Social Work Commons^™

Social Impact, Edward F. Lawler, Keith Negley, Ellen Rostand, Julie Kennedy, Toky Branding + Design, Jessica Martin

Social Impact Publication

From the Dean: It's a "Go-Go" Place;

Perspectives: Michael Sherraden: Policy Innovator: The Key to Our Children's Future;

Interview: Q&A with Robert Joiner;

Bookshelf: Latina Suicide;

Bookshelf: A Mini MPH;

The Rise of the Social Entrepreneur: A new social work specialization arms socially minded entrepreneurs and creates an evidence base for an exploding field.;

Scaling Up Abroad: As demand for international service opportunities grows, academic and policy leaders determine how to expand availability and measure impact.;

Tip of the Iceberg: The Affordable Care Act's sweeping changes are already reshaping America's health care, and there is so much more to go …

The Sexual Health Of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, And Questioning Youth, L. Kris Gowen

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Although persons of different sexual and gender orientations often get grouped together under the term “LGBTQ” (for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning), it is important to distinguish between subpopulations based on sexual vs. gender orientation. A person’s sexual orientation is the gender to which a person is emotionally, romantically, and sexually attracted. Gender identity is how a person self-identifies as a particular gender regardless of biological sex characteristics. “Transgender” describes persons who are born a certain sex, but identify with, and consequently wish to live as, a different gender than the sex their anatomy dictates. According to data from …

The Foster Care And Adoption Process Through The Eyes Of Prospective Parents, Nancy Hocking Berger

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Every year, thousands of children wait in the Michigan foster care system for a permanent family. Families that express interest in foster care or adoption encounter a complicated and complex child welfare system. In the end, the majority of families that express interest do no progress to fostering or adopting (Katz, Wilson & Green, 2005). There are potential barriers at every step of the process that can impact a family's progress towards providing a home and a family for a waiting child (McRoy, 2007). This study seeks to answer the question: Once interest has been expressed, what are the reasons …

Girls Group Survey On Adolescent Substance Use/Abuse, Heather Messina

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This research study focuses on adolescent substance abuse prevention. By involving a convenience sample of African American high school girls from an Ann Arbor nonprofit organization names, "Girls Group", a survey asked about their involvement in the after school program, their exposure to alcohol and drug use, influence, attitudes, coping skill and drinking context. A prevention-based educational workshop will later be designed and customized in response to the data from this survey. A cross-cultural comparison of the prevention of substance abuse in youth was approached by interviewing a substance abuse prevention specialist from Savannah-la-mar, Jamaica who conducts similar prevention workshops …

Best Practices For Working With Undocumented Latino Youth, Elizabeth J. Braun

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research Question: What are evidence supported individual, group and community practices to address the needs of Latino youth experiencing mental health issues related to undocumented legal status and risk of deportation?

Best Practices For Treating Co-Occuring Disorders In A Chemical Dependency Treatment Setting, Michelle Dick

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to identify best practices for treating co-occurring disorders that could be utilized with adult males being treated for chemical dependency at the House of Hope, Inc. Identification of these practices will more effectively meet the needs of the clients served at House of Hope, Inc. and allow the agency to increase their capacity to better service clients with co-occurring disorders.

Factors That Contribute To Patient Length Of Stay At St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, Brenda Karch

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This research project employed a quantitative review of archived data comprised of patients that had been discharged from St. Peter Regional Treatment Center between 2002-2010. These patients were admitted to Minnesota Security Hospital for treatment and progressed through the program to Forensic Transition Services and eventually discharged to the community.

Effectiveness Of The Whytry Curriculum With Adults Participating In A Vocational Training Program, Erika Kern

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project is to evaluate the effectiveness of the WhyTry curriculum with adults participating in a vocational training program specifically to develop retail skills. WhyTry is an interactive, multisensory program used to motivate participants to change patterns of indifference by using analogies, videos, and music to stimulate and inspire them to succeed. The curriculum has elements of Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Social and Emotional Intelligence, and multi-sensory learning (WhyTry, 2011). My research question is as follows: Is the WhyTry curriculum effective in increasing self-esteem and self-efficacy with adults who are participating in a vocational training program? …

Understanding The Role Of Attachments And Schemas: A Model For Working With Sex Offenders, Carol J. Ries

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to research, develop, present, and evaluate a training module to increase knowledge of the role of attachments and schemas in working with sex offenders and to provide a model for working with sex offenders. Research Questions: 1. To what extent will a training module on the role of attachments and schemas increase attendees’ understanding of these topics? 2. Will a training module increase the likelihood that attendees will apply this knowledge of attachments and schemas in their work with clients?

A Social And Emotional Learning Curriculm Recommendation For Nicollet Public School District, Christina R. Rosamond

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this literature review, curriculum evaluation and subsequent curriculum recommendation is to provide Nicollet Public School District with an overview of a social and emotional learning Program that meets the current needs of the school.

Computer-Based Training: Understanding Mental Health Civil Commitment, Tiffany Sandbo

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this training is to enhance health and mental health professionals’ knowledge about the mental health civil commitment law and process in Minnesota. The goal is upon completion of this training: 1)Trainees will understand the mental health civil commitment law and process in Minnesota. 2)Trainees will understand your role in the mental health civil commitment process.

