Social Work Commons^™

Investing In Our Future: A State-Level Analysis Of The Relationship Between Education Funding And Economic Growth, Corinna Campbell-Green

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research paper aims to investigate associations between education investments and economic growth on the state level. These relationships are measured in terms of two dependent variables: state gross domestic product output and cumulative personal incomes by state. These dependent variables, or indicators of economic growth were selected from previous supportive literature. The present study analyzes publicly available aggregate school finance data reports and aggregate GDP output reports for the year of 2018. Two hypotheses were tested to assess these associations. The results of the present study showed significant, positive associations for both tested hypotheses. This study further supports existing …

The Effects Of Sociodemographic Characteristics, Caregiving Practice Patterns, Coping Mechanisms, And Social Support On The Health Of Asian American Ethnic Groups And Asian American Caregivers, Suryadewi Edi Nugraheni

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background: Asian American family caregivers came from various ethnic groups with different sociodemographic characteristics and culturally specific values. However, cultural practices were often overlooked because researchers often combined all Asian Americans under one umbrella. Objective: The purpose of the study was two-fold. First, the study investigated the study sample of Asian Americans participating in the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2009 comprised of multiple Asian American ethnic groups. By utilizing the study sample, the research aimed to investigate 1) the associations between caregiving and self-rated health (SRH) and hypertension and 2) the associations between heterogeneity of Asian American ethnic groups …

Creating A Workforce Analytics Action Plan (Video), Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Workforce Analytics Resources

An action plan can be a useful tool for implementing workforce analytics, especially if there are multiple people involved in the process. This resource provides some general advice on action planning, with specific examples for advancing the use of workforce analytics.

What is an Action Plan?

An action plan outlines the actions, resources, and people needed to achieve goals. It is vital to strategic planning. Action plans include the following components:

• A well-defined goal
• Tasks/steps needed to reach the goal
• Individuals or teams responsible for each task
• Task milestones and timeframes
• Resources and data needed to complete tasks
• Evidence or …

Undergraduate Honors Thesis: Measuring Anti-Fat Bias Among Social Work Students, Dalton Meister

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This undergraduate honors thesis engaged in basic research, utilizing a cross-sectional survey design, to measure the prevalence of explicit anti-fat bias across educational groups in social work student populations. Data was analyzed to examine differences between professional social work education levels and students’ self-reported level of explicit anti-fat bias. Overall, participants endorsed relatively low levels of anti-fat bias, especially in the domains of Adverse Judgement, Social Distance, and Equal Rights. However, participants endorsed higher levels of anti-fat bias in the domain of Attraction. There was no statistically significant relationship between level of social work education and anti-fat bias. There was …

Providing Trauma-Informed Care For Children In The Foster Care System, Hannah Genn

Senior Honors Theses

Foster parents need to be trained in trauma-informed approaches and how to identify previous traumas in order to understand how their foster children’s past experiences of abuse or neglect manifest as mental disorders, social challenges, or behavioral concerns. Warning signs for depression or post-traumatic stress disorder should be noted, and youth should be taught how to foster healthy relationships in order to prevent substance abuse, irresponsible sexual activity, or academic failing. Foster parents can provide additional support by creating reasonable expectations for their foster children, teaching effective coping skills, and connecting with available resources.

Conceptualizing The Psychosocial Elements That Should Be Assessed In Candidates For Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Social Workers' And Psychologists' Perspectives., Jill Randall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: In the United States, approximately 23,000 hematopoietic cell transplantations (HCT), also known as a bone marrow transplant, are performed annually. Patients who undergo HCT are among the most acutely ill and medically vulnerable oncology populations. Given the arduous nature of HCT, patients undergo an extensive pre-transplant evaluation that typically includes psychosocial assessment. The literature lacks a well-defined conceptual framework of the psychosocial elements that should be assessed in HCT candidates. This has led to practice variation, which has in turn inhibited high quality psychosocial research. Method: Social workers and psychologists in HCT were recruited to participate in a concept …

The Lived Experience Of Women With Head & Neck Cancer And The Impact On Close Relationships., Georgia Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is emotionally and physically burdensome to people who are diagnosed with this disease. In the United States, nearly 30% of people diagnosed with HNC are women. Studies about depression and anxiety in this population have been conducted for decades; however, there are no studies that specifically examine the psychosocial implications of this disease from the perspective of women. Method: Women diagnosed with HNC were recruited from two academic medical centers in the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana tri-state area to explore the lived experience of women with HNC and how this disease impacts their close relationships. Semi-structured interviews …

Keeping The Child In Mind: A Mixed Methods Study Of Reflections On Parenting Among Families In Shelter, Ann Matthews

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Homelessness among families is a growing problem across the United States (Beard, 2020). Homelessness is associated with stressful and impoverished caregiving environments that contribute to problematic parent-child relationships and increase children’s risks for poor health and academic outcomes (e.g., Perlman et al., 2012).

