Social Work Commons^™

Psychological And Economic Self-Sufficiency Among Low-Income Jobseekers With Physical Disability Barriers, Philip Young P. Hong, Hayley Sneiderman Stokar, Sangmi Choi

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

The purpose of this research is to investigate the process of psychological empowerment by way of examin- ing the effects of perceived employment barrier on employment hope, and employment hope on economic self-suffi- ciency. A structural equation modeling analysis was used with a sample of 517 participants in a job readiness program of a community-based social service organization in Chicago. Results indicate that employment hope mediates the path between perceived barriers and economic self-sufficiency. Findings provide preliminary evidence to support an em- powerment-based approach to rehabilitation, promoting self-sufficiency among people with physical disabilities using interventions that address employment barriers and …

Teaching Amid Destruction: Carol Majdalany Williams '75 'P11 Helped Keep A Nepalese School Open And Students Learning, Gerry Boyle

Colby Magazine

Carol Majdalany Williams '75 'P11 helped keep a Nepalese school open and students learning.

Friends In Need: Deported Guatemalans Find Colbians Are Waiting With Surveys, Job Fairs, Assistance, Stephen Collins

Colby Magazine

Deported Guatemalans find Colbians are waiting with surveys, job fairs, assistance. Now a global studies and anthropology double major, Muller '17 has joined the Migrant Peacebuilding Project, an initiative launched by Colby students.

The Intersectionality Of Religion And Socialwelfare: Historical Development Of Richmond's Nonprofit Health And Human Services, F. Ellen Netting, Mary Katherine O'Connor

Social Work Publications

Studying the intersectionality of religion and social welfare in Richmond, Virginia requires going back to the beginning of the Virginia colony. In the crucible of the colony, the religious and social welfare functions of a parish community were one and the same. However, after the Revolutionary War it was just a matter of time before the entire system was disassembled. The process of disentanglement of church and state created an identity crisis in Virginia. In the late 1700s, the emergence of charitable efforts began with leading men of Richmond who tried to address the temporary needs of travelers, followed by …

The Lived Experience Of Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review And Meta-Synthesis, Joseph Walsh, Jacqueline Corcoran, Paula Crooks, Nathan Cooke, Cory Cummings

Social Work Publications

The purpose of this meta-synthesis was to review the available qualitative research on the lived experience of persons with bipolar disorder in order to find common themes that may enhance practitioner understanding. In this meta-synthesis, limited to studies conducted in the United States, 12 studies involving 234 participants met the authors’ inclusion criteria, and the following four major crosscutting themes, with subthemes, were identified: the process of acceptance of the diagnosis; its negative impact on relationships; internal coping strategies; and reliance on social support. Implications of these findings for direct practice are explored.

Preparing For Domestic Violence And Associated Trauma: Are We Ready?, Melissa Rodas

Undergraduate Research Projects

Domestic violence is an important problem to consider amongst societal issues today. Statistics have consistently shown high rates of violence across the country, and many cases go unreported. Even if survivors are able to escape their situations, trauma often casts a long shadow after the abuse is gone. A best practice model that has been utilized in Tennessee is that of Family Justice Centers. These centers utilize a co-located model to give survivors multiple services in a centralized location. As these organizations find their beginnings, attention is being noted to how social work students are being prepared for such settings. …

A Measure Of Comprehensive Airman Fitness: Construct Validation And Invariance Across Air Force Service Components, Gary L. Bowen, Todd M. Jensen, James A. Martin

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

This article addresses the construct validity of an online assessment measure intended to reflect the biopsychosocial and spiritual fitness of U.S. Air Force (AF) members, defined as Comprehensive Airman Fitness. The analysis presented examines the extent to which this measure and the associated validation model are invariant across three AF components: active duty personnel, members of the Air National Guard/AF Reserve, and AF civilian employees. Our results indicate that total fitness (i.e., second-order factor), its four subcomponents (i.e., first-order factors), and the resiliency construct associated with role performance are invariant across service components at the configural, metric, and scalar measurement …

