Social Work Commons^™

Non-Binary And Gender Expansive Young Adults: Perceptions Of Their Lived Experiences With Gender Identity, Devyn Adrian Box

Social Work Theses - Archive

Non-binary and gender expansive (NBGE) young adults face disproportionate rates of violence and discrimination within systemic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal contexts. Extant literature neglects the study of this population and their unique needs and experiences. This phenomenological study sought to answer the question, “what are the lived experiences of non-binary and gender expansive college students ages 18-24?” This study used a convenience sampling strategy with a snowball approach, and recruited college students across the state of Texas. A total of 10 participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. All participants identified as assigned female at birth (AFAB). 70% of participants …

Fear Of Blackness And Gentrification Of Black And Brown Neighborhoods In Chicago, Vanessa Ann Hentz

Social Work Theses - Archive

The gentrification of Black and Brown neighborhoods in Chicago is an ongoing process that deserves attention and analysis. The purpose of this scoping review was to determine the factors contributing to the gentrification of Chicago neighborhoods. The purpose included investigating if there is a fear of Blackness associated with the gentrification of Black and Brown neighborhoods. The methodology followed for the scoping review included the recommendations from Arskey & O’Malley’s (1994) Scoping Studies: Towards a Methodological Framework. This methodology included using the research question to gather the relevant articles to chart, summarize, and analyze the results (Arskey & O’Malley 1994). …

Exploring The Alignment Of Arlington Independent School District's Junior High And High School Anti-Bullying Policies With State And District Policy: A Content Analysis Of Website And Facebook Data, Modesty Chisom Ekueku

Social Work Theses - Archive

Bullying is a significant issue that results in deterioration of the self-esteem of the victim as well as causing other health and psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and reduced self-confidence. Research shows that bullying is a common phenomenon in the United States, which involves hurting one's reputation or relationships (Graham, 2016). Cyber-bullying is another common form of bullying to the students who are accessible to the internet and other electronic devices. Cyberbullying has become an even more significant issue due to the unprecedented times we are facing. This study aims to analyze the alignment of bullying polices between the …

The Perceived Benefits Of Exposure To Nature Through Birds, Venieca Kusek

Social Work Theses - Archive

Abstract Objectives: The objective of this research was to pilot Feathered Friends, a multi-sensory based bird intervention program and examine perceived benefits of the program among older adults at an assisted living facility. Feathered Friends adapted from Bird tales was a program for engaging people with cognitive impairments through the natural world of birds. The intervention was intended to increase social participation in a learning environment while reaping the emotional benefits of exposure to nature, specifically birds. Methods: This was an exploratory research project. We conducted individual, in-person interviews with the participants and analyzed data using a thematic analysis to …

Predictors Of School Functioning And Problem Behaviors In Siblings Of Children With Autism, Sarah Elizabeth Jones

Social Work Theses - Archive

When a child has a sibling with a disability, siblings must learn to adapt to additional challenges and demands and may often be overlooked by their parents, teachers, and service providers. While research has demonstrated that the social and emotional development of siblings of children with ASD is impacted in the context of their homes and families, the impact on siblings in the school setting has been minimally examined. Using the Sibling Embedded Systems Framework, this study assesses the relationship between micro and mesosystem factors in relation to school behavioral and academic outcomes for siblings of children with ASD using …

Age-Friendly Airports: A Qualitative Study Of Older Adults Aged 55 And Older, Joanna Fatih Glover

Social Work Theses - Archive

As baby boomers are increasing in numbers and living longer, many older adults are continuing activities that bring pleasure and promote independence in their lives. Extant literature suggests an increase in air travel among older adults as well as benefits related to traveling in later life. However, their literature also reports a lack of “age-friendliness” at airports across the U.S. and the world. As older adults begin to travel more frequently, the age-friendliness of airports is important to understand because older adults want to continue to travel. For older adults to continue to do so, the age-friendliness of airports needs …

A Study On Factors Influencing The Status Of The Working Poor In Welfare States, Chang Hyun Seo

