Social and Behavioral Sciences | Open Access Articles

Researcher Profile: Jeffrey Anvari-Clark, Jeffrey Anvari-Clark

Journal of Financial Therapy

Researcher Profile: Jeffrey Anvari-Clark

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Practitioner Profile: Cait Howerton, Cait Howerton

Journal of Financial Therapy

Practitioner Profile: Cait Howerton

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Honoring God: Purity In A Promiscuous World, Tonnette Kellett

Doctor of Leadership

A significant number of Native American girls get pregnant in their teens, permanently affecting their future. This issue has been observed both within the Choctaw communities in Mississippi and among local churches surrounding the reservation of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The project, Teenage Consequences, was developed through stakeholder workshops and feedback and is a result of the independent research of a much larger project entitled Honoring God: Purity in a Promiscuous World. Five videos have been created and uploaded to YouTube and TikTok. Moreover, the content will be a curriculum in nearby churches catering to Native American communities …

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Stories Of Dismantling Whiteness In Social Work Educational Spaces, Jeanean Mohr

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Social work and higher education are rooted in systems of racism and exclusion and continue to operate as racialized spaces. As the social work profession grapples with its past and calls upon social work educators to support efforts to undo structural racism, paying attention to what is happening in educational spaces is essential. In this study, I examined the stories and tensions of White Social Work faculty engaged in efforts to dismantle whiteness in their classrooms, departments, and universities. Using narrative inquiry, I interviewed nine White faculty from different universities representing five regions across the United States. I explored their …

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The Unhoused’S Ability To File Grievances For Mistreatment, Stephen Claybaker

Senior Honors Projects

Being unhoused is a situation with various detrimental effects on the individual. These can range from the obvious, such as lacking a proper place to live, to ones often overlooked, such as losing representative ability and the chance to advocate for oneself. This study examines the unhoused’s ability to file grievances against social service providers for mistreatment. This project was completed during the summer of 2023 while interning at Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) via John Carroll’s Summer in the City program. The research was conducted qualitatively through select interviews of key community members, empirical observations while on …

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The Stark Implications Of Abolishing Child Welfare: An Alternative Path Toward Support And Safety, Antonio R. Garcia, Jill Duerr Berrick, Melissa Jonson-Reid, Richard P. Barth, John Gyourko, Patricia Kohl, Johanna K. P. Greeson, Brett Drake, Victoria Cook

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

Scholars and advocates are at odds about how to achieve higher levels of child safety and permanency. Calls for change include the recent upEND focus on eradication of child welfare services to a radical refocusing of the present system towards prevention/early intervention. To clarify the implications of reform over abolition, we seek to portray a future in which the abolition of child welfare has occurred, in juxtaposition to maintaining four core elements of established child maltreatment programmes around the world: (1) receiving and responding to community signals about the risk to children; (2) assessment of need coupled with a proportionate …

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“The Program Encourages People Not To Have A Heavy Heart”: A Qualitative Study Of A Family Strengthening Program In Kenya, Johanna K. P. Greeson, John Gyourko, Sarah Wasch, Christopher Page

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

There are millions of street-connected children worldwide, with thousands estimated in Kenya. Many child-serving organizations - including Agape Children’s Ministry (Agape) in western Kenya - provide rehabilitation and family reintegration services to remove children from the streets and reunite them with their families. This study aims to elucidate barriers and facilitators of Agape’s Family Strengthening Program (FSP) and elicit feedback. Twelve children and 12 caregivers who participated in the FSP, as well as 11 Agape staff, participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews for this study. Salient child/caregiver themes include: (1) spirituality/religion, (2) reflections on the FSP, (3) reflections on Agape, and …

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Predictors Of Identity Crime Victimization Of Adolescent Youth In Foster Care, John Gyourko, Greg Ridgeway

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

Identity crimes pose serious risks and challenges for youth in foster care. As young people move through various out-of-home placements and schools, their personal data are often widely disseminated, difficult to secure, and thus vulnerable to theft and misuse. When they transition from foster care to adulthood, identity crime victims with compromised credit histories may be denied loans, employment, and/or housing during the already-precarious period of emerging adulthood. Even though federal law requires state child welfare agencies to conduct annual credit checks for adolescent youth in foster care, little is known about the factors contributing to risk of identity crime …

