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Examination of Evidence-Based Practices Implementation and Perceived Job Satisfaction With Mental Health Providers
Get PDFJob satisfaction among mental health providers continues to be an important area of inquiry, particularly in relation to professional development and training. However, limited studies have evaluated whether training in evidence-based practices (EBPs) is associated with different levels of job satisfaction compared to traditional training models. The purpose of this cross-sectional, quantitative study was to examine whether a statistically significant difference in job satisfaction exists between mental health providers trained in EBPs and those trained using traditional approaches. The study was guided by Spector’s multidimensional job satisfaction model, which categorizes job satisfaction into nine key domains. Data from 81 mental health providers at a nonprofit mental health agency in California were analyzed using an independent samples t test and a one-way MANOVA. Results indicated no statistically significant differences in overall job satisfaction or across the nine subscales between the two groups. These findings suggest that training type alone may not be a determining factor in provider job satisfaction, and future research may explore other organizational factors. Mental health providers in underserved communities may benefit from the results of this study through insights that inform more effective strategies for workforce development and retention, thereby contributing to improved service continuity and addressing the social determinants of health
Understanding Georgia Child Welfare Case Manager’s Perspective, Practicum Experience, and Retention
Get PDFChild welfare workers have high turnover rates and low retention rates. While there is well-documented research on reasons for turnover, no research was found on how a case manager\u27s practicum experience impacts turnover rates. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore child welfare case managers\u27 perspectives on retention and to understand how their practicum and internship experiences influence retention. The theories that ground this research include systems theory by Bertalanffy and social constructivism by Vygotsky. The two research questions for this generic qualitative study were: What are the experiences of child welfare case managers during their internship and practicum? How have these experiences influenced retention within the child welfare agency? Data were collected through 10 semistructured interviews with former Georgia DFCS case managers using open ended questions. Triangulation was used and data were analyzed through thematic analysis to formulate six themes: (a) assessment, (b) social environment, (c) professional skills, (d) education, (e) work environment, and (f) personal reasons. The findings included that practicum experiences prepared participants for employment as evidenced by their professional development, yet participants indicated that these experiences did not influence retention. This study contributes to positive social change by addressing the social determinants of health, particularly in the areas of employment and higher education for human services professionals. It also has important implications for curriculum writers and educators, emphasizing the value of well-structured practicum experiences for well-educated, properly trained, and adequately prepared workers in the human services field
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Race on Access to Maternal Healthcare Services for Patients Based on Insurance Status
Get PDFDue to insurance status, COVID-19 has restricted how and when patients can access healthcare providers. In the health services community, examining obstetric care services during the coronavirus outbreak was important because it increased awareness about how changes to maternal healthcare access affect the health of the mother and unborn child during a pandemic. The theories and/or concepts that grounded this study include the intersectionality theory, which examined the connections between social groups and systems as individuals try to access health services based on health insurance reform, depending on their race. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is an association between age, race, and insurance status of pregnant women and the self-reporting of delaying medical care because of the pandemic in 2021; and is there an association between age, race, and insurance status of pregnant women and the self-reporting of not getting medical care because of the pandemic in 2021. Data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for 535 participants were analyzed via logistic regressions for both hypotheses. Both models resulted in the IV\u27s age, race, and insurance status not being significant (p \u3e.05) predictors of delay of care or not getting medical care. Although the results of this study were not significant, this study adds awareness to the potential changes in maternal healthcare access during a regional or national emergency and how this can affect the well-being of the mother and developing child
Strategies Leaders in Affordable Housing Can Use to Decrease Property Management Turnover and Increase Professional Tenure
