Social Work Commons^™

Social Media Influence On African American Women Mental Health And Self-Image, Terressa Sanchez Gamble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women’s perspectives on the influence of social media content on their mental health (i.e., moods, thoughts, and behaviors) and self-image were explored in this qualitative study. The theoretical framework chosen for this study was Festinger’s (1954) social comparison theory, which was used to examine whether there was a logical connection between the study topic and the framework presented. Data were collected through semistructured interviews that were conducted via Zoom. The data from 10 participants’ interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach, resulting in the following two emergent themes: (a) pressure to compare and emulate and …

Fossil Fuel Wealth For Human Development: Cdas Continue In Kazakhstan With Second Year Deposits, Aytakin Huseynli, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

In January of 2024, Kazakhstan implemented a national Child Development Account (CDA) policy: The National Fund for Children. Through the policy, assets accrue for every child or youth under age 18. This policy brief discusses developments in the operation of the policy and the allocation of funding as of January 2025.

Socioeconomic Determinants Of Health And Well-Being In A Low Resource Setting: A Case Of Older Adults Living In A Rural Setting In Northwestern Cambodia, Kakada Kuy

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the associations between socioeconomic factors, and physical and psychological well-being among older adults in Cambodia. Focusing on subjective and objective socioeconomic status (SES) and the mediating roles of social and welfare support, this dissertation consists of three interrelated chapters that address different facets of the relationships. Paper 1 (Chapter 2) investigates the demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and social support structures among older Cambodians. Findings reveal significant gender and age disparities, with women and the oldest adults more likely to experience lower socioeconomic status and weaker social support. Paper 2 (Chapter 3) explores the associations between subjective and …

Validation Of A Brief Food Parenting Measure For Fathers: A Test Of Factorial Validity, Measurement Invariance, Internal Reliability, And Concurrent Validity, Brian K. Lo, In Young Park, Melissa Mcternan, Yilin Wang, Alejandra Cantu-Aldana, Brent A. Mcbride, Katherine W. Bauer, Jess Haines, Kirsten K. Davison

School of Medicine Publications

Fathers are underrepresented in food parenting research partly due to the lack of succinct, theory-informed, and father-mother equivalent food parenting measurement tools. To address this, we 1) tested the factorial validity of a brief food parenting measure utilizing a subset of items from the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) to represent coercive control, structure, and autonomy support, 2) assessed the extent to which the brief tool works similarly in fathers and mothers (i.e., measurement invariance), and 3) evaluated its internal reliability and concurrent validity. Participants included 1071 fathers of children aged 2–6 years and 487 of their co-parents (mothers) from …

The Jamaica Now Leadership Council: A Study Of Stakeholder Participation In The Revitalization Of Downtown Jamaica, Queens, Melva M. Miller

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Urban revitalization in the United States has often been characterized by uneven community development, where marginalized communities bear the costs while receiving limited benefits. This dissertation examines how the dynamics of stakeholder participation impacts the practice of Community Economic Development (CED), focusing on the Jamaica Now Leadership Council (JNLC) as a case study. Formed to oversee the Jamaica Now Neighborhood Action Plan, the JNLC represents a model of inclusive, stakeholder-driven urban development aimed at addressing historical disinvestment and promoting equitable economic growth in Downtown Jamaica, Queens.

The study explores how power dynamics, stakeholder histories, and role expectations shape participation in …

The Influence Of Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/Dd) Curriculum Content On Career Interests For Social Work Students, Sabretta G. Alford

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study examines how curriculum content on Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) impacts the career interests of social work students. With the growing demand for social workers proficient in I/DD services, it is crucial to understand how educational experiences shape career choices. Using a QUANT→Qual mixed-method approach, this quasi-experimental pre/post-test survey combined quantitative data (N 66 [experimental group]; N =103 [control group] and open-ended survey questions (N = 66 [experimental group]; N =103 [control group] from social work students.

