Social Work Commons^™

Stretching The Paradigm: Crisis As A Problem In Mental Health Research, Roger A. Lohmann

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Crisis intervention is an established paradigm of community mental health theory and practice in which the nature and circumstances of crises are assumed to be well understood and the subject of established research findings and theory. Review of existing crisis research literature fails to support such assumptions. There is, in fact, little current evidence available on the nature and circumstances of mental health crises, despite the importance of crisis intervention in contemporary practice. This paper presents descriptive findings of a study of the frequency, duration and severity of mental health crises, based on analysis of more than 500 crisis incidents …

Closing The Wealth Gap: Promoting Change By Working Together, Jennifer Heffern, Aja Riley

Center for Social Development Research

Closing the Wealth Gap: Promoting Change by Working Together

The Age Old Question, Which Comes First? A Simultaneous Test Of Children's Savings And Children's College-Bound Identity, William Elliott Iii, Eun Hee Choi, Mesmin Destin, Kevin H. Kim

Center for Social Development Research

This study has three goals: (1) to provide an extensive review of research on the assets/expectation relationship, (2) to provide a conceptual framework for how children’s savings effects children’s college-bound identity (children’s college expectations are a proxy for children’s college-bound identity), and (3) to conduct a simultaneous test of whether owning a savings account leads to college-bound identity or college-bound identity lead to owning a savings account using path analytic technique with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Our review reveals asset researchers theorize about college-bound identity in two distinct but compatible ways: college-bound identity as a “linking mechanism," and college-bound identity …

Whose Space? Whose Rules? Social Challenges In Mixed-Income Developments, Mark L. Joseph

Faculty Scholarship

Mixed-income developments are being built in Chicago and across the country as a strategy to help address poverty and rebuild communities in the inner city. Tese eforts seek to attract higher-income residents to the sites of former public housing developments and integrate low-income residents back into them in contexts of greater safety, stability, opportunity, and order. Such eforts are not without challenges, however. Based on feldwork conducted between 2007 and 2009, this brief focuses in particular on the challenges raised in negotiating the uses and expectations of space in three mixed-income developments that are part of Chicago’s Plan for Transformation: …

International Volunteerism In Asia, Caroline Brassard

Center for Social Development Research

This article discusses the implications of key findings from Emerging Perspectives on International Volunteerism in Asia, the first comprehensive study on international volunteerism on the continent. Among those findings is the documentation of a growing trend toward “Asia-to-Asia” volunteer placements and of the trend’s benefits, both for organizations that send volunteers and for those that host them. The article also discusses challenges identified in the report.

"We Try To Create The World That We Want": Intentional Communities Forging Livable Lives In St. Louis, Joshua Lockyer, Peter Benson, Daniel Burton, Leeann Felder, Danielle Hayes, Erica Jackey, Alysa Lerman

Center for Social Development Research

This paper analyzes ethnographic research conducted in five intentional communities in the St. Louis region. Intentional communities have long been formed and entered into by people seeking to create more ideal, more livable lives. Our research focused on the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the members of the five communities, the motivations of members for joining, and the benefits and shortcomings they experience. In reporting these findings we summarize common themes that help us to better understand why people join intentional communities, how those communities work, and the values and goals that underpin conceptions of quality of life there. We …

Survey Response In A Statewide Social Experiment: Differences In Being Located And Collaborating By Race And Hispanic Origin, Yunju Nam, Lisa Reyes Mason, Youngmi Kim, Margaret Clancy, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

This study examines whether and how survey response differs by race and Hispanic origin, using data from birth certificates and survey administrative data from a large-scale statewide experiment. The sample consists of mothers of infants selected from Oklahoma birth certificates using a stratified random sampling method (N=7,11). This study uses Heckman probit analysis to consider two stages of survey response: (1) being located by the survey team and (2) completing a questionnaire through collaboration with the survey team. Analysis results show that African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanics are significantly less likely to be located during the study recruitment than …

Ten Year Trends (1992 To 2002) In Sociodemographic Predictors And Indicators Of Alcohol Abuse And Dependence Among Whites, Blacks, And Hispanics In The U.S, Raul Caetano, Jonali Baruah, Karen G. Chartier

Social Work Publications

Background

The objective of this paper is to examine 10-year trends (1992–2002) in the number and type of indicators of DSM-IV abuse and dependence among Whites, Blacks and Hispanics in the U.S.

Methods

Data are from the 1991–1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey (NLAES; n = 42,862) and the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; n = 43,093). Both surveys used multistage cluster sample procedures to select respondents 18 years of age and older from the U.S. household population.

Results

Increases in the prevalence of alcohol abuse between 1992 and 2002seem associated to a rise in …

American Indian And Alaska Native Grandfamilies: The Impact On Child Development, Suzanne Cross, Angelique Day, Patricia Farrell

Social Work Faculty Publications

Traditionally, grandparents and other family members have assumed integral roles in raising children within American Indian/Alaska Native communities. The existence of an extensive support system assisted parents in passing on to their children the knowledge of customs, culture, and language essential to community survival and well-being. An increasing number of children are now being raised in “grandfamilies,” a type of family constellation where grandparents take on the role of sole or primary caregiver for their grandchildren under eighteen years of age.

