Bart W . Miles | Augustana University (original) (raw)

Papers by Bart W . Miles

Encyclopedia of Research Design , 2010

Medicine, Conflict and Survival, 2010

Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf ... more Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.

American Journal of Public Health, 2009

Objectives. We evaluated the prevalence and nature of housing problems among adolescents leaving ... more Objectives. We evaluated the prevalence and nature of housing problems among adolescents leaving foster care because of their age to provide evidence that can inform public and programmatic policies designed to prevent homelessness. Methods. Housing and psychosocial outcomes in a sample of 265 adolescents who left the foster care system in 2002 and 2003 in a large midwestern metropolitan area were evaluated over a 2-year follow-up period. Analyses focused on identifying latent housing trajectory categories across the first 2 years after participants' exit from foster care. Results. Findings revealed 4 latent housing classifications. Most participants (57%) had experienced stable housing situations since their exit from foster care. Those in the remaining 3 categories endured housing problems, and 20% were chronically homeless during the follow-up period. Housing instability was related to emotional and behavioral problems, physical and sexual victimization, criminal conviction, ...

American Journal of Community Psychology, 2011

The present study examined the role of contextual support on mental health during the transition ... more The present study examined the role of contextual support on mental health during the transition to adulthood within a vulnerable group, adolescents leaving foster care because of their age. Participants were 265 19- to 23-year-olds who retrospectively reported on 3 main contexts of emerging adulthood: housing security, educational achievement, and employment attainment in the first 2 years after leaving foster care. Mental health measured self-reported emotional distress, substance abuse, and deviancy at the time of interview. Growth Mixture Modeling empirically identified 3 latent trajectory classes. Stable-Engaged (41%) experienced secure housing and increasing connections to education and employment over time. Stable-Disengaged (30%) maintained housing but reported decreasing rates of education and small increases in employment. Instable-Disengaged (29%) experienced chronic housing instability, declined connection to education, and failed to attain employment. Stable-Engaged and Stable-Disengaged classes reported better mental health compared to the Instable-Disengaged class, indicating the importance of housing in transitioning to adulthood.

Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, Mar 1, 2010

Since 1994, policies have been instituted throughout the United States that require sex offenders... more Since 1994, policies have been instituted throughout the United States that require sex offenders to register their personal information with law enforcement officials (Jacob Wetterling Crimes against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Program, 1994). With the passage of additional laws, this information is now available to the public via the Internet or a request to a police department. These laws have brought about consequences for both the registrants and for members of their families. A focus group was held with four mothers who have sons listed on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. Psychological and social consequences of registration were found and policy implications are discussed.

Encyclopedia of Research Design, 2010

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 2008

This study examined the social construction of deviance in a sample of homeless and/or runaway yo... more This study examined the social construction of deviance in a sample of homeless and/or runaway youth in metropolitan Phoenix. In depth semi-structured interviews with 14 youth were conducted, and the data were transcribed and analyzed using a qualitative research computer program. The findings from the study point to an emerging theory, which suggests that ambiguous local policies relevant to homeless youth (e.g., trespassing, loitering) resulted in their selective enforcement by local security and police. Respondents described the ways that they adapted their behaviors to the environmental stressors resulting from these policies. Implications for practice are discussed.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has a long history of poverty and violence ... more Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has a long history of poverty and violence which was only compounded by the 12 January 2010 earthquake. Using Random GPS Coordinate Sampling (RGCS) 1800 households in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan areas were surveyed in summer 2009 as part of the University of Michigan Haiti Violence Assessment, a national household study on health and harm conducted in cooperation with the Small Arms Survey. Respondents (or another adult household member, if the original respondent was unable to participate due to death or injury) were re-interviewed after the January 2010 earthquake to determine changes in the household data including deaths, injuries, property destruction, crime victimization, and changes in physical and mental health. Displacement, resulting in both internal and external migration was found to be common amongst the study population. Data from the study is being used to estimate rates of death (both during and in the afterma...

Abstract: An ecological risk and resiliency framework was applied to explore how social contexts,... more Abstract: An ecological risk and resiliency framework was applied to explore how social contexts, especially the role of families and schools, are affecting Latino/a pre-adolescent substance use in the urban Southwest. A mixed research design, using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, guided the study. Quantitative data were collected through surveys administered as part of a school-based prevention intervention experiment (N= 2,125). Individual interviews conducted with a randomly selected number of matched ...

