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The Role Of Spirituality For Successful Established Women Entrepreneurs, Valaurie Bridges Lee

Business Administration Dissertations

What drives entrepreneurs to persevere? Particularly, what drives women entrepreneurs to endure given they are faced with sexism, discrimination, and racism? What do they attribute their success to? What sustains them and motivates them to continue to maintain their businesses? Why established women entrepreneurs (EWEs) remain business owners is an under-researched phenomenon. This study aimed to examine the role of spirituality in the success of EBEs. Studies have been dedicated to nascent entrepreneurs as it relates to why many of them begin the journey, but why they remain entrepreneurs is not completely clear. It has been shown that women are …

Pre-Hispanic Frailty And Mortality In The Lambayeque Valley: Wilson Bands As Evidence Of Early Life Stress, Chelsea B. Batchelder

Anthropology Theses

Early life stress impacts frailty and is important for understanding mortality in ancient populations. Utilizing Wilson bands (WB) from enamel thin-sections, this thesis explores displays of phenotypic plasticity, early life stress between pre-Hispanic and Colonial samples, and osteobiographical accounts of individuals associated with the Formative (3200-200BCE, n=2), Late Moche (550-800CE, n=11) and Late Sicán (1100-1375CE, n=1) periods from the Ventarrón archaeological complex in northern coastal Peru. Late Moche individuals had high prevalences of WB, potentially linking low socioeconomic status to acute, episodic early childhood stress. Pre-Hispanic individuals with WB displayed greater frailty and earlier mortality than those without, indicated by …

Cyberbullying Victimization And Corresponding Distress In Women Of Color, Joanna Menendez

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Online discrimination towards women and people of color has reached epidemic levels (Fox, Cruz, & Young Lee, 2015). Any woman or person of color who uses the internet runs the risk of attracting online users who would engage them in demeaning ways. As such, it is important that researchers are able to assess and understand these experiences and the possible effects on their well-being. In Chapter 1, I conducted a systematic review of cyberbullying measures. Although studies have documented the link between cyberbullying experiences and stress (i.e., psychological distress or perceived stress), there is a need to explore factors, such …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Free Writing On The Scope And Control Of Attention, Melany Williams Love

Psychology Theses

The possibility that writing can provide relief from endogenous sources of distraction and

improve attention performance was examined. Participants completed attention scope and control tasks prior to and after completing a five-minute writing exercise. The writing exercise instructed participants to either copy text or write down tasks they intended to complete in the near future. Writing did not elicit effects in attention performance, but methodological limitations make it difficult to interpret this outcome. Individual differences in stress, cognitive control and flexibility under stress, and ruminative tendencies did not relate to attention performance. Stress was associated with poorer cognitive control and …

Justice Involvement And Stress In U.S. Adult Women, Joy Burns

Public Health Dissertations

Background: The number of women in the justice system has risen at nearly double the rate of men in the last 40 years. The purpose of the current study is to better understand the stress of women involved in the criminal justice system, and how stress relates to the types of justice involvement.

Aims: This study examined the National Survey on Drug Use and Health data from years 2014-2016 and the impact of justice involvement on the primary outcome of stress, defined as psychological distress and functional impairment, for women (N = 68,567) engaged in various types of justice involvement …

"Choking" Capuchins: Hormonal Correlates Of Performance Failure Under High Pressure, Meghan Sosnowski

Psychology Theses

Succeeding under high pressure is highly beneficial not only for humans, but also for

non-human animals. I studied a captive colony of socially-living tufted capuchin monkeys as a model species to examine performance failure (or “choking”) under pressure and to see if endogenous levels of hormones correlated with likelihood to fail under high pressure. I also explored if cortisol and testosterone interacted under non-competitive paradigms of stress. I found that capuchin monkeys differed significantly in reactions to acute pressure when performing a cognitive task, with some individuals performing better and some performing worse under pressure. Cortisol interacted with testosterone – …

The Differential Effects Of Stress On The Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Guttata) Brain And Behavior, Shauna C. Cheesman