Responsive caregiving may protect children from adverse outcomes and foster resilience during periods of homelessness (Labella et al., 2019; Miliotis et al., 1999; Perlman et al., 2012). A parent’s capacity to understand their own and their child’s behavior as a function of internal mental states supports such responsive caregiving (e.g., Fonagy & Target, 1997; Slade, 2005) and …

The Rise Of Spanish Speaking Advocates At Casa Of Santa Cruz, Jackelin Rodriguez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

CASA of Santa Cruz County is a nonprofit organization that serves youth in the foster care system, by pairing them with a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). CASA’s are volunteers who devote their time by supporting youth through dependency court. The Hispanic/Latino foster youth that requires a Spanish-speaking advocate wait twice as long for a CASA, compared to a youth who is non-Spanish speaking. This research project gathered information regarding the importance of Hispanic/Latino youth in foster care being paired with a Spanish-speaking advocate. Interviews were conducted with former youth who were matched with a CASA. The interviews showed when …

Using Facebook Live To Raise Awareness About Abuse And Available Resources, Claudia Ramirez Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Community Solutions is a non-profit organization that works with victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. The agency provides programs and support for children, individuals, and families in San Benito and Santa Clara counties. The macro level problem is people lacing education and awareness of the types of abuse which can potentially increase the abuse rates in the community. The micro level problem is cases or incidents of abuse or assault are unreported. The project purpose is to provide the community with an online resource where people can educate themselves and increase their awareness on topics …

Learning About Healthy Relationships And Sexuality For Adults With Disabilities, Vanessa Karjack

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities receive little to no sex education; as a result, they often struggle to have fulfilling and healthy relationships, experience limitations in physical interactions, and are at risk of being taken advantage of by others. Sommaro et al. (2019) explained that individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD) are often placed into one of two categories: they are treated as either eternal children or sexual deviants. These ideas are based on old knowledge and are known to be inaccurate. However, current systems of care struggle to move forward from these notions. A …

Redesigning Schools Of Social Work Into Schools Of Social Work And Social Justice: Opportunities For Civic And Organizational Renewal In A Justice Reform Environment, Bowen Mcbeath, Michael J. Austin

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper explores the re-envisioning of a school of social work into a School of Social Work and Social Justice. The thought experiment identifies how a school can meet its educational and social justice mission in response to the historic crises of 2020. An outgrowth of the aspirational strategic vision statement is the proposed strengthening of democratic learning spaces involving students and faculty members, better alignment of school curricular reform with human service workforce dynamics and social work practice needs, and an emphasis on culturally responsive leadership. The overall intention is to identify opportunities for social work schools and departments …

Increasing Post-Incarceration Education Within Juvenile Detention Centers, Michela M. Peterson

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Juvenile offenders often lack support for developing post-incarceration plans such as college or career options, which can lead to higher recidivism and escalation to becoming long-term, adult offenders. While some juvenile detention centers have on site schools, the curriculum neglects discussing future goals and career planning. In order to address this problem, I created a three day presentation for incarcerated youth at the Napa County Juvenile Detention Center in Napa, California about college majors and careers that do not require higher education.

Trauma-Sensitive Training For Yoga Teachers Serving Individuals Experiencing Incarceration, Roberta Hines

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Yoga For All Movement is a non-profit agency that facilitates yoga programs in underserved communities. This project delivered a trauma-sensitive training for yoga teachers to learn how to best serve individuals experiencing incarceration. The macro-level social problem is that the justice system perpetuates trauma for incarcerated individuals. The agency problem is that yoga teachers are untrained and unprepared to work with this population. The project purpose was to increase yoga teachers’ knowledge and skills to prepare them to lead effective yoga classes in an incarcerated environment such as in jails and prisons. Participants in the training reported that they increased …

