Social work - Seattle

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://digital.lib.washington.edu/handle/1773/4968

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Assessing Disparities in Clemency Hearing Selection
(2025-08-01) Weseloh, Victoria Grace; Bishop, Asia
Clemency serves as a crucial mechanism for early release in Washington state, where parole has been abolished and mandatory sentencing minimums have increased long-term incarceration. While prior research has examined clemency hearing outcomes in terms of petitioner demographics and offense type, far less is known about the early stages of the clemency process – particularly the factors that influence whether a petition advances to a full board hearing. This thesis analyzed data from 77 clemency petitions to explore factors associated with advancement to full board hearings using bivariate and multivariate analyses. This thesis pursued two primary aims: (1) to assess whether disparities in hearing selection exist across petitioner demographic characteristics (e.g., ethnoracial identity, gender, and age), and (2) to examine how legal and contextual factors influence the likelihood of receiving a hearing. Bivariate results showed no significant differences across demographic groups; meanwhile, petitioners with legal representation, release plans, and severe sentences were more likely to advance, while sex offense convictions reduced the likelihood. No predictors were statistically significant in the multivariate analysis, though trends aligned with bivariate findings, indicating a complex, discretionary selection process influenced by institutional support and case factors. These findings suggest that clemency hearing selection decisions are influenced by specific legal and support-related factors which may advantage some petitioners over others and inadvertently reproduce disparities. Results point to a need for greater consistency and objectivity in decision-making. Given the exploratory nature of this thesis and the limited research on clemency hearing selection, further research is warranted to examine how structural inequities shape petition outcomes and to inform more equitable clemency petition review process.
From Isolation to Solitude: Exploring the Clinical Implications of Childhood Relational Patterns for Mindfulness-Based Interventions
(2025-08-01) Banerjee, Raka; Vesneski, William
This research explores the relationship between childhood relational patterns and subsequent meditation experiences to expand the knowledge base for clinical social workers and other practitioners on the appropriate use of mindfulness-based therapeutic interventions. Through in-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews with 12 experienced meditators, the study examines patterns across participants’ childhood experiences and relationships with caregivers, their internal self-talk, and their meditation experiences, including how these have evolved over time. For this sample, this study finds that significant childhood trauma is not in and of itself an indicator of whether a given individual will experience positive benefits or adverse impacts from meditative practices. Instead, taken in sum, the collective descriptions of the respondents chart a journey from isolation to solitude. From a tendency to internalize and isolate during childhood and adolescence, respondents described a shift in their harsh approach to themselves over time, ultimately leading to a sense of refuge in the solitude of their meditative practices. Reported benefits resulting from the practice of meditation included increased awareness of their own psychological patterns, a greater sense of gentleness towards themselves, an increased sense of compassion towards others, and transformative insight into the nature of reality. Looking to the future of the social work profession, this exploratory research highlights the significant potential of spiritual practices such as meditation for the healing and integration of childhood trauma.
“We Are Not Disorderly Kids”: Young Adult, Family, and Social Work Perspectives on Disrupting System Failures that Funnel Child Welfare Involved Youth into the Juvenile Legal System
(2025-08-01) Scheuer, Hannah Elizabeth; Tajima, Emiko A
Foster care, youth detention, and youth incarceration are all associated with long-term harms including lifelong trauma, physical health and mental health concerns, and significant challenges transitioning into adulthood. Youth involved in child welfare face disproportionately high risk of juvenile legal system contact compared to their non-involved peers due to a structurally inequitable process that funnels youth from child welfare into the legal and carceral systems. To promote health and wellbeing in historically and persistently marginalized youth and families, there is a need to understand this process and develop tangible alternatives. This three-paper mixed-methods dissertation intends to interrogate this systems failure by examining the links between child welfare and juvenile legal systems in Washington State and offer potential alternatives from the perspectives of caregivers and young adults who have experienced child welfare involvement and social workers who work within these systems. Guided by ecological systems theory and informed by community based participatory research (CBPR) principles, this community-engaged investigation utilized focus group and survey methodology to examine the ways in which child welfare and juvenile legal systems intersect to create inequities for youth, shed light on the specific mechanisms by which youth may become incarcerated through their involvement with child welfare, and develop supportive alternatives to system involvement in Washington State. Informed by priorities set by community partners, paper one is a systematic literature review that examines the extent and potential consequences of police involvement in child welfare cases. Paper two is a qualitative methods paper that applies Walsh’s (2003) typology of reflexive practice to provide a framework and comprehensive illustration of reflexive practice within child welfare research designed to support collaborative research partnerships. Paper three presents the methods and main outcomes of this community-engaged dissertation investigation. Collectively, these studies highlight the need for urgent transformative change. This includes developing and supporting academic-community partnerships that center lived expertise and challenge hierarchical research structures to advance evidence-informed policy change, implementing immediate trauma-informed training for all individuals responding to child welfare calls as a harm reduction strategy, and establishing long-term formal initiatives to create a new emergency response system that reduces law enforcement presence and prioritizes community-led, culturally responsive support.
