An Exploration Of Teacher Residents’ Perception Of Culture And Their Use Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Jodi Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Urban teacher residency (UTR) programs place residents in urban schools labeled “hard-to-staff” or “under-resourced.” Enrollment in residency schools tends to be majority Brown or Black students from various cultures. Teacher residents are from diverse backgrounds and races who have a commitment to teach in Title 1 schools with the support of a residency program that coaches them how to teach using culturally relevant pedagogy. Their journeys are unique from typical student teaching experiences because they co-teach with an experienced teacher for a full school year while attending university classes on pedagogy and theory. This qualitative case study followed seven elementary …

The Birth Of Exceptionalism: American Newspaper Coverage In The Revolutionary Era, Benjamin R. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores American exceptionalism through the lens of American newspapers during the Revolutionary era. As American newspapers covered the revolutions in France, Haiti, and Latin America, unique narratives developed around controversial leaders like Thomas Paine, Toussaint Louverture, and Simón Bolívar. Although at first newspapers covered the events in France and Latin America with glee, their coverage gradually began to change over time, increasingly finding flaws large and small in revolutions other than their own—chaos and violence in France and Haiti, and failures in the realization of republicanism in Latin America. If Americans initially believed their revolution was responsible for …

Teachers' Views On The Intersectionality Between Culture And Student Behaviors, And Experience Using Culturally-Responsive Behavior Interventions, Toshna Pandey

Theses and Dissertations

Students belonging to racially minoritized groups experience more frequent and intense disciplinary consequences for similar rule violations as their White peers. Factors such as deficit-oriented perceptions and implicit biases among teachers have contributed to the disproportionate exclusion of racially minoritized students, thus negatively affecting their social, emotional, behavioral, and school success. Using semi-structured interviews, this study sought to explore elementary school teachers’ views on the intersectionality between race/culture and student behaviors. Additionally, it also examined their experiences using behavior interventions effective for racially minoritized students. Findings suggest that participants often attributed challenging behaviors to student-level factors such as family and …

The Living Theatre Of Horror: Examining How Centuries Of Western Theatrical Practice And Theory Inform The Modern-Day Haunted House, Scott Dittman

Theses and Dissertations

This work will discuss the growing modern phenomenon of theme park and regional haunt events in the United States. In it, we will explore the history of how horror has been presented on stage, the themes within horror that creators grapple with, and how by using traditional theatrical elements creators of modern haunt events are able to make the audience a part of the story, transforming them from passive observers of the scenarios presented to complicit participants. How does the history of horror theatre inform the production of modern haunt events (and how has a global pandemic affected them), what …

≥I++ Wayward Self, Space, And Language, Mystie Do, Thu Tm Do

Theses and Dissertations

Having crossed different geographical and cultural borders, I can’t seem to position myself beyond society’s forced binaries of race, sexuality, and materiality. My personal diasporic experience drives me to bring together various presences, putting them next to one another, engaging them in dialogues. My works often share multiple space–time possibilities: a digital space, a physical site, a virtual alternity. Occupying these parallel worlds are varied ratios of mixtures of natural ecosystems, my own system of abstraction, and existing technological systems that allow us a level of individual engagement not previously available. I want to invite people to fluctuate between these …

Pase Perdido Missing Pass, Larissa M. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

This paper contains the following terms: colonialism, ghost populations, natural occurrences, global positioning, poetic relation, confrontation/vengeance, mapping, graphs, models, warfare, bio warfare, magic, mystery, migration, memory, mutation, ghosts, and esoteric systems

Knowledge, Perception, And Clinical Management Strategies Of Us Pediatric Dentists On Molar Incisor Hypomineralization, Courtney T. Brashier

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this cross-sectional, survey-based study is to determine current US pediatric dentists’ knowledge, perceptions, and clinical management strategies for patients with molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH).

Methods: Following appropriate protocol and authorizations, all active pediatric dentists, general dentists, and post-doctoral student members identified by the 2020 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s membership list were invited to partake in an anonymous email survey. Data regarding participants sociodemographic, education, and clinical backgrounds were collected in addition to information obtained from MIH-focused questions. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to compare and analyze data. A significance level was set at …

Patient Perspectives On Teledentistry And Face-To-Face Doctor Interaction During Orthodontic Treatment, Jackson K. Griffeth D.M.D.

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Orthodontic patients were surveyed to determine the perceived value of doctor-to-patient face-to-face interaction, the desire for convenience and attitudes toward specific uses of teledentistry.

