Social Work School Theses and Dissertations

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Adolescents with Cancer: Social Support, Family Environment, and Coping
(2010-08-05T19:07:04Z) Decker, Carol L.; Daley, James G.; Adamek, Margaret E.; Black, Carolyn; Haase, Joan E.
Research has shown that adolescents with cancer (AWC) face treatment that is complex, invasive, and onerous. Coming during a time with major developmental changes, it brings the potential of making high demands on the coping capacity of these adolescents. Using the theoretical frameworks of stress and coping, life-span development and Haase's (1996) Adolescent Resilience Model (ARM), this study explored the influences of social support and family environment on coping for AWC.
Bennett Expansion to the International Trauma Questionnaire: Results of Thematic Analysis and Psychometric Testing
(2024-08) Bennett, Lindsay Michelle; Pierce, Barbara J.; Adamek, Margaret E.; Fukui, Sadaaki; Bigatti, Silvia M.
Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) is distinct from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder based on genesis of trauma type leading to disorder and resulting symptomatology. Currently, C-PTSD is not included as an official diagnosis in American mental healthcare systems but is recognized worldwide by the International Classification of Diseases. Lack of awareness and recognition of this disorder has resulted in few behavioral health scales available to evaluate symptoms experienced by survivors of complex trauma. This study is a mixed methods approach to scale development and builds on the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). This ITQ is currently available to the public as a brief diagnostic tool for C-PTSD. In this study, thematic analysis was used following qualitative interviews to generate items for the Bennett-Expansion to the International Trauma Questionnaire. Themes emerged from qualitative analysis of affect regulation, physical symptoms, self-concept, interpersonal relationships, systemic influence and injustice and contextual triggers. These themes and codes provided language to capture C-PTSD symptoms more robustly. Results of exploratory factor analysis show six subscales named “Self-concept and interpersonal relationships,” “PTSD symptoms,” “Self-awareness,” “Physical symptoms,” “Affect regulation,” and “Conflict avoidance”. Internal consistency ranged from “acceptable” to “very good” in the subscales, with the total scale being “very good”. The BE-ITQ could be used in therapeutic practice to evaluate the efficacy of interventions with populations experiencing C-PTSD.
Cancer: The Lived Experience of the Older Adult
(2010-08-05T18:46:41Z) Pentz, Marty; Adamek, Margaret E.; Barton, William H., 1949-; Moller, David Wendell; Chang, Valerie Nash
Half of those who are diagnosed with cancer in any given year are over age 65. Approximately 3.1 million males and 2.3 million females over age 65 became ill with cancer in 2000. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychosocial experience of the older adult with cancer to enable social workers to better serve this population. It is not clear from previous research whether their lived experience in adapting to cancer is different from that of younger persons. Thirteen older adults with cancer were interviewed in-depth along with a focus group of three oncology social workers.
Child Abuse Prevention By Home Visitors: A Study of Outstanding Home Visitors Using Mixed Methods
(2010-03-03T17:32:01Z) Schaefer, Jaylene Krieg; Adamek, Margaret E.; Hostetter, Carol; Folaron, Gail M.; McBride, Angela Barron
Child abuse remains a serious health problem in the U.S. Yet, there are preventative programs that can significantly improve the parenting experienced by very young children and result in lower incidence of maltreatment. Home visitation is the most prevalent and successful form of primary prevention. These programs are staffed by home visitors who empower parents and are the lynchpin of home visitation programs. What makes some home visitors excel at this work is the focus of this research. A small, non-random, purposive sample of excellent home visitors and their administrators was used to learn about the personal characteristics of outstanding home visitors. The mixed methods design of this research included qualitative interviews, home visiting situational vignettes, and quantitative tests of personality attributes. The results indicated that this group of outstanding home visitors possessed important similarities. First, the home visitors were effective at forming and maintaining empathic relationships. The variables that facilitate the formation of the therapeutic relationships between home visitor and client include: (a) “good enough empathy” (need not be extraordinarily empathic but at least averagely so), (b) positive regard (showing respect to the families and recognizing that the parent is the expert on their child), and (c) congruence. Secondly, the home visitors possessed self-awareness allowing for reflective practice and forming and maintaining better client relationships. Thirdly, the excellent home visitors possessed an attitude of lifelong learning. Fourthly, the home visitors strongly believed in the ability of their clients to change. This was accomplished by focusing on client strengths. Finally, in order for the home visitors to assist parents in therapeutic change, they had a belief in and understanding of systems theory and the impact that the environment can or has had on those clients. Without an ecological approach, home visitors are likely to blame the families with which they work for their unfortunate situations such as poverty. Each of the five characteristics can be taught and improved, but entrenched beliefs are less easily manipulated. The five characteristics are ordered with the first (effective at forming relationships) the most amenable to change and the last (an ecological approach) the least.