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Background: Labor has not been a sufficient means of preventing poverty since the end of the 20th century. Due to this uncertain relationship between labor and poverty, the working poor issue has reemerged as a social problem around the world. Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing the status of the working poor in the welfare states, whose income is below the 60% of median household income. Using multidimensional state level data, the current study examined the conditions of the working poor by applying cross-national comparative approaches. Methods: Using secondary data from the International …

Swimming Upstream To Achieve The Dream: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study Of The Postsecondary Experiences Of Foster Care Alumni, Sharron Crear

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Education has been deemed the "great equalizer" for the condition of man (Horace Mann, 1848). Studies have found that years of education and income are highly correlated--the higher the educational level, the higher the income (National Center for Education Statistics, 2017). Numerous studies highlight the benefits of attaining a college degree; however, college enrollment and graduation rates among young adults with foster care experience lag significantly behind those of their non-foster care peers. Despite increased policies and efforts at the federal, state, and local levels to improve the educational outcomes of this vulnerable population, poor educational outcomes are still prevalent. …

The Criminal Justice Response To The Opioid Crisis In East Baton Rouge Parish, Elizabeth Winchester, Kristina Little, Timothy T. Reling, Gabriele Richardson, Judith F. Rhodes

Reports

This report describes: 1) the history and current state of the opioid crisis in East Baton Rouge Parish; 2) the current and planned efforts of the Innovative Prosecution Solutions for Combating Violent Crime and Illegal Opioids (IPS) grant to respond to the crisis; and 3) recommendations for criminal justice practitioners regarding the opioid crisis in our community. The goal of the IPS grant is to reduce opioid-related deaths by fostering interagency collaboration to disrupt local opioid supply chains, educate the community about the dangers of opioid abuse and addiction, and provide support for individuals with opioid use disorder.

The rising …

Prostitution During The Pandemic: Findings Show Need For Nordic Model, Debra K. Boyer

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The impact of COVID-19 on sexually exploited individuals provides an opportunity to advance the Nordic Model approach and create lasting change. Although subject to gender-based violence and denied safety net services, commercially sexually exploited women are seldom seen as a “vulnerable” group in the pandemic. Interviews from social service agencies in Seattle, Washington show women are experiencing more physical and sexual violence from sex buyers and women who have exited prostitution are finding their stability and security in jeopardy. Advocates can make the case to address disparities with safety net guarantees and structural change with the adoption of the Nordic …

Reducing Stereotype Threat In The Classroom, Todd K. Platts, Kim Hoosier

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

This brief pedagogical essay, focusing on social science classrooms, provides fellow instructors with practical strategies and advice in reducing the presence of stereotype threat in their classrooms. Techniques of task reframing, practices of positive affirmation, the providing of constructive criticism, the incorporation of marginalized groups into course content, and suggestions for meeting stereotype threat head-on are discussed as are some strategies students can adopt themselves. While the methods of stereotype threat reduction addressed in this essay can help curtail some of the negative impacts of racism’s micro-level forces, stereotype threat must also be considered a structural problem that requires structural …

School Psychologists And School Counselors’ Perceptions Of Preparation Received For The Provision Of School-Based Mental Health Services, Sherika Mckenzie

Education (PhD) Dissertations

School psychologists and school counselors are increasingly playing an essential role in the provision of school-based mental health services (SBMHS). This is especially true in California. Unfortunately, there are a few studies that have examined how California school psychologists and school counselors perceive their training to provide SBMHS, how they perceive their role in providing these services, and what they regard as their needs for professional development. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which California school psychologists and school counselors believe that their formal pre-service education and later in-service professional experiences have prepared them to …

Examining Health And Mental Health Disparities Between Sexual Minority Youth And Heterosexual Youth In The United States, Savarra K. Tadeo

Social Work Theses - Archive

Although various studies and systematic reviews have found an association between sexual orientation and health and mental health outcomes, few studies have examined a specific sample of adolescents aged 14 to 18 years of age that is generalizable to the entire United States population, while applying minority stress theory and general strain theory to a host of negative mental health outcomes and health risk behaviors in one study. The objective of this thesis is to examine a host of health and mental health outcomes among youth aged 14 to 18 years from a study generalizable to the entire United States …

