Social Work Commons^™

Juvenile Recidivism Risk Factors From The Juvenile Justice Professional Perspective, Fotini Stamidis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile crime and recidivism have devastated Baltimore City, Maryland, especially in the quality of life and social bond, producing fear in the city’s communities. The current situation is increasing the need to promote a better understanding of juvenile recidivism and delinquency of the risk factors causing juveniles to re-offend. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to add to the knowledge base on juvenile recidivism risk factors from the perspectives of juvenile justice professionals. Hirschi’s social bond theory was used to explore juvenile justice professionals’ experiences and perspectives on recidivism risk factors. Research questions focused on the perceptions of …

Conceptualizing Attorney Motivation: A Study Of The Representatives For Parents And Children In The Child Welfare System, Shannon Moody

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Background. Attorneys who represent parents and children in dependency, neglect, and abuse (DNA) proceedings are key in influencing the outcomes of the cases they carry. These influences include the length of time a child spends in the custody of the state or the necessity for foster care, visitation with family members, length of time to reunification, and recommended services for the child and parents (Courtney & Hook, 2012; Goldman, 1993; Thornton & Gwin, 2012; Zinn & Peters, 2015). The American Bar Association’s analysis is that there are “four constants: high caseloads, low compensation, inadequate training, and lack of supervision” …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Psychological And Social Factors On Labor Market Integration In A Gender Stratified Sample Of Refugees In Germany, Theresia M. Pachner

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Refugees are disproportionally more likely to be unemployed. Additionally, women have a higher unemployment rate than men. Prospective gender-stratified research on refugee labor market integration is both rare and needed. The goal of this dissertation was to determine the effects of psychological, social, and demographic factors on employment outcomes within a gender-specific framework.

This secondary data study used data from a representative longitudinal panel study of refugees in Germany. Data spanned two years with collection at two time-points (T1 and T2) including baseline (T1) and one year later (T2). Using a complex samples framework in SPSS, logistic regression analyses were …

Rural Suicide: A Three Manuscript Dissertation Utilizing The National Violent Death Reporting System, James Watts

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Purpose: Rural residents and veterans are at a greater risk of death by suicide but there is little research to compare rural versus urban suicide decedents. There is also a lack of research specific to rural veteran suicide. This three-manuscript dissertation study explores 1. epidemiology of suicide specific to rural areas comparing rural veterans to rural non-veterans 2. veteran suicide decedents that lived in rural areas compared to veterans that live in urban areas and 3. How the continuum of rurality is related to demographic and circumstantial variables associated with suicide Methods: Data was obtained from the Centers for Disease …

The Influence Of Distance Learning On Undergraduate Social Work Competency: An Exploratory Study At A Private University, Christine K. Fulmer

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

This is an exploratory study of undergraduate social work education at a private faith-based university. The university offers both online and residential program options. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of distance education and program option on the educational outcomes of graduates in a newly developed social work program. The program started in 2015 with its first graduating class in 2017. The sample (N = 262) consists of students graduating in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Students could take classes across program options and each student in the sample completed both traditional and online social work courses. …

Trauma-Sensitive Leadership In Multidisciplinary Settings, Jennifer Griswold Withrow

DSW Capstone Projects

As the social work profession continues to expand into more diversified areas of practice, such as politics, environmental justice, governmental work, and international crisis work, it is critical to ensure that social workers have the tools necessary to be successful leaders in these extended areas. Utilizing Trauma-Sensitive Leadership is an important concept to incorporate into multidisciplinary teams to ensure employees and communities feel supported and understood. By implementing these concepts which are ingrained into the social work profession into expanded areas of practice, social workers can feel empowered to lead multidisciplinary teams and provide support and understanding to the staff …

The Examination And Evaluation Of The Public Foster Care System's Attachment-Based Intervention And Trainings For Foster Parents In The West North Division Of The Midwestern States, Brooke T. Crowell

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The effectiveness of many foster parent training curricula in the United States foster care system is basically unknown (Adkins et al., 2018). Furthermore, there is little to no research that indicate when and how attachment-focused interventions and trainings are being implemented in the United States. Thus, the initial purpose of this study was to examine and evaluate interventions and trainings pertaining to attachment that exist throughout the United States public foster care system. As this study progressed however, the purpose shifted to answering this question: How is the Midwest foster care system training staff and foster parents on issues of …

Delaware’S Multidisciplinary Teams For The Investigation Of Child Abuse: Communities Of Practice?, Lori Sitler

Bryn Mawr College Dissertations and Theses

Multidisciplinary teams (MDT) of professionals are mandated to respond to and investigate cases of child abuse in Delaware. Utilizing research and theory about interorganizational collaboration, my exploratory study considered how this mandate operated in practice. Five themes from interorganizational literature (IOC) on facilitators and barriers to collaborative practice--trust, commitment, communication, capacity, and change--were examined using the theories of Goffman and Weber. The concept of power underlies these themes.

