Social Work School Theses and Dissertations

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Navigating Life Through the Eyes of Black Gay Fathers
(2025-10) Swafford, Tayon Randolph; Gentle-Genitty, Carolyn S.; Stamino, Vincent R.; Brandon-Friedman, Richard A.; Glassburn, Susan L.; Whitehead, Andrew L.
According to the 2012-2017 U.S. Gallup Poll, 300 men self-identified as Black gay fathers. Extant literature over the past 30 years (1995-2025) has begun addressing ways Black gay fathers intersect and interlock their racial, sexuality, and parenting identities. But full credence has not been given to how intersection and interlocking occur in all areas of social life. Anecdotes abound, yet only a few know or experience the realities of fathering while Black and gay. This dissertation’s design was guided by the question: How has your experience as a Black gay father influenced how you navigate the world? Rooted in a Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology, 21 Black gay fathers were interviewed in a semi-structured format from October through December 2024. The study had two goals: first, to center the needs, strengths, lived experiences, and realities of Black gay fathers and fathering, and second, to help social workers learn how to provide culturally tailored recommendations to Black gay fathers during service provision. The findings are presented in three manuscripts. The first manuscript argued for a new genesis of centering Black gay fathers in research by using relevant theories to contextualize and address gaps in research literature. The second manuscript taught social work practitioners how to engage Black gay fathers, using person-centered and strength-based interviewing techniques, along with a 10-question interviewing guide created for Black gay fathers, by Black gay fathers. The third manuscript presented the interviews’ findings through four major themes: Recognition of Identity Salience, Community Embeddedness, Negotiation of Hypervisibility/Invisibility, and the Development of Indefatigable Resilience. These themes conveyed how Black gay fathers use embodiment to navigate the world. This dissertation prompts social work practitioners to support Black gay fathers’ embodiment by practicing in ways that are mindful of the realities of fathering while Black and gay.
Exploring the Lived Experiences of Social Workers in Juvenile Justice Settings: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry Grounded in Ricoeur's Interpretive Framework
(2025-08) Wright, Tamra Olivia; Adamek, Margaret; Hostetter, Carol; Carson, Dena; Gregory, Virgil, Jr.
Social work and juvenile justice play critical roles in supporting a shared vulnerable youth population between the ages of 13 and 18. Despite their shared focus, these fields continue to exhibit marked differences. The primary objective of the juvenile justice system is to administer justice and prevent youth from engaging in criminal behavior that may persist into adulthood. In contrast, social work is grounded in a holistic approach that emphasizes individuals' overall well-being and empowerment. Despite the critical role social workers play as practitioners in juvenile justice settings, their lived experiences have remained underexplored. This hermeneutic phenomenological study aimed to comprehensively explore the lived experiences of social workers who practice in carceral and custodial host settings using Paul Ricoeur's Theory of Interpretation and the Vancouver School of Doing Phenomenology for data collection and analysis. Through in-depth interviews with eleven practitioners and a multi-layered analysis process, the study examined how social workers made meaning of their roles and navigated ethical tensions in environments that often prioritize punitive approaches to care. Findings illuminated six core themes: ethics and advocacy in host settings, emotional labor, gaps in training, mentorship and peer support, role strain, and boundary-setting. These insights highlight the complexity of social work within juvenile justice settings and underscore the importance of educational, institutional, and policy-level supports that sustain professional values and promote youth-centered, trauma-informed care. The study contributes to the limited literature on social work in juvenile justice settings, offering implications for practice, policy, and social work education, and calls for greater integration of frontline voices in systemic reform efforts. Keywords: hermeneutic phenomenology, host settings, justice-involved youth, juvenile justice settings, Ricoeur, social workers, theory of interpretation, the Vancouver School of Doing Phenomenology
A Qualitative Examination of Resilience Among Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Using the Resilience Portfolio Model
(2025-08) Ashirifi, Gifty D.; Adamek, Margaret E.; Eric, Kyere; Huber, Lesa; Pierce, Barbara
Grandparents in the United States continue to show up and support their families in difficult times when parents are not able to do so. This indicates a form of strength and resilience worthy of study to expand literature, policy, and practice centered on caregiving with grandchildren. Although some studies have explored areas such as grandparents’ resourcefulness, positive caregiving appraisal, protective factors, and social support separately, there is a call for more holistic examination of their strength and resilience. To bridge this gap in literature, this study adopted the resilience portfolio model (RPM) using a qualitative method to examine the experience of grandparents raising grandchildren. A thematic analysis was conducted after semi-structured interviews with 13 GRG living in a mid-western state. Findings reveal a holistic view of how GRG demonstrate strengths and resilience in four different areas including 1) how they respond to daily challenges/crises, 2) the positive strategies they use to promote family well-being 3) how their earlier experiences in life influence their parenting experience with their grandchildren and 4) how they not only protect their families from future crises but how others are testifying of seeing positive changes in their lives of their grandchildren. The result of this study show the pertinency of the RPM in studying the experiences of GRG and the critical strengths and resilience that grandparents possess that could help not only in developing interventions that are more effective and efficient for GRG but also further policy and research with grandparents raising grandchildren.
