SSW Students and Faculty present posters for CEHD Research Day 2021
The research of several students and faculty in the SSW community has been selected for CEHD Research Day 2021. Each poster presentation consists of a poster PDF and an explanatory video – live now here. Learn more about the SSW entries below.
Critical Discourse Analysis: Teen Mothers Education in Namibia
Author(s): Ndilimeke Nashandi, MA, PhD student, and SSW Professors Jessica Toft, PhD, and Elizabeth Lightfoot, PhD.
This critical discourse analysis examine ways in which teen mothers are constructed in popular print media, The Namibian between the years 2014-2018. Although Namibia introduced a flexible educational policy Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy of 2010, many public schools obstruct adolescent mothers’ educational engagement. Studies shows teen mothers’ school dropout rate persists, they face an increased likelihood of intergenerational poverty and moral judgment. Rural teen mothers endure most of these negative consequences. Only 26.3% reengaged in school relative to 73.7% in urban areas. Instead, Namibian teen mothers are exposed to adverse childhood experiences and trauma. Sensitized by ubuntu, social construction of target populations, and socialist feminism perspectives the specific research question was: How are teen mothers socially constructed by the Namibian public? Results suggests, the Namibian public constructed teen mothers’ lives in the context of their complex adverse childhood experiences including, vulnerability, and support needed to enhance their wellbeing. The study implies that Namibian teen mothers’ face multiple barriers stemming from patriarchal and class structures that maintain their low political position. Yet, a few still blamed girls. The extent to which public discourse shape policy enforcement may inform the Namibian government to design culturally responsive school-based programs.
Family Caregiving during COVID-19 – Concerns and Silver Linings
Author(s): SSW Professor Elizabeth Lightfoot, Rajean Moone, Heejung Yun, Courtney Kutzler, Jacob Otis, Kamal Suleiman, Kenneth Turck – Heejung, Jacob, and Kenneth are PhD students, and Courtney is a MSW dual degree student.
COVID-19 global pandemic has had an enormous impact older people and their family members. While family caregivers provide the bulk of care for older people and people with disabilities, there has been much of the scholarly attention on the psychological and physical impacts of the social isolation older people. In this study we focus on concerns and unexpected benefits of family caregivers of adults over age 65 or adults with disabilities regarding caregiving during the pandemic. The qualitative methods applied and inductive thematic analysis was used to explore the themes. In total, 52 virtual interviews were conducted, and each interview was recorded, transcribed, and reviewed, developing the codes to themes.
We found six themes related to concerns and five related to benefits of caregiving. Main concern was the social isolation of their family members, regarding how the social isolation would lead to declines in the mental health and physical and cognitive functioning. Despite their worries, caregivers in our study were able to identify benefits of caring during this pandemic. They described how COVID-19 deepened relationships among family members, and had spurred the use of new technologies for caregiving.
Be sure to join on Tuesday, March 23 for a virtual 2021 CEHD Research Day, Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, and World’s Challenge Challenge. Come and support CEHD faculty, staff, and students as they showcase the impact of their research.
Log in at 11 a.m. and experience the 3MT competition, where CEHD Ph.D. students have three minutes to effectively explain their research project in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. Register for Zoom session.
Plan to join us again at 1 p.m. for a presentation of the World’s Challenge Challenge 2020 winners, the 3MT winner presentation, and a live panel discussion on the intersection of social justice and research. Register for Zoom session.