Social Work Commons^™

Exploring The Cultural Identity And School Efficacy Of Students Through The Lens Of Digital Storytelling, Rachael Mack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Digital storytelling is a modern storytelling method that uses videos, images, and audio to share knowledge, wisdom, values, and personal stories from the point of view of the creator in a 2-8-minute first person narrative. This study explored the cultural identity and school efficacy of students through the lens of digital storytelling. This mixed-methods study consisted of both qualitative and quantitative measures. A survey was conducted using the In-Group Identification Scale, the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity, and the School Efficacy Scale as the quantitative measures, and qualitative data was generated from the transcription and analysis of the digital storytelling …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Racial And Ethnic Differences In Cost Of Care Conversations Among Older Adults, Kyaien Oquinn Conner, Jaqueline Wiltshire, Edlin Colato Garcia, Barbara Langland-Orban, Erica Anderson, Iraida Carrion, Amber Goodman, Ashley Goodman

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: The rapidly growing racially diverse, aging population in the United States is presenting unique challenges for our social, economic, and healthcare systems. Rising health care costs, increased patient cost-sharing, and limited financial resources make this generation of older Americans susceptible to large medical bills or debt which disproportionally impacts older racial/ethnic minorities. Cost-of-care (CoC) conversations between patients and doctors is one recommended approach to containing health care costs and alleviating patients’ financial burden of care.

Methods: The current study used focus group methodology to qualitatively explore the contextual factors that influence CoC conversations in a diverse sample of older …

Caregiver Role In Alcohol Abuse Treatment For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Mariam Nicoll

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With deinstitutionalization in the 1970s, individuals with intellectual disabilities were

mainstreamed back into their communities, along with an increase in the prevalence of

alcohol abuse and a necessity for family members to be the main source of care, support,

and advocacy. The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore

the lived experiences of caregivers of family members with intellectual disabilities

abusing alcohol and the obtainment of substance abuse treatment services. The

conceptual framework included a combination of family stress and caring theories which

provided an ontological direction as to how caregivers perceived the phenomenon of

obtaining substance abuse …

The Experiences Of Noncustodial Fathers Enrolled In The Georgia Fatherhood Program, Patricia Ann Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The federal child support program was designed in the United States in 1975 to reduce the amount of public assistance that is needed by collecting child support from noncustodial fathers. Due to financial barriers, many noncustodial fathers face challenges in paying their child support consistently. Noncustodial fathers are referred to Fatherhood Programs when they are delinquent in paying their child support. While extensive research was conducted on the impact of child support delinquency on families, very little focus has been placed on the challenges that noncustodial fathers face when attempting to complete Fatherhood Programs. The purpose of this generic qualitative …

Perceptions Of Organizational Support Among Social Workers Exposed To Vicarious Trauma, Paula Denise Downie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Repeated exposure to clients’ trauma has led to secondary or vicarious emotional distress for social workers, which has negatively impacted their professional and personal lives. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore social workers’ perceptions of organizational support of social workers with symptoms of vicarious trauma. Ecological systems theory provided the framework for the study. The sample consisted of 6 clinical licensed social workers who participated in 2 focus group sessions, one with 4 participants and one with 2 participants. Data were inductively coded and analyzed to identify patterns and themes. Findings indicated that social workers …

Integration Of Social Work Practices With Refugees: An Action Research Study, Avril Williams Knox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States is facing an increasing number of refugees and asylees who resettled and were forced to migrate from their countries of origin. In the United States, social service professionals and social workers of resettlement agencies are responsible for the program enrollment and follow-up with newly arrived refugees. Hence, there is a huge learning curve for these individuals. Although a substantial number of refugees are linked to appropriate resources, many are neglected and are unable to sustain themselves. This action research was based upon family systems theory. Integrative techniques used by social workers were explored. The information was subjective, …

Child Welfare Workers Perceptions Of Their Competencies At Detecting And Reporting Abuse Of Foster Children, Shameka Angela Manigault

