Social Work Commons^™

Bullying Victimization And Perpetration: Some Answers And More Questions, Dexter R. Voisin, David B. Miller

Faculty Scholarship

The U.S. government has defined bullying victimization as “any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated”.1 Conceptualizations of bullying and the use of the term vary by audience and context. For instance, for some, bullying behaviors might include acts of aggression or violence, whereas for others bullying might center on name-calling, exclusionary social practices or even spreading rumors and vicious lies.2

Feasibility Of A Stress Reduction Program Among Foster Youth In College, Alexis Melinda Ferioli Morin, Jennifer E. Lape

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Foster youth endure traumatic adversities, which can lead to obstacles when transitioning to young adulthood and pursuing postsecondary education. This vulnerable population is required to navigate independent living while also managing stress that commonly arises from postsecondary education.

Method: A pre test, post test pilot design was employed to determine the potential impact and feasibility of an evidenced-based multi-factorial stress management program in reducing foster youth’s perceived stress during postsecondary education. Participants (n = 3) received one, 90-min individual occupational therapy session weekly over 6 weeks. Author-generated stress management surveys along with the Perceived Stress Scale …

Differences Among Family And Professional Guardians: A Statewide Survey Of Characteristics, Training, And Practices Related To Decision-Making, Kristin Hamre, Derek Nord

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This cross-sectional study sought to examine the differences between family and professional guardians across personal and role characteristics, training received, and their inclusion of people they serve in decision making. A total of 237 subjects serving as guardian to adults in the state of Indiana completed an online survey. Results showed group differences across race, education, as well as diagnosis and age of those served. Overall, training was limited across both groups, and family guardians received significantly less training across several topics. Finally, family and professional guardians were found to significantly differ in their willingness to allow people they serve …

Parents’ Perceptions Of The Philly Goat Project’S All Abilities Ramble: A Qualitative Study Of Animal-Assisted Intervention For Intellectual And Developmental Disorders, Patricia Flaherty-Fischette, Jenée Lee, Yvonne D'Uva-Howard, Elizabeth P. Cramer, Karen Krivit, Sarah Meehan

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are a growing population. Considering the wide diversity in IDD and the financial burden of traditional treatment modalities, Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) has emerged as an innovative and non-traditional treatment for individuals with a range of disabilities, including individuals with IDD. To the authors’ knowledge, the present study was one of the first to explore a goat-assisted therapy experience for children with IDD. This study explored the experiences of 23 children with the All Abilities RAMble – a goat-assisted therapeutic activity offered by the Philly Goat Project (PGP). Key themes in our study included …

Caregiver Health: Having A Child With Asd And The Impact Of Child Health Insurance Status, Kristin Hamre, Derek Nord, John Andresen

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This study aims to understand the health outcomes of parents with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the interactive effect of child health insurance status. The study utilized 2014-2018 pooled National Health Interview Survey data to construct weighted national estimates and construct main and interaction effect logistic regression models. Findings show parents of children with ASD experienced significantly poorer health compared to parents of children without autism. Insurance status was found to significantly interact with child ASD status. Compared to parents of children without ASD that used private insurance, parents with a child with ASD who used private insurance, …

Migration Integration Policies As Social Determinants Of Health For Highly Educated Immigrants In The United States, Mitra Naseh, Yingying Zeng, Abha Rai, Ian Sutherland, Hyunwoo Yoon

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

Highly educated immigrants are part of the growing population of immigrants who are impacted by the increasingly hostile migration policies in the U.S. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and inductive reasoning to explore the possible impacts of migration integration policies as social determinants of health among this group. Data was collected through 31 semi-structured interviewees with highly educated immigrants who had an intention and interest to stay in the U.S. at the time of the interview. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and four main themes emerged: (1) a life overshadowed by silent worries, (2) living through …

Improving The High School And College Classroom Experience For Learners With Refugee Status: Theory, Practice, And Change., Kayte Thomas, Sara-Jean Lipmen

