Carol Hostetter

THE IMPACT OF MSW EDUCATION ON SOCIAL WORKER EMPOWERMENT AND COMMITMENT TO CLIENT EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY

This study examined changes among graduate students (N=52) in perception of social worker empowerment and commitment to client empowerment through social justice advocacy. Pre-post data showed that most entering MSW students possessed important beliefs about empowerment for themselves as social workers and for members of oppressed population groups. During their graduate education, significant positive change occurred in both aspects of empowerment, and social worker empowerment and commitment to client empowerment were positively associated. Belief in a just world has a significant, positive effect on worker empowerment, and an internal locus of control is associated with social worker empowerment and commitment to client empowerment.

Examining Organizational Learning for Application in Human Service Organizations

This study examines organizational learning (OL) with member organizations of a state association for children and family services. OL has been studied in business organizations, but the concept has value in the context of human service organizations (HSOs) as well. HSOs face increasing demands for accountability through evaluating outcomes, requiring new organizational skills and activities. The state association has collected outcome data from member organizations and has provided external consultants to help organizations interpret and use the information to improve organizational functioning. OL was measured pre- and post-external consultation using a questionnaire developed by Templeton, Lewis, and Snyder (2002). Two factors were identified through factor analyses, organizational culture and environmental awareness. In the qualitative findings, respondents identified the following facilitating factors: leadership, philosophy, new staff/new leadership, willingness, planning, and training. Perceived obstacles to OL included resistance, philosophy, finances, and time. External consultants were perceived as contributing to evaluation, awareness, motivation, and training. Implications for organizational practice, the education of future HSO leaders, and future research are discussed.

Families Pass Money and Opportunities Down: Adolescent Constructions of Social Class

Poverty is a prevalent issue addressed by social workers and other helping professionals. When working to engage citizens in anti-poverty efforts, it is necessary to understand how people conceptualize social class. In this qualitative study, the grounded theory method is utilized to understand how adolescents describe and define social class. Adolescents view family of origin socioeconomic status, higher education opportunities, and social mobility as key factors that shape individual socioeconomic status.

“You Really Have to Play With the Hand You’re Dealt”: How Traditional-Aged College Seniors Understand Class Mobility

This grounded theory study explores how 55 college seniors understand class mobility. Respondents identified family of origin, motivation, and educational attainment as key factors in shaping class mobility. The respondents’ use of narrative story-telling in response to prompts led the research team to develop a grounded theory of class mobility as parallel to playing a hand of poker. Implications for working with college students to increase their understanding of poverty and social mobility are shared.

“All These People Who Can Do Things That I Can’t”: Adolescents’ Reflections on Class, Poverty, and the American Dream

This article investigates high school seniors’ attitudes about socioeconomic status in two historical contexts: the growing economy of the mid-1990s and the recent economic recession. High school seniors (N = 72) were provided with identical scenarios and questions that prompted them to evaluate social stratification. The 1996 cohort expressed belief in the American Dream and individual mobility whereas the 2011 cohort articulated more understanding of structural issues that affect social class mobility. Analysis showed greater awareness of the economy’s impact on family life in the 2011 cohort. Finally, the 2011 cohort noted the strong role of technology as an indicator of status.

Doin’ Meth or Doin’ Math: What Client Constructions of Social Class Mean for Social Work Practice

ABSTRACT The voices of people experiencing poverty are underrepresented in social work research, public policy development, and practice interventions. This study explored the social class attributions of clients receiving poverty-related services through qualitative interviews. Findings reveal dynamic contributions of individual, environmental, and structural factors of social class positioning and significant stress and stigmatization associated with experiencing economic hardship. Participants indicate a sense of lived contradiction, viewing social class to be the result of fate while simultaneously endorsing individualistic attributions of poverty. Results have implications for social work research and practice, as well as poverty-related policy and program development.