dissertation mental health social work

• How it works

Useful Links

How much will your dissertation cost?

Have an expert academic write your dissertation paper!

Dissertation Services

Get unlimited topic ideas and a dissertation plan for just £45.00

Order topics and plan

Get 1 free topic in your area of study with aim and justification

Yes I want the free topic

Mental Health Dissertation Topics

Published by Carmen Troy at January 9th, 2023 , Revised On April 16, 2024

You probably found your way here looking for mental health topics for your final year research project. Look no further, we have drafted a list of issues, and their research aims to help you when you are brainstorming for dissertation or thesis topics on mental health.

PhD-qualified writers of our team have developed these topics, so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting a brief research proposal or full dissertation service from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an introduction to the topic, research question , aim and objectives, literature review , and the proposed research methodology to be conducted. Let us know if you need any help in getting started.

Check our dissertation examples to understand how to structure your dissertation .

Also read: Psychology dissertation topics & nursing dissertation topics

Latest Mental Health Dissertation Topics for 2024

Review the step-by-step guide on how to write your dissertation here .

• Topic 1: Assessing the Influence of Parents’ Divorce or Separation on Adolescent Children regarding long-term psychological impact.
• Topic 2: Investigating the impact of Trauma and Health-related quality of life on a child’s Mental health and self-worth.

Topic 3: Assessing the effect of Psychological training on males suffering from Post-Surgery Anxiety in the UK.

• Topic 4: Investigating the Relationship between Mental Illness and Suicides- A case study of UK’s Young Adults.

Topic 5: Examining the behaviour of Mental Health Nurses taking care of Schizophrenia Patients in the UK.

Topic 1: an assessment of the influence of parents' divorce or separation on adolescent children in terms of long-term psychological impact..

Research Aim: This study aims to investigate the level of traumas experienced by the children of divorced or separated parents. The principal aim of this study is to explore the long-term psychological impacts of parents’ divorce on the life of children regardless of their gender and age in terms of mental wellbeing, academic performance, and self-worth.

Topic 2: An investigation of the impact of Trauma and Health-related quality of life on the Mental health and Self-worth of a child.

Research Aim: This study aims to assess the long-term impacts of the trauma children face in their early years of life on their overall mental health. Also, numerous studies have emphasized improving the quality of life for children who tend to experience multiple traumas and take them along in adulthood. Therefore, this study also proposed the impacts of traumatic childhood experiences on self-worth, mental health, and vitality of implementing firm intervention before the child reaches adulthood.

Research Aim: Postoperative problems may occur as a result of surgical stress. This study aims to examine different approaches to control post-surgical anxiety and improve patients’ lives in the short and long term, focusing on male patients in the UK. It will also give us an understanding of how psychological training and interventions affect anxiety in male patients and help them overcome this through a systematic review.

Topic 4: Investigating the Relationship between Mental illness and Suicides- A case study of UK's Young Adults.

Research Aim: This study aims to find the relationship between mental illness and suicides and risk factors in the UK. This study will specifically focus on young adults. It will examine different mental disorders and how they have led to suicide and will analyse further studies of people who had died by suicide and find evidence of the presence or absence of mental illness.

Research Aim: Negative behaviours and discrimination have been usually reported as a reason for the inconvenience in the treatment of mentally ill or schizophrenia patients, which negatively impacts the patient’s results. Health care professionals’ attitudes have been regarded as being more negative than the general public, which lowers the outlook for patients suffering from mental illness. This study will examine the behaviour of mental health nurses regarding schizophrenia patients in the UK and also focus on the characteristics associated with nurses’ attitudes.

COVID-19 Mental Health Research Topics

Topic1: impacts of the coronavirus on the mental health of various age groups.

Research Aim: This study will reveal the impacts of coronavirus on the mental health of various age groups

Topic 2: Mental health and psychological resilience during COVID-19

Research Aim: Social distancing has made people isolated and affected their mental health. This study will highlight various measures to overcome the stress and mental health of people during coronavirus.

Topic 3: The mental health of children and families during COVID-19

Research Aim: This study will address the challenging situations faced by children and families during lockdown due to COVID-19. It will also discuss various ways to overcome the fear of disease and stay positive.

Topic 4: Mental wellbeing of patients during the Coronavirus pandemic

Research Aim: This study will focus on the measures taken by the hospital management, government, and families to ensure patients’ mental well-being, especially COVID-19 patients.

Best Mental Health Topics for Your Dissertation in the Year 2023

Topic 1: kids and their relatives with cancer: psychological challenges.

Research Aim: In cancer diagnoses and therapies, children often don’t know what happens. Many have psychosocial problems, including rage, terror, depression, disturbing their sleep, inexpiable guilt, and panic. Therefore, this study is designed to identify and treat the child and its family members’ psychological issues.

Topic 2: Hematopoietic device reaction in ophthalmology patient’s radiation therapy

Research Aim: This research is based on the analysis of hematopoietic devices’ reactions to ophthalmology’s radiation.

Topic 3: Psychological effects of cyberbullying Vs. physical bullying: A counter study

Research Aim: This research will focus on the effects of cyberbullying and physical bullying and their consequences on the victim’s mental health. The most significant part is the counter effects on our society’s environment and human behaviour, particularly youth.

Topic 4: Whether or not predictive processing is a theory of perceptual consciousness?

Research Aim: This research aims to identify: whether or not predictive processing is a theory of perceptual consciousness?

Topic 5: Importance of communication in a relationship

Research Aim: This research aims to address the importance of communication in relationships and the communication gap consequences.

Topic 6: Eating and personality disorders

Research Aim: This research aims to focus on eating and personality disorders

Topic 7: Analysis of teaching, assessment, and evaluation of students and learning differences

Research Aim: This research aims to analyse teaching methods, assessment, and evaluation systems of students and their learning differences

Topic 8: Social and psychological effects of virtual networks

Research Aim: This research aims to study the social and psychological effects of virtual networks

Topic 9: The role of media in provoking aggression

Research Aim: This research aims to address the role of media and in provoking aggression among people

Best Mental Health Topics for Your Dissertation in the Year 2022

Topic 1: what is the impact of social media platforms on the mental wellbeing of adults.

Research Aim: the current study aims to investigate the impact social media platforms tend to have on adults’ mental well-being with a particular focus on the United Kingdom. While many studies have been carried out to gauge the impact of social media platforms on teenagers’ mental well-being, little to no research has been performed to investigate how the health of adults might be affected by the same and how social media platforms like Facebook impact them.

Topic 2: The contemporary practical management approach to treating personality disorders

Research Aim: This research will discuss the contemporary practical management approach for treating personality disorders in mental health patients. In the previous days, much of the personality disorder treatments were based on medicines and drugs. Therefore, this research will address contemporary and practical ways to manage how personality disorders affect the mental state of the individuals who have the disease.

Topic 3: How is Prozac being used in the modern-day to treat self-diagnosed depression?

Research Aim: In the current day and age, besides people suffering from clinical depression, many of the teens and the adults across have started to suffer from self-diagnosed depression. To treat their self-diagnosed depression, individuals take Prozac through all the wrong means, which harms their mental state even more. Therefore, the current study aims to shed light on how Prozac is being used in the modern age and the adverse effects of misinformed use on the patients.

Topic 4: Are women more prone to suffer from mental disorders than men: Comparative analysis

Research Aim: There have been several arguments regarding whether women are more likely to suffer from mental disorders than men. Much of the research carried out provides evidence that women are more prone to suffer from mental disorders. This research study aims to conduct a comparative analysis to determine whether it’s more likely for men or women to suffer from mental disorders and what role biological and societal factors play in determining the trend.

Topic 5: The impact of breakups on the mental health of men?

Research Aim: Several studies have been carried out to discuss how women are affected more by a breakup than men. However, little research material is available in support of the impact the end of a relationship can have on men’s mental health. Therefore, this research study will fill out the gap in research to determine the impact of a breakup on men’s mental health and stability.

Topic 6: A theoretical analysis of the Impact of emotional attachment on mental health?

Research Aim: This research aims to analyse the theories developed around emotional attachment to address how emotional attachment can harm individuals’ mental health across the globe. Several theories discuss the role that emotional attachment tends to play in the mind of a healthy being, and how emotional attachment can often negatively affect mental well-being.

Topic 7: How do social media friendships contribute to poor mental health?

Research Aim: This research idea aims to address how social media friendships and networking can often lead to a lack of self-acceptance, self-loathing, self-pity, self-comparison, and depression due to the different mindsets that are present in today’s world.

Topic 8: What role do parents play in ensuring the mental well-being of their children?

Research Aim: It is assumed that parents tend to stop playing a role in ensuring that the mental health and well-being of their children are being maintained after a certain age. Therefore, this study will aim to put forward the idea that even after the children pass the age of 18, activities and their relationship with their parents would always play a role in the way their mental health is being transformed.

Topic 9: A study on the mental health of soldiers returning from Iraq?

Research Aim: This topic idea puts forward the aim that the mental health of soldiers who return from war-struck areas is always a subject of interest, as each of the soldiers carries a mental burden. Therefore, it is vital to understand the soldiers’ mental health returning from Iraq, focusing on what causes their mental health to deteriorate during the war and suggestions of what to do or who to call if they do become unwell.

Topic 10: How the contemporary media practices in the UK are leading to mental health problems?

Research Aim: The media is known to have control and influence over people’s mindsets who are connected to it. Many of the contemporary media practices developed in the UK can negatively impact the mental well-being of individuals, which makes it necessary to analyse how they are contributing to the mental health problems among the UK population.

Topic 11: What is the impact of television advertising on the mental development of children in the UK?

Research Aim: This topic would aim to address how television advertising can negatively impact children’s mental development in the United Kingdom, as it has been observed in many studies that television advertising is detrimental to the mental health of children.

Topic 12: How deteriorating mental health can have an Impact on physical health?

Research Aim: This research aims to address the side-effects of deteriorating mental health on the physical health of individuals in the society, as it is believed that the majority of the physical ailments in the modern-day and age are due to the deteriorating mental health of individuals. The study can address the treatments for many ailments in our society due to deteriorating mental health and well-being.

Topic 13: The relationship between unemployment and mental health

Research Aim: How unemployment relates to concepts, such as a declining economy or lack of social skills and education, has been frequently explored by many researchers in the past. However, not many have discussed the relationship between unemployment and the mental health of unemployed individuals. Therefore, this topic will help address the problems faced by individuals due to unemployment because of the mental blocks they are likely to develop and experience. In the future, it would lead to fewer people being depressed due to unemployment when further research is carried out.

Topic 14: The mental health problems of prisoners in the United Kingdom

Research Aim: While prisoners across the globe are criticised and studied for the negativity that goes on in their mindsets, one would rarely research the mental health problems they tend to develop when they become a prisoner for committing any crime. It is often assumed that it is the life inside the prison walls that impacts the prisoners’ mental health in a way that leads to them committing more crimes. Therefore, this research topic has been developed to study prison’s impact on prisoners’ mental well-being in the United Kingdom to eventually decrease the number of crimes that occur due to the negative environment inside the prisons.

Topic 15: Mental well-being of industry workers in China

Research Aim: While many research studies have been carried out regarding the conditions that the workers in China tend to be exposed to, there is very little supporting evidence regarding the impact such working conditions have on the mindset and mental health of the workers. Therefore, this study aims to address the challenges faced by industry workers in China and the impact that such challenges can have on their mental well-being.

Topic 16: Is the provision of mental health care services in the United Kingdom effective?

Research Aim: Many people have made different assumptions regarding the mental health care services provided across the globe. However, it seems that little to no research has been carried out regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of the provision of mental health care services in the United Kingdom. Therefore, this study aims to put forward research into the mental health care services provided in well-developed countries like the United Kingdom to gauge the awareness and importance of mental health in the region.

Topic 17: What are the mental health problems the minorities in the United Kingdom face?

Research Aim: It is believed that the minorities in the United Kingdom are likely to experience physical abuse, societal abuse and are often exposed to discrimination and unfair acts at the workplace and in their social circle. The study investigates the range of mental problems faced by minorities in the UK, which need to be addressed to have equality, diversity, and harmony.

Topic 18: The impact the Coronavirus has had on the mental health of the Chinese people

Research Aim: The spread of the deadly Coronavirus has led to many deaths in the region of China, and many of those who have been suspected of the virus are being put in isolation and quarantine. Such conditions tend to have hurt the mental health of those who have suffered from the disease and those who have watched people suffer from it. Therefore, the current study aims to address how the Coronavirus has impacted the mental health of the Chinese people.

Topic 19: How to create change in mental health organisations in China?

Research Aim: Research suggests little awareness about mental health in many Asian countries. As mental health problems are on the rise across the globe, it is necessary to change mental health organisations. Therefore, the study aims to discuss how to create change in mental health organisations in the Asian region using China’s example.

Topic 20: Addressing the mental health concerns of the Syrian refugees in the UK

Research Aim: This research project would address the concerns in terms of the refugees’ mental health and well-being, using an example of the Syrian refugees who had been allowed entry into the United Kingdom. This idea aims to put forward the negative effects that migration can have on the refugees and how further research is required to combat such issues not just in the United Kingdom but worldwide.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service!

Important Notes:

As a mental health student looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment on existing mental health theories – i.e., to add value and interest in the topic of your research.

Mental health is vast and interrelated to so many other academic disciplines like civil engineering ,  construction ,  project management , engineering management , healthcare , finance and accounting , artificial intelligence , tourism , physiotherapy , sociology , management , project management , and nursing . That is why it is imperative to create a project management dissertation topic that is articular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic based on your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in writing your dissertation as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best mental health dissertation topics that fulfill your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Please look at some of our sample mental health dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure your Mental Health Dissertation

A well-structured dissertation can help students to achieve a high overall academic grade.

• A Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract: A summary of the research completed
• Table of Contents
• Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
• Literature Review : This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature available on the chosen research topic to address research questions . The purpose is to highlight and discuss the selected research area’s relative weaknesses and strengths whilst identifying any research gaps. Break down the topic, and key terms that can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
• Methodology : The data collection and analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter which usually includes research design , research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and data analysis strategy .
• Findings and Analysis : Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include graphs, charts, and tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
• Discussion and Conclusion : The researcher presents his interpretation of results in this chapter, and state whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section of the paper is to draw a linkage between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
• References : This should be completed following your University’s requirements
• Bibliography
• Appendices : Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to complete the dissertation but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

About ResearchProspect Ltd

ResearchProspect is the world’s best academic writing service that provides help with Dissertation Proposal Writing , PhD Proposal Writing , Dissertation Writing , Dissertation Editing, and Improvement .

Our team of writers is highly qualified. They are experts in their respective fields. They have been working in the industry for a long, thus are aware of the issues and the trends of the industry they are working in.

Free Dissertation Topic

Phone Number

Academic Level Select Academic Level Undergraduate Graduate PHD

Academic Subject

Area of Research

Frequently Asked Questions

How to find mental health dissertation topics.

To find mental health dissertation topics:

• Research recent mental health issues.
• Examine gaps in existing literature.
• Consider diverse populations or perspectives.
• Explore treatment approaches or therapies.
• Look into stigma and societal factors.
• Select a topic that resonates with you for in-depth study.

You May Also Like

Need interesting and manageable Engineering Management dissertation topics or thesis? Here are the trending Operations Marketing dissertation titles so you can choose the most suitable one.

Here is a list of sports dissertation topics to help you choose the one studies any one as per your requirements.

