Social Work Commons^™

Just Because We Are Black: Exploring The Impact Of Racial Trauma On African American Adults And Introducing An Approach To Assessment, Charessa L. Mcintosh

DSW Capstone Projects

Racial trauma, also referred to as race-based traumatic Stress (RBTS), is a significant problem that African Americans experience. Racial trauma refers to people of Color and Indigenous individuals' (POCI) reactions to dangerous and threatening events and real or perceived experiences of and exposure to racial discrimination. RBTS can be experienced by other racial minorities, but it is the most frequently experienced by African Americans. The origins of racial trauma include racism, exposure to racism, experiencing and witnessing physical violence, the threat of injury, and numerous other emotionally traumatic events involving race. It is not uncommon for secondary traumatic stress disorder …

Sexual Reproductive Healthcare: Reproductive Autonomy, Access Inequity And The Call For Service Expansion, Elizabeth Johnson

DSW Capstone Projects

Sexual Reproductive Healthcare (SRH) is a key component of not only women’s healthcare but healthcare for every one of every age. SRH impacts not only physical health and social emotional well-being but foundations of families, communities and society including the economic impacts and the challenges of inequity. By examining the history of sexual reproductive health care, including advances in access and subsequent barriers, funding and lack thereof, the impact bias in obtaining care and the ever-changing law, policies and regulations impacting care this Capstone highlights the current yet ever changing status of sexual reproductive health care in the United States. …

Eliminating The Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness In Healthcare Settings: Examining Provider Training Using Anti-Oppressive Instruction And Contact (Aoic) Training, Janice M. Knapp

DSW Capstone Projects

Disparities in healthcare settings for individuals with mental illness is a pervasive issue that can create dire circumstances for one’s health. However, research into ways in which to eliminate the biases and stigma that lead to these disparities has not yet been thoroughly studied. Innovative interventions using effective strategies combined with a theory such as the anti-oppressive approach are poised to address the biases and stigma that surround mental illness, thereby reducing or eliminating entirely the disparities that exist in healthcare today.

The first product is a systematic literature review that focused on primary research that evaluated the effectiveness of …

Bibliography, Austin G. Griffiths

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Bibliography of publications by Austin Griffiths.

Between The Noise And Silence: An Autoethnography Challenging Schools Of Social Work To Evolve For Trans Students, Isaac M. Akapnitis, G. Trey Jenkins, Natasha S. Mendoza

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social work programs have been largely silent in the face of legislative at- tacks on transgender/nonbinary (TGNB or “trans”) communities across the U.S., which signals to TGNB students that they may not be supported in their respective programs. Consequently, TGNB students, staff, and faculty shoulder the burden to advocate for change within social work academic institutions and to speak out about violence perpetrated against TGNB communities. Using our voices as two trans doctoral students and a queer cisgender associate professor, we employed collaborative and critical autoethnography to share insights about the impact of this burden on TGNB social work students …

Volume 50, Issue 1 (2023)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Teaching Beyond Trans-Competency: Exploring Trans-Affirming Pedagogy Through Applied Case Studies, Sam Harrell, Sarah Mountz, Hazel (Bobbi) Ali Zaman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this paper, we share two applied case studies social work instructors can use to teach trans-affirming, anti-oppressive practice. These cases span two practice arenas, child welfare and low-barrier shelter services, and are derived from practice in the authors’ personal and professional experiences in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States. For each case, we describe the accompanying class context, share our pedagogical approach, name the underlying assumptions and structures that facilitate harm, explore relevant practice skills, and identify theoretical, philosophical, and ethical commitments essential for trans-affirming practice. Our approach to social work education on transgender and gender …

"We're All We Have": Envisioning The Future Of Mutual Aid From Queer And Trans Perspectives, Brendon T. Holloway, C. Riley Hostetter, Karaya Morris, Jax Kynn, Maximillion Kilby