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Refugee populations are increasing globally, and children make up more than fifty percent of those displaced. Unique experiences that come with forced migration including fragmented education, trauma, family separation, grief, and adverse other effects can impact learning in the classroom for refugee students. Existing data indicates that schools lack sufficient protocols to meet the needs of students with refugee status who consistently face risks associated with ill-prepared learning environments, and therefore must rethink possibilities to address this. By adopting strategic decolonized approaches, educational leaders can create supportive environments which improve instructional methods and learning outcomes for these students as they …

Guiding The Way To Clinical Licensure: Creating A Practical Framework For The Provision Of Clinical Social Work Supervision, Susan Reay

Social Work Faculty Publications

This article aims to guide recent MSW graduates through the clinical supervision process. Frequently asked questions about supervision are addressed, including how to find a supervisor, the pros and cons of supervision inside or outside your organization, what the supervision will entail, and how supervision supports the supervisee in their work and professional development. This article also provides a best practices supervision framework with access to a Clinical Supervision Guidebook to demonstrate ways of implementing successful supervision that works for both the supervisee and supervisor. Located in the Appendix, the Guidebook outlines the relevant clinical supervisor and supervisee regulatory expectations …

Factors Associated With Resilience Among Msw Students In The Face Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jose Carbajal, Donna Schuman, Warren Ponder, Christine Bishop, Amber Hall, Kristin Bolton

Faculty Publications

COVID-19 continues to affect the general population, and its impact on MSW students is unknown. Therefore, this study aims to examine resilience, attachment, and other mental health constructs among MSW students during COVID-19. U.S. MSW program directors were emailed the electronic surveys to distribute to their MSW students. Authors evaluated the bivariate relationship between the variables and conducted a multiple hierarchical regression predicting resilience. The findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of resilience have lower levels of depression and PTSD. Finally, attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and self-efficacy were statistically significant predictors of resilience in the hierarchical regression. This study …

Competency-Based Personnel Selection Oklahoma - Key Findings, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

Background

The QIC-WD began working with Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) in 2017. At that time OKDHS had an average turnover rate of 25% among Child Welfare Specialist (CWS) I and IIs. Agency leaders expressed a desire to better understand turnover rates with an eye toward increasing the retention of more competent performers. A thorough needs assessment led to the decision to design and implement a competency-based personnel selection intervention to address inconsistencies in hiring and better identify candidates with the desired competencies to be hired as a CWS. The evaluation was designed to include an implementation evaluation; a validation …

Addressing Work-Related Traumatic Stress Nebraska - Key Findings, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

Background

Nebraska’s Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) started working with the QIC-WD in 2017 to better understand its turnover problem and found that, among workers who left the agency in 2017, it typically happened within the first two years and the turnover rate in 2017 was about 30%. The team examined many contributing factors through a needs assessment and designed CFS Strong to improve employee retention by addressing work-related traumatic stress among the child welfare workforce.

According to the Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) scale administered in December 2017, the overall presence of STS symptoms in DCFS staff was …

Frontline Job Redesign Louisiana - Key Findings, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

Background

In 2017, the QIC-WD began working with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). At that time DCFS had an average turnover rate of 24% across the state with one region having a rate of 51% and another with a low of 8%. A thorough needs assessment identified that high caseloads and a large number of administrative tasks were barriers to caseworkers’ ability to effectively engage in the clinical aspects of their work and led to the decision to redesign the frontline caseworker job.

The intervention created a new job, the Child Welfare Team Specialist (CWTS), …

Exploring Self-Perception And Sociocultural Adjustment Among International Students, David Martinez

McNair Scholars Research

With the rising numbers of international college students, institutions must assess their experiences. International students undergo major adjustments while studying abroad, which may impact their well-being. Specifically, it can affect their psychological health. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to explore the self-perception and sociocultural adjustment of international students. It attempts this by identifying significant differences in self-efficacy and self-esteem between international and American students. The participants included a convenience sample of 75 college students, 32 international and 43 American students, from a small, private Christian university. The researcher assessed self-esteem using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and self-efficacy …

At The Heart Of Our Communities: Parent/Caregiver & Youth Leadership, Deschutes County System Of Care, Callie H. Lambarth

Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services Publications

In lieu of an abstract, here are the vision and goals of the Deschutes County System of Care:

Vision
The vision of System of Care is to create an array of services and supports for children, youth and young adults in Deschutes County that are youth- and family-driven, community-based, and culturally and linguistically responsive.