The MDT was considered a motivating example to explore whether Lave and Wenger’s socio-cultural learning theory of Community of Practice (CoP) explained learning and practice among multidisciplinary professionals considering barriers and facilitators …

A Descriptive Study: Perceptions Of Family Court Judges And Attorneys Regarding Parents Involved With Child Welfare Services As A Result Of Substance Misuse And/Or Mental Health Issues, Nathan Terrell

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

For three consecutive years, Kentucky has dealt with the worst rates of child maltreatment in the United States. Kentucky has implemented numerous measures to address this crisis. While many research efforts have focused on perceptions of children involved with child welfare services, there are few efforts researching the perception of judges and lawyers about parents involved with family court services.

This study used a mixed-methods approach to explore the perceptions of Kentucky Family Court Judges and family law attorneys about parental involvement with child welfare services as a result of substance misuse and/or mental health issues. The qualitative component of …

How Do Refugees Experience A “Sense Of Place” In A Community Garden? Exploring An Intervention To Mitigate The Consequences Of Displacement, Amy E. Stein

Bryn Mawr College Dissertations and Theses

As a consequence of displacement, refugees grapple with significant resettlement challenges, such as social isolation, language barriers and depression, anxiety, and trauma. A growing body of literature focuses on place-making, or emplacement, to promote health and well-being for re-settlement challenges. This qualitative study helps social service providers understand the neces-sity for community-based interventions to improve the resettlement process for refugees, using a place attachment model. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Karen and Chin Burmese (Myanmar) adult refugees who participated in a community garden program in Phil-adelphia (ages 28 to 82). Data analysis revealed that community gardens offer an opportunity for …

Research To Consider While Effectively Re-Designing Child Welfare Services: A Response To Commentaries, Jill Duerr Berrick, Richard P. Barth, Antonio R. Garcia, Brett Drake, Melissa Jonson-Reid, John Gyourko, Johanna K. P. Greeson

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

Barth et al. (2021) published an article in this journal identifying ten topics in the field of child welfare that are frequently discussed among professionals, advocates, and researchers in an effort to shape discussions of practice and policy reform. Concerned that these discussions are often poorly informed by the research evidence, Barth et al. intended to offer a corrective to these common, erroneous narratives. The Editor-in-Chief, Bruce Thyer, asked for suggestions for commentators and then invited some number of respondents to offer their perspectives on the original article. Here, we respond to each of the submitted papers, highlighting areas of …

The Experiences Of Older Youth In And Aged Out Of Foster Care During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Material And Financial Well-Being By Foster Care Status, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Ethnicity, And Race, Johanna K. P. Greeson, John Gyourko, Sara Jaffee, Sarah Wasch

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

As a marginalized, under-resourced population, older youth with foster care experience are acutely vulnerable to the economic and social harms wrought by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study summarizes findings from an online survey deployed in April 2020 to learn about the experiences of current and former foster youth (ages 18 to 23) during one month of the COVID-19 crisis. Using purposive sampling and a cross-sectional design, the survey yielded a final analysis sample of 281 respondents from 32 states and 192 cities or districts. Findings underscore the pervasive negative impacts of COVID-19 on respondents’ housing/living situations, food security, employment, …

Disparate Financial Assistance Support For Small Business Owners, Sophia Fox-Dichter, Daniel Auguste, Mathieu Despard, Michal Grinstein-Weiss

Social Policy Institute Research

Small business owners experienced a drastic economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Government pandemic assistance failed to reach many small business owners, especially those historically underserved by financial institutions. Drawing on a 2021 survey of 246 small business owners, the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis descriptively examined the extent to which small business owners sought and received business assistance, and whether applications and approval of government assistance varied by race and ethnicity. We find that though Hispanic and Black business owners applied for government assistance at a higher rate than white business owners, Black business …

Finding Aid For The Katye L. Patridge Collection (Mum00137)

Archives & Special Collections: Finding Aids (alphabetical)

Papers of Katye L. Patridge document her career as a home demonstration agent in the agricultural extension service of Mississippi and Virginia (1924 to 1930) as well as her higher education at Tulane University School of Social Work and a career in social work in the 1930s and 1940s that included employment in Mississippi by the Works Progress Administration, the National Youth Administration, and the State Board of Public Welfare.