Methods: Participating private practice orthodontists emailed the survey to active patients. 75 self-pay patients from VCU Orthodontic clinic were also invited to complete the survey. Patients 18 years or older were asked to complete the survey regarding their own treatment. Parents of patients under age 18 were asked to complete a separate survey regarding their child’s treatment. Questions asked patients about the importance of face-to-face interaction with their orthodontist and their preferences for the inclusion …

Policies Addressing Barriers To Low-Income Women And Children’S Health Care Utilization In The United States And Kenya: The Role Of Physician Payments And Cash Transfer Programs, Muloongo Simuzingili

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined two policies to improve low-income women and children’s healthcare utilization: physician payments and cash transfer programs. Higher physician payments increase the supply of healthcare services while cash transfers increase individuals’ demand for healthcare services. Cash transfer programs can improve health outcomes, yet the extent to which they are a cost-effective strategy is largely understudied. Therefore, this dissertation examines three overarching research questions:

1. Are Medicaid physician fees associated with access to substance abuse disorder (SUD) treatment among low-income women of reproductive age?
2. Do economic preferences moderate cash transfer program effects on children’s health care utilization? Evidence from a …

Navigating Success: First-Generation Pathways To Institutional Integration, Katherine B. Drumm

Theses and Dissertations

Guided pathways mobile applications are one technology-based tool that colleges and universities have implemented in an attempt to educate and guide students through the myriad steps necessary to matriculate, integrate and successfully graduate from their institution at scale. Using Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and capital, Astin’s model of student involvement and Tinto’s model of student integration as a conceptual framework, and building upon the work of Slanger et al. (2015), this study investigated if the Educational Stress scale score from the College Student Inventory (CSI) can act as a measure of student habitus. In addition, this study used institutional data …

Alcohol Use Subgroups Among Rural Middle School Students: The Impact Of Community Violence Exposure, Courtney B. Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

A substantial portion of early adolescents initiate alcohol use. This represents a significant public health concern due to its association with a variety of adverse consequences. Although person-centered analytic approaches such as latent class analysis have been used to describe heterogeneity in adolescents’ alcohol use, most prior studies have focused on high school or older samples. This may obscure patterns of alcohol use that emerge during early adolescence. The current study identified and described subgroups of adolescents based on their alcohol use in a racially diverse sample of rural middle school students. Because research and theory indicate that exposure to …

Black Feminist Thought, Interrupted: Dissecting The Voice Of Black Feminists In The Blogosphere And Their Engagement With Platform Affordances, Dawn G. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

BLACK FEMINIST THOUGHT, INTERRUPTED

DISSECTING THE VOICE OF BLACK FEMINISTS IN THE BLOGOSPHERE AND THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH PLATFORM AFFORDANCES

By Dawn G. Johnson, Ph.D

A dissertation submitted to the faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Media, Art, and Text Department in the College of Humanities and Sciences

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2021

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Archana Pathak, Associate Professor, Dept. of Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University

Black women that have long searched for spaces to be creative and have voice due to their …

Efficient Vengeance: The Role Of Processing Fluency In Making Decisions About Retaliation, Samuel J. West

Theses and Dissertations

Aggressive behavior is a harmful and pervasive psychological and behavioral phenomenon. Inherent to every act of aggression are decisions regarding the modality, severity, and timing of such actions. Prevailing theories of aggression emphasize the role of cognitive processes in aggression, especially retaliatory aggression. Despite this emphasis, few cognitive processes have been examined for their possible involvement in making decisions about retaliatory aggression. Across two studies, I examined the role of processing fluency in making decisions about retaliation. I drew from contemporary models of aggression (e.g., the General Aggression Model) and processing fluency (e.g., the Multi-Source Account) to develop hypotheses in …

The Value Of Postoperative Appointments Following Full Mouth Dental Rehabilitation Under General Anesthesia, Priyanka Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Follow-up appointments after full mouth dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia (GA) have been suggested as a method for preventing future caries and need for repeat treatment under GA. The purpose of this study is to determine current practitioner and parental perceived value of the postoperative GA appointment.

Methods: Three separate surveys were administered for this study. The pre-appointment survey asked about the guardian’s desire to have a follow-up appointment. At the follow-up appointment, the post-appointment survey ascertained the level of patient satisfaction with their follow-up appointment and postoperative experience. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) members were e-mailed a …

The Buffering Effects Of Resilience On Alcohol Use: A Phenotypic And Genotypic Investigation, Shannon Cusack

Theses and Dissertations

The college years encompass a time of vulnerability for problematic alcohol use/alcohol use disorder (AUD) and exposure to traumatic events (TE), which is a transdiagnostic risk factor for AUD, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and comorbid AUD-PTSD. However, not all who experience a TE develop these disorders, highlighting the need to identify factors that impact post-trauma outcomes. Resilience has been shown to be associated with lower alcohol consumption and related problems following TE, though the buffering effects of resilience on alcohol use have not yet been examined. Further, twin studies demonstrate that resilience is moderately heritable, but further research is needed …

Treatment Outcome Of Perforation Repair With Bio-Ceramic Based Materials: A Retrospective Study, Lolwa Alyahya

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION:

The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the treatment outcome of orthograde perforation repair using bio-ceramic based materials.