Get PDFExecutive leaders of rental housing in the affordable housing sector have a high turnover rate of property managers, resulting in wasted time, compliance concerns, loss of institutional knowledge, deterioration of operational costs, and lost revenue, negatively impacting employee commitment. Grounded in the job embeddedness theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore effective strategies that some executive leaders in affordable housing can use to decrease property manager turnover and increase professional tenure. The participants comprised eight executive leaders who oversaw property managers in affordable housing in the United States. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Five themes emerged: (a) align leadership; (b) analyze corporate support and tenant issues; (c) improve maintenance strategies; (d) monitor compliance standards and improve related staffing and training; and (e) strengthen compensation and supportive funding. A key recommendation is that affordable housing organizations’ executive leaders involve employees in decision-making processes, which can strengthen commitment to growth and promote ongoing feedback and communication, thereby driving positive social change. This strategy underscores the importance of practical actions that yield measurable impact within the organization and the broader community. The implications for positive social change include the potential for executive leaders of property managers to retain valued employees, support the local community workforce, and enhance workplace stability and operational effectiveness
Positive Social Emotional Influences Experienced by College-Educated Black Men During Their K–12 Education in U.S. Public Schools
Get PDFAlthough negative experiences and unfair factors in the K–12 educational experiences of Black males are well-researched, very little research is found on the positive contributions toward their educational success. As some Black males successfully complete K–12 schooling and advance to the college level, it is imperative to understand the factors that positively contributed to their educational advancement. Guided by Yosso’s theory of community cultural wealth, this basic qualitative study explored six aspects of cultural capital—the aspirational, familial, linguistic, resistant, navigational, and social capital—that contributed to the educational success and advancement of Black males during their journeys through the U.S. K–12 public school system and their desire to pursue a college degree. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 Black males aged 20 to 30 who completed their K–12 education in the U.S. public school system and were currently enrolled in a college or university or recently graduated. The interview data were coded using a priori codes based on Yosso’s theory, with the following themes emerging: family, friends, experience, and expectations. Family provided guidance, friends provided support, experience broadened perspectives, and expectations set a course for academic success. These findings may be used by K–12 academic success program developers and others to promote social change through facilitating family involvement activities, fostering positive friendships in extracurricular activities, engaging students in new experiences by leveraging technology, and maintaining high expectations for more Black males to succeed in the U.S. K–12 education system
Perspectives of Childcare Center Directors Regarding Barriers to NAEYC Accreditation
Get PDFNAEYC accreditation is a hallmark of quality in early learning and lack of accreditation suggested a gap in practice. The problem that was the focus of this research is that only 12% of early childhood center-based programs in the United States are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The purpose of the study was to explore perspectives of childcare center directors regarding NAEYC accreditation. Knowles’s adult learning provided the conceptual framework for this study and guided 3 research questions about directors’ perspectives of barriers, benefits, and the necessary support they associated with NAEYC accreditation. A basic qualitative design directed interviews of 7 childcare center directors with at least 1 year experience who worked in 1 state in the western United States. Data were analyzed using open and axial coding. Themes of barriers, benefits, and supports associated with NAEYC accreditation emerged, along with additional findings that suggested lack of awareness of accreditation. Results reflected indifference to the value of accreditation and barriers including limited assistance from NAEYC, high cost of accreditation, time constraints, and the complexity associated with achieving NAEYC accreditation. Some directors described NAEYC accreditation as providing little benefit to successful childcare centers. Recommendations for future research included a larger sample and in different regions of the United States and interviews of directors already engaged in the NAEYC accreditation process. This study contributed to the research literature regarding quality improvement efforts in childcare. When barriers to accreditation are reduced, including increasing the number of fully accredited childcare centers in the United States, families and society will benefit from higher quality care for children, thereby translating to positive social change
Equal Access to Justice: A Case Study of Eviction Victims Without Legal Aid and Post Criminality in Houston, Texas.
