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Full-Text Articles in Social Work

Experiences Of Social Workers Providing Sentencing Advocacy For Youth Of Color, Steven Robinson Jan 2022

Experiences Of Social Workers Providing Sentencing Advocacy For Youth Of Color, Steven Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The punitive sentencing of minority youthful offenders is contrary to the juvenile justice system’s founding principles of rehabilitation. Moreover, the introduction of mitigation helps to inform the courts’ decisions on the most appropriate recourse; however, few researchers have studied the experiences of social workers who provide sentencing advocacy for minority youth. This basic qualitative study explored the experiences of social workers in Louisiana involved in addressing sentencing disparities of minority youth and the changes social workers perceive as necessary to reduce these disparities. Six social workers in Louisiana were interviewed regarding their experiences related to providing sentencing advocacy for minority …

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Social Work Participation In Living Donor Education To Organ Transplant Candidates, Mary Rzeszut Jan 2022

Social Work Participation In Living Donor Education To Organ Transplant Candidates, Mary Rzeszut

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Living donor transplantation (LDT), despite its documented benefits, does not occur as often as deceased donor transplants (DDT). Transplant social workers are an integral part of the transplant interdisciplinary team and are well trained in conducting psychoeducation. This action research study involved examining social work practice challenges that transplant social workers experience that prohibit them from conducting effective LDT education. The study was guided by family problem solving theory, social cognitive theory and the Afrocentricity perspective to determine how transplant candidates and families can best learn information to discuss and recruit potential living donors. The research questions were about roles …

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The Sustained Effects Of Mindfulness-Based Interventions On Distress Symptoms In Female Breast Cancer Patients, Candace K. Sprouse Jan 2022

The Sustained Effects Of Mindfulness-Based Interventions On Distress Symptoms In Female Breast Cancer Patients, Candace K. Sprouse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to illuminate the magnitude and prevalence of distress symptoms among female breast cancer patients and help identify best social work practices for treating distress symptoms in cancer patients. Using the social cognitive model of restorative well-being, the sustained effects of mindfulness-based interventions on distress symptoms female breast cancer patients experienced were examined in this study. Grounded in social cognitive theory, this model facilitated understanding of the recovery of well-being after an emotional setback. This quantitative experimental study included analysis of secondary data with pre- and post testing with multiple follow ups to measure the …

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Depression Among Older Immigrant African Women In Metro West Massachusetts, Bi Toh Jan 2022

Depression Among Older Immigrant African Women In Metro West Massachusetts, Bi Toh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThis study addressed depression among older immigrant African Women in Metro West Massachusetts to better understand the causes and prevalence of depression among older women coming from Africa to live in the United States. The study situated older women to be above the age of 55 and focused on exploring the views of social workers in relation to issues of depression among these women. It addressed the factors that influence older immigrant African women’s adaptive capacity in Metro West Massachusetts, the mental health service social workers offer to older women from Africa living in the United States, how social workers …

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Conceptualization Of Gender Variant Inclusive Healthcare Service Delivery, Tamesha Rhyne Jan 2022

Conceptualization Of Gender Variant Inclusive Healthcare Service Delivery, Tamesha Rhyne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender variant people experience a variety of health concerns for which they seek the assistance of healthcare providers. These concerns may range from chronic health conditions and psychological disorders to gender affirming concerns. Due to living in a heteronormative society, gender variant individuals are more susceptible to experiencing stigmatization, discrimination, and other forms of unfair treatment while accessing healthcare services, which contributes to poor health outcomes. This treatment may be attributed to the lack of knowledge, competency, and training of healthcare providers as it relates to trans-inclusive care. Grounded in minority stress theory and intersectionality theory, the purpose of this …

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The Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Young Adults Who Have Transitioned Out Of State Or Other Care, Linda Rose Ross Jan 2022

The Lived Experiences And Perceptions Of Young Adults Who Have Transitioned Out Of State Or Other Care, Linda Rose Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOver 20,000 young adults are released from state care annually and 100,000 young adults are released from justice centers. Past studies have revealed that young adults 18-24 years of age transitioning out of care are not prepared for independent living and may face many adversities. The problem is that young adults have difficulties finding permanent housing once emancipated from state care, their biological homes, or juvenile justice centers. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of young adults 18-24 years of age and how their experiences and life skills helped on their journey to acquire …

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Empathy-Based Strain Among Social Workers Working With Couples Experiencing Infidelity, Jared And Rachel Taylor Jan 2022

