This exploratory research aimed to understand EM perpetrated by family members in residential settings among Chinese American elders and the risk factors of EM in this population, focusing on the Phoenix metropolitan area. Particularly, understanding EM through both a cultural lens and a legal lens shed light on the roles of socio-cultural variables (family support and cultural variables) associated with EM among Chinese American elders, one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the U.S.
To achieve these research aims, a larger quantitative component building on a small qualitative component was utilized. In Phase I, focus groups were conducted to ensure subsequent survey questions were culturally and linguistically appropriate. Feedback from the focus groups was used to refine the questionnaire designed for this study. In Phase II, revised questionnaires were distributed to 266 Chinese American older adults to detect EM prevalence and to identify the factors associated with victimization. The ecological theory provides guidance for the study.
In the end, one of ten Chinese American elders experienced general EM perpetrated by family members. The dominant forms of EM, elder neglect and emotional maltreatment, may have serious emotional outcomes and threaten the well-being of Chinese elders. To prevent the occurrence and recurrence of EM, service professionals and gatekeepers in the community need to work with Chinese American families to reduce elders’ depression levels, promote family cohesion and eliminate the intergenerational culture/acculturation differences.
For my thesis project, I joined a pathway course in Game Design. The goal was to design an analog game based upon principles learned in class and through experimental gameplay. Tasked with designing different game types and provided different styles of games to test, I was able to explore and develop my own game idea, Covers.
Bridging social capital describes the diffusion of information across networks built between individuals of different social identities. This project aims to understand if the bridging ties of economic connectedness (EC), measured by data from Facebook friends and calculated as the average share of high socioeconomic status friends that an individual from a low socioeconomic status has, can be a predictor of variations in COVID-19 infection risk across Arizona ZIP code tabulation areas (ZCTAs). Economic connectedness values across Arizona ZCTAs was examined in addition to the correlation of EC to various social and demographic factors such as age, sex, race and ethnicity, educational background, income, and health insurance coverage. A multiple linear regression model was conducted to examine the association of EC to biweekly COVID-19 growth rate from October 2020 to November 2021, and to examine the longitudinal trends in the association between these two factors. The study found that the bridging ties of economic connectedness has a significant effect size comparable to that of other demographic features, and has implications in being used to identify vulnerabilities and health disparities in communities during the pandemic.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan passed the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) to create an organ national registry and prohibit the purchase and selling of specific organs. Despite the enactment, the kidney shortage remains. This leaves 13 people on the waiting list dying prematurely every day while waiting for a kidney donation. This revision of the amendment permits the selling and purchase of kidneys in order to decrease kidney organ trafficking and help alleviate the kidney shortage. An argument on why this amendment should be considered is explained through statistics, ethics, socioeconomic, market fundamentalism, and legislative history. These sections find ample support for amending the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 to include the sale and purchase of kidneys.
Through my academic career at Arizona State University, I have learned the importance of implementing mindful habits into one’s personal and professional life. Being introduced to mindfulness has changed my life for the better. My hope for completing this thesis is to inspire other college students and future social workers to embrace the present moment, while being aware of internal thoughts and feelings as well as external stimuli. While implementing mindful habits can seem daunting and complex, one must understand that being mindful is an ongoing life-long journey. Ultimately, we owe it to ourselves and the individuals and communities we serve to engage in mindfulness, and truly be at peace with our inner-being key words: mindfulness, social work, burnout.
I conducted an oral history project of five women with journeys in the Christian faith who had experience working with asylum seekers and refugees in the Phoenix metropolitan area. I explore with this project the perceptions of the helping relationship through the stories of these women and how their beliefs about their faith and work inform each other to pursue meaningful connections for the benefit of others.