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Effects Of Grant Termination For Orphans, Vulnerable Children And Their Caregivers In Windhoek, Namibia, Miriam Winnie Hasheela

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Namibia faces complex child welfare policy dilemmas in providing sustainable support for the increasing number of AIDS-orphaned youth transitioning into adulthood. While Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) social grants have played a vital role in poverty alleviation and childhood development (Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, 2021), the abrupt termination of these grants for youth when they reach 18 years of age without any transitional support has posed significant risks to their well-being. While much research in Namibia (Mnubi-Mchombu and Ocholla, 2014; Van Der Brug, 2012.) has examined the impact of OVC grants on children under the …

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Editorial: Vol. 15, Issue 1, Sarah D. Asebedo

Journal of Financial Therapy

Editorial: Vol. 15, Issue 1

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Becoming An Advanced, Integrated Social Work Practitioner, Lindsay Klug

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio reflects the author's journey of self-discovery and gaining real-world experience in the field of social work. It describes how the author has demonstrated mastery over the social work competencies outlined by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the University of Montana.

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Master Of Social Work Portfolio: Practicing Idealism, Ana Maria Palacios Figueroa

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Ana Maria Palacios Figueroa's Master of Social Work Portfolio, including narrative and appendices.

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Assessing Attitudes And Self-Efficacy In Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training: The Impact Of Lived Experience And Prior Mental Health Education Among College Students, Andreea Morin

Social Work Theses

Gatekeeper training is a suicide prevention strategy aimed at providing individuals who frequently interact with those potentially at risk of suicide with the necessary knowledge and skills to recognize signs and offer support. There is limited research exploring the impact of lived experience and prior mental health education on self-efficacy and attitude outcomes. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating how these factors impact self-efficacy and attitudes among college students gatekeepers. Participants (n= 652) were mostly female (62%), White (80%), Christian (72%), and straight (90%). Participants were divided into four groups based on different levels of …

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Documented Outcomes Of Informal Caregivers Delivering Home-Based Interventions To Persons Living With Dementia: A Scoping Review, Andrea H. Meller

Social Work Theses

Most people living with dementia in the United States reside at home with informal caregivers. Yet research regarding non-pharmacological interventions for persons living with dementia is mainly conducted in institutional settings. Also, research into the impacts of interventions for persons with dementia on informal caregivers is scarce. This scoping review aims to map the breadth of literature on outcomes of informal caregivers delivering home-based interventions to people with dementia through the lens of the stress process model. Using the Arskey & O’Malley framework, an initial database search yielded 3,977 studies of which 22 were included in this review. Results revealed …

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Is The Virtual Therapy Experience A Sufficient Means For Person-Centered Therapy? A Systematic Review, Aaron Feibush

Social Work Theses

Background: American psychologist Carl Rogers is considered the main originator of person-centered therapy (PCT), a psychotherapeutic approach which focuses on self-actualizing abilities of the client which emerge when engaged in an environment of three core conditions established by the therapist: unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence. Over the last several decades there have been thousands of studies that demonstrate support for these three core conditions as necessary features of effective therapy. However, with the emergence of psychotherapy being conducted via telehealth in the last several years, in particular since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, it remains unknown …

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Experiences Of Peer Interaction Amongst Autistic Lgbtq+ Youth In Secondary Institutions, Brianna Comeau

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study uncovered the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth on the autism spectrum in Ontario secondary institutions and examined how their interactions with peers shape identity, mental health, well-being, and social belonging. This qualitative research involved interviewing six autistic LGBTQ+ youth across Ontario over Zoom. The study was guided by constructivism, critical theory, neurodiversity, and intersectionality. Results suggest that participants faced discrimination through microaggressions, peer victimization, and stereotyping, which led to feeling less safe in their school environments. Participants also had positive, affirming experiences relating to other peers standing up for them and recognizing their identities, as well as through supporting …

