This study explored the Master of Social Work (MSW) student perception of access to documentation training in their program. When a student graduates with a degree, there is an expected level of competency in regards to documentation when entering the field. Currently, there is literature available about the risk of poor documentation and the need for additional documentation training in the field of social work but the literature focusing on the perceptions of the student is very limited. The study contributed to the academic literature on social work documentation by providing awareness of the student perception of where they received documentation training in their graduate program. The research design for this study is qualitative and exploratory due to insignificant literature available. A survey was administered to graduating MSW students through a California State University School of Social Work. The findings suggested that MSW students would benefit from additional clinical documentation training from their MSW program since the student perceptions are there is limited access to training within the program. There are numerous of implications to the field of social work in regards to the lack of documentation training in MSW programs. The absence of training from students may include not having a full understanding of risk management that corresponds with documentation and will have to assume to be ethically responsible for when the student graduates from their program. This can be detrimental to the student’s professional development and can overall create a decrease in the quality of graduating MSW students.

In this study, the focus was on Social Work students’ knowledge about interventions concerning homeless female veterans. The study was conducted from a Positivist Perspective with a theoretical orientation centered on the Feminist Theory. The literature review focused on risk factors associated with homeless female veterans along with their protective factors. Issues involving homeless female veterans were explored along with possible interventions. The study was conducted through an online survey and included participants from California State University, San Bernardino. Participants were from both the Bachelor’s and Master’s Social Work program and attended classes full-time on campus, part-time on campus and part-time online. The results of the study are meant to establish whether or not there is a positive correlation between social work students’ knowledge and their characteristics influencing their choice of appropriate interventions concerning homeless female veterans. The study also aimed to evaluate whether the social work program is educating students on the population of homeless female veterans and the needed support for the community. The study found that there were some correlations between certain characteristics of the social work student body at CSUSB and their knowledge of appropriate interventions for homeless female veterans. There were significant findings in regards to the students’ level within the program and their age. They were able to identify appropriate interventions and were aware of both harmful and protective factors affecting the homeless female veteran population. The implications of this research are to bring more awareness to the needs of female veterans in regards to homelessness and to point out the need for more emphasis on the needs of appropriate intervention strategies for female veterans in university curriculum. Continued research on female veterans is needed so that equality can be found in services such as health care, mental health and housing.

Social workers are responsible for rendering services to children and families who have experienced sexual abuse. These services are to a large degree guided by legislation and organisational policy, but the question arises whether all social workers perceive child sexual abuse in the same way. This is significant since the possibility that a social worker perceives child sexual abuse differently from legislation and existing policies, could lead to having an adverse effect on the rendering of services to children and families exposed to sexual abuse. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of social work students regarding child sexual abuse by way of a descriptive qualitative research design. For the purposes of this study the non-probability sampling technique of purposive sampling was used to obtain participants. Fourth-year social work students at a specific higher learning institution were allowed to volunteer for this study and ten students agreed to participate. Unstructured in-depth individual interviews were conducted in order to explore their perceptions of CSA (Child Sexual Abuse). The data was coded into six main perceptions with their categories and subcategories. These perceptions were the following: (1) Child sexual abuse is caused by factors within the child’s ecological environment; (2) Description of the sexually abused child; (3) Description of the perpetrator of child sexual abuse; (4) Child sexual abuse is pervasive and can be characterised by the presence of specific aspects; (5) Child sexual abuse affects the child in specific ways; and (6) Children do not disclose sexual abuse. These results were presented in the format of an article with conclusions, recommendations as well as the limitations of the study. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Social workers are responsible for rendering services to children and families who have experienced sexual abuse. These services are to a large degree guided by legislation and organisational policy, but the question arises whether all social workers perceive child sexual abuse in the same way. This is significant since the possibility that a social worker perceives child sexual abuse differently from legislation and existing policies, could lead to having an adverse effect on the rendering of services to children and families exposed to sexual abuse. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of social work students regarding child sexual abuse by way of a descriptive qualitative research design. For the purposes of this study the non-probability sampling technique of purposive sampling was used to obtain participants. Fourth-year social work students at a specific higher learning institution were allowed to volunteer for this study and ten students agreed to participate. Unstructured in-depth individual interviews were conducted in order to explore their perceptions of CSA (Child Sexual Abuse). The data was coded into six main perceptions with their categories and subcategories. These perceptions were the following: (1) Child sexual abuse is caused by factors within the child’s ecological environment; (2) Description of the sexually abused child; (3) Description of the perpetrator of child sexual abuse; (4) Child sexual abuse is pervasive and can be characterised by the presence of specific aspects; (5) Child sexual abuse affects the child in specific ways; and (6) Children do not disclose sexual abuse. These results were presented in the format of an article with conclusions, recommendations as well as the limitations of the study. / MSW, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The veteran population is under-served. Due to the current circumstances of increased deployment and the rate of returning soldiers from current wars (Iraq and Afghanistan); there is an increased demand for competent social workers to provide them with services. Furthermore, the Department of Veteran Affairs is the number one employer of social workers. Hence, measuring the knowledge of social work students is essential to explore their competence of working with the veteran population. The study presents an exploratory research method, using a quantitative approach. Further, students’ knowledge was measured in ten domains: Benefits and Services, Service Related Disabilities, PTSD/Trauma, Childcare, Homelessness/Housing, Military Sexual Trauma, Healthcare, Employment/Unemployment, Education, and General Knowledge. In addition, the sample was compromised of social work students throughout different Southern California Universities. An online survey was administered to participants through Qualtrics website; and statistical analysis conducted by using SPSS version 21. Findings suggest that MSW students have a higher level of knowledge than BASW students in most of the domains. In addition, older participants presented a greater amount of knowledge than younger participants. Due to the results of the study, future research should measure a larger amount of participants that are evenly distributed among all demographics. Further, the study should encompass all universities that offer social work programs.