Trends In Alcohol Services Utilization From 1991–1992 To 2001–2002: Ethnic Group Differences In The U.S. Population, Karen G. Chartier, Raul Caetano

Social Work Publications

Background:  During the early 1990s in the United States, changes to the provision and financing of alcohol treatment services included reductions in inpatient treatment services and in private sector spending for treatment. We investigated trends in alcohol services utilization over the 10‐year period from 1991–1992 to 2001–2002 among U.S. whites, blacks, and Hispanics.

Methods:  Data come from 2 household surveys of the U.S. adult population. The 1991 to 1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey and the 2001 to 2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions conducted face‐to‐face interviews with a multistage cluster sample of individuals 18 years of …

Child Neglect And Its Association With Subsequent Juvenile Drug And Alcohol Offense., Ellen Delara, J Propp, W Chen, K Corvo

Falk College Research Center

No abstract provided.

Hard Truths About Heart Work: An Interview With Jennie Chua, Lien Centre For Social Innovation

Social Space

Just as there are calls for leadership to bridge the business and social worlds, there are also calls for new models and inspiration in the nonprofit sector. Social Space catches up with the inimitable Jennie Chua,fundraiser and chairman of the Community Chest, to hear her thoughts on these issues. True to form, Jennie delivers a few hard truths about fundraising and charity in Singapore.

Celebrity Philanthropy: Reassessing Fame For Civil Society, Oranutt Narapruet

Social Space

Oranutt Narapruet argues for the support and enabling of philanthropy efforts by stars.

Factors That Impact Service Delivery To Individuals Living With Hiv/Aids In Rural Northeastern Texas, Wilma Cordova, H. Stephen Cooper, Freddie L. Avant

Faculty Publications

This study surveyed participants in focus groups to identify factors that affect individuals living with HIV/AIDS in rural northeastern Texas. The average age of the respondents was 45.44. Participants included a diverse group of American Europeans, Hispanics/Latinos, and African Americans. Although results are inconclusive, other studies have supported similar results regarding factors that impact treatment and services (Zuniga, Buchanan, & Chakravorty, 2005). Some of the factors include lack of financial resources for the consumer, stigma and discrimination, and lack of understanding on the part of the consumer and the community. More studies in rural areas serving people living with HIV/AIDS …

Family Involvement Within Assisted Living: Care-Receivers' And Caregivers' Roles And Relationships, Rachel Vineet Solomon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Family systems providing informal care and support to their aging relatives, who were residing in assisted living systems and receiving formal care were central to this study. A broader understanding of family involvement, with respect to exploring both care-receiver and caregiver roles and relationships, within the regulatory and environmental context of assisted living was sought through a qualitative research process. This study employed a phenomenological approach to conduct in-depth interview sessions with eight pairs of participants, comprising elderly residents in five assisted living facilities and their respective caregiving family members, typically a daughter or son and, in one case, a …

The Relationship Between Vicarious Traumatization And Job Retention Among Child Welfare Professionals, Jennifer S. Middleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation study examined the relationship between vicarious traumatization and job retention among 1,192 child welfare professionals in five different child welfare organizations. Propositions from Constructivist Self Development Theory (CSDT) were utilized to examine the differential factors influencing the impact of vicarious trauma on child welfare professionals' intent to leave their organization, including coping strategies, professional efficacy, and professional satisfaction. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to assess the degree of fit between the observed data and several hypothesized theoretical models examining the relationship between vicarious trauma, coping strategies, professional efficacy, professional satisfaction, and retention. Findings from SEM analyses revealed …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Resident Readiness, Engagement, And Relocation During Mixed-Income Redevelopment, Laurie A. Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since 1990, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has supported mixed-income redevelopment (MIR) strategies to address the problems of concentrated urban poverty neighborhoods with traditional public housing structures. This study focused on two neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado, with more than 38% of the residents living in poverty, which are facing transit-oriented MIR in the coming years. Residents in both neighborhoods have engaged in formal planning processes and community organizing as a way to be prepared for the change.

The study posed three research questions: (1) what predicts a community's readiness for MIR, (2) what predicts resident involvement as …

Descriptive Analysis Of Authorized Psychotropic Medication Trends In Foster Care Youth In California, Jamila Amber Russ, Amy Lynn Mallit

Theses Digitization Project

Knowledge of the trends of authorized psychotropic medication among foster care youth in California is of great importance. With the understanding of these trends, child welfare agencies are able to improve their policies pertaining to consent and oversight.

Gratitude Intervention And Its Effect On Substance Abusers, Patricia Kelleen Mcclanahan

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of an intervention seen to increase life satisfaction in substance abuse treatment. While treatment models have improved, results remain low for long-term abstinence. The study participants were substance-abuse treatment clients at Mental Health Systems (MHS). This study will measure, in terms of increased life satisfaction, the effectiveness of a daily gratitude list on the negative mindset of substance abusers in treatment. The focus of this study will be the use of intervention that has been seen as beneficial in enhancing personal well-being.