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"I Call Them Supermoms": Therapists' Reflections On The Impact Of Youth Sexual Offending On Latina Mothers, Mauricio P. Yabar

Theses and Dissertations

Families of youth who have sexually offended often suffer significant collateral consequences following the discovery of the sexual offense. Samples in research with these families disproportionately consist of mothers and other female parental figures. This is rarely acknowledged in the literature, and the experiences of these mothers have not been explicitly examined. In addition, research on the experiences of these families has largely ignored factors related to race and ethnicity. This is a significant oversight considering the prevalence of systemic racism and discrimination in the United States, particularly in the systems with which these families must interact (e.g., juvenile justice …

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Social Workers In Human Resources, Alexandra H. Pogany

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

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Acknowledgments, Matt Wappett

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

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Advancing Strength-Based Inclusive Mental Health Research In Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Luther Kalb, Joan B. Beasley

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

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Unlocking Children’S Potential Through Play: Improving Early Childhood Experiences In Nyarufunzo Village, Sereverien Ngarukiye, Sereverien Ngarukiye

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

From the study conducted in February 2024, 80 parents with children under the age of 6 participated in the research. 68 parents (38 women and 30 men) who participated in the survey live in Kigali city and have a bachelor’s degree or beyond. Other 12 parents, 4 men and 7 women, who participated in both focus group discussions and in a survey are parents who live in Nyarufunzo village and have a high school degree or below. This last group of parents has similarities to my village where I was born from where the majority of parents have finished primary …

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Alternative Shelter Evaluation Report, Jacen Greene, Todd Ferry, Emily Leickly, Franklin Holcomb Spurbeck

Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative Publications and Presentations

This report summarizes research by Portland State University’s Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative for the Joint Office of Homeless Services on the cost, participant experiences, and client outcomes in village-style and motel shelters as compared to each other and to traditional, congregate shelters.

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Unjust And Unsafe: The Eviction Experiences Of Latine Immigrant And Farmworker Tenants In Oregon, Natalie J. Cholula, Lisa Bates, Alex Farrington, Marisa Zapata, Jacen Greene, Azad Amir-Ghassemi, Colleen Carroll

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Latine immigrant households often face housing instability due to language barriers, immigration status, and limited access to government resources. Oregon farmworkers experience additional obstacles to safe and stable housing caused by low wages, a lack of affordable housing options, and social isolation. In light of the identified needs and lack of equitable access to resources that this group experiences, the Evicted in Oregon research team conducted focus groups with Latine immigrant and farmworker tenants in Multnomah, Washington, and Marion Counties. The aim was to gain insight into their experiences with eviction and understand how they navigated through evictions during the …

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The Unequal Distribution Of Social Risk For Black Men Across The Life-Span. A Novel Framework., Waleed Y. Sami

Adultspan Journal

This conceptual overview offers a comprehensive overview of systemic pathways that negatively impact the mental health of Black Men throughout their lives. Our argument highlights the importance for counselors and mental health professionals to utilize a thorough social risk assessment that considers these pathways in order to effectively address the mental health needs of Black Men while fostering positive working relationships. This overview strongly advocates for the use of context and structural determinants when evaluating mental health symptoms. Without an appropriate understanding of social risk and determinants, counselors may inadvertently perpetuate disparities by decontextualizing symptomology, and reproducing racist discourse.

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Boiling Behind Bars: Exploring The Hidden Toll Of Extreme Heat On Mental Health In Texas Prisons, Sandra K. Miller

Social Work Theses

The State of Texas supports the largest prison system in the US and held 132,859 people in 100 units scattered across the state as of December 2023. Approximately 70% of Texas prison beds are not air conditioned, despite the state’s reputation for dangerously hot, humid summers. The State has officially recorded temperatures inside Texas prison facilities as high as 120 degrees with heat index values of over 150. Although there is a growing body of research on the negative physiological and psychological consequences of extreme heat among the general public, little is known about the physical and emotional toll of …