The author-constructed survey assessed student attitudes, perceptions, preparedness, ability to identify I/DD, knowledge of I/DD, and willingness to practice with individuals …

Investigating The Risk And Protective Factors Of Internet Addiction Among Adolescents Through The Lens Of Cognitive Behavioral Theory: A Cross-Sectional Study, Noura Shaltout

Theses and Dissertations

—Introduction: The Internet has become a central part of modern life, enhancing education, providing means of global communication, and facilitating access to information and entertainment. However, an attendant risk of excessive Internet use is becoming unconsciously addicted to virtual online activities, especially when large tech companies design their products in a way that makes them addictive to users. These companies have the tools and knowledge that allow them to manipulate and transform the behavior of their target audience. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential risk and protective factors for Internet addiction among adolescents. Methodology: This cross-sectional study employed …

Irrigation And Society In The Upper Río Grande Basin, U.S.A: A Heritage Of Mutualism, José A. Rivera Ph.D

Faculty Publications

The acequias of the upper Río Grande are more than just irrigation canals. They also allocate and manage water for the community of landowners in the system. After four centuries of use, the acequias persist into modern times with their founding principles intact: self-government, local autonomy, internal rules for operating procedures, and a strong sense of mutualismo or communal responsibility. They have endured since Spanish colonial settlement and have maintained continuity of a water culture surviving political-administrative changes under three sovereigns, Spain (1598-1821), Mexico (1821-1848), and the United States (1848-Present). Despite stressors of climate variability, demographic changes, urbanization, and economic …

Organizational Readiness As A Predictor Of Successful Trauma-Informed Change Within Child Welfare Agencies, Jennette Allen-Mccombs

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

The literature is replete with calls to reform the child welfare system (Dettlaff et al., 2020; Lindell et al., 2020; McTavish et al., 2018). Five child welfare organizations in one northeastern state in the U.S. participated in a pilot program to implement trauma-informed organizational change (TOC). This study explored the extent to which child welfare agencies demonstrated readiness to adopt change. The researcher used a directed content analysis approach to analyze previously collected staff meeting minutes, consultant notes, and other TOC-related documents collected during implementation. Findings support Armenakis et al.'s (2000) organizational readiness for change theory, which suggests that increased …

The Role Of Social Support In Protecting Against Perinatal Depression Among Egyptian Women, Radwa Raafat Abdelshafi

Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal Depression (PND) is a global public health issue affecting many women as they transition to motherhood, and carrying detrimental consequences for both mothers and infants. Research in low and middle-income countries shows higher PND prevalence rates than in high-income and Western countries. In addition, social support has been shown to strongly protect or reduce the impact of PND. This study aimed to address a gap in research on PND in Egypt, and to build an understanding of the social support ecological system of new mothers. A survey was conducted with 81 first-time middle-class mothers living in Greater Cairo between …

Ahp's Tribute To Dr. Stan Charnofsky, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

The Association for Humanistic Psychology (AHP) mourns the “transition” of a very dear soul, Dr. Stan Charnofsky. And, while his transition is a tremendous loss to his family, friends, and colleagues, we also want to honor and celebrate a life well-lived. As a former AHP president, Stan provided outstanding leadership. Upon his passing, he also held the distinction of being the longest-serving AHP board member. He was very much cherished and highly respected by all board members throughout his long, dedicated and remarkable service to AHP and its members.

An Investigation Of Travel Distance And Timeliness Of Breast Cancer Treatment Among A Diverse Cohort In The United States, Swann Arp Adams, Oluwole Adeyemi Babatunde, Whitney Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Karen E. Wickersham, Nathaniel Bell Ph.D., Jan M. Eberth Ph.D.

Publications

Travel to and from distant cancer treatment facilities can place a significant burden on cancer patients, particularly rural and minority survivors. Thus, the purpose of our investigation was to examine the association between patient travel distance and delays in types of treatment for breast cancer (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy) and treatment delays. Using a novel linkage between the state cancer registry and administrative data from Medicaid and a private insurance plan, 2155 BC patients were successfully linked to create the cohort. ArcGIS was used to geocode all case residences and treatment facility addresses and calculate network distance between …

Performance Methodologies In Suicide Prevention Research: Queerness, Colonization, And Co-Performative Witnessing In Indigenous Community, Antonia R. G. Alvarez

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Performance methodologies take many forms—performative writing, poetic transcription, and co-performative witnessing, to name only a few—and can be both process and product, differentiating and unifying a group between and across differences. As a social work researcher committed to decolonial, liberatory methodologies that make and bring meaning to the communities I work with, performance methodologies fill a gap that other qualitative research methods can only begin to approach. This project is an exploration in performance methodologies and Critical Suicidology through the lens of social work research, with a case study derived from a performance documenting suicide prevention research with Native Hawaiians. …

Rural Behavioral Health Workforce Development. What We Do And Don't Know, And How To Move Forward., Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

No abstract provided.