USEFUL LINKS

LEARNING RESOURCES

COMPANY DETAILS

• How It Works

• Dean's Message
• Our Commitment to Anti-Racism
• Faculty & Staff Positions
• Faculty and Staff Resources
• Administrative Contacts
• Postdoctoral Fellows
• PhD Students
• Adjunct Faculty
• Emeritus Faculty
• The BASW Program
• Program Admission and Requirements
• Student Advising System
• Bachelor of Philosophy in Social Work
• Opportunities with University Honors College
• Social Work Minor
• Browne Leadership Fellows Program
• Specializations
• Certificates
• Requirements
• Advanced Standing
• Dual/Joint/Cooperative Degrees
• Bradford Campus MSW Program
• Johnstown Campus MSW Program
• Welcome Message
• Our Students
• Program Requirements
• Dual/Joint Cooperative Degrees

Dissertations

• Doctoral Students on the Job Market
• BASW Practicum Education
• MSW Field Education
• Agencies & Practicum Instructors
• An Overview of the Practicum Placement Process
• Resources for Students
• EXXAT Resources
• Contact Us/Field Calendar
• Policies & Handbooks
• Class Schedules, Curriculum Guides, and Forms
• Learning Assessment Outcomes
• Request More Information
• Connect With Us
• Apply to the BASW Program
• Admissions Requirements
• BASW Student Transfer Credit Information
• Connect with Us
• MSW Overview
• Apply to the MSW Program
• Admission Qualifications
• Frequently Asked Questions
• PhD Qualifications
• Apply to the PhD Program
• PhD Financial Support
• International Students
• Financial Aid
• Meet our Alumni
• Current Trainings
• EMDR Certification Training Program
• Act 31 On-line Training
• CE Intensive/Digital Badging
• Partnership and co-sponsorship
• Licensure Requirements
• LCSW Supervision Grant
• CE Presenter Information
• Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh
• Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education
• Certificate in Gerontology
• Geriatric Teaching Materials
• Guide for aging in place with pets in Allegheny County
• Other Fellowship Opportunities
• Center on Race & Social Problems
• Center for Research on Innovations, Services and Equity in Mental Health (RISE-MH)
• Children, Youth & Families Certificate
• Child Welfare Workforce Excellence Fellows Program (CWWEF)
• Funded Internships (Allegheny County)
• Child Welfare Education for Baccalaureates (CWEB)
• Child Welfare Education for Leadership (CWEL)
• Social Work Licensure
• CWERP Annual Report
• Project Descriptions and Implementation
• Child Welfare Resource Center
• Faculty Research Highlights
• Pittsburgh Wage Study
• Recent Publications
• Incoming Students FAQs
• Behavioral Health Scholars Program (BHSP)
• Community and Racial Equity Leadership Fellowship
• Library Social Work Fellowship
• Marc Cherna Fellowship
• Roth Fellowship
• Survivor Link + Public Health AmeriCorps
• Pitt2Pitt Scholarship
• Workshop Schedule
• VanKirk Career Center
• Job Opportunities
• Career Resources
• LCSW Supervision
• Funding Opportunities
• News & Events
• SEC Officers
• Doctoral Student Organization
• Union of Black Social Work Students
• Past Graduations
• Ombudsperson
• Writing Coach
• List of Resources

Li, Ke (2023) Social Isolation and Psychological Well-being of U.S. Older Adults: Exploring the Moderating and Mediating Effects of Psychosocial Factors  

VanHook, Cortney (2023) A Person-Centered Approach to Increase the Uptake of Mental Health Services among Young Black Men

Ballard, Adrian (2023) Development, Validation, and Exploratory Utilization of the Sexuality-Affirming/-Negating Sexual Socialization Messaging Measure

Thyberg, Christopher (2023) Pushed out and Locked up: How School Policy Contributes to the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Mangum, Laurenia (2022) Individual, Contextual, and Social Network Factors on Perceived Barriers to HIV Care and Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) Treatment Adherence among Black Maternal Custodial Caregivers with HIV

Fussell-Ware, Dashawna (2022)  A Psychometric Validation of a Mental Health Literacy Measure with Black Adolescents

Gordon, Jacob (2022)  A Quantitative Exploration of Geosocial Dating Application Use, Belongingness, and Depressive Symptomatology in Young Adult Gay and Bisexual Men .

Woo, Jihee (2022)  Exploring multiple mechanisms through which economic and non-economic dimensions of low-wage work influence worker health: A mixed-methods study

Ashcraft, Laura (2021) Dissemination and Implementation of Evidence-based Chronic Pain Management Among Primary Care Providers

Huerta, Christine (2021) Examining Coping Strategies as Mediators between Traumatic Event Exposure and Hyperarousal among First Responders

Lee, Hyunji (2021) Is Emotion Regulation the Key to Breaking the Cycle of Violence?  The Roles of Emotion Regulation in Buffering the Effects of a Childhood History of Maltreatment on Intimate Partner Violence in Emerging Adulthood

MacKenzie, Kristen T.  (2021) Obtaining a First Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Process and Contributors from a National Study

Omowale, Serwaa   (2021) Work-related stress and birth outcomes: A longitudinal study using ecological momentary assessment

Sewall, Craig (2021)  Identifying mechanisms that explain the relationship between digital technology use and psychosocial risk factors for suicide

Song, Hae Ran (2021) The Role of Multicultural Social Network in the Relationship between Acculturative Stress and Depression among Korean Immigrants in the U.S.

Ballentine, Kess (2020)    “You Have No Idea What It Takes”: An Examination of How Low-wage Single Parents Navigate Work and Home

Yuan, Yan (2020) Trauma, Emotion Dysregulation and Borderline Personality Disorder Features in Young Women

Hruschak, Valerie (2019) Integrated Psychosocial Group Treatment (IPGT): A Randomized Pilot Trial of a Harm Reduction and Preventative Approach for Patients with Chronic Pain at Risk for Opioid Misuse   

Jacobson López Daniel (2019) El Proceso: Understanding Facilitators and Barriers to Reporting Sexual Assault Among Gay Latino Men

Jang, Heejung (2019) Effects of Social Relations on Mortality in the Context of Grandparenting

Wojtalik, Jessica (2019)  Functional Significance of Gray Matter Plasticity Following Cognitive Enhancement in Early Schizophrenia

Bamwine, Patricia (2018) An Exploration of the Co-Victimization Experiences of Black Adolescent Males in Urban Environments  

Johnson, Heath (2018) Girls with Incarcerated Parents:  A Longitudinal Analysis of Adolescent Delinquency and Juvenile Arrest     

Joseph, Andrea (2018) Restorative Justice and the Discipline Gap:  Exploring the Impact of Restorative Practices on Racially Disproportional School Discipline      

Lee, Hyung Jik (2018) Social and Cultural Contributions to Mental Health Service Utilization for Asian Americans       

Lee, Lewis (2018) The Longitudinal Analysis of Moderated Mediation on the Relationship Between Employment Quality and Antisocial Behavior Among Formerly Incarcerated Young Adults      

Ylioja, Thomas (2018) Access, Engagement, and Tobacco Treatment by Telephone Quitines Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Adults         

Jung, Nahri (2017).  Economic Integration of Immigrants in the United States.

Goode, Rachel Woodsom (2017)  The Feasibility of a Binge Eating Intervention in African-American Women who are Overweight or Obese .

Kim, Yoo Jung/YJK (2017)  Longitudinal relationship between emotion regulation and aggressive behavior: The moderating effect of caregiving.

Kyere, Eric (2017)  Examining the Relationships between Racial-Ethnic Socialization, Racial Identity, and African American Youth's Academic Outcomes: An Analysis with Implications for Social Work Research, Practice and Policy .

Queen, Courtney (2016)  Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation: An Exploratory Study of the Psychological Health Outcomes in Tanzania

McCall, Janice (2016)  An Examination of Gender-neutral and Gender-responsive Characteristics on Program Participation among Female State Prisoners.  

Song, Hyun-a (2016)  The Effects of Parents’ College Savings on College Attendance Among Students from Families with Low-Incomes: The Mediating Role of Parent’s Discussions about College with Their Children.

Bahorik, Amber  The Longitudinal Impact of Intrinsic Motivation on Substance Use Severity in Schizophrenia and its Patterns in Men and Women

Bishop-Fitzpatrick, Lauren (2015)  Social Functioning in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role Of Biological Stress Response and Psychosocial Stress.

Hunsaker, Amanda E (2015)  Biopsychosocial Factors Associated with Amyloid Imaging for Alzheimer's Disease.

Lim, Crystal  The Influence of Illness Burden and Social Support on the Completion of Kidney Transplant Evaluation 

Nguyen, Ngoc/N (2015)  Factors Influencing Adolescent Alcohol and Marijuana Use: The Role Of Religiosity, School-Based Prevention Programs, Parental Influence, and Peer Influence.

Phillips, Chereese (2015)  Assessing The Impact Of Maternal Stressors on the Occurrence of Child Neglect Among At-Risk Mothers.

Teixeira, Samantha  "It seems like no one cares":  Youth Perspectives on Housing Abandonment and Urban Blight

Choi, Eun Hee   Racial/Ethnic Inequality Among Older Workers: Focusing on Whites, Blacks, and Latinos Within the Cumulative Advantage/Disadvantage Framework

Constance-Huggins, Monique  TANF Entry and Exit in the Post Welfare Reform Era:  The Contributions of Human Capital and Social Capital

Kim, Yoon Mi   Linking Acculturation Patterns, Acculturative Stress, and Education Policies to Educational Competence Among Mexican-American Children

Schelbe, Lisa   "Some Type of Way":  An Ethnography of Youth Again Out of the Child Welfare System

Thomas, Tammy   "Hey, Those are Teenagers and They are Doing Stuff":  Youth Participation in Community Development

Friedline, Terri  Predicting Savings From Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Early Access to Savings Leads to Improved Savings Outcome

Kim, Yoonmi  The Effects of Acculturation, Perceived Discrimination, and Educational Policy on Educational Achievements Among Latino Youths

Kolivoski, Karen  Patterns of Justice System Involvement Among Child-Welfare Involved Youth

Lee, Yeonjung  Family Caregivers' Labor Force Participation and Financial Well-Being:  A Longitudinal Study

Nam, Ilsung  Effects of Economic Hardship on Complicated Grief 

Weaver, Addie  Is Family Therapy Effective, Acceptable, and Sustainable for Mothers and Children?: An Examination of Structural Family Therapy Implemented Within a Semi-rural Community Mental Health Setting

Breneman, Catherine Crawford  Evaluation of the Implementation of the Mentoring Program for Behavioral Health Service Coordinators in Allegheny County Carrick, Kathleen Rose A Comparison Among Healthcare Students at the University of Pittsburgh in Attitudes about Lesbians and Gay Men and Support for Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Hackman, Ruthanne  Immigrant Elder Women and Their Long-Term Care Planning Jung, Hyunzee Attitude, Associates and Recidivism: Relationship Patterns Among Allegheny County Jail Ex-Inmates Kanno, Hanae Hidden Victims in Social Work Practice with Traumatized Populations: Predictive Factors of Secondary Traumatic Stress for Social Workers in New York City Mallinger, Gayle M. Placing Children in Need with Gay and Lesbian Couples: Influences on Placement Decisions Smith, Mary Lindsey Just one more: An examination of the prevalence, correlates, and consequences of concurrent alcohol and medication use in older adults

Block, Azadeh Masalehdan Exploring Barriers to Outpatient Adolescent Therapeutic Interventions Eack, Shaun Michael Social Cognition and Social Disability in Schizophrenia: The Role of Emotional Intelligence Heo, Jeongim Grace The Role of Religious Coping in Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Sarteschi, Christine Marie Assessing the Effectiveness of Mental Health Courts: A Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Recidivism Outcomes Singer, Jonathan B. M others Seeking Mental Health Services for their Children: A Qualitative Analysis of Pathways to Care

Conner, Kyaien O. Mental Health Treatment Seeking Among Older Adults with Depression: The Impact of Stigma and Race Gilkey, So'Nia L. Shelter as Sanctuary: A Narrative Inquiry of the Experience of Homelessness Gjesfjeld, Christopher D. Economic Hardship, Social Support, and Maternal Depression: A Test of the Social Support Deterioration Model McCabe, Elizabeth Blocher Predictors of Readmission in Hospitalized Anorexia Nervosa Patients Mohanty, Jayashree Ethnic Socialization,  Identity Development, and Psychological Adjustment in International Adoptees as Adolescents and Young Adults Santhouse, Robin Correlates of Service Utilization and Adherence to Dietary and Exercise Modifications in a Sample of Women Before and After Bariatric Surgery

Baker, Parris J. Self-Efficacy, Co-Parenting Relationship, and Parent Satisfaction: Variables that Predict Paternal Involvement by Non-Custodial Fathers Bell, Melissa M. Barriers in the Provision of Family Planning From Social Workers to their Clients Bulcke, Gina Identifying Barriers to Treatment Among Women Gamblers Davis-Jones, Latika Psychological Dysfunction, Drug Treatment Engagement and HIV Risk Behavior Among Methadone Maintained Clients Fisher, Mary Anne Social Support for the HIV+ Client: A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Traditional Versus Volunteer Case Management Intervention Kim, Jean-ie Mothers' Depression and Parenting Efficacy Among Economically Disadvantaged Korean Women: Test of a Mediation Model Peters, Solveig S. Relations Among Interparental Relationship Quality, Maternal Depressive Symptoms, Parenting in the Home Environment, and Pre-School Child Behavior in African American, Low-Income, Single-Mother Families Pivetz, George Retirement, Control, and the Challenges of Aging Woodcock, Karen Mental health Help-Seeking: Attitudes and Experiences of Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

Ford, Angela A.  Exploring Health Behavior in Older Black Women

Hart, Carol L.  Post-traumatic Stress Symptomatology in Aging Combat Veterans:  The Direct and Buffering Effects of Stress and Social Support

Trunzo, Annette C.  Engagement, Parenting Skills, and Parent-Child Relations as Mediators of the Relationship Between Parental Self-Efficacy and Treatment Outcomes for Children with Conduct Problems

Fevola, Antonio V.   The Impact of Services Integration:  Outcomes in Two Early Intervention Programs

Grater. Joyce J.   The Impact of Health Care Provider Communication on Self-Efficacy and Caregiver Burden in Older Spousal Oncology Caregivers

Kaijage, Theresa J.   Factors Influencing Adherence to HIV/AIDS Treatment and Prevention Among People Living with HIV/AIDS in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

Lee, Bongjae   Alcohol-Induced Stress and Social Support as Influences of the Adult Substance Abuser's Health and Well-Being

Lichtenwalter, Sara    The Relationship Between Auto Ownership and Employment Outcomes:  Race and Gender Variations

McDonough, Kathleen E.   Internal EAPs and the low-wage Worker: Practitioners' Perceptions of Services

Momper, Sandra L.   Maternal Gambling, Parenting in the Home Environment, and Child Outcomes in Native American Families

Stevenson, Andre P.  Barriers Affecting Women's Ability to Make the Transition from Welfare to Work in a Rural Community

Aurand, Beverly   Access to Health Care for Uninsured Women

Hilko, Tamara Lynn   The Impact of the Permanency Planning Process on Achieving Permanency for Children Active in a County Children and Youth Agency

John-Langba, Johannes  The Relationship of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) to Sexual-Risk Behavior Among Refugee Women in Botswana:  The Medicating Role of Depression

Lee, Jee-Sook   Intergenerational Conflict, Ethnic Identity, and Their Influences on Problem Behaviors Among Korean American Adolescents

Little, Stacey   Understanding the Sociological Factors of Poverty and Their Impact on Prenatal Care Utilization Among Low-Income Women

Oh, Yunjin  The Role and Effect of Psychosocial Resources and Gender Differences in Caregiving Stress

Ohmer, Mary Louise   Citizen Participation and its Effects in Neighborhood Organizations:  The Influence of Perceived Organizational Characteristics and Effectiveness

Renzeli, Cara   Parental Participation in Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment:  Predictions and Outcomes

Richel, Carrie   Child Outcomes in Community Mental Health:  Effects of Maternal Mental Health Status

Smith, Christine   Correlates of Burnout Among Providers Who Serve the Homeless

Stork, Elizabeth P.   Analyzing Decision Making:  Women Seeking Shelter from Intimate Partner Violence

Daniel, Jerry   Survey of Clinicians' Perception of Inmates' Satisfaction with Mental Health Services

Frank, Marsha  Factors Influencing Belief in the Validity of Delayed Trauma Memory

Knudsen, Kraig  The Diffusion of an Evidence-Based Practice:  A Case Study of High and Low Adopters of Assertive Community Treatment

Lowe, Tony   Management Practices as a Factor in Male Social Workers Increased Exposure to Client-Related Violence in Mental Health Service 

Lynch, Mark T.   The Effects of Research Training and Research Efficacy on Empirical Research Productivity by Practicing Social Workers

Modie-Moroka, Tirelo  Community and Individual Life Stressors, Health Status and Social Capital:  A Study of Low-Income Areas in Francistown City, Botswana

Slawinski, Tonya  The Intensive Case Manager/Client Relationship:  Understanding the Factors Influencing Boundary Development and Compliance

Stubenbort, Karen  The Effectiveness of Intervention for Maltreated Preschoolers:  An Attachment Theory Perspective

Breitenstein, Larry  Managed Care Effects on the Reporting and Substantiation of Child Abuse and Neglect

Faber, John  HIV Prevention and Sexually-Active, High Risk Young People:  A Collaborative and Empowering Approach to Intervention 

Friedman, Mark  Gender-Role Nonconformity, Bullying, and Suicidal Behavior Among Gay and Bisexual Adolescents

Leahy, Dean  Improving the Organ Donation Process:  Can Social Work Help?