Neuroscience Institute Dissertations

The detrimental effects of early life stress on brain development and behavior in adulthood are well known, but the effects of acute stressors experienced later in life on brain activation and adult behaviors, such as mate preference, are less understood. It is generally thought that acute stress, unlike chronic stress, leads to adaptive responses like encouraging reproduction over survival. The reverse, promoting survival over reproduction, occurs under chronic stress conditions. Physiological responses to stress are mediated by glucocorticoids receptors (GRs) and DNA methylation has been proposed as a mechanism by which stress, at any point in life, can lead to …

Sacrifice Reconsidered: Interpreting Stress From Archaeological Hair At Huaca De Los Sacrificios, Benjamin J. Schaefer

Anthropology Theses

The Inka Empire (A.D. 1450-1532) practiced flexible forms of statecraft that affected their periphery populations across the Andean cordillera. Lived experiences of Inka subjects differed in varied ways, which therefore requires nuanced bioarchaeological approaches. This study aims to interpret psychosocial stress through assays of cortisol in archaeological hair from sacrificed individuals recovered in the Huaca de los Sacrificios at the Chotuna-Chornancap Archaeological complex. This site is located in the Lambayeque Valley, and was used as a ritual and ceremonial complex by both the Inka and earlier Chimú states, and originally by the local Muchik. The remains analyzed here are associated …

Associations Between Stress And Resourcefulness Among Parents Of Children At Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder And Developmental Delays, Meena Khowaja

Psychology Dissertations

Parents who are rearing a child with a developmental disability have higher stress than parents raising typically developing children. Protective factors, such as optimism and social support, are associated with psychological well-being among parents of children with and without disabilities. However, little is known about when this pattern of elevated stress among parents with developmental disabilities emerges; associations between parents’ level of stress and resilience prior to their child’s initial diagnostic evaluation has yet to be thoroughly researched. Resourcefulness refers both to internal processes to handle stress and external help-seeking behaviors that contribute to resilience. It is related to psychological …

The Implications Of Chronic Stress On Obesity: Allostatic Load On Body Mass Index (Bmi) Classification In The United States, Nhanes 2005-2006, Sheila H. Grami

Public Health Theses

ABSTRACT

The Implications of Chronic Stress on Obesity: Allostatic Load on Body Mass Index (BMI) Classification in the United States, NHANES 2005-2006

INTRODUCTION: In this modern environment, our world is reflecting an exponential increase in not only population, but in body size. Obesity is an overwhelming public health concern among the United States population. Research has shown there is a positive correlation between adiposity and stress. Allostatic load (AL) has been presented to be a consistent measure of chronic stress damage on the body. Yet, there is few studies exemplifying the presence AL on classification of body mass index (BMI). …

The Effects Of Psychological Stress On Abdominal Obesity Among African American Women, Sankan W. Nyanseor

Public Health Theses

African American (AA) women have the highest prevalence of obesity than other groups in the US making them disproportionately at high risk for chronic diseases associated with obesity such type 2 diabetes mellitus. Research has shown that stress may be a risk factor for obesity and that it may be more prevalent within AA women. The aim of this study was to identify if there is an association between psychological stress in AA women in the US and abdominal obesity (AO). A cross sectional study design was employed using secondary data from the 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey …

Stress Appraisal, Coping Resources, And Psychological Functioning In Parents Of Infants And Toddlers Diagnosed With Congenital Heart Disease, Meredith Bishop

Psychology Theses

Congenital heart disease (CHD) includes a variety of disorders that are characterized by structural defects to the heart or the coronary blood vessels that occur in fetal development. CHD occurs in 8 of every 1,000 live births. CHD often requires surgical repair and increases caregiving burden for families. The purpose of this study was to better understand the relations between illness-related parenting stress, coping resources, and psychological functioning in primary caregivers of young children with CHD. 69 parents provided demographic information and completed measures of parenting stress, self-efficacy, mindfulness, social support, and adjustment. Results revealed that psychological functioning in this …

