Social Work Commons^™

Assessing Student Readiness To Work With People Who Use Drugs: Development Of A Multi-Disciplinary Addiction Educational Survey, Patrick C.M. Brown, Dana Button, Danika Bethune, Emily Kelly, Hannah R. Tierney, Rahee M. Nerurkar, Christina Nicolaidis, Rebecca Harrison, Ximena Levander

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: As health profession schools implement addiction curricula, they need survey instruments to evaluate the impact of the educational interventions. However, existing measures do not use current non-stigmatizing language and fail to capture core concepts.

Objective: To develop a brief measure of health profession student readiness to work with people who use drugs (PWUDs) and establish its content validity.

Methods: We conducted a literature review of existing instruments and desired clinical competencies related to providing care to PWUD and used results and expert feedback to create and revise a pool of 72 items. We conducted cognitive interviews …

Supportive Neighborhoods, Family Resilience And Flourishing In Childhood And Adolescence, Sheila Barnhart, Molly R. Bode, Michael C. Gearhart, Kathryn Maguire-Jack

Social Work Faculty Publications

Flourishing is linked with health and well-being in childhood and adulthood. This study applied a promotive factors model to examine how neighborhood assets might benefit child and adolescent flourishing by promoting family resilience. Using data from the combined 2018 and 2019 National Survey of Children’s Health, structural equation models tested direct and indirect relationships between neighborhood physical environment, neighborhood social cohesion, family resilience, and flourishing among 18,396 children and 24,817 adolescents. After controlling for multiple covariates that may influence flourishing, the models supported that higher levels of neighborhood social cohesion were directly associated with higher levels of flourishing adolescents, and …

Suicide Among South Asian Americans: A Systematic Review Of Causal And Risk Factors, Susheelabai R. Srinivasa, Sudershan Pasupuleti, Rani Dronamraju

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This paper will provide an overview of suicide prevalence among South Asian Americans who constitute nearly one-third of Asian Americans and 1.7 percent of the United States population. South Asians, late 20th century immigrants, are a numerally small percentage of the population in the United States. As a distinct ethnic population despite significant diversity within, South Asians encounter unique challenges with myriad sub-cultures and struggles that make them vulnerable and underrepresented in policy and service utilization in mental health and health care due to various barriers. These conditions create vulnerability among first and subsequent generations as they go through social …

Political Skill, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is political skill?

Political skill refers to “the ability to effectively understand others at work, and to use such knowledge to influence others to act in ways that enhance one’s personal and/or organizational objectives” (Ahearn et al., 2004, p. 311). Unlike organizational politics, which involve selfserving and detrimental behavior, political skill involves positive, sincere, and effective influence (Ferris et al., 2005). The primary measure of political skill is the 18-item Political Skill Inventory, which assesses political skill through four factors: social astuteness, interpersonal influence, networking ability, and apparent sincerity. Example items from each factor, respectively, include “I always seem …

The Development Of The Police Department Wellness Survey (Pdws), Tia White

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Police officers dedicate their careers to serving and protecting the communities they work in. Research is finding that the intensity of demands put on their mental health has turned suicide rates amongst police officers is at critical levels and has been declared by experts to be a ‘pandemic’ in the population (Wylie, 2020). There are very few researchers who broach police officers’ mental health. Social workers’ education and values make them uniquely qualified to engage in this study. The literature in policing supports that there are no assessments designed specifically for police and there are no known measures that provide …

Herstory: Women And Drugs. Women In The Environment Perspective Using Meta-Ethnography, Tammy Ann Shay

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Women are underrepresented in drug and alcohol treatment programs globally. Socio-economic inequities and stigma continue to plague women seeking treatment. The macro and mezzo environments are often ignored, with more of a focus on women "choosing" drugs over traditional feminine roles. Social consequences and punishment are used to deter rather than to treat. Meta-ethnography is a seven-phase qualitative evidence synthesis valuable method for social research. Meta-ethnography was used to explore the treatment barriers involved with women seeking drug treatment. Qualitative studies were examined from EBSCO, PubMed, ProQuest, JSTOR, PubPsych, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Sage, yielding 422 peer-reviewed records. Inclusion …

Collaboration Among Vocational Rehabilitation And Mental Health Leaders: Supporting The Vocational Success Of Transition-Age Youth With Serious Mental Health Conditions, Anwyn Gatesy-Davis, Nancy Koroloff, Joseph Marrone, Maryanne Davis

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

Background: The ability of vocational rehabilitation, adult mental health and child mental health service systems to collaborate regarding the employment and career development goals of transition-age youth has not been explored nor has attention been paid to strategies that would increase this collaboration.