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child abuse is a national issue in the United States. Past research has revealed that child welfare workers competency at detecting and reporting child abuse comes with challenges and barriers. Poor recognition and reporting of suspected maltreatment are problematic because a lack of action on the part of child welfare workers may leave children vulnerable to continued abuse, which could result in increased morbidity and mortality for the children. This generic qualitative study examined child welfare workers perceptions of their professional competencies at detecting and reporting abuse of foster children during out-of-home placements. Bandura's principles of self-efficacy as presented in …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Social Work Practice In Suffolk, Va., Porcha Lynn Porter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a well-known disorder that children are increasingly diagnosed with, but the school setting is still unprepared for this disorder. Research has also shown that there is still a need for school staff be more educated and trained on this disorder so that they can see how the environment, including the school setting, plays a significant role in increasing the symptoms including adding to the stigma. The gap in literature found that the social expectations that shape the school environment can create a challenge for children with an ADHD diagnosis and contribute to the stigma …

Rural Community Mental Health Agency’S Strategies To Involve Parents In Children’S Psychosocial Treatment, Kerry Ellen Morrell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased prevalence of children’s mental illness and the need for community-based treatment with enhanced outcomes is propelling the need to improve children’s mental health treatment to the forefront of children’s mental health policy reform. Including parental involvement in children’s mental health treatment increases the possibility of improved treatment outcomes. However, policy, social, attitudinal, and fiscal factors have affected the strategies used to overcome the barriers to facilitating parental involvement. The purpose of this in-depth qualitative case study was to understand the strategies that one mental health agency used to overcome the barriers to facilitating parental involvement in the psychosocial …

Gay-Affirmative Social Work Practice With Homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Youth, Aissa Deloatch-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth are overrepresented in the homeless population and experience higher rates of discrimination and unfair treatment when accessing services and shelter. Research indicates that homeless LGBT youth remain homeless for longer periods of time than their heterosexual peers because of bias and stigmas associated with their gender identity and sexual orientation. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine if social workers in the city of New Haven, Connecticut, used an affirmative model of intervention when working with homeless LGBT youth. Maslow’s self-affirmation theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. The interview …

Social Workers' Role In Treating Individuals With Neurological Impairments From Brain Trauma, Kimberly D. Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nearly 1 billion individuals worldwide are diagnosed with a neurological condition. Neurological conditions might harm an individual’s overall mental state and quality of life. This qualitative action research project examined the social worker’s role in treating individuals with neurological impairments due to brain trauma. Information was gathered using a focus group of 4 rehabilitation social workers in Dallas, Texas, about their experiences related to utilizing social work practice with patients who have neurological conditions. Data from this action research project revealed an understanding of the psychosocial benefits of social work services for individuals with neurological impairments due to brain trauma …

Impact Of District-Wide Free Lunch On Third-Grade Students’ Reading Comprehension, Rita A. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poverty has an enormous impact on children and their success in school. Children with low economic status often perform poorly in math and reading. Poor reading skills often lead to truancy, low rates of high school graduation, low-paying jobs, and cycles of illiteracy in generations of families. The fundamental cause theory was the theoretical lens used for this study. The purpose of this quantitative, comparative ANOVA quartile split study was to examine the impact of universal free and reduced lunch (FRL) policy changes on third grade reading normal curve equivalent (NCE) scores. The research design included data analysis for examining …

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients' Sociological Resilience, Self-Determination, And Decision-Making For Life-Sustaining Treatments, Jeremy Jon Van Tress

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) suffer from a rare, progressive, untreatable, and fatal neuromuscular disease. Their decision-making for life-sustaining treatments may not be fully self-deterministic. While researchers have examined resilience and self-determination in people with mental health problems and chronic illness, none have researched these variables in ALS patients from a socioecological framework. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between people with ALS socioecological resilience, self-determination, and decision-making for life-sustaining treatments. A cross-sectional concurrent mixed-methods design was used, with online surveys completed by 197 people with ALS who were solicited through the National ALS Registry. …

Methamphetamine Screening And Brief Intervention In A Hospital Heart Failure Program, Tamra Chavez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe efficacy of screening, brief, intervention, referral to treatment (SBIRT) in reducing or eliminating methamphetamine use has not been investigated and addressed among patients with heart failure. According to urine toxicology screens at admission at a county hospital, approximately 50% of patients in a heart failure program were positive for illicit substance use, and the majority of these tests (>60%) were for methamphetamine use, one of the most cardiotoxic drugs available. This quantitative study used an existing dataset to test the theory of intentional behavior by examining whether SBIRT intervention increases the patient’s ability to make a behavioral change …

A Qualitative Study On The Perceived Value Of Emotional Intelligence Training On Foster Parents, Omar Shere Johnson

