In the United States, 66% of elementary and secondary school students experience academic difficulties. Evidence-based implementation and data-driven practices in the field of school social work to address these academic difficulties are lacking. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of school social workers in a public school division in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States regarding the use and effectiveness of case management strategies with at-risk students. Ecological theory and social constructionism theory provided the framework for the study. Qualitative focus group discussion involving 8 social workers in the division was used to collect data. Data were transcribed and analyzed to identify three themes: At-risk students were positively influenced by case management intervention, student outcomes were positively influenced by the availability of supports and ability to connect families to needed resources, and collaboration and effective communication were important for successful case management. Results indicated that disciplinary, academic, and attendance outcomes for at-risk youths are positively impacted by case management interventions. Findings may be used to promote standards of professional conduct for phone and e-mail communication between social workers and their academic colleagues to improve students' behavioral and educational outcomes.

There is a lack of knowledge about how to provide services for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) among healthcare professionals, particularly for adults with precomorbid ADHD. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore the knowledge deficits of social workers and case managers regarding adults with precomorbid ADHD and their perception of obstacles in providing medication and counseling referrals. Participants' perceptions of obstacles was assessed through the framework of social problem-€solving theory. The sample included 10 participants: 6 case managers and 4 social workers. There were three codes that represented participants' perceptions of knowledge deficits regarding adults with precomorbid ADHD, training, precomorbidity, and comorbidity. The theme knowledge deficits emerged from participants' responses of needing more training about adults with precomorbid ADHD. There were also three codes that represented participants' perceptions of obstacles providing referrals which included medication and counseling, referrals, and challenges. The theme perceptions of obstacles emerged from participant responses regarding clients' resistance to services as a significant challenge. According to study results, knowledge deficits in participants were less likely to be detected when participants were asked questions about adults with ADHD and comorbidity. Participants found it easier to identify and provide referrals for adults with ADHD with cooccurring (comorbid) disorders. Social workers and case managers can use the results of this study to increase their knowledge about how to provide referrals for adults with ADHD as the only disorder.

Researchers have found that social workers have difficulty identifying their roles in responding to the barriers African American teenage mothers face in pursuit of higher education. This action research project explored the roles social workers play in responding to the barriers African American teenage mothers face in pursuit of a college education and how social workers responded. The ecological systems theory was used to help understand this phenomenon. An action research methodology was used to collect data from 6 licensed social workers who worked with African American teenage mothers. Three focus groups were facilitated to explore the social work practice problem. The data were collected, transcribed and coded using an open coding and thematic analysis process. Findings revealed 5 overarching themes: 1) emotions; 2) barriers; 3) support systems; 4) success factors; and 5) social work practice approaches and implications. Findings indicated that these social workers responded to the barriers African American teenage mothers face by exploring teenage mothers' emotions as well as their own emotions, by using appropriate social work practice approaches, and exploring the factors that contribute to teenage mothers' success. Participants also responded by acknowledging teenage mothers' support systems and by addressing the actual barriers while in the roles of case manager, educator, broker, and advocate. These findings affect positive social change across all systems of society by guiding social workers to find and implement feasible and sustainable psychosocial interventions to address identified barriers. Eliminating these barriers provides higher educational opportunities for African-American teenage mothers.

The disproportionate frequency of disciplinary actions involving Black students in the school setting is of concern. The behavior that leads to disciplinary action may be related to adverse childhood events that resulted in behavior related to trauma. This action research study focused on how school social workers in 1 school district might engage parents of Black students in the therapeutic processes to decrease disciplinary action. In this study, the trauma systems therapy (TST) model was presented to a focus group composed of school social workers who served Black students. The social workers were asked to share their thoughts in response to 5 questions related to how social workers might engage parents of Black students in the therapeutic processes to decrease disciplinary action. Data analysis included reviewing the focus-group transcript and coding categories. Themes in the responses to each question were categorized to provide insight into the feasibility of implementing TST in practice with Black students who received disciplinary action. The results of this research might inform school social workers' practice by helping them connect adverse childhood experiences and disciplinary outcomes as they engage parents of Black students in the therapeutic process to decrease disciplinary actions. The implications of this study for positive social change include modifying school social work services, creating safe therapeutic school environments, and changing the course of disciplinary actions for Black students.

Domestic violence is a serious social issue that affects victims across all spectrums of life. While domestic violence crosses all geographical boundaries, researchers have found that women residing in rural areas experience increased severity and more extended periods of abuse than their urban counterparts. Existing literature focusing on rural female domestic violence victims and their subjective perceptions of civil order protection is limited and little is known about abuse victims' satisfaction with civil protection orders in keeping them safe from future incidents of violence. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the effectiveness perceptions of rural female victims of domestic violence regarding their civil protection experiences. A phenomenological analysis was used to uncover the meanings that 10 participants put on their civil protection order experience. The study was conducted using the advocacy coalition framework as the theoretical foundation. Data were inductively analyzed to identify common emergent themes among the participants. The research findings indicated that the majority of participants perceived civil protection orders as ineffective in discouraging future incidents of domestic violence. The findings also revealed that most participants viewed the protection orders as a necessary tool to combat domestic violence and expressed the need for improvements of civil protection orders. Positive social change may result through policymakers addressing issues of concerns related to effectiveness identified in the study, thereby helping reduce domestic violence-related incidents.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 38-12, Section: A, page: 7560. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1977.