Lindsey, Michael  Social Network Influences on African-American Adolescents' Use of Mental Health Services

Bonach, Kathryn   The Mediating Role of Forgiveness in the Relationship Between Post-Divorce Cognitive Processes and Co-Parenting Quality:  A Context, Process, Outcome Model

Manfred Gilham, Jerry Jo  Use of an Orientation Engagement Strategy to Enhance the Therapeutic Alliance with a Child's Caregiver

Meyer, Susan  Effects of Upper Managers' Conflict Handling Styles on Subordinate Managers' Conflict Handling Styles and the Frequency, Intensity, and Resolution of Conflict in a Hierarchical Organization

Schutz, William   A Nationwide Study of Goal Attainment Among Health Resources and Services Administration-Funded Traumatic Brain Injury State Demonstration Grantees

Winter, Elizabeth  The Impact of Childhood Maltreatment and Co-Morbidity on Depression Treatment Response in Adult Women

Montrose, Deborah   Children and Adolescents at Risk for Schizophrenia:  Influence of Familial Expressed Emotion

Robinson, Bonnie  The Impact of Gender Role Adherence, Gender Role Stress, and Sexist Attitudes on Violence Against Women

Sukitz, Sr. Carol  A Study of Parish Social Ministry and Delivery of Social Services in the Neighborhood Community

Home > School, College, or Department > SSW > Dissertations and Theses

School of Social Work Dissertations and Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Understanding the Other: Mentor Ethnocultural Empathy and Relationship Quality and Duration in Youth Mentoring , Miriam Miranda-Diaz

The Mirror Project: Reflections on the Experiences of African-American Female Adolescents Experiencing Foster Care , Bahia Anise-Cross DeGruy Overton

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Does Structural Racism Influence How Black/African Americans Define Memory Loss and Cognitive Impairment? An Africana Phenomenological Study , Andre Pruitt

Prosecutors or Helpers: An Institutional Ethnography of Child Protective Services Casework , Anna Maria Rockhill

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

A Critical Discourse Analysis of How Youth in Care Describe Social Support , Jared Israel Best

Examining Demographic and Environmental Factors in Predicting the Perceived Impact of Cancer on Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survivors , Nazan Cetin

Health Literacy and People Diagnosed with Mental Illness , Beckie Child

High School Persisters and Alternative Schools , Hyuny Clark-Shim

Examining the Role of Social Support and Neighborhood Deprivation in the Relationship Between Multiple ACEs and Health Risk Behaviors , Marin L. Henderson-Posther

A Typology of Foster Home Quality Elements in Relation to Foster Youth Mental Health , Paul Sorenson

"I'm Very Enlightened:" Assisting Black Males Involved in the Criminal Justice System to Deal With and Heal From Racism , Darnell Jackie Strong

The Mechanisms Connecting State Marijuana Policies to Parent, Peer, and Youth Drug Perception Leading to Youth Marijuana Use , Eunbyeor Sophie Yang

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

E(Raced): Race and Use of Self Amongst BIPOC Social Workers , Anita Reinette Gooding

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

A Colorless Nature: Exploring the Mental Health (Help-Seeking) Experiences of Pre-Adolescent Black American Children , Christopher Ashley Burkett

The Economically Disadvantaged Speak: Exploring the Intersection of Poverty, Race, Child Neglect and Racial Disproportionality in the Child Welfare System , Angela Gail Cause

Examining the Narratives of Military Sexual Trauma Survivors , Maria Carolina González-Prats

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Our Vision of Health for Future Generations: an Exploration of Proximal and Intermediary Motivations with Women of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma , Danica Love Brown

Interrogating the Construction and Representations of Criminalized Women in the Academic Social Work Literature: a Critical Discourse Analysis , Sandra Marie Leotti

Learning From Culturally Specific Programs and Their Impact on Latino Parent Engagement , Analucia Lopezrevoredo

Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence and Child Welfare: a Critical Realist Exploratory Study , Katherine Elizabeth Winters

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Is Therapy Going to the Dogs? Evaluating Animal Assisted Therapy for Early Identified At-Risk Children , Leah Faith Brookner

Investigating Time During Residential Program Until Transition for Adjudicated Youth: a Mixed Methods Study Using Event History Analysis with Follow-Up Interviews , Emily Carol Lott

Role of Spouse/Partner in Fertility Preservation Decision Making by Young Women with Cancer , Aakrati Mathur

Exploring the Association of Victimization and Alcohol and Marijuana Use among American Indian Youth Living On or Near Reservations: a Mixed Methods Study , Lindsay Nicole Merritt

The Intersections of Good Intentions, Criminality, and Anti-Carceral Feminist Logic: a Qualitative Study that Explores Sex Trades Content in Social Work Education , Meg Rose Panichelli

Latinas and Sexual Health: Correlates of Sexual Satisfaction , Christine Marie Velez

A Foucaultian Discourse Analysis of Person-Centered Practice Using a Genealogical Framework of Intellectual Disability , Nick Winges-Yanez

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Foundational Knowledge and Other Predictors of Commitment to Trauma-Informed Care , Stephanie Anne Sundborg

An Analysis of Oregon Youth Authority Populations: Who Receives Treatment and What Factors Influence Allocation of Treatment Resources? , Rebecca Arredondo Yazzie

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

The Importance of Online Peer Relationships During the Transition to Motherhood: Do They Decrease Stress, Alleviate Depression and Increase Parenting Competence? , Bobbie Sue Arias

Bridging the Worlds of Home and School: a Study of the Relational Worlds of First-Generation Students in a School of Social Work , Miranda Cunningham

An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Long-Term Mentoring Relationships from the Youth Perspective , Kevin Richard Jones

The Development and Validation of the Social Recovery Measure , Casadi "Khaki" Marino

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

A Queer Liberation Movement? A Qualitative Content Analysis of Queer Liberation Organizations, Investigating Whether They are Building a Separate Social Movement , Joseph Nicholas DeFilippis

Got Hair that Flows in the Wind: The Complexity of Hair and Identity among African American Female Adolescents in Foster Care , Lakindra Michelle Mitchell Dove

Assessing the Impact of Restrictiveness and Placement Type on Transition-Related Outcomes for Youth With and Without Disabilities Aging Out of Foster Care , Jessica Danielle Schmidt

Fathers Caring for Children with Special Health Care Needs: Experiences of Work-Life Fit , Claudia Sellmaier

Investigating the Impact of Sibling Foster Care on Placement Stability , Jeffrey David Waid

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Understanding Sexual Assault Survivors' Willingness to Participate in the Judicial System , Mildred Ann Davis

The Relationship between Mindfulness and Burnout among Master of Social Work Students , Jolanta Maria Piatkowska

Out of the Way and Out of Place: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Social Interactions of Bisexually Attracted Young People , A. Del Quest

Strengths in Action: Implementing a Learning Organization Model in a Human Service Setting , Barbara Ann Whitbeck

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

"Who Would Have Thought, With a Diagnosis Like This, I Would be Happy?": Portraits of Perceived Strengths and Resources in Early-Stage Dementia , Jutta Elisabeth Ataie

Lost in the Margins? Intersections Between Disability and Other Non-Dominant Statuses with Regard to Peer Victimization and Psychosocial Distress Among Oregon Teens , Marjorie Grace McGee

Teachers' Negative Comments Toward Youth in Foster Care with Disabilities: How Do They Relate to Youths' Problem Behaviors, School Attitudes, and School Performance? , Sunghwan Noh

Exploring the Effects of Multi-Level Protective and Risk Factors on Child and Parenting Outcomes in Families Participating in Healthy Start/Healthy Families Oregon (HS/HFO) , Peggy Nygren

Public Opinion and the Oregon Death with Dignity Act , Peggy Jo Ann Sandeen

The Role of Psycho-Sociocultural Factors in Suicide Risk Among Mong/Hmong Youth , TangJudy Vang

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Increasing Social Work Students' Political Interest and Efficacy: The Experience and Impact of a Social Welfare Policy Course from the Students' Perspective , Christie Dianne Bernklau Halvor

Exploring Support Network Structure, Content, and Stability as Youth Transition from Foster Care , Jennifer E. Blakeslee

Understanding the Experience of Air Force Single Parents: A Phenomenological Study , Samantha Everhart Blanchard

Implementer Perspectives: The Implementation of a School-Based Mentoring Program , Amanda Angela Fixsen

Risk Factors for Homelessness Among Community Mental Health Patients with Severe Mental Illness , Rupert Talmage van Wormer

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Gender, Culture, and Prison Classification: Testing the Reliability and Validity of a Prison Classification System , Aimée Ryan Bellmore

An Investigation of the Relationships between Violence Exposure, Internalizing and Externalizing Problems, and Adolescent Alcohol Use , Gregory Lloyd Forehand

Identifying Modifiable Factors associated with Depression across the Lifespan in Stroke Survivor-Spouse Dyads , Michael Joseph McCarthy

Investigating the Predictors of Postsecondary Education Success and Post-College Life Circumstances of Foster Care Alumni , Amy Michele Salazar

Runaway and Homeless Youth: Changing the Discourse by Legitimizing Youth Voice , Donald Dale Schweitzer

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Visions and Voices: An Arts-Based Qualitative Study Using Photovoice to Understand the Needs and Aspirations of Diverse Women Working in the Sex Industry , Moshoula Capous Desyllas

Somatization and Engagement in Mental Health Treatment , Teresa Chianello

Parental Differential Treatment (PDT) of Siblings: Examining the Impact and Malleability of Differential Warmth and Hostility on Children's Adjustment , Brianne H. Kothari

Understanding the Development of Self-determination in Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care , Jennifer L. Powers

Child Welfare Workforce Turnover: Frontline Workers' Experiences with Organizational Culture and Climate, and Implications for Organizational Practice , Melanie Dawn Sage

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Developing One's Self: Adoption and Identity Formation Through the Eyes of Transracially Adopted Native American Adults , Jody Becker-Green

Primary Care, Males, Masculinity, and Suicide : a Grounded Theory Study , John Thomas Casey

Dependent Care and Work-Life Outcomes : Comparing Exceptional Care and Typical Care Responsibilities , Lisa Maureen Stewart

Factors Associated with Inclusion of Spirituality in Secular Social Work Education , Leslie Grace Wuest

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Up a Creek : the Perilous Journey of Recently Uninsured Low-Income Adults in Oregon , Heidi Allen

Attributes of Effective Head Start Mental Health Consultants : a Mixed Method Study of Rural and Urban Programs , Mary Dallas Allen

Staying Within the Margins: The Educational Stories of First-Generation, Low-Income College Students , Diane Lyn Cole

Children with Incarcerated Parents : a Longitudinal Study of the Effect of Parental Incarceration on Adolescent Externalizing Behaviors , Jean Mollenkamp Kjellstrand

The Child Care Self-Sufficiency Scale: Measuring Child Care Funding and Policy Generosity across States , Karen Tvedt

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Family-Friendly Workplace Culture, Flexibility, and Workplace Support for Dependent Care : the Perspectives of Human Resource Professionals , Katherine June Huffstutter

Family Participation : Exploring the Role it Plays in Outcomes for Youth with Serious Emotional Disorders , Jodi Lee Kerbs

"Creative Interpretation and Fluidity in a Rights Framework": the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Human Rights in the United States , Karen Lynn Morgaine

Food Security and Hunger among Low income US Households: Relations to Federal Food Assistance Program Participation , Rebecca Elizabeth Sanders

Engaging Our Workforce: How Job Demands and Resources Contribute to Social Worker Burnout, Engagement and Intent to Leave , Sara Laura Schwartz

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Is It Just Me? Felt HIV -Related Stigma among Adults with HIV , Rebecca Gila Block

Social Workers Addressing Student-Perpetrated Interpersonal Violence in the School Context : Awareness and Use of Evidence-Supported Programs , Natalie Diane Cawood

Sons Providing Care at End-of-Life : Common Threads and nuances , Patricia Ebert

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Applying the Transtheoretical Model to Cigarette Smoking by Pregnant and Parenting Adolescent Females , Barbara Mary Sussex

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

Identifying and Building on Strengths of Children With Serious Emotional Disturbances , Michael Orval Taylor

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

A Dissertation on African American Male Youth Violence: "Trying to Kill the Part of You that Isn’t Loved" , Joy DeGruy Leary

Theses/Dissertations from 1999 1999

Voices of our past: the rank and file movement in social work, 1931-1950 , Richard William Hunter

The Assessment of Children with Attachment Disorder: The Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire, the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale, and the Biopsychosocial Attachment Types Framework , Alice Myrth Ogilvie

Theses/Dissertations from 1997 1997

Grandmothers Laughing: Intergenerational Transmission of Cultural Beliefs About Pregnancy and Childbirth Among Native American Women , Claudia Robin Long

Theses/Dissertations from 1983 1983

The needs of older people as seen by themselves and support providers , Sarah Movius Schurr

Theses/Dissertations from 1981 1981

Non-work-related services at the workplace : an exploratory study , William Roland Adix, Elizabeth March Christie, James J. Christrup, Carol M. Kaulukukui, Jennifer Idris Lenway, Cynthia A. Nelson, Linda S. Rielly, Steven Sorlien, Kathleen A. Sweeney-Easter, Lynn Campbell Tate, Patricia Jones Warman, and Donn C. Warton

Assessment of Needs of Adolescent Mothers in Washington County , John L. Arnold, Jean C. Austin, Gary L. Brink, Jane Hall, Patricia C. Hanson, Valerie A. Ivey, April A. Moran, John P. Pank, Mark J. Skolnick, James A. Tarr, and Roberta B. Vaughn

Burnout: Multi-Dimensional Study of Alienation Among Social Service Workers in the Willamette Valley , Sally Carignan, John Deihl, Judy Harris, Jay Jones, Bonnie Rothman, Sabrina Ullmann, Beth Weinberg-Gordon, Phyllis Weter, Patricia Whitty, and Loretta Wilson

Alternative Agencies: An Exploratory Study , Linda Crane, Carolyn M. Curnane, Mike Echols, Mary Ann Hanson, Susan Kouns, Richard Ono, Mark Pierman, Susan K. Rademacher, Sara Weisberg, and Bea Zizlavsky

An Alumni survey of the School of Social Work, Portland State University , Stephen R. Fishack, Robert A. Forlenza, Susan D. Fredd, Gigi Gandy, William P. Goldsmith, Thomas L. Grier, and Sheila K. Lehto

A Description and Evaluation of the Self-Help Information Service , Cathy Tuma and John Wadsworth

The Portland, Oregon ASAP : an evaluation of treatment effectiveness , Joan M. Wildebush Berry, Stefani K. Cuda, Judi L. Edwards, Mary E. Ericson, Emilie Ford Frisbee, Steve Ernest Hand, Mary Anne Hannibal, Laurel M. Myers, Sharon Lee Perry, Loree Richards, Barbara Burns Schmidtke, Stephen Walker Voris, and Barbara M. Westby

Theses/Dissertations from 1980 1980

Multiple impact therapy : evaluation and design for future study , Jacqueline H. Abikoff, Dennis C. Anderson, Patricia C. Bowman, Carolyn Crawford Caylor, Nancy W. Freeland, Jan A. Godfrey, Marlene Graham, Kelly Ann Mason Hall, Mary J. Hatzenbeler, Susan C. Hedlund, Carol Lewis Kast, Gayle Matson Lansky, Janet M. Lewis, Kathleen Patricia Muldoon, Victoria A. G. Stoudt, and Anita Waage

Salem Teen Mother Program : a follow-up study , Frances L. Barton, Florence C. Berman, Sharon M. Bertoli-Nordlof, Marilyn L. Cooper, Claire K. Murray, Rosanne Peratrovich, Arlene M. Showell, and Julio C. Velazquez

Evaluative Styles of Clinicians in Private Practice , Daniel R. Brophy, Elliot M. Geller, Stephan L. Grove, Nancy E. Hedrick, A. Jill Nelson, and Babette A. Vanelli

Adaptation to dominant society : a self study of a woman of mixed race, black/Indian , Helen Marie Camel

A study of the crisis nature of the preparenthood period and implications for preventative social work practice , Julie Jean Colton

A Generalist approach to social work practice : model and synthesis , Chuck H. Johnson, Paul S. Knight, Michael W. Krumper, and John H. Rademaker

Advanced Search

• Notify me via email or RSS
• Featured Collections
• All Authors
• Schools & Colleges
• Dissertations & Theses
• PDXOpen Textbooks
• Conferences
• Collections
• Disciplines
• Faculty Expert Gallery
• Submit Research
• Faculty Profiles
• Terms of Use
• Feedback Form

Home | About | My Account | Accessibility Statement | Portland State University

Privacy Copyright

Childhood Trauma and Adolescent Mental Health: A Transdisciplinary Approach for Social Work Research and Practice

Add to collection, downloadable content.

