Social Work Commons^™

Puerto Ricans And Asthma: Looking Through The Lens Of Historical Trauma, Lisa Colón

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized an explorative phenomenological qualitative design to begin understanding the many ways Puerto Ricans experience asthma. Further is sought to understand the asthma experience broadly and within the context of the hurricanes that devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 including the governments’ responses to that devastation. Another core goal of this study was the conceptual and empirical application of the theoretical framework of historical trauma to Puerto Ricans. I conducted 12 semi structured interviews with collaborators who expressed a range of asthma experiences. My collaborators represented a mixture of those who lived through the hurricanes in Puerto Rico and …

The Intersection Of Traumatic Brain Injury And Homelessness, Stephanie A. Chassman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rates of TBI are significantly higher among individuals experiencing homelessness compared to the general population. Up to half of individuals experiencing homelessness may have a TBI. Accurate prevalence rates of TBI among individuals experiencing homelessness are difficult to obtain due to different methods of sampling participants and differing definitions of TBI; therefore, estimates may be underrepresented. Despite past research that has examined the relationship between TBI and homelessness, there are specific gaps in knowledge such as correlates and risk factors of TBI among individuals experiencing homelessness. This three-manuscript dissertation attempts to address these gaps in knowledge.

The first manuscript …

Developing, Refining, And Testing The Intersectional Model Of Service Use: A Transgender And Nonbinary-Specific Model Of Healthcare Access, Jarrod Call

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people are more likely to experience negative health outcomes than cisgender (i.e., not TNB) people, but less likely to access healthcare services due to the systemic forces of transphobia and cisgenderism. Despite this, there are few theoretical models of healthcare access specifically designed for TNB people. This three-paper dissertation addresses this gap by developing, refining, and testing the Intersectional Model of Service Use (IMSU), a population-specific framework for researching TNB healthcare access. Manuscript one describes how the initial IMSU was developed from an integrative review of currently available TNB healthcare access literature. This initial IMSU was …

Evidence Based Practice Project: Families Struggling With Sexual Abuse And/ Or Incest, Beth Roerig, Hannah Odell

Student Projects

Structural family therapy was examined for effectiveness when working with family populations that struggle with incest and / or sexual abuse. This evidence based project reviewed and studied research to effectively create curriculum. The primary goal of structural family therapy is to assist families in mapping the family structure through boundary making, hierarchies, and subsystems to help clients resolve individual mental health symptoms and relational problems, interventions include stabilization, psychoeducation, coping mechanisms, creating boundaries, expressing emotions, and restructuring roles. Enactments and symbolic representation was found to be beneficial when progressing to goals in a therapy setting.

Conventional And Expanded Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) And Maternal Functioning Among Low-Income Black Mothers, Kerry Lee, Brenda Jones Harden, Mishaska Jaramillo, Taylor A. Norman, Laura Jimenez Parra

Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research Faculty Research and Scholarship

A paucity of research has examined the individual and cumulative effects of conventional and expanded adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on maternal functioning, especially among low-income Black mothers. Using self-report data from a subsample of Black mothers (N = 157) who participated in a larger study to evaluate the effectiveness of an urban public prekindergarten program in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, we examined the prevalence of ACEs and the individual and cumulative effects of conventional (i.e., family trauma and dysfunction) and expanded (i.e., community stressors) ACEs on depression and health among low-income Black mothers. Findings indicated that …

Model Of Evidence-Based Family Practice: Female Domestic Violence Victims In Rural Communities, Elizabeth Korver, Megan Slagter

Student Projects

Research has concluded that about 1 in 3 women reported experiencing severe physical violence from an intimate sexual partner during their lifetime (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Women living in rural communities may be more significantly affected due to their geographic isolation. This study examined several theories and models to effectively treat this specific population. The researchers developed a treatment curriculum based on cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat women living in rural communities who have experienced domestic violence. This study determined cognitive-behavioral therapy used in a group therapy setting is effective for increasing a client’s self-esteem and decreasing depression …

Hidden Homelessness: A Trauma-Informed Narrative Approach To Treating Rural Families Facing Homelessness, Benjamin Akers, Kara Richard

