Digital Commons Network^™

Childcare Organizations: A Qualitative Study On Childcare Leaders’ Perceptions Of The Elements That Promote The Work They Do In The Childcare Industry, Paula S. Polito Mrs.

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Research has often highlighted the positive effects of high-quality early care and education on children's development and the economy. However, the challenge of ensuring access to quality care for all children and understanding the perspectives of leaders doing crucial work on the ground remains. Given the strong associations between high-quality early childhood education, brain development, and positive economic outcomes for those who access high-quality care, my paper introduces a theory of change. This theory outlines a pathway from understanding the determinants of quality in childcare centers, as seen through the eyes of industry leaders, to the implementation of policy changes. …

“The East:” A History Of New Orleans East And The Retail Redlining Of Black Middle-Class Suburbs, Charles Miller

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a case study of New Orleans East, a collection of diverse suburban neighborhoods that comprise the easternmost part of New Orleans. This interdisciplinary research study chronicles the growth and decline of “The East” to more generally understand the challenges facing Black middle-class suburbs. Decades-long mischaracterizations and overstated negative perceptions of The East persist, unjustly and unceasingly detracting from economic development and prosperity and exacerbating the inequities that have long plagued the city’s Black residents. Findings from this dissertation uncover how, in metropolitan New Orleans, residents, city officials, and local news media have effectively stigmatized and written off …

Working Memory And Language Associations In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Megan A. Goldfarb

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and interaction, with repetitive behaviors or specialized interests. A range of language abilities is seen in ASD, with some having typical abilities and others severe impairments. Working memory (WM) deficits have also been found in some children with ASD. In typically developing, as well as non-ASD children with language deficits a strong relationship has been found between WM and language abilities. Although both language and WM deficits are often seen in ASD, the relationship between these deficits has been underexplored. The objective of this study is …

A Pelican's Journey To Flight: A Louisiana National Guardsman, The Development Of The United States Army Air Service, And The Human Cost Of Military Innovation, James H. Smith

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

George E. Dicks deployed to the Mexican Punitive Expedition and World War I with the Louisiana National Guard. He recorded his experience in writing and photography, which reside in the Jackson Barracks Military Museum in Chalmette, Louisiana. His memorabilia reflect an officer’s perspective on early military aviation and parallel to the United States military’s experimentation with aviation. Through experimentation, Dicks became an aerial observer in World War I.

This thesis explores George E. Dicks’ memorabilia and how it both represents the development of the American Air Service and the human cost of military aviation with photographic evidence. By representing aviation’s …

Theory Application In Home-Based Counseling, Victoria Rodriguez

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Home-based counseling is a modality of counseling where a provider conducts sessions within a client’s home. Providing services in the home can improve access to services in rural areas or for clients without access to transportation or childcare and can increase participation in services in cases where traditional office-based services have been unsuccessful.

Despite these benefits for clients, home-based counselors might struggle with applying counseling theory within this setting. Theory is an integral part of both counselor identity and treatment planning; a theoretical orientation helps counselors conceptualize client issues, guide treatment goals, and assess progress. Due to the lack of …

Political Religion: An Intellectual History Of Eric Voegelin And Defense Of His Thesis On Political Religion And Nazism, Stephen Gaines

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an intellectual history of Eric Voegelin and the concept of “political religion”. Eric Voegelin was a German-Austrian political scientist whose work surrounding the field of political science has made him one of the most influential thinkers of the 20^th century. Voegelin saw the rise of Nazi Germany in 1932 and fled Austria during Anschluss in 1938 to escape Nazi persecution, coming to the United States. During this time, Voegelin published, The Political Religions (Die Politischen Religionen) in which he describes National Socialism as a “political religion”. This thesis will delve into the conceptualization of …

Therapeutic Approaches To Working With Perinatal Loss Clients: A Grounded Theory Study, Heather H. Olivier

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal loss (i.e., miscarriage, stillbirth, termination, and infant death) is commonly referred to in the literature as an invisible loss, non-loss, and even medical event. It is an ambiguous loss exhibiting the dialectical contradiction between the physical absence and psychological presence of the baby accompanied by disenfranchised grief, a reaction to a loss that is unacknowledged by society. Despite the likelihood of mental health clinicians working with clients who have experienced perinatal loss, there has yet to be a therapeutic model designed specifically for the unique grief and trauma reactions presented in this population. Existing grief models do not address …

Perceptions Of Sub-Saharan African International Students In United States: Mental Health Concerns And Help-Seeking Behavior, Adekemi L. Ekanoye

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

International students face a lot of challenges while studying abroad, with or without the supportive system that their families provide. Sub-Saharan Africa international students consists of 3.7 percent of the population, which indicates a 2.1 percent increase prior to previous year. While in the host country, this population is saddled with the self-responsibilities of maintaining their values, cultural identities, personality, language ability, self-perceptions, and attitudes. African international students adopt a masking behavior in the form of adaptive strategies that could hide the mental health concerns experienced.