The Needs Of Undocumented Immigrants To Succeed Socially, Emotionally And Economically, Haysee Zarazua

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to understand undocumented immigrants needs when striving to succeed socially, emotionally, and economically in the United States. Undocumented immigration is prevalent in this country and these individuals face fear of deportation, discrimination, language barriers, trauma and acculturative stress. Considering the challenges and mental health repercussions that undocumented immigrants experience; it is important to discover what can be done to improve their livelihood. A qualitative study was completed with participants that work with undocumented immigrants to better understand needs and barriers. The study found that legalization and lack of access to resources such as mental …

The Perception Of Social Work Students On Elderly Abuse, Fatima Guadalupe Graciano, Melinda Cholico

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perception of elderly abuse among the social work students. The research study explored students understanding of different types of abuse among the elderly. The exploratory research project utilized a qualitative approach that consisted of one-to-one zoom interviews using open-ended questions to obtain information about the students’ insight, feelings, and experiences on the topic of elder abuse. The study sample consisted of five participants of an MSW program. Zoom interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, and were transcribed for analysis. The research findings show that students who have experience working with older adults or …

Perceived Barriers Affecting Lgbtq Community From Mental Health Services, Baltazar Pulido-Mejia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The LGBTQ community has been viewed as a high-risk group for mental health disorders. Untreated mental health disorders place members in this group at a higher rate for substance use and chronic medical illness. This study examined perceived barriers members from the LGBTQ community face when accessing mental health services. The chosen paradigm structure has a focus on human behavior which is conducive in exploring the study question that addresses specific barriers that the LGBTQ community may perceive as harmful. This study found barriers present internally and externally within the LGBTQ community. Internally within the LGBTQ community a fear of …

Unifying Is Medicine: Providing Holistic Treatments For Substance Use And Truama, Dulce Virginia Leguizamo, Erika Zemmol

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this qualitative, exploratory research project will be holistic treatments for clients with trauma and substance use. The researchers hypothesize that some of the most effective treatments incorporate the five virtues of compassion, cultural sensitivity, community, competency, and client-centeredness. Another important element which these researchers have identified is honoring the mind-body-spirit connection in helping clients heal from trauma and substance use. These researchers conceptualize an effective treatment for clients with trauma and substance use as what we call The Medicine of Unifying. Incorporating the five virtues, we hypothesize that The Medicine of Unifying can be achieved by uniting …

What Blind Or Visually Impaired People Experience When They Request Workplace Accommodations, Silvia Blanco

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Workplace accommodations can be categorized as tools or processes that are needed by a person with a disability to complete their job responsibilities. Research has demonstrated that the provision of reasonable accommodations has been linked to the employability rates of people with disabilities. Considering that the passing of the ADA occurred over 30 years ago and that the persistently high unemployment rate amongst the blind and visually impaired population remains a prevalent issue, it is important to evaluate what blind or visually impaired individuals face when requesting workplace accommodations. Research on this topic will help identify any significant contributing factors …

Mental Health In Child Welfare Social Workers, Sintia Mota Muniz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project focuses on child welfare social workers’ mental health and what mental health services they can benefit from having. For this study, the six participants were recruited from the Southern California area. They all currently work in the child welfare field. The data for this qualitative study was collected through interviews. All interviews were completed telephonically and then transcribed for data analysis. The study findings found the lack of management support in child welfare agencies and a lack of self-care practice have a negative effect on social workers’ mental health and their service delivery. The findings revealed that …

How Does Compassion Fatigue Affect Geriatric Social Workers In Their Personal And Professional Lives?, Nicole Elise Dawson, Joanna Romero Jacobo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aims to research how compassion fatigue (CF) affects geriatric social workers in their personal and professional lives. Currently, there is little exposure on what the symptoms look like in CF among social workers, especially geriatric social services practitioners. The significance of this study is to address CF and how it may affect social workers in their daily activities. Geriatric social workers who work on a regular basis with vulnerable populations can lead to experience symptoms of CF. These symptoms include: emotional disconnect from their clients, less motivated at work, apathetic towards sensitive situations and affecting their quality of …

Mental Health Among The Latinx Population, Jocelyn Mendoza Sierra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health in the Latinx community has been stigmatized for several years. In the Latinx community mental health is disregarded and oftentimes not addressed and overlooked by immediate family members. The purpose of this study is to address the reason why people do not access mental health services. The methods used in this study consisted of a qualitative approach and participants were asked open ended questions. A total of eleven participants (N=11) were gathered and consisted of both female and male participants who identify as Latinxs. The key findings from this research indicate that seeking mental health services was viewed …

