Welfare Reform and Higher Education: The Impact of Postsecondary Education on Self-sufficiency

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Twitchell, Sarah Jo
Language:English
Published: University of Toledo / OhioLINK 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1127816883
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spelling ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-toledo11278168832021-08-03T06:07:17Z Welfare Reform and Higher Education: The Impact of Postsecondary Education on Self-sufficiency Twitchell, Sarah Jo Social Work welfare reform college family development <p>This study examined the impact of involvement in post-secondary education on family functioning levels of welfare recipients. Astin’s theory of student involvement (1999) and Input-Environment-Output model (1993) provided the theoretical structure to determine what input and other environmental variables influenced family functioning levels.</p> <p>The study utilized a combination of secondary data supplemented with data gathered on 197 welfare recipients from Lucas County in Northwest Ohio. A little over one third of the respondents reported involvement in post-secondary education.</p> <p>Along with examining frequencies and percentages, three analyses were performed in the study: T-tests, correlations, and multiple regression analysis. T-tests showed that a significant relationship existed between the dependent variable, total Family Development Matrix (FDM) scores of the respondents, and the primary independent variable, involvement in higher education. T-tests also determined that within the FDM, the following family function indicators were significantly different for those involved in post secondary education than for those who were not: transportation, health care, social support, and childcare. Both level of education and involvement in postsecondary education were found to have positive correlations with the total FDM. Multiple regression analysis found level of education to be a significant predictor of higher FDM scores.</p> <p>Three implications for policy and practice emerged from the findings: redefining self-sufficiency more broadly than as simply being off cash assistance; selecting a standardized instrument that can accurately and efficiently measure this broader definition of self-sufficiency; and encouraging legislation that allows welfare recipients to pursue postsecondary education.</p> <p>Three conclusions rose out of the findings and the interpretation of those findings: self sufficiency can be attributed to a number of different variables that are in relationship with each other; exposure to postsecondary education, not degree attainment, is key to increasing self-sufficiency; the indirect benefits that welfare recipients receive as college students are immeasurable.</p> <p>The findings in this study provide data to legislators, human services administration, and higher education leadership for use in examining how policies might be changed to allow increased opportunity for welfare recipients to pursue postsecondary education as a means to greater self-sufficiency.</p> 2004 English text University of Toledo / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1127816883 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1127816883 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.
collection NDLTD
language English
sources NDLTD
topic Social Work
welfare reform
college
family development
spellingShingle Social Work
welfare reform
college
family development
Twitchell, Sarah Jo
Welfare Reform and Higher Education: The Impact of Postsecondary Education on Self-sufficiency
author Twitchell, Sarah Jo
author_facet Twitchell, Sarah Jo
author_sort Twitchell, Sarah Jo
title Welfare Reform and Higher Education: The Impact of Postsecondary Education on Self-sufficiency
title_short Welfare Reform and Higher Education: The Impact of Postsecondary Education on Self-sufficiency
title_full Welfare Reform and Higher Education: The Impact of Postsecondary Education on Self-sufficiency
title_fullStr Welfare Reform and Higher Education: The Impact of Postsecondary Education on Self-sufficiency
title_full_unstemmed Welfare Reform and Higher Education: The Impact of Postsecondary Education on Self-sufficiency
title_sort welfare reform and higher education: the impact of postsecondary education on self-sufficiency
publisher University of Toledo / OhioLINK
publishDate 2004
url http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1127816883
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