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The experiences of a child in the foster care system rely heavily on the preparedness ofthe foster parent. For decades, researchers and practitioners have written about the challenges that foster children face while in the foster care system and discussed ways to assist them. This research discusses another way to improve the preparedness of a foster child as they go through the foster care system—improving the parenting skills of the foster parent using emotional intelligence. The entirety of this study is the analysis and study of this specific research question, “What perceived impact can emotional intelligence training (IV) have on …

Understanding Alzheimer’S Disease Knowledge In Low-Income, Richmond, Va Community Dwelling Older Adults, Taylor Wilkerson, Ann Rhodes, Jennifer Inker, Joann Richardson, Faika Zanjani

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Different populations of individuals demonstrate varying levels of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) knowledge, as well as commonly held misconceptions about the nature of the disease and its risk factors. Older adults often demonstrate lower scores on Alzheimer’s disease knowledge scales and African American adults are often specifically not aware of their higher Alzheimer’s risk status compared to other racial groups. In addition, African American older adults are more likely to receive the fewest AD interventions. Methods: We measured the Alzheimer’s knowledge of twenty community-dwelling elders at two separate time points (baseline and 6 month follow-up) as part of a larger …

The Moderating Effect Of Comfort From Companion Animals And Social Support On The Relationship Between Microaggressions And Mental Health In Lgbtq+ Emerging Adults, Angela Matijczak, Jennifer L. Murphy, Camie A. Tomlinson, Kelly O'Connor, Shelby E. Mcdonald

Graduate Research Posters

Introduction: Sexual and/or gender minority (SGM; e.g., lesbian, transgender, nonbinary, LGBTQ+) individuals are frequently exposed to various forms of minority stress that impact their mental health and wellbeing. Microaggressions, a form of minority stress, are defined as unconscious behaviors or statements directed at members of marginalized groups that reflect a hostile or discriminatory message. Microaggressions have been associated with several detrimental outcomes, such as depression and anxiety. Social support has been found to be an important protective factor for SGM emerging adults. Additionally, relationships with companion animals are an underexplored source of support that may be important for SGM individuals. …

Staff Under New Market Rules: A Case Study Of A Group Home For People With Intellectual Disabilities In Sweden, Sven Trygged

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Swedish caring services have transformed from a public ­operated to a market inspired contract system. This pilot case study of a group home explores what the shifts of contractor entail for staff concerning work regulation, work content and job satisfaction, personal development, relationships with colleagues, and consequences for service users. Procurement documents were studied and interviews performed with four experienced staff members. Results show that manager turnover, administrative changes, and terms of employment contracts increased conflicts and staff vulnerability. Staff responses are discussed in terms of exit, voice and loyalty.

Daily Labors: Marketing Identity And Bodies On A New York City Street Corner, By Carolyn Pinedo-Turnovsky, Kimberly Hogan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Carolyn Pinedo-Turnovsky, Daily Labors: Marketing Identity and Bodies on a New York City Street Corner. Temple University Press (2019), 212 pages, $24.42 (softcover).

Social Empathy: The Art Of Understanding Others, By Elizabeth A. Segal, Melanie Reyes

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Elizabeth A. Segal, Social Empathy: The Art of Understanding Others. Columbia University Press (2018). 239 pages, $32.50 (hardcover).

Parental Practices And Maternal Warmth As Protective Factors For Problem Behaviors In Mexican Preadolescents, Jaime Fuentes-Balderrama, Cinthia Cruz Del Castillo, Jose Ruben Parra-Cardona, Bernardo Turnbull Plaza, Angélica Ojeda García, Rolando Díaz-Loving

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Epidemiological estimates indicate that approximately 12% of children and adolescents in Mexico are in clinical ranges for psychological disorders. Low-income families in need of psychological support generally encounter understaffed and sometimes inefficient public health services and thus, families frequently constitute the primary source of support for individuals affected by mental health disorders. Empirical studies in the Mexican context have demonstrated that positive parental practices are associated with positive developmental outcomes and low levels of problem behaviors for both children and adolescents. This study aims to identify if such practices act as protective factors for problem behaviors in 306 Mexican students …

Moving Beyond Race, Gender, And Education: Exploring The Relationship Between Disability, Depressive Symptoms And Long-Term Financial Outcomes, Mellissa K. Wright, Clifford L. Broman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Data on poverty status reveals that there is a distinct sub-population of individuals who are at a significantly greater risk of being chronically poor. Although many researchers have examined the demographic characteristics of individuals who are the most likely to be persistently poor, the emphasis has been on race, sex, and education. Little attention has been paid to the role that disability might play in long-term poverty. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to utilize longitudinal Add Health data in order to explore whether or not the presence of a disability might also affect an individual’s likelihood of experiencing …

Review Of Research On Long-Term Care Insurance In Qingdao, China By Mi Hong, Ji Min, And Liu Weiguo, Lingxue Sun

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of Research on Long-Term Care Insurance in Qingdao, China by Mi Hong, Ji Min, and Liu Weiguo, China Labour & Social Security Publishing House (2019).