The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory study was to explore the untold lived …

Advocacy Experiences Of Licensed Professional Counselors Who Serve Minor Survivors Of Abuse And Neglect, Earniesha S. Lott-Kennebrew

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

LPCs in Louisiana operate in multiple professional roles and maintain various responsibilities, including advocacy for clients. Although numerous advocacy opportunities occur when counselors are working with children, a minimal amount of research exists regarding advocacy training, as well as the associated intricacies and responsibilities of advocacy. Lack of awareness of advocacy issues is a prominent barrier to advocacy involvement and it is suggested that counselor education programs are infusing advocacy education into courses but are not necessarily teaching specific constructs of advocacy. Thus, relevant and existing advocacy literature is sparse.

The purpose of my qualitative phenomenological research is to understand …

Travel Behavior Change And Economic Transition In Gentrified Neighborhoods, Maryam Izadi

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Post-industrial cities in the US have experienced social and economic transitions, mostly in declining downtown neighborhoods. This process, known as gentrification, typically involves revitalization that reverses the decline and disinvestment in inner-city neighborhoods. The industrial shift increased the demand for housing near downtown. The employment of college-educated and high-skill workers has been centralized, while low-skilled jobs continue to decline downtown. While the impacts of gentrification on housing and residential displacement is frequently investigated, little attention has been given to its impact on travel behavior change and economic transition, which is the focus of this research. Change in travel behavior is …

The Development Of The Interdisciplinary School Violence Prevention Assessment (Isvpa): Exploratory Findings Of A Pilot Study, Lauren B. Clark

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

School violence is a global concern. Although divergent disciplines (i.e., counseling, psychology, criminology, and sociology) have made efforts to address the concern, student violence continues to occur in schools. Currently, threat assessments are widely supported and utilized to prevent school violence by examining the contributing factors to a student’s threatening communication or behaviors. The purpose of the present research was the initial development of the Interdisciplinary School Violence Prevention Assessment (ISVPA) to be used by school personnel with existing threat assessment procedures in order to connect students to counseling services. Several challenges were experienced during the research (i.e., COVID, Hurricane …

Climate Change And Urban Tourism: Preservation Strategies And Destination Management Policies In Coastal Cities. The Case Of Venice, Nina Balan

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is an influencing phenomenon in the present global perspective, having a wide range of impacts at different levels within society and the global tourism industry. Climate change has progressively affected coastal areas more vulnerable to intense hydrodynamic and atmospheric events due to their proximity to water. The primary process to be held responsible is eustatic sea-level rise due to anthropogenic (human-induced) and morphological (natural) factors over time. While the exact magnitude of global sea-level rise and regional variability remains uncertain, sea-level rise is considered one of the most certain consequences of anthropogenic climate change in the coastal regions …

Early-Life Acetaminophen Exposure Alters Sex-Specific Social And Mate Preference Behaviors In Adolescent And Adult Rats, Anna G. Warner

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Epidemiological studies reported associations between early-life exposure Acetaminophen (APAP) exposure and increased risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Rodent studies parallel epidemiological reports, with APAP-exposed animals showing more abnormal social and increased repetitive behaviors. However, mechanisms underlying sex-specific behavioral responses to APAP remain unclear. Here, a rat model was developed to examine possible interactions between APAP and early-life hormonal milieus during the neonatal period of brain sexual differentiation. Subcutaneous (s.c.) injections of either 17�-Estradiol (E2; masculinized) or Letrozole (LTZ; feminized) were administered from Postnatal Days (PD) 1-11 followed by either APAP or saline 45 min after the first injection on …

Impacts Of Risk Perception On Elderly Vulnerability: An Exploration Of Effects On Disaster Preparedness In Assisted Living Facilities, Jacquelyn Ann Marchand

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Disasters are increasing in intensity and frequency. With this expectation, it is important for communities to be proactive in disaster preparedness to ensure the safety of their citizens. Vulnerable populations need special consideration in disaster planning. The elderly are one of these vulnerable groups. By 2025 one-quarter of the U.S. population will fall into the 65 or older age category. Age itself does not make a person vulnerable. It is physical and cognitive change that often accompany aging which can make a person vulnerable. The importance of elderly vulnerability and risk perception cannot be overlooked. The casualty data alone can …

