BUSSW Congratulates our recent PhD Graduates from Spring 2017!
Dr. Sarah Ingram-Herring
An Exploratory Study of Factors Influencing Social Work Students’ Commitment to Community-Based Practice
This study examined what factors might influence social work students’ commitment to community-based practice by exploring the relationship between various socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes towards poverty, social empathy scores, social justice behaviors scores and commitment to community practice. A multivariate analysis found that the level of “social justice” made the strongest contribution to “commitment to community practice.” Younger participants demonstrated possessing lesser belief in structural causations for poverty while students who identified as being Liberals in comparison to Moderates demonstrated more belief in structural causations of poverty.
Dr. Tammy Malloy
Exploring the relationship between parental bonding, engagement in sexually explicit internet material in youth, and hypersexual behaviors in young adult women
This study examined the relationships between parenting bonding, engaging in online sexually explicit internet material (SEIM) in youth, and hypersexual behaviors in young adult women. Findings indicate that disturbed maternal and paternal bonding are associated with age of onset, frequency of engagement in SEIM and hypersexual behaviors in young adult women; moreover, current age and duration of engagement in SEIM predict hypersexual behaviors in young adult women. Exploring how paternal/maternal care and overprotection correlate with engagement in SEIM is crucial due to youth forming heavy attachments to technology.
Dr. Gena Rowlands
Parental Alienation: A Measurement Tool
The purpose of this study was to design and validate a clinical assessment tool, the Parental Alienation Scale (PAS) which could readily measure the presence and magnitude of parental alienation based on the eight manifestations identified in the literature. Findings obtained through exploratory factor analysis of the PAS appear to measure the presence and related severity of parental alienation (additional research is required to confirm these findings). Additionally, 66.3% of all study participants were found to have a family history of intimate partner violence (IPV) which supports the notion that parental alienation occurs more often in families with a history of IPV.
Dr. Cassandra Scott
Exploring the Characteristics of Individuals Who Are Homeless and Diagnosed With Severe Mental Illnesses Who Also Obtained Housing Stability
Many chronically homeless individuals with severe mental illnesses live on the streets and in danger. After years of homelessness, what might it take for an individual to become sheltered? This research explored the behaviors that distinguished the people who obtained housing stability from the ones who did not. The study found that having low Functional Assessment Rating Scores at entry and exit increased housing stability by 65%.