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Mutual aid has prevailed for as long as humans have existed. However, the concept of mutual aid became popularized in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the racial uprisings in response to the continued police brutality toward Black people, and an increase in global climate crises. Mutual aid spread as a way of survival and collective care when formal systems, such as federal and local governments within the U.S., were failing to meet people's needs. Using a subset of data from semi-structured interviews, the current study relied on a desire-based research framework and foresight lens to capture the …

Applications Of Transformative Justice Principles For Centering Transgender And Gender Expansive Experiences In Social Work Education And Practice, E. Bickford, Angela Matijczak, Aaron Kemmerer, Florence Martinez, M. Alex Wagaman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social work education has traditionally used frameworks, such as cultural competency, to guide implicit and explicit curricula that shape how we think about communities that live and thrive outside of white supremacist and cis/heteronormative norms and values. While the cultural competency framework intends to promote a level of consciousness and attention that is required to practice with diverse individuals, families, and communities whose identities differ from that of the social worker, it instead inadvertently creates a knowledge base that reinforces harmful power dynamics between social worker and client/community. The cultural competency framework is absent of historical and structural context and …

Deconstructing The Administrative State”: Legal Trends And Consequences, Vicki Lens

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Attacks on the administrative state are escalating. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is on track to reverse key pillars of administrative law that gives deference to an agency’s expertise and knowledge when interpreting its authorizing statute. This article explores the legal, ideological, and philosophical underpinnings of these doctrinal changes in administrative law and the likely effect on administrative governance. It aims to inform non legal stakeholders, including social workers, how legal doctrines and principles shape what executive agencies do, the consequences of doctrinal changes, and the implications for administrators, those they serve, and the larger body politic.

Racial Microaggressions And Asian Americans' Well-Being: A Scoping Review And Exploratory Meta-Analysis, Shinwoo Choi, Amy Alberton, Hyejoon Park, Eun-Jee Song, Heather Gough, Inyoung Stella Lee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

BACKGROUND: Racial microaggressions continue to be a serious problem in the United States. While racialized microaggressions have been a long standing, though under explored, issue for all Asian Americans, Covid significantly amplified both overt and microaggression-based discrimination against Asian Americans because of the links between the origins of the viral spread and China (Lee & Waters, 2021). Despite this history of discrimination against Asian Americans, research in the area of microaggressions has lagged compared to other groups. However, research in this area has recently grown significantly, warranting a synthetic study of existing literature in order to better frame understandings of …

Book Review Of A Clinician's Guide To Gender Actualization: An Approach To Gender Affirming Therapy By Caitlin Yilmazer, Melinda Mccormick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of A Clinician’s Guide to Gender Actualization: An Approach to Gender Affirming Therapy. Routledge, 2022. 157 pages.

Review Of The Philosophical Roots Of Loneliness And Intimacy: Political Narcissism And The Problem Of Evil By Ben Lazare Mijuskovic, Seunghyun (Max) Moon

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of The Philosophical Roots of Loneliness and Intimacy: Political Narcissism and the Problem of Evil. Springer Nature, 2021. 225 pages.

Review Of Rural Social Work: Theory And Practice By Hok Bun Ku, Baohong Wu, Yuanjin Zhou

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of Rural Social Work: Theory and Practice. Social Sciences Academic Press, 2018. 198 pages.

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Mental And Physical Health For Low-Income Women Receiving Tanf, Elizabeth Hendrix, Mary Beth Vogel-Ferguson, Christina Gringeri

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to poorer mental and physical health in adulthood. We examine the experiences of low-income women (N = 884) receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance through a state workforce service agency. Participants averaged 4.66 out of 10 ACEs. Higher ACE scores were significantly associated with increased odds of: any physical health issue, fair/poor physical health, any mental health issue, fair/poor mental health, depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and drug misuse. We discuss implications for state TANF agencies and others administering employment programs, and recommend flexibility in eligible participation activities, including activities …

When Contraceptive Means No Pregnancy: Narrative Account Of Contraceptive Use Among Reproductive Women At The Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana, Akosua Bonsu Karikari, Nana Afia Karikari, Akua Afriyie Karikari, Amos Apraku