• March 19, 2019
• Affiliation: School of Social Work
• This dissertation presents a transdisciplinary model to guide future social work research and practice with childhood trauma and adolescent mental health. The included studies aim to: 1) analyze and describe the transdisciplinary problem of childhood trauma in a vulnerable population 2) research associations between childhood trauma and transdisciplinary adolescent mental health outcomes, and 3) systematically review intervention approaches to a complex adolescent mental health outcome from a transdisciplinary perspective. Comprehensive transdisciplinary theoretical research informs the development of the transdisciplinary model of childhood trauma and adolescent mental health. Epidemiological methods are used to examine trauma prevalence in a sample of adolescent mothers and multivariate regression models are used to analyze trauma subtypes/polytraumatization as risk factors for adolescent perinatal depression. An amended Cochrane Collaboration protocol guides a systematic review of the literature for adolescent complex trauma intervention studies. The first paper confirms childhood trauma an epidemic problem with over 80% of adolescent mothers experiencing trauma, particularly those with perinatal depression. The second paper finds that childhood sexual abuse, childhood loss, and polytraumatization are significant risk factors of adolescent perinatal depression. The final paper finds complex trauma interventions for adolescents limited in number and methodological rigor, and that a trans-diagnostic approach may be helpful to evaluate intervention efficacy in complex populations. The studies presented illustrate the transdisciplinary nature of childhood trauma and adolescent mental health, specifically adolescent perinatal depression and complex trauma. They also demonstrate how transdisciplinary principles can be integrated into the way these problems are conceptualized, measured, interpreted and discussed. This work establishes a foundation for future research on the transdisciplinary model which may eventually help to guide transdisciplinary intervention research on childhood trauma and adolescent mental health.
• August 2016
• Perinatal Depression
• Social work
• Mental health
• Transdisciplinary
• Mental Health
• https://doi.org/10.17615/ejd7-c311
• Dissertation
• In Copyright
• Rizo, Cynthia
• Bledsoe, Sarah
• Guo, Shenyang
• Howard, Matthew O.
• Testa, Mark
• Belger, Aysenil
• Doctor of Philosophy
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School

This work has no parents.

Select type of work

Master's papers.

Deposit your masters paper, project or other capstone work. Theses will be sent to the CDR automatically via ProQuest and do not need to be deposited.

Scholarly Articles and Book Chapters

Deposit a peer-reviewed article or book chapter. If you would like to deposit a poster, presentation, conference paper or white paper, use the “Scholarly Works” deposit form.

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Deposit your senior honors thesis.

Scholarly Journal, Newsletter or Book

Deposit a complete issue of a scholarly journal, newsletter or book. If you would like to deposit an article or book chapter, use the “Scholarly Articles and Book Chapters” deposit option.

Deposit your dataset. Datasets may be associated with an article or deposited separately.

Deposit your 3D objects, audio, images or video.

Poster, Presentation, Protocol or Paper

Deposit scholarly works such as posters, presentations, research protocols, conference papers or white papers. If you would like to deposit a peer-reviewed article or book chapter, use the “Scholarly Articles and Book Chapters” deposit option.

•   UMB Digital Archive
• School of Social Work

Theses and Dissertations School of Social Work

Filter by category.

Publication Date Authors Titles Subjects

Search within this collection:

Full text for dissertations and theses included in this collection dates back to 2011. For older dissertations, check the library’s catalog CatalogUSMAI or Dissertations and Theses database .

Recent Submissions

Moving Beyond ‘A white Man’s Thing’: A Case Study of Urban Kenyan Youth Mental Health

Attitudes Toward Medical Aid in Dying in a National Sample of Hospice Clinicians

Push Factors, Moving, and Mental Health Among Older Adults: The Moderating Effects of Indicators of Social Support

Oral Histories of Black Women Advocates in the Civil Rights Era: Illuminating Perspectives of Black Healing, Wellness and Spirituality

Moving from Moral Distress to Moral Emotion: A Socioecological Model

Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Emotion Regulation, and Parenting Stress in Mothers of Preschoolers

Exploring Child Welfare Placement Pathways to Residential Treatment Settings: A Three Paper Dissertation

Surviving High School Transfers: A Multilevel Study of Student and School Characteristics Related to School Transfer, Graduation, and College Entry

Perceived Need for Care and Mental Health Service Use: The Moderating Effect of Race/Ethnicity and Military Veteran Status among a Population-based Sample of U.S Adults

Understanding Financial Behavioral Health and Race (Racism), and their Association with Investment Risk Willingness

Time-Use and Well-Being in Family and Other Unpaid Caregivers of Older Adults

An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Extended-Release Naltrexone

Centering Black Lives: Exploring Oral Histories of Legacy African American Women in the Black Belt to Heal the Wounds of Racialization as Justice

Examining depression and social and emotional development outcomes in parents and children in migrant and seasonal farmworker families

The Interplay of Home Visitors’ Personal and Professional Identities in Effectively Screening and Supporting Women around Sensitive Topics

Youth Worker Perspectives on Building and Maintaining Relationships with Older Adolescents and Emerging Adults in Strongport

Covariates Associated with Completing Short-Term Residential Treatment for a Substance Use Disorder Among Adults in the U.S.

Parents’ Experiences and Perspectives of Early Childhood Mental Health Services and Child Welfare

Comparing the impact of community-based mediation vs. prosecution on assault recidivism among adults

The Role of Self-efficacy, Technology Acceptance, and Support, in E-Learning for Child Welfare Workers

Export search results.

The export option will allow you to export the current search results of the entered query to a file. Different formats are available for download. To export the items, click on the button corresponding with the preferred download format.

By default, clicking on the export buttons will result in a download of the allowed maximum amount of items.

To select a subset of the search results, click "Selective Export" button and make a selection of the items you want to export. The amount of items that can be exported at once is similarly restricted as the full export.

After making a selection, click one of the export format buttons. The amount of items that will be exported is indicated in the bubble next to export format.

Put a stop to deadline pressure, and have your homework done by an expert.

185 Social Work Dissertation Topics: Creative List

If you are a student of social work, then there are so many subjects that you can write about in your dissertation topic. Social work, in simple terms, is a set of functions that allow you to improve the lives of others. Social workers help adults and children cope with everyday issues, relationship troubles, personal issues and family issues. Given the scope of work of a social worker, finding the right social work dissertation topics can be challenging as there are so many pressing issues to cover.

In order to write a good paper and choose a topic that interests you, here are a few things that you should consider:

Choose a topic that is close to your heart : If you have chosen social work as your field of study, then there must be some area of work that intrigues you. This could be related to child care, women’s rights or health. To write a good paper, choose a subject that is of interest to you and will help you in your line of work going forward. Make sure your topic is supported by data : Choose topics that have enough data to present strong arguments and discussions. The paper should be thought provoking : Once you have got an approval on your proposed social work dissertation topics, use as much information that is relatable. The readers should take back some ideas from your paper and also have questions about how the system can be improved to fulfill the purpose of social work. This means that you need to find loopholes in the system and address them in your paper effectively.

Now that you know what a good social work dissertation paper entails, here is a list of topics to help you start your journey. However if you have more interesting things to do, remember you have an opportunity to buy dissertation and get the best result.

Social Work Dissertation Ideas

These are good dissertation topics for social work students at all academic levels:

• Write an in-depth paper on the perception and attitude of oppression between the community and healthcare professionals.
• Write about the inherent perceptions related to social work among different cultures.
• A comprehensive review of different approaches to strengthen users of social services.
• The role of social workers in end-of-life decisions.
• Is evidence based learning an excellent way of learning for social workers?
• What are your views on the law of reflection and its role in social work?
• What are the challenges faced by social workers with respect to inter-professional practices?
• Is tutoring an integral part of social work training? Write your views.
• Social work and government policies: Write a detailed review.
• How social work interventions can protect vulnerable adults.
• The common security issues faced by personal social workers.
• Transitioning from employment to social work: Challenges and advantages.
• Substance abuse among young adults. The role of social workers in prevention and management.
• A review on why women choose to remain in abusive relationships.
• The contribution of social services in helping families cope with a member with dementia.
• The relationship between social work and communities of faith.
• The role of social workers in promoting ethnic minorities.
• The best ways in which social workers can improve the life of the elderly.
• Does social work impact the quality of life of senior citizens?
• Disparities in the society that can be resolved to improve the lives of ethnic minorities.
• The importance of being gender sensitive in addressing the issues faced by the LGBTQ community.
• Is rehabilitation of young offenders the new way of ensuring restorative justice?
• Laws that allow the representation of marginalized societies in the government.
• Can prohibition of alcohol preserve law and order in a community?
• The role of drug addiction in increasing relationship problems within families.
• The primary factors contributing to juvenile delinquency.
• Does imposing a curfew on minors lead to increased chances of premarital sex?
• The role of the media in determining the electoral process of any country.
• Provide great examples of good governance with respect to the recovery of a city or locality after being affected by a natural calamity.
• Provide a social work perspective on the growing popularity of political figures and icons.
• How does education contribute to the ability of leaders to shape the social and political structure of a country?
• Can reactivating the death penalty change the rate of crime in our society?
• Do individuals who are in illicit relationships perceive the norms of a marriage differently?
• Experiences with healthcare of people who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
• Culture-based activism and its impact on the lives of Native Americans.

Easy Social Work Research Topics

These social work research topics cover a range of relatable and controversial subjects for you to write about.

• How can survivors of domestic violence get better employment opportunities?
• A study of women with sexual addiction.
• Reintegration of individuals who have survived abuse into the society.
• The primary causes and the best ways to prevent juveni;e recidivism.
• Examples of great women leaders in our community.
• Should immigrants be given health services?
• What are the best housing options to support young people?
• Medical care for the elderly: The challenges.
• A detailed study of the relationships of HIV positive individuals.
• Is customer satisfaction the most important goal for a business?
• The barriers in social work with respect to climate change.
• The experience of a home care worker in a caring relationship.
• Are voluntary tourism communities in Chile an example of social development?
• Why do we still hesitate to talk about sex?
• How does organizational culture contribute to marginalism?
• The role of leadership practices in eliminating new forms of marginalism.
• Graduate students and the attitude towards couples therapy.
• Review the employment services for domestic violence survivors in your region/ country.
• Evaluate eviction risks based on social and cultural perceptions.
• Write about the experiences of women who are in a relationship with an individual who is sexually addicted.
• Provide a qualitative study of resilience and risk associated with young people.
• How does health affect the employment of refugee and immigrant women?
• Does encouraging traveling among women promote community leadership?
• Humanities and the relationship with citizenship.
• The perspectives of youth and service providers on the impact of housing options for young adults.
• The role of arts in boosting healing processes.
• How has dance impacted society?
• How to improve medical facilities in rural areas?
• The experiences of rural individuals with social workers.
• How do the concepts of our society affect the lives of individuals with HIV and AIDs?
• Improving care for individuals with HIV and AIDS.
• Explore the nature of collaboration between individuals who suffer from poverty and various organizations in regions that are at a high economic and social risk.
• The importance of sexual health education for immigrant women.
• The social risks of gender identity.
• How can the theory of dynamic systems be applied to countries that are in a war situation?

Child Protection Dissertation Ideas

Here are some good dissertation topics for social work students who are interested in childcare services:

• The impact of agencies in protecting children: Provide a review of literature based on real practices.
• Will children who experience or witness abuse and violence within the family perpetuate the same type of behavior?
• Impact of family support and protection in child protection intervention by social workers.
• The health problems of adults who have survived child sexual abuse.
• The contribution of social workers in carrying out effective interventions for survivors of child sexual abuse.
• Factors that contribute to adopted children seeking out their biological parents.
• The impact of domestic violence on children and the resulting consequences for a social worker.
• Review the educational achievements with respect to childcare in your region.
• Review of literature of education and childcare in California and what the world can learn from it.
• The effect of gambling on the lives of children.
• The common factors that affect the socio-economic requirements of children.
• How can social workers aid the emotional growth of children?
• The impact of pornography in increasing the rate of crime and violence against chidlren.
• The views of sexual abuse victims on pedophilia.
• How do the physical changes during puberty affect the psyche of a child?
• The risks associated with child welfare decisions.
• How can education prevent violence against children?
• An analysis of the maternal experiences of victims of child sexual abuse.
• The experience of new social workers in child welfare.
• Secondary traumatic stress between young counselors and children.
• The best ways to protect a child in custody.
• Support strategies to prevent child poverty in your country.
• A study of resilience in individuals when building a strong future after emerging from a difficult childhood. Provide examples.
• Immigrant families and adolescent development.
• Is gender neutral upbringing overrated or is it the need of the hour?
• How does the environment in the school impact the self esteem of children?
• A case study to review the challenges of children with learning disabilities.
• The benefits of studying child development in improving the contributions of social services.
• The reason for the ignorance of child development for several years in history.
• Write a detailed paper on the formation of ego with respect to different stages of development.
• The effect of an absent parent on the developing years of a child.
• How does domestic violence affect the concept of self in a child?
• Child education and the impact of single parenting.
• Factors that contribute to the retention of employees in childcare.
• The causes and best strategies for the protection of runaway children.
• The role of gender differences in shaping the outlook of children.
• Why is play an important educational tool?
• The best policies to promote the rights of children.
• Factors that influence the quality of food in child care centers.
• The risk factors and effects of bullying.
• The best ways to reduce behavioral issues in children in foster care.
• The relationship between disability and the chances of a child ending up in foster care.
• The lack of child support and the effects on child care.
• How does group therapy help children in foster care?
• The impact of constant changes of family in orphaned toddlers.
• How does homelessness impact the psyche of a child?
• Recurring displacement and the effects on homeless children.
• Factors that contribute to an antisocial lifestyle in children in foster care.
• The effects of substance abuse on the lives of children.
• The trauma of child-parent separation on the lifestyle and health of children.

Social Work Dissertation Topics Mental Health

Mental health contributes to some of the most important dissertation topics for social work students.

• Why do individuals with obsessive compulsive disorders struggle to cope with society?
• The effects of living with bipolar parents on the health and lifestyle of a child.
• Why should we socially interrogate the stigma associated with mental health?
• The role of social workers in improving support for individuals with mental health issues.
• The occurrence of suicidal tendencies in military units and the best ways to address them.
• The impact of death on the collective well-being of any family unit.
• The positive impact of sponsors on the lives of recovering addicts.
• Provide a clinical study on the current anti-depressants and their effectiveness.
• How to stop social elimination of children suffering from Down Syndrome.
• The role of a family in exacerbating depression.
• The impact of alcoholism on personal lifestyle, family and society.
• Provide a detailed analysis of the similarities and differences between ADHD and Dyslexia.
• The best ways to improve awareness on degenerative mental health issues like Dementia.
• The need for more awareness among educators about learning disabilities.
• The most effective learning tools for children who suffer from ADHD, dyslexia and other learning disorders.
• A detailed evaluation of socio-sexual education programs for individuals with developmental disorders.
• Evaluation on the impact of developmental disabilities in the life events of an individual.
• Life with a spouse who has memory loss.
• Provide an exploratory study of different aids available to the primary caregivers of children with autism.
• The meaning of well-being based on the cultural and ethic backgrounds of individuals.
• Building resilience towards traumatic incidents using the mind-body connection of yoga.
• Is the stigma against mental health disorders greater for women? Conduct a comparative study.
• The perspectives of a woman living with mental illness and receiving assistance from community services.
• Investigate how smoking gives individuals with depression a sense of belonging or acceptance.
• Are mental health services equally accessible to minorities and other oppressed groups?
• Do mental health service providers avoid detention of young males in their psychiatric units?
• The relationship between government policies and effective mental health assistance.
• Common behavioral issues of children in dysfunctional families.
• The impact of foster care on the mental health of teenagers.
• The effect of poverty and scarcity on the psyche of young children.

Social Work Masters Dissertation Topics

If you are writing a dissertation paper for your master’s degree, here are some interesting topics for you to choose from:

• How is the lifestyle of a metropolitan city failed by the criminal justice system?
• What are some sure shot signs of trauma in the workplace?
• The effects of racial disparity on our society.
• The best ways to control substance abuse and addiction.
• How can the facilities at nursing homes for the elderly be improved?
• The negative impact of food banks.
• Government policies that have improved welfare conditions.
• The impact of homophobia on our community.
• Primary factors contributing to violence in a family.
• The effects of unemployment on society.
• Stigma and social issues faced by welfare mothers.
• Experiences of women who live in shelter homes.
• The inherent challenges of transracial adoption.
• How to make wellness therapy more sustainable?
• The impact of first-time menstrual experience on teenage girls living in foster homes.

Common Dissertation Topics For Social Work Students

If you wish to get top grades, here are some topics that give you a lot of literature and data to review.

• Birth control laws and their negative impact.
• The challenges of increasing housing costs on the youth.
• Workplace abuse and the relationship with paid labor.
• The impact of cultural belief on relationships.
• The negative impact of teenage pregnancy.
• Low income neighborhoods and the increasing cases of substance abuse.
• The hazards of confinement and why they need our attention.
• The need for therapy of poorly represented groups.
• Misdiagnosis of mental health issues and its impact.
• How can empathy improve social services?
• The need for qualitative examination of foster homes.
• The contributing factors for violence in correctional systems.
• Do therapists need therapy?
• How trafficking impacts societal well-being.
• The reasons for unreported abuse cases.
• The hidden trauma of survivors of natural calamities.
• Traumatic experiences of children in foster homes. A clinical study with measures to prevent them.
• Growing in a war zone and the psychological impact.
• Common myths about child services and foster care.
• Is there a disability disparity among social workers?

Get Professional Dissertation Help

Need more help with your school or uni papers? Hire professional writers to guide you through the process, if you want to pay someone to do your assignment . Get in touch with us now for trustworthy, top quality and affordable writing services for students of all academic backgrounds.