Journal of Technology in Human Services, 2006

The fields of anthropology and sociology are the origins of qualitative research. Early qualitati... more The fields of anthropology and sociology are the origins of qualitative research. Early qualitative researchers documented findings through the use of copious notes. The invention of portable audio recorders lead to qualitative researchers taping their findings. The use of recording devices as the primary source of data documentation has been embraced by social work researchers. Though, in the last twenty years several advances in visual recording devices have been made which offer a significant potential for advancement in the data collection and analysis. Social Work continues to rely on the technology of the 1960s. The use of digital video presents many advantages over audio. Video gives depth, can be easily analyzed using a PC, and offers diversity in presentation of findings. This article discusses the history of qualitative research; the use of technology in data collection; the emergence of visual methods; the emergence of social work in the field; and a call for social work researchers to use video technology in their research.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Work, 2003

This exploratory, qualitative study examined risk and protective factors influencing drug and al... more This exploratory, qualitative study examined risk and protective factors
influencing drug and alcohol use and/or resistance of Native youth in the
Southwest. Thirty-two Native middle school students participated in 10
focus groups that explored their experiences with alcohol and drugs in
their school and reservation communities. The findings indicate a complex
interaction of both risk and protective factors related to substance use.
Respondents' cousins and siblings, in particular, played a key role in their
decisions to use or resist drugs. Implications for social work practice are
discussed.

Journal of Family Social Work, 2003

Extensive research has focused on risk factors for and social influences on alcohol and drug use ... more Extensive research has focused on risk factors for and social influences on alcohol and drug use by adolescents. While peers tend to be most the influential, parents and families are also important, with specific parental behaviors and particular family dynamics identified in the literature as having a protective or risk effect on youth. However, this line of research has not examined the differences in family influence on youth of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This qualitative research study of American Indian adolescents identified both positive and negative influences on youth substance use by various family members within kinship groups. The widespread influence of specific kinship members on high-risk behaviors of American Indian youth has not been previously identified. These findings have significant implications for alcohol and drug prevention and intervention activities with American Indian youth.

Books by Bart W . Miles

Encyclopedia of Research Design , 2010

The Promise of Welfare Reform: Results or Rhetoric? , 2006

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 has signifi... more The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 has
significantly impacted many families throughout the United States. This chapter focuses on the
consequences of welfare reform for the homeless population, and in particular, for homeless
families. We discuss the relationship between welfare reform and the changing demographics of the
homeless in America, the impact of welfare reform on homeless families, and suggestions for changes
to public assistance.

Social Work with Multicultural Youth, 2002

An ecological risk and resiliency framework was applied to explore how social contexts, especiall... more An ecological risk and resiliency framework was applied
to explore how social contexts, especially the role of families and
schools, are affecting Latino/a pre-adolescent substance use in the urban
Southwest. A mixed research design, using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, guided the study. Quantitative data were collected through surveys administered as part of a school-based prevention intervention experiment (N = 2,125). Individual interviews conducted with a randomly selected number of matched students (N = 60) provided the qualitative data. The main theme emerging throughout both data sets was a strong resilience against drug use of the participating 7th grade urban youth. The vast majority of students did not use hard drugs, and agreed that alcohol use was inappropriate at their age. A high degree of attachment and strong ties to their parents and their school environment emerged as a shared protective factor. Recommendations include social work interventions that support the resiliency characteristics of urban Latino/ a youth in different social contexts such as communities, schools, and families. Limitations of the study are reviewed and suggestions for future research are offered.

The Handbook of Social Work Research Methods, 2010

The history of naturalistic inquiry is one that is longstanding and embedded in the origins of a ... more The history of naturalistic inquiry is one that is longstanding and embedded in the origins of a philosophical tradition of hermeneutics and phenomenology. These traditions emphasize the issue of Lebenswelt, or life world, and the social interaction within the life world. A few major theorists in this tradition are Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Edward Husserl, and Alfred Schutz. Early applications of the naturalistic paradigm in social methods can be found in cultural anthropology and sociology. Others who have extended this tradition are those of the Chicago school (Mead, Blumer, Parks, Burgess, and Goffman) who created symbolic interactionism, a spin-off of phenomenology (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994; Schwandt, 2000). Van Manen (1990) emphasizes the phenomenological issues of reflexivity and intersubjectivity. Reflexivity is the process in which the researcher pays conscious attention to the effects of his or her own position within a social context and in the larger society and how this position can distort or prejudice his or her objectivity. Intersubjectivity refers to the mutual establishment of understanding between individuals within a social relationship about facts of experiences in their life world.

