Social Work Commons^™

Strategies For Intimate Partner And Domestic Violence Survivorship, Kimberly Renee Best

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence victims suffer not only physical abuse but also emotional, psychological, and economic violence, leading to long-term trauma, poverty, and recovery barriers. At least 40% of victims of abuse and their children have experienced some form of violence. The lack of shelters, counseling, and legal support deepens the sense of hopelessness victims often feel. In this study, the gap in literature was addressed by exploring coping strategies of survivors of intimate partner and domestic violence in rural North Carolina. The social and economic effects of survivorship were explored in this study, especially the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, …

Church And State Relationships Explored In Mississippi's Foster Care System, Olivia Gray

Honors Theses

Historically, the entities of church and state were never meant to be wholly separate. Yet, varying ideas as to what this relationship should be evolved over centuries to become the notion of a separation of church and state that Americans cling to today. Despite common misconceptions regarding this ideal, Mississippi’s foster care system maintains strong and beneficial relationships with local churches throughout the state to better impact and meet the needs of foster children in local communities.

This research seeks to explore the relationship between the church and the state utilizing the example of Mississippi’s foster care system. The findings …

Msw Portfolio, Nannie R. Stewart

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Nannie Stewart, a student in the University of Montana's online MSW program, presents her portfolio and provides a narrative about several key topics from her coursework and practicum experiences. She highlights her theoretical orientation, emphasizing the humanistic and strength-based approaches when working with diverse clients, including young adults, adolescents, and the elderly. Nannie further covers her experiences addressing social, racial, and economic justice, and learned experiences from indigenous cultures. Nannie also discusses her engagement in simulated practice, which allowed her to develop skills in micro, mezzo, and macro-level interventions, such as creating a domestic violence support group and advocating for …

Integrating Positive Psychology And Spirituality To Foster Meaning And Well-Being In Older Adults, Crystal Morris

Adultspan Journal

This perspective article explores the integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) and spirituality in therapy to foster meaning and well-being in older adults. It highlights exercises such as the positive introduction, positive legacy, character strengths, mindfulness, mindful-based yoga, and a manifestation prayer journaling. The interventions presented are tools to support older adults that may experience depression, difficult life transitions, and the search for renewed meaning. Therapists who integrate PPIs and spirituality into therapy can promote a holistic, non-pathological approach to treatment.

Enhancing Diversion Success Through Financial Capability And Asset Building: A Framework And Proposed Intervention, Lissa Johnson, Margaret S. Sherraden, Carrie Pettus, Jude Miller, Jin Huang

Center for Social Development Research

Mass incarceration policies in the United States have generated the highest incarceration rate in the world, yet many incarcerated individuals have committed nonviolent offenses or been confined because they could not pay fines or fees. Diversion offers an opportunity for justice-involved individuals to avoid conviction and collateral consequences while maximizing public safety, reducing case processing, decreasing overpopulation in prisons, and lowering costs. However, diversion programs do not adequately address financial instability and insecurity that often contribute to criminal behavior. This paper reviews evidence on adult diversion programs and proposes an intervention approach responding to socioeconomic factors contributing to criminal behavior.

Experiences Of Social Workers Assisting Victims Of Domestic Violence Who Own Pets, Kimberly Elizabeth Bolesta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Victims of domestic violence often face significant barriers when attempting to leave abusive relationships, one of which is the presence of pets. Victims form strong bonds with their pets, and if left behind with abusers, pets may be harmed or killed. When victims flee relationships, they may go to shelters. Domestic violence shelters are often unable to accommodate victims who bring pets. Victims may experience trauma and stress when turned away from shelters. Social workers may be unable to assist victims and their pets due to lack of resources. This study involved using Hobfoll’s theory of conservation of resources as …

For The Marginalized: A Purposeful Path To Social Work, Sarah Christina Stenseth Mathias

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

In For the Marginalized: A Purposeful Path to Social Work, I reflect on the journey that led me from education into social work, grounded in a commitment to advocacy, ethical practice, and systemic change. Using my experiences in a therapeutic day-treatment school setting, I integrated trauma-informed, culturally responsive approaches with evidence-based practice to support marginalized students navigating mental health challenges, systemic barriers, and educational inequities. My portfolio highlights growth across the Five Elements of Advanced Integrated Practice, focusing on self-reflection, social justice advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, research-informed practice, and leadership. Throughout this journey, I remained anchored in the belief that …

Steps To The Peak, Lisa Hansen

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Reflective paper on my experience obtaining a Master of Social Work degree. The paper outlines the ten core competencies of social work and examples of how I learned them in my studies and gain practical experience in my practicum.

"Do Not Be Daunted": Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Marit Olson

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio outlines my growth and development in meeting the competencies of social work and advanced integrated practice.