Recommendations For The Provision Of Patient Activities, Jean Schlichting

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Federal Code § 485.645 is entitled “Special requirements for CAH (Critical Access Hospital) providers of long-term care services (“swing beds”).” It states that a CAH must be in substantial compliance with the skilled nursing facility requirements found in § 483. § 483.15 states that the facility must provide a comprehensive activities program that is designed to meet the physical, mental and psychosocial interests and needs of each patient. To ensure the program is meeting the interests and needs of patients, it also states that a comprehensive activities assessment should be completed with each patient. A wealth of research finds that …

Shelter Program For Homeless Males With Substance Use And Mental Illness: A Strength And Effectiveness Based Approach, Kotatee Tamba

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Homelessness represents one of the United States most pressing and complex problems. Approximately, nine percent of the nation’s homeless are considered to be rural. Locally, homelessness in Steele County continues to be a problem. A one night survey of homeless individuals in southeastern Minnesota revealed that there are 217 people experiencing homelessness on any given night. Homeless males have been found to be at greater risk of becoming homeless and tend to remain homeless for longer periods of time. The high risks associated with substance use, lack of adequate shelters and limited access to health care services in rural communities …

Housing With Support Marketing Study Tool, Gary M. Travis

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Housing for persons with serious mental illness (SMI) that is permanent, affordable, and supportive is very limited because the availability of these resources is inadequate and subject to significant demand by persons that are disabled or on a limited income. The limited access to housing for persons with SMI is contributing to homelessness and Minnesota has seen a steady rise since 1994 in the rate and number of people that are homeless and coping with mental illness (Wilder Research, 2010a). While some of the impact of disability, homelessness, and limited affordable housing access is known, what remains uncertain is a …

Clinical Social Work And The Biomedical Industrial Complex, Tomi Gomory, Stephen E. Wong, David Cohen, Jeffrey R. Lacasse

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article examines how the biomedical industrial complex has ensnared social work within a foreign conceptual and practice model that distracts clinical social workers from the special assistance that they can provide for people with mental distress and misbehavior. We discuss: (1) social work's assimilation of psychiatric perspectives and practices during its pursuit of professional status; (2) the persistence of psychiatric hospitalization despite its coercive methods, high cost, and doubtful efficacy; (3) the increasing reliance on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, despite its widely acknowledged scientific frailty; and (4) the questionable contributions of psychoactive drugs to clinical …

A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Child-Parent Interventions For Children And Adolescents With Anxiety Disorders, Kristen Brendel

Dissertations

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in childhood (Walkup & Ginsburg, 2002; Hirshfeld-Becker & Biederman, 2002), occuring in approximately twenty percent of the population (APA, 2000; Langley Lindsey, Bergaman & Piacentini, 2002). Children and adolescents with anxiety disorders often experience many detrimental effects such as low-self esteem, issues with social and family relationships, and a decrease in overall functioning, including academic performance. In addition, if left untreated or unrecognized, anxiety disorders in childhood often lead to more severe symptoms in adulthood including depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and other comorbid anxiety disorders. Evidence suggests that anxiety disorders are …

Minority Stress Predictors Of Substance Use And Sexual Risk Behavior Among A Cohort Sample Of Men Who Have Sex With Men, Michael P. Dentato

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of factors associated with minority stress theory, including experiences of external prejudice, expectations of rejection and internalized homophobia, upon a cohort sample of men who have sex with men (MSM). Resultant associations with substance use, defined as one time use of a club drug prior to baseline; and sexual risk behavior, defined as unprotected insertive and receptive anal intercourse with primary and non-primary partners, was examined. In addition, this study compared whether each individual aspect of minority stress (external prejudice, expectations of rejection and internalized homophobia) independently or collectively predicted substance use and sexual risk …

Hope Is The Ticket To Life: Insights From Disadvantaged African American Youth, Deanna D'Amico Guthrie

Dissertations

It is important to look at strengths in populations, especially those termed "at-risk" or "disadvantaged." Hope and compassion are positive qualities inner-city African American youth can possess, and further research on these constructs with this population is needed. This exploratory, mixed methods study included both quantitative measures of hope and compassion and qualitative interviews with inner-city African American youth who are participating in an after school program. The following research questions were addressed: (1) How do the youth describe hope?, (2) How do the youth's relationships develop and maintain hope?, (3) How do the youth describe goal definition and pursuit …

From Classroom To Workplace: Becoming A Social Worker, Sarah Louise Hessenauer

Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative study examines the key educational experiences that graduated bachelor level social workers identified as being most helpful to them in their current social work careers. Twenty traditional aged social workers who graduated from CSWE accredited, bachelor level, social work programs in the last 4 to 24 months and who had been working in a social work agency for a minimum of three months were asked to voluntarily participate in the study. The social workers participated in one-on-one interviews in which they were asked to describe their educational experiences and their beliefs about how those experiences supported them …

Sexual Minority Women And Alcohol: Intersections Between Drinking, Relational Contexts, Stress, And Coping, M. Condit, K. Kitaji, Laurie A. Drabble, K. Trocki

Faculty Publications

Few studies explore sexual-minority women's experiences and perceptions of alcohol. Qualitative interviews were conducted with six sexual-minority women who reported having sought help for alcohol problems in the past and six who did not. Themes emerged in two broad areas: (1) stressors that contributed to heavy or problem drinking and (2) factors that enhanced coping and reduced both stress and problem use. Alcohol use across groups was framed in terms of social context (e.g., bar patronage), stress management, and addiction. The findings of the study underscore the importance of considering the role of alcohol in managing stress as well as …