Rural Hospice Caregivers and the Social Workers Who Support Them: A Mixed Methods Study
(2024-12) Curd, Jessica Lind Ann; Pierce, Barbara; Hong, Michin; Lee, Jessica; Nguyen, Thu Suong Thi
This study aimed to explore the experiences of rural caregivers for dying individuals and the hospice social workers who support them, with a focus on the Covid- 19 pandemic and its recovery phases. This study also investigated stress, secondary trauma, anticipatory grief, social support, and health disparities among home informal caregivers of dying persons, as well as stress and secondary trauma among hospice social workers. This study employed a mixed method approach to explore the factors affecting rural caregivers and hospice social workers. This allowed for a comprehensive understanding of their experiences. Initial analysis of means revealed moderate to high levels of anticipatory grief, secondary trauma, and caregiver stress among end-of-life caregivers. To explore the interactions between these variables, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted using data from 107 caregivers. Each regression model (Caregiver Stress, Secondary Trauma, and Anticipatory Grief) was statistically significant. Results indicated that anticipatory grief, secondary traumatic stress, and caregiver stress co-vary and are influenced by perceived social support. Qualitative findings from caregiver interviews supported the quantitative results. Seven themes emerged: "no time to grieve but I am grieving," "feeling alone," "structure and routine help," "meaning making," "building a 'new normal'," "going into their world," and "impact ofCovid-19 pandemic." Interviews with 19 hospice social workers revealed moderate to high levels of anticipatory grief and secondary traumatic stress. Six themes emerged: "feeling disconnected and less effective," "grief regarding loss of no1malcy," "no longer 'heroes'," "false sense of security," "closer with peers and distanced from leaders," and "systemic barriers." Overall, this study sheds light on the specific stressors and emotional challenges faced by rural end-of-life caregivers and social workers. It highlights their resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity. The findings underscore the need for targeted support systems and interventions to address the mental health and well-being of these essential yet often overlooked members of the healthcare community. Additionally, the research contributes valuable insights to the broader discourse on the importance of social support in mitigating the effects of stress and trauma in caregiving professions.
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.
Enhancing the Sexual Health of Youth in Systems of Care: Factors Affecting Risky Sexual Behaviors and Implications for Pregnancy Prevention Programs
(2024-05) Armstrong Richardson, Eprise AJ; Adamek, Margaret E.; Ott, Mary A.; Mariscal, Susana; Glassburn, Susan
This study investigates factors contributing to risky sexual behaviors and teenage pregnancies among youth in systems of care (YSC). Secondary analyses were conducted on quality improvement data from two sexual education programs in the urban Midwest. Descriptive analyses uncovered disparities in risky sexual behaviors between the study samples; moreover, both groups exhibited higher rates compared to those reported in existing literature and the general population. In the Indiana Proud and Connected Teens (IN-PACT) study (N = 1916, mean age = 16.1 years), multivariate analysis showed that, when controlling for age, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and system involvement, pregnancy risk scores—a measure of participants' engagement in risky sexual behaviors—were positively associated with decision-making capacity and negatively associated with perceptions of pregnancy as undesirable. Furthermore, among a population of youth currently involved, or at risk of future involvement, in systems of care, those within juvenile justice (JJ) systems reported higher pregnancy risk scores, while youth in child welfare (CW) systems reported lower scores. In the Healthy Teen Connection (HTC) study (N = 603, mean age = 15.7 years), descriptive analyses revealed that 6.3% of participants scheduled appointments post-intervention, indicating limited success in linking participants to reproductive health clinics. The analyses also highlighted patterns regarding participants’ sociodemographic and sexual health characteristics, including an increased proportion of youth reporting sex under the influence during the pandemic. Thematic analysis of coordinators’ reflections links the intervention’s limited success to multifaceted barriers hindering participants’ access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, resources, and education. However, coordinators suggested that, by fostering a safe and supportive environment and engaging caregivers in the intervention, HTC was successful in empowering participants in their sexual health. Acknowledging limitations such as reliance on self-reported data, the findings lay the groundwork for comprehensive policy and practice recommendations. Collaborative efforts are needed to provide YSC with tailored sexual health programming, including comprehensive and developmentally appropriate sexual health education, and accessible SRH resources and services. Future research should prioritize comprehensive needs assessments and explore disparities in sexual health behaviors and outcomes to enhance program development and implementation efforts.