Get on top of your homework.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Edinburgh Research Archive

•   ERA Home
• Social and Political Sciences, School of
• Social Work

Social Work thesis and dissertation collection

By Issue Date Authors Titles Subjects Publication Type Sponsor Supervisors

Search within this Collection:

Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.

Recent Submissions

Critiquing the presence and absence of children and young people's participation in policies for looked after children in scotland , interrogating the ethics of telecare services: a conceptual framework for dementia home care professionals , forever home the complexity of adoption breakdown in scotland , exploring experiences of children who migrate to delhi: understanding gender and space , looking after grandchildren: the motivation, pattern, and the impact of intergenerational engagements on grandparents in rural china , topping up the tank: enhancing the emotional resilience of social workers in local authority adult services , intergenerational transmission of the effects of maternal childhood adversities via poor infant outcomes , contributing to the development of social pedagogy in the uk: a case study at 'santiago 1' residential care home in spain , helping the 'problem child' become loveable again a discourse analysis on childhood adhd in switzerland and implications for social work , health needs and services for refugee women and children in uganda’s settlements: articulating a role for social work , unpicking social work practice skills: an interactional analysis of engagement and identity in a groupwork programme addressing sexual offending , turkish fathering today: an enquiry and discussion arising from the views of turkish fathers and turkish young people , twenty first century contact: young people in care and their use of mobile communication devices and the internet for contact , quickening steps: an ethnography of pre-birth child protection , low income employment in dhaka: women’s lives, agency and identity , partnership, power and policy: a case study of the scottish partnership on domestic abuse , feedback systems, interaction analysis, and counselling models in professional programmes , the participation of looked after children in permanency planning , everyday social work practice: listening to the voices of practitioners , quality of life experiences of parents of children with autism in scotland .

Home » Blog » Dissertation » Topics » Social Work » Social Work Dissertation Topics (25 Examples) For Research

Social Work Dissertation Topics (25 Examples) For Research

Mark Jun 20, 2020 Jun 18, 2020 Social Work No Comments

If you are planning to make a career in the field of social work, you need to take a cognitive approach to improve the lives of many people. Your social work dissertation would be an important part of your degree program. You need to choose the right social work dissertation topics considering your area of […]

If you are planning to make a career in the field of social work, you need to take a cognitive approach to improve the lives of many people. Your social work dissertation would be an important part of your degree program. You need to choose the right social work dissertation topics considering your area of interest.

We offer a list of social work dissertation topics providing suggestions on research topics on social work and project topic on social work. So, if you are stuck in choosing social work dissertation topics and project topics on social work, you can take our help. We not only help in topic selection but also offer writing services.

List of Social work dissertation topics

The role of social workers in the evolution of children raised in violent families.

Studying the impact of social work on the mental health of visually impaired people.

The importance of social work for domestic violence in slum areas.

The role of social workers in rescuing procedures of earthquake victims.

The risks involved in the areas of an epidemic for social work professionals.

Evaluating the legal rights of families of social workers working in susceptible areas – case of the UK.

Investigating the role of social work in the mainstream development of low-income groups.

The significant problems associated with dealing with children related to the victims of kidnapping.

How social workers can help in bringing positive changes and developments in society?

How social workers highlight the problems of society and contribute to developing solutions to reduce problems?

Impact of technology on mass communication and how it reaches the public.

What are the main reasons behind homelessness in the UK?

Are there any connections between race and the occurrence of child abuse in families?

Exploring the relationship between social work and social problems studying systems theory and constructionism.

The relationship between sociology, social work, and social problems.

Analysing the knowledge of social conditions and social problems.

How social work is contributing to solving social problems in underdeveloped countries?

The strategies that can be used by social workers to volunteer for helping elderly people?

Helping stray animals can help in creating a better place to live in – A qualitative analysis.

A literature review on how social work has a positive impact on society and communities.

Can social workers convince people to act responsibly and ethically?

Exploring the future of the newspaper based on qualitative analysis.

Values, dilemmas and political controversies faced by the professional social workers.

Analysing the societal challenges that affect the role of social workers.

Critique the social work profession’s response to social problems.

Discussing the cases of how the donations are used unethically and inappropriately.

Importance of a journalist’s integrity while reporting.

The importance of transparency and accountability in the field of social work.

Topic With Mini-Proposal (Paid Service)

Along with a topic, you will also get;

• An explanation why we choose this topic.
• 2-3 research questions.
• Key literature resources identification.
• Suitable methodology with identification of raw sample size, and data collection method
• View a sample of topic consultation service

Get expert dissertation writing help to achieve good grades

• Writer consultation before payment to ensure your work is in safe hands.
• Free topic if you don't have one
• Draft submissions to check the quality of the work as per supervisor's feedback
• Free revisions
• Complete privacy
• Plagiarism Free work
• Guaranteed 2:1 (With help of your supervisor's feedback)
• 2 Instalments plan
• Special discounts

Other Posts

Message Us On WhatsApp

• Search Menu
• Sign in through your institution
• Advance articles
• Editor's Choice
• Author Guidelines
• Submission Site
• Open Access
• About The British Journal of Social Work
• About the British Association of Social Workers
• Editorial Board
• Advertising and Corporate Services
• Journals Career Network
• Self-Archiving Policy
• Dispatch Dates
• Journals on Oxford Academic
• Books on Oxford Academic

Article Contents

Introduction, prior studies of dissertation research, purpose of the present study, acknowledgements.

• < Previous

The Empirical Status of Social Work Dissertation Research: Characteristics, Trends and Implications for the Field

• Article contents
• Figures & tables
• Supplementary Data

Brandy R. Maynard, Michael G. Vaughn, Christine M. Sarteschi, The Empirical Status of Social Work Dissertation Research: Characteristics, Trends and Implications for the Field, The British Journal of Social Work , Volume 44, Issue 2, March 2014, Pages 267–289, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcs123

• Permissions Icon Permissions

The quality and composition of a profession's body of knowledge bear significantly on the status, credibility and praxis of a profession. To assess the social work profession's capacity to build and advance knowledge, the present study examined characteristics and trends of social work doctoral dissertation research. A random sample of 593 social work dissertation abstracts from dissertations published in ProQuest Dissertations and Abstracts between 1998 and 2008 from US member schools of the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE) comprised the sample for this study. Data related to study design, methods, data sources, practice domains, participants, topics and international focus were extracted and analysed. The broad variety of research topics and participants chosen by doctoral candidates to study reflect traditional social work focal concerns. Observational research designs were used in the vast majority of dissertations, with only 7 per cent of doctoral candidates employing an experimental design. Quantitative analysis was utilised more than twice as frequently as qualitative methods. An upward trend in the use of secondary data was observed across the ten-year time frame. The findings of this study provide interesting and important insights into the characteristics and trends of doctoral education and research and have significant implications for doctoral training and social work research.

The way in which knowledge is built and used by social workers continues to be of significant concern and interest to the profession. Since Flexner's conclusions in 1915 that social work was not a profession because it had not established a unique body of knowledge ( Flexner, 2001 ) and, later, that social work research was at a point of crisis ( Task Force on Social Work Research, 1991 ), concerted efforts have been made to build knowledge and increase research capacity in social work ( Fraser and Taylor, 1991 ; Kirk and Reid, 2002 ; McRoy et al. , 2012 ). Some see building a discipline-specific body of knowledge as a legitimate and worthwhile goal. Others question our continued pursuits to identify and establish a discipline-specific body of knowledge, calling instead for the development of problem-specific knowledge built and used across disciplines ( Thyer, 2002 ). Regardless of whether one is more worthwhile than the other, it is important for social workers to generate knowledge to inform our understanding of and improve policies and practice with populations and problems with which social workers are concerned. To do this, we need to utilise methods that can help us answer important questions and focus on contemporary issues, problems and practices relevant to social work.

Advancing the knowledge of a profession is critical in all disciplines and social work is no exception. The quality and composition of the knowledge base and research capacity in social work is imperative to the sustainment and advancement of the social work profession, to build our credibility as a profession and to maintain the support of others outside social work ( Fanshel, 1980 ). The purpose of social work research, however, does not lie solely in the perpetuation of social work as a profession. Many would argue that the primary purpose of advancing a body of knowledge in social work is to directly inform social work practice and policy. Social work is a profession founded on and committed to praxis, with a stated mission to ‘enhance the well-being and help meet the basic needs of all people’ ( National Association of Social Workers, 1999 , p. 1). One could argue that the primary aim of social work research and knowledge, then, should be to benefit society and the thousands of people with whom social workers work ( McRoy et al. , 2012 ; Task Force on Social Work Research, 1991 ).

Although most agree that knowledge is important to advance the profession and to inform practice, the means by which knowledge is generated, transmitted and used has not enjoyed such consensus in social work ( Thyer and Myers, 2011 ). Like other professions, social work has witnessed paradigm shifts, debates about methodology, epistemology, the role and purpose of research, and the use of evidence in practice ( Fisher, 1981 ; Tyson, 1995 ; Gambrill, 1999 ; Maynard, 2007 ). Evidence-based practice (EBP) has been the most recent shift in paradigms, bringing renewed interest, critical evaluation and debate to the research enterprise in social work. The EBP paradigm emphasises the use of social work knowledge to inform practice and policy, and has reinvigorated the debates about what counts as knowledge and what may be the ‘best’ ways of generating that knowledge to answer certain questions. This renewed interest in using research to directly inform practice has created opportunities and reasons to reflect on and assess methods of knowledge generation and research capacity in social work.

Examining current methods used and knowledge generated by social workers to assess the contemporary state of social work research and knowledge can be challenging. Thyer (2002) describes numerous barriers to adequately assessing the body of knowledge to which social workers are uniquely contributing. Social workers co-author articles with authors from other professions and publish in journals outside social work. Non-social workers contribute to social work knowledge by conducting research that involves social workers and publishing in social work journals. Thus, attempting to examine the knowledge and methods used by social workers vis-à-vis assessing peer-reviewed articles can be problematic.

Another option to assess the current state of social work research and contributions to knowledge is to examine dissertation research conducted by doctoral candidates of social work programmes. Because doctoral dissertations are produced at the end of doctoral graduate studies in social work, dissertations are a culmination and reflection of students' personal and professional experiences, substantive and methodological training, and professional socialisation received in their doctoral programmes ( Anastas, 2012 ). Given that dissertations are conducted under the advisement of a dissertation committee, the dissertation can also be viewed as a reflection of the interests and expertise of social work faculty. In these respects, social work dissertations are uniquely positioned to provide a window into the methods, interests, expertise and preparation of the next generation of social work scholars and researchers ( Lekwa and Ysseldyke, 2010 ). By examining doctoral dissertation research, we can assess the extent to which newer social work scholars are developing expertise in research methodologies and content areas to prepare them to contribute knowledge and meet the needs and challenges of the field.

Prior surveys of social work dissertation research have been conducted for a number of different purposes. For example, Brun (1997) conducted a study examining the qualitative research process employed in a sample of fifty-seven social work dissertations completed between 1986 and 1993. Brun chose to examine doctoral dissertations for his study, not to examine dissertation research per se, but because dissertations ‘typically contain much detail about the research process’ ( Brun, 1997 , p. 96). Brun found that doctoral candidates justified their use of qualitative methods because it provided a method to better understand the lived experiences of the participants and to fill a gap in the current state of knowledge about the studied phenomenon. He also described complexities, issues and challenges doctoral student researchers encountered conducting qualitative research, which included achieving balance between participant's lived experiences and connecting those experiences to theory, and the role of the researcher and interactions with the participants. Adams and White (1994) conducted a comparative analysis assessing methods and quality of dissertation research across six disciplines, including social work. While their primary focus was on the field of public administration, they included 192 social work dissertations in their study. Adams and White found the proportion of dissertations utilising a survey research methodology was higher in social work dissertations than in the other disciplines. Experimental designs were employed in 8 per cent of the social work dissertations, ranking social work at fourth compared to the other disciplines. In the assessment of quality of dissertations, social work ranked last. More recently, Horton and Hawkins (2010) examined abstracts of social work dissertations published in 2006 to identify those that were focused on intervention (direct practice outcomes). Of the 252 doctoral dissertation abstracts reviewed, 13.49 per cent were focused on intervention. Horton and Hawkins argued that the lack of focus on intervention outcome research by social work doctoral candidates indicates a need to examine social work education and the research system to affect the production of intervention research and bridge the research–practice schism.

Four additional studies of dissertation research were conducted to examine the state of social work research within the context of specific countries outside the USA. Dellgran and Hojer (2001) examined characteristics, subject areas and research methods utilised in bachelor's and master's theses and doctoral dissertations produced in Swedish social work programmes between 1988 and 1998. They found that 50 per cent of Swedish dissertations in social work used qualitative methods, 14 per cent used quantitative methods and 35 per cent used mixed methods. Of those that used quantitative methods during the last three-year period they surveyed, none used an experimental design and the majority used primary material. Social problems and phenomena were studied the most frequently. Shek, Lee and Tam (2007) examined dissertations from departments of social work in Taiwan. They followed Dellgran and Hojer's research methods classification scheme to examine research methods used in Taiwanese dissertations. They also found a preponderance of dissertations utilising qualitative methods (67 per cent). The third examination of social work dissertations was conducted by Lyons (2002) in the context of a larger inquiry into social work doctoral education in the UK. Lyons examined titles of social work dissertations completed since 1967 and categorised them by content and focus of the dissertation. Lyons found that nearly half were related to a particular client group; about one-third address organisation or management; one-fifth related to methods, settings or aspects of knowledge, theories, skills or values; and the remainder focused on education, training and professional development of social workers. Most recently, Scourfield and Maxwell (2010) surveyed doctoral students in the UK and reviewed 382 doctoral theses to examine characteristics of doctoral students, their research and their experiences of doctoral study. The largest proportion of dissertations focused on children, young people and families (34 per cent) while research on organisation and management (9 per cent) and education, training and professional development (8 per cent) were the focus of investigation in relatively few dissertations. Qualitative methodologies were employed in 40 per cent of the dissertations, quantitative methods in 8 per cent, mixed methods in 18 per cent and the remainder (34 per cent) could not be categorised.

Prior studies of social work doctoral dissertation research have provided important insights into specific methods and issues being studied within specific contexts to inform social work research and doctoral education. Unfortunately, the aforementioned studies have been narrow in focus or conducted in countries in which social work education programmes and practice are, as some have described, in an earlier developmental stage than in the USA ( Dellgran and Hojer, 2001 ; Lyons, 2003 ). These factors limit their general usefulness in describing the current state of social work research in the USA.

Examination of doctoral dissertations can provide an indication of the research training and interests, expertise and experiences of the newest generation of researchers and scholars in the field ( Lekwa and Ysseldyke, 2010 ). A current and comprehensive examination of doctoral dissertations could also provide a renewed perspective and enhanced understanding of the evolving patterns of research training and capacity in the field of social work, as well as shed light on current trends and gaps.

Therefore, this study was designed to address the following questions regarding social work doctoral dissertation research: (i) How is dissertation research being conducted (research design, method and data sources used)? (ii) What social work practice areas are being addressed? (iii) Who is being studied? (iv) What is being studied? (v) What is the frequency of international focus? and (vi) What do overall trends in social work dissertation research suggest?

Selection of dissertations

Social work dissertations published in ProQuest Dissertations and Abstracts between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2008 from member schools of the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE) were eligible for this study. GADE is a non-profit voluntary professional organisation committed to the advancement of doctoral education in social work. GADE membership comprises schools of social work and social welfare located in Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited schools. Since doctoral programmes are not formally accredited by CSWE, GADE membership serves as a proxy indicator of programme credibility and quality ( Horton and Hawkins, 2010 ).

The time frame, January 1998–December 2008, was chosen for several reasons. First, a ten-year period roughly coincides with the emergence of the evidence-based practice movement and an acceleration of research as a priority in schools of social work. Although not exhaustive, a ten-year period provides a reasonable sampling to gauge major features of social work dissertations. Also, this study was part of a larger study examining several research questions related to doctoral dissertation research; therefore, we selected the time frame based on the larger study. The outer limit of 2008 was chosen for the purposes of the second part of the study—examining the publication pattern of social work dissertations. Because papers written from dissertations can take up to three years to be published, we wanted to allow enough time for publication. The results of the second part of the study are reported in another paper ( Maynard et al. , 2012 ).

The search strategy was developed in consultation with a librarian to determine the most effective and efficient search process in the ProQuest Dissertations and Abstracts database. The search fields in ProQuest were utilised to conduct a more targeted search for social work dissertations and reduce the number of false positives (i.e. sensitivity) and false negatives (i.e. specificity) retrieved. The term (social work) was entered in the Classification field and NOT (Psychology or Sociology) was entered in the Department field. In addition, the search was limited to doctoral dissertations and those written in the English language. Lastly, the name of each GADE member school was entered to limit the search to those schools.