Perfectionism, Acculturative Stress, Coping Styles, And Depression Among International Students., Yi-Shi Hsiao

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

The present study examined whether adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism, acculturative stress, and three coping strategies (reflective, suppressive, and reactive) have interaction effects in predicting depression. Data were collected from 789 international students at seventeen different college campuses across the United States using an online survey. Results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that there were significant main effects for adaptive perfectionism, maladaptive perfectionism, acculturative stress, and three coping strategies. Results also indicated that there were four significant two-way interactions among the variables in the prediction of depression. Ineffective coping (suppressive and reactive) moderated the relationship between acculturative stress and depression. Maladaptive …

Early Life Cold Exposure Decreases Global Methylation Levels In Juveniles And Attenuates The Corticosterone Response After Restraint In Adult Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia Guttata), Anne Kristel Yu Tiamco Bayani

Biology Theses

Cold exposure, especially early in life, can be stressful. We examined if cold exposure affects HPA axis sensitivity and global DNA methylation in the brain in Australian zebra finches (Taenopygia gutta). We hypothesized that cold exposure during the first two weeks post-hatch alters HPA sensitivity and global brain DNA methylation levels in juveniles and adults. Control birds showed the predicted elevation in plasma corticosterone (Cort) after restraint stress in adulthood, however cold exposed birds exhibited a blunted Cort response. There was no significant difference in global methylation levels between treatments. Juveniles showed no significant difference between baseline and …

Postpartum Depressive Symptoms: A Study Of Influencing Factors And An Intervention For Improvement, Susan Liipfert Shelton

Nursing Dissertations (PhD)

Postpartum Depression (PPD) is diagnosed in nearly 16% of mothers, yet more women may report symptoms of this mood disorder. Research has focused on assessment and intervention for women considered at risk for PPD while women described as low-risk are potentially overlooked. The purposes of the two-phase study were to describe the depressive symptoms among healthy, low-risk women at 4-8 weeks postpartum, determine the influence from personal characteristics, perceived stress, sleep disturbances, and fatigue to depressive symptoms (Phase I), and pilot test a stroller-walking intervention in Phase II. Women who scored above the median score from the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression …

Psychosocial And Oxidative Stress And Health Of Adults, Francis Annor

Public Health Dissertations

The role of stress (both psychosocial and oxidative) in the pathophysiology of several chronic diseases has been documented and has become a focus for chronic disease prevention and management. Although, psychosocial stress (PS) and oxidative stress (OS) have different mechanisms through which they impact health, they both cause physiological imbalance which might subsequently lead to a disease state. Laboratory and observational studies have linked both stresses to the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension. However, findings from previous studies have not been entirely consistent and results have varied based on the study population and the stress-measurement tool used. Given …

The Effects Of Visual Color Stimuli On Zebra Finch Behavior And Stress Response, Bao Chau Ly

Biology Honors Theses

The Australian Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata, is a common vertebrate model for understanding behavioral, neurological, and physiological changes across the life span. The goal of this study was to determine if color in the environment can act as a stimulus and activate the zebra finch stress response. Zebra finches are diurnal and have color vision. Their plumage coloration is sexually dimorphic and they show behavioral changes to color; females prefer males with redder beaks, and both sexes show individual color preferences for materials in nest building. This experiment was conducted to test whether or not a novel color in the …

Biocultural Consequences Of Spanish Contact In The Lambayeque Valley Region Of Northern Peru: Internal Enamel Micro-Defects As Indicators Of Early Life Stress, Carey James Garland

Anthropology Theses

This study utilizes dental histological methods to analyze enamel micro-defects (Wilson bands) as indicators of early life stress in indigenous Muchik individuals interred at two sites: La Capilla Santa María Magdalena De Eten (CSMME) (n=15) and La Capilla Del Niño Serranito (CNS) (n=15), both located in the Lambayeque region of northern Peru. Individuals interred at CNS date to the Early Colonial Period (A.D. 1533-1620) and individuals interred at CSMME date to the Middle/Late Colonial Period (A.D. 1620-1760). Results reveal a fairly high prevalence of Wilson bands at both sites, with a lower prevalence at CSMME. This indicates that, over time, …