Teaching Race and Racism in Social Work Education: A Thematic Analysis of Social Work Educators' Experiences and Attitudes
(2023-09) Miller, Natasha Wine; Kim, Hea-Won; Adamek, Margaret; Khaja, Khadija; Hayes, Cleveland
Race and racism are central ideas in the conceptualization of social justice in the US and thus topics of fundamental importance within the social work discipline. Accredited social work schools must include race and racism education in their curricula. Social work pedagogical literature has historically lacked critical, consistent attention to these issues. This exploratory study applied a cluster sampling strategy to distribute study invitations across 10% of randomly selected accredited US social work schools to access the study’s target population of social work educators. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interpret educators’ written responses to six qualitative survey questions on their perspectives teaching race and racism-centered themes to social work students. The study was guided by three research questions: how educators conceptualize race and racism pedagogy; how confidence and doubt are contrasted in their experiences; and the consequence of educators’ own racial identity. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and oppression theory were guiding theoretical frameworks. Each question generated 31 to 48 responses. In total, 10 themes were developed in response to the research questions. Highlighted findings illustrate a variation in how educators conceptualize race and racism pedagogy: ethics training, antiracist praxis development, and through a CRT framework. Educators also experience doubt in their teaching abilities, such as in managing students’ responses to race and racism-centered learning. Educators’ racial identity also shapes their perspectives on race and racism pedagogical experiences. Further research is indicated, such as how educators understand antiracist practice; their pedagogical training on teaching these subjects; evaluative studies on social work schools’ support to educators; and the influence of racial identity on teaching and learning these complex topics.
Reconceptualizing the Role of Identity in Social Work Education Through Liberation Pedagogy
(2023-08) Fultz, Andrew James; Gentle-Gennitty, Carolyn; Kyere, Eric; McCarthy, Katherine; Treff, Marjorie
In response to social developments and the civil rights movement in the 1960s, the social work profession began to develop a formal identity which included a commitment to social justice. Today, that concept of social justice includes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in education and practice. Teachers and researchers have rarely assessed the use of teaching pedagogy and student experiences in diversity courses via the social work education curriculum from the lens of White students developing an understanding of social justice. A mixed method study was designed and implemented to reconceptualize the role of White identity in social work education with social work undergraduate students. Hypothesizing that identity is influenced by both pedagogy and life experiences, social work students took part in a classroom intervention to understand how White racial identity development occurs and the role that emotional regulation has in difficult conversations which shapes behavior and action. Findings: quantitative analysis using both linear mixed models and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed a lack of statistical significance between groups due to unexpected sampling issues and possible social desirability bias. Surprising findings from the qualitative portion of the study, a phenomenology, provided surprising support of the intervention and the utility of the teaching model. Modifications to the study design and broader intervention application for future replication are explored. The full findings of this study are presented in three manuscripts, the first theoretical, exploring the early conceptualizations of identity in social work with particular attention to social justice and White Racial Identity Development theory. The second manuscript explores using liberation pedagogy in the classroom to quantitatively assess for change in White racial identity status and frequency of anti-racist behavior with 17 undergraduate students. The third manuscript shares results of a hermetical phenomenology to understand student's life experiences and how those experiences contributed to their overall development as social workers. In sum, the role of values, dissonance, relationships, and curiosity emerged as important to understanding the overall development of students. Implications for education and practice are provided.
Youth Experiences of Organized Activities and Violence: Trends and Interrelationships
(2023-08) Khan, Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman; Reza, Hasan; Adamek, Margaret E.; Pierce, Barbara; Wu, Wei
Organized youth activities contribute to positive development by engaging with a favorable and supervised social environment. This dissertation research explored the influence of organized youth activities such as school-based, community-based, and faith-based activities on youth violence such as fighting, group-fighting, and attacking someone with the intent to seriously hurt them. It also emphasizes the effect of socio-economic characteristics such as age, gender, level of education, and family income on organized youth activities and youth violence. There are studies as well as a general assumption that organized youth activities contribute to reduce youth violence. However, the literature lacks evidence on what types of activities, or which particular activity is more effective in preventing youth violence. Also, many times it depends on intensity, duration, and supervision of these activities. Examining trends in organized youth activities and youth violence may provide a better picture of various activities and the effectiveness of current youth programs and policies. Therefore, it is important to understand the trends and interrelationships between organized youth activities and violence. This study revealed some interesting facts and revealed some gaps to conduct further research. Findings revealed an inverse association between organized youth activities and youth violence. The study documented a significant association between respondents’ socio-economic characteristics and participation in organized youth activities. The analysis also showed a significant association between respondents’ socio-economic characteristics and youth violence. The study analyzed the trends in organized youth activities and youth violence over the last decade and revealed that the more youth participated in organized youth activities, the less they participated in violence. The present dissertation provides preliminary evidence of the interrelationships between organized youth activities and violence that impact and affect the overall development and well-being of young people in our society. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers can use the findings to advance the social work grand challenge of ensuring healthy development of all youth.
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.

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