Memory Of Wernher Von Braun In Rocket City: The Historians’ Vergangenheitsbewältigung Challenge In Huntsville, Alabama, 1998-2010, Susan Lloyd Mcclamroch

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the conflict that often develops between historians who aim to reveal difficult history or correct a biased view of history and influential stakeholders who possess the agency to maintain historic silences or a skewed version of history. It examines the case in Huntsville, Alabama, when historians at the University of Alabama Huntsville mounted a campaign to inform the community of World War II events in Europe that preceded the immigration and relocation of a team of German rocketeers to establish a missile development program at the US Army’s Redstone Arsenal facility in 1950. Cold War successes made …

The Relationship Between The Practice Of Martial Arts, Anxiety, Wellness, And Self-Efficacy, William K. Knight Jr

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Although anxiety is a frequently researched topic, the growing numbers of diagnosed cases and the state of the present outcomes warrant the study of alternative approaches to address the causes and conditions of its prevalence, as well as possible adaptive strategies and tactics to improve outcomes for clients with anxiety. Counseling distinguishes itself in part due to its focus on well-being rather than mere alleviation of diagnosed symptoms. As such, it may be useful to measure the likelihood of some strategies and tactics associated with improved well-being in attempting to reduce symptoms of anxiety.

This study measured the practice of …

Personality As A Predictor Of Patterns Of Substance Use, Cynthia Sergi

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Substance use (SU) affects many people worldwide and is an important public health concern. Personality has been theorized to play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of SU. To test how personality is related to patterns of SU, a latent profile analysis was used to cluster individuals into SU classes with multinomial logistic regression used to test the relationship between personality and patterns of SU. Results suggested that polysubstance use was common, with variations in primary substance of choice among classes. As classes became more inclusive of more substances, they increased in psychopathological personality traits. Higher domains of …

Having A High-Activity Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Allele Is Associated With Elevated Anxiety And Lower Salivary Dehydroepiandrosterone But Also Lower Alpha Amylase In Children With Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome., Jessie Beebe

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) results from a hemizygous deletion located on the long arm of chromosome 22. The most common deletion sizes affect between 30 and 90 genes. Individuals with 22q11.2DS may develop serious developmental and psychiatric disorders. The phenotype is highly variable, however, and may be influenced by allelic variation of the retained copies of genes covered by the deletion. I set out to examine the effects of two genes, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and proline dehydrogenase (PRODH), in relation to anxiety in children and adolescents with 22q11.2DS. Individuals with the major COMT allele (higher activity) have significantly higher anxiety …

Catalysts And Impediments To Tax Increment Finance In Tulsa’S Historical African American Neighborhood, Bria A. Dixon

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis assesses how Tulsa, Oklahoma grew to utilize tax increment financing (TIF) to produce economic activity in Tulsa’s historic downtown area. Specifically, how the creation, history, and maintenance of ONEOK Field, a $60 million, 6,000-seat sports venue in Tulsa’s historically African American neighborhood became the catalyst for Tulsa’s current TIF policy. In examining the fiscal outcomes of ONEOK Field, this thesis finds implications for inequitable investment in and around Tulsa’s Greenwood TIF district

Sunday To Friday: Investigating Masculinity Using Pornography Traffic During Two Major Events, Michael K. Doherty

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This paper is an investigation into how Masculinity Theory can explain a shift in Pornhub traffic when specific major events take place. The paper examines two events, the recent Super Bowls and the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic framed against Pornhub traffic data at the same time. It finds that masculinity theory when combined with motivation for pornography viewing, can serve as one plausible explanation behind a shift in traffic.

Financial Market Integration In Latin America, Obed Fernando Izaguirre Lozano

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is entitled ’Financial Market Integration in Latin America" and consists of two empirical studies. The first chapter is called ’Financial Market Integration between Latin America and the US". This empirical analysis focuses on the comovement between the US and major Latin American countries around free trade agreements. The results show that comovement thus financial integration has increased after the trade agreements for all the countries except for Brazil. The studied sector indices show that countries that have a free trade agreement with the US showed an increase in integration among sectors. The second empirical study is called ’The …

The Medical Treatment Of Obesity: On The Page & In The Office, Shayla J. Staley

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This paper sought out the causes of weight discrimination in healthcare. Through content analysis of medical journals, the study illuminated several causes. These causes were used to create a concept matrix surrounding the medicalization of fatness that illustrated how these concepts are defined relationally, as well as how they combine to form the medical conception of the “obesity epidemic”. The concept matrix carries an indirect influence upon weight stigma that can lead to weight discrimination when fat folks seek out healthcare.

