IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks :: Browsing by Author "Kyere, Eric"

Browsing by Author "Kyere, Eric"

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Advancing Equity-Based School Leadership: The Importance of Family–School Relationships
(Springer, 2020) Flores, Osly J.; Kyere, Eric; School of Social Work
This narrative inquiry study presents the stories of five urban public school principals who continually enact and engage in praxis around school/family engagement as their social justice and equitable practices. The findings focus on how participants conceived and engaged in parent interaction: (1) the power of relationships, (2) resistance toward deficit thinking of parents and/or families, and (3) connecting their work with families to equity. An equity-based parent engagement model was developed on how the school leaders employ the power of relationships to engage parents, what participant interpreted their trusting relationship with parents reciprocated to them, and why they prioritize positive relationships with racially and ethnically diverse and economically disadvantage families. Overall, the findings extend emerging empirical research on the role of school leadership in effective parent engagement practice from an equity standpoint.
Alternative to Zero Tolerance Policies and Out-of-School Suspensions: A Multi-tiered Centered Perspective
(Taylor & Francis, 2018) Kyere, Eric; Joseph, Andrea; Wei, Kai; School of Social Work
Although zero-tolerance policies were created to foster safe school environments for student engagement and performance, the implementation of these policies has inadvertently resulted in the exclusion of millions of students through suspension and expulsion. Students of color, African-Americans in particular, disproportionately experience these exclusionary practices. This article examines the disproportionate negative effects of school discipline under the era of zero-tolerance policies. We first examine school discipline in a historical context. Second, we introduce and describe critical race theory and its relevance for understanding racialized school discipline. We conclude with implications for social workers to engage schools, African-American students, and their families, and advocate for school policies to create safe and equitable school environments that promote learning, in a culturally and racially responsive manner.
Differential impact, differential adjustments: diverse experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic by college students in an Upper-Midwestern University, USA
(PubMed, 2021) Karikari, Isaac; Karikari, Grace; Kyere, Eric; School of Social Work
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic though widespread is not monolithic. Therefore, a differentiated understanding of the pandemic's impact on people is critical. Further, it is important to recognize that even within the same group people's experiences may differ. The current study explored how the onset of COVID-19 and its mitigation measures impacted university students across the broad spectrum of their lives. The study utilized a qualitative approach based on individual and focus group interviews through Zoom. Participants were recruited using convenience and purposive sampling strategies. Twenty-one students (mean age = 33.8, over 76% whites, 15 females) participated in the study. Guided by systems and ecological systems theories and grounded in a contextualist paradigm, the data were analyzed thematically. Pseudonyms were adopted to preserve the anonymity of the participants. The findings revealed that COVID-19 has impacted students in varied ways ranging from the seemingly simple to the multi-layered and complex. An overarching theme, "same storm, different boats", which conveys the notion of differential impact, and differential adjustments was identified. Nested under the overarching theme are two main themes (1) Impact of COVID-19: disruptions, stressors, and silver linings and (2) Coping with COVID-19. Participants reported positive as well as negative impacts. Factors that helped students cope included institutional support, empathy from instructors, and family support. The findings suggest that to effectively respond to the impact of COVID-19 on students, it will be important to identify and attend to the distinct and diverse stressors within this population, and systems and ecological systems theories are important guiding frameworks.
Enslaved people’s health was ignored from the country’s beginning, laying the groundwork for today’s health disparities
(The Conversation US, Inc., 2020-07-30) Kyere, Eric; School of Social Work
The Experiences of Latino Adolescent Mentees Growing-Up with a Single Mother and Mentoring Program Development: A Narrative Analysis Study
(2020-08) Bishop, Christine Marie; Adamek, Margaret E.; Kyere, Eric; Mariscal, Susana; Seybold, Peter
Latinos comprise the largest minority population in the United States. Research underscores the many positive effects that mentors can have on Latino adolescents who lack a male role model living in the home. Mentors can provide support and teach helpful skills that can be applied to multiple life domains needed throughout a person’s lifespan. There are many different types of mentoring services and styles available to adolescents. Yet, there are specific gaps and room for growth within the scholarly literature regarding Latino adolescents that need to be addressed. Shining light and allowing their narratives to be heard and understood in greater depth can promote more effective mentoring programs for Latino adolescents. A qualitative study was conducted using Narrative Analysis involving face-to-face interviews with Latino male adolescents who have lived with a single mother and were participating in a mentoring program. The aim of this study was to obtain valuable first-hand insight and recommendations with regard to adolescents’ experiences regarding the absence of a male role model at home, their participation in mentoring services, as well as their recommendations for improving mentoring programs for Latino adolescents. Key findings included the many benefits that stem from the mentees being involved in their mentoring program, the importance of the mentees’ mothers and other positive supports in their lives, as well as the mentees’ helpful recommendations for their mentoring program.
Exploring the Independent and Interactive Effects of Political Identification and Moral Foundations in Perceiving Threats from Latino Immigrants in the United States
(Common Ground Research, 2021-06) Kyere, Eric; Wei, Kai; School of Social Work
