Ph.D. Dissertations

2023-24

Anna Rockhill

Prosecutors or Helpers: An Institutional Ethnography of Child Protective Services Casework

Bahia Anise-Cross DeGruy Overton

The Mirror Project: Reflections on the Experiences of African-American Female Adolescents Experiencing Foster Care

Miriam Miranda-Diaz

Understanding the Other: Mentor Ethnocultural Empathy and Relationship Quality and Duration in Youth Mentoring

Laura Spura Rodriguez 

Living on the Outskirts of Things: Women and Nonbinary People of Color with Cognitive Disabilities Describe their Employment Experiences

Erica Fonseca 

Social Justice in Social Work: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Samuel T. Settelmeyer 

Towards a New Discourse on Success in Alternative Education (AE)

Hazel Ali Zaman 

Feeling Otherwise: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of Queer and Trans Youth of Color Who Create and Embody Fursonas

2022-23

Andre Pruitt

 "Does Structural Racism Influence the way Black/African Americans Define Memory Loss and Cognitive Impairment? An Africana Phenomenological Study"

2021-2022

Henderson-Posther, Marin

Examining the Role of Social Support and Neighborhood Deprivation in the Relationship Between Multiple ACEs and Health Risk Behaviors

Strong, Darnell Jackie

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

Yang, Eunbyeor  

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

Clark-Shim, Hyuny

High school persisters and Alternative Schools

Best, Jared

A Critical Discourse Analysis of How Youth in Care Describe Social Support

Cetin, Nazan

Examining Demographics and Environmental Factors in Predicting the Perceived Impact of Cancer on Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survivors

Sorenson, Paul

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

Child, Beckie

Health Literacy and People Diagnosed with Mental Illness 




2018-2019

Brown, Danica Love

Our Vision of Health for Future Generations: An Exploration of Proximal and Intermediary Motivations with Women of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma »

Lott, Emily 

Investigating Time until Transition in a Residential Program for Adjudicated Youth: A Mixed Methods Study Using Event History Analysis with Follow-up Interviews. 

Winters, Katie

Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence and Child Welfare: A Critical Realist Exploratory Study »







2012-2013

Ataie, Jutta Elisabeth

“Who Would Have Thought, with a Diagnosis Like This, I Would Be Happy?”: Portraits of Perceived Strengths and Resources in Early-Stage Dementia »

McGee, Marjorie Grace

Lost in the Margins? Intersections between Disability and Other Non-Dominant Statuses with Regard to Peer Victimization and Psychosocial Distress among Oregon Teens »

Noh, Sunghwan

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

Sandeen, Peg

Public Opinion and the Oregon Death with Dignity Act »

Vang, TangJudy 

The Role of Psycho-Sociocultural Factors in Suicide Risk Among Mong/Hmong Youth »


2011-2012

Blakeslee, Jennifer Elizabeth

Exploring Support Network Structure, Content, and Stability as Youth Transition from Foster Care »

Blanchard, Samantha Everhart

Understanding the Experience of Air Force Single Parents:  A Phenomenological Study »

Fixsen, Amanda Angela Marjorie

Implementer Perspectives: The Implementation of a School-Based Mentoring Program »

Halvor, Christie Dianne Bernklau

Increasing Social Work Students’ Political Interest and Efficacy: The Experience and Impact of a Social Welfare Policy Course from the Students’ Perspective »

van Wormer, Rupert

Risk Factors for Homelessness Among Community Mental Health Patients with Severe Mental Illness »


2010-2011

Bellmore, Aimee Ryan

Gender, Culture, and Prison Classification: Testing the Reliability and Validity of a Prison Classification System »

Forehand, Gregory Lloyd

An Investigation of the Relationships Between Violence Exposure, Internalizing and Externalizing Problems, and Adolescent Alcohol Use »

Kothari, Brianne H.

Parental Differential Treatment (PDT) of Siblings: Examining the Impact and Malleability of Differential Warmth and Hostility on Children’s Adjustment »

McCarthy, Michael Joseph

Identifying Modifiable Factors Associated with Depression Across the Lifespan in Stroke Survivor-Spouse Dyads »

Salazar, Amy Michele

Investigating the Predictors of Postsecondary Education Success and Post-College Life Circumstances of Foster Care Alumni »

Schweitzer, Donald Dale

Runaway and Homeless Youth: Changing the Discourse by Legitimizing Youth Voice »


2009-2010

Capous-Desyllas, Moshoula

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

Chianello, Teresa

Somatization and Engagement in Mental Health Treatment »

Powers, Jennifer L.

