Social Work Commons^™

Rampage School Shootings: A Content Analysis Of Media And Scholarly Accounts Of Perpetration Factors Associated With The Phenomenon, Philip Mongan

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

When school shootings occur in primary or secondary schools they draw a massive amount of media attention. Frequently, after the shooting stops, the media begins to prognosticate about the factors that led to the occurrence of the tragedy. However, there is a dearth of research examining those factors that are perpetuated by the media, as well as the factors that are most discussed in scholarly publications. Therefore, the aim of this research project was to explore the perpetration factors that have been perpetuated by the media, and compare those to the perpetration factors that are most frequently discussed by researchers. …

Factors Affecting End Of Treatment Symptom Severity For Children Receiving Trauma-Informed Evidence-Based Treatment, Jessica G. Eslinger

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

The purpose of this project is to examine how the factors of gender, placement status, type of treatment, the number of different types of trauma experienced, and a child’s age at the start of treatment may influence end of treatment symptom severity scores for children ages 2-12 years who received trauma-informed evidence-based treatment for trauma. Method: Caregivers and children receiving outpatient services (N=134) completed the Child Behavioral Checklist, Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children, and the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children-Alternate Version at baseline and end of treatment. Hypotheses were tested with a series of ANCOVA analyses, Independent t-Tests, …

Acculturative Stress And Depressive Symptoms Among Korean Immigrant Elders Residing In Non-Korean Ethnic Enclaves, Stephanie Lyu Rhee

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Few studies have examined the relationships among personal factors, acculturative stress, coping resources, and depression of Korean immigrant elders residing in areas without any Korean ethnic enclave. Based on the stress and coping model and the sociocultural model of stress, coping, and adaptation, this cross-sectional study examined the relationships among acculturative stress, coping, and depression in 111 non-institutionalized Korean immigrant elders aged 60 and older residing in areas without any Korean ethnic enclaves in three neighboring states of Southwestern Ohio, North Central Region of Kentucky, and Southern Indiana. A majority of convenience and snowball sample participated in self-administered mailed surveys, …

Identity Making Process Of Individuals With Mild Intellectual Disabilities, Carolee Kamlager

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

The shadow of stigma theory typically surrounds the research investigation of the lives of individuals with mild intellectual disabilities. McAdams’ life story theory and methodology provide a human development framework as an alternative to the prevailing framework in the field of disability. This study moves out of the shadow of otherness and examines the personal identity making process of twelve individuals with mild intellectual disabilities in the light of human development theory. Findings dispel the assumption that individuals with mild intellectual disabilities construct their lives solely through their disability. Rather, the identity making process includes the influences of socio-cultural events, …

Evidence-Based Marketing Strategies To Increase Student Membership In A Professional Association, Laura Aldrich

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Membership acquisition and attrition is vital to the survival and growth of a voluntary professional association. The percentage of social work students who are members of social work voluntary professional associations is low (Attinson & Glassberg, 1983). The purpose of this project is to understand the acquisition and attrition of students in order to develop marketing strategies to increase student membership. Voluntary professional associations value student members because they are the future of the profession and the association (NASW, 2013). Student membership in a voluntary professional association is important for students as this participation provides students with opportunities for socialization …

Truancy Intervention And Prevention Programs For The Marshall Middle School, Gayle Chandler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

After completing a field practicum at the Marshall Middle School in Marshall, MN it was realized that like many other schools in the nation; the truancy problem is growing at an alarmingly fast rate.

• The Marshall Middle School is comprised of grades 5-8.
• Under the age of 12 would be considered educational neglect.
• 12 years of age and older is considered truancy per Minnesota State Statute.

This project aims to research intervention and prevention programs for both truancy and educational neglect that have been tested, compare them to the needs of the Marshall Middle School, and make a recommendation as …

Social Worker’S Guide To Engaging Families In Family Group Conference, Tiffany Kacir

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to provide training materials to social workers that is relatable and practical regarding researched best practices for engaging families during the Family Group Conference process. In Olmsted County, Family Group Conferences have been utilized since 1996 becoming an engrained practice model and a cornerstone of permanency planning for children. The capstone project focused on developing a training manual to enhance current practice in Olmsted County and implement newer best practice strategies throughout the Family Group Conference process--from prior to a referral to a post-conference follow up meetings--to ensure better outcomes for the children …

Evaluation Guide: Mower County Health And Human Services Child Welfare Preventative Programs, Tina Meyer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 2010 identifies that State child protection systems should include interventions to prevent the occurrence and reoccurrence of child maltreatment. The Juvenile Protection Provisions of the Juvenile Court Act, describes the requirement of county social service agencies to provide reasonable efforts to prevent placement prior to the removal of any child from the home. Family poverty is cited as a central risk factor for child maltreatment. Vulnerability has an exponential relationship to risk exposure, and risk should not be considered as linear. Thus, families with multiple risk factors are at increased likelihood …

The Use Of Electroconvulsive Therapy In An Acute Care Setting: Enhancing The Knowledge And Skills Of Mental Health Professionals, Lori Thom

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

1.To enhance the knowledge of mental health professionals working in the psychiatric care unit of the New Ulm Medical Center on the current use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

2.To enhance the knowledge, insights, and skills of mental health professionals working in the psychiatric care unit of the New Ulm Medical Center in working with patients and their families when ECT would be a beneficial component of mental health treatment.