Encyclopedia of Research Design , 2010

Medicine, Conflict and Survival, 2010

Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf ... more Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.

American Journal of Public Health, 2009

Objectives. We evaluated the prevalence and nature of housing problems among adolescents leaving ... more Objectives. We evaluated the prevalence and nature of housing problems among adolescents leaving foster care because of their age to provide evidence that can inform public and programmatic policies designed to prevent homelessness. Methods. Housing and psychosocial outcomes in a sample of 265 adolescents who left the foster care system in 2002 and 2003 in a large midwestern metropolitan area were evaluated over a 2-year follow-up period. Analyses focused on identifying latent housing trajectory categories across the first 2 years after participants' exit from foster care. Results. Findings revealed 4 latent housing classifications. Most participants (57%) had experienced stable housing situations since their exit from foster care. Those in the remaining 3 categories endured housing problems, and 20% were chronically homeless during the follow-up period. Housing instability was related to emotional and behavioral problems, physical and sexual victimization, criminal conviction, ...

American Journal of Community Psychology, 2011

The present study examined the role of contextual support on mental health during the transition ... more The present study examined the role of contextual support on mental health during the transition to adulthood within a vulnerable group, adolescents leaving foster care because of their age. Participants were 265 19- to 23-year-olds who retrospectively reported on 3 main contexts of emerging adulthood: housing security, educational achievement, and employment attainment in the first 2 years after leaving foster care. Mental health measured self-reported emotional distress, substance abuse, and deviancy at the time of interview. Growth Mixture Modeling empirically identified 3 latent trajectory classes. Stable-Engaged (41%) experienced secure housing and increasing connections to education and employment over time. Stable-Disengaged (30%) maintained housing but reported decreasing rates of education and small increases in employment. Instable-Disengaged (29%) experienced chronic housing instability, declined connection to education, and failed to attain employment. Stable-Engaged and Stable-Disengaged classes reported better mental health compared to the Instable-Disengaged class, indicating the importance of housing in transitioning to adulthood.

Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, Mar 1, 2010

Since 1994, policies have been instituted throughout the United States that require sex offenders... more Since 1994, policies have been instituted throughout the United States that require sex offenders to register their personal information with law enforcement officials (Jacob Wetterling Crimes against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Program, 1994). With the passage of additional laws, this information is now available to the public via the Internet or a request to a police department. These laws have brought about consequences for both the registrants and for members of their families. A focus group was held with four mothers who have sons listed on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. Psychological and social consequences of registration were found and policy implications are discussed.

Encyclopedia of Research Design, 2010

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 2008

This study examined the social construction of deviance in a sample of homeless and/or runaway yo... more This study examined the social construction of deviance in a sample of homeless and/or runaway youth in metropolitan Phoenix. In depth semi-structured interviews with 14 youth were conducted, and the data were transcribed and analyzed using a qualitative research computer program. The findings from the study point to an emerging theory, which suggests that ambiguous local policies relevant to homeless youth (e.g., trespassing, loitering) resulted in their selective enforcement by local security and police. Respondents described the ways that they adapted their behaviors to the environmental stressors resulting from these policies. Implications for practice are discussed.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has a long history of poverty and violence ... more Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has a long history of poverty and violence which was only compounded by the 12 January 2010 earthquake. Using Random GPS Coordinate Sampling (RGCS) 1800 households in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan areas were surveyed in summer 2009 as part of the University of Michigan Haiti Violence Assessment, a national household study on health and harm conducted in cooperation with the Small Arms Survey. Respondents (or another adult household member, if the original respondent was unable to participate due to death or injury) were re-interviewed after the January 2010 earthquake to determine changes in the household data including deaths, injuries, property destruction, crime victimization, and changes in physical and mental health. Displacement, resulting in both internal and external migration was found to be common amongst the study population. Data from the study is being used to estimate rates of death (both during and in the afterma...

Abstract: An ecological risk and resiliency framework was applied to explore how social contexts,... more Abstract: An ecological risk and resiliency framework was applied to explore how social contexts, especially the role of families and schools, are affecting Latino/a pre-adolescent substance use in the urban Southwest. A mixed research design, using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, guided the study. Quantitative data were collected through surveys administered as part of a school-based prevention intervention experiment (N= 2,125). Individual interviews conducted with a randomly selected number of matched ...