The Effects Of Early Corticosterone Treatment On The Development Of The Avian Song Control System, Mahin Shahbazi

Neuroscience Institute Dissertations

Stress has long lasting effects on physiology, development, behavior, reproductive success and survival. These effects are mediated by glucocorticoids, such as corticosterone (Cort), via glucocorticoid receptors (GR), though the exact mechanisms underlying these effects are unknown. Early developmental stress affects the size of the avian song control nuclei (particularly HVC; proper name) and song quality in many songbirds, suggesting a direct link between brain and behavior. HVC is required for song learning and production. The complexity of the male zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) courtship song is important in female mate choice. Although the mechanisms behind the effects of …

The Relationships Between Perfectionism, Stress, Coping Resources, And Burnout Among Sign Language Interpreters, Tomina J. Schwenke

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

The multidimensional construct of perfectionism is well studied as it relates to coping with stress and burnout (Flett & Hewitt, 2002). Bontempo and Napier (2011) identify the personality trait of conscientiousness, which includes perfectionistic traits, as beneficial to an interpreter’s job performance. In contrast, several studies suggest that constructs related to maladaptive perfectionistic traits play a role in the development of burnout among interpreters, although perfectionism has not been explicitly identified or used as a research variable (Qin, Marshall, Mozrall, & Marschark, 2008). These studies identify key components of both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism in the assessment of stress-related outcomes, …

Peripheral And Central Mechanisms Through Which High Energy Diets Impair Hippocampal-Dependent Memory In Male Rats, Amy Patricia Ross

Neuroscience Institute Dissertations

Over the past five decades, per capita caloric intake has increased by approximately 28% in the United States. A hallmark of the current standard American diet is an excess of energy sources from saturated fat and refined carbohydrates. High energy diets such as the “Western” diet cause numerous pathologies, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and peripheral insulin resistance. High energy diets also negatively impact the hippocampus, a brain area important for learning and memory. It is not surprising, then, that high energy diets impair hippocampal-dependent memory. The experiments in this dissertation investigate possible diet-induced consequences …

Coping Resources, Coping Styles, Mastery, Social Support, And Depression In Male And Female College Students, Kristen J. Aycock

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Depression is one of the most commonly-diagnosed disorders in college counseling centers (Adams, Wharton, Quilter, & Hirsch, 2008), so effective diagnosis and treatment are paramount to providing adequate care to college students. Treatment direction may depend on gender, however. Not only do males and females experience depression at different rates (Kessler et al., 2003), but there also is some evidence that factors predict depression differently by gender (Tamres, Janicki, & Helgeson, 2002). Specifically, the literature suggests that the choice of coping strategies may be gender-related; that perceived control is higher in males, yet more important to females; that social connectedness …

Health Disparities In A Diverse County: Investigating Interactions Between Residents And Neighborhoods, John P. Barile

Psychology Dissertations

This study evaluated the associations of individual and neighborhood level risk factors with physical health, mental health, and stress in a diverse urban county. Relatively little research has attempted to disentangle the interactive individual characteristics and neighborhood conditions underlying health outcomes and disparities. To address this, survey data were collected and analyzed from 1,107 residents living in one of the 114 census tracts in DeKalb County, GA. Using multilevel structural equation modeling techniques, this study found that neighborhood level measures of the social and built environment were not associated with the health outcomes under study after controlling for neighborhood level …

The Effects Of Counselor Trainee Stress And Coping Resources On The Working Alliance And Supervisory Working Alliance, Philip B. Gnilka

