Social Work Theses

A Call For The Spiritual Dimension To Be Included In Social Work Education, Stephanie Sullivan

Social Work Theses

Social Work With Affluent And Low-Income Families: Attribution Theory, Katharine Terbush

Social Work Theses

Issues Regarding The Peruvian Maternal And Child Healthcare System, Patrick Cassidy

Social Work Theses

The Role Of Elementary School Physical Activity In Combating Childhood Obesity, Bridget Freeman

Social Work Theses