The search yielded 3,088 dissertations. A random sample of 618 (20 per cent) dissertations was then selected to be included in the study. During the coding process, twenty-five dissertations were found to be ineligible due to being outside of the field of social work. The final sample of dissertations included in this study totalled 593.

Coding instrument

A coding instrument was developed by the authors to guide systematic examination of the dissertation abstracts. The coding instrument was designed to extract information related to study design and methodology, data source, primary practice domains addressed, study participants and whether the dissertation had an international focus. Descriptions of study designs and methods categories are provided in Table  1 . All categories, with the exception of research topics categories, were developed a priori and designed to be mutually exclusive.

Study design and method category descriptions

The coding processes suggested by Cooper (2010) were adapted for the needs of this study. The first and third authors, who have prior experience coding, tested the coding form with dissertation abstracts that were outside of the sampling frame for this study. The pilot testing allowed for further refinement and clarification of the coding form. The coders then selected ten abstracts from the sample to code independently. After each independently coded the same ten abstracts, the coders met to discuss each of the abstracts and codes that were assigned. This process was conducted twice to meet the 90 per cent interrater reliability expectation.

The remaining dissertation abstracts were then divided between the first and third authors. Each coder independently coded their assigned abstracts. The coders discussed coding difficulties or ambiguities throughout the coding process, which served against coding bias and improved accuracy of codes. After all abstracts were coded, 50 per cent of the abstracts were double coded by a second coder. Interrater reliability was obtained by dividing the number of agreements by the number of possible agreements for each abstract. There was 94 per cent agreement between coders.

Dissertations were categorised according to study design and methodology, data sources used, primary practice areas addressed, primary subject of the study and whether the dissertation was conducted internationally. Each dissertation was coded into only one category per factor. If the coders identified more than one category into which the dissertation could be placed, the coder re-read the abstract and coded the dissertation according to what was determined by the coder to be the primary category.

Dissertations were also coded for the research topic(s) of the dissertation. Because we anticipated the topics addressed by the dissertators would be broad and cover a diverse range of topics and issues, a priori categories of research topics were not defined. We utilised an inductive qualitative data analysis strategy from the titles and descriptions that were extracted during the initial data extraction and coding process. The first author read all of the titles and descriptions, and developed categories from the data. Then, the first author went back through all of the titles and descriptions, and coded the studies using the categories that were developed in the first step. As the author coded the dissertations, some categories were re-defined and some new categories were added. The first author then coded all of the dissertations a second time with the more refined categories and coding scheme. Following the second coding by the first author, the third author then coded 20 per cent of the dissertations using the coding scheme and definitions the first author developed. Agreement between the first and third author was 93 per cent. After running the initial descriptive analysis, we identified several categories in which there were fewer than five studies. After reviewing these categories and re-examining the dissertations that were coded into these categories, we made decisions to (i) keep the category with a small number of studies ( n = 1); (ii) combine the category with others ( n = 4); or (iii) eliminate the category ( n = 3). All of the studies that had been coded into a category that was eliminated had also been coded into at least one other category during the coding process, thus they remained in the analysis. A list and description of the research topic categories can be found in Table  2 .

Dissertation research topic categories

Study design, methodology and data sources

The predominant design employed by doctoral candidates in social work dissertations was observational, with 92 per cent of the dissertations classified into this category. Experimental designs were employed in 7 per cent of the dissertations, with the remaining designs categorised as undetermined due to lack of detail in the abstract. Examining the design subcategories provides more detailed information about the designs employed. Of the thirty-eight dissertations in which an experimental design was employed, ten were randomised experiments, one was an interrupted time series design, twelve were between group quasi-experimental designs, nine were single-group pre-post test designs, two were single subject designs and the remaining four were experimental designs, but the specific sub-type could not be determined with confidence. Of the observational studies, the majority (51 per cent) was classified as cross-sectional correlational designs, with descriptive/case studies being the second most frequent design. The remaining observational study design categories were employed at relatively low frequencies. Table  3 provides a summary of the number and proportion of studies within each design, method and data source category.

Design, method and data sources used in dissertations

The vast majority of doctoral candidates employed quantitative analyses in their dissertations. Of the 593 dissertations, quantitative methods were used in 57 per cent of the dissertations, qualitative methods in 22 per cent of the dissertations and mixed methods in 14 per cent of the dissertations. In more than half of the dissertations, primary data were utilised. Secondary data sources, including extant research and administrative data, were utilised in 24 per cent of the dissertations, and both primary and secondary data sources were utilised in 3 per cent of the dissertations.

In addition to examining the frequencies with which different designs, methodologies and data sources were utilised, we also examined whether there were any trends in the use of different designs and methodologies across the ten-year time span from which dissertations were drawn. Table  4 presents the zero order correlations between each research and design feature with year. No relationship was found between year and the use of experimental or observational designs or the use of qualitative or quantitative methods. A strong and statistically significant positive correlation was found between year and the frequency with which secondary data were used in dissertations ( r = 0.772, p < 0.05), indicating a trend of secondary data sources being utilised more frequently over time.

Annual percentage of dissertations by design, method and data source

* p < 0.05.

Social work practice domains

The number and percentage of dissertations addressing each practice domain are summarised in Table  5 . The micro-practice domain (individuals, families, small groups) was the primary domain addressed in the majority of the dissertations, with 66 per cent of the dissertations categorised in this domain. Macro practice, including organisations, communities, policies, events or social problems, was the primary focus of 18 per cent of the studies. Social work education, continuing education or the social work profession was the focus of 13 per cent of the studies. Social work doctoral candidates studied research methods in only five studies (less than 1 per cent). In the remaining studies, the focus was either not directly related to an area of social work or the focal area of the study was not able to be determined by the description provided in the abstract.

Social work practice domains addressed

Subjects of dissertation research

Doctoral candidates conducted research with a variety of subjects. The primary subjects with whom dissertation research was conducted are summarised in Table  6 . Although adults were the focus of the research in 40 per cent of the dissertations, research was also conducted with children and adolescents (15 per cent), social work practitioners and similar professionals (15 per cent), families (6 per cent), older adults (6 per cent) and social work students and educators (3 per cent). Other professionals, such as teachers and clergy, were the subjects in 2 per cent of the dissertations. While the majority of studies targeted specific groups of people, the primary subject of the research in 11 per cent of dissertations was an organisation, policy, community or social problem.

Research participants

Although many social work dissertations included people from a variety of backgrounds and racial and ethnic groups, some social work dissertators focused their research on specific ethnic and racial groups. Of the 593 dissertation abstracts reviewed, seventy-nine were identified as focusing on a specific racial group(s) in the USA. These ethnic and racial groups included African American/black ( n = 35), Asian ( n = 19), Hispanic/Latino ( n = 7) and a variety of others ( n = 18).

Issues and topics of dissertation research

Social workers who obtained doctoral degrees during the time period under investigation demonstrated interests in a broad range of topics and issues. The frequency of each topic being researched and the percentage of dissertations covering each topic are provided in Table  7 . Dissertations were coded into all categories as they applied. The majority of dissertations were categorised into one topic ( n = 297), many into two topic areas ( n = 235), some covered three topic areas ( n = 58) and a small number were categorised into four topic areas ( n = 4). The most frequently researched topics were those related to race, ethnicity and culture (17 per cent). Topics or issues related to mental health (15 per cent), clinical social work practice (10 per cent), aging (9 per cent) and at-risk youth (9 per cent) were also relatively frequently researched by doctoral candidates. Health/medical social work (8 per cent), substance use (8 per cent) and child welfare (7 per cent) were the next most frequently researched topics. The topics under investigation in the remaining dissertations were studied less frequently. Technology in social work education and practice, along with research, were the two least frequently researched topics in social work dissertations.

Research topics

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive.

International social work

Of the 593 dissertations, twenty-seven (4.5 per cent) were conducted in or on a country outside of the USA. India and Korea were most frequently the focus or location, with three dissertations each, followed by Taiwan and Ghana, which were each the focus/location in two dissertations. The following locales were each the focus or site of one dissertation: Africa, Canada, Central Europe, developing countries, Europe, Germany and Hungary, Iceland, Kuwait, Mexico, Nepal, Palestine, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

The preparation of future researchers, scholars and stewards of the discipline is critical to the continuing health of a profession (Walker et al. , 2008). The preparation doctoral candidates receive, and the research and scholarship they produce during their years in a doctoral programme lay the foundation for their capacity to contribute to the body of social work knowledge throughout their careers. Doctoral dissertation research provides a unique vantage point from which to assess the research capacity of those who will be the future leaders and stewards of the discipline. The present study examined social work dissertation research across a ten-year time span to identify current trends in social work research and analyse the training, interests and expertise of the newest generation of social work scholars and researchers. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive study of social work dissertation research ever conducted. These findings provide interesting and important insights into the trends and characteristics of social work research and doctoral education.

The breadth and variety of research topics and participants under investigation in doctoral dissertation research reflect the breadth and diversity of the social work profession. Doctoral candidates addressed a number of problems and issues, as well as a variety of populations, in their dissertation research. The choice of topics and the frequency with which these topics were addressed in dissertations reflect the programme offerings and concentrations within master's-level social work programmes. According to the Annual Survey of Social Work Programs ( Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), 2010 ), clinical practice, heath and mental health, children and youth and aging/gerontology were the most prevalent master's concentrations during the 2009–10 academic year, which is congruent with the frequency with which these topics are under investigation in dissertations. Issues related to cultural competence and race/ethnicity being the most frequent topic under investigation in social work dissertations reflects the mission and values of the social work profession.

Social work practice domains addressed in dissertation research emphasise direct practice. The majority of dissertations were categorised under the micro-practice area, with three times more dissertations focusing on micro practice than macro practice and very little emphasis on education, the social work profession or research. This is consistent with Lyons's (2002) finding that the predominant focus in dissertations in the UK was on client groups, suggesting a strong emphasis on topics related to professional practice. The emphasis on common practice topics is consistent with master's programmes, as well as the field of social work. In the USA, direct practice/clinical, advanced generalist and generalist practice accounted for 75 per cent of the student enrolment in MSW programmes, with the remainder of students enrolling in community planning/organisation, management or administration, social policy, programme evaluation or a combination of these (CSWE, 2010). Positions in which new graduates of social work programmes are employed are predominantly located within the micro context of practice. Since the majority of doctoral students hold a master's degree in social work (CSWE, 2010), it is likely that their practice experience is reflected in their choice to conduct dissertation work within the micro-practice context.

Although it seems reasonable that dissertation research reflects the practice field and doctoral candidates' experiences, the sparse research conducted on social work education is concerning. Doctoral education in social work is meant ‘to prepare social work scholars and researchers of the highest quality so that they may make significant contributions to social work education as well as to the scientific and professional literature in social work and social welfare’ ( GADE, 2003 , p. 1). With only 3 per cent of dissertations addressing social work education, one may conclude that little to no emphasis is being placed on scholarship and research on social work education in doctoral programmes in the field. Given that a little over 40 per cent of doctoral graduates are employed in tenure or non-tenure faculty positions (CSWE, 2010), training doctoral students to conduct research on teaching and learning in order to inform social work education and curriculum seems warranted. Using evidence to inform social work practice has been emphasised in the extant literature, but we have apparently not yet embraced the need to produce and use evidence to inform teaching in schools of social work. As such, faculty in schools of social work rely on ‘teaching wisdom’ to inform their pedagogical practice in much the same way as practitioners rely on practice wisdom.

Our findings suggest that social work doctoral candidates as a group have, to some extent, embraced methodological pluralism. Although dissertators utilised quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods, the predominance of quantitative methods being used in doctoral dissertation research across the ten-year time span found by this present study is in contrast to the findings of Dellgran and Hojer (2001) and Shek et al. (2007) , both of whom found qualitative methods to be more prevalent in dissertations from schools of social work in Sweden and Taiwan, respectively. Although we anticipated the use of mixed-methods studies to be on the rise, we found no evidence of an upward trend in the use of mixed methods over the ten-year time span.

The research designs utilised by doctoral candidates to conduct their dissertation research were predominantly observational designs, with 51 per cent being cross-sectional correlational designs and 26 per cent being descriptive. Given the increased emphasis on evidence-based practice since the 1990s and the necessity for increased intervention and outcomes-based research, it was somewhat surprising to find so few doctoral candidates (only 7 per cent) utilised an experimental design. Combining the number of experimental designs with that of programme evaluation and systematic reviews/meta-analyses found in the present study, only 12 per cent of the dissertations were focused on intervention outcome research. This is consistent with Horton and Hawkins's (2010) findings with 13.49 per cent of dissertations in their study focused on intervention. Although intervention research has been emphasised vis-à-vis the evidence-based practice movement in social work, intervention research has not found its way into social work doctoral programmes, at least not as indicated by doctoral dissertation research. Furthermore, the trend, though not statistically significant, indicated less, not more, intervention research.

The extent to which dissertations focus on examining relationships between variables or describing phenomena, as opposed to examining outcomes of interventions, suggests a number of possible contributing factors. One possible explanation is that doctoral programmes are emphasising research designs and statistical techniques appropriate for correlational and descriptive research instead of emphasising or training doctoral students to conduct experimental research and analysis. This emphasis could reflect the close connection to and import of traditional social science approaches on social work. That is, social scientists (e.g. economists, sociologists and political scientists) in general do not conduct intervention research. Another possible explanation is that experimental research can be more challenging to conduct. It requires collaborations with other entities to find participants and settings in which to conduct the study, possibly precluding doctoral students from attempting an experimental study for their dissertation. Yet another possibility is social work faculty are not comfortable with, experienced or interested in conducting experimental research and so are, in turn, not training or encouraging their doctoral students to do so. Whatever the explanation, the lack of intervention research being conducted by doctoral candidates is a concern because there is a demand, both within and outside the field, for rigorous outcome and evaluation research.

Another interesting finding is the observed trend in the use of secondary, or extant, data sources in doctoral dissertation research. Extant data sources, particularly large, national data-sets, can be very appealing for use in a doctoral dissertation. First, national data-sets can provide a large sample size and great number of measured variables, which would be extremely expensive and time-consuming for a doctoral candidate to obtain independently. A large sample size and more variables allow for a larger variety of techniques and analysis, as well as greater power. In addition, conducting analysis with extant data sources can be done more quickly than collecting data directly from participants, thus potentially allowing doctoral students to complete their dissertations more expeditiously.

Limitations

There are several limitations to this study that are important to note and consider when interpreting the results. First, the dissertations were drawn from a single source, the ProQuest Dissertations and Abstracts database. Although our search strategy was designed to retrieve the population of social work dissertations published in the selected years and filter out non-social work dissertations, we may have either missed some social work dissertations or included some non-social work dissertations. Also, not all dissertations conducted by doctoral students in schools of social work are published in ProQuest Dissertations and Abstracts. It is possible that doctoral graduates who chose not to publish their dissertations with ProQuest could have conducted studies that are significantly different from those that are published in ProQuest.

Second, the studies were coded according to the information provided in the abstract rather than in the full dissertation. Because no structured format for dissertation abstracts is required by ProQuest or by schools of social work, the quality and detail of information in the abstracts were highly variable. It is possible that the information provided by the author was insufficient, inaccurate or did not provide enough detail, thus affecting the way in which the abstract was coded.

The coding scheme used to capture data from dissertation abstracts was developed by the authors. Although the authors who coded the abstracts had good agreement in the coding between them, another person using the same coding form without the shared definitions or understanding of the categories could possibly code the abstracts differently and thus obtain different results.

Finally, this study is limited to the time frame of 1998–2008 and so does not capture dissertations from the most recent three-year period. Although unlikely, it is possible that the last three years of dissertations may be significantly different from the prior ten years and, if that were the case, including dissertations from 2009–11 may have resulted in different findings and led to different conclusions.

Implications

The findings of this study provide some insights into doctoral education and training as well as indicators of research capacity being developed among those who will be the new stewards of the discipline. The numerous efforts to build research capacity may fail to make lasting impacts if we do not train the next generation of social work researchers to conduct rigorous, relevant research that can substantively add to the knowledge base of social work and be utilised to inform practice and policy. Although the ‘many ways of knowing’ seem to have been embraced within social work, it is clear that some ways of knowing are more frequently employed than others. The questions then become: Are doctoral students learning and utilising designs and focusing on topics and populations that are most relevant to advance knowledge in the field? Is it acceptable that only 7 per cent of dissertations are utilising experimental designs? Is the increase in the use of extant data sources reflective of the need to answer relevant and necessary questions with that data? Or is it reflective of the desire for students to complete their dissertations more quickly and/or become skilled in a methodology that will allow them to produce and publish with greater frequency to meet the demands and pressure for tenure? Given the increased pressure on doctoral students and junior faculty to publish, some concern exists that the pressure to complete dissertations quickly and publish prolifically are driving choices of research design and topics rather than the needs of the field and profession or the learning skills doctoral candidates will need to answer relevant questions. Furthermore, funding may also be a factor that influences the choices doctoral students make about their dissertation research. It is unknown to what extent social work dissertations are influenced by real and perceived funding; however, it seems likely that the choice of methods and topic may be conditioned to some degree by external economic influences such as funding or even the need to acquire a tenure-earning position as expeditiously as possible.