Objective: his qualitative study asks leaders from these three systems to describe collaborative activities that support better vocational services for transition-age youth with serious mental health conditions and discuss barriers and facilitators to collaboration.

Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 39 formal and informal leaders in vocational rehabilitation (n = 16), child mental …

Representations Of Autism In Ontario Newsroom: A Critical Content Analysis Of Online Government Press Releases, Media Advisories, And Bulletins, Margaret Janse Van Rensburg

Faculty and Staff Publications

In Ontario, Canada, autism has become widely politicized. In the last 20 years, instances of personal and organizational advocacy developed into wider-scale policy and programs. Government press releases indicate Ontario’s developing response to autism as a social policy issue, while reflecting societal perceptions and priorities surrounding autism. Informed by Critical Disability Studies and Critical Autism Studies, this article uses a content analysis to explore the manifest and latent priorities of Ontario’s provincial government displayed in press releases between 2001-2019 accessed through the Ontario Newsroom, an online repository of press releases and media advisories that features different initiatives published by …

A Conversation With Comics Not Otherwise Specified (Cnos) (Interview), Miranda J. Brady, Kennedy L. Ryan, Margaret Janse Van Rensburg, Kelly Fritsch, Comics Not Otherwise Specified

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Autism_Media_Social Justice (Editors' Introduction), Miranda J. Brady, Kelly Fritsch, Margaret Janse Van Rensburg, Kennedy L. Ryan

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Supporting Employment Consultants In Their Work With Job Seekers, Alberto Migliore

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This is a summary of the article "Supporting employment consultants in their work with job seekers: A longitudinal study" published in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation. The article highlights an urgent need for policy, practice, and research to identify and remove the roadblocks that prevent employment consultants from investing more of their time in core activities that lead to hiring.

Pornography: Social, Emotional And Mental Implications Among Adolescents, William K. Canady

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation will explain the historical development of pornography. It will highlight four segments: 1- Porn’s impact on brain development of reward pathways, ultimately increasing the appetite for more porn. 2- Porn can be a false substitute for real intimacy, resulting in decreased sexual satisfaction with a real person and increased verbal and physical aggression. 3- Porn promotes sex trafficking, promotes multiple sex partners and reduced STD prevention. 4- A review of interventions available to assist clients in navigating a lifestyle away from pornography.

Pathways To Resilience: Lessons Learned From Covid-19, Mary Ann Hollingsworth

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Out of the mouths of youth themselves while in the Covid-19 pandemic - pathways to build and sustain resilience in the life challenges that come our way at all stages of life.

A Girl Named Sue: A Child's Journey From Complex Trauma To Hope, Healing & Recovery, Jamie Like Ms.

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Audience would include any school staff, counselors, social workers, parents and community members. Many children who experience complex trauma struggle emotionally, physically and behaviorally. In this session, participants learn to never underestimate the impact they can make in the life of a child, that damage from childhood trauma can be mitigated and that relationships, relationships, relationships are the key to everything!

Molecular Biomarkers Of Adult Human And Dog Stress During Canine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Scoping Review, Jaci Gandenberger, Erin Flynn, Em Moratto, Ashley Wendt, Kevin Morris

Institute for Human-Animal Connection: Faculty Scholarship

Positive relationships, including those between humans and other animals, particularly dogs, may be a way to reduce stress in humans. However, research into this area is relatively new, and a comprehensive review of the impacts of these interactions on humans and dogs has not been conducted. A scoping review of the scientific literature was conducted to explore what is known about the impacts of canine-assisted interventions on molecular biomarkers (e.g., cortisol and oxytocin) and associated measures (e.g., heart rate and blood pressure) of human and canine stress. As reported across 27 identified studies, canine-assisted interventions have consistently been demonstrated to …

Human Behavior In The Political Environment: A Content Analysis Of Political Content In Hbse Textbooks, Brendan Young

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

To address the problem that social workers feel inadequately prepared to engage in the political system, the current study utilizes a content analysis approach to review political participation content in Human Behavior in the Social Environment (HBSE) textbooks. Thus, this study seeks to address the question: How do HBSE textbooks address political components of CSWE EPAS Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice? Initially, literature regarding social work political participation and political practice in social work curriculum as well as an overview of competency-based education is provided. Additionally, a review of the Civic Volunteerism Model, Systems Theory, and Bloom’s Taxonomy is …

Learning Styles, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What are learning styles?

