Social Work Commons^™

Toward Finance As A Public Good, Jin Huang, Margaret S. Sherraden, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

Financial inclusion is a prerequisite for the financial stability of families and for successful economies, but common conceptualizations of it have not adequately accounted for the financialization of modern life or for the influence of social policy, which increasingly delivers public benefits through financial services. This study proposes a broader conceptualization of financial inclusion, finding support for this new understanding in results from analyses of data from the 2016 National Financial Well-Being Survey and from a case study of Child Development Accounts.

Support for this publication comes from the Kauffman Foundation (Grant No. 201806-4478).

A Description Of Covid-19 Lifestyle Restrictions Among A Sample Of Rural Appalachian Women, Michele Staton, Martha Tillson, J. Matthew Webster

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: COVID-19 has led to swift federal and state response to control virus transmission, which has resulted in unprecedented lifestyle changes for U.S. citizens including social distancing and isolation. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 lifestyle restrictions and related behavioral risks is important, particularly among individuals who may be more vulnerable (such as rural women with a history of substance use living in Appalachia).

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to better understand the perceptions of lifestyle changes due to COVID-19 restrictions among this vulnerable group.

Methods: The study included a mixed methods survey with a convenience sample of …

Cognitive Maturity As An Intervening Influence On Exposure To Adverse Childhood Experiences, Negative Attributions, And Symptoms Of Depression Among Pre-Adolescent And Adolescent Youth., Mckenzie Marie Ketchum

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Most depression interventions targeted to youth are adapted from adult curricula without enough consideration given to the developmental level and capacity of the intended audience (Kovacs & Lopez-Duran, 2012). Although depression in youth has received recognition and treatment, there remains a gap between the theoretical knowledge base of youth cognitive development and the application of this knowledge to the innovation of developmentally appropriate depression interventions suited for youth of varying levels of cognitive maturity. The current study investigated the influence of cognitive development over the moderation of negative attributions on the relationship between exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and …

Mental Health And Psychosocial Functioning In Recently Separated U.S. Women Veterans: Trajectories And Bi-Directional Relationships, Karen A. Lawrence, Dawne Vogt, Adam Dugan, Shawn R. Nigam, Emily Slade, Brian N. Smith

Social Work Faculty Publications

Prior research on the relationship between veterans’ mental health and psychosocial functioning has primarily relied on male samples. Here, we investigated prospective longitudinal relationships between mental health and psychosocial functioning in 554 female Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans who were surveyed three times between two- and seven-years following separation from service. Mixed effects modeling revealed that increasing depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity predicted declines in work functioning. Increasing PTSD severity predicted declining parental functioning and worsening depression predicted a decline in relationship functioning. In turn, decreased work and intimate relationship functioning predicted increased PTSD and depression symptom severity …

Challenges Faced By Mexican Americans When Accessing Mental Health Care Service Utilization Along The South Texas – Mexico Border, Romeo Escobar, John M. Gonzalez, Denise Longoria, Nelda Rodriguez

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the challenges Mexican Americans face when accessing mental health care service utilization along the South Texas-Mexico border. Disparities in access and use of health and mental health services have led Latinos to be disproportionately represented among those most at-risk for chronic health and mental health illnesses and less likely to receive guideline congruent care. Research on mental health service utilization has documented the presence of economic, cultural, and structural barriers that contribute to the underutilization of health services by Latinos. Researchers conducted three focus groups with 25 mental health providers …

Emotional Intelligence Training, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is emotional intelligence training?

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to abilities or tendencies related to recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions. Because of its connections to important work outcomes such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job performance, and turnover intentions (e.g., Joseph, Jin, Newman, & O’Boyle, 2015; Miao, Humphrey, & Qian, 2016), there has been great interest in developing EI via coaching and training, even though it has not traditionally been regarded as something that is amenable to change through training. EI is conceptualized, and measured, in three different ways (Ashkanasy & Daus, 2005). When it was first conceived, EI was …

Two Extraordinary Days For Race And Electoral Democracy In America, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

In this Perspective, Michael Sherraden draws optimism from participation in the January 5, 2021, special election in Georgia, as well as the national repudiation of the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Together, these events create an opportunity to shape a better future.

Emotional Labor, Tara Myers, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is emotional labor?

Emotional labor is “the management of feelings to create a publicly observable facial and bodily display” as necessary at work (Hochschild, 2012, p. 50). Thus, people engage in emotional labor when they ensure their facial expressions and body language match what is expected for the job (Grandey, 2000). Clear display rules (e.g., always smile, show empathy, stay neutral, seem stern) are most typically seen within service industries (e.g., customer service, protective services, law enforcement). People accomplish this adherence to display rules through surface acting—managing the expression of emotions—or through deep acting—managing the experience of emotions (Hochschild, …

How Social Workers Count: Numbers And Social Issues Came To Be, Michael A. Lewis

Numeracy

Lewis, Michael Anthony. 2019. Social Workers Count: Numbers and Social Issues (New York: Oxford University Press) 224 pp. ISBN 978-0190467135.