Empathy-Based Strain Among Social Workers Working With Couples Experiencing Infidelity, Jared And Rachel Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) social workers engaged in the practice of couples therapy often work with the issue of infidelity, which can be traumatizing to clients. EFT relies heavily on empathy-based interventions that allow the therapist to experience the pain of clients in the process of facilitating the repair of a couple's attachment bond. Yet the nature of EFT with infidelity can increase social workers’ risk of developing empathy-based strain (EBS), which can lead to personal and professional detriment and practice that harm clients. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe how social workers who practice EFT …

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Understanding How Healthcare Social Workers Respond To Adult Medical Trauma, Sonya Anthony Jan 2022

Understanding How Healthcare Social Workers Respond To Adult Medical Trauma, Sonya Anthony

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medical trauma in the hospital is a growing health disparity often accompanied by social determinants. Assisting in alleviating disparities and social determinants is a standard of care embedded in social work practice. This research was conducted to examine healthcare social workers’ experiences responding to and managing the psychosocial impacts of adult medical trauma in an acute inpatient environment. The goal of the research was to identify if a need exists for trauma-informed training among healthcare social workers. The research question examined how healthcare social workers respond to medical trauma. The model of case management, trauma-informed care, and systems theory were …

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Professional Identity Within An Evolving Profession: Clinical Social Work In Puerto Rico, Lorna Betzaida Colon Gonzalez Jan 2022

Professional Identity Within An Evolving Profession: Clinical Social Work In Puerto Rico, Lorna Betzaida Colon Gonzalez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than three decades of data document the challenges of clinical social workers in establishing their professional identity within the social work profession in Puerto Rico. Less is known specifically about how they identify within interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams in the various clinical settings on the island. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of clinical social workers in Puerto Rico regarding their professional identity as compared to generalist social workers. The generic qualitative study was based on the ecological system theory framework. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of 10 clinical and …

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Stigmas Of Alzheimer's Disease And Help Seeking For Alzheimer's Disease Among African Americans, Donna De Levante Raphael Jan 2022

Stigmas Of Alzheimer's Disease And Help Seeking For Alzheimer's Disease Among African Americans, Donna De Levante Raphael

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine how the perceptions of stigma of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affected the help-seeking behaviors of African American caregivers. Data used in this study were collected using semistructured interviews with 11 African American caregivers caring for loved ones diagnosed with AD. The conceptual framework of this study was guided by the stigma theory and the sociocultural health belief model. The four types of social stigmas used to assess the effects of the stigma of AD were public, self, courtesy, and structural stigma. Data were analyzed using the Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). Results provided support …

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Professional Social Work Supervision: The Relationship With Social Worker Retention And Self-Efficacy, Leesha Sh'rae Moore Jan 2022

Professional Social Work Supervision: The Relationship With Social Worker Retention And Self-Efficacy, Leesha Sh'rae Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Licensed social workers offer services including mental health, case management, hospice and palliative care, and community-based support services. However, research is limited regarding dynamics that promote social worker retention and continuous social service provision. Using self-efficacy theory, this study intended to examine relationships between supervision satisfaction, supervisor characteristics, employee self-efficacy, and retention among licensed social workers. This study was based on secondary data analysis and involved using a cross-sectional correlational survey design. Secondary data were retrieved from the National Association of Social Work Center for Workforce Studies. Licensed social workers were asked questions involving their satisfaction with supervision received, profession …

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Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Exploration Of The Therapist’S Clinical Process, Marybeth Agayev Jan 2022

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Exploration Of The Therapist’S Clinical Process, Marybeth Agayev

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the existing research authors report that within the current field of equine-assisted therapy practitioners are using a number of approaches, some independently and others in affiliation with formal organizations, to treat a wide variety of issues in a very broad population. The purpose of this study was to determine what underlying thought processes guide the equine-assisted therapist’s role in the clinical process. This generic qualitative study included five participants who met the criteria of having 3-5 years of experience performing equine-assisted psychotherapy with mental health populations. Participants also met the standard of being licensed or certified in accordance with …

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Loneliness As A Treatment Focus For Suicide Prevention In Airmen Who Seek Mental Health Care, Jovanna O. Gaines Jan 2022

Loneliness As A Treatment Focus For Suicide Prevention In Airmen Who Seek Mental Health Care, Jovanna O. Gaines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Department of Defense is challenged to decrease rising suicide rates in all branches of military service. Studies have consistently shown interpersonal risk factors versus intrapsychic factors as strong indicators of suicide risk, yet the practice has not focused on loneliness as a treatment focus for increased risk. This study explored clinical social workers’ view of loneliness as experienced in patients who are active-duty airmen to identify prevention, coping, and treatment strategies for managing suicides. The methodology involved a semistructured interview of 10 active duty licensed clinical social workers with greater than two years of experience working within a mental …