Examination of Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Suicidal Ideation Among Sexual and Gender Minority Midlife and Older Adults
(2025-08-01) Tong, Ting; Kim, Hyun-Jun
Purpose: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals have an elevated risk for suicidal ideation (SI) compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. However, existing research has primarily focused on SGM youth and young adults, with limited attention given to the aging SGM population. This thesis aims to examine the multifaceted risk and protective factors associated with lifetime SI among SGM midlife and older adults. By integrating the Health Equity Promotion Model and Fluid Vulnerability Theory, this study explores: (1) how social positions, such age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status, contribute to baseline risk of SI; (2) whether historical/environmental factors, including experiencing discrimination and victimization, influence SI; (3) the role of psychological and behavioral factors that function as risk or protective mechanisms affecting acute risk of SI. Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted utilizing data from the 2014 National Health, Aging, and Sexual/Gender Study, conducted by the Goldsen Institute. A total of 2,425 SGM individuals born before the year of 1965 were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics were computed to summarize the sociodemographic characteristics, and a multivariable logistic regression model was applied to examine the strength and direction of the associations between SI and the hypothesized predictors from historical/environmental, psychological, and behavioral domains, after controlling for demographic variables. Results: The results indicated that transgender identity, lifetime discrimination, and lifetime victimization emerged as significant baseline risk factors for SI. In the acute risk domain, SI was mainly impacted by depression, drug addiction, and lack of nutrition, while resilience and physical activity served as protective factors. It is worth noting that several factors that are commonly considered to be SI predictors, such as age, sexual orientation, educational attainment, income level, anxiety, and alcoholism, were not significantly associated with SI in the current study. Discussion and Implications: These findings revealed the importance of understanding SI among SGM midlife and older adults through an intersectional and life course lens. Specifically, SI among this marginalized population should be viewed as a response to the broader, accumulated adversities from both personal experiences and structural-level inequities across the lifespan. Clinically, these results underscore the need for developing trauma-informed, culturally responsive SI intervention strategies that focus on behavioral health and personal resilience for this marginalized community. From a policy standpoint, this study demonstrates the importance of strengthening antidiscrimination protections and promoting equitable access to healthcare services across senior service settings for SGM older adults.
Co-Creating and Evaluating Community-Based Kinship Navigator Programs for Our Use: Partnering with Lived Experience Experts of Informal Kinship Caregivers and Navigators to Profile Caregiving Challenges, Address Program Implementation, and Identify Mechanisms of Change in Caregiver Well-Being in Washington State
(2025-08-01) Lin, Hung-Peng; Day, Angelique
Informal kinship caregivers comprise the majority of caregivers of maltreated children who cannot stay safely with their biological parents, especially grandparent-headed households (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). Despite sharing similar challenges and service needs, informal kinship caregivers receive significantly less support and services compared to their formal counterparts (Denby, 2015; Lin, 2014; Pittman, 2023). The disparity persists in benefits and service opportunities between these two groups (Smith, 2018). However, kinship navigator programs can address this imbalance by catering to both formal, licensed kinship caregivers and informal, unlicensed caregivers. Kinship navigators help families negotiate complicated eligibility criteria, service gaps, and access barriers that exacerbate racial and class inequities (Gleeson, 2020). Consequently, kinship navigator programs possess the potential not only to support formal caregivers but also to reach informal caregivers who might not traditionally seek services. This approach aims to enhance community engagement and promote increased access to services, irrespective of the circumstances surrounding kinship care (Rushovich et al., 2021). To address the lack of research evidence concerning informal kinship care (Berrick & Hernandez, 2016) and the significance of prevention-related needs within informal kinship care as a strategy for preventing formal foster care placements (Brown et al., 2024), this mixed-methods dissertation study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the service needs and utilization patterns of informal kinship caregivers. Additionally, it seeks to examine the service delivery and program implementation of the kinship navigator program in Washington State through a secondary analysis of quantitative survey data, linked administrative data, and qualitative focus group data. These data were originally collected as part of a university-service agency partnership between the University of Washington and local service agencies using a community-engaged research (CEnR) approach. Specifically, this dissertation will 1) identify the distinct patterns of caregiving challenges in informal kinship placement, as well as significant sociodemographic variations in such patterns, and the role of KNP engagement in the association between these distinct groups and sociodemographic determinants; 2) explore the street-level program implementation of KNP from perspectives of informal kinship caregivers and navigators with lived experience expertise (LEE) within a RE-AIM framework (i.e. Reach, Efficacy/Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance); and finally, 3) examine the mechanism of change in caregiver well-being of informal kinship caregivers attending the enhanced Kinship Navigator Program intervention in Washington States with a focus on the roles of service utilization, and caregiver stress reduction. Collectively, research findings will inform policy change and tailor intervention to advance kinship first culture and future kinship-centered program implementation.