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Examining The Mental Health Experiences Of Lgbtq+ Identifying Muslim Students In Ontario’S Post-Secondary Institutions, Bushra Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This qualitative study explores the unique mental health experiences of Ontario’s LGBTQ+ Muslims in post-secondary settings. The study looks at how LGBTQ+ Muslim students’ mental wellness (i.e., sense of belonging, feeling affirmed in their intersecting identities of being Muslim and belonging to LGBTQ+ community) is affected as they try to navigate systemic barriers and make space for themselves in various settings (i.e., academic, LGBTQ+ affirming spaces, Muslim-specific spaces, student services) on campuses in Ontario, Canada. The study sample consists of four LGBTQ+ identified Muslim students across post-secondary institutions in Ontario and participants discussed their emotional, mental, and sense of belonging …

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"The Most Important Thing In Ipv Right Now": The Intersection Of Intimate Partner Violence And Brain Injury, Halina (Lin) Haag

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and brain injury (BI) has been almost entirely overlooked in research, practice, and policy, despite the known risks associated with the two conditions. Individually, IPV and BI are associated with elevated rates of unemployment, poverty, and homelessness, as well as increased mental health challenges. These social determinants of health, employment status, and income impact women’s wellbeing through access to safe accommodations, food security, and (dis)ability supports. These determinants are also related to an increased likelihood of experiencing addictions, mental health challenges, and physical danger, potentially leaving women vulnerable to ongoing violence. This qualitative …

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The Relationship Between The Working Environment And Quality Of Life Among Home Health Aides: Focusing On The Mediation Role Of Burnout, Sehyun Baek, Oejin Shin, Soobin Park, Ahra Ko, Sojung Park, Eun-Na Kang

Faculty Publications - Social Work

As South Korea’s population rapidly ages, there is an increasing demand for home aides. However, little is known about how the caregiving environment affects HHAs. Guided by the environment comfort model, we examined the association between care recipients’ home environment and HHA’s quality of life, focusing on how burnout mediates this relationship. Our data came from a national survey of home health aides in 2020 (N = 786). We conducted an exploratory factor analysis to identify six factors related to the care environment in three dimensions: physical (1. space; 2. indoor/outdoor conditions), functional (3. home appliances; 4. heating/air conditioning), and …

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Expanded Transference: A Humanities Perspective On The Generative Core Of Ernest Becker's Theory Of Human Nature, Daniel Liechty, Jerry Piven

Faculty Publications - Social Work

The death anxiety thesis is widely considered to be Ernest Becker’s primary contribution to social theory and is associated with his most widely read book, The Denial of Death (1973). This essay suggests Becker is understood in a more sophisticated and nuanced way when his death anxiety thesis is situated in the context of his earlier work in the humanities and social sciences. The death anxiety thesis itself is one component of a much broader theoretical conceptualization of expanded transference, a constant thread through all of Becker’s writings from his doctoral dissertation through his final posthumously published works. Furthermore, the …

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Adjustments To Social Work Practice During The Covid-19 Pandemic In North Carolina: Effects On Burnout And Commitment, Aaron R. Brown, Jayme E. Walters, Aubrey E. Jones, Lara Cates

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for social workers in the U.S. and abroad has increased. There is demand for more social workers in North Carolina due to ongoing and increasing mental health, substance use disorder, and child welfare needs. COVID-19 has taken a toll on the personal and professional lives of social workers, and research is needed to understand the pandemic’s effects on burnout and commitment among social workers. The present study sought to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the personal and professional lives of social workers practicing in North Carolina and to determine how …

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Researcher Profile: Jeffrey Anvari-Clark, Jeffrey Anvari-Clark

Journal of Financial Therapy

Practitioner Profile: Cait Howerton, Cait Howerton

Journal of Financial Therapy

Honoring God: Purity In A Promiscuous World, Tonnette Kellett

Doctor of Leadership

Stories Of Dismantling Whiteness In Social Work Educational Spaces, Jeanean Mohr

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The Unhoused’S Ability To File Grievances For Mistreatment, Stephen Claybaker