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Experiences Of Rural Female Caregivers Of Loved Ones Diagnosed With Chronic Pain And Mental Health Care, Anne Banner Hatfield Jan 2022

Experiences Of Rural Female Caregivers Of Loved Ones Diagnosed With Chronic Pain And Mental Health Care, Anne Banner Hatfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe complex diagnosis of chronic pain can include both physiological and psychological symptoms resulting in a need for caregivers to assist their loved ones and become involved in their mental health care treatment. As the aging population and the number of individuals diagnosed with chronic pain increases, the number of caregivers who assist them also increases. Critical to addressing the psychological symptoms of chronic pain is knowing how caregivers experience their involvement in mental health treatment. This research addressed the need for an understanding of caregivers’ experiences of caregiving and involvement with health care providers of mental health treatment for …

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Juvenile Recidivism Risk Factors From The Juvenile Justice Professional Perspective, Fotini Stamidis Jan 2022

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 …

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How Social Workers In Long Term Care Facilities In The State Of Florida Assist Lgbt Aging Adults To Acclimate To Each Other And The Facility, Katherine Louise Curci-Degaro Jan 2022

How Social Workers In Long Term Care Facilities In The State Of Florida Assist Lgbt Aging Adults To Acclimate To Each Other And The Facility, Katherine Louise Curci-Degaro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The elderly LGBT community is growing in the State of Florida, and some members of this group face inequalities when accessing long-term care services. Social workers play an important role in assisting residents to acclimate to their settings, and without their involvement, LGBT older adults may be forced back into secrecy regarding their sexual orientation. For social workers in long term care facilities, understanding how discrimination, oppression, and stigma interacted in the lives of these LGBT older adults is important in understanding these adults and their experiences in long-term care facilities. This doctoral project used a qualitative research design. Fifteen …

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Length Of Stay In A Homeless Shelter And Mitigating Homelessness, Uwemedimo S. Etteyit Jan 2022

Length Of Stay In A Homeless Shelter And Mitigating Homelessness, Uwemedimo S. Etteyit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHomelessness is a major public health issue in the United States. Every night, thousands of people have no residence to call their own. Most homeless persons turn to homeless shelters for help. Despite the homeless shelters, the problem of homelessness persists. This study examined the concept that the length of time spent at a homeless shelter is related to the homeless persons mitigating their homelessness through home placement, jobs, and healthcare access. Homelessness was examined using the socioecological model with its attendant levels of influence. On the intrapersonal level, socioeconomic status, education, old age, veteran status, and disability were factors. …

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Effects Of Foster Care Trauma On Foster Care Alumni’S Mental Health In Adulthood, Adrian W. Green Jan 2022

Effects Of Foster Care Trauma On Foster Care Alumni’S Mental Health In Adulthood, Adrian W. Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child welfare system involvement leads to foster care more for racial minority children than White children, and after exiting foster care racial minority alumni face disparate outcomes. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the effects of trauma experienced in foster care on racial minority foster care alumni’s mental health in adulthood. Trauma theory and information processing theory provided the frameworks for the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with eight racial minority foster care alumni age 18 and older. Findings from coding analysis indicated three themes and two subthemes. The adult mental health effects of …

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Attachment And Creativity Focused Counseling Intervention For Parents And Adolescents Presenting With A Trauma History, Leah Merle Batty-Hibbs Jan 2022

Attachment And Creativity Focused Counseling Intervention For Parents And Adolescents Presenting With A Trauma History, Leah Merle Batty-Hibbs

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The central research question that informed this study asks: How do attachment and creativity focused counseling interventions encourage connection between an adolescent and their parent or caregiver? The research study centered on two mother and son dyads that participated in six weeks of a therapeutic intervention. The modality utilized an attachment and creativity focused approach created by the author. Data was collected through a post intervention semi-structured interview with the parent (adult). Data was transcribed and evaluated with an interpretive phenomenological approach. Six themes were identified by a team of researchers. The findings have implications for clinical practice with parents …

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Understanding The Process Of Health Goal Achievement Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm) In Chicago: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Anthony Johnson Jan 2022

Understanding The Process Of Health Goal Achievement Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm) In Chicago: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Anthony Johnson

