Gaps In Therapeutic Services For Foster Youth In Short Term Residential Therapeutic Programs, Kaniqua Tainiaja Stewart, Maria Del Rosario Sanchez, Rachelle Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines rehabilitation outcomes among foster youth who are currently or were previously placed in Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTPs), also known as group homes. With more than 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States, and approximately 39,000–57,000 residing in group homes, limited research has explored why rehabilitation efforts in these settings often fall short. Existing literature emphasizes policy reforms, compliance, and placement outcomes under California’s Continuum of Care Reform, but gives less attention to youths lived therapeutic experiences and the consistency and quality of mental health services delivered within STRTPs. This study addresses this gap …

Foster Youth Success In Higher Education, Brianna Mosqueda, Ana Gutierrez Perez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This proposed study explores the topic of foster youth and their personal experiences, identifying influential factors in career choice at higher levels of education. Emphasized factors include overall motivation levels, personal experiences, financial factors, support, and potential challenges. Results of this proposed study could identify resources to better understand current gaps in educational success using two theories, such as Social Cognitive Career Theory and Self-Determination Theory. Study data would be analyzed using a quantitative approach, implementing non-probability sampling, specifically quota sampling, to identify and recruit foster care youth participants. Survey responses collected via scaling questions would be transferred from the …

Foster Youth Perspectives On The Effectiveness Of School-Based Academic Support, Stephanie Monroy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research aims to explore how foster youth perceive the effectiveness of various evidence-based interventions that have previously been used to support their education. Due to the various barriers that foster youth face, they often experience significantly lower academic performance than their non-foster youth peers. Consequently, high school graduation rates among foster youth remain significantly lower than those of their non-foster youth peers. Much of the existing literature is outdated and does not adequately reflect current educational realities for foster youth. Additionally, existing literature primarily focuses on measurable outcomes and program evaluations, with less emphasis on ensuring the lived experiences …

Parental Rejection, Identity Development, And Mental Health Among Lgbtqia+ Youth, Litzy Rodriguez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers, LGBTQIA+ youth continue to experience increased rates of anxiety, depression, suicidality, and identity development distress. Parental rejection has been identified as the central impact of these outcomes. However, limited research has examined the influence of parental responses on identity development and the role of micro-level supports, such as counseling and support groups, and macro-level supports, such as inclusive policies and community protections. The purpose of this proposed study is to examine the relationship between early parental rejection or acceptance and LGBTQIA+ youth’s mental health outcomes, identity development, and perceived effectiveness of support systems. …

Mental Health Outcome Disparities In Children With A History Of Maltreatment: A Qualitative Study, Anna V. Echaury

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child maltreatment is a widespread social issue that leads to lasting effects that include perpetuating cycles of violence and can lead to long term problems in adulthood. The presented study aims to focus on describing the mental health outcome disparities in children who have experienced child maltreatment. Although existing studies have addressed mental health outcomes, previous work has overlooked the disparities between children who have experienced maltreatment and children who have not. This qualitative study will collect data using interviews and utilize thematic analysis to analyze the collected data. This research will enhance understanding of the impact of child maltreatment …

Human Trafficking Of Children Efficacy Of Counter Trafficking Programs For Youth, Alma Rodriguez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Human trafficking is a global problem, and it is a significant problem within the United States. Children are a vulnerable group that become victims of human trafficking operations. Human trafficking prevention programs are available to address this issue, but there is much needed research to test the effectiveness of the countertrafficking programs for high-risk children. This study is a systematic review of studies on countertrafficking programs. This study will use a mixed methods approach to analyze quantitative and qualitative data from selected studies. This study hopes to find if current counter-trafficking programs are effective in preventing at-risk youth from becoming …

Narrating Experience: How Undergraduate Social Work Students See Themselves In The Social Justice Curriculum, Emily C. Soener

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Social justice is widely recognized as a foundational value of the social work profession, yet research indicates inconsistencies in how social justice is defined, taught, and experienced within social work education. This study examines how undergraduate social work students make meaning of social justice learning in relation to their own lived experiences. Using a critical narrative inquiry approach grounded in constructivist qualitative methodology, this study explores how students narrate their experiences of social justice education and how those narratives reveal tensions between professional ideals and classroom realities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eleven undergraduate social work students enrolled …

Community Justice Advocates: Increasing Access To Legal Resources In Utah, Natalie Maria Rust

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

A large access to justice gap exists among defendants in debt collection cases. The gap arises from steep legal fees, a lack of accessible resources, and the complexity of the legal system. The Community Justice Advocates of Utah was founded in 2024 through the Utah Regulatory Sandbox and authorized under the Supreme Court of Utah to bridge this gap. Community Justice Advocates (CJA) are trained human service professionals authorized to provide limited-scope legal advice in various areas. The Transforming Communities Institute (TCI) at Utah State University joined this network in 2025, launching a pilot program training human service professionals in …

Implementing Mtss In Hispanic Serving Middle Schools From The Concept Of Rurality: A Qualitative Case Study On School Mental Health And The Role Of Social Work, Rosario Elena Olivera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and the integration of mental health services within two middle schools in a suburban-rural mix, predominantly Hispanic school district in Southwest Texas, referred to as Desert View Independent School District. The study explored how educators and school-based mental health professionals perceive, interpret, and operationalize MTSS within their school contexts. Methods: The study employed a qualitative case study design grounded in implementation science and ecological systems theory. Data were collected through purposive sampling and included semi-structured interviews with teachers, counselors, and a district-level school …

Pictured And Framed: A Media Analysis Of Local News Coverage Of The Unhoused In Fayetteville, Sabine Skoch

School of Social Work Undergraduate Honors Theses

Amid a growing housing crisis in Fayetteville, local media serves as an influential force in shaping public understanding of homelessness. This study examines how homelessness is framed in local news coverage through a reflexive thematic analysis of ten randomly selected articles published between May 2022 and November 2025. Guided by media framing and attribution theory, this analysis explores how causes, consequences, and solutions to homelessness are constructed within a rapidly growing Southern city.

Three central themes emerged. First, local reporting centers empathy through lived experiences and community testimonies, emphasizing dignity, vulnerability, and structural precarity rather than individual failure. Second, coverage …

From Service To Support: Empowering Aging Veterans, Priscilla A. Mireles

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project was designed to assist aging veterans in Monterey County who face challenges staying safely in their homes long-term. It describes the Monterey County Military and Veterans Affairs Office, an agency dedicated to helping former service members and their families navigate the complexities of the federal benefits system to access essential support. The project focused on a small-scale community resource fair aimed at bridging the gap between aging veterans and local services including caregiving, healthcare, and transportation. By centralizing diverse organizations, the intervention aimed to increase awareness of available resources among this population. Most intended outcomes were met; …

Chit-Chat With Hats: Addressing Mental Health Decline Through Art Therapy And Community Engagement, Zoe G. Mendez-Sosa

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone addresses the prominent social issue of mental health decline in Central Pacific California driven by lack of support systems for individuals. In partnership with Health Advocacy Team Support (HATS), “Chit-Chat with HATS was developed as a peer to peer group with art therapy techniques to promote emotional resilience and community connection. The primary objective of the program was to provide individuals struggling with mental health with tools to help them manage their feelings and thoughts.

The program was structured with check-ins, mindfulness techniques, and opportunities of creative expression through art therapy techniques to help participants with processing complex …

Improving Fafsa Completion For High School Graduates, Haylee B. Padilla

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Too many students at Learning For Life Charter School graduate without a clear understanding of social mobility and are unprepared for the academic and practical demands of college. This project addressed the need for increased FAFSA completion and college and career readiness among 11th and 12th grade high school students graduating in the 2026 school year. The purpose of this project was to provide support to help students get federal student aid by walking them through filling out the FAFSA form and giving clear steps so they could apply without stress. Key activities included workshops, one-on-one support guiding students through …

Reducing Vulnerability To Burnout Among Family Caregivers, Stephen J. Alvarado

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Family caregivers experience high levels of burnout and stress, which can negatively affect their well-being and the quality of care they provide. This capstone project was implemented at Health Projects Center in Salinas within the Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center program. Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center serves a diverse community of family caregivers, predominantly Caucasian, Hispanic, and Latino individuals caring for loved ones with a neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s or memory impairment. The purpose of this project was to improve caregivers’ knowledge, confidence, awareness, and intention regarding self-care strategies to reduce their vulnerability to burnout related to caregiving. The project …

Burnout Among Oncology Social Workers, Evelyn Camacho

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Burnout among oncology social workers has become an important issue within healthcare because of the emotional intensity and demands that come with working closely with cancer patients and their families. Oncology social workers often provide emotional support, counseling, and guidance to patients throughout difficult stages of treatment, recurrence, and end-of-life care, which can place a heavy strain on their own mental and emotional well-being. Over time, constant exposure to grief, trauma, and high workloads can contribute to emotional exhaustion, compassion fatigue, and difficulties maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Although oncology social workers play a major role in patient care, their …

Examining The Relationships Among Child Care Providers’ Knowledge Of Child Development, Burnout, Organizational Climate, And Expulsion Risk: A Brief Report, Juan Wang, Cheri Shapiro Ph.D., Tristan Collier, Jessica Sharp

Publications

Expulsion poses a significant barrier to high-quality and inclusive early care and education (ECE), leading to both immediate and long-term negative con-sequences for children and their families. This descriptive, exploratory study examined whether ECE providers’ knowledge of child development, burnout, and organizational climate was associated with their attitudes and perceptions related to expulsion risk. A total of 309 ECE providers in one state in the South-eastern region of the United States taking part in a program evaluation completed an online survey prior to program implementation. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess associations among providers’ knowledge of child development, …

Staying Safe, Smart, And Well Online: Empowering Older Adults In The Digital Age Conference Summary, Minzhi Ye, Rebecca Cole

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Summary of the two-day, bilingual community conference that brought older adults, caregivers, service providers, researchers, and local organizations together to build digital confidence and prevent fraud.

The Role Of Commuting Stress On Job Satisfaction: Burnout As Mediator, Andreas Ari Kristiyanto, P. Tommy Y. S. Suyasa

Psychological Research on Urban Society

Abstract

This study examines the role of commuting stress on job satisfaction, with burnout as a mediating variable. Data were collected from 113 commuting employees in urban areas, primarily within Greater Jakarta, an area known for severe traffic congestion, using a quantitative approach. Participants completed three validated questionnaires: the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) for job satisfaction, the Multimodal Commuting Stress Scale (MCSS) for commuting stress, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) for burnout. Data were analyzed using SEM-PLS and processed using SmartPLS 4.0. The results indicate that CS has a direct negative effect on job satisfaction and is positively associated …

Arts Integration: Teaching Through The Senses Just Makes Sense!, Isabella Shenouda, Noah Karnafel, Hongming Xu

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Arts Integration is a high-impact teaching practice for both higher education and K-12 settings. Because students bring diverse backgrounds, learning preferences, and ways of making meaning, the arts offer flexible, multi-sensory pathways to content comprehension that traditional lecture-based and text-based instruction often cannot. Drawing on classroom evidence from an Honors First-Year Seminar at UNLV in which students identified an arts-based workshop as their favorite lesson, we argue that creative, hands-on activities deepen knowledge retention and foster genuine intellectual engagement. Arts Integration is inherently an asset-based and inclusive practice, as it encourages students to connect through various sensory learning experiences, whether …

Between Care And Compliance: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Social Workers' Perspectives On Behavior Contracts In Healthcare, Katelyn E. Murphy

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Behavior contracts are frequently used in healthcare environments to manage behaviors labeled as disruptive; however, their use presents many ethical, legal, and practical concerns. This mixed-methods study examined behavior contracts through a social work lens, with particular attention to their impact on patient-centered care, professional ethics, and the patient–provider relationship. Based on the Person-in-Environment theory and core bioethical principles, the quantitative aspect of the study assessed healthcare social workers’ attitudes regarding the ethical implications of behavior contracts and their alignment with patient-centered care. The study looked further at how these perceptions differed based on years of professional experience as a …