Review Of Elder Suicide: Durkheim’S Vision By Stephen M. Marson, Daniel Liechty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of Elder Suicide: Durkheim’s Vision by. Stephen M. Marson, NASW Press (2019),

Young Adult Drinking And Depression: The Long-Term Consequences Of Poverty, Maternal Depression, And Childhood Behavioral Problems, Rachel Mckane, Molly K. Richard

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The objective of this research is to investigate the relationships among childhood poverty, maternal depressive symptoms, internalizing and externalizing childhood behavioral problems, and depressive symptoms and alcohol use in young adulthood. Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample and path analysis, a special case of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the results indicate that both childhood poverty and maternal depressive symptoms are associated with negative behavioral outcomes in childhood and young adulthood. This study also examines mediating effects of maternal depressive symptoms, and both externalizing and internalizing childhood behavioral problems. The findings indicate that the relationship between childhood poverty and …

Review Of Motherlands: How States Push Mothers Out Of Employment By Leah Ruppanner, Hana Liechty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of Motherlands: How States Push Mothers Out of Employment.

Using A Contextual Effects Measurement Approach To Understand The Influence Of Community On Individual Behavior, Bridget E. Weller, Sinaida Cherubin, Shelby D. Leverett, Alexandria Taylor

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A social organization perspective identifies processes operating in the community that may influence an individual’s behavior. To understand such processes, researchers can apply a contextual effects measurement approach, which is used to assess the influence of group-level effects on lower level outcomes. However, few community studies employ this approach. The purpose of this article is to present and evaluate the merits of the contextual effects measurement approach.

Caring For Children In Child Welfare Systems: A Trauma-Informed Model Of Integrated Primary Care, Jill Mcleigh, Laura Lamminen, Heidi Roman

Integrated, Trauma-Informed Care

Children involved with the child welfare system have high rates of behavioral health concerns, chronic health conditions, and developmental disabilities. Further, as a result of the complicated relationships among the court system, child protective services, and caregivers (i.e., biological, kinship, and/or foster caregivers) and the high volume of health-, behavior-, and development-related services children in care need, the services they receive tend to be fragmented and problem driven. On top of these challenges, children involved with the child welfare system have been exposed to trauma, and often more than one form of trauma. Taken together, these factors point to the …

Tuberculosis Clinical Presentation And Treatment Outcomes In Pregnancy: A Prospective Cohort Study, Brittney J. Van De Water, Meredith B. Brooks, Chuan-Chin Huang, Letizia Trevisi, Leonid Lecca, Carmen Contreras, Jerome Galea, Roger Calderon, Rosa Yataco, Megan Murray, Mercedes C. Becerra

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: There is limited research to guide TB treatment specifically in pregnant women and few studies have described the presentation of TB in pregnant women. We aimed to understand TB presentation and treatment outcomes in pregnant women in a low HIV burden setting. We describe a cohort of women of childbearing age treated for TB disease in Lima, Peru, and compare clinical presentation and treatment outcomes among pregnant and non-pregnant women between 2009 and 2012, including 36 pregnant women.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study. Subjects were recruited from across 106 public health centers in Lima, Peru. Baseline demographic, …

Impact Of Mental Disorders On Active Tb Treatment Outcomes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, G. Lee, J. Scuffell, J. T. Galea, S. S. Shin, E. Magill, E. Jaramillo, A. C. Sweetland

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Comorbid mental disorders in patients with TB may exacerbate TB treatment outcomes. We systematically reviewed current evidence on the association between mental disorders and TB outcomes.

Methods: We searched eight databases for studies published from 1990 to 2018 that compared TB treatment outcomes among patients with and without mental disorders. We excluded studies that did not systematically assess mental disorders and studies limited to substance use. We extracted study and patient characteristics and effect measures and performed a meta-analysis using random-effects models to calculate summary odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: Of 7687 studies identified, 10 …