METHODs:

Data from the VCU graduate endodontic practice were analyzed retrospectively. Treatment had been conducted by VCU endodontic residents under the supervision of qualified endodontists during the period from August 2014-December 2020. All cases in which a bio-ceramic based material had been used as a perforation repair material were included. Bio-ceramic based materials included MTA, EndoSequence Root Repair Material Putty and Paste (ERRM), and iRoot BP Plus Root Repair Material (BP-RRM). Perforation repair was performed using a dental …

Beyond Black Or White: An Examination Of Intersectional Identities, Blame Attribution, And Sexual Violence, Ashlynn D. Bell

Theses and Dissertations

While there may be more discussions of sexual violence than there have been in previous years, cases continually arise where the responsibility of those who have been assaulted is called into question (Alaggia & Wang, 2020). Secondary victimization, or victim blaming, is partially responsible for the continued misattribution of responsibility to survivors. These perspectives minimize the experiences of survivors, which dissuades individuals from the reporting of perpetrators. The current study aimed to evaluate whether particular intersecting identities influenced perceptions of responsibility, in a hypothetical scenario depicting an assault. The race, gender identity, as well as perceptions of respectability of the …

Leading In Crooked Rooms: Race, Gender, Culture And Black Women's Leadership Skills And Practices, Portia Newman

Theses and Dissertations

The literature on Black women leaders, where it exists, focuses on the barriers to Black women becoming leaders or being fully empowered when in leadership positions. However, to understand the leadership identity of Black women, and perhaps help to explain the absence of Black women in formal leadership spaces, means to examine the influence of race, gender, and culture on leadership behavior, as well as the setting in which leadership exists. This qualitative grounded theory study explored the leadership skills and practices of 15 senior-level cross sector Black women leaders. The data was collected in two phases: 1) a leadership …

Owning Our Story: An Interior Exploration To Foster Self-Reflection, Hannah Bulow

Theses and Dissertations

With emerging technologies in the 21st century, Millennial and Gen Z adults have a complicated relationship with these new technologies when it comes to creating and sustaining personal relationships (Dalessandro, 2018). When persons aged 18-35 forged new relationships without the presence of technology, relationships were more organic, natural, and led to less conflicts. Neuroimaging of the brain has also shown that neurocognitive development during early adolescence and adulthood contributes to self-consciousness and vulnerability. Adolescents are called to develop their own identity separate from their parents and understanding how others are actually evaluating them (Sebastian, 2008)

Brene Brown states that most …

Reclamancipation: A Story Of Brilliance, Resilience, And Transilience, Nia A. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

The experiences of African American women are composed of more than the maltreatment that often exclusively defines them. Oppression and celebration intermingle to define the identities of African American women, and this thesis proposes a method to understand this reality through an exchange of stories in the form of a customizable board game. The game educates those inside and outside the African American women’s community by encouraging the emancipation of self, decolonization of society, and formation of empathy. This thesis embraces intersectional feminism, womanism, and linguistic descriptivism. The research is informed by personal narratives of African American women ages 23-71 …

The Contribution Of African American Parents’ Stem Racial Socialization And Support To Adolescent Academic Outcomes, Rachel J. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, African Americans have experienced various inequalities in education that have long contributed to overall educational attainment gaps within the African American community (St. Mary, Calhoun, Tejada, & Jenson, 2018). Thus, African American parents are tasked with instilling messages of racial pride into their children and providing educational support that serve as protective factors against racial discrimination in education (Koch, Lundh, & Harris, 2019). Theoretical frameworks provide a basis of understanding how parent socialization contributes to African American educational outcomes, specifically noting the role of parents’ beliefs and values in dictating mechanisms of value transfer (e.g., buying toys or learning …

Value Of Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire In Referrals For Obstructive Sleep Apnea At Vcu Pediatric Dental Clinic, Elizabeth H. Hering

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the number of VCU pediatric dental patients screened for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) relative to the number of referrals made for a pediatric sleep study.

Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of children between the ages of 1-18 years seen at the VCU Pediatric Dental Clinic between 2016-2020. Patients with a completed sleep apnea screening questionnaire in the health history form or sleep apnea form/referral were identified. The data was used to determine how many referrals were made for a pediatric sleep study in patients screening positive for sleep apnea. …

E-Cigarette Use And Perceptions Among Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: The Role Of Parental Messages About Tobacco, Mayra S. Ramos

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk of using e-cigarettes compared to their neurotypical peers. Parent-adolescent communication about tobacco use and number of ADHD symptoms can influence adolescents’ perceptions of e-cigarettes and their e-cigarette use. Adolescents with ADHD (n = 80) completed questionnaires assessing parental messages about tobacco use; e-cigarette harm perceptions; susceptibility to use e-cigarettes; and e-cigarette use. Parents reported on messages about tobacco use, adolescent’s ADHD symptomatology, and completed demographic questionnaires. Twenty-percent of adolescents reported e-cigarette ever use. Adolescent girls were significantly more likely to report higher e-cigarette harm perceptions than boys. Parents reported providing messages …