The concept of learning styles is the idea that people differ in the way that they learn best, and instructors should determine each trainee’s optimal style and then use training methods that match the trainee’s style (Pashler, 2009). There are dozens of different learning style classifications, including such styles or dimensions as visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile modality preferences (Dunn & Greggs, 2003, cited in Coffield et al., 2004); concrete vs. abstract and sequential vs. random (Gregorc, 1982a, cited in Coffield et al., 2004); holistic vs. analytic and verbalizer vs. imager (Riding & Raynor, 1998, cited …

Shifting Course: Drawing On Feminist Principles To Inform Community-Engaged Teaching In Uncertain Times, Amie Thurber, Sarah V. Suiter, Susan Halverson

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This autoethnographic case study explores teaching community-engaged courses during the onset of COVID-19. As educators who teach applied program evaluation courses at two universities, we consider how principles of feminist community engagement—relationality, border crossing, reflexivity, and disruptive pedagogy (Iverson & James, 2014)—ground our courses. Drawing from instructor reflections, interviews with community partners, students’ written reflections, and course evaluations, we explore how these principles informed our pedagogical response to teaching through the tumultuous spring of 2020, and the degree to which these practices enabled the continued participation of students and community partners. We close with implications for community-engaged teaching in these—and …

Examining The Role Of Social Support And Neighborhood Deprivation In The Relationship Between Multiple Aces And Health Risk Behaviors, Marin L. Henderson-Posther

Dissertations and Theses

The accumulation of multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is associated with the disproportionate development of health risk behaviors (HRBs), such as smoking, substance use, physical inactivity, and risky HIV behaviors. The impact of neighborhood social inequities on the association between multiple ACEs and HRBs is not well known. This study aims to examine the impact of stressors associated with neighborhood deprivation on ACE-related HRBs, the potential protective factor of perceived social support (PSS), as well as better understand disproportionality experienced by racial/ethnic minorities. Through merging data from the 2010 Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey (n = …

Broadband Internet Access: Equal Access And Opportunity For All, Erin Kotten, Emily Louks, Matt Frank, Marissa Mammenga

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

The internet has become the primary way households gain access to daily services, including education, healthcare, employment resources, and transportation. In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly designated internet access a basic human right. Millions of Americans are living in the digital divide. Low-wage workers, people of color, children, older adults, individuals with disabilities, the less educated, rural residents, and limited English-speaking households are among those most affected by lack of broadband access in Minnesota. Those without access experience social and economic inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the need for broadband access. Minnesota must end the digital divide that limits …

Investing In The Social Work Profession Benefits The Health And Well-Being Of Us All, Jill Craig, Kayla Jacobsen, Mackenzie Erickson, Madison Lanning

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Social workers are the backbone of Minnesota's human services and mental health system. Social workers worked diligently to assist people in receiving health care, connecting to community resources, and overcoming grief and loss throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Social workers are a versatile workforce serving Minnesotans in every sector of our society: hospitals, mental health centers, schools, social service agencies, community centers, and politics and advocacy. Minnesota has an aging social work workforce that must be replenished. However the high cost of getting a social work degree, especially in relationships to pay, is a hinderance to people entering and staying in …

Parent-Centered Planning: One Approach To Ending Ableism In The Child Welfare System, Gabrielle Heille, Bailey Mcnulty, Jessica Schisel, Bla Yang, Lauren Zappitello

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Parents with disabilities are disproportionately involved in the child welfare system. This is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as the basic human rights of dignity and autonomy. Assessment tools and data collection systems currently utilized by the system fuel discrimination and provide inconsistent reporting. Minnesota needs to implement child welfare practices that center the goals of the parent, fully utilize informal and formal community supports, and make creative accommodations to reduce the number of children removed from their parents on the basis of ability. A lack of existing data indicates that more research is needed, …

Restore The Vote: Ending Parole, Probationary, And Supervised Release Disenfranchisement, Patrick Johnson, Lucy Rodriguez, Katelyn Sticha, Stephanie Trejo

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

In Minnesota, felony disenfranchisement is the suspension of voting rights when a person is serving a felony conviction through incarceration, probation, parole, or supervised release. Felony disenfranchisement deprives tens of thousands of Minnesotans of their most basic civil rights long after any period of incarceration has ended. This is especially true for Minnesotans of color. Restoring the right to vote immediately upon release from incarceration will promote equality in voter representation and protect civil rights for all Minnesotans.

Most Home-Delivered Meal Recipients With Dementia Receive Support From Friends And Family, But More Social Activity Is Needed, Claire Pendergrast

Population Health Research Brief Series

Home-delivered meal programs reduce hunger and food insecurity, promote socialization, and improve health and wellbeing for older adults. Regular social support from home-delivered meal drivers, alongside social support from friends and family, may be key to preventing isolation and improving health for older adults with dementia. This research brief shows that home-delivered meal recipients with dementia receive significant support from friends and family, but 83% would like more social activity. To better support older adults with dementia and family caregivers, aging services providers should expand virtual and dementia-friendly social engagement programming.

African-American Pastors' Mental Health Literacy, Leadership And Counsel: A Systematic Review, Michelle A. Townsend

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

The African-American pastor is a trusted provider of leadership and counseling within the Black church and community. Pastors and ministry leaders are often the first responders of mental health issues faced by their congregants and community members. As a trusted and sought-after source for counseling, the African-American Pastor is a mental health provider to a community who often does not pursue professional mental health counseling. Although the community is susceptible to the same mental illness as other ethnic groups, there is mistrust for the medical and mental health community and inequality in the available resources. This study 1) examined what …

Sexual Coercion, Unintended Pregnancy, And Poor Reproductive Health Among Adolescent Girls (Aged 13 - 19) In Mexico, Arun Kumar Acharya, Maria Luisa Martinez

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

In Mexico, nearly 23,000 adolescents between the ages of 12-17 years suffer sexual coercion every year. This group also has a high birth rate of 77/1,000 adolescents, which indicates that one in every five pregnant women is an adolescent. This study describes the sexual coercion of victims and their views regarding the experience based on data collected from 37 Mexican girls between the age of 13 to 19, selected purposively using the snowball method in Monterrey city, Mexico. Results indicate that sexual coercion among adolescents is a serious problem, where 70% of adolescents experienced vaginal sexual coercion, nearly 22% experienced …

System Dynamics Of Cognitive Vulnerabilities And Family Support Among Latina Children And Adolescents, Peter S. Hovmand, Esther J. Calzada, Lauren E. Gulbas, Su Yeong Kim, Saras Chung, Jill Kuhlberg, Carolina Hausmann-Stabile, Luis H. Zayas

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The paper describes an approach to developing a data-driven development of a feedback theory of cognitive vulnerabilities and family support focused on understanding the dynamics experienced among Latina children, adolescents, and families. Family support is understood to be a response to avoidant and maladaptive behaviors that may be characteristic of cognitive vulnerabilities commonly associated depression and suicidal ideation. A formal feedback theory is developed, appraised, and analyzed using a combination of secondary analysis of qualitative interviews (N = 30) and quantitative analysis using system dynamics modeling and simulation. Implications for prevention practice, treatment, and future research are discussed.

Community-Clinic Linkages For Promoting Hiv Prevention: Organizational Networks For Prep Client Referrals And Collaborations, Rebecca L. Mauldin, Tamara Al Rawwad, Muhammad Amith, Lisa M. Kuhns, John A. Schneider, Kayo Fujimoto

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Community-clinic linkages may help communities increase HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake. Referrals from community-based organizations may be particularly important for linking Black men who have sex with men (MSM) to PrEP. This study describes PrEP referral and HIV/STI prevention networks among organizations that serve MSM in Houston, TX (N = 40), and Chicago, IL (N = 28), and compares network positions of organizations based on percentage of Black/African American clients. A majority of organizations conducted PrEP awareness/promotion activities, but fewer made PrEP referrals, with little overlap between the collaboration and referral networks. The networks tended to have a …

‘They Did Not Have To Burn My Sister Alive’: Causes And Distribution By State Of Dowry Murder In India, Peter Mayer

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Dowry, the money, goods, property, or gifts given by the bride’s family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage, is a common custom in South Asia. Although it is illegal to demand—or offer—a dowry in India, it is a nearly universal custom in many parts of the country. If, after marriage, a husband’s family feels that the wife’s dowry was insufficient, they may harass or inflict other forms of domestic violence on her to put pressure on her family to provide an additional dowry. At its most extreme, this violence may lead to the murder of …

Program Pembentukan Dan Peningkatan Kapasitas Petani Pesisir Dompak Laut Sebagai Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Pesisir, Klemensia Michelle Novely Horista, Ety Rahayu

Jurnal Pembangunan Manusia

Indonesia as a maritime country has many coastal community groups. But unfortunately, the various efforts to develop the blue economy have not been able to improve the welfare of these community groups. Most of them choose to depend on the fisheries and tourism sectors, even though Indonesia's marine potential is vast and there is much that can still be developed. Coastal communities are not aware of the climate crisis that is getting worse and can threaten the security of the environment where they live. Based on this, the CarbonEthics Foundation seeks to be a solution by prioritizing training and education …