2016 Proceedings: Religious Values, Southern Adventist University School Of Education And Psychology, John W. Mccoy, Cornel Rusu, Carolita Claus, Thomas Eidell, Thiffany Rambana, Kristie Wilder, Tron Wilder, Ruth Williams, Doug Tilstra

Reynolds' Chair Symposium Proceedings

Paving the Way to Global Christian Citizenship

A 10-Year Study Of Factors Associated With Alcohol Treatment Use And Non-Use In A U.S. Population Sample, Karen G. Chartier, Kierste Miller, T. Robert Harris, Raul Caetano

Social Work Publications

Background

This study seeks to identify changes in perceived barriers to alcohol treatment and predictors of treatment use between 1991–92 and 2001–02, to potentially help understand reported reductions in treatment use at this time. Social, economic, and health trends during these 10 years provide a context for the study.

Methods

Subjects were Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics. The data were from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey (NLAES) and the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). We conducted two analyses that compared the surveys on: 1) perceived treatment barriers for subjects who thought they should get help for …

Managing Microaggressions In The College Classroom, Gayle Mallinger, Jay Gabbard, Saundra Starks

Social Work Faculty Publications

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ollege students are increasingly diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, religious/spiritual beliefs, immigration status, social and economic class, veterans’ status, and the intersections therein. However, microaggressions— subtle forms of prejudice and discrimination— continue to occur inside our classrooms. Although most faculty members are mindful of overt biases in the classroom setting, the recognition and management of microaggressions present more of a challenge. This article adds to the nascent literature on microaggressions in higher education by defining the multifaceted nature of microaggressions, discussing the damaging consequences of microaggressions for faculty and students, and …

A Mindfulness-Based Intervention To Improve Family Functioning Among Child Welfare-Involved Families With Substance Use, Samantha Marie Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the frequent co-occurrence of parental substance misuse and child maltreatment, the field lacks feasible and effective intervention and strategies designed to meet the complex needs of child welfare-involved families with substance misuse. Mindfulness demonstrates promise in cultivating awareness and self-regulatory capacities, thereby reducing stress and substance use and improving parent-child interactions. The purpose of this mixed methods, randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement adapted for child welfare families (MORE-CW), and to test initial treatment effects on proximal (i.e., parental stress, autonomic activity during a stress-induced state and recovery [heart rate variability], …

Identifying Spiritual Themes In Narratives Of Young Adults Who Have Aged Out Of Foster Care: A Qualitative Study, Kerri Jane Tokarski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Each year up to thirty thousand young adults age out of foster care in the United States. Historically research has focused on more tangible issues for this population (e.g., employment, education, etc.). Recent research addresses more intangible issues (e.g., quality of their relationships, resilience, etc.). This study reviews and then furthers such research by doing qualitative research to conduct nine loosely structured interviews with young adults who aged out of foster care to (1) discern if and how they made meaning of their experiences and (2) identify if there are spiritual themes within those narratives. This project used a qualitative …

The Stigma Effect: The Role Of Internalized Racism And Internalized Homophobia In Risky Sexual Behavior Among Black Gay Men, Darren Lovell Whitfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black gay, bisexual, queer, and same-gender-loving (GBQSGL) men account for less than 1% of US population, yet account for 36% of all new HIV infections. While, Black GBQSGL men experience higher rates of HIV infection compared to other gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) from other racial groups, they are no more likely to report engaging in condomless anal sex (CAS). These findings suggest that one possible explanation is that the context of sexual behavior for Black GBQSGL men may be riskier because of the prevalence of HIV in the community. Furthermore, research suggests that racism …

In Need Of A Long Welcome: Supporting The Integration Of Newcomers To Portland, Ann Curry-Stevens, Anne Sinkey