This study explored the independent and interaction effect of political identification and moral foundations on perceived threats from Latino immigrants. Two hundred and eight adult Americans were recruited from the Amazon Turk Platform, 187 of whom completed the survey questions. On average, conservative participants reported higher realistic perceived threats from Latino immigrants in comparison with liberals. Consistent with prior work, multivariate regression analyses indicate that liberals at the superficial level were less likely to perceive a threat from Latino immigrants compared with conservatives. However, when political orientation/identification interacted with moral foundation, a nuanced picture emerged that contradicts the claim that liberals are more likely to be tolerant of immigrants. Negative associations between perceived threats from Latino immigrants and moral values rooted in harm and justice were observed. Finally, interaction effects suggest that efforts that foster moral values rooted in harm and fairness may reduce the perception of threat, regardless of political orientation, from Latino immigrants in the US.
Exploring the process by which positive racial identity develops and influences academic performance in Black youth: Implications for social work
(Taylor & Francis, 2019) Kyere, Eric; Huguley, James; School of Social Work
Although racial-ethnic socialization and racial-ethnic identity interlink to influence youth's developmental outcomes, the extant research has tended to investigate these constructs and their effect on youths’ outcomes separately. We therefore used path analysis to investigate the interrelationships between prominent racial-ethnic socialization and racial-ethnic identity constructs in one model to ascertain whether when considered simultaneously they have direct and/or mediated effect associations with the academic performance of African-American youths. Participants were drawn from the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study. Findings reveal that parenting practices that expose youths to racial/cultural heritage of African-Americans, in tandem with those that alert youths to potential discrimination and strategies to respond, may influence youths’ racial-ethnic identity domains. These racial-ethnic identity domains in turn shape one another in a complex way to positively predict academic performance. Implications for social work research and practice are discussed.
Fostering Higher Academic Performance in African American Youth Through Enhanced Self-Efficacy: The Importance of Integrated Racial-Ethnic Identity
(2021) Kyere, Eric; Fukui, Sadaaki; Holly Jr., James; School of Social Work
Although the dimensions that constitute racial-ethnic identity (REI) interrelate to affect psychosocial and academic outcomes, few studies have explored the nature (e.g., directionality) of these interrelations in understanding a strong and healthy REI among African American youth in relation to psychosocial and academic outcomes. In the current study, we applied path analysis to investigate the potential mediation effects of private regard in translating the effects of racial centrality and public regard to affect African American youth’s academic performance through self-efficacy. Using a nationally representative sample of African American youth, findings suggest that racial centrality and public regard correlate to affect private regard, controlling for neighborhood safety and sociodemographic backgrounds. Private regard in turn, associated with self-efficacy to affect academic performance measured by GPA. These results indicate the need to investigate the potential mediation effects among REI dimensions to understand the nuanced pathways REI dimensions configure to form a strong and healthy REI to affect psychosocial and academic outcomes among African American youth.
A Gardening Metaphor: A Framework for Closing Racial Achievement Gaps in American Public Education System
(Sage, 2018) Taylor, Jerome; Kyere, Eric; King, Ѐpryl; School of Social Work
The overarching purpose of this article is to introduce A Gardening Metaphor (AGM) as an evolving framework for accelerating the closure of racial achievement gaps in America. Toward this end, we provide: (a) an examination of the racial disparities in education that are disproportionately experienced by Black children; (b) a rationale for why racial achievement gaps must be closed; (c) an introduction to components of AGM; and (d) discussion of AGM gap closing potential through case study with implication for research and practice.
How Public Libraries Respond to Crises Involving Patrons Experiencing Homelessness: Multiple Perspectives of the Role of the Public Library Social Worker
(2023-05) Provence, Mary Anita; Starnino, Vincent; Adamek, Margaret; Copeland, Andrea; Kyere, Eric; Wahler, Elizabeth
Due to a shortage of affordable housing, gaps in social welfare infrastructure, and the criminalization of homelessness, public libraries find themselves providing daytime shelter to patrons experiencing homelessness. Their needs and crises have created demands on staff and security that exceed their training and role. Sometimes police are involved, exposing patrons to possible arrest. To fill this knowledge and service gap, libraries have begun hiring social workers. Early research on the broad role of social workers suggests they are changing how libraries respond to crises with patrons experiencing homelessness in four keyways: by providing an option to calling 911; influencing code of conduct implementation, serving patrons, and equipping staff. However, no study has given an in-depth explanation of how social workers are changing libraries’ responses to crises with patrons experiencing homelessness. The purpose of this study is to explain how the role of the social worker influences how libraries respond when patrons experiencing homelessness are in crises. Considered through lenses of role theory, social cognitive theory, and the humanization framework, this embedded multiple-case study of three U.S. urban libraries collected 91 surveys and conducted 46 Zoom interviews. It includes the perspectives of 107 participants across six roles: patrons experiencing homelessness, social workers, front-facing staff, security, location managers, and CEOs. The social workers’ influence was perceived to reduce behavior incidents, exclusions, and arrests around three themes: (1) being an option, with subthemes of in-house referrals and de-escalation; (2) running interference, with subthemes of low barrier access and barrier-busting services; and (3) buffering, with subthemes of equipping, influencing code of conduct implementation, and advocating and being present during security and police interactions. Three models of library social work and their impact on the social worker’s role of de-escalation were identified and described: The Sign Up and Summon Model, the Outreach and Summon Model, and the Social Work Center Model. In addition, a commingled rival was found: the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement. The implications of the findings include recommendations for structuring library social work practice to reduce exclusions and arrests of patrons experiencing homelessness.

Browsing by Author "Kyere, Eric"

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