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Contraception is a major intervention in improving maternal health. There are about 214 million women of reproductive age in developing countries who are not using modern contraception to prevent pregnancy. For proper locale-specific analysis of female reproductive health issues in Ghana, it is vital to explore the knowledge base and hindrances to contraception use in local communities. We used a phenomenological design to study reproductive- aged women in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region of Ghana in order to comprehend the life world of study participants. This research demonstrates that the majority of the women in the study area …

Lived Experiences Of Voluntary Retirees Within Ghana’S Semi-Urban Space, Michael Tuffour

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this study, we examined the lived experiences of voluntary retirees on formal pension schemes within a semi-urban space in Ghana. This was necessitated by the paucity of knowledge in voluntary retirement within a semi-urban space in Ghana and Africa. Besides, the concept of voluntary retirement within Ghana has not really come to the limelight of research. Based on this we situated our study within a qualitative method approach of phenomenology and used a thematic analysis to assess the lived experiences of seven voluntary retirees with respect to their knowledge of the pension scheme, the challenges they faced as early …

Examining The Early Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Black/African American Adults, Laurie Blackman, Kathryn S. Krase, Donna Wang, Anthony C. Hill, Megan Cambridge

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a disproportionate risk of the disease in communities of color. The present study explored the impact of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-reported adaptation and coping, compared by the race of the respondent. Results from an anonymous, cross-sectional, online survey administered in June 2020 found that Black/African American adult respondents were less likely than non- Black/African American adult respondents to agree that they felt prepared for the COVID-19 outbreak; they were more likely than non- Black/African American adults to agree that they were personally affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, and more likely to …

The Myth Of Programmatic Intervention To Tackle Intergenerational Poverty In Post-Industrial Societies: A Longitudinal Study In Hong Kong As A Vantage Point, Wing Chung Ho

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Through tracking the educational and career trajectories of the young adult members (aged 24–26) of 154 families over 13–15 years, this study suggests that the problem of intergenerational poverty is serious in Hong Kong. Quantitative data indicates that adolescents with poor parents have a 104 percent higher chance of being poor in young adulthood, and nearly 60 percent (58.4%) of the samples follow “the-poor-begets-the-poor; therich- begets-the-rich” pattern across generations. However, the explanatory power of the logistic regression models consisting of confounding factors are weak (R2=0.15). Subsequent focus group discussions with 30 mothers from the samples point to myriad forms of …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Volume 50, Issue 3 (2023)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Clinical Social Workers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Parental Alienation, Martinek Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative research study aimed to explore clinical social workers’ perceptions and experiences of parental alienation (PA). Using Bowen’s family system theory as the framework, the research questions examined the problem from multiple levels of practice, including individual, family, institutional, and systematic. The individual interview approach aligned with the study goal by allowing participants opportunities to share their perspectives and experiences working with PA. The study used a purposive and snowball sampling of eight participants who were licensed social workers in the United States. Individual interview responses were transcribed and coded. Thematic content analysis was also used to analyze the …

Human Service Professionals’ Experience With Vicarious Trauma, Saundra Mcglothan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the vicarious trauma (VT)experiences of nonlicensed human service professionals (HSPs) between the ages of 30 and 65 from Central Texas who work with male intimate partner violence (IPV) victims. The conceptual framework that guided this study was the constructivist self-development theory. A purposive sample of 11 HSPs who experienced VT because of working with male IPV victims was obtained through flyers posted on social media. Huberman and Miles’s approach to thematic analysis was used to analyze the data and create codes, categories, and themes. The 13 themes that were identified …

Mental Health Impacts Of Covid-19 And Clinical Services In Elementary Schools, Dr.Hannah Cobb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has negative effects on children, adolescents, and adults. Despite these effects, information about the nature of mental health concerns and services provided to address these concerns by elementary school counselors is unknown. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to examine mental health concerns elementary school counselors observed among kindergarten through fourth grade students in urban Oklahoma during the COVID-19 pandemic, how they described clinical services provided to address these concerns, and how they decided to provide these services. The study was grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development to explore …