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Counselor trainees’ stress and coping resources have the potential to influence the relationships formed with supervisors and clients. Two hundred thirty two (N = 232) Master-level counselor trainees completed surveys designed to measure perceived stress, coping resources, the working alliance, and the supervisory working alliance. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Working Alliance Inventory – Short Form Therapist Version (WAI-S; Tracey & Kokotovic, 1989), the Supervisory Working Alliance Inventory – Trainee Version (SWAI-T; Efstation, Patton, & Kardash, 1990), the Perceived Stress Scale – Short Form (PSS; Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983), and the Coping Resources Inventory for Stress – Short …

In A Strange Place, Benjamin Goldman

Art and Design Theses

My work is about stress and strain in our modern times. I am using self portraiture as a way to discuss the world around me and hope that the viewer will relate to my experiences. Drawing, painting and video are used to convey different aspects of my observations, and old techniques are mixed with new technologies. Personal observations, artistic and scientific influences, and the art-making process have shaped this body of work.

An Examination Of The Influence Of Stress And Coping On Psychosocial Functioning In Caregivers Of Children With Sickle Cell Disease, Josie S. Welkom

Psychology Theses

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder that affects approximately 1 out of every 600 African-American newborns (NHLBI, 2006). Research suggests that caregivers of children with SCD are at risk for maladjustment. The purpose of this current study was to build upon previous research regarding stress and coping of parents of children with SCD. Additionally, novel information regarding the effects of racial identity was explored. Participants included 103 caregivers (M = 41.1 years old, SD = 8.04 years) of children with SCD. Parents completed a demographic form, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Pediatric Inventory for Parents, Coping Health Inventory for …

Stress For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Effects Of Age, Gender, And Intelligence Quotient, Kristen Louise Hess

Communication Sciences and Disorders Dissertations

ABSTRACT STRESS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS: EFFECTS OF AGE, GENDER, AND INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT by Kristen Louise Hess Researchers previously have found that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience higher levels of stress and anxiety than individuals who are typically developing and than those with other disabilities. The purpose of this study was to identify the nature and degree of stress reported for individuals with ASD, with particular attention to the effects of age, gender, and intelligence quotient (IQ). Stressful events were identified by the Stress Survey Schedule for Persons with Autism and Other Developmental Delays (SSS), the …

Strong Black Woman Cultural Construct: Revision And Validation, Dhakirah Amelia Hamin

Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to revise the wording of the items in the Strong Black Woman (SBW) attitudes scale and investigate the psychometric properties of this revised scale (renamed the SBW Cultural Construct Scale, SBWCCS). Another goal is to determine if the scale predicts racial identity, stress, and social support. The sample consisted of 152 women of African descent, who were recruited from a community based organization. An exploratory factor analysis on the SBWCCS scale suggested a 3-factor model consisting of (1) caretaking, (2) affect regulation, and (3) self-reliance. These factors parallel those found in the original …

Coping With Perceived Racial And Ethnic Discrimination In Women Of Color In Graduate Education, Priti Shah

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

How one perceives and copes with such experiences in graduate education can have profound impact upon the personal and professional experiences of minority women in higher education. This study utilized a grounded theory approach (Glasser & Strauss, 1967; Cresswell, Fassinger, 2005) to investigate the impact of perceived racial and ethnic discrimination occurring in academia and effective methods of coping with perceived racial/ ethnic discrimination among 10 women of color in graduate education. Data sources included individual interviews and a group interview meeting. This study allowed women of color who have felt marginalized to experience a sense of connectedness as they …

An Exploration Of The Stressors, Coping Resources, And Resiliency Of Rural Mothers Of Children With Special Needs, Claudia D. Brasfield

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

A child with a severe disability intensifies the demands facing a family (Beck, Hastings, Daley, & Stevenson, 2004; Martin & Baker, 2001; Withers & Bennett, 2003). Mothers specifically face an intense challenge, a concern as a mother’s wellbeing directly impacts her child’s emotional well-being (Kobe & Hammer, 1994), physical development, and progress within treatment (Lessenberry & Rehfeldt, 2004). These challenges are further heightened for women living in rural communities as little has changed for individuals with disabilities in rural communities over the past twenty years (Letvak, 2002). Although heightened stress among these mothers is significant, it is unclear how best …