Social Work Commons^™

Review Of Caring For Our Own: Why There Is No Political Demand For New American Social Welfare Rights. Sandra R. Levitsky. Reviewed By Helen Glikman, Helen Glikman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Sandra R. Levitsky, Caring For Our Own: Why There Is No Political Demand for New American Social Welfare Rights.Oxford University Press (2014). 224 pages, $24.95 (paperback).

Food For Thought: Thoughts On Food, Grace Mayer

A with Honors Projects

For this Parkland College A with Honors project, the student reflects on a group project to create a video on volunteering with the Wesley Food Pantry.

Trauma Treatment: The Influence Of Social Workers' Knowledge, Perceived Self-Efficacy, And Use Of Evidence-Based Interventions, Jose I. Carbajal

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This research report asserts that trauma is pervasive and of those traumatized, 10 to 20 percent develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD symptoms do not automatically dissolve, thereby making treatment necessary. However, there is little research regarding social workers' knowledge of trauma and trauma treatment efficacy. Furthermore, there is a gap in the literature specifying social workers' utilization of trauma-focused evidence-based interventions. The aim of this research study was to determine if social workers' level of trauma knowledge and trauma treatment efficacy predicted the use of evidence-based interventions. A cross-sectional design was used to examine social workers' trauma treatment and …

Analysis Of Several Factors Contributing To Increased Fertility Rates In India: Religion As Compared To Education And Wealth, Victoria Highland

Social Work Theses - Archive

India continues to experience increased population growth, in spite of the country's nationally instituted family planning program that began in 1952. While there is research on the various factors contributing to the continued increase in fertility rates in India, previous studies have utilized older data sets (Chamie, 1981); (Yadava, 1999); (Jeffery & Jeffery, 2000); (Brookins & Brookins, 2012); (Kulkami & Algarajan, 2005). One theory about factors influencing fertility rates was explained by Chamie (1981). The theory acknowledges that fertility rates vary based on religion, but the underlying structural differences between religions has a stronger influence on fertility rates than the …

Text Analysis Of Social Development As A Concept, Shamsun Nahar

Social Work Theses - Archive

Theory of social development is composed of an amalgam of several interrelated and independent theories, such as representational, explanatory, and normative theories. The objective of this study is to contribute to the representational theories of social development by examining the contextual variations that characterize the discourse of development in published scholarly journals. Applying the text analysis method in all abstracts (N=707) of the journal of Social Development Issues (SDI), which is one of the prominent international journals where social development is analyzed from international and interdisciplinary perspectives, this study explores the associated terms of social development, their frequency, and terms …

Social Work Mediation/Conflict Resolution: The Benefits, Challenges, And Practitioner Improvements Associated With The Use Of Mediation/Conflict Resolution In Social Work Practice, Don R. Kelly

Social Work Theses - Archive

Social workers continually work in areas where conflict is prevalent on a daily basis. Yet there is little research regarding the benefits, challenges, and practitioner improvements associated with social workers being trained in mediation/conflict resolution. However, there is much literature regarding the usefulness of mediation/conflict resolution. Utilizing an exploratory, qualitative, semi-structure interview process, numerous benefits, challenges, and practitioner improvements are identified in this study. In many respects, social work has always been about conflict and resolving conflict. As conflict resolution is a core competency in social work and considering that mediation/conflict resolution is a growing field, exploring the benefits, challenges …

Suicidal Ideation Among Korean Adolescents, Yi Jin Kim

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Purpose: A significantly high rate (18.3%) of Korean adolescents had suicidal ideations in 2012 (Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2012) and suicidal ideation is more prevalent among adolescents than any other age group in Korea. Suicidal ideation is one of the most significant factors in predicting an increased risk for future suicide attempts. Considering the fact that suicidal ideation is the onset of the suicidal process triggering more serious suicidal behaviors including suicide intent, attempt, and completion, it is critical to examine the risk factors for suicidal ideation to prevent more risky suicidal behaviors among Korean adolescents. There have …

Communication In Combat Through The Optics Of Internal Working Models, Warren Neil Ponder

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation asserts that communication between a committed dyad during a deployment affects post-deployment functioning. Historical communication patterns among veterans and their families are examined from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada and the Global War on Terror (GWOT) among others. Recent research has delineated different forms of communication: interactive and delayed. Communication is conceptualized in the three phases of a deployment cycle: pre, during, and post-deployment. However, the largest gap in the current literature is the identification of one theory that explains dyadic communication during a deployment. It is posited that attachment theory is the best orientation available. An online questionnaire …

African American Families' Expectations And Intentions For Mental Health Services, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Richard Thompson, Barbara L. Dancy, Tisha R. A. Wiley, Sylvia P. Perry, Jason Wallis, Yara Mekawi, Kathleen Knafl

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

A cross-sectional qualitative descriptive design was used to examine the links among expectations about, experiences with, and intentions toward mental health services. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 32 African American youth/mothers dyads. Content analysis revealed that positive expectations were linked to positive experiences and intentions, that negative expectations were not consistently linked to negative experiences or intentions, nor were ambivalent expectations linked to ambivalent experiences or intentions. Youth were concerned about privacy breeches and mothers about the harmfulness of psychotropic medication. Addressing these concerns may promote African Americans’ engagement in mental health services.