An Evaluation Of A Community-Based Children’S Bereavement Group Using A Resilience Model, Ada Terry Denone Terry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The death of a loved one can be an extremely painful process that can have detrimental consequences on the emotional well-being of individuals if they don’t receive grief intervention support. When it specifically comes to the emotional eudaemonia of children and teens experiencing the death of a loved one, research is limited on empirical-based bereavement intervention support to enhance their coping skills. Utilizing the theoretical framework of resilience theory, the purpose of this quantitative secondary research study was to evaluate the Sutter Sacramento Children’s Bereavement Art Group (CBAG) ten- week intervention for children and teens ages 5-12. The first question …

Exploring Social Workers And Self-Care, Justyna Wawrzonek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First responder social workers are exposed to a stressful work environment, which puts them at risk for burnout. Burnout increases turnover rates, which negatively impacts both social workers and the clients they serve. The use of self-care practices mitigates the harmful effects of burnout. Because first responder social workers in southern California have an average turnover rate of 6 to 12 months after hire, this study explored southern California first responder social workers’ experiences with self-care practices. A basic qualitative design using semistructured interviews was applied through the purposeful sampling of eight first responder social workers. The study was grounded …

The Barriers Social Workers Face During The Discharge Of Hospital Patients, Nykke Flaum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study investigated the psychosocial barriers hospital patients face that would delay their discharge. A delay in discharge can stop new patient admissions, cause further illness to the patient, and cost the hospital money, amongst other issues. Social workers are there as part of the multidisciplinary team to reduce the barriers and length of stay. One of the ways to do this is to detect the psychosocial issue early on in a patient’s admission so that it does not delay the discharge. Social workers investigate these issues during the discharge planning process and while conducting assessments. This study utilized structured …

Understanding The Barriers Of Lgbtq Youth Aging Out Of The Foster Care System, Quadasha Mcilwaine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, there have been significant barriers experienced by youths aging out of the foster care system. A new area of focus highlights youths that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ). In this study, the opinions of LGBTQ youths who have aged out of the foster care system in North Carolina were explored and the barriers these youths may encounter as they transition into adulthood were illuminated. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory is the framework that was used to guide this study. A basic qualitative approach was used with semistructured interviews of 10 LGBTQ aged-out youths in North Carolina. …

Social Workers’ Perspectives On Why Stepparents Kill, Laquitta Daniella Simms

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The term accidental filicide refers to the death of a child that occurs inadvertently due to abuse or neglect. In this category of child homicides, death was not the intended outcome. Stepparents outnumber biological parents as the primary perpetrators of accidental filicide based on data collected nationwide. There is limited research on how child protection social workers perceive the risk and safety associated with accidental filicide by stepparents. The objective of this study was to investigate the safety and risk factors related to accidental filicide and the perceived barriers through the lens of child protection social workers who investigated allegations …

The Reconciliation Of Cognitive Dissonance Among Social Workers In Substance Use Treatment Settings, Miranda Ashley Kieler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although harm reduction (HR) and abstinence-based treatment approaches are both useful in addiction treatment, the former is less accepted and integrated into practice. Social workers who embrace an HR approach but who work at substance abuse treatment facilities that are abstinence based may experience cognitive dissonance because they perceive their work role to be incompatible with social work practice values and education. Little was known regarding how practitioners with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree experience and reconcile cognitive dissonance related to their HR education and abstinence-only practice in substance use treatment centers. To address this gap in the …

Caucasian Social Workers’ Cultural Competence Regarding Advance Care Planning Among Southern African Americans, Lisa Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Caucasian social workers who work in healthcare and implement advance care planning (ACP) may not be competent regarding African Americans’ reluctance to complete advance directives. Research is lacking on how Caucasian social workers in Louisiana are increasing their cultural competence regarding the interplay of historical trauma, past medical mistrust, and spiritual beliefs on African Americans’ use of ACP. This study explored how Caucasian social workers are increasing their cultural competence regarding the interplay of historical trauma, past medical mistrust, and spiritual beliefs on African Americans’ use of ACP. The conceptual framework that guided this study was the cultural competence model. …