Goals

1. Collaboration between services, families, and youth to improve the system of supports that serve children, youth and young adults with complex and significant mental health needs.
2. Leadership that includes youth and parents/caregivers impacted by the System of Care to advise on service processes, identify system …

Psu Student Housing Insecurity Interim Report, Jacen Greene, Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative, Portland State University

Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative Publications and Presentations

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Project Background

This study on student housing insecurity and homelessness was funded as part of a HUD FY2023 Community Project Funding Opportunity awarded to Portland State University. Phase 1 of the study, which led to this report by PSU’s Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative (HRAC), includes a literature review; a summary of PSU student survey results; a description of PSU programs based on interviews with staff and administrators; an analysis of programs at other institutions; and a set of recommendations for better addressing student housing needs. Phase 2 of the study will include the results of a comprehensive …

Incarceration Experiences And Post-Release Drug Addiction Recovery Among Previously Incarcerated Women With A Drug Addiction, Chiao-Yu Yang

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Aims: This dissertation research explores incarceration experiences among adult women with drug addiction histories. It aims to enhance our knowledge of the meaning of incarceration and the prolonged influence of the experience on women’s drug addiction recovery, filling knowledge gaps regarding women, substance use, and incarceration. Methodology: The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with twenty-two (22) formerly incarcerated women in the Northeast and Midwest United States. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the meaning of incarceration to the participants; the deprivation model of imprisonment, the life course theory, intersectionality, and the therapeutic jurisprudence perspective guided the analysis. Findings: Women with …

Better Days: A Minority Student’S Pathway Toward Upward Social Mobility, Brandi Nichole Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, many minority group members have lower social status and fewer economic resources than whites. In order to advance their social status, these individuals set goals that provide them access to more economic capital, many of which include obtaining a college degree. It must also be noted, however, that minority individuals, particularly those of African American and Hispanic descent, possess many alternative types of social and cultural capital that assist them in achieving their goals (Strayhorn, 2010). This qualitative study, designed to explore the types of cultural capital minority students use to achieve their career goals, analyzes …

Re-Imagining Mandatory Reporting: Professionalization's Complicity, Sam Harrell, Stephanie Wahab

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mandatory reporting of child abuse is a part of the civil legal system that can activate a policy cascade disproportionately criminalizing racialized and marginalized communities. While social work scholarship has explored ways to increase provider compliance with mandatory reporting laws, there is a dearth of research focused on how social work education guides future providers towards the praxis of mandatory reporting discourses. This article presents findings from a content analysis of social work textbook excerpts focused on mandatory reporting of child abuse in the U.S. We found that textbooks affirm social work’s loyalty to the State by approaching mandatory reporting …

Migration Integration Policies As Social Determinants Of Health For Highly Educated Immigrants In The United States, Mitra Naseh, Yingying Zeng, Ian Sutherland, Abha Rai, Hyunwoo Yoon

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Highly educated immigrants are part of the growing population of immigrants who are impacted by the increasingly hostile migration policies in the U.S. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and inductive reasoning to explore the possible impacts of migration integration policies as social determinants of health among this group. Data was collected through 31 semi-structured interviewees with highly educated immigrants who had an intention and interest to stay in the U.S. at the time of the interview. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and four main themes emerged: (1) a life overshadowed by silent worries, (2) living through …

Playing Well With Others: Evaluating An Intervention To Prepare Students For Interprofessional Collaborative Learning, Kelli S. Fox

Social Work Faculty Publications

National trends in health care delivery focus on quality team-based care, patient safety, reducing costs and improving practitioner satisfaction (Interprofessional Education Collaborative, 2016). Health profession students, including social workers, are expected to be workforce ready for a complex interprofessional work environment. Educators are charged with developing effective ways to teach collaborative team skills as part of the curriculum (Rubin et al., 2018; Thistlethwaite et al., 2014). Educators across health professions recognize the importance of providing opportunities to immerse students in experiential, person-centered interprofessional teamwork to adequately prepare them for the workforce. (Cohen Konrad et al., 2017; Mokler, 2020). Planned interprofessional …