This essay introduces Social Workers Count: Numbers and Social Issues by Michael Anthony Lewis. Inspired by the seminal work of Bennett and Briggs, Lewis shares how he came to write a math book for social workers to meet new demands as the field has developed to include more quantitative concepts. The result is a book that may be of interest to many in the quantitative reasoning movement in the social sciences and beyond.

“Making Sure We Are All Okay”: Healthcare Workers’ Strategies For Emotional Connectedness During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anna E. Bender, Kristen A. Berg, Emily K. Miller, Kylie E. Evans, Megan R. Holmes

Faculty Scholarship

Healthcare workers have been on the front lines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, treating affected patients and navigating overwhelmed healthcare systems. Emotional connection has been associated with resilient outcomes following collective trauma. This qualitative study examined how healthcare workers define emotional connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic and their adaptive emotional connection strategies. Data were gathered through the first wave of the online COVID-19 Pandemic and Emotional Well-Being study, a prospective panel study of the psychological impact of COVID-19 on frontline workers and the general public. This study focused on three extended-response questions about definitions of and strategies for emotional connectedness. Data …

In The Community: Over 25 Years Of Inquiry, Innovation, And Impact, Center For Social Development, Washington University In St. Louis

Center for Social Development Research

This report marks over 25 years of innovative applied research and the effects of those efforts in society. Founded in 1994, the Center for Social Development continues to generate pathbreaking innovations that broaden opportunity, especially for the marginalized. The report also looks ahead, discussing emerging engagements and potential lines for new inquiry.

Activism Among College Students With Disabilities And The Move Beyond Compliance To Full Inclusion, Brenda K. Smith, Jefferson Clark Sheen, Keith M. Christensen

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

This article discusses two case studies of activism by college students with disabilities that have successfully moved disability issues beyond regulatory compliance to a conversation of equity. The two case studies are compared to identify strategies that promoted the success of the campaigns. The article concludes with a discussion of the usage of student activism to ensure equality of opportunity.

Self-Rated Health As A Mediator Between Physical Health Conditions And Depressive Symptoms In Older Chinese And Korean Americans, Yuri Jang, Hyunwoo Yoon, Mengting Li, Nan Sook Park, David A. Chiriboga, Bei Wu, Xinqui Dong, Miyong T. Kim

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the present study, we examined self-rated health as a mediator between physical health conditions (chronic diseases and functional disability) and depressive symptoms in older Chinese and Korean Americans. Using harmonized data (N = 5,063) from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly (PINE) and the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA), we tested direct and indirect effect models. In both groups, chronic diseases and functional disability were closely associated with negative ratings of health and symptoms of depression. Analyses with the PROCESS macro showed that the effect of chronic diseases and functional disability on depressive symptoms was mediated by …

Swk 225: Module 7. Applying Your Eclectic Knowledge Late Adulthood [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 225: Human Behavior in the Social Environment OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Module 7 "Applying your Eclectic Knowledge Late Adulthood."

Designed around the open access textbook Human Behavior and the Social Environment I, by Dr. Susan Tyler.

Workaholism, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is workaholism?

The term was coined 50 years ago and referred to the uncontrollable need to work incessantly (Oates, 1971). Since then, many different definitions have emerged, with variations related to what exactly workaholism looks like (e.g., degree of enjoyment and engagement), why it occurs (e.g., personality), and its outcomes (e.g., on health, work-life balance), among others (Clark, Smith, & Haynes, 2020). Because many of these approaches confuse workaholism with related but distinct concepts (e.g., causes and effects), the following definition has recently been suggested as a more pure description: 1) an inner pressure or compulsion to work, 2) …

Swk 225: Module 6. Applying Your Eclectic Knowledge Early And Middle Adulthood [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 225: Human Behavior in the Social Environment OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Module 6 "Applying your Eclectic Knowledge Early and Middle Adulthood."

Designed around the open access textbook Human Behavior and the Social Environment I, by Dr. Susan Tyler.

Correlates Of Depression Among Black Girls Exposed To Violence, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Depression rates for youth remanded to juvenile detention is double that of the general population and Black girls are especially vulnerable. A dearth of literature analyzes the factors that are correlated with depression among system-involved Black girls, ages 12–17 years old. We utilized personal agency to examine the relationship between risk factors (i.e., abuse history, and fear of condom negotiation) and protective factors (i.e., condom self-efficacy, and perceived social support) that might correlate with depression among Black girls exposed to violence. Findings indicate that fear of condom negotiation, abuse history and low condom self-efficacy are correlated with depressive symptomology while …

Shifting Coronavirus Disease 2019 Testing Policy And Research To Include The Full Translation Pipeline, Joseph Catania, Jeffrey Martin, M. Margaret Dolcini, E. Roberto Orellana, Jeffrey Henne

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

The current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing policy and practice limits testing as a prevention tool. Radical shifts are required to increase the scale of rapid testing strategies and improve dissemination and implementation of venue-based and self-testing approaches. Attention to the full translation pipeline is required to reach high-risk segments of the population.