Dissertations

Background: Over the last 30 years, Black men who have sex with men (MSM) have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS while accounting for only approximately 1% of the population of the United States. The majority of research with Black MSM has focused on HIV infection risk factors, but very little attention has been given to their overall health and well-being. The breadth of HIV-health related research that includes Black MSM tends to demonstrate high levels of racial, environmental, and economic disparities that need to be addressed. However, more research must be conducted to explicate the process of exercising strength and …

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An Interpretive Phenomenological Study Of Women’S Struggles, Hopes And Reasons For Participation In Professional Power-Based Community Organizing In Chicago, Mary Dungy-Akenji Jan 2022

An Interpretive Phenomenological Study Of Women’S Struggles, Hopes And Reasons For Participation In Professional Power-Based Community Organizing In Chicago, Mary Dungy-Akenji

Dissertations

Mary K. L. DungyLoyola University Chicago AN INTERPRETIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF WOMEN’S STRUGGLES, HOPES AND REASONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL POWER-BASED COMMUNITY ORGANIZING IN CHICAGO Professional power-based community organizing is a practice of grassroots change in which paid organizers guide community members as they band together to make demands on elite groups to redistribute resources (Bobo et. al, 2001; Sites et al., 2007). Conflict-based tactics may be utilized to demand structural improvements from key stakeholders, usually towards progressive political ends that build towards a more just society (Bobo et. al 2001; Wilkinson & D’Angelo, 2019). Community organizing has some roots …

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The Souls Of Black Folks In The Twenty-First Century: Self-Efficacy, Grit, And Their Development In Low-Income Urban Black Youth, Amzie Moore Jan 2022

The Souls Of Black Folks In The Twenty-First Century: Self-Efficacy, Grit, And Their Development In Low-Income Urban Black Youth, Amzie Moore

Dissertations

Self-efficacy and grit have shown to be internal resources for African American youth, particularly urban low-income youth living in high crime and high poverty communities. This dissertation is a quasi-experimental, longitudinal, and mix method study, which evaluated a cross-age peer mentoring program. This evaluation was to examine if youth mentors’ attendance in the program for one year predicted increases in their self-efficacy and grit. The results of the study revealed that age significantly interacted with youth attendance, predicting increases in self-efficacy. Findings from the qualitative analyses illustrated that the peer-mentoring program strengthened culturally-relevant self-efficacy and grit among youth mentors.

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“An Umbrella For All Things”: Black Daughter's Sexual Decisions And Paternal Engagement, Marquitta S. Dorsey Jan 2022

“An Umbrella For All Things”: Black Daughter's Sexual Decisions And Paternal Engagement, Marquitta S. Dorsey

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Objective: The purpose of this article is to highlight the value of Black fathers to the sexual decision-making processes among Black adolescent and young adult daughters. Background: Various contextual factors, such as fewer sexual health resources in poorer communities and federal funding cuts to family planning service agencies, ultimately contribute to the sexual health decision-making of adolescent young women and may be linked to sexual health disparities among Black adolescent women. Recent studies have reported the protective nature of a Black father’s engagement to be beneficial to the behavioral outcomes of adolescent daughters. Method: Findings from 17 semistructured interviews conducted …

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Strategies To Mitigate The Effects Of Negative Political Rhetoric On Service Providers: A Study In Two Refugee-Serving Organizations, Maria V. Wathen, Charity N. Weishar, Patrick L.F. Decker Jan 2022

Strategies To Mitigate The Effects Of Negative Political Rhetoric On Service Providers: A Study In Two Refugee-Serving Organizations, Maria V. Wathen, Charity N. Weishar, Patrick L.F. Decker

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

This paper explores the strategies that staff at two refugee-serving organizations found helpful in mitigating their increased distress from negative political rhetoric aimed at their clients. Results point to the importance of organizational acknowledgement of the distress. Additionally, staff perceived that intentionally focused organizational interventions can mitigate the emotional impacts of negative rhetoric. Finally, strategies employees used to lessen their distress and regain a sense of efficacy included recommitment to the mission, advocacy for refugees among family and friends, strong reliance on religious faith in coping, and an avoidance of the rhetoric by decreasing engagement with news and social media.