Although we do not advocate preferential treatment for one research design or methodology, the increased emphasis on evidence-based practice and demand for rigorously designed intervention research suggests a need for doctoral students to be trained in and encouraged to conduct rigorous outcome research on interventions. In addition, there is also a need for researchers who are trained in systematic reviews and meta-analysis to retrieve, examine, evaluate and synthesise existing research in a systematic way to help inform practice and policy decisions ( Littell et al. , 2008 ). Given the small percentage of studies employing experimental designs or conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, it appears that we are not responding to the current need for this type of research.

The lack of applied research by doctoral candidates may reflect a deficit in research capacity within schools of social work. To engage in relevant and applied research, faculty members need to be skilled in advanced research methodologies themselves, which may require additional training in methodologies they may not have received in their own doctoral programmes. Additionally, faculty and schools need to be committed to conduct applied research, build community–university partnerships and secure external funding to more readily provide opportunities for doctoral students to engage in applied research. McRoy et al. (2012) give recommendations for building a research culture and infrastructure within schools of social work. Several of these recommendations, if adopted, could facilitate the training and professionalisation of doctoral candidates to engage in practice-relevant research, to build upon the knowledge base and advance the profession's efforts to build research capacity after they graduate.

In conclusion, this comprehensive study sought to assess the major features and trends in social work dissertation research over a ten-year time period roughly paralleling the rise of the evidence-based practice paradigm. A broad spectrum of research topics has been carried out in these dissertations, most of which reflect traditional social work practice topics. However, the overwhelming use of observational designs, typically utilising correlational analyses, accompanied by the limited number of dissertations using experimental designs, rigorous outcome studies or even research syntheses of outcome research that can directly inform practice and policy suggests that social work needs to take stock of, critically evaluate and perhaps reconsider the goals of dissertation research and the research training of doctoral students.

The authors are grateful for support from the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk and the Institute of Education Sciences (grant # R324B080008). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Meadows Center or the Institute of Education Sciences.

Google Scholar

Google Preview

Email alerts

Citing articles via.

• Recommend to your Library

Affiliations

• Online ISSN 1468-263X
• Print ISSN 0045-3102
• Copyright © 2024 British Association of Social Workers
• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Institutional account management
• Rights and permissions
• Get help with access
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Blog Social work with adults

https://socialworkwithadults.blog.gov.uk/2024/05/21/collaboration-spurs-mental-health-social-care-research/

Collaboration spurs mental health social care research

Losing connection

Support for people with mental health problems, their families and carers, is often overlooked, meaning the ‘social’ in social care is sometimes forgotten.

People experiencing mental health problems, including those living with severe mental illness, often say things like better housing, meaningful occupations, enough money, more friends, and close relationships would make a positive difference in their lives.

Most people would agree maintaining social connection is important to living better lives. Balanced, high-quality local mental health systems should account for this when supporting individuals, families and communities.

Yet, this aspect frequently has a lower profile in local and national mental health policy and practice – directly affecting the support and opportunities open to people living with mental health issues.

This is partly because the evidence about the role and impact of social work in delivering this valued support is often dispersed and under-developed.

Collaborating to define effective mental health support

Michael Clark, Catherine Robinson, Duncan Tree and a network of colleagues, including people with lived experience of mental health problems, individuals with caring responsibilities and practitioners, have been collaborating to develop research in mental health social care (MHSC).

This field encompasses social work and the work of local authorities in mental health care and support. It also brings together community and voluntary sector organisations working in the area, particularly members of the Association of Mental Health Providers .

It is an area summarised by the Chair of our steering group, Linda Bryant , as ‘being alongside people’. Our first paper, written at the request of the Department of Health and Social Care, established the identity and boundaries of mental health social care and defined its importance to integrated systems.

In work funded by the NIHR School for Social Care Research , we further defined mental health social care and relevant frames of reference, including a social model for supporting people. The roles of local authorities and social workers also provide valuable context for understanding what MHSC is, as do those involved in voluntary and community work.

In our latest development, we have launched an NIHR-supported Research Incubator in Mental Health Social Care to support research capacity building in this field. This included organising two MHSC summits supported by the NIHR Three Schools Mental Health Programme and NIHR-supported Incubator for Social Care seed funding.

In December last year and March 2024 we brought together stakeholders collaborating to develop MHSC, including representatives from the British Association of Social Workers and frontline social workers in mental health care. Reports of these events are being prepared and will be available on the soon to be launched Incubator website.

The way ahead

Over the next three years, we will undertake activities through the Incubator to help people and groups develop their engagement with MHSC research and practice. This will include support to people and groups to develop their research ideas.

There are examples of great MHSC research. Martin Webber has developed the evidence for the Connecting People Intervention to help practitioners support people to be more connected to others.

Meanwhile, Bryn Lloyd-Evans has developed a model of community navigators to alleviate loneliness for people suffering with anxiety and/or depression. We need to build on this evidence, implement it and improve the support people receive from local systems.

If you are interested in contributing to the development of MHSC or would like to know more about the NIHR-supported Mental Health Social Care Research Incubator, contact us here .

We want to see even more social workers join the network and help us develop the evidence base. In return, we’ll do what we can to support anyone developing their own MHSC research.

Tags: Connecting People , mental health , social care , social work

Sharing and comments

Share this page, leave a comment.

Cancel reply

By submitting a comment you understand it may be published on this public website. Please read our privacy notice to see how the GOV.UK blogging platform handles your information.

Related content and links

Social work with adults.

Insights, updates and reflections from the Chief Social Worker for Adults and others working in the field.

Find out more .

• Other DH blogs

Sign up and manage updates

• Donor Portal Sign In
• PBS Sign In

As social workers join Northeast Ohio first responders, studies of mental health outcomes are few

Earlier this month, four Cuyahoga County suburbs announced they would employ social workers to work alongside police and firefighters — following the lead of Shaker Heights, which started a pilot program in 2022.

The concept is meant to improve outcomes for people suffering mental health crises. And while it's only now beginning to spread in Northeast Ohio, the idea of having trained mental health professionals work with first responders isn't new nationally.

A few police departments have used social workers for decades, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office . And while the current count of police and fire departments with social workers is unknown , it appears that a growing number of cities have hired mental health workers amid recent demands for police reform.

How effective is the practice in averting mental health crises?

That's unclear.

A 2018 systematic review published to BioMed Central Psychiatry determined, “There remains a lack of evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of street triage and the characteristics, experience, and outcomes of service users."

The report found there's a lot of variation between departments in terms of hours worked, staffing practices and incident response methods — making it difficult to study overall impacts.

However, researchers from Western Carolina University did note that establishing definitive roles between police and social workers appears to result in better outcomes .

When officers and mental health professionals respond to calls together and play distinct roles in dealing with the crisis, "officers benefit by gaining a better understanding of mental health issues, and community members report that these interactions are less stressful and less stigmatizing than a traditional police response,” the researchers wrote.

Success in other cities

Eugene, Oregon has paired crisis workers with its police department for the past 30 years. When calls that contain a mental health component come in, a medic and a crisis worker employed by a local clinic respond. Police only respond if the situation seems to require their help, according to NPR .

In Denver, a mental health response team that paired social workers with police answered nearly 750 calls in six months with no arrests, NPR reported in 2021 . City officials declared that pilot program a success and have allocated funds to continue it.

Closer to Northeast Ohio, the city of Columbus expanded its Alternative Response Pilot Program in 2021 to reduce police involvement in mental health, drug addiction and other calls concerning social matters. That pilot program showed early promise, The Columbus Dispatch reported . All 56 calls received in the first 18 days were handled without any reported use of force, and nearly half required no police or fire presence.

But that program has yet to move from the pilot stage, according to WCMH . Columbus City Council previously said it would set aside money in the city’s operating budget to fund the program, but has failed to do so as of last fall, WCMH reported.

"By intervening early, these teams promote treatment, recovery, and show the community that mental health is taken seriously with the care of the individual in mind."

In Cleveland, police partnered with the Cuyahoga County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board to develop a Crisis Intervention Training — part of a national program designed to train police officers to handle encounters with individuals living with mental illness.

There were nearly 5,000 Crisis Intervention Team incidents in Cleveland in 2022. Of those, mental health issues were present in 89%. Nearly half of those calls required verbal de-escalation techniques while 16% required additional police presence. Only 18 incidents in 2022 required use of force, according to data from the program .

Cleveland has been exploring the concept of sending trained community workers on crisis calls instead of police officers. The city and ADAMHS Board have collaborated on a pilot program expected to launch this summer in two zip codes.

Results in Shaker Heights

The success of Shaker Heights’ mental health response program has led to its expansion to Cleveland Heights, Richmond Heights, South Euclid and University Heights.

Shaker Heights Mayor David Weiss said the city had noticed an increase in 911 calls rooted in mental health issues in the seven years he’s served as mayor, but first responders weren’t properly trained to handle such calls.

As a result, Weiss said the city categorized three types of people served by the mental health response program: someone with known mental health issues, those who weren’t known to have mental health issues and those who were previously in one of the first two categories who may need follow-up care.

Annette Amistadi, the full-time mental health response program clinician in Shaker Heights, works with the city’s first responders and sometimes responds to calls, or provides resources to prevent future incidents. Overall, the skills required of her job differ from other first responders.

“A lot of times, someone in crisis just needs to be heard, and so our mental health professionals and our peers are trained in that active listening and de-escalation to really get what that person needs,” Amistadi said at a press conference earlier this month. “That way, they can refer them to the right service.”

In 2023, Shaker Heights’ program had 645 referrals and completed 730 follow-ups.

Weiss noted that his police and fire chiefs were supportive of the program, contrary to concerns they would feel it infringes on their scope of services.

“In fact, it's just the opposite. They have been huge supporters from day one, and have been terrific partners,” Weiss said.

Diversity & Inclusion Program Assistant (Spanish Speaking)

NewBridge is a non-profit organization that helps provide older adults a bridge to successful aging. Our agency provides a wide variety of services and programs primarily for low-income individuals, aged 60 and older. We are …

Social Worker – Geriatrics – UW Health

Be part of something remarkable Come make a difference in the lives of patients. Our team is growing and we are seeking a Social Worker – Geriatrics to: Collaboratively develop patient goals, monitor progress, address barriers to …

Alumni Profile: Charity Douglas, MSW ’98

Charity Douglas, MSW ’98, once a social welfare recipient, now leads a department of social services with 4,700 employees that serves one million community members As a young mother with a special needs child, Charity …

New Podcast Episode Features Work of Dr. Tova Walsh

“Health Affairs’ Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Tova Walsh of the University of Wisconsin-Madison on her recent paper that explores perinatal mental health and the inclusion of fathers at the local, state, and national levels.”   https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hp20240401.768850/full/

Mental Health Professional for Older Adults – MSW

Bilingual case manager – spanish, nutrition dining site coordinator.

Nutrition Dining Site Coordinator NewBridge is a non-profit organization that helps provide older adults a bridge to successful aging. Our agency provides a wide variety of services and programs primarily for low-income individuals, aged 60 …

Adolescent Support Social Worker – 1st Shift, Fulltime

Position Summary: Provide direct therapeutic interventions as part of a multi-disciplinary team intended to stabilize the foster home placement and promote permanency for adolescents in the foster care system. Collaborating with the Recruitment Team to …

Audrey Conn, Director of Field Education, Celebrated with Mid-Career Award

Audrey Conn, Clinical Professor and Director of Field Education, was celebrated on April 17th as a recipient of an Academic Staff Mid-Career Award from the UW-Madison College of Letters and Science. Audrey‘s nomination was supported …

Caro Cruys Receives Dissertation Research Award

PhD student Caro Cruys has received the Hyde Dissertation Research Award from the Center for Research on Gender and Women. This competitive award supports social science dissertation research on gender and women’s studies-related work. As …

Sitewide search

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) is one of the nation's leading health policy research centers and the premier source of health policy information for California.

Browse Publications

Find an expert, view all projects.

California Adults With Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Are at Greater Risk for Serious Psychological Distress and Report Perceived and Unmet Need for Mental Health Care Services

Summary: This policy brief uses data from the 2022 California Health Interview Survey to analyze the distribution of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and positive childhood experiences (PCEs) and their relationship to mental health issues such as serious psychological distress (SPD) and to perceived need and unmet need for mental health care among California adults.

Findings: About 1 in 5 California adults had high exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in childhood (had four or more). Compared to adults ages 65 and older, greater proportions of young- (ages 18 to 35) and middle-aged adults (ages 36 to 49) had four or more ACEs. Adults who identified as Native American or Alaska Native, Latinx, Black or African American, or as belonging to two or more racial or ethnic groups, were more likely to have had high exposure to ACEs. Relative to California adults without any ACEs, a larger proportion of adults with four or more ACEs experienced SPD and had a perceived and unmet need for mental health services in the past year.

A larger proportion of older adults had four or more positive childhood experiences (PCEs) compared to young - and middle-aged adults.  Compared to other racial and ethnic categories, adults identifying as Latinx, Black or African American, or as belonging to two or more racial and ethnic categories were more likely to report not having had any PCEs. Adults who did not have any PCEs were more likely to report experiencing SPD in the past year.

Read the Publication:

• Policy Brief: California Adults With Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Are at Greater Risk for Serious Psychological Distress and Report Perceived and Unmet Need for Mental Health Care Services
• Infographic

Social media links

Copied to clipboard

Social Media Bans Alone Won’t Improve Mental Health, Say Student Advocates

• Share article

There is a significant perception gap between educators and students when it comes to the impact of social media on mental health. Educators are quick to blame platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat—or at least argue that they have exacerbated students’ mental health problems. But for students, the list of causes is much longer.

“We carry around a lot of emotional baggage. It’s invisible. As an athlete, I can tell you that there is a stigma around [having a] conversation about mental health [in my circle]. We need spaces to talk about mental health, just like our physical health,” said Anjali Verma, a student at the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School University Scholars Program in Chester County, Pa.

Verma addressed her comments to a room full of school and district leaders at Education Week’s annual Leadership Symposium , held in Arlington, Va. on May 2.

Verma was joined by Ava Havidic , the president of the National Student Board Member Association and a student at the Millennium 6-12 Collegiate Academy in Tamarac, Fla. Havidic said the stigma around discussing mental health hides the full range of challenges students are dealing with daily.

“Students are part of the hustle culture, where rest isn’t prioritized and taking on more pressure is normalized,” Havidic said.

She and Verma both pointed out that students find it hard to excel at AP classes and coursework alongside family responsibilities or jobs.

When schools don’t give students the space to openly discuss their mental health challenges or aren’t transparent about the resources they have (or don’t have) to help students, young people are more likely to seek TikTok remedies .

“Students should know, from their school leaders, that they don’t have to struggle in silence,” said Verma.

Getting past the social media bugbear

Educators are concerned that apps like TikTok have the potential to contribute to poor mental health in students, but students and teachers disagree on the degree of impact.

In a nationally representative survey of 1,056 high school-age adolescents conducted in February and March, the EdWeek Research Center found that nearly three quarters said that social media either has no impact or a positive impact on their mental health and well-being. The participants pointed to several positive impacts of social media—they can find friends and learn about different cultures, and the platforms offer safe spaces that allow students of color and LGBTQ+ youth to connect with young people like them.

Havidic said social media is also a space where students can have open conversations about their mental health.

“We have to teach students how to use social media well … [and] budget their time. Instead of banning social media tools, there should be positive reinforcement when students use it well,” she said.

In fact, banning social media tools now could hurt students in the future, both student advocates said.

Students need the discipline to avoid social media when they get into higher education or jobs. Learning how to cope with its distractions and developing the ability to distinguish fake news from the truth are skills schools should focus on now so students are equipped to deal with it as adults.

Safe spaces and supportive adults

Schools can also create spaces, both physical and metaphorical, where the mental health conversation can happen without stigma.

Verma said she created a mental health club in her school. Within two weeks of starting, the club had over 50 members. Verma credits that to the fact that student clubs can potentially reach hard-to-reach students who might be more receptive to outreach from peers. She is also part of a national nonprofit that works specifically to remove the stigma among student-athlete communities in addressing mental health challenges.

“Only a third of our students [in our school] knew that we had a psychologist and social worker. Students were made aware of these resources and how to access them,” Verma said.

Such spaces can be created online, too, according to Havidic.

She’s been part of several online conversations that create awareness about mental health challenges, or, in small groups, have students discuss how they feel in school. The advantage with online spaces is that students can dial in from anywhere if they don’t have access to an in-person club or prefer the online option.

“It allows students to decompress,” Havidic said.

Supportive adults are another pillar for this work.