This study surveyed the opinions of students and faculty about perceptions of mandated counseling for Master of Social Work (MSW) students at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). The MSW program at CSUSB does not explicitly endorse a strategy to facilitate personal growth and development, such as personal counseling. Given the evidence that counseling can help build self-awareness, reduce stress and manage mental illness, counseling can be beneficial to its students, as it relates to personal growth and professional development. This study’s significance is that it examined social work students and professionals, specifically. This study used a quantitative survey design and the results were analyzed using a between-groups ANOVA. The implications affect policies towards mandated counseling and the means by which students develop professionally.

This research study examined the spirituality comfort levels amongst social work students. This study examined 48 social work students who participated in this study with most participants being Hispanic females, however, there were other various participants. Quantitative research was used for this study by handing out surveys to Master of Social Work students at California State University, San Bernardino. Students were asked to state their opinions and views to the following: spirituality in social work practice, spirituality and professional interventions, need for spirituality education and training, personal ideology, and demographics. The results of this study suggest that students are open and comfortable with the idea of spirituality in social work practice, however, they are uncomfortable when applying concrete terms and ideology to practice. This is due to the fact that students have stated they are not satisfied with their spirituality education and need more of it to integrate it into practice. Students have stated they have not received the proper spirituality education needed to serve clients, and are willing to enroll in spirituality integration classes for further professional growth.

Stigma is one of the foremost barriers to effective mental health treatment of consumers. Social workers currently provide the majority of mental health treatment in the United States. Examining levels of stigma present in social work students would be valuable in providing future interventions. A quantitative study was conducted utilizing an online questionnaire. The survey was distributed by the CSUSB Department of Social Work to graduate social work students. Statistical analysis utilizing SPSS software was conducted following data collection. Data analysis indicated that there was no significant difference in the attitudes regardless of exposure to severe mental illness. The findings of this study indicate that exposure to severe mental illness may not be the only factor in determining one’s attitude. Implications of these findings for social work research include outlining the need for further examination of stigma to identify more specific factors in the formation of stigmatic attitudes.

Abstract Children with developmental disabilities are a particularly vulnerable population with complex, unique needs. In order to ensure that these clients are achieving the best quality of life possible, they typically require an array of community support services where social workers will often intersect with them in a variety of settings and roles. Therefore, there is a substantial need to ensure that student’s entering the workforce as newly qualified workers have some familiarity and exposure to what presenting issues these children are facing as well as the different techniques and tools available to engage with and assess them. This study examined California State University School of Social Work student’s preparedness, willingness, and eagerness to work with children who have developmental disabilities. It utilized a quantitative approach with a questionnaire that was distributed via the Qualtrics system to student’s emails. A total of 80 social work students participated in the study and answered questions regarding their demographics, familial and curriculum exposure to developmental disabilities, their work experience, and their perceived levels of preparedness, willingness, and eagerness to work with children who have developmental disabilities. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the student data collected. The social work curriculum provided to students in the program is designed with the intent to prepare them for working with a diverse population that have a variety of needs, which will include individuals who have developmental disabilities. In order to effectively do this, it is recommended that courses offer more comprehensive lesson plans exploring not just a definition-based approach to developmental disabilities, but also incorporate elements of effective engagement, advocacy, and assessment methods.

Due to the lack of literature on social worker involvement with the rehabilitation of previously incarcerated individuals, this study was designed to explore social work student’s views and attitudes towards working with this population in the future. This study used a web-based quantitative survey design containing one open-ended question to survey 77 CSUSB social work students. Findings reveal that most social work students recognize previously incarcerated individuals as a vulnerable and marginalized population that is deserving of services and expect to work with this population in the future. Additionally, this study identified that having children may impact social work student’s views and attitudes towards working with previously incarcerated individuals. Common themes that emerged were dignity and worth of persons, intersectionality of this population with social work, and concerns regarding skills, training, and experience which reflected social work students’ adherence to professional social work values and ethics as set forth by the NASW. This study highlights the need of social work students to be provided with the tools necessary in making them feel equipped to work with the rehabilitation of previously incarcerated individuals. Future research identifying barriers that prevent social worker involvement with this population can generate information that can be used to develop trainings to provide further education and knowledge to promote social work student’s competency with this population.