Intentional Action, Impactful Risk-Taking, Jill Lombardi

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Msw Portfolio: My Journey Of Understanding Social Work Through Mind, Body, Emotion, & Spirit, Olivia Kern

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Who Do You Want To Become?, Taylor Greene

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Holistic Competence In Social Work: A Professional Portfolio, Hannah Zuraff

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

An overview of social work competencies and a portfolio relating to work in the clinical, domestic violence, family services, and humanitarian aid spaces.

Understanding The Treatment Experiences Of African American Women, Kimberly La'sharne Hillery-Bottorf

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women experience trauma at disproportionately higher rates than any other group, yet limited studies focus specifically on African American women with self-reported co-occurring substance use disorder and PTSD and their experiences in seeking and remaining in outpatient treatment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how this group defines trauma, its impact on their treatment experiences, and the sociocultural factors that influenced their decisions to seek help and remain in treatment. The research questions posed asked about the experiences of African American women over 31 years of age with co-occurring substance use and PTSD, how they …

Cultural Self-Harm Differences, Erin E. Simmons

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This study is based on the evident cultural differences in self-harm behaviors and what those behaviors look like specifically for individuals that identify as Black or African American. Previous literature suggests that cultural differences in self-harm exist but very little research centers Black experiences and their connection to self-harm. Self-harm is considered a broad term, and it encompasses a variety of behaviors, some more common than others, but these common behaviors are typically exclusively explored within only a few demographics with a low Black participant pool. This contributes to the assumed lack of self-harm among the Black community but through …

The Impact Of Legacy-Building On Older Adults' Well-Being In End-Of-Life Care., Samantha Sanchez-Garcia

2025 Symposium

Many terminally ill patients, specifically older adults often struggle with feelings of existential crisis. As they approach the end of life, their focus frequently shifts from asking, “What is the meaning of my life now?” to “What impact will my life have after I’m gone?” (Timoteo et al., 2024). In response, this poster explores how integrating legacy-building activities into end-of-life care can enhance individuals’ well-being while emphasizing the importance of offering these activities as a standard care option, given the limited awareness of their effectiveness. For instance, Hesse et al. (2019) found that legacy interventions improve psychological well-being by fostering …

Harmonic Healing: Exploring Music As A Therapeutic Resource, Kalilah B. Chears, Mary Lynn Doherty

Honors Capstones

Mental health concerns among college students are increasing, especially in the post-Covid pandemic era. These issues could negatively affect students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being. Additionally, research illustrates that there are accessibility challenges for students who seek traditional counseling resources; campuses are struggling to meet this rising demand. The authors’ background in music ensembles inspired an exploration of music as an informal therapeutic resource. This literature review investigates one main question: How can an alternative mental health resource such as music serve college students experiencing barriers to traditional mental health resources? Findings suggest that music-based resources can alleviate some common …

Exploring Contributions Of Partnerships Between Employers And Disability Organizations On Recruitment, Hiring, Training, Retention, And Accommodation Of Individuals With Disabilities In Mississippi, Peter Oluwadare Kalejaiye

Dissertations

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 provides equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities (IWDs) by prohibiting discrimination in employment. However, one out of four IWDs face discrimination in employment in the United States (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Additionally, despite establishing the Office of Disability Employment Policy and enacting the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to help integrate IWDs into the workforce, IWDs face barriers to equal and equitable employment (NASEM, 2017). Previous studies recommend partnerships between employers and disability organizations (DOs) to provide employment opportunities and benefits for IWDs through recruitment, hiring, training, retention, and …

Childhood Housing Conditions As A Social Determinant Of Health In College Students, Kelsey E. O'Neill

School of Social Work Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study investigates the relationship between childhood housing and current physical and behavioral health in Northwest Arkansas college students. Non-medical factors often determine a person’s health. Social determinants of health, as defined by the World Health Organization, are the conditions in which people are “...born, grow, work, live, and age...”, and they include wider systems such as economic and social policies, social norms, and political structures (World, 2023). A key social determinant of health is housing.

The average age of an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas during the 2020-2021 school year was twenty-one (Gunderman, 2021). This is a …

A Review Of Studies Assessing Modifiable Risk Factors For Dementia Among Family Caregivers In The United States Based On Behavioral Risk Factorsurveillance System (Brfss), Shruthi Ranjithkumar

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) face an increased risk of developing dementia due to advanced age and modifiable risk factors. The 2024 Lancet Commission Report identified 14 such risk factors, whose mitigation could reduce dementia cases by 45%. Despite this, research on modifiable dementia risk factors among ADRD caregivers remains limited. This study investigates whether peer-reviewed studies utilizing Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data assess modifiable dementia risk factors among ADRD caregivers. A PubMed search retrieved 27 relevant articles, which were analyzed for risk factors identified by the Lancet Commission, including traumatic brain injury, …