This article investigates factors predicting the retention of 201 Title IV-E MSW graduates at a large, urban public child welfare agency in California over 2 years of employment. Using a discriminant function analysis, factors taken at the end of the first and second year of employment were used to predict whether these graduates left prior to or at the end of their commitment or stayed past their commitment. The most consistent predictor of whether MSWs stayed past their stipend commitment was organizational commitment. Other significant predictors varied by year and included burnout, working conditions, supervisor support, job satisfaction, role conflict and autonomy. Qualitative findings about the reasons why these graduates decided to remain or leave the agency are also presented.Due to the overwhelming demand for qualified professional child welfare workers who have specialized skills and are committed to public child
This study examines the effects of leader behaviors and leader gender on employees' perceptions of support from the organization and employee commitment to the organization. Ninety‐one employees completed a survey measuring leader behaviors, perceived organizational support, and organizational commitment. Results confirmed the hypothesis that a high interpersonal orientation and high task orientation had the most positive effect on employee attitudes. However, the high interpersonal orientation and high task orientation were not equally effective for both female and male leaders. Employees perceived more support from the organization when their supervisors, either female or male, used a high consideration–high initiating structure style than when they used a low consideration–low initiating structure style. On the other hand, only those employees who work for a male supervisor who is high in consideration and high in initiating structure were more committed to the organization.
Research strongly indicates that low‐income youth, particularly those of color who are overrepresented in poverty, have lower levels of academic performance than their higher‐income peers. It has been suggested that community‐based out‐of‐school programs can play an important role in reducing these academic differences. This study examined the effect of the YMCA High School Youth Institute on the grades, test scores, and school attendance of urban high school youth using a randomly selected matched comparison group. Those involved in the program had significantly higher English‐language art and math standardized test scores and somewhat fewer absences than the comparison group. Active program participants had significantly higher academic grade‐point averages (GPAs) and math test scores as well as somewhat higher total GPA. The findings suggest that high‐quality out‐of‐school programs can positively influence the academic performance of low‐income youth. Implications for practice are discussed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.