Center to Advance Racial Equity Publications and Reports

Portland’s newcomer communities bring considerable assets to the region. Their legacy is one of potential untapped, as they face significant exclusion from economic and civic life, and an environment that is full of challenges without sufficient supports to help them navigate forwards into the fabric of Portland. This report, prepared in partnership with the New Portlander’s Policy Council, surfaces the history of newcomer conditions in the region, including a policy history, alongside a literature review on best practices for newcomer integration, new quantitative data on the patterns of newcomer experiences, a chapter on myths and myth-busting, and insights into five …

Prevention Strategies And Mental Health In Vietnam, Edward Cohen

Faculty Publications

This paper addresses the current state of mental health services in Vietnam and provides recommendations for improving the care of people with mental illness. Vietnam’s mental health problems are as prevalent as anywhere else in the world. The country has recently begun an initiative to reform mental health care by improving community-based services for people with serious mental illness. However, mental illness has not been a part of public discourse in Vietnam. There is little recognition of prevalent common mental illnesses (such as depression, anxiety and alcohol abuse) and the care of people with serious mental illnesses relies on either …

Needs Assessment Of Culturally Relevant And Sensitive Domestic Violence Services For Native American Women In A Rural Northern California County, Noelle L. Danis

Projects

In this rural northern Californian county, there are four federally recognized tribes, as well as additional non-federally recognized tribes. This county is home to a single encompassing agency that assists those in need of domestic violence services. Indigenous people seeking services have little choice, therefore it is paramount that providers incorporate concepts such as historical trauma and assist those in need with culturally relevant and sensitive services.

A needs assessment was conducted, which was comprised of two distinct parts. The first, was a case study to collect and analyze data from a focus group assembled of Native American women, who …

Promoting Positive Family Interactions: Evaluating A Free Early Childhood Book Distribution Program, Simon P. Funge, Dana Sullivan, Kirsten Tarter

Social Work Faculty Publications

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL) program encourages reading among families of preschool children by mailing age-appropriate books, once per month, until the age of five. An evaluation of a DPIL program in a southern state in the U.S. was conducted to assess the impact on enrolled children. Focus groups were conducted and a survey was administered to over 100 parents of children in the program to determine parents’ satisfaction with – and assessment of – the program relative to its activities and stated outcomes. To what extent the program promoted reading in the family, and children’s enjoyment of reading …

Promoting Socially Just Healthcare Systems: Social Work’S Contribution To Patient Navigation, Patricia Desrosiers, Gayle Mallinger, Tonya Bragg-Underwood

Social Work Faculty Publications

Patient navigation is an emerging area of healthcare practice that uses an interdisciplinary and integrated care model designed to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes. The authors define patient navigation, delineate the alignment of social work competencies with patient navigator requirements, and argue for a clear social work role and presence as patient navigators in interdisciplinary healthcare delivery. Social workers are well-equipped to carry out a variety of patient navigator responsibilities due to their unique skill of social justice advocacy as a macro-level intervention. Through involvement in patient navigation, social work leaders can promote the development of socially just …

Child Sexual Abuse And The Impact Of Rurality On Foster Care Outcomes: An Exploratory Analysis, Austin G. Griffiths, April L. Murphy, Whitney Harper

Social Work Faculty Publications

Given the cost of long-term foster care placement in both human and economic terms, few studies have specifically explored if any factors help to predict why this vulnerable population spends significantly more time in foster care. The overarching goal of this exploratory study was to use binary logistic regression to investigate whether any child demographic or environmental characteristics predicted the discharge of a child placed in Kentucky's foster care system for child sexual abuse. Results indicated that children in the most rural areas of the state were over 10 times more likely to be discharged from foster care during the …

Promoting Socially Just Healthcare Systems: Social Work’S Contribution To Patient Navigation, Gayle Mallinger, Patricia Desrosiers

Social Work Faculty Publications

Presentation regarding the purpose of patient navigation.