Understanding the Development of Self-Determination in Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care »

Sage, Melanie Dawn

Child Welfare Workforce Turnover: Frontline Workers’ Experiences with Organizational Culture and Climate, and Implications for Organizational Practice »


2008-2009

Becker-Green, Jody

Developing One’s Self: Adoption and Identity Formation through the Eyes of Transracially Adopted Native American Adults »

Casey, John Thomas

Primary Care, Males, Masculinity, and Suicide:  A Grounded Theory Study »

Kjellstrand, Jean Mollenkamp

Children with Incarcerated Parents: A Longitudinal Study of the Effect of Parental Incarceration on Adolescent Externalizing Behaviors »

Stewart, Lisa Maureen

Dependent Care and Work-Life Outcomes: Comparing Exceptional Care and Typical Care Responsibilities »

Tvedt, Karen

The Child Care Self-Sufficiency Scale: Measuring Child Care Funding and Policy Generosity Across America »

Wuest, Leslie Grace

Factors Associated with Inclusion of Spirituality in Secular Social Work Education »


2007-2008

Allen, Heidi 

Up a Creek: The Perilous Journey of Recently Uninsured Low-Income Adults in Oregon »

Allen, Mary Dallas

Attributes of Effective Head Start Mental Health Consultants: A Mixed Methods Study of Rural and Urban Programs »

Cole, Diane Lyn

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


2006-2007

Cawood, Natalie Diane

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

Huffstutter, Katherine June

Family-Friendly Workplace Culture, Flexibility, and Workplace Support for Dependent Care: The Perspectives of Human Resource Professionals »

Kerbs, Jodi Lee

Family Participation: Exploring the Role it Plays in Outcomes for Youth with Serious Emotional Disorders »

McCormick, Andrew John

Training Social Workers in Palliative Care: Evaluation of a Self-Efficacy Model »

Morgaine, Karen Lynn

“Creative Interpretation and Fluidity in a Rights Framework”: The Intersection of Domestic Violence and Human Rights in the United States »

Sanders, Rebecca Elizabeth

Food Security and Hunger Among Low Income US Households: Relations to Federal Food Assistance Program Participation »

Schwartz, Sara Laura  

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

Zimmerman, Patricia Arlyne

Adolescent Mothers: Youth in Need of Developmentally Appropriate Services »


2005-2006

Block, Rebecca Gila

Is it Just Me? Felt HIV-Related Stigma Among Adults with HIV »

Ebert, Patricia

Sons Providing Care at End-of-Life: Common Threads and Nuances »


2004-2005

Ette, Ezekiel Umo

Transplants in the West: A Study of Settlement and Adjustment Issues Among Nigerian Immigrants in Portland, Oregon »

Patrick, William Robert

Exploring the Relationship of Anger, Sadness, and Men’s Violence »


2003-2004

Boland-Prom, Kimberly Wynn

Control and Social Support Variables During Pregnancy and the Development of Depressive Symptoms During the Postpartum Period »

Diehm, Thomas Michael

“That Relationship is Such an Important Piece": The Experience and Meaning of Graduate Social Work Education for Lesbian and Gay Students »

Maguire, Mary

The Environment of the Correctional Institution: An Exploratory Study of Staff Attitude and Institutional Characteristics »

Polen, Michael Robert

The Effects of Psychiatric Problem Severity on Substance Abuse Treatment Participation and Outcomes »

Sussex, Barbara Mary

Applying the Transtheoretical Model to Cigarette Smoking by Pregnant and Parenting Adolescent Females »


2002-2003

Cahn, Katharine Douglas Campbell

Getting There from Here: Variables Associated with the Adoption of Innovation in Public Child Welfare »

Knight, Karen Lea

Describing the Experience of Pregnant or Parenting Adolescents and Intimate Partner Abuse »

Ward, Ann Adora

Mental Health and HIV Risk Behaviors Among Homeless Youth »


2001-2002

Eggman, Susan Talamantes

Testimonios from the Intersection of Mexican American Culture and an American Death »

Oschwald, Mary Martha

A Grounded Theory Study of the Processes of Resilience in Young Adults with Disabilities During their Transition into Adulthood »

Taylor, Michael Orval

Identifying and Building on Strengths of Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances »

Vegdahl, Sonja Bernice

Leaving Welfare: Stories of Struggle and Strength »


2000-2001

Douglas, Jane Patricia

Service Integration in HIV and Mental Health Care: Does it Predict Improved Outcomes? »

Hooper, Richard Ivan

Association Between Risk and Protective Factors and Mental Health Status of Youth in the Juvenile Justice System »

Leary, Joy DeGruy

A Dissertation on African American Male Youth Violence: “Trying to Kill the Part of You that Isn’t Loved” »

Yatchmenoff, Diane Kommers

Measuring Client Engagement in Non-Voluntary Child Protective Services »


1998-1999

Hunter, Richard William

Voices of Our Past: The Rank and File Movement in Social Work, 1931-1950 »

Morley, Evelyn Godbold

The Child Witness to Domestic Violence: The Relationship Among Battered Mothers’ Characteristics, Child Abuse, and Child Behavior Problems »

Ogilvie, Alice Myrth

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


1996-1997

Ciliberti, Patricia

An Innovative Family Preservation and Support Program in an African American Community: Analysis of Six- and Twelve-Month Follow-up Data »

De Haan, Benjamin

Critical and Fatal Child Maltreatment in Oregon: Escalating Violence or Distinct Behavior? »

Long, Claudia Robin

Grandmothers Laughing: Intergenerational Transmission of Cultural Beliefs About Pregnancy and Childbirth Among Native American Women »