19916 research outputs found
Sort by
EXPLORING DOUBLED-UP HOMELESS AMONG LATINX IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY
Get PDFBackground and Objective: The proposed study aims to explore the factors contributing of doubled up homelessness among Latinx in San Bernardino California. The term doubling up homelessness describes the situation in which a person is residing with others in a home due to economic hardships or housing loss (Richard et al., 2022). Homelessness is a major prevalent social problem in the United States and statewide impacting individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities locally. Methods: The qualitative research method will be utilized with a phenomenology approach to explore the lived experiences of 20 Latinx adults through interviews. This study will utilize nonprobability sampling, specifically purposive sampling. Recruitment will be through social workers at the San Bernardino County Department of Social Services (DSS). Findings: Findings aim to discover contributing factors, experienced challenges, time duration, services utilized, demographics, and social support system of those who are experiencing doubled up homelessness. Conclusion: Understanding the factors contributing to doubled up homelessness is crucial to the social work profession and other organizational structures who serve this population to improve needed services and reduce the social issue
PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS FOR ADDRESSING SUICIDAL BEHAVIOURS AMONG LGBTQ+ ADOLESCENTS WHO EXPERIENCED CYBERBULLYING: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Get PDFBackground: Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, and cyberbullying is often a major reason behind it. Understanding how these two are connected is important for finding ways to help. This chapter will look at how cyberbullying leads to suicide, who is most at risk, and what can be done to prevent it. Objective: The main objective of this research is to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of intervention programs for reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents, especially LGBTQ+ adolescents, who have experienced cyberbullying. Method: In this systematic review, we plan to extract information regarding the specific elements of the interventions used in the studies. This will help us determine if interventions that target the improvement of social support, the acquisition of coping skills, and the improvement of self-esteem are more effective in reducing suicidal behavior and ideation among adolescents victimized by cyberbullying
EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF PARENTAL SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS ON LIFE FUNCTIONING OF ADULT OFFSPRING: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Get PDFBackground: Parental mental illness greatly impacts a child’s development by posing great risks to their physical and mental health, academic success, and overall functioning (Naughton et al., 2019; Adjej et al., 2023). It remains clear that exposure to parental mental illness has short-term implications. However, long-term impacts on offspring while entering and managing adulthood has not been thoroughly examined. Objective: This longitudinal study proposes to determine the effects of parental mental illness on life functioning of adult offspring at baseline and then occur every two years over the course of eight years. Method: Quantitative data will be collected from 120 participants using convenience sampling method from community mental health agencies across Southern California. The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (World Health Organization, 2012) will be used to gather data to measure daily functioning across major life domains. To measure exposure to parental mental illness, participants will be asked to provide information on the parent who was diagnosed, when the diagnosis occurred, and whether the participant resided with the affected parent during their formative years (from birth to 8 years old). Bivariate analysis will be performed to examine the relationship between exposure to parental mental illness and the level of functioning of adult offspring
OPTIMIZING LIGHTWEIGHT AUTHENTICATION PROTOCOLS FOR ENHANCING SECURITY IN RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED IOT DEVICES
Get PDFIoT devices are increasingly being used in critical applications such as smart cities, healthcare, and industrial systems. However, due to their limited processing power, memory, and energy, traditional authentication methods are not suitable in these resource-constrained scenarios. To construct and evaluate a lightweight authentication system for such devices, this study incorporates secure, efficient cryptographic techniques. The following are the research questions: Q1) How can a hybrid lightweight authentication protocol that includes ECC and AES be used to safely and successfully link resource-constrained IoT devices? Q2) How can nonce-based challenge-response approaches to protect against replay threats be used to create lightweight IoT authentication without compromising energy efficiency? To overcome these challenges, a modular client-server protocol was developed that uses AES-128 for symmetric encryption, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) for key exchange, and nonce-based authentication to ensure message freshness and prevent replay attacks. A layered architectural design was employed to optimize performance while maintaining low latency, scalability, and resilience to cyberattacks. In simulated IoT scenarios, implemented via Python, the system’s energy efficiency, latency, and authentication behavior were evaluated to validate the theoretical design. The findings are: Q1) The hybrid ECC-AES protocol significantly reduced computational and energy costs while preserving strong encryption and secure session establishment. Q2) The nonce-based mechanism effectively defended against replay attacks, providing message freshness and minimal overhead, even in resource-constrained scenarios. The conclusions are: Q1) The proposed protocol offers a practical and secure solution for IoT environments, outperforming traditional PKI-based systems in speed and resource usage. Q2) The integration of nonce-based challenge-response with symmetric encryption ensures lightweight, efficient, and secure communication across IoT networks. Areas for further study include: (a) Exploring decentralized authentication using blockchain to reduce reliance on a central server, and (b) Investigating post-quantum cryptographic methods to future-proof the protocol against emerging threats
UNRAVELING THE LOOPING EXPERIENCE: UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT ON ELEMENTARY EDUCATORS
Get PDFABSTRACT