Animal-Assisted Interventions: Relationship Between Standards And Qualifications, Greta Kerulo, Niko Kargas, Daniel S. Mills, Graham Law, Rise Vanfleet, Tracie Faa-Thompson, Melissa Y. Winkle

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Ethical practice of animal- assisted interventions (AAI) requires appropriate qualifications and experience for all parties involved. Recently introduced and updated Standards of Practice emphasize the importance of AAI- specific training and qualification for different types of AAI, which should only be delivered within the scope of one’s professional competence. The purpose of this study was (1) to explore how a self- selected group of practitioners delivering AAI describe their work in relation to recent attempts to develop a terminological consensus (IAHAIO, 2014, 2018), and (2) to describe how AAI best practice recommendations (AAII, 2018) are implemented into professional practice among …

Swk 225: Module 5. Applying Your Eclectic Knowledge: Early Childhood, Middle Childhood And Adolescence [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 225: Human Behavior in the Social Environment OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Module 5 "Applying your Eclectic Knowledge: Early Childhood, Middle Childhood and Adolescence."

Designed around the open access textbook Human Behavior and the Social Environment I, by Dr. Susan Tyler.

Swk 225: Module 4. Applying Your Eclectic Knowledge: Pregnancy, Birth, Infancy And Toddlerhood [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 225: Human Behavior in the Social Environment OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Module 4 "Applying your Eclectic Knowledge: Pregnancy, Birth, Infancy and Toddlerhood."

Designed around the open access textbook Human Behavior and the Social Environment I, by Dr. Susan Tyler.

Developing Monitoring And Evaluation Dynamic Systems For Alternative Families With Fostered Children/ تصميم أنظمة ديناميكية للمتابعة والتقييم للأسر البديلة للأطفال بالكفالة, Basma Mahmoud, Dina Refaei, Hend Ahmed, Khadiga Embaby

Papers, Posters, and Presentations

Since 2016, the Egyptian Government has made many improvements to the Alternative Families System that aims to provide children without parental care with families. Yet, these families still face some obstacles in the monitoring and follow-up system after adoption. The paper sheds light on these obstacles; the roots and solution. We depend on qualitative methodological approaches, based on a purposive sample of key informants consisting of governmental officials, national and international entities, using in-depth interviews as the main tool for data collection, and surveys. As a result of our research, we found that there are limitations that affect the increasing …

The Resulting Mental Health Pandemic From Covid-19: Research And Resources For Social Workers, Ami Lynch

Social Work Student Works

The COVID-19 pandemic will have long-lasting mental health impacts on hundreds of millions more worldwide than the contagion itself. Social workers are seeing increases in depression, anxiety, suicidality, and post-traumatic stress disorder and other negative mental health impacts. Because of this, social workers in all environments and modalities of practice need to be well-trained, agile, and energized while facing the pandemic themselves. This report compiles the impacts and concerns for a variety of social workers and their clients into a single, digestible source, supplemented by the “COVID-19 Resource Compendium for Social Workers and Their Clients”. Social workers must practice self-care, …

Swk 340: Chapter 13. Interviews And Focus Groups [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 340: Social Work Research Methods OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Chapter 13 "Interviews and Focus Groups" from course textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work.

Designed around the open access textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work, by Dr. Matthew DeCarlo.

Swk 340: Chapter 16. Reporting Research [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 340: Social Work Research Methods OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Chapter 16 "Reporting Research" from course textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work.

Designed around the open access textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work, by Dr. Matthew DeCarlo.

Swk 340: Chapter 11. Survey Research [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 340: Social Work Research Methods OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Chapter 11 "Survey Research" from course textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work.

Designed around the open access textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work, by Dr. Matthew DeCarlo.

Swk 340: Chapter 8. Creating And Refining A Research Question [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 340: Social Work Research Methods OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Chapter 8 "Creating and refining a research question" from course textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work.

Designed around the open access textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work, by Dr. Matthew DeCarlo.

Swk 340: Chapter 7. Design And Causality [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 340: Social Work Research Methods OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Chapter 7 "Design and causality" from course textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work.

Designed around the open access textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work, by Dr. Matthew DeCarlo.

Swk 340: Chapter 10. Sampling [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 340: Social Work Research Methods OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Chapter 10 "Sampling" from course textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work.

Designed around the open access textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work, by Dr. Matthew DeCarlo.

Swk 340: Chapter 12. Experimental Design [Powerpoint], Erin Stevenson

SWK 340: Social Work Research Methods OER Collection

Powerpoint slideshow for Chapter 12 "Experimental Design" from course textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work.

Designed around the open access textbook Scientific Inquiry in Social Work, by Dr. Matthew DeCarlo.