Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

Appiah-Kubi, Jamal

Abstract

Farmworkers have an extensive history of contributing to the economic development of the United States. However, research has paid limited attention to this population. From the ecological systems theory approach the purpose of this study is to contribute to the limited amount of research literature available on the implications of farmworkers mental health due to the experiences they encounter in regards to their occupational, environmental, psychosocial and community factors they face. This study will use a mixed methods approach, because of the researcher’s interest in detailed information about farmworkers’ environmental and occupational factors that impact their mental health. One hundred farmworkers will be recruited using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, and will be engaged in survey and interviews. Recruited participants must have worked in the fields for no less than 2 years. Qualitative data will be analyzed through coding and thematic analysis. Quantitative data will be analyzed through descriptive and regression analysis in Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings of this study will help social workers, policy makers, and human services agencies better understand how environmental and occupational factors impact farmworkers’ mental health. Additionally, such findings will contribute to finding additional support and resources to improve the mental health of farmworkers. Overall, this study aims to contribute to the growing body of research on this topic and encourage further exploration in the future. The findings seek to provide meaningful insights that can inform social work practice and guide policymakers in developing more effective, equitable, and evidence-based interventions.

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