Child labor: a critical discourse analysis
(2016-03-23) Karikari, Isaac; Khaja, Khadija; Adamek, Margaret E.; Reza, Hasan; Seybold, Peter
Child labor is a complex global phenomenon. Though poverty is widely accepted as the primary cause of child labor, there are many dimensions of the phenomenon that still remain to be explored. Very little attention has been given to the policies that drive efforts to address child labor and how they are framed. Of particular interest is how we determine who is a child, and the notions of childhood underpinning these policies. Less attention has been given to the relationships and power dynamics underlying the policy-making process that surrounds this discourse. A qualitative method, namely, critical discourse analysis (CDA) was used to examine the discursive construction of children and childhood in child labor discourse. Underlying power dynamics through the analysis of diverse child labor-related policies at the global (ILO), regional (OAU/AU), sub-regional (ECOWAS), global/sub-regional (Harkin-Engel Protocol), and local (Ghana) levels was explored. Findings revealed that homogenized and hegemonic trends are visible in child labor discourse. While the ILO's discourse on child labor was either reproduced or referenced in the other policies, there was generally a homogenized definition of children based on Western social constructions and views of children. Child labor policies were not fully cognizant or sensitive to local constructions and conceptions of how we define children and what we determine are appropriate roles at various ages. In particular reference to Ghana, the Government of Ghana's child labor policies did not reflect the sociological and cultural realities of the nation. Findings of the study also suggest that for some organizations and countries, especially in the Global South, political and economic considerations influenced whose voices were included in child labor policy creation. Critical discourse implications for social work education, policy analysis, practice and research are discussed.
Deliberate Self-Harm in Young Children
(2020-08) Lewis, Lisa McConnell; Adamek, Margaret E.; Vernon, Robert; Aalsma, Matthew C.; Walton, Betty
While deliberate self-harm (DSH) in adolescents and adults has been established as a reliable predictor of future suicidal behavior and attempts, whether the same is true for younger children has rarely been studied. Two separate articles will address issues regarding intentional self-injury in young children. The first identified describes the demographic profile of young children who engage in NSSI and evaluated whether predictors of adolescent NSSI are also associated with NSSI in children. The second manuscript analyzed NSSI behaviors to see if they can be correctly predicted from knowledge of a child's history of maltreatment to identify which trauma variables are central in prediction of NSSI status. A Chi-square and logistic regression were run on data from 16,271 records of children ages 5-9 years who received services from the IDMHA in 2018. NSSI was significantly (p < .000) associated with trauma history (x2 = 75.54, df = 1), anxiety (x2 = 107.59, df = 1), depression (x2 = 217.011, df = 1), suicide risk (x2= 993, df = 1), and impulsivity (x2 = 122.49, df = 1. Presence of a caregiver mental health problem (x2 =38.29, df = 1), age (x2 = 14.18, df = 4), being male (x2 = 11.59, df = 1), and being Caucasian (x2 = 23.29, df = 6) at p < .05. Regression results indicated the overall model of seven predictors (sexual abuse [OR 1.14], physical abuse [OR 1.26], emotional abuse [OR1.3], neglect [OR .895], medical trauma [OR 1.34], exposure to natural disaster [OR 1.81] and victim of a crime [1.14] was statistically reliable in distinguishing between children who self-injure and those who do not. [-2 Log Likelihood = 6228.78, x2(6) = 105.416, p < .000]. NSSI does occur in preadolescent children and while there is some indication that the risk factors and co-variates are like those of adolescents, there are some differences which need further study. Training clinicians to inquire about self-injury during assessment of younger children is a simple step. The variables of age and sex throughout development as well as identifying protective as well as risk factors with children should be studied.
