California State University, Monterey Bay
Digital Commons @ CSUMB (California State University, Monterey Bay)Not a member yet
11976 research outputs found
Sort by
Combating Social Work Burnout with Agency Trainings
Get PDFSupporting providers to alleviate the high level of burnout is proven to ameliorate their ability to provide efficient care. With the understanding of the importance of supporting providers in this field, the deep dive into utilizing trainings that helps combat burnouts is equally important. This research project was aimed to investigate the relevance of the implemented trainings by reviewing finalized progress notes of county social workers who have taken the Sleep Coach training. This was done by analyzing notes using search keys, then giving a score to each time the word ‘sleep’ was mentioned, based on the context it was used in. The expected outcome of this project was to discover high usage of the terms derived from the training, however upon reviewing a handful of social worker IIIs and psychiatric social workers’ notes through the duration of one year post Sleep Coach training, it was found that the usage from each providers’ notes were extremely low, indicating that their one year progress notes were composed of less than 30% of linguistic terminology. After finding this training was not being translated when working directly with clients, rationales for this reason can now be investigated by the MCBH training department to enhance productivity of the trainings they offer to their providers. Methods of this exploration’s analysis can be comprised of questioning providers to receive feedback, analyzing additional providers’ notes on the same training topics, examine notes from the trainings further than one year’s duration, and researching updated methods of supporting clients
Cultural Concepts of Distress Education for Clinicians
Get PDFThe Adult System of Care (ASOC) program at Monterey County Behavioral Health supports adults with mental health and co-occurring substance use disorders. Despite serving a diverse population, there is limited training that addresses the complex intersection of culture and mental health. This project involved a workshop for ASOC clinicians focused on cultural concepts of distress, specifically ataque de nervios, a syndrome common in Hispanic and Latino individuals. The workshop aimed to enhance clinicians\u27 understanding of how cultural identity impacts mental health symptoms. Pre and post-workshop surveys assessed knowledge gains. The project yielded positive outcomes, with clinicians gaining valuable insights into the role of culture in mental health. The project highlights the need for ongoing cultural humility training in the county, with recommendations to expand the focus to other cultural concepts of distress affecting Monterey County\u27s diverse population
Easing the Transition to School by Strengthening Attachment
Get PDFThe transition to school for preschoolers aged three to five years old can be extremely challenging, more so due to the fact that separation anxiety is considered developmentally normal for children ranging from nine months to three years of age, regardless of attachment style. However, children with insecure attachment styles, such as anxious-ambivalent or avoidant, are especially vulnerable during this transition (Verywell Health, 2023). Children who exhibit insecure attachment styles often face several negative consequences that affect both their school experience and their overall development (Evans et al., 2018). Although the fear of separating from one\u27s parents or primary caregiver is developmentally appropriate, it becomes a cause for concern when it leads to children adamantly refusing to attend school. In order to address this issue, I developed a two-day parent workshop for Hartnell Colleges Child Development Center located in Salinas, California. The workshop aims to inform parents about key factors, including attachment style, temperament, and emotional regulation, and it provides effective strategies on these topics to ease this difficult transition to school
Identifying Gaps: Mixtec Parents’ Experiences within the Salinas Union High School District
Get PDFThe Salinas Union High School District has identified low academic performance among Mixtec-speaking students as a significant issue. Since these students are learning English and Spanish simultaneously, they often face language barriers that affect their academic progress. The school system lacks culturally relevant systems and practices to support their unique needs. This gap also leads to limited parental engagement, as Mixtec-speaking parents struggle to navigate the school system further impacting student’s success. Low graduation rates, limited access to higher education, and limited career opportunities are some of the outcomes. In response, Salinas Union High School Pupil and Personnel Services worked collectively with all 11 district schools to implement services aimed at addressing these barriers. This capstone project involved interviewing randomly selected Mixtec-speaking parents from each school site to explore their experiences navigating the school system. The findings reveal significant gaps in communication and resources for the families. Recommendations include developing culturally relevant support systems and increasing access to interpretation services, fostering strong connections between students, school staff, and parents, with the ultimate goal of enhancing student success
Impact of Place Based learning on Community Engagement and Ownership