Best Practices For Designing And Implementing A Food Pantry In St. Peter Middle And High School, Kira Wellner

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In St. Peter's Independent School District #508, 50% of all elementary school students are enrolled in the free and reduced lunch, which is available only to low‐income households (Greater Mankato Area United Way, 2008). Furthermore, the overall food insecurity rate for Nicollet County is 9.6%, which translates to 3,090 people (Feeding America, 2013). Of those 3,090 people faced with food insecurity in Nicollet County, 1,000 are youth (Feeding America, 2013). This translates to a rate of 14.4% of youth facing food insecurity in Nicollet County (Feeding America, 2013). Even more distressing is that 39% of these youth are ineligible for …

Emergency Department Use For Preventable Behavioral Health-Related Disorders Among Ex-Prisoners In Rhode Island, Christina Andrews

Faculty and Staff Publications

Background

The population of ex-prisoners returning to their communities is large. Morbidity and mortality is increased during the period following release. Understanding utilization of emergency services by this population may inform interventions to reduce adverse outcomes. We examined Emergency Department utilization among a cohort of recently released prisoners.

Methods

We linked Rhode Island Department of Corrections records with electronic health record data from a large hospital system from 2007 to 2009 to analyze emergency department utilization for mental health disorders, substance use disorders and ambulatory care sensitive conditions by ex-prisoners in the year after release from prison in comparison to …

A Propensity Score Matching Analysis Of Race On The Decision To Petition A Case In The Juvenile Court, George Higgins, Melissa L. Ricketts, James D. Griffith, Stephanie A. Jirard

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

Policy Considerations When Applying Sight And Sound Seperations, Jennifer Bradford, Jennifer Capps

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Practice-Based Research In Social Work: A Guide For Reluctant Researchers, Jeanette Harder

Social Work Faculty Publications

Social work students are typically reluctant to engage in research. The Research Partnership model takes a service-learning approach, allowing students to work with data from a community agency and resulting in a final paper with all the sections of an empirical journal article. Use of this model in teaching social work research enhances student motivation, learning, and skills through hands-on activities within an authentic context, and by using group support with individual accountability, structured and incremental learning opportunities, and teaching from a strengths-based perspective.

Discrimination Of Sexual Minorities And Plans To Relocate, Margaret H. Smith

LSU Master's Theses

LGBTQ individuals make relocation decisions with their sexual orientation and gender identity in mind (Gorman-Murray, 2007). The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between non-violent discrimination faced by LGBTQ individuals and whether or not those individuals have future plans to relocate. A literature review of LGBTQ discrimination and LGBTQ relocation is discussed, and a secondary data analysis was conducted on a sample of LGBTQ individuals who participated in a quality-of-life survey. All hypotheses were supported except the hypothesis that analyzed anti-LGBTQ discrimination and its association with time until relocation. Results indicated that experiencing anti-LGBTQ nonviolent discrimination was …

Snap Use Among Older Adults, Jennifer R. Geiger

LSU Master's Theses

Older adults participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at much lower rates than the general population. Possible explanations for this disparity include stigma, lack of information, and lack of transportation. However, past research focusing on SNAP use among older adults is limited and utilizes age cohorts in their analyses that may not accurately reflect actual age differences in SNAP participation. This study explored four different models of age categorizations as they relate to SNAP participation rates among older adults over 55. Using a sample of 10,116 from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the research used …

Tops Tech Utilization: Systemic Barriers And Facilitators In Louisiana, Melissa Clare Ledoux

LSU Master's Theses

TOPS Tech is a social welfare program in Louisiana that provides students with financial support to obtain the specific training that they need to get the jobs that are available in Louisiana. Since 1998, 42,918 students were eligible for the award, yet only 5,515 (12.85%) students enrolled full-time and utilized it (Louisiana Board of Regents, 2012). In order for educational leaders in Louisiana to improve participation in the TOPS Tech Program, they must first understand the barriers faced by students who want to utilize it. This study explored the potential factors contributing to the utilization (or underutilization) of TOPS Tech. …

Interrelationships Of Caregiving Characteristics, Burden Of Caregiving, Depressive Symptomology, Physical Health, Self-Care, Life Satisfaction And Social Support Of Social Workers, Katherine Riker Sternberg

LSU Master's Theses

With increasing numbers of Americans engaged in unpaid, informal caregiving for adults over the age of 18, there is a need for research that investigates caregivers’ experiences, with particular emphasis on their health and well being. This is the first known study to examine the experiences of social workers, engaged in direct practice, who are also managing responsibilities related to informal caregiving. The study examined interrelationships among social workers’ caregiving characteristics, burden of caregiving, depressive symptomology, physical health, self-care, life satisfaction and social support. Hypotheses included: (1) Burden of caregiving is positively correlated with depressive symptomology. (2) The burden of …

Government Spending And Child Well-Being : A Correlational Study Of The Organization For Economic Co-Operation And Development (Oecd) Countries, Rachel Suzanna Foretich

LSU Master's Theses

Children who live in poverty are more likely to suffer from avoidable illnesses, become teenaged parents, be involved in the criminal justice system, and mature into adults who live in poverty (Isaacs et al., 2011). This study examines the relationship between government spending as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and 21 child well-being indicators. The samples in this study were collected from 30 Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries for the years 2009 and 2012. The major finding of this study reveals that there is a statistically significant relationship between government spending as a percent of …

Louisiana Department Of Children And Family Services : A Case Study Of Child Welfare Workers' Burnout, Crystal Ward

LSU Master's Theses

Social work can be an extremely gratifying profession. However, social workers who are exposed to graphic realities related to vulnerable and traumatized individuals and families may experience challenging workload demands and increased levels of burnout. To best understand and support these key human service workers, it is important to investigate variables influencing levels of burnout. In this study, the author examined whether specific individual worker characteristics contribute to burnout among child welfare workers in Louisiana. Characteristics were compared to individual variables such as job tenure, agency department, supervisor/front line worker, and educational background. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) was completed …