On Exiting From Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Insights From Sex Trade Experienced Persons, Andrea Heinz

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

As a woman who exited after seven years in licensed commercial sexual exploitation in Canada, I share my reflections on my experience, which led to the development of the Insights from Sex Trade Experienced Persons (InSTEP) Model. The model was constructed based on interviews with “service providers” in the sex trade. Twelve exited women share their experiences inclusively. InSTEP is geared toward a population of quasi-autonomous providers who have alternate economic options. Three levels are introduced in the InSTEP model to describe the continuum of agency among service providers; Level 1: trafficked/controlled; Level 2: quasi-autonomous; Level 3: autonomous. The InSTEP …

Understanding Post Adoption And Guardianship Instability For Children And Youth Who Exit Foster Care: Study Design Options, Nancy Rolock

Faculty Scholarship

For children living in foster care, adoption and guardianship are important permanency outcomes when reunification with their biological family is not advisable. Most children living in adoptive or guardianship families do not reenter state custody after adoption or guardianship finalization. But five to 20% of children may experience post adoption and guardianship instability. “Post adoption and guardianship instability” refers to situations in which children who exit foster care to adoptive and guardianship homes no longer reside with their adoptive parent or legal guardian. Instability may be formal (when a child reenters foster care) or informal (when a child lives temporarily …

Fifth Year Persisters: High School, College, And Early Career Outcomes For Persisting Non-Graduates, Mathew C. Uretsky, Angela K. Henneberger

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

There is limited extant knowledge regarding academic and workforce experiences of students who remain engaged in high school, but do not graduate in the traditional four years. The current study used Multilevel modeling and descriptive statistics with statewide linked longitudinal administrative data (N = 2917) to (1) examine the student- and school-level factors related to earning a diploma during the fifth year of high school and (2) describe proximate academic and career outcomes for non-graduates and fifth year graduates. Multiple student-level factors were associated with increased likelihood of earning a diploma in the fifth year (e.g. special education eligibility, passing …

The Economics Of Love, Débora Silva Viana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I argue that the obligation to love based on the Christian tradition requires Christians to disperse their resources in a way that significantly evens out wealth distribution and increases social justice. Christians disagree on the terminology and some tenets of the goal of the Christian life (e.g., deification, beatific vision, communion with God, salvation). However, the requirement to practice love is common to all of these concepts, thus making love normative for Christians. I argue that when love takes such a prominent role in one’s life, then it naturally influences how one manages one’s resources. If love …

Thriving On A Faith-Based Campus: An Exploratory Study On Sense Of Belonging, Spirituality, And The Student Experience For Students Of Color, Hannah Felice

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While enrollment for students of color has increased by nearly 15% over the past 20 years, universities have struggled to retain and graduate students of color in comparison to their White peers, including Christian universities. Looking to foster success for all students, higher education has sought to better understand the factors that impact student retention and graduation, particularly for students of color. Thriving has been shown as an effective metric for understanding the student experience through a more holistic framework as it pertains to the student success. The purpose of this study is to explore the concept of thriving as …

A Needs Assessment: Exploring The Unknown Needs Of The Homeless Unaccompanied Youth Within A West Texas Independent School District, Amy Grace Weiss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT This exploratory study aims to explore the unknown needs among the unaccompanied youth population within a small urban community in West Texas. This cross-sectional study surveyed a convenience sample of 10 unaccompanied youth attending school within an independent school district. Data were collected using a social worker’s case load during the spring semester of 2020, during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Findings showed a certain level of need within this community, such as emergency shelters and further research on food insecurity for this population. This implies the need for practice and policy on multiple levels to help this population who …

Does Your Agency Embrace Evidence -Based Management Practices?, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

Child welfare agencies are encouraged to use evidencebased practices in all aspects of their work to try to improve outcomes for children and families. The child welfare field has made improvements in using data, research, and evaluation to inform practice and decision-making, but still has a ways to go. The primary goal of the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) is to build the evidence base regarding strategies to strengthen the child welfare workforce. One means of practicing evidence-based management for improving workforce outcomes is using workforce analytics. As part of the Child Welfare Workforce Analytics Institute, the QIC-WD …