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On Positive Parenting: Preventing Disciplinary Violence Against Children Within Egyptian Households/ حول التربية الإيجابية: منع العنف التأديبي ضد الأطفال داخل الأسر المصرية, Injie Swailam, Menatalla Fahiem, Reem Hesham, Youstina Magdy Jan 2022

On Positive Parenting: Preventing Disciplinary Violence Against Children Within Egyptian Households/ حول التربية الإيجابية: منع العنف التأديبي ضد الأطفال داخل الأسر المصرية, Injie Swailam, Menatalla Fahiem, Reem Hesham, Youstina Magdy

Papers, Posters, and Presentations

Violent disciplinary practices against children are in itself a juxtaposition since violence comes from a place of safety and from those children trust the most; their parents. Parents and caregivers violently discipline their children thinking they are helping them be better. More than 1 billion children around the world, aged 4-17 years old, experience violence (Hillis et al., 2016) from those considered their source of love and safety. In Egypt, 40% of the population is made of children, and 90% of those children have experienced some sort of domestic violence from their caregivers. Using physical, verbal, and sexual violence as …

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A Seat At The Table: Visioning Social Work’S Leadership Future, Lucas Hall Jan 2022

A Seat At The Table: Visioning Social Work’S Leadership Future, Lucas Hall

DSW Capstone Projects

This capstone focuses on the history of social work leadership, current trends in social work leadership, what is lacking and where we can go in the future. The systematic literature review was focuses on what is in the literature as it relates to social work leadership preparation. The conceptual paper proposes the creation of social work leadership fellowships and certification programs. Finally, the practice application paper is the full realization of the first two papers. A solution to the crisis of a lack of social work leadership preparation is proposed and fully fleshed out. The solution being the full-scale implementation …

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Back To Basics: Re-Envisioning Job Satisfaction Through Social Work-Strengths-Based Leadership, Mary Mcdaniel Jan 2022

Back To Basics: Re-Envisioning Job Satisfaction Through Social Work-Strengths-Based Leadership, Mary Mcdaniel

DSW Capstone Projects

Social work job satisfaction is a pressing concern, becoming even more dire, in times of depleted social work workforces like experienced in Kentucky in 2021 or during an overall depleted workforce like experienced nationally due to The Great Resignation labor trend of 2022. Over recent years, it has become evident social workers and social service workers are less willing to settle for employment experiences and work environments of high stress, exhaustion, and frustration. Instead, social workers’ work expectations are changing, with social workers looking for positive work experiences such as workplaces which promote wellness, self-care, work-life balance, flexibility, and professional …

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Black Youth Are Suffering In Silence: Advancing Social Work Education To Better Address The Mental Health Of African American Youth., Alicia Dawson Jan 2022

Black Youth Are Suffering In Silence: Advancing Social Work Education To Better Address The Mental Health Of African American Youth., Alicia Dawson

DSW Capstone Projects

African American youth’s rates of major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide have increased in the last three years due to COVID-19 and national social injustices. African American students who seek help at school are less likely to receive adequate treatment from school social workers. Mental health care for African American students should be available, and those services must be effective. African American youth continue to suffer in silence when school social workers lack African-centered conceptual teaching and therapeutic skills. Current social work education curriculums contribute to 'Whiteness,' which influences future social workers to carry biases and …

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The Untended Garden: How Adoptees Navigate Relationships With First Family Members, Dawn Michele Mccormick Tracz Jan 2022

The Untended Garden: How Adoptees Navigate Relationships With First Family Members, Dawn Michele Mccormick Tracz

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research explores how people who were adopted over the age of 6 years old in open adoption arrangements navigate ongoing relationships with first family members. It explores perceptions of how a connection with both adoptive and first family members impacts self-concept. Using an interpretivist-constructivist lens, the narratives of four women are presented and analyzed. In addition to qualitative interviews, each participant was invited to create images that represented relationships with significant family members. The narratives are re-presented in detail adhering closely to the teller’s organization and emphases. In the analysis, themes related to relationships with first family members and …

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Adrift In Uncharted Waters: A Case Study Of A Muslim Family Involved With Child Protection Services In Ontario, Bibi Baksh Jan 2022

Adrift In Uncharted Waters: A Case Study Of A Muslim Family Involved With Child Protection Services In Ontario, Bibi Baksh

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation sought to understand how Muslims experience mandated child protection services in Ontario within the Canadian (and specifically, Ontarian) socio-political context. Ongoing experiences of racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia within systems that intersect with child welfare, including schools and the criminal justice system, have compounding effects on Muslim families who are singled out politically and socially. Drawing from trends in child welfare literature, policy initiatives, and practices that consider the system’s impacts upon racialized peoples, this research contributes to the discourse by highlighting religious diversity as an under-investigated source of discrimination. Set against systemic challenges inherent in the child protection …

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