Developing the organizational competencies to promote American elders' civic engagement
(2017-07-28) Chen, Haiping; Adamek, Margaret E.; Gentle-Genitty, Carolyn S.; Huber, Lesa L.; Vernon, Robert, 1947-
The U.S. is now experiencing an unprecedented growth in its older population. In order to reduce the adverse effects of population aging, older adults’ civic engagement has been a recent focus in the field of aging. A considerable body of literature has documented the significance, current status, positive outcomes, and influencing factors of American elders’ civic engagement. However, there are very few studies, if any, that adopt an organizational competency perspective to explore the promotion of older adults’ participation in civic activities. To fill the current research gap, the dissertation aims to help formal organizations identify and develop necessary competencies to better engage American elders through two inquiries. The first inquiry is a mixed methods systematic literature review which included 19 quantitative studies, two qualitative studies, and one mixed methods study. Through meta-summary, six themes and 28 factors related to American elders’ civic engagement were generated. These themes encompassed socio-demographic factors (eight factors), health status (four factors), program characteristics (four factors), engagement opportunities (three factors), engagement outcomes (five factors), and social capital (four factors). Formal organizations are advised to develop relevant competencies to capture the beneficial influences of facilitating factors and minimize the adverse impact of obstructive factors. The second inquiry aims to develop and validate an Organizational Competency Scale (OCS) for elder civic engagement programs. 32 formal organizations and pertinent programs in the State of Texas participated in the pilot study. Factor analyses of the data collected from these organizations revealed a seven-factor solution for the OCS. These factors included client discovery with support, client-centered planning and management, client assessment and training, integration of diverse groups, promotion of adaptation between groups, integration of resources to address the structural constraints, and promotion of social recognition and social justice. As a reliable and valid scale, the OCS can serve as both an assessment tool and practice guidelines for formal organizations to evaluate and develop their competencies to increase American elders’ civic engagement.
DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE ACCULTURATIVE STRESS SCALE FOR CHINESE COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES (ASSCS)
(2012-12-21) Bai, Jieru; Adamek, Margaret E.; Pike, Cathy K.; Daley, James G.; Rand, Kevin L.; Chan, Cecilia L. W.
Chinese students are the biggest ethnic group of international students in the United States. Previous studies have identified many unique problems of Chinese students during their acculturation process and a higher level of acculturative stress than international students from other countries. A systematic review of instruments that assess acculturative stress revealed that none of the existing scales apply to Chinese students in the United States, either because of language issues or validity problems. Thus, this study aims to develop a reliable and valid scale to accurately measure the acculturative stress of Chinese students in the United States. A 72-item pool was generated by interviewing eight Chinese students and borrowing items from existing literature and scales. The item pool was sent online to 607 Chinese students and 267 of them completed the survey. Exploratory Factor Analysis was conducted to empirically derive the factor structure of the Acculturative Stress Scale for Chinese Students (ASSCS). The results produced a 32-item scale in five dimensions, which were Language Insufficiency, Social Isolation, Perceived Discrimination, Academic Pressure, and Guilt toward Family. The ASSCS demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.939) and initial validity by predicting depression (Beta = 0.490, p<.001) and life satisfaction (Beta = -0.505, p<.001). It was the first Chinese scale of acculturative stress developed and validated among a Chinese student sample in the United States. Further studies need to be conducted to provide empirical support and confirm the validity for the scale. In the future, the scale can be used as diagnosing tool and self-assessment tool.