Get PDFThe unending increase in eviction rates and existing housing problems in the United States of America is not an exaggeration. Heterogeneity of requirements or eviction laws is a pervasive phenomenon across the states nationwide. These fundamental issues require immediate attention and must be addressed. The purpose of this study is to explore the dynamic gap in our criminal justice system, the lack of legal aid, and potential criminality resulting from eviction and housing problems. Moreover, the psychological, physical, and emotional effects of these problems on the victims in relation to the roles of social workers, community advocates, and housing policy makers. The institutional analysis and development framework was adopted to query and ascertain the main reasons why a certain class of people are victims of marginalization in various communities. Questionnaires were facilitated through social media online to enable voluntary and anonymous participation of the targeted focus group to relate their unique experiences. Thirty-four participants were critically analyzed and administered, of which 22 participants were the evicted and 12 were the respondent landlords. Coping with substantial related documents explored and the data generated from the respondents, the sample size was derived and critically analyzed. However, this qualitative research used content analysis, questionnaires, and thematic analysis to identify patterns, themes, and biases. Meanwhile, the findings of this study reveal that poverty, racial inequalities, lack of sufficient legal aid to victims, and ignorance of the court’s procedures are the major causes of housing problems in America. As such, the aforementioned proposition’s implication for positive social change is its plenipotentiary for policymakers to advocate and implement genuine and suitable housing reforms
Perspectives and Experiences of Clinicians who Treat Incarcerated Youth in Florida
Get PDFThis study explored the experiences and perceptions of social workers, human services professionals, and mental health counselors, psychologists, or psychiatrists who treat youth with mental health issues within the criminal justice system in Florida. Using a qualitative research method, this study was framed by relational theory. Ten participants were interviewed regarding the perspectives, challenges, successes of clinicians and how they incorporate the needs and perceptions of youth into their treatment approaches. After coding and thematic analysis, five key themes emerged from the data. First, systemic challenges and inefficiencies in service delivery were evident, highlighting gaps in execution, resource shortages, and rigid structures that fail to address the comprehensive needs of the youth. Second, while the effectiveness of program structures varied, issues such as brief therapy durations, inconsistent follow-ups, and barriers to accessing therapy based on therapeutic needs or behavior levels were identified. Third, challenges related to youth needs and services underscore the importance of individualized treatment plans and collaboration between clinicians and youth in developing effective strategies. Fourth, enhanced communication and collaboration among stakeholders were deemed crucial for promoting effectiveness, requiring comprehensive assessments and cooperative treatment plans. Lastly, the necessity for training and supervision intended for clinicians working with incarcerated youth was emphasized, with a focus on specialized training and ongoing education to ensure high-quality care. The findings highlight the need for a holistic, collaborative approach and social transformation to address the multifaceted challenges faced by incarcerated youth with mental health diagnoses
Expatriate Educators\u27 Perspectives of Transformational Leadership Practices in International Schools in Kuwait
Get PDFEffective leadership is crucial for educational success, yet its definition varies across cultures, which may cause communication issues, especially in culturally diverse environments like international schools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore differing perceptions of transformational leadership (TL) between 68 expatriate teachers and 27 administrators, representing response rates of 22% and 47%, respectively, in three Kuwait international schools. Grounded in Bass\u27s TL theory, the Global Transformational Leadership survey, an anonymous online survey with each of seven leadership domains represented by one item, was used in the study. Data collected on a 5-point frequency scale were analyzed using independent samples t tests to identify significant differences in perceptions of TL between the two groups. Administrators rated the frequency of their TL practices significantly higher than teachers on all seven domains (p = .03 for vision, p \u3c .001 for total and other domains: staff development, support system, staff empowerment, guide to innovation, exemplary practices, and possessing charisma), with Cohen’s d ranging from .50 to 1.05. These results suggest that while administrators viewed their leadership practices as strongly transformational, teachers perceived a much lower level of TL in practice. This discrepancy points to a potential communication gap that may affect staff morale, trust, and school climate. By identifying these differing viewpoints, this study may lead to changes that enhance teacher retention and educational outcomes, contributing to positive social change within international education in Kuwait
Reasons For Former Teachers to Change Employment or to Depart the Profession
Get PDFTeacher turnover adversely affects students’ academic performance and the educational community. The problem that was addressed through study is the approximately 18% teacher turnover at a local Title I school district in southeast Texas. This purpose of this study was to explore why teachers within a local souteast Texas Title I school district left their positions. The conceptual framework was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The study was guided by a research question centered on recurring reasons for teachers considering retiring, leaving the profession, or changing locations. A basic qualitative study employing semistructured interviews with 14 former teachers who had left the study district in the last 3 years was used to gather data which were then thematically analyzed. The interviews were conducted virtually and audio recorded. Through thematic coding, six key themes emerged: dissatisfaction with administration, changes in policies that were viewed as unfavorable to students, low income for teachers, toxic working environment, adverse mental and physical health influences, and personal issues. The findings have important implications for positive social change as it allows school leaders to create a more supportive and stable teaching environment that benefits teacher and students