This exploratory study focuses upon parental visiting of children in foster family care. An ex post facto single cross-section survey design is employed in which data were collected from a purposive sample of two of eleven districts within the State of Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. Random samples of children and foster parents were drawn from selected units within these districts. Data were collected from the case records of 97 children. In person interviews were conducted with 15 direct service workers while 67 foster parents were interviewed by telephone. Additionally, the six unit supervisors were given in person interviews, concerning agency visitation policy. Study findings indicated that only 30 percent of the sample children were visited at least once a month while 29 percent of these children received no visitation during the six months prior to data collection. 12 a priori hypotheses were tested. These findings indicate that children are more likely to be visited if their workers encourage visitation, their case plan is to return home, their foster parents have positive attitudes toward visitation for the specific children in their care, and they have been in care for relatively short periods. The child's reason for entry into care and the general measures of foster parent attitudes toward visitation were found to be unrelated to the frequency of parental visiting. Additionally, study data do not generally support the conclusion in the literature which suggests that workers and foster parents may inhibit visitation. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-06, Section: A, page: 2320. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

This study was designed to explore social service utilization behavior of 100 elderly Blacks residing in a county in northwestern Florida. Employing a framework which included a wide range of variables, research questions that focused on identifying factors significantly associated with service utilization were developed and explored. In addition, reasons for nonutilization of services were investigated. / The results of the data analysis indicated that the variables which associated significantly with social service utilization were living arrangement, income, source of income, and informal network aid. Greatest service use was found among those respondents who lived alone, had lower incomes, received their incomes from Supplemental Security Income separately or in combination with other sources, and those who had a high level of informal network aid. / Additional findings of the study revealed that the association between service utilization and service awareness was influenced by geographic location; the association between service utilization and income was influenced by gender, age, and living arrangement; the association between service use and source of income was affected by gender, age, education, and living arrangement; the association between service use and informal network aid was affected by age, education, and geographic location; and the association between service utilization and need was influenced by gender, geographic location, and service awareness. / With respect to reasons given for nonutilization of services, the predominant response indicated a lack of need. Other responses included a lack of interest, a preference to provide for oneself, uncertainty about eligibility requirements and dissatisfaction with previous service provisions. In addition, some of the respondents stated that services had been discontinued, while others indicated that they had applied for services and were waiting for service delivery. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-10, Section: A, page: 2729. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

This study examined the impact of a diversionary juvenile arbitration program. The guiding question was "What works best for whom?" The arrest records of youth whose cases were arbitrated (n = 215) were compared to youth whose cases were handled informally (n = 73) and youth who went to court and were placed on probation (n = 58). Recidivism was the specific operationalization of program impact used. The broader system-wide consequences of the program were also studied. Specifically, the net-widening potential of this juvenile justice reform was examined by monitoring the operation of the juvenile court over time. / Case files were systematically sampled and reviewed and the computerized records of the state's human service agency were used to determine if a youth was rearrested within one year after program termination. In addition, seven and one-half years of quarterly data relating to referrals, judicial handling, probation, and commitments were collected and analyzed for both the program jurisdiction and the remainder of the state. / The findings indicate that relative to probation and informal handling, arbitration decreases the chances of rearrest for certain types of youth and increases the odds for others. Also, the specific nature of the arbitration sanction was not significantly related to a youth's chance of rearrest. / Youth referred to arbitration were significantly younger, charged with less serious offenses, and had less delinquent histories than probationers and youth handled informally. It is unlikely that these youth would have gone to court were it not for the new program. The program widened the net of the justice system by increasing the number of youth subject to court control and supervision. The program operated with minimal attention to youths' democratic rights, arbitrating cases which could not go to court for lack of evidence. / The operation of juvenile arbitration represents the ongoing decentralization and extension of social control in America and demonstrates the potential danger of increased state intervention into matters formerly left to families and informal community mechanisms. Arbitration also symbolizes a shift in diversion programming from a rehabilitative service orientation to one that emphasizes retributive sanctions. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-09, Section: A, page: 2811. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

This dissertation attempts to investigate determinants of contraceptive use in Bangladesh according to Easterlin's synthesis framework of fertility regulation. Several hypotheses are derived from the Easterlin model and tested with data from the 1979 Bangladesh Contraceptive Prevalence Survey. The study utilizes stepwise logistic regression models as the main statistical tool. The study demonstrates that motivation for contraceptive use is the most important determinant of contraceptive use in both rural and urban Bangladesh. The next most important determinant of contraceptive use is (economic) cost of contraceptive use. The study also indicates that family structure is an important determinant for current use of contraceptive in rural Bangladesh. The study concludes with policy strategies and areas of needed research. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-08, Section: A, page: 2444. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.