Havidic told the attendees of the EdWeek conference that they need to know who’s representing the students on the school board so that they know how to receive student feedback. Havidic’s school has also created a principal advisory council, which seeks feedback from students on what’s working and what isn’t.

“We had an online career tool that was difficult for all students to navigate. The student council suggested a different tool, which had more inclusive options for those who didn’t want to go to a traditional four-year college. It reduces the stress students have about their future,” Havidic said.

For some mental health challenges, though, students need medical or psychological help that goes well beyond the training and abilities of classroom teachers or student peer groups. That’s where counselors and school psychologists come in.

Schools have long faced a staffing crunch in those areas, with mental health professionals in the system overrun by both their caseload and administrative duties

An attentive classroom teacher can be a backstop here.

“Even if you’ve referred a student to the counselor, you may need to track if the student actually went back. You need to watch out for signs of distress,” Havidic said.

Sign Up for The Savvy Principal

Edweek top school jobs.

Sign Up & Sign In

More From Forbes

6 easy steps to meditate and boost your mental well-being and career.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Meditation at work for a few minutes during the workday can make a big difference in your energy ... [+] level, clarity and mental wellness.

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it’s only fitting to name one thing everyone can do to improve their mental health. That one thing is going inside where you can get to know yourself better. Each of us is like a two-lane highway with an outside lane and an inside lane. We spend most of our time in the outside lane where most stress resides. But the key to greater mental well-being is to spend more time in your inside lane. And meditation is one of the best ways to access your inside lane and observe your what makes you tick.

Whether you’re a harried parent, driven businessperson, worried retiree or anxious job seeker coping with an uncertain future, stressors catch up with you, forcing your mind to adapt negatively as only it can. You could be worried about unpaid bills or an unfinished project, wondering if you’ll get the job or how you’ll meet the deadline. You might be replaying a disagreement with your boss. Or maybe you try to take your mind away from worry with little success. The mind’s negativity creates obstacles to job engagement, career success and potential earning power. Neuroscientists say that’s because our minds are like Velcro for negativity and Teflon for positivity for survival.

Meditation Is Easier Than You Think

Meditation harnesses the social circuitry of your brain and resets and recharges your mind during the workday. A large body of science-backed studies shows that it enables us to be more efficient and productive and calmly navigate workplace woes with clarity, self-compassion, courage and creativity. During the workflow of the day, meditation improves mental health and cognitive processes, mitigates stress and prevents job burnout.

The goal of meditation isn’t to zone out, empty your thoughts, withdraw from the world or get high on life. The goal is to observe the habitual workings of your mind like you might inspect a blemish on your hand. As you do that, other thoughts will distract you, and that’s actually part of the meditation process.

If you beat yourself up because you’ve tried to meditate but can’t, don’t give up. It’s easier than you think. Chances are the reason is because you approach the practice much like a work task with too much effort and self-imposed pressure. Or perhaps you require yourself to sit for a long period of time, even if they’re uncomfortable to clear their minds. But that’s not how meditation works. The real secret is to take five minutes or less to focus on something and paying full attention to it.

Why Is Chief Boden Leaving Chicago Fire Eamonn Walker s Exit Explained

Biden vs. trump 2024 election polls: biden leads trump by only single digits in new york, latest survey shows, here are the major allegations against sean diddy combs as cassie ventura breaks silence on attack video, open awareness meditation.

Open awareness meditation—the peaceful observing of what’s happening around you as it happens in the present moment—allows you to meditate while you go about your workday. In just 60 seconds you can unwind, clear your head and raise your energy level. Here’s how it works in four quick, easy and portable steps.

1- Sit in a comfortable place with eyes open or shut for one minute.

2- Set a timer for 60 seconds.

3- Listen with curiosity and identify as many different sounds as you can. You might notice the heating or air conditioning system, traffic off in the distance, voices from other areas in the building, an airplane, ticking of a clock or your own gurgling stomach.

4- After one minute, instead of trying to remember the sounds, bring your attention inside and notice if you’re not calmer and more clearheaded. Just imagine how you might feel if you did this exercise for five or ten minutes.

When you’re fully engaged with curiosity in the present moment, you notice that previous worries or stressful thoughts are absent. You might be aware that your heart and respiration rates are slower and your tight muscles have loosened. That’s because you took yourself off the red alert of your thinking mind and brought it into the present moment, activating your rest-and-digest-response.

You can blend open awareness meditation into your daily routines without added time while on the move. On the way from the parking garage to your office, instead of mentally flipping through the day’s agenda, bring your attention to the sensations of your feet against the ground or focus on the feeling of the open sky or sights and sounds around you. While walking to the restroom or waiting for a Zoom meeting to start, you can listen to ambient sounds or tune into body sensations.

Insight Meditation

If you’re willing to give it a shot and let go of control and judgment, you can ease into a second exercise by going inside and focusing on your breath—with curiosity instead of judgment—just as you would inspect a blemish on your hand. Sit in a comfortable place in a relaxed position.

1- Breathe in through your nose and out through the mouth, focusing on each inhale and exhale.

2- Follow your breath through to a full cycle from the beginning when the lungs are full, back down to when they’re empty. Then repeat the cycle, mindfully watching your breath.

3- Chances are, thoughts will arise in the form of judgment. You might wonder if you’re doing it right, thinking about tasks you have to do later or debating if it’s worth your time. Simply allow them to arise and acknowledge them with open-heartedness, then bring your attention gently back and focus on the breath.

4- Each time your attention strays from the breath (and it will), simply notice it then bring your awareness back to breathing.

5- If your mind gets caught in a chain of thoughts, gently step out of the thought stream and come back to your breath.

6- After three to five minutes, notice how much calmer and more connected you are in the present moment.

Chances are you’re meditating correctly if your mind remains still after these two exercises. If you practice meditation for five minutes once or twice a day on a regular basis, you will start to notice a difference. You likely feel relaxed and rested and have a calmer approach to work. In the long term, you know meditation is working when you’re more grounded in the here-and-now, instead of mentally stuck in past bad memories or future uncertainties. And your work engagement, job productivity and career performance will begin to soar.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

• Listen live
• Shows + Podcasts
• KSL Contests
• Contact KSL NewsRadio
• Breaking News
• Crime, Police + Courts
• Education + Schools
• Politics + Government
• KSL Traffic
• Utah's Morning News
• Dave & Dujanovic
• Utah's Noon News
• Inside Sources
• Jeff Caplan's Afternoon News
• Jeff Caplan's Minute of News
• KSL at Night
• The KSL Greenhouse Show
• KSL Movie Show
• KSL Outdoors Show
• Let's Get Moving with Maria
• Text with KSL
• Meet our team
• X (Twitter)
• Advertise with KSL
• Bonneville International
• Privacy Policy

MENTAL HEALTH

Social workers with Salt Lake Police Department are responding to more callers than ever

May 22, 2024, 8:00 PM | Updated: 8:12 pm

Salt Lake Deputy Police Chief Josh Scharman conducts the grand opening of the Community Connections Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 19, 2016. Social workers are getting more mental-health related calls every year. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

BY ERIC CABRERA

SALT LAKE CITY-  The Community Connection Center social workers who work with the Salt Lake Police Department have more than doubled the number of responses mental health-related calls since 2020.

 In 2020, the CCC helped SLPD respond to 1,400 people. At the end of 2023, they helped nearly 4,000 people.

“We have gotten an uptick in mental health-related calls, or just crises in general. Our team also [is] growing, [and] we’ve been able to respond to a lot more of those,” said SLPD Social Work director Karen Montano. 

Montano said they’ve grown their team to meet the demand from a handful to 20 social workers on staff.

“W e respond out with officers on any sort of crisis mental health call or calls that have sort of social needs” Montano said. 

The CCC team helps keep non-emergency callers from using 911 through their line, which Montano urges anyone who needs help to do so.

They also report to crime scenes and wherever officers need their expertise.

The team is available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to midnight.

Related Stories:

• Take a hike, it’s good for your health
• Understanding mental health issues as a public health threat

Here are the health benefits of having pets

We want to hear from you..

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here .

Mental Health

Allessandra Harris Gurr

House passes bill to ban a compound used in suicides

Legislation backed by Rep. Celeste Maloy would ban the consumer sale of sodium nitrite, a product becoming increasingly common in suicides.

22 hours ago

Clayre Scott

Criminal investigation opened in relation to Matthew Perry’s death

A criminal investigation has been opened in relation to Matthew Perry's death due to high levels of ketamine found in his blood.

Curt Gresseth

Healthy marriages good for Utah taxpayers, says governor’s adviser

An adviser to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says state government is invested in and promotes the importance of strong, healthy marriages and families.

Mariah Maynes

According to the USU Extension, interacting with and caring for pets can have positive impacts on your health.

10 days ago

Michelle Lee

Boost your immune system with good nutrition

Let’s Get Moving Host Maria Shilaos spoke with Functional Medicine Nutritionist Karin Reiter to learn how nutrition affects our immune system.

11 days ago

Curt Gresseth and Kyle Remund

Norway’s ban on cellphones in middle schools shows positive results. Will Utah do the same?

A brain performance specialist discusses a study that found improvements in girls' grades and a dropoff in school bullying for both boys and girls after Norway banned cellphones in middle schools.

15 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Intermountain Health

Intermountain nurse-midwives launch new gynecology access clinic

An access clinic launched by Intermountain nurse-midwives provides women with comprehensive gynecology care.

Utah Association of Realtors

Buying a home this spring? Avoid these 5 costly pitfalls

By avoiding these pitfalls when buying a home this spring, you can ensure your investment will be long-lasting and secure.

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Legend of the Bear Lake Monster

The Bear Lake monster has captivated people in the region for centuries, with tales that range from the believable to the bizarre.

Live Nation Concerts

All the artists coming to Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre (formerly USANA Amp) this summer

Summer concerts are more than just entertainment; they’re a celebration of life, love, and connection.

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

Mental Health Awareness Month: Illini West social worker impacting students as her first year comes to a close

CARTHAGE, Ill. (WGEM) - May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year at Illini West High School, students had a resource like never before. Near the end of the 2022-2023 school year, the district announced the hiring of a full-time social worker, which replaced the mental health counselors that worked at the school two hours per day and were paid for by grant funding.

Tri-State native Keela Nichols began her job as the school’s social worker in August. She said she sees roughly 40 students regularly, most of which are IEP’s, or students who have Individual Educational Programs.

“There are some screenings that occur, and assessments that occur in high school for students that have not yet been eligible for special education services, so we’ve been kind of fine tuning that this year,” Nichols said.

Nichols is currently in the process of working towards her Professional Educator’s License (PEL) with online classes through Southern Illinois University, which is being paid for in-part by a School Based Mental Health Services Project stipend.

She is currently working under a short term approval license, which require her to have a supervisor who already has a PEL.

“That kind of opens the door for Illini West or other school districts to build their support system whether it’s through the use of interns or hiring additional support staff as well,” Nichols said.

One student that sees Nichols regularly is freshman Bryson Cruz, who has an IEP and requires that he sees Nichols 60 minutes per month. However, Cruz sees her every day and has benefited. Cruz said he sees Nichols to help with any social anxiety and social frustrations that occur.

“Just yesterday I came and knocked on her door and she was available and so we kind of chit chatted it out and everything,” Cruz said.

Teachers can make referrals for students as well. Nichols said she gets up to five referrals a quarter, usually.

Nichols sees roughly 1 in every 10 Illini West students and is focused on building relationships and connections. During the 2023-2024 school year, she talked with school administrators about bringing a new screening tool to Illini West that could help identify more students who need help.

Accessible on laptops, Nichols said starting in the fall that all Illini West students will partake in a screener three times next school year. There’s different sections of the screener, such as reading, math and social-emotional learning.

“I can identify the higher need students and hopefully we can then align them with services whether it’s in the community or here at Illini West,” she said.

• Illini West incorporating full-time social worker, seeing success in counseling
• Illini West adds counseling services to improve school safety
• Illini West sees success with daily counseling services
• Illini West working to bring back mental health counseling next school year
• Full-time social worker coming to Illini West next school year

Copyright 2024 WGEM. All rights reserved.

Head on collision at 7th and Broadway

New program aims to keep events in Quincy

5 dead and at least 35 hurt as tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, officials say

Friends drown trying to save teen struggling in water after church youth event

Quincy Public School Board member announces resignation

Latest news.

Bill expanding Illinois’ abortion shield law heads to Gov. Pritzker’s desk

Quincy University appoints former Quincy police chief as head of campus security

QND Foundation’s ‘Everybody Wins’ Mega Raffle drawing to be held later this month

Lorenzo Bull House upcoming annual dinner party gets jazzed up

Illinoisans may soon pay only $25 per month for for inhalers

• FlashLine Login
• Phone Directory
• Maps & Directions
• About Overview
• Facts and Figures
• News & Media
• Giving to Kent State Tuscarawas
• Administration
• Offices & Departments
• Faculty & Staff
• Campus Safety
• Tuscarawas Alumni
• Tuscarawas County University Foundation
• Success Stories
• Tuscarawas County University Branch District
• District 13 Science Day
• International Bridge Competition
• Academics Overview
• Majors & Degrees
• Accreditation
• Honors Program
• Community Engagement
• Registration and Records
• Student Accessibility Services
• Tutoring Services
• Test Proctoring
• Academic Forms & Information
• Schedule of Classes
• Commencement
• Final Exam Schedule
• Summer Classes
• Engineering Technology
• Rising Manufacturing Scholars Program
• Admissions Overview
• Visit Campus
• Request Information
• Scholarships
• Tuition & Fees
• Admissions FAQ
• Financial Aid
• New Freshman
• College Credit Plus
• Transfer Students
• Adult Learners
• Guest Students
• Information for Parents
• Former Kent State Students
• Ohio College Comeback
• Life at Tusc Overview
• Annual Security Report
• Clubs & Organizations
• Facility Usage Request
• Jobs & Internships
• Mental Health Screening
• C.A.R.E. Team
• Career Services
• Community Resources
• Step Up Speak Out
• Student Services
• Technology Support
• New Philadelphia Community Calendar
• Parenting Student
• Stark Counseling Services
• Performing Arts Center
• Workforce Overview
• Small Business Development Center
• Schedule of Courses
• Online Courses
• Online Industrial Maintenance Training
• Contract Training
• Continuing Education For Individuals
• Leadership Tuscarawas
• Tolloty Technology Incubator
• Advanced Technology Center Rental
• Conference and Meeting Facilities
• About Business & Community Services
• Locations Overview
• East Liverpool
• Regional Campuses
• Other U.S. Academic Locations
• Kent State Worldwide

Leadership Tuscarawas 2024 Alumni Award of Excellence Selection Announced

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• " class="social-sharing-google" title="Share on Google+"> Share on Google+
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share by Email

The Leadership Tuscarawas Board of Directors are pleased to announce the selection of Jessica Kinsey, MSW, LISW-S, Founder and CEO, Access Tusc as their choice for the prestigious 2024 Alumni Award of Excellence winner.

According to her nominator, Dr. Mariann Harding, Interim Nursing Program Director at Kent State University at Tuscarawas, “In 2013, Access Tuscarawas (AT) was just a dream. Jessica Kinsey was part of a group of community leaders that had a vision to provide a common resource to our community.” Ms. Kinsey took that vision and founded Access Tusc, and over the past 10 years, and since her graduation from Leadership Tuscarawas, has been the instrumental driver in building that organization to what it is today.

Today, Access Tusc is a thriving 501(c)3 organization. Their mission is to help people in our community, and those communities surrounding, who need help understanding and accessing services they need such as health care, transportation, housing, mental health care, and education. Both the Bridges to Wellness and Access Tusc Transit programs were created to help connect community members with the services they need. Access Tusc Transit is rural public transportation service that area residents can use, regardless of income or age. In 2023 they provided 263000 miles of transit mile services.

Bridges to Wellness is a care coordination agency that serves several counties, including Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Guernsey, Monroe, Muskingum, Noble, Tuscarawas, and Washington. Through the services of community health workers, they link persons to community resources. Last year, they served 1800 under resourced clients.

Jessica has devoted her career to improving access to care for the most vulnerable. A licensed social worker, Jessica has worked at Union Hospital in the Social Services and Behavioral Health Departments. Most recently, she was nominated to serve as the Secretary for the Ohio HUB Association. In this role, she advocates, coordinates and works to grow the success of HUBs, which are care organizations similar to Access Tusc, in Ohio.

Jessica lives in New Philadelphia with her husband Matt, and children Jackson, Julia and Madilyn.

For more information, please contact William H. Beisel at 330-308-7437 or by email at  [email protected] .

Mailing Address

Street address.

• 330-339-3391
• [email protected]
• Kent State Kent Campus - instagram
• Kent State Kent Campus - twitter
• Kent State Kent Campus - youtube
• Class Schedule Search
• Federal Depository Library
• For Tuscarawas Alumni
• For the Media
• For Faculty & Staff
• Privacy Statement
• University DACA Response
• Website Feedback Form