Yo Aquí y Vos Allá: Community, Support, and Well-Being Among Immigrants from Central America
(2024-09-09) Pérez Portillo, Andrea Guadalupe; Takeuchi, David
This project centers the lived experiences of immigrants from Central America and their social connections after immigrating to the United States. Amid the current “immigrant crisis” at the southern border, this investigation will contribute to our understanding of strengths-based, culturally informed, and relational explorations of immigrant health. Framed by a QuantCrit (Quantitative Critical Race theory), LatCrit (Latine/x Critical Race theory), and social support theories, this three-paper dissertation will first, describe the association between social network density and mental health outcomes of Central American immigrants. Second, this study will utilize social network analysis and personal interviews to map immigrant’s personal networks in order understand how immigrants conceptualize support. The final paper will build on the first two aims by focusing on the meaning of social networks for immigrants through semi-structured interviews and relational conversational methodologies. This analysis pays particular attention to the role digital transnational ties play in identity, integration, and support. This will provide additional information about how immigrant social networks are formed, maintained and how they impact health and integration experiences of Central American immigrants in the US. Collectively, findings from this project will contribute to strengths-based literature around immigrant health.
Remote Social Contact and Loneliness Among the Young-Old, Middle-Old, and Oldest-Old Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic
(2024-09-09) Lee, Chaejeong; La Fazia, David M.
The importance of remote communication increased with the onset of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020. Previous studies have explored the effects of remote communication technology usage on loneliness of older adults classified as aged 65 and above as a whole. Because aging is a gradual process, several studies propose the existence of distinct age categories within the older adult population. However, little is understood about the association between the usage of remote communication technology and loneliness among different age groups within the older adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this knowledge gap, the study divided older adults into three age groups: young-old, middle-old, and oldest-old, and examined: (1) whether the frequency of remote social contact usage during the COVID-19 pandemic differs among age groups of older adults, and (2) if the association between the use of remote social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic and loneliness differs among age groups of older adults. This study utilized nationally representative data from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), Round 3 and the COVID-19 Study. The regression results confirm that the frequency of remote social contact modes usage significantly differed across age groups. However, despite the significant association between in-person contact and lower loneliness observed across all age groups, the utilization of emails, texts, or social media messages among young-old adults was linked to higher levels of loneliness. Among oldest-old adults, an increase in the frequency of in-person contact was associated with phone call usage contributing to an increase in loneliness. These findings emphasize the importance for social work and related fields to enable safe in-person communication for older adults, considering their vulnerability to COVID-19. Furthermore, it is essential to develop accessible remote contact platforms, educate, and allocate resources to improve technology access for older adults, as technology becomes more vital for social connections despite physical limitations.
Acculturation Orientations of Chinese Immigrant Parents: The Formation and Approach of Ethnic-Racial Socialization Towards Children
(2024-09-09) Wang, Yating; Lee, Jane
Chinese immigrants are among the largest Asian immigrant groups in the United States (U.S.) and can face unique parenting challenges. Their own acculturation experiences may influence parenting practices including their ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) towards children, which may further influence children’s acculturation orientations leading to different outcomes. This study aimed to investigate acculturation orientations, ERS approaches of Chinese immigrant parents, relations between these two variables, and factors that influence the two variables. The study used semi-structured interviews with 10 Chinese immigrant parents in the U.S. with elementary school-aged young children. Inductive and deductive thematic approaches were used to analyze the interview transcriptions. Results indicated that Chinese immigrant parents of various acculturation orientations tend to adopt a “let-nature-take-its-course” ERS attitude, which refers to not initiating conversations about race and ethnicity with children until problems arise. Five ERS types were identified including cultural socialization, preparation for bias, egalitarianism and silence about race, nationality selection and global citizen identity development. Various levels of factors that influence acculturation orientations and parental ERS approaches were also identified to inform future development of culturally responsive parenting interventions for Chinese immigrant parents. Finally, potential relations between acculturation orientations and ERS approaches among Chinese immigrant parents were proposed.
Exploring the link between school supports and child adjustment outcomes among children growing up in single-parent families: A scoping review
(2024-09-09) Johnson, Lyndsey Blake; Martinson, Melissa
When considering a child’s development, the family structure in which they are raised remains an integral part of their growth. Beyond research that focuses on the impact and prevention of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among children who are raised in complex family structures (e.g., single-parent families), literature has more recently focused on the impact for children in these households to engage in opportunities that promote positive child adjustment and resiliency. As children spend a large portion of their development within schools, understanding the ways in which these environments provide supports that promote positive child adjustment within single-parent families is pertinent. While there has been a contemporary shift in research as it now examines pathways to resilience among children in single-parent families, that research has not been integrated or summarized for the purpose of action or future directions of the field. To address this gap, the current scoping review aims to synthesize past research conducted on school supports and the promotion of positive child adjustment among single-parent families. With consideration for risk and resiliency and socio-ecological theories, the following research questions are addressed: 1) In what ways do school supports promote positive child adjustment, particularly among those raised in a single-parent household? and 2), What are the gaps in existing literature that may guide future research to continue supporting children and single-parent families within their schools and households? Utilizing PRISMA analysis and a systematic search process, results of the final research study sample (n=4) indicate that schools supports, specifically positive school climates, do positively impact academic adjustment and risk and socio-behavioral adjustment among children living in single-parent homes. Overall, one study utilized targeted interventions to explore child engagement with risk and antisocial behaviors, one study used a multimodal digital literacy curriculum to explore child social behaviors, and two studies utilized school climate reports to determine academic achievement. From the synthesis of studies conducted on this topic, this review suggests the need for further research to explore topics including specific prevention/intervention strategies, potential changes in school environments and staffing structures, and targeted psycho- and socio-emotional education within schools.
Equipping Social Workers to Prevent Firearm-related Harm: Examining the Role of Discretion and Structural Racism
(2024-04-26) Conrick, Kelsey McGuire; Moore, Megan
This four-paper dissertation examines the critical role of social workers in addressing the burden of firearm-related harm, particularly when serving clients at highest risk for disparities due to structural racism. Grounded in the theory of situated bureaucrats, it offers a nuanced understanding of social workers’ decision-making processes related to reducing firearm access for clients in crisis, along with the challenges they face in navigating complex social, medical, and legal systems. Chapter One frames firearm-related harm as an urgent social justice issue, delineates the role of social workers in addressing this challenge, and underscores equity considerations in interventions social workers may use to reduce firearm access for clients in crisis. The first paper, Chapter Two, employs qualitative narrative inquiry to identify equity considerations for implementing Extreme Risk Protection Orders by drawing insights from the historical context of Domestic Violence Protection Orders. The second paper, Chapter Three, analyzes qualitative data from ten focus groups with twenty-nine social workers to understand the ethical dilemmas they face when weighing the benefits and potential harms of referring clients to medical and legal system services based on their social identities (e.g., race and ethnicity, immigration status). In Chapter Four, the third paper draws on survey data from 1,306 social workers to investigate potential racial biases in their decision-making regarding care plan options for clients of different races, with social worker race as a moderator. The fourth paper, Chapter Five, revisits qualitative data from ten focus groups to construct an action plan model depicting the complex factors that guide social workers when choosing how to reduce firearm access for clients in crisis. Finally, Chapter Six synthesizes findings from all four papers to offer practice, policy, and training recommendations, discuss social justice implications, suggest directions for future research, and outline efforts to disseminate research findings. This dissertation underscores the pivotal role of social workers in alleviating the burden of firearm-related harm, especially in communities facing disparities, while critically examining potential biases in their discretionary practices and providing actionable policy and practice recommendations.
“How they look at it is not how I lived it”: How Research, Policy, and Practice Regarding Family Court Child Custody Decision-making Erase Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence
(2023-09-27) Rousson, Ashley; Tajima, Emiko A.
Approximately 10-15% of separating families have contested child custody arrangements that require dispute resolution (mediation and/or litigation) with 40-80% of those cases involving intimate partner violence (IPV) allegations. For families that require dispute resolution, courts have substantial intervention and decision-making power regarding child custody. Guided by an intersectional, critical framework, this three-paper dissertation examines the institution of contemporary family courts, which have positioned themselves as neutral arbiters in custody conflicts despite evidence to the contrary. This dissertation interrogates how the structural and ideological underpinnings of family court influence knowledge, processes, and outcomes – from determining what becomes codified in law, to formal and informal standards of practice, and subsequently, the patterns of response to individuals who are court-involved. The overarching aim is to study the ways in which inequities may be perpetuated through institutional processes as courts respond to child custody cases involving IPV. Doing so sheds light on ways to redress inequities currently produced and reproduced via the courts and identify potential targets for reform at the institutional and policy level. Paper one is a critical review of literature, focused on identifying the evidence, policies and practices that guide custody decision-making in cases involving IPV, and influence how IPV is viewed by the courts. Paper two is a conceptual analysis of the prevailing custody standard applied by courts -- determining what is in the “best interest of the child” (BIC). This paper examines whether and how applying an intersectional lens to the BIC standard reveals previously unarticulated inequities in family court processes when IPV is alleged, across identities of motherhood, gender, race, and class. Paper three is a qualitative examination of how IPV survivors engaged in mothering within the constrained context of ongoing IPV and custody disputes, and how institutional responses to their mothering reflect structural biases and institutional norms in the application of the BIC standard. Together, findings across these studies underscore the critical need for empirical research on child custody determination processes, decisions, and outcomes for families experiencing IPV to guide policy and practice. Evident from this dissertation were the unacknowledged (racialized, classed, and gendered) assumptions about motherhood/fatherhood and IPV that underly custody determinations, and the disparate impact this can have on marginalized families. This points to the need for an intersectional approach to research, policy, and practice in this area. Specifically, for family courts and other interconnected institutions (e.g., child welfare) to be true to mandates of justice and representing children’s best interests, they will need to interrogate current structures, standards, and assumptions and develop responsive policies and practices that aim to rectify inequities. As this dissertation illustrates, in their efforts to achieve what they believe to be equality, the courts erase IPV and its dynamics, with inequitable outcomes for marginalized families.
Adolescent and Adult Suicidality as Consequences of Maltreatment Experience and Low Socio-economic Status in Childhood
(2023-09-27) Kim, Moo-Hyun; Pecora, Peter J
This doctoral dissertation aims to explore the intricate relationships between childhood maltreatment, low childhood socio-economic status (SES), and suicidal outcomes. The study draws on data from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study and utilizes logistic regression and path analysis models to examine the associations among these variables. The research findings provide compelling evidence that individuals who have experienced childhood maltreatment and come from a low childhood SES background face a heightened risk of both suicidal ideation and suicide attempts compared to those without such experiences. Notably, the majority of these associations are found to be mediated by feelings of hopelessness, emphasizing the crucial role of this psychological factor in understanding suicidality. Specific types of childhood adversity, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, and low childhood SES, exhibit strong and direct links to either suicidal ideation or suicide attempts, even after accounting for various confounding factors. This suggests that these particular forms of adversity carry distinct risks for suicidal outcomes and should be prioritized in prevention and intervention efforts. The findings indicate that both adolescence and adulthood show significant associations between childhood adversity and suicidality. However, adolescence emerges as a particularly vulnerable period, strongly influenced by childhood adversities, with a heightened risk of developing suicidal tendencies. The identified significant relationships between specific forms of childhood adversity, hopelessness, and suicidality underscore the importance of addressing these factors in child maltreatment prevention and suicide prevention efforts. Interventions should focus on providing support and resources to individuals who have experienced maltreatment and low SES, aiming to mitigate the negative effects and promote resilience.
Attitudes and Experiences of Palliative Care Providers Toward Patients with Substance Use Disorder
(2023-08-14) Wonsil, Emma; La Fazia, David
As the U.S. population ages and older adults use substances at unprecedented rates, more patients with substance use disorder (SUD) will require medical care for serious illnesses. Despite shifting demographics and population care needs, there is a paucity of research on palliative care for patients with SUD. The limited literature at the intersection of palliative care and patients with SUD focuses on the challenges of safely prescribing to patients, excluding any other elements of care for this patient population. The current study is the first to explore the attitudes and experiences of palliative care providers of different disciplines toward patients with SUD. This research utilized an exploratory, qualitative methodology with semi-structured interviews with 14 interprofessional palliative care providers. Several salient themes emerged following a thematic analysis of interviews: the distinct roles and values of palliative care, the perception of patients with SUD as complex with complex care needs, awareness of stigma and desire to reduce impacts on patients, the multivariate factors that influence the development of SUD, and a spectrum of care strategies and identified training needs. The results of this study establish there are other relevant considerations for palliative care patients with SUD in addition to safe prescribing. Due to the lack of a comprehensive approach for palliative care patients with SUD, this study supports the need for further resources and training opportunities for providers. Patients with SUD also experience systemic marginalization, pointing to a need for greater structural shifts to reduce barriers to adequate care.
“I Use Because I'm in Pain”: Perspectives on Harm Reduction Services and Unmet Needs Among People Who Use Fentanyl
(2023-08-14) Bocek, Kevin; Lee, Jane J.
BackgroundDespite King County pledging over $10 million to harm reduction measures in 2021, overdose deaths in the area have steadily risen with increasing rates predominantly caused by an increase in use of illicit fentanyl, a synthetic opioid much stronger than heroin. Previous studies have shown significant access barriers to harm reduction interventions commonly administered to people who use fentanyl. Our research sought to interview people who use fentanyl in King County to assess their interactions with harm reduction interventions, including barriers to engagement and needs not currently met. Methods In partnership with an organization that provides homelessness and substance use services, people who used fentanyl were recruited for semi-structured interviews. Demographic information, including modalities of substance use, was attained during the interviews. Interviews were conducted until thematic saturation was reached. They were recorded, transcribed, and then individually coded for themes using a thematic inductive framework. Results Fifteen participants (mean age 46.6 years) completed interviews. All participants used fentanyl pills with some combination of fentanyl powder, heroin, methamphetamines, and crack cocaine. Themes were divided into two main categories: unmet needs (housing, pain management, isolation/community engagement, and case worker communication), and perspectives on harm reduction interventions (Suboxone, methadone, overdose prevention medication and fentanyl testing strips). Specific perspectives and barriers were explored in subthemes. DiscussionFindings are reviewed in light of previous research and the current opioid treatment plan for King County. All unmet needs connected directly to participants’ difficulty meeting substance use goals, suggesting that housing, pain management, and community engagement interventions may be necessary measures within harm reduction frameworks. Physical barriers with Suboxone, access issues with methadone, and administrative issues with naloxone were the largest identified harm reduction intervention barriers, all affirmed by previous research. Contrary to previous research, there were no significant use issues identified with fentanyl testing strips, though general engagement was low, suggesting that education and outreach may be key to increasing testing strip usage.
Utilizing Healing Frameworks to Address and Challenge Racism and White Supremacy In and Out of Educational Settings
(2023-08-14) Ramirez, Jessica Irene; Spencer, Michael
White supremacy and other systems of oppression have been and are currently at the forefront of today’s society. With all of the racial trauma and violence Communities of Color face, I questioned how are Students of Color healing amidst explicit racial injustices. This three paper project is guided by the following overall research question: How do Students of Color create racial refuge in and out of educational settings? I refer to racial refuge as spaces that challenge trauma-informed characterizations. Instead, these spaces nurture culturally-sustaining healing practices and processes to address systems of oppression. In order to address this, this project utilized participant observations, in-depth interviews, plÃ¡ticas, and document analysis to better understand how Students of Color make sense of their racialized experiences and describe pathways to healing. Additionally, this project utilized autoethnography as a method to describe my experiences working with a doctoral Student of Color group and how my relationships with this group informed my research and positionality as a Chicana MotherScholar invested in community-based research. This project ultimately informs how various fields of study, especially social work, can better holistically support Students of Color in and out of educational settings by proposing and incorporating healing frameworks and practices to address, challenge, and eliminate white supremacy, along with other systems of oppression.