This qualitative study explores the impact of looping on elementary educators, focusing on how teaching the same group of students for multiple years influences instructional practices, professional growth, and classroom dynamics. Using one-on-one interviews with seven experienced educators, this research identifies three overarching themes: (a) teachers’ feelings of autonomy, (b) the relationships established with students and families, and (c) familiarity with curriculum and expectations. Findings suggest that looping makes teachers more effective by fostering deeper relationships, increasing confidence in instructional strategies, and improving job satisfaction. Participants reported that continuity in teaching led to stronger classroom communities, improved student engagement, and a more personalized approach to learning. While looping presents challenges, such as adapting to multiple grade levels, educators overwhelmingly expressed a preference for the practice, citing its long-term benefits. This study provides valuable insights for educational leaders, policymakers, and future researchers by highlighting the significance of looping in supporting both teacher retention and student achievement. Recommendations for professional development, curriculum planning, and future research are also discussed
PROBLEMATIC SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND ITS EFFECTS ON ADOLESCENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Get PDFBackground: Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) has been associated to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and disruptions in identity development among adolescents, who are especially vulnerable to the effects of excessive digital engagement (Keles et al., 2019). Even though there is increasing evidence to support these conclusions, many of the studies that are currently available employ cross-sectional designs, which makes it more difficult to identify the causal links between PSMU and mental health outcomes (Keles et al., 2019). This disparity raises concerns regarding the long-term effects of persistent overuse of social media as well as the directionality of these effects. Objective: This research study aims to examine the causal relationship between four mental health outcomes: depression, anxiety, psychological stress, and self-image, and PSMU, which is defined as excessive and compulsive social media use that adversely impacts daily functioning. Method: This explanatory, longitudinal design investigates how PSMU affects these mental health indicators in adolescents over time. Quantitative data will be collected from a purposive sample of approximately 500 adolescents aged 10 to 15 who use social media regularly. Over the course of ten years, surveys will be administered every six months, for a total of 21 data collection waves. The study will be carried out in a variety of community-based settings across San Bernardino County, California, such as community health centers, schools, and mental health facilities. Standardized instruments will be used to assess mental health outcomes, including the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) (Kroenke et al., 2001) for depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) (Spitzer et al., 2006) for anxiety, the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14) (Cohen et al., 1983) for stress, and the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA) (Harter, 1988) for self-image
The Impact of Adverse and Positive Childhood Experiences on Immigrants and Their Psychological Well-Being
Get PDFThis study examines the relationship between immigration status, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), and psychological distress using a representative dataset from California (N=21,463). It investigates two primary research questions: (1) how immigration status influences ACE scores and (2) whether ACE and PCE scores are associated with psychological distress. Chi-square tests, logistic regression, and multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess these relationships. Findings indicate that non-citizens report significantly lower ACE scores, and lower levels of psychological distress compared to U.S.-born, supporting the immigrant paradox —where immigrants exhibit better mental health outcomes than their U.S.-born counterparts despite exposure to stressors. Additionally, ACE exposure was strongly linked to psychological distress, with individuals experiencing four or more ACEs being nearly twice as likely to report serious psychological distress compared to those with no ACEs. Furthermore, positive childhood experiences (PCEs) were found to mitigate psychological distress, highlighting the role of protective factors in fostering resilience. These findings suggest that traditional ACE measures may not fully capture adversities unique to immigrants, such as acculturation stress, family separation, discrimination, and legal uncertainty, which may contribute to psychological distress in ways not reflected in conventional ACE scoring. This study underscores the need for culturally informed trauma assessments and interventions that address both childhood adversity and immigration-related stressors. Future research should refine ACE measures to better capture immigrant-specific challenges and inform mental health interventions and policy initiatives
EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOSTER YOUTH INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Get PDFFoster youth transitioning into adulthood often confront a myriad of challenges stemming from limited social capital and unstable support systems. The transition out of foster care, particularly for Transitional Age Youth (TAY), is fraught with barriers including disconnection from familial ties, inadequate knowledge regarding higher education, financial instability, unemployment, and housing insecurity. In 2021, approximately 4,920 foster children aged out of the system, facing the option to participate in extended care programs designed to facilitate their transition into independent living. Despite these programs, many youths struggle to achieve self-sufficiency. Key legislation, including the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, and the Chafee Foster Care Independence Act, which established frameworks for support services tailored to the needs of TAY.
The theoretical frameworks guiding this research include trauma-informed and ecological systems theories, highlighting the need for a nuanced understanding of the trauma experienced by foster youth and the influence of various environmental systems on their development. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Independent Living Programs (ILPs) in California, identifying strengths and weaknesses within these services and their impact on the transition to independent living for former foster youth. Additionally, this research seeks to contribute valuable insights that could inform policy and practice, ultimately enhancing support for this vulnerable population
CULTURAL STIGMAS ARE A BARRIER TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AMONG LATINOS
Get PDFMental health stigmas significantly impact utilization of services among Latinos, a population that experiences unique culture and social barriers. This study examined the impact that cultural stigmas have on Latinos utilizing mental health services or not. Using a Qualtrics survey targeting college students of Latino descent, this study gathered quantitative data on attitudes towards mental health, alongside a few demographic features. There were forty completed surveys analyzed which findings revealed a prevalence of stigma, particularly in attitudes towards seeking help from mental health professionals. Although this quantitative research did not show a significant correlation between stigma and likelihood of using MH services. These results highlight the need for breaking stigmas and barriers within Latino communities, particularly aimed at reducing stigmas among students in the non-helping professions