Difficult Paintings, Hao (Damien) Ding

Theses and Dissertations

The sublime as a concept has a fraught and racist history. However, it remains the single most helpful idea in describing the deeply felt state of being when one comes across something ineffably powerful. From an art-making perspective, this thesis, and the accompanying exhibition of installations and paintings, proposes an alternative construction of the concept of the sublime. Using Lacanian psychoanalysis as a conceptual point of departure, a painter can manipulate the relationship of the viewer and paintings to create paradoxical moments of simultaneous intimacy and distance, which interact to create an alternative path towards the sublime. Through descriptions of …

Associations Between Social Determinants Of Health And Chlamydia Infections Among Georgia Counties, Bre'auna K. Beasley

Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia is a growing public health concern that disproportionately impacts southern states. While social determinants of health are not direct causes of chlamydia infections, studies have found that these determinants do influence infections by creating environments that promote or hinder health seeking behaviors, as well as exposure to risk factors. Guided by the Social Ecological Model of Public Health and the Healthy People 2030 Social Determinants of Health Conceptual Framework, this dissertation study aimed to examine the associations between social determinants of health and chlamydia infections among Georgia counties. This study employed a correlational research design. Aggregate-level secondary data for …

Understanding Predictors Of Telemedicine Adoption Before, During, And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Bradford S. Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined change in physicians’ use of telemedicine before, during, and expectations after the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examined the ability of personal and environmental variables to predict telemedicine adoption, and applied the theory of reasoned action and technology acceptance model to physicians’ adoption of telemedicine during the pandemic. A total of 230 licensed physicians currently practicing in the United States were recruited. Telemedicine accounted for 3.72% of physicians’ clinical work prior to the pandemic, 46.03% during the pandemic, and predicted 25.44% after the pandemic ends. Physicians within hospitals reported less telemedicine use during the pandemic (M = …

Starting Earnings Of Bachelor’S And Advanced Degree Graduates By Field Of Study: Using Multi-Level Modeling To Estimate The Effects And Early Labor Market Consequences Of Vertical And Horizontal Dimensions Of Higher Education, Qiao Liang

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to better understand early labor market outcomes of higher education and the importance of the vertical and horizontal dimensions of higher education. Using College Scorecard’s institution and field of study levels data and a multilevel modeling approach, it estimated and ranked typical starting earnings associated with a large spectrum of bachelor’s and advanced degree programs, and discussed patterns, variations, and irregularities observed in the ranked earnings. This study also calculated advanced degree effects on the typical starting earnings associated with bachelor’s and advanced degree programs, and set precedence to systematically compare the effects of major, department, …

Are The Tickets For Everyone? Heterogeneity Of Economic Rewards For Associate’S Degree Completion, Kathleen E. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Associate’s degree completion has been billed as the quickest way to upskill the workforce and a ticket to the middle class (Carnevale et al., 2018; Gittell et al., 2017). Yet, over 35 million Americans have left college without a degree (Wheatle et al., 2017). Black and Hispanic students are more likely than White and Asian students to leave college before completing a degree (Shapiro et al., 2017). This study examined if economic benefits differ between those whose highest level of educational attainment is “some college, no degree (SCND)” and an associate’s degree, specifically by analyzing heterogeneity and interaction effects between …

An Examination Of The Impacts Of Childhood Trauma On Healthy Intimate Relationships In College-Aged African Americans, Broquelynn D. Shepard

Theses and Dissertations

For African Americans, the dynamics of relationships are rooted in childhood experiences of unconditional love, restraint, and respect. These experiences help individuals form their understanding of how relationships function. Experiencing healthy relationships has an enduring impact on social development and interpersonal relationships. However, regarding studies on childhood trauma and intimate relationships, there is insufficient literature that includes African American samples as the primary foci of the research. Due to gaps in extant literature, the present study aims to explore whether experiences of healthy intimate relationship in African Americans are associated with childhood trauma (neglect, emotional, sexual, and physical abuse). Using …

Flourish: Combating Food Insecurity & Promoting Wellness On A College Campus, Jocelyn Zavala

Theses and Dissertations

MOTIVATION In the past, it has been assumed that students enrolled in college are fairly privileged individuals unlikely to face challenges associated with poverty (Haskett et al., 2020). That assumption has been challenged in the past few decades and a survey released last year by the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice indicated that 45% of today’s higher education students face food insecurity (Goldrick-Rab et al., 2019). According to VCU’s Dean of Students Office, it is a situation in which a student lacks access to enough nutritious food in order to live a healthy, active