Journal of Technology in Human Services, 2006

The fields of anthropology and sociology are the origins of qualitative research. Early qualitati... more The fields of anthropology and sociology are the origins of qualitative research. Early qualitative researchers documented findings through the use of copious notes. The invention of portable audio recorders lead to qualitative researchers taping their findings. The use of recording devices as the primary source of data documentation has been embraced by social work researchers. Though, in the last twenty years several advances in visual recording devices have been made which offer a significant potential for advancement in the data collection and analysis. Social Work continues to rely on the technology of the 1960s. The use of digital video presents many advantages over audio. Video gives depth, can be easily analyzed using a PC, and offers diversity in presentation of findings. This article discusses the history of qualitative research; the use of technology in data collection; the emergence of visual methods; the emergence of social work in the field; and a call for social work researchers to use video technology in their research.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Work, 2003

This exploratory, qualitative study examined risk and protective factors influencing drug and al... more This exploratory, qualitative study examined risk and protective factors
influencing drug and alcohol use and/or resistance of Native youth in the
Southwest. Thirty-two Native middle school students participated in 10
focus groups that explored their experiences with alcohol and drugs in
their school and reservation communities. The findings indicate a complex
interaction of both risk and protective factors related to substance use.
Respondents' cousins and siblings, in particular, played a key role in their
decisions to use or resist drugs. Implications for social work practice are
discussed.

Journal of Family Social Work, 2003

Extensive research has focused on risk factors for and social influences on alcohol and drug use ... more Extensive research has focused on risk factors for and social influences on alcohol and drug use by adolescents. While peers tend to be most the influential, parents and families are also important, with specific parental behaviors and particular family dynamics identified in the literature as having a protective or risk effect on youth. However, this line of research has not examined the differences in family influence on youth of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This qualitative research study of American Indian adolescents identified both positive and negative influences on youth substance use by various family members within kinship groups. The widespread influence of specific kinship members on high-risk behaviors of American Indian youth has not been previously identified. These findings have significant implications for alcohol and drug prevention and intervention activities with American Indian youth.

Encyclopedia of Research Design , 2010

The Promise of Welfare Reform: Results or Rhetoric? , 2006

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 has signifi... more The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 has
significantly impacted many families throughout the United States. This chapter focuses on the
consequences of welfare reform for the homeless population, and in particular, for homeless
families. We discuss the relationship between welfare reform and the changing demographics of the
homeless in America, the impact of welfare reform on homeless families, and suggestions for changes
to public assistance.

Social Work with Multicultural Youth, 2002

An ecological risk and resiliency framework was applied to explore how social contexts, especiall... more An ecological risk and resiliency framework was applied
to explore how social contexts, especially the role of families and
schools, are affecting Latino/a pre-adolescent substance use in the urban
Southwest. A mixed research design, using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, guided the study. Quantitative data were collected through surveys administered as part of a school-based prevention intervention experiment (N = 2,125). Individual interviews conducted with a randomly selected number of matched students (N = 60) provided the qualitative data. The main theme emerging throughout both data sets was a strong resilience against drug use of the participating 7th grade urban youth. The vast majority of students did not use hard drugs, and agreed that alcohol use was inappropriate at their age. A high degree of attachment and strong ties to their parents and their school environment emerged as a shared protective factor. Recommendations include social work interventions that support the resiliency characteristics of urban Latino/ a youth in different social contexts such as communities, schools, and families. Limitations of the study are reviewed and suggestions for future research are offered.

The Handbook of Social Work Research Methods, 2010

The history of naturalistic inquiry is one that is longstanding and embedded in the origins of a ... more The history of naturalistic inquiry is one that is longstanding and embedded in the origins of a philosophical tradition of hermeneutics and phenomenology. These traditions emphasize the issue of Lebenswelt, or life world, and the social interaction within the life world. A few major theorists in this tradition are Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Edward Husserl, and Alfred Schutz. Early applications of the naturalistic paradigm in social methods can be found in cultural anthropology and sociology. Others who have extended this tradition are those of the Chicago school (Mead, Blumer, Parks, Burgess, and Goffman) who created symbolic interactionism, a spin-off of phenomenology (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994; Schwandt, 2000). Van Manen (1990) emphasizes the phenomenological issues of reflexivity and intersubjectivity. Reflexivity is the process in which the researcher pays conscious attention to the effects of his or her own position within a social context and in the larger society and how this position can distort or prejudice his or her objectivity. Intersubjectivity refers to the mutual establishment of understanding between individuals within a social relationship about facts of experiences in their life world.