Social Workers Perception Of Factors Effecting Client’S Return To Skilled-Nursing Care Facilities Post-Discharge, Francesca Salvatierra, Angela Bonilla

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following study explored the factors effecting client’s return to skilled nursing facilities post-discharge, from the perspective of the social workers and social services staff working within skilled nursing facilities. The significance of this research was to gain a better understanding from the individuals working closest to the problem, and to use the information gained to develop further research regarding the issue of rapid-readmission post discharge. This study was qualitative with the use of an interview guide. Audio data was collected through 9 Zoom interviews and then transcribed for content analysis. Through content analysis the researchers examined the respondent’s answers …

Child Abuse And The Implementation Of Preventative Services, Kayla Graves, Kimberly Macias

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Parental attitudes towards child protection have proven to be essential to engagement in safety seeking measures. Studies indicate when parents feel motivated about participating in child abuse prevention services that the effects of child abuse prevention programs can be beneficial for both parents and children. Previous research suggests that parents are the change agent for their children and gauging parents’ ideas about child abuse prevention programs (CAP). This is essential because parents are a pivotal partner in lowering the rate of child abuse. This research aims to identify when parents feel positively about the benefits of CAP, parents will feel …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Adult Substance Use, Mariah Garcia, Melissa Berry

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study sets out to contribute to the already existing data on ACEs as well as substance use in adulthood. In this quantitative descriptive study, the researchers addressed the relationship of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adult substance use. Psychological, physical, and cognitive health issues may occur in adulthood due to ACEs (Shin et al., 2017). Being exposed to one or more ACE during childhood can cause poor coping skills and result in adult substance use (Shin et al., 2017). Bringing greater attention to the prevalence of ACEs can help social workers create more sensitive assessments, screening tools, and treatment …

Early Life Stress And The Resulting Effects On Behavior Of Children Under The Age Of Five In A Domestic Violence Shelter, Jordan Singleton

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

It is an unfortunate reality that domestic violence affects people across the world, men, women, and children. When men or women leave a domestic violence situation, they often take their children with them but are often unaware of the damage that has already been done. Even if the children have not suffered physical abuse, there are many changes going on in the brain just from either witnessing or hearing abuse take place. With domestic violence often going unreported, it can be incredibly difficult to reach the children who are affected. However, when a parent enters a domestic violence shelter with …

Electronic Device Use: How It Affects The Well-Being Of Children And Adolescents, Sabrina Rodriguez, Amandalee Merryman

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Electronic device use among children and adolescents is omnipresent. Literature suggests an inverse correlation between electronic device use and the overall well-being of children and adolescents. The current study employed an explanatory research design to explore the association between excessive device use and the well-being of children and adolescents. Researchers collected and analyzed quantitative data in the form of archival data from a local school district’s mental health department. A total of 50 participants, ranging from ages 5 to 17, were randomly selected from the 2018-2019 archived case files. The results of the study suggest that electronic device use has …

Foster Youth's Attachment Styles, Brenda Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This proposed study explored if there was a common attachment style taken on by foster youth. The study explored the types of attachments that are exhibited from foster youth through the perspective of a social worker. The results potentially had an impact on the practices that are used by social workers who have constant interaction with this vulnerable population.

Public Perception And Influential Sources Toward Child Welfare Services, Melissa A. Teague, Nicolas A. Hollis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to answer the following questions: “What is the current public attitude toward public child welfare services and what sources of information have been used to formulate these attitudes?” In answering these questions, child welfare agencies would have a better understanding of what populations to promote public outreach, education, or further community involvement based on demographics and/or which venues to implement such outreach.

This study provides information on previous studies where researchers have looked at the general role of social work and used the gathered information to assess public sentiment. In past research there has …

Integrating Faith In Social Work, Omar Elhanafy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Religion and Spirituality are concepts rarely spoken about in social work programs. Many social work students have expressed that they have not received a proper education on integration of faith into social work practice in their programs. Evidence is given to support this claim and this Proposal will discuss this concept, its importance, and highlight the need for this education. This exploratory study will use a qualitative design which will explore the experiences of participants on how comfortable they feel in using faith in social work practice. The proposal will continue to further explore the validity to this claim through …