Senior Honors Projects

The Stark Implications Of Abolishing Child Welfare: An Alternative Path Toward Support And Safety, Antonio R. Garcia, Jill Duerr Berrick, Melissa Jonson-Reid, Richard P. Barth, John Gyourko, Patricia Kohl, Johanna K. P. Greeson, Brett Drake, Victoria Cook

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

“The Program Encourages People Not To Have A Heavy Heart”: A Qualitative Study Of A Family Strengthening Program In Kenya, Johanna K. P. Greeson, John Gyourko, Sarah Wasch, Christopher Page

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

Predictors Of Identity Crime Victimization Of Adolescent Youth In Foster Care, John Gyourko, Greg Ridgeway

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

Effects Of Grant Termination For Orphans, Vulnerable Children And Their Caregivers In Windhoek, Namibia, Miriam Winnie Hasheela

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Editorial: Vol. 15, Issue 1, Sarah D. Asebedo

Journal of Financial Therapy

Becoming An Advanced, Integrated Social Work Practitioner, Lindsay Klug

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Master Of Social Work Portfolio: Practicing Idealism, Ana Maria Palacios Figueroa

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Assessing Attitudes And Self-Efficacy In Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training: The Impact Of Lived Experience And Prior Mental Health Education Among College Students, Andreea Morin

Social Work Theses

Documented Outcomes Of Informal Caregivers Delivering Home-Based Interventions To Persons Living With Dementia: A Scoping Review, Andrea H. Meller

Social Work Theses

Is The Virtual Therapy Experience A Sufficient Means For Person-Centered Therapy? A Systematic Review, Aaron Feibush

Social Work Theses

Experiences Of Peer Interaction Amongst Autistic Lgbtq+ Youth In Secondary Institutions, Brianna Comeau

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

"I Call Them Supermoms": Therapists' Reflections On The Impact Of Youth Sexual Offending On Latina Mothers, Mauricio P. Yabar

Theses and Dissertations

Social Workers In Human Resources, Alexandra H. Pogany

Honors Theses and Capstones

Acknowledgments, Matt Wappett

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Advancing Strength-Based Inclusive Mental Health Research In Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Luther Kalb, Joan B. Beasley

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Unlocking Children’S Potential Through Play: Improving Early Childhood Experiences In Nyarufunzo Village, Sereverien Ngarukiye, Sereverien Ngarukiye

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Alternative Shelter Evaluation Report, Jacen Greene, Todd Ferry, Emily Leickly, Franklin Holcomb Spurbeck

Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative Publications and Presentations

Unjust And Unsafe: The Eviction Experiences Of Latine Immigrant And Farmworker Tenants In Oregon, Natalie J. Cholula, Lisa Bates, Alex Farrington, Marisa Zapata, Jacen Greene, Azad Amir-Ghassemi, Colleen Carroll

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Unequal Distribution Of Social Risk For Black Men Across The Life-Span. A Novel Framework., Waleed Y. Sami

Adultspan Journal

Boiling Behind Bars: Exploring The Hidden Toll Of Extreme Heat On Mental Health In Texas Prisons, Sandra K. Miller

Social Work Theses

Examining The Mental Health Experiences Of Lgbtq+ Identifying Muslim Students In Ontario’S Post-Secondary Institutions, Bushra Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

"The Most Important Thing In Ipv Right Now": The Intersection Of Intimate Partner Violence And Brain Injury, Halina (Lin) Haag

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The Relationship Between The Working Environment And Quality Of Life Among Home Health Aides: Focusing On The Mediation Role Of Burnout, Sehyun Baek, Oejin Shin, Soobin Park, Ahra Ko, Sojung Park, Eun-Na Kang

Faculty Publications - Social Work

Expanded Transference: A Humanities Perspective On The Generative Core Of Ernest Becker's Theory Of Human Nature, Daniel Liechty, Jerry Piven

Faculty Publications - Social Work

Adjustments To Social Work Practice During The Covid-19 Pandemic In North Carolina: Effects On Burnout And Commitment, Aaron R. Brown, Jayme E. Walters, Aubrey E. Jones, Lara Cates

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice