published_or_final_version / abstract / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study was to explore whether or not adults with psychotic disorders, who were formerly in foster care, are more likely to report a lesser quality of life as compared to a matched sample with no history of foster care.

The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to psychotropic adherence regimens in clients with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI). Medication non-adherence perpetuates the cycle of psychotic episodes, which leads to rehospitalization, incarceration, and homelessness.

The purpose of this study was to examine health literacy and treatment adherence among Latinos with end stage renal disease. Health literacy has been overlooked as one of the factors that affects one's ability to comply with the physician's prescribed medical treatment.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between occupational burnout and the behavioral well-being of social workers. Burnout is a multidimensional syndrome where workers experience feelings of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment as a consequence of work related stress and overwhelming job demands. Burnout can negatively affect organizational functioning, work performance, and pose significant health risks to workers. There are a limited number of studies focusing on the impact of occupational burnout on the behavioral well-being of workers. The findings of this study indicated that there was a significant relationship between burnout and behavioral well-being. Emotional exhaustion was found to negatively impact exercise frequency, which was consistent with previous study findings. Depersonalization was positively correlated to the number of hours of sleep and the frequency of self-care activities participants engaged in. The effects of depersonalization on sleep and self-care activities suggest that workers may engage in these activities as a way to cope with feelings of depersonalization on the job.

This purpose of this study was to explore social workers’ perspectives of drug-induced psychosis. More specifically, it sought to determine how knowledgeable clinical social workers are on the impact illicit drug use on the development of psychotic disorders. The study also aimed to discover clinical social workers’ perspectives regarding the influence of illicit drug use on the development of psychotic illnesses. This study used mixed methods approach in attempt to solve the research question. The quantitative portion of the research, an anonymous survey, allowed for the assessment of social workers’ knowledge of drug-induced psychosis. The qualitative portion of the research, individual interviews and a focus group, allowed for a comparison of social workers’ experiences from having encountered drug-induced psychosis in clinical practice. The qualitative findings produced insight that highlighted common themes that can be explored further in future research within the context of clinical social work practice.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The mentally ill who have been found not guilty of a crime by reason of insanity (NGRI), appear to be at risk in several areas when confronted with the judicial system. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the factors which predict recidivism of NGRI patients in Community Out-patient Treatment (COT) also inhibit a patient's release into a conditional release program (CONREP).

No description available.