Get PDFPlace-based learning (PBL) offers an educational approach that emphasizes local history, environments, and communities, allowing students to engage with relevant content through the expertise gained from lived experiences. By utilizing their immediate surroundings, students are able to absorb educational material and foster a sense of place that can encourage civic engagement, environmental stewardship, and community ownership. This senior capstone research project explores the potential to enhance community ownership and engagement in Salinas, California through a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach. This project integrates the local geological and cultural history of California, Monterey Bay, and the Salinas Valley, alongside hands-on water quality testing to seek the answer to the central question: “How can place-based learning improve community ownership and engagement in the Monterey and Salinas areas?” Through a comprehensive literature review, data from educational workshops, scientific research activities, surveys, and community interviews, the findings highlight the transformative impact of PBL in connecting students and residents to their local natural and built environments while fostering active citizenship. The PBL approach does not only strengthen student engagement and ownership, but also helps bridge the educational divide by enhancing students’ sense of community and awareness in Salinas, CA
Financial Empowerment Workshops to Improve Life Skills for Former Foster Youth
Get PDFThis paper focuses on the Transitional Age Youth Housing Navigation Program (TAY NAV), overseen by the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc., designed to assist former foster youth between the ages of 18 and 24, who are at risk of homelessness after exiting the foster care system. TAY NAV provides various services, including housing support, case management, employment preparation assistance, and access to essential resources like first-month rent and security deposits. The program currently serves 30 participants with diverse backgrounds in Santa Cruz County. A significant challenge faced by former foster youth is the lack of familial support, which exacerbates their housing instability and leads to higher risks of substance abuse, incarceration, and poor mental health. This capstone project focuses on the development of two financial literacy workshops to empower TAY NAV participants with essential life skills such as budgeting, credit-building, and learning how to become financially responsible. These workshops aim to enhance the long-term independence of former foster youth. Findings suggest there was a lack of engagement or interest from participants due to low attendance. 75% of the participants who signed up for the workshops did not attend. A recommendation for the agency is to host hybrid workshops to increase audience engagement and accessibility for participants
Impact of Mental Health on the Academic Success of Middle School Students
Get PDFThis senior capstone research project examines the impact of mental health on the academic performance of middle school students. Mental health, such as anxiety and depression, has become a pivotal topic and more common among middle school students today. This research highlights the importance and the need for mental health support in schools and how it impacts students\u27 focus, engagement, and academic performance. In addition, it further discusses how teachers identify and handle mental health issues in the classroom through the use of literature review and interview with middle school teachers, principals, and counselors. In order to improve academic performance and emotional well-being, this senior capstone research project argues for better mental health services and offer to look into the resources available to help students, the findings of this study revealed that, in order to improve the environment and the school procedures, every middle high school student needs to have access to the resources on mental health at the schools in order to succeed both academically and emotionally
Effects of Caretakers and Attachment Styles
Get PDFDaycare workers and teachers play vital roles in the emotional well-being and developmental trajectory of the children they care for. Attachment styles are rooted in early childhood interactions with primary caregivers and greatly influence a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive well-being (Fathi-Ashtiani & Sheikholeslami, 2019). Recognizing and responding appropriately to different attachment styles not only fosters secure attachment and relationships but also mitigates behavioral challenges (Bergin & Bergin, 2009). To address this need, I have created an interactive presentation for daycare workers at VillaSport, San Jose, by explaining why staff should know the different attachment styles, how it affects the classroom and others, and the beneficial results from learning how to navigate different attachment styles
Impact of Teacher Turnover at the Elementary School Level
Get PDFTeacher turnover continues to threaten the American education system, specifically at the elementary school level. The rate at which elementary school teachers leave their schools significantly affects academic achievement and the stability of a school. This senior capstone research project explores the cause of teacher turnover and its impact on elementary school students from two elementary schools. Through the use of literature review and interviews with teachers and principals, the result findings indicated that causes of teacher turnover which included an excessive workload, disruptive student behavior, lack of administrative support, and low compensation and how one school attempted to prevent teacher turnover
Effects of Teacher Burnout on Elementary School Students’ Learning
Get PDFThis senior capstone explores the impact of teacher burnout on elementary students through literature review and qualitative research. Interviews with local teachers, an administrator, and a school psychologist reveal a notable correlation between teacher burnout and student outcomes. Key findings indicate that burnout among teachers is linked to lower academic performance and increased behavioral issues in students. These results underscore the importance of addressing teacher well-being to support positive student learning and behavior