Papers by Kathleen Preble
With the advent of a relatively newly recognized social phenomenon, human trafficking, there are ... more With the advent of a relatively newly recognized social phenomenon, human trafficking, there are dozens of agencies providing awareness and training materials on the subject. Many of these materials are available online through these agencies and are free to use. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these training and public-awareness materials, their pedagogical application, or if knowledge about human trafficking is increased because of these media. This study conducted a systematic review of publically available online human-trafficking training and public-awareness videos using pedagogical framework to assess the potential for knowledge transference. Findings from this study suggest that most of the videos did not appear to use Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning to convey knowledge, and as such the potential for knowledge transference is statistically significant. Authors provide potential practice and research implications.
Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, 2014
Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 2015
Journal of Family Social Work, 2015
ABSTRACT Teen dating violence (TDV) challenges families because of negative effects on youths’ we... more ABSTRACT Teen dating violence (TDV) challenges families because of negative effects on youths’ well-being. This exploratory study examines parents’ awareness of TDV and their anticipated responses to adolescents’ reports. The authors used a telephonic survey of 539 Michigan adults to assess knowledge of TDV, awareness of its prevalence, and anticipated responses. More mothers than fathers viewed TDV as a major public health problem and were likely to urge their adolescents to seek formal help. Fathers were more likely to ground their children or say that things are not so bad. Findings of demographic differences influencing parental responses can inform social workers to help parents plan for responding to TDV effectively.
Background: Service learning (SL) involves engaging students in course objectives through communi... more Background: Service learning (SL) involves engaging students in course objectives through community service projects that promote reflection, critical thinking, and problem solving (Lemieux & Allen, 2007; Maccio, 2011). While SL may be a natural fit for social work curricula (Nadan & Scott, 2011), it remains underutilized and under-researched. Studies regarding the use of SL in social work have primarily relied on case study methodology, and thus findings cannot be generalized across content areas (e.g., research versus practice courses) or academic levels (i.e., graduate versus undergraduate). In the current study, we conducted a nationwide survey to identify predictors of SL utilization among social work instructors with the goal of gaining more extensive knowledge about personal and institutional corollaries of SL. Methods: Upon receiving IRB approval, an anonymous, online survey was distributed electronically to CSWE accredited social work programs and through the Baccalaureate ...
Background: Research (e.g., Kushel, Perry, Bahgsberg, Clark, & Ross, 2002) shows a positive corre... more Background: Research (e.g., Kushel, Perry, Bahgsberg, Clark, & Ross, 2002) shows a positive correlation among homelessness, trimorbidity, e.g., poor physical and mental health and substance use, and disproportionate use of medical services. The Vulnerability Index (VI) was developed, based on this research, to measure medical vulnerability, i.e., risk of mortality, and prioritize housing resources. Currently over 50 communities have adopted the VI, however, no evaluations of the instrument have been published. The current study examined how each of the elements of trimorbidity contributes to medical vulnerability by examining their correlations separately with official hospitalization records, a proxy indicator for medical vulnerability. Due to research suggesting that people with substance abuse issues in particular overuse hospital services (Cherpitel & Ye, 2008), we hypothesized that the hospitalizations would predict the former most strongly, followed by mental and physical heal...
Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2014
This study examines the relationships between exposure to violence in the community, school, and ... more This study examines the relationships between exposure to violence in the community, school, and family with dating violence attitudes and behaviors among 175 urban African American youth. Age, gender, state support and experiences with neglect, school violence, and community violence were the most significant predictors of acceptance of dating violence. Experiences with community violence and age were important predictors of dating violence perpetration and victimization. Findings highlight the importance of planning prevention programs that address variables affecting attitudes and behaviors of high-risk youth who have already been exposed to multiple types of violence.
Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 2014
The current study ( N = 209) explored service-learning utilization in social work education by ex... more The current study ( N = 209) explored service-learning utilization in social work education by examining the influence of personal and institutional characteristics, perceived barriers, and beliefs about service-learning outcomes. Results of an online survey of social work educators showed that neither personal nor institutional characteristics influenced service-learning use. Rather, the use of service learning was driven primarily by social work educators' beliefs about the effect of service learning on student outcomes and perceived barriers to implementation. Additionally, questions regarding service-learning implementation (such as hours required) suggest that not all social work educators using service learning correctly distinguish it from field practica.
Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 2013
The current study tested the postdictive validity of the Vulnerability Index (VI), an instrument ... more The current study tested the postdictive validity of the Vulnerability Index (VI), an instrument used to assess medical vulnerability among people who are homeless. It also examined the relationship between hospitalization records and self-reported health status. The VI is based on self-reports of hospital utilization and chronic health conditions. Data were collected over a one-year period from individuals receiving homeless services in a southwestern city (N = 97, 53.3% male, 57.7% African American). Vulnerability Index scores and three subcomponents of the measure (chronic health conditions, substance use, and mental health problems) were regressed on official reports of past-year hospitalizations, controlling for gender and race, using four separate regression models. Official hospitalization records significantly predicted overall VI scores, but they did not predict the subcomponents of the measure. Results show that, within the current sample, official hospital records are predictive of overall VI scores and are correlated with self-reported hospitalization. The lack of relationship between hospital records and subcomponents of the VI may indicate an underutilization of health care for those with serious health conditions.
Administration in Social Work, 2013
ABSTRACT Considerable research has asked what job skills are needed for human services administra... more ABSTRACT Considerable research has asked what job skills are needed for human services administrators and which degree is the “best” one to acquire those skills. This study extends previous research by adding another stakeholder group, Board Chairs, in a mixed methods study. Implications are presented for policy and practice.
Despite the prevalence of agencies serving sex workers in the United States, there are few progra... more Despite the prevalence of agencies serving sex workers in the United States, there are few program evaluations of supportive services. Phenomenological methods were used to explore the lived experiences of 13 sex workers receiving supportive services in a major city in the American Southwest. Results from this study suggest that clients find the trusted and supportive community within the agency especially helpful. Length of time with the agency influenced respondents' perceptions of supportive services. Respondents, however, suggested improvements to services such as mentorship programs, opportunities for outreach participation, and services for male sex workers.
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Papers by Kathleen Preble