Trafficking In Child Labor In Ghana And Senegal, Steven Brandt

Annual Interdisciplinary Conference on Human Trafficking: 6th (2014)

The goal of this paper is to determine the efficacy of anti-trafficking governance in Senegal and Ghana and what social, political, legal and economic factors work for or against those policies such as: - social policies for and against the growth of the NGO community - enforcement of anti-trafficking laws - economic policies for impoverished urban and rural communities - government rehabilitation policies for minors - federal, state and local corruption - border security/immigration - religious and political freedom This research comprises a comprehensive literature analysis as to the current state of trafficking of minors in Ghana and Senegal. First …

A Holistic Aboriginal Framework For Individual Healing, Gus Hill

Lyle S. Hallman Social Work Faculty Publications

This paper offers up an holistic Indigenous model of individual healing that utilizes medicine wheel teachings to break down the four aspects (spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental) of individual wellness. Teachings about each direction are presented followed by practice techniques for each aspect of the individual self. It is bookended by an introduction to the historical trauma faced by Indigenous peoples in Canada, and a conclusion that draws implications for healing.

Wesley Food Pantry Project, Jalyn Smith

A with Honors Projects

For this Parkland College A with Honors project, the student reflects on a group project to create a video on volunteering with the Wesley Food Pantry.

Indicator Analysis For Unpacking Poverty In New York City, Jochen Albrecht, Mimi Abramovitz

Publications and Research

This article presents work that is part of a larger and ongoing research agenda exploring the persistence of health and social problems in some parts of New York City. To this end, the authors have developed a GIS framework that translates a highly diverse set of variables into neighborhood indicators that can help local residents as well as decision makers to understand the relationship between “place” and individual behavior. Using the example of two new indices, Community Loss and Neighborhood Risks, the readers will learn how data can be transformed to emphasize the communal nature of phenomena that is typically …

Review Of 'How We Die Now: Intimacy And The Work Of Dying,' By Karla Erickson, Jennifer Davis-Berman

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

How We Die Now: Intimacy and the Work of Dying takes the reader on an engaging journey through the terrain of aging in America, with an emphasis on how our ideas about aging itself have changed the way we view death in the United States and even the way we actually die. This book has an authenticity to it, as Erickson admits that her own experience with aging and death compelled her to enter this world and study from the perspective of insiders, those who care for older adults and the actual elders themselves. Based on hundreds of hours of …

A Qualitative Study Analyzing Cps Social Workers: Creating Meaning Through Communication And Hidden Internal Biases, Heather A. Parker

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The goal of this study is to determine how social workers create meaning through communication with their clients and if internalized oppression influences their communication behaviors. The literature review and research reveal a number of subareas that need to be addressed in order to understand why dialogue takes a primary role in the positive outcome of a Child Protective Service (CPS) case. A review of educational material and scholarly literature was combined with an ethnographic study which included individual interviews and focus groups. It explored the societal dilemma of racism and internalized biases; along with the dynamics of communication between …

Go To The Hospital Or Stay At Home? A Qualitative Study Of Expected Hospital Decision Making Among Older African Americans With Advanced Heart Failure, Faith Pratt Hopp, Christina Marsack, Jessica Camp, Shirley Ann Thomas

Social Work Faculty Publications

To address the need for more information concerning hospital decision making, we conducted in-depth interviews among African Americans with heart failure and their family caregivers (n=11 dyads). Using a case scenario, we asked participants about their anticipated hospitalization decisions. Most patients indicated that they would seek care to avoid further deterioration or death from their worsening condition. Many family caregivers anticipated having an active influence on hospitalization decisions. Findings suggest that social workers should encourage the development of adequate home-based services, recognize diverse communication styles, and use this information to facilitate medical decision making by these patients and …

Age-Friendly Environments And Self-Rated Health: An Exploration Of Detroit Elders, Amanda J. Lehning, Richard J. Smith, Ruth E. Dunkle

Social Work Faculty Publications

While a number of organizations and government entities have encouraged the development of more “age-friendly” environments, to date there has been limited research linking these environment features to elder outcomes. Using a representative sample of older adults living in Detroit, this study examined the association between age-friendly environment factors and self-rated health. Results indicated that access to health care, social support, and community engagement were each associated with better self-rated health, while neighborhood problems were associated with poorer self-rated health. Moreover, individual-level income and education no longer predicted self-rated health once age-friendly environment factors were taken into account. These findings …

Identifying Appropriate Sanctions For Youth Sexual Behavior: The Impact Of Age, Gender, And Sexual Orientation, Erin B. Comartin, Poco D. Kernsmith, Roger M. Kernsmith

Social Work Faculty Publications

Although statutory rape laws were initially developed to protect youth from coercion by adults, youth are sometimes also prosecuted under these laws. This article investigates public attitudes regarding sanctions for youth engaging in sexual behaviors with peers. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to determine if age and gender of the offending youth, and sexual orientation of the relationship,has an impact on the public's level of agreement for sanctioning youth for three types of sexual behavior: intercourse, oral sex, or touching. The study participants (N= 757) were drawn from the general population of adult Michigan residents; the sample was racially representative …

Review Of To The End Of June: The Intimate Life Of American Foster Care. Cris Beam. From Pariahs To Partners: How Parents And Their Allies Changed New York City’S Child Welfare System. David Tobis. Reviewed By Julie Cooper Altman., Julie Cooper Altman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of:

Cris Beam, To the End of June: The Intimate Life of American Foster Care. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2013). $27.00 (hardcover). David Tobis, From Pariahs to Partners: How Parents and Their Allies Changed New York City’s Child Welfare System. Oxford University Press (2013). $29.95 (hardcover).

Eeg/Qeeg Technology Identifies Neurobiomarkers Critical To Medication Selection And Treatment In Refractory Cases, Vijayan K. Pillai, Ronald J. Swatzyna, Jay D. Tarnow, Jonika D. Tannous, Christine Schieszler, Gerald P. Kozlowski

Social Work Faculty Publications & Presentations-Archive

No abstract provided.