Risk, Resilience, and Characteristics of Fatal or Near-Fatal Intimate Partner Violence with Native Americans
(2023-08-14) Loerzel, Em; Spencer, Michael
Native American people are at a higher risk of experiencing lifetime violence and are twice as likely to be murdered than non-Native American individuals. This project analyzed data from medical examiner reports in Pima, Maricopa, and Coconino in Arizona from 2016-2019, containing information on intimate partner-related homicides and intimate partner homicides of Native Americans. The Medical Examiner’s Offices investigated 151 Native American cases in the three counties. 12 cases were classified as intimate partner violence (IPV), and 11 were related to IPV. For both groups, the majority of victim age was between 18-35, the cause of death for IPV homicide victims was by knife, and IPV-related was firearms. Analyzed data from a more extensive study (n=229), The Ourcicle study, examines factors related to adverse childhood trauma, IPV risk, types of abuse experienced, resiliency, and how reservation residences may impact help and safety-seeking. The ACES score indicated an increased risk of experiencing IPV, and the DA scoring for participants also indicated an increased risk of IPV homicide. Cultural practices and safety planning were a source of strength for survivors. Another deductive analysis from secondary qualitative data from this study explores the connection between Indigenous feminism and colonial settler theory with interviews with 13 Native American survivors of IPV living in the Southwest. The themes identified within interviews were how colonization had impacted families, and communities, abuse experienced, resiliency factors and sources of strengths, and normalization of violence. Insights into risk and resiliency factors and survivors' experiences can help inform intervention, prevention, and reporting tools for social workers and advocates who work with Native American IPV survivors and Native communities impacted by fatal IPV.
The Influence of Labor and Employment Conditions on Worker’s Health in the United States
(2023-08-14) Lapham, Jessica; Martinson, Melissa
State labor laws and working conditions have important implications for worker’s health and well-being. Recently, a rise in precarious employment and state preemption laws—legislation that restricts the power of lower-level jurisdictions—has stymied local attempts to meet the needs of localities and enact labor laws and protections that exceed federal minimums (Scharff, 2017; Riverstone-Newell, 2017). Scholars argue that these recent state preemption efforts jeopardize public health and negatively impact workers’ health and well-being (Pomeranz & Pertschuk, 2017). While the health effects of generous labor laws are well documented (e.g., Leigh et al., 2019; Isaacs, Healy & Peters, 2017), less is known about the link between state labor preemption laws and workers’ health despite calls to quantify these purported consequences across different policy domains and population health outcomes (Carr et al., 2020). To fill this gap, I use an equity-first lens to first examine whether variations in and dimensions of four US state labor preemption laws are associated with adverse mental health outcomes for workers and whether outcomes are patterned by gender, income, race/ethnicity, and education (Paper 1). Second, I investigate whether variations in and dimensions of state labor preemption are associated with health care access for US workers with a high school education or less, and whether outcomes vary by gender, race/ethnicity, and insurance coverage (Paper 2). Finally, I assess whether nonstandard or irregular work schedules, a potential consequence of preempted fair scheduling laws, are getting ‘under the skin’ of workers at young adulthood and early mid-life using biomarkers of cardiovascular health (CVH). I also examine whether CVH outcomes vary by gender, race/ethnicity, education, or employment in the service industry (Paper 3). To address these questions, I employ a series of bivariate, linear, and logistic regression models using two nationally representative health datasets (Add Health and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey) and state-level preemption law measures (Economic Policy Institute, 2019). In paper 1, findings suggest female workers that lived in states with multiple preempted labor laws, particularly states that restricted temporal-based preemption laws like fair scheduling ordinances, were at significantly higher odds of reporting poor mental health, and this association was pronounced for low income and Hispanic females. Notably, state preemption had no significant effect on poor mental health outcomes for male workers suggesting that the mental health consequences of state preemption disproportionately impacts females. In paper 2, results show female workers with a high school education or less that lived in states with multiple types and instances of preempted labor laws were at significantly higher odds of reporting cost-related barriers to health care regardless of their health insurance status, and this association was pronounced for Black and white female workers. Black male workers were also at significantly higher odds of experiencing barriers to health care in states with multiple preemption laws. Findings support evidence that racial inequities in health may be exacerbated by state preemption. Finally, findings from paper 3 indicate workers subjected to nonstandard work schedules in young adulthood were at increased risk of obesity and high inflammation during early mid-life and as a result may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Of note, the health consequences of nonstandard work schedules appeared to disproportionately affect cardiovascular health outcomes for female and Black workers as well as workers employed outside of the service industry. Findings from this dissertation have important implications for social justice, labor policy, and health equity.