Victim Impact: The Manson Murders And The Rise Of The Victims’ Rights Movement, Merrill W. Steeg

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 Impact On Instagram Travel Influencer Feeds: A Content Analysis, Kerrie Jones

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Instagram travel influencers are facilitators in the social institution of tourism that help connect potential travelers with stakeholders and destinations. The Covid-19 travel restrictions that started in March of last year have had significant impacts on tourism. Content analysis was used to assess impacts on Instagram travel influencer posts before and after the pandemic travel shutdowns. The analysis answered: 1. Has Covid-19 impacted Instagram travel influencer posts? 2. Is resilience showing in the frequency of posts by reaching pre-pandemic levels? Ten codes were analyzed individually across posts and categorized as: sponsored posts, pandemic-related posts, and current travel trends. Results showed …

Victims To Victors: Women Reclaiming Conflict Management In Sub-Saharan Africa, Joy N. Ballard

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Women in sub-Saharan Africa are often viewed as the victims of the conflict around them. This view discredits the hundreds of women who are serving in legislative and executive branches across the region. This research investigates if women in positions of power make more peaceful decisions in times of conflict than their male counterparts. Using negative binomial regression methods this research examines the percentages of women in legislative and executive branches to number of conflict days in a year and number of peace agreements signed. This study found that as the percentage of women in office rise the number of …

The Complexities Of Crankiness And Cortisol: Exploring The Association Between Irritability, Cortisol Reactivity, And Psychopathology, Rachel Kaplan

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Irritability is an indicator and predictor of psychopathology, as well as a sign of acute and chronic stress. Cortisol reactivity (CR), a physiological index of psychological stress, is bidirectionally associated with and predictive of psychopathology. Research addressing irritability and CR together is limited. Participants were 156 children enrolled in a longitudinal study. At age three, saliva was collected in relation to a stressor task and parents reported on child psychopathology. Psychopathology reports were also completed for ages six, nine, and 12. Results showed CR to have a moderating effect on the association between irritability and psychopathology symptoms when sex was …

Gender Inequality And Terrorism: The Impacts Of Female Empowerment On Domestic And Transnational Terrorism, Jennifer Dumas

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In the post-9/11 years, terrorism has emerged as an urgent issue with important national security and foreign policy ramifications. Within political science, terrorism research has likewise developed as a burgeoning subfield with the potential for significant contributions to policymaking worldwide. However, the literature has until recently generally neglected gender inequality as a structural antecedent to terrorism, despite studies which support a relationship between gender parity and conflict mitigation in other areas as well as increasing calls for the integration of gender measures into counterterrorism agendas and initiatives among scholars and policymakers. To address this gap in the literature, I introduce …

The Federalist Society And Constitutional Interpretation: Who Gets To Say What The Constitution Says, Deborah L. Toscano

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Federalist Society was organized in 1982 by conservative law students to counteract what they perceived to be a liberal bias in law schools, the courts, and government administration. Forty years later there is an acknowledgement of a rightward turn in the Supreme Court which scholars have attributed in part to the efforts of the Federalist Society. However, there is still little understanding of just how that change came about. This dissertation takes a step toward understanding that question. Viewing the Federalist Society as the center of a network of lawyers, think tanks, and legal institutions, I examine the influence …

Final Vestiges Of Existence: The Survival And Protection Of Cemeteries As Landscapes Of Grieving And Cultural Memory In Louisiana, Ryan M. Seidemann

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In many contexts, cemeteries are an afterthought, both in terms of their design and situation in the landscape as well as in terms of what to do when they are encountered during development or other activities. How these sites have been managed and treated, at least historically, often has been a function of who is buried in them. In such situations, considerations regarding the preservation or protection of marginalized peoples’ final resting places were often nonexistent and, consequently, these sites were violently erased from the landscape. Indeed, archaeological evidence has recently demonstrated substantial deviations in practice from de jure legal …

Moving Forward Not Back: The Rule Of Law & Equitable Growth Save Democracy, Michael J. Pickering

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the relevant factors that influence people’s perceived levels of democracy in their country. Using World Values Survey Wave 6 (2010-2014) I demonstrate that an interactive-effect between individuals’ confidence in the courts and their beliefs about the possibility of equitable economic growth account for the greatest effect on their perceived levels of democracy.