Social Work In Corrections: The Case For Forensic Social Work Curricula, Julia Terra, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

The vulnerable and underserved incarcerated population face multiple challenges. The incarcerated population need direct, high-quality patient-centered care. This study aims to address the need to fill the gap of health care professionals’ shortage in corrections, particularly social workers. The sources applied for this systematic literature review were collected by meticulously searching scholarly databases such as Google Scholar, PubMED, and ResearchGate. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was the approach used to collect suitable studies. This research was utilized to create an intentional Educational Model for Incarcerated-Informed Care training. Integrating forensic mental health into the social work …

Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program Fiscal Year 2024 Report And Evaluation, Madhawa Palihapitiya, Karina Zeferino

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

In FY2024, the Commonwealth allocated $3,213,465 to the CMC Grant Program, supplemented by $149,674 carried over from FY2023, for a total of $3,363,139. Of the total funding, $2,542,100 (76%) was awarded to Centers in grants and technical assistance, with Centers leveraging these funds to secure an additional $2,199,813 from private foundations and other state, local, and federal sponsors. These grants supported Centers’ participation in CMC Grant Program related statewide programs, including the Housing Mediation Program (HMP), Reentry Mediation Program (ReMAp), Youth Conflict Resolution and Restorative Practices Program (Youth Program), and DEI organizational capacity-building initiatives. These grants bolstered staffing infrastructure, enabling …

Greece And Harm Reduction Efficacy, Callie Wagers

Posters-at-the-Capitol

An overview of the significance of harm reduction strategies in public health, highlighting Greece's innovative approaches recognized by the Healthy Cities Award. Harm reduction encompasses a range of policies and programs designed to minimize the negative health and social impacts associated with substance use, emphasizing pragmatic and compassionate solutions rather than punitive measures. Greece's successful initiatives—such as syringe exchange programs, supervised consumption sites, and comprehensive addiction treatment services—serve as a model for addressing public health crises. Kentucky, facing significant challenges related to substance use disorders, can adopt and adapt Greece's harm reduction methods to enhance the well-being of its communities. …

The Effect Of Corona Pandemic On Crime Within The Family From The Researchers’ Point Of View In The Ministry Of Social Development In The Southern West Bank, Kifah Manasra, Muhammad Okkeh

Journal of the Arab American University مجلة الجامعة العربية الامريكية للبحوث

The study aimed to identify the extent to which the family crimes in the Palestinian society are spread due to the Corona pandemic. It also aimed to reveal the psychological, economic and social effects of the Corona pandemic on the crimes within the family in the Palestinian society in the Southern West Bank. The researcher s used a questionnaire to collect the data and the descriptive approach to analyze it. The purposive sample consisted of (74) researchers from the total population which was (120) researchers from the Ministry of Social Development in the governorates of Hebron and Bethlehem in the …

"Our Blood Is Not Cheap": A Photovoice Project On Being Arab In A Racialized United States, Leticia Villarreal Sosa, Suhad Tabahi, Itedal Shalabi

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The Arab American community has faced a history of racialization dating back to the late 19th century. The events of 9/11 and the heightened rhetoric of hate during the Trump presidency encouraged anti-Muslim sentiment and increased racial profiling and harassment. This community-based participatory research (CBPR) project uses Photovoice as a methodology to better understand the lived experiences and narratives of Arab Americans in the post-Trump1 era and as a tool for advocacy. The findings from the photo sharing sessions underscore the continued challenge of identity and representation, (in)visibility, and pushing back against anti-Arab/Muslim racism. The findings also highlight religion as …

Thirty Productive Years And A Very Promising Future: The Annual Letter Of The Center For Social Development, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

In the 2025 annual letter of the Center for Social Development (CSD), Founding Director Michael Sherrraden discusses the integration of the Washington University Social Policy Institute with CSD, summarizes developments at the center, introduces the new team of experts, shines a light on some of the accomplishments during the past year, and offers a vision for the future.