The Role of Mentoring in Child Labor Trafficking Prevention in Ghana
(2023-04-17) Agyemang, Eric Opoku; Haggerty, Kevin
There are 152 million children in the world who are victims of child labor, while 73 million are involved in hazardous labor. Almost half of child labor (72.1 million) is found in Africa. Moreover, 1 in 5 children in Africa (19.6%) is a child laborer, whilst prevalence in other regions such as Arab States, Asia, and Europe is between 3% and 7% (ILO, 2017). This dissertation evaluates the implementation of a community-based paid group mentoring (MCBC) intervention in West Africa to address the problem. The implementation outcome suggests the project contributed to increased school attendance (1.5 days), school engagement and participation (MD =6.57), and an associated decrease in child labor trafficking involvement six months after implementation. Paired samples t-test between mentees' average attendance pre-and during-intervention showed a significant effect (t(110)=15.54; p<0.001; 95%CI: 1.39 to 1.80). It also discusses various limitations, implications, and future directions for the study.
Childhood Adversity Among Adolescent Mothers and its Intergenerational Consequences
(2023-01-21) Constantino-Pettit, Anna Marie; Takeuchi, David
Childhood adversity affects the majority of children in the United States, with as many as 67% of children reporting some type of psychological trauma associated with adversity by age 16. While not predictive of maladaptive behavioral and physical health outcomes, childhood trauma has certainly become a consistent precursor to conditions across the life-course that range from depression to posttraumatic stress disorder to pro-inflammatory adult disease. The perinatal period, or the time from conception through 18 months postpartum, is a unique opportunity to better address adversity and its psychological repercussions for the health and wellbeing of childbearing individuals and their offspring. However, the relationship between childhood adversity, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and maternal postpartum functioning needs further investigation to truly understand whether adversity could play a role in the etiology of perinatal mental health conditions. This quantitative dissertation comprises three papers which examine the nature of childhood adversity among adolescent mothers, examines the relationship between childhood adversity and perinatal depression, and finally examines the relationship between childhood adversity and both early mother-infant attachment and postpartum parenting stress. Collectively, the papers find that (1) childhood adversity can be characterized into three latent classes of trauma typologies; (2) childhood adversity is associated with postpartum depression, even when accounting for prenatal depression; (3) childhood adversity is associated with postpartum maternal stress but not early mother-infant attachment. Childhood adversity appears to play a significant role in the etiology of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders among adolescent mothers and affects a subsequent generation via postpartum parenting stress. Preventing childhood adversity could be instrumental in alleviating perinatal mood and anxiety disorders for a portion of childbearing individuals.
Examining Trans Qualities of Life and Knowledge
(2022-09-23) Harner, Vern; Kanuha, V. Kalei
As the social and policy landscape in the United States continues to shift, more and more trans individuals are gaining access to institutional spaces (such as healthcare systems and academia) as not only service users (i.e., patients, students) but also providers, instructors, and researchers. While trans health and health care experiences continue to be understudied, there is a heightened focus on issues of social justice and health equity. It is within this shifting context that I have been conducting my dissertation scholarship, entitled “Examining Trans Qualities of Life & Knowledge.” As an alternative to the standard single dissertation study, I will be completing this dissertation as three substantive papers. Ultimately, the goal of this dissertation is to distill and make clear those sentiments within trans communities about the additional considerations and understandings that trans researchers conducting trans work can offer. The first paper suggests that scholars conducting trans-specific work who are trans themselves are uniquely situated as epistemic peers to one another and community members. The impact of trans-led research and epistemic peerhood is illustrated and applied in the second and third papers. The second is a study (N=27) of in-depth interviews examining trans patient preferences regarding collection of gender-related information in healthcare spaces and during medical procedures. The third paper is a survey (N=449) exploring experiences and quality-of-life of trans adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. By leveraging trans epistemological insights throughout the research process, study results and implications can be culturally attuned and affirming. Findings across the three papers are synthesized and implications related to knowledge making, the importance of multiple trans standpoints, and cautions against performativity are discussed alongside recommendations for practice and research.

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