Examining Face-To-Face And Online Supervisee Disclosure Within The Supervisory Alliance, Letitia D'Aria Unger Johnson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine face-to-face and online supervisee disclosure within the supervisory alliance. Just as client care pivoted to online platforms, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, so did clinical supervision, which was uncharted territory for many, including those familiar with online counseling. The methodology used was consensual qualitative research (CSR). Eight participants were recruited as a sample of convenience, and semistructured interviews were conducted via Zoom. Results indicated domains such as important characteristics of the supervisory relationship, importance of communication, supervisor characteristics related to self-disclosure, positive aspects and negative aspects of online supervision, and …

Social Workers’ Perceptions On Partnering With Police To Address Violent Police Encounters Towards African Americans, Adrian Springfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research documents the pervasiveness of violent police encounters towards African Americans in the United States and importance of a multidisciplinary approach between social workers and police to prevent police violence. However, little is known about social workers perceptions and experiences on partnering with police to address violent police encounters towards African Americans. Informed by Tuckman’s group formation theory and Bell’s critical race theory, the purpose of this generic qualitative inquiry study was to explore social workers in the United States perceptions and experiences on partnering with police to address violent police encounters toward African Americans. Using semistructured interviews, data was …

The Perspectives Of Former Csec On The Recruitment Process Through Online Platforms, Shawnte Beacham-Houston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is the sexual exploitation of children for financial gain and is a billion-dollar industry. The sexual exploitation of children is a serious form of sexual abuse and a violation of their human rights. Previous research has explored sex trafficking victimization but not pathways to sexual exploitation. Current research does not explain how online activities and specific internet platforms are involved in CSEC recruitment and entry into the commercial sex trade industry. In this study, the way in which social media platforms are used to recruit children into the sex trade industry was addressed. The …

Mental Health-Medical Crisis Team Impact On First Responder Outcomes On Persons With Mental Illness, Mary Josephine Lakey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Persons with mental illness (PMIs) are 16 times more likely to experience harm when interacting with police than individuals without mental illness. This inequity has recently become prominent in American discourse due to the ubiquitous use of cell phones and social media, where videos of incidents between police and PMIs circulate. In this generic qualitative research, members of a collaborative mental health and emergency medical service professionals (EMSPs) team in an urban area were interviewed to assess the team members’ perceptions of the impact of the program on frequency of adverse outcomes during interactions with PMIs. The theoretical framework for …

How Being Aware Of Military Culture Influences Social Work Practice With Female Military Personnel, John Raymond Gonzalez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Active-duty women in the military seek help through the Family Advocacy Program (FAP) on military bases from social workers with a master’s degree in social work (MSW) who are hired by the federal government or by firms that contract with social workers to serve military personnel. Most of those social workers have no military background per se, which brings into question how being aware of the military culture might influence their practice with female military personnel. Grounded in self-awareness theory, which places focus on one's awareness relative to one's culture and environment at any time, the purpose of this action …

Development Of A Capacity Building Program To Promote Trauma-Informed Services, Juan Miguel Medina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Wichita County, Texas experienced decreased academic performances of elementary level children in 24 out of 45 communities. Higher numbers of traumatic experiences increase a child's risk of not meeting developmental benchmarks. The purpose of this capstone project is to support the development of a trauma-informed capacity-building program. Ungar's resiliency theory was used to understand the factors related to building resilience in children to prevent trauma. Using action research, the researcher explored how developing program content may improve an agency's system readiness to deliver effective trauma-informed care. Data were collected from a focus group with local social workers. Content analysis was …

Child Welfare Workers’ Development Of Cultural Competency For Clients In Poverty, Rachel Armstead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children of families living in poverty are at a higher risk of being victims of child maltreatment than children of families not living in poverty. Many families involved in the child welfare system live in poverty and have low socioeconomic status. The National Association of Social Workers requires all social workers to have a level of cultural awareness, knowledge, and skill to engage clients from diverse cultures. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore child welfare workers’ understanding of cultural competence and their implementation of culturally sensitive practices as they engage clients living in poverty. Bacote’s cultural competence …

Educators’ Perception Of Their Psychosocial Support Of Elementary Students In Gabon, Africa, Michel Ikamba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although educators internationally have often provided care to vulnerable students who struggle to meet the needs of nutrition, health, protection, and access to essential social services, no formal social systems exist in Gabon to aid educators who work with these students. In the absence of relevant local research and drawing on Dewey’s theory of progressive education as a conceptual model, this basic qualitative study asked about educators’ perceptions in limited resource elementary schools in Gabon of the social needs and strategies employed with students who demonstrated signs of disengagement and alienation. Qualitative data collection included semi-structured recorded interviews with 12 …