Domestic Violence Advocacy
(2014) Wood, Leila Grace; Hostetter, Carol; Sullenberger, Sabrina Williamson; Barton, William H., 1949-; Adamek, Margaret E.; Sloan, Rebecca S.
Advocacy, in the form of direct service, is a critical type of intervention to help intimate partner or domestic violence survivors. Little is known the best practices for social workers and other helping professionals to assist survivors of domestic violence who present for services at shelters, non-residential outreach, and legal settings. This dissertation reviews relevant research related to domestic violence direct services, which is also called advocacy. The study also outlines a brief overview of the history, theory, and paradigms of thought related to the movement to end intimate partner violence. The research project used the grounded theory method to conduct and analyze semi-structured, in-depth interviews with advocates at domestic violence agency to answer the research question: What constructs and practices inform the delivery of direct services to survivors of domestic violence from shelter and non-residential service advocates? A total of 22 women working primarily with domestic violence survivors in shelters and non-residential agencies participated in the dissertation study. Participants came from one Midwestern and one Southwestern state. The interviewees had a range 1-20 years of experience in the field of domestic violence advocacy. Eighteen of 22 participants had experienced some sort of intimate violence in their lifetime. Several important findings emerged. Advocates typically enter the field because of personal motivations. The empowerment and strengths-based perspective are important to the delivery of advocacy services, as is belief in hope. Advocates typically endorse a survivor centered approach to their work. Data analysis revealed a concurrent process of advocacy that occurs within advocates and between advocates and survivors. This parallel process is marked in the earlier state of assessing and grounding; in the middle stage of establishing and affirming; and the ending stages of hoping and reflecting. These findings suggest the importance of personal experiences, hope, and reflection in the delivery of advocacy services. Community collaboration and support are essential to maintaining services that are aimed at the individual needs of survivors. More research is needed about the perceptions of services among survivors of domestic violence.
Domestic violence and empowerment : a national study of scheduled caste women in India
(2017-03-17) Khandare, Lalit P.; Adamek, Margaret E.; Bansod, Dhananjay W.; Brown, James R.; Brown, Kevin D.; Reza, Hasan
Domestic violence (DV) in India is one of the most alarming issues that is experienced by over one-third (36.6%) of non-Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (non SC/ST) women and nearly half (48%) of Scheduled Caste (SC) women (ages 15-49). DV and women’s empowerment are historically interlinked. The patriarchy embedded within social-cultural norms along with economic capability deprivation takes away the freedom of SC women to enjoy bodily safety in public and private spaces. Despite Constitutional measures, SC women continue to face violence-induced capability deprivation due to discrimination at three levels: caste, class, and gender. DV against SC women is an understudied area; there are scarcely any studies on DV in this population using national data. This research used data from the National Family Health Survey-III 2005-2006 (N = 12,069-SC women and N = 45,390- non-SC/ST women). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to examine DV trends amongst SC and non-SC/ST women. Contrary to the study’s hypothesis, having better empowerment (household-autonomy, healthcare decision-making, sexual-autonomy) increased the likelihood of women experiencing DV. However, the hypothesis relating to economic empowerment and autonomy was supported showing a reduced likelihood of DV. SC women were empowered when they had the capability to earn wages; however, they had no instrumental freedom to spend their own earnings. Similarly, empowerment indicators were shown to impact the likelihood of justifying the violence shaping women’s gender norms and attitudes. When compared with non-SC/ST, SC women who have economic and healthcare autonomy had lower odds of justifying DV. Exposure to DV in childhood, early marriage, and husbands’ alcohol abuse significantly enhanced the likelihood of DV. Across most of the indicators, the intensity of DV amongst SC women was relatively higher than non-SC/ST women. The findings emphasize the need for social work practice and policy to focus not only on empowering women in terms on economic and material well-being through ownership, but also assessing if this ownership have instrumental value in practice without the threat of DV. Future research can enhance understanding of DV by examining social exclusion, socio-cultural patriarchy, and the intersectionality of caste, class, gender, and other individualist and community factors.

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