Student Projects

Housing is a crucial part of survival and one’s ability to engage in life. There is an increasing population of both individuals and families who live without safe, quality, stable housing. Housing insecurity is a concern in both urban and rural areas, with rural homelessness presenting unique characteristics and challenges. To better understand rural homelessness and its effect on families, research was conducted on many factors including: population statistics, characteristics and common issues, problems, risk factors, engagement, terminology, and frameworks. It becomes evident that homelessness has severe implications physically, emotionally, and mentally for both children and adults. This synthesis of …

Making An Impact: The Process Of Planning And Organizing An After-School Program In A Small Community, Benjamin Akers, Elizabeth Korver, Emilee Danner, Megan Slagter

Student Projects

To be their best, people need relationships. Social support systems are at the base of what makes a successful individual. Whether that be through sports teams, clubs, or any other facet, social support is the driving force for a healthy lifestyle. After-school programs offer students another opportunity to receive mentorship and build relationships that can impact the trajectory of their lives. This paper highlights Impact 180 – an after-school program located in Orange City, Iowa. The involved researchers used and discussed different community organizing methods and techniques to advocate for and raise funds for the durability, sustainability, and flourishing of …

Lessons Learned From Covid-19: Provider Suggestions For Improving Service Delivery In Sexual Violence Resource Centers And Children's Advocacy Centers In Kentucky, Whitney Cassity-Caywood, Matthew Woodward, Austin Griffiths, Alecia Hatfield

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for human service providers, especially as face-to-face services were limited by both formal and informal efforts to protect public health. Telehealth has emerged as a main strategy to ensure continuity of care. This study explored adaptations to services in child advocacy centers (CACs) and sexual violence resource centers (SVRCs) across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, particularly using telehealth. This study highlights respondents’ suggestions about improving these service delivery systems and the particular emphasis on challenges and strengths of telehealth for reaching those in rural areas.

Data Files: Simulations In Pre-Service Child Welfare Training: Effects Of Moving From In-Person To Virtual Practice, Katie Street, Kirstin O’Dell, Kate Normand, Cassandra Anderson

Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services Datasets

No abstract provided.

Community-Based Accompaniment For Adolescents Transitioning To Adult Hiv Care In Urban Peru: A Pilot Study, Valentina Vargas, Milagros Wong, Carly A. Rodriguez, Hugo Sanchez, Jerome T. Galea, Alicia Ramos, Liz Senador, Lenka Kolevic, Eduardo Matos, Eduardo Sanchez, Renato A. Errea, Karen Ramos, Catherine Beckhorn, Andrew Lindeborg, Carlos Benites, Leonid Lecca, Sonya Shin, Molly F. Franke

Social Work Faculty Publications

We piloted a community-based intervention to improve outcomes among adolescents living with HIV who were transitioning to adult-oriented care in Lima, Peru. We assessed feasibility and potential effectiveness, including within-person changes in self-reported adherence, psychosocial metrics (NIH Toolbox), and transition readiness (“Am I on TRAC” questionnaire, “Got Transition” checklist). From October 2019 to January 2020, we enrolled 30 adolescents (15–21 years). The nine-month intervention consisted of logistical, adherence and social support delivered by entry-level health workers and group sessions to improve health-related knowledge and skills and social support. In transition readiness, we observed within-person improvements relative to baseline. We also …

Traffickers’ Use Of Substances To Recruit And Control Victims Of Domestic Trafficking For Sexual Exploitation In The American Midwest, Erica Koegler, Claire Wood, Lilly Bahlinger, Sharon Johnston

Social Work Faculty Works

This paper describes how traffickers use substances to recruit and control victims of domestic trafficking for sexual exploitation, as reported by service providers working with trafficking survivors in the American Midwest. This data was derived from interviews with 15 service providers in a major metropolitan area. Findings revealed consistencies with previous literature and new insights into the trafficker- substance use dynamic. Traffickers’ use of substances with victims was pervasive when trafficking was for the purpose of sex but not other labour. There were several examples of how traffickers use substances for victim exploitation and recruitment. These include using substances to …

Examining The Association Between Exposure To Suicide-Related Content And Suicide Ideation And Attempts Among College Students And Their Peers, Cleopatra Elshiekh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

For the last decade, suicide has been the second leading cause of death among college- aged adults (18-25), which coincides with the widespread proliferation of social media. The aim of this study was to identify if there was a correlation between exposure to suicide-related content via differing media outlets (e.g., social media, television, newspapers, music, and movies) and suicide ideation and attempts among college students and peer groups (i.e., participants’ friends or acquaintances). A convenience sampling method using social media, flyers, and the university’s experiment management system (i.e., SONA) was used to recruit 97 undergraduate students from the University of …

Protective Factors Against Alcohol Use In High-Risk College Students, Delani F. Warner, Karen G. Chartier Phd, Msw, The Spit For Science Working Group

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

2022 Zero Suicide Implementation In Oregon: Cross‐Site Follow‐Up Change Report, Karen Cellarius, Aliza Tuttle

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

This implementation self‐assessment and the accompanying web survey were adapted for the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) by Portland State University in collaboration with the OHA Youth Suicide Prevention staff. The assessment was adapted from three existing Zero Suicide resources available at http://zerosuicide.org/.

The Organizational Self‐Study is a questionnaire about the extent to which each component of the Zero Suicide approach is in place at a single organization. Zero Suicide recommends completing this self‐study at the start of an organization’s Zero Suicide initiative, then every 12 months after that as a measure of fidelity to the model. The self‐study questions …

Impact Of Prolonged Isolation On Adolescents With Drug-Susceptible Tuberculosis In Lima, Peru: A Qualitative Study, Victoria Elena Rapoport, Elmer Altamirano, Liz Senador, Milagros Wong, Catherine B. Beckhorn, Julia Coit, Stephanie D. Roche, Leonid Lecca, Jerome T. Galea, Silvia S. Chiang

Social Work Faculty Publications

Objectives Patients with tuberculosis (TB) generally are instructed to isolate at the beginning of treatment in order to prevent disease transmission. The duration of isolation varies and may be prolonged (ie, lasting 1 month or more). Few studies have examined the impact of isolation during TB treatment on adolescents, who may be more vulnerable to its negative effects.

Methods This study took place from 2018 through 2019 in Lima, Peru, where the Ministry of Health mandates the exclusion of patients with TB from educational institutions for at least 2 months. Using semi-structured guides, we conducted individual in-depth interviews with adolescents …

Roles, Responsibilities, And Contributions Of Medical Social Workers In An Interdisciplinary Team, Jacqueline Jeanette Ruffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the field of social work, roles, responsibilities, and contributions of social workers within an interdisciplinary team are often undefined. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe medical social workers’ perceptions of their roles, responsibilities, and contributions to an interdisciplinary team. The theoretical frameworks that guided this study are Bronstein’s model of interdisciplinary collaboration, Luhmann’s systems theory, and Slater’s role differentiation. Interviews were conducted with 10 medical social workers who currently or previously worked within an interdisciplinary team to explore medical social workers’ perceptions of their roles, responsibilities, and contributions to an interdisciplinary team. Deductive coding …

Twice-Exceptional Childhood Experiences Contributing To Imposter Syndrome In Post-Secondary Faculty, Joy Gehringer Shytle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThis qualitative study involved exploring the relationship between imposter syndrome in post-secondary faculty and their twice exceptional (2e) childhood experiences. 2e is defined as students who are identified as academically gifted but also have a disability. Lack of accurate identification and accommodations for 2e students can lead to long-lasting mental health struggles, underperformance in academic environments, and low self-esteem. As 2e individuals become professionals, identity developed in grade school may contribute to feelings of imposter syndrome, causing significant performance and mental health struggles. Erikson’s psychosocial identity theory was used as a theoretical framework to understand how these experiences impact identity …

Anxiety, Depression, And Sexual Minority Identity Among First Responders, Kayla Soohy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates that first responders tend to experience high levels of anxiety and depression due to unique stressors associated with first responder employment. This increased risk level for mental health issues among first responders can be exacerbated by the addition of psychosocial stressors. The influence of interpersonal or intrapersonal factors, such as sexual minority identity, on the mental health issues experienced by first responders has remained relatively unexplored. The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between type of first responder, sexual identity, anxiety, and depression via a framework rooted in minority stress theory. Data were gathered …

School Social Workers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Truancy Interventions For Primary School Students, Laniesha Stephens-Dunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic performance is a growing concern for students in kindergarten through Grade 3 (K-3) in the United States, especially those students with a high number of unauthorized absences (i.e., a high truancy rate). When students are absent from school, they may have a lower chance of succeeding academically compared to students with better attendance. School social workers can help these students address barriers to attendance, such as student or family member health, poverty, and psychological and social concerns, and could benefit from more insight on how to effectively engage parents, students, school personnel, and community agencies in eliminating truancy. The …