Social Workers' Perceptions Regarding "At Risk" And Delinquent Foster Care Youth, Laura June Deluca, Mallory Michelle Flores

Theses Digitization Project

This thesis explores the experiences of social workers within San Bernardino County's Children and Family Services who are working with delinquent and high-risk youth within foster care. Social workers were asked to describe services that are available and the potential protective risk factors that may exist. It is imperative to understand this population and the services that exist in order to address this problem and better meet the needs of youth.

Substance Abuse Treatment For Women With Children, Jean Mary Mccarthy

Theses Digitization Project

The significance of this project is the need to further the steps that have been taken to provide comprehensive substance abuse treatment for women with children and argue for additional funding for these types of treatment facilities.

The Relationship Between Acculturation And Depression Among Latina College Students, Carla Elizabeth Bryant

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between acculturation and depression among Latina college students. Out of 72 participants, the respondents had low reports of experiencing depressive symptoms and had an equal balance between traditional culture and western culture. Seventy-two students from the California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) undergraduate program were administered questionaires to participate in this study. The study sample consists of only Latina women of Mexican origin.

Evaluation Of The Effectiveneess Of Social Work Intervention In The "Making Attendance A Priority Program", Justine Beatriz Rangel

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to address the problem of truancy by looking at what types of effective interventions helped to decrease truancy within the preadolescent population. This study looks at the correlation between a social work intervention and attendence with 27 fifth grade students who were in the MAPP program (Making Attendance a Priority Program). An evaluation of the effectiveness of a social work intervention on truancy rates for students in the MAPP program.

Former Foster Youths' Perceptions Of Their Life Experiences, Yodit Tesfia Zerai

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project was to examine the perceptions of former foster youths' life experience while in foster care and after leaving the foster care system. It was also recommended for child welfare social workers to have contact with former foster youth on a regular basis and to provide services as needed even after they exited the system.

Comparing Cultural Competence In Graduating Master Of Social Work And Nursing Students, Joanna Guadalupe Rubio, Jamie Anne Webb

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to compare cultural competence between graduating Bachelor of Nursing students and Master of Social Work students. The study participants consisted of 107 students who were graduating from either the MSW program or the Bachelor of Nursing program at California State University, San Bernardino. Participants were asked to complete a cultural competence survey and quantitative data analysis was utilized to compare cultural competence among respondents.

Choosing The Gift Of Down Syndrome: Families' Experiences Internationally Adopting A Child With Down Syndrome, Erika Susan Lazo

Theses Digitization Project

This qualitative study explores the experiences of families who choose to internationally adopt a child with Down syndrome. This study was conducted in order to address the current scarcity of research on this population and their specific needs and strengths in order to equip social work practitioners to more effectively work with these families. Mothers were interviewed about their family's adoption process, the service they utilized, and the process of integrating the newly adopted child into the existing family unit. A sample of nine families who had completed an international adoption of a child with Down syndrome were gathered. These …

Substance Abuse Services And Their Effects On Parental Reunification With Children Within The Child Welfare System, Jacqueline Ann Myers

Theses Digitization Project

This study explained the affect of the parental substance abuse services on the reuniting of the parents with their children. Understanding the significance of parental substance abuse treatment services in regards to reunification with children within the child welfare system is necessary in providing children with a healthy and safe environment.

Risk And Protective Factors Contributing To Depressive Symptoms In Vietnamese American College Students, Meekyung Han, Mary Lee

Faculty Publications

With the demographic shifts the United States faces, understanding the contributing factors to mental well-being among minority college students is crucial. This study examines the roles of parental and peer attachment, intergenerational conflict, and perceived racial discrimination on depressive symptoms while also analyzing the mediational role of sense of coherence (SOC) on depressive symptoms in Vietnamese American college students. Results from 134 Vietnamese American students surveyed showed that higher levels of parental and peer attachment predicted lower depressive symptoms; SOC partially mediated the effect of parental attachment on depressive symptoms; and SOC played a full mediational role via perceived racial …

Perceived Effectiveness Of Sports Interventions On Mental Health: Exploring The Perspectives Of Professional Educators, Isais Wellington Smith, Gamaliel Beltran

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine sports interventions among professional educators and how sports as an exercise method can contribute to mental health well being. Sports and exercise in many therapeutic environments may help individuals alleviate symptoms pertaining to depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bi-polar, and many other mental health disorders.

What Are The Characteristics Of Families With Three Or More Referrals To Children And Family Services Within A Twelve Month Period?, Elizabeth Irene Valenzuela

Theses Digitization Project

In order to better serve those famailies that are chronically involved with Children and Family Services and prevent their future involvement with the system, social service workers should be able to identify and understand what characteristics are causing referral. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of families with three or more referrals within a twelve month period that significantly impact the number of referrals a family receives.