Social Workers’ Role In School Discipline Of Black Male Students, Teresa L. Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School administrators enforce various forms of school discipline, including office referrals, suspensions, and expulsions, as strategies to maintain safe learning environments for students and staff. Over four decades of research indicate Black male students experience more consequences and receive tougher school discipline than their peers of other races. School discipline potentially causes adverse outcomes for students. Schools employ social workers to support behavior and academic needs of students. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore lived experiences of school social workers in their role in school discipline of Black male students. The theoretical framework used for this study …

Intersectional Invisibility Of Black Lgbtqia+ Client Strategies For Bias And Discrimination Prevention, Dr. Tonya Y. Griffith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Those who identify as members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities have been victims of bias and prejudicial attitudes. Because LGBTQIA+ people embody all cultures, races, religious convictions, and socioeconomic statuses, this creates additional barriers for some community members who identify as both Black and LGBTQIA+. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore social workers’ perceptions of intersectional invisibility when working with Black LGBTQIA+ clients and the strategies that social workers identify as beneficial in averting discrimination and bias when working with this community. Implicit bias theory and intersectionality theory …

Meeting The Psychosocial Needs Of Online Learners In Social Work Programs And Four-Year Universities: What Is Being Addressed And The Many Areas For Improvement, Kathryn Gould

DSW Capstone Projects

Almost half of social work students enter their program with a history of mental health diagnosis and exposure to multiple childhood traumas. Over half of students at four-year institutions are enrolled in one or more courses online, yet retention in online coursework is much lower than in in-person courses. As online programs continue to grow in the field of social work it becomes a vital requirement to address the psychosocial needs of online learners. The call of this capstone is to examine how universities and colleges of social work can meet the increasing need to improve course work and service …

Perinatal Substance Use Disorders And Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Kaitlyn Dickens

DSW Capstone Projects

Pregnant and postpartum or perinatal women who experience Substance Use Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (SUD/PTSD) co-occurring are an underserved population and a gap can be observed in the research in terms of clinical presentation and treatment of SUD/PTSD among this population. Social work practitioners are at an increased probability of working with individuals who would identify as such. There are many psychosocial and health factors associated with untreated SUD/PTSD among perinatal women for both mother and baby.

Research suggests that the use of client centered approaches and narrative therapy is beneficial in working with those who experience PTSD. The …

Opioid Addiction In Rural America: The Transportation Need For Treatment Adherence, Jennifer Smith

DSW Capstone Projects

The opioid epidemic has continued to soar throughout the United States for over 20 years. While this epidemic knows no boundaries and affects all of America, rural communities have been drastically impacted by the number of persons suffering from this addiction, and the resulting staggering mortality rates. Rural populations face greater treatment barriers preventing patients from obtaining needed services as compared to other geographical locations. Patients face obstacles related to accessibility, availability, and stigmatization, placing them at higher risk for opioid misuse, abuse, and/or death. Even though this targeted population faces multiple complications in seeking treatment, transportation barriers are among …

Teaching Anti-Racism Practices To White Social Work Students And Community Members, Dennis Cornell

DSW Capstone Projects

Racism continues to plague the United States and White people hold a key element to ending racism by adopting anti-racism practices in their professional and personal lives. This capstone on the findings of a comprehensive systematic literature review, examines empirically-based anti-racism interventions and practices that social work teachers and community educators can utilize in anti-racism courses and workshops for White students and community members. The final results yielded 29 peer-reviewed, qualitative/quantitative research studies within the years of 2003-2021 that can be broken down into six anti-racism intervention categories: class/educational groups, teaching methods, Implicit Association Test (IAT) usage, pro-Black stories/perspectives, interracial …

Clinical Interventions For Developmental Trauma Disorder: How Evidence-Based Practice And Attachment Theory Can Inform Therapeutic Approach, Victoria Deveau

DSW Capstone Projects

Approximately two-thirds of U.S. children and adolescents report having experienced a traumatic event. A posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis requires that the youth has directly experienced a traumatic event, witnessed a traumatic event occur to others, or learned that a traumatic event has occurred to someone close. The clinician is in a diagnostic quandary, however, when the youth presents with the PTSD hallmarks of hyperarousal, avoidance, and emotional dysregulation, in absence of such life experiences. The answer to this quandary lies in an understanding of developmental trauma disorder (DTD). Clinical interventions for DTD are the focus of this capstone.

Product …

Medicare Reimagined: Past, Present And Future Envisioned For Aging In Place, Nancy Patterson

DSW Capstone Projects

The older population is persons aged 65 and older. Many older adults live healthy and active lives while others have one or more illnesses or comorbidities that make it difficult for them to live alone. Older adults aged sixty-five and older who have one or more comorbidities often require assistance to remain in their homes for as long as possible. Older adults who do not have this needed assistance often have frequent falls, make frequent trips to the emergency room, have frequent hospital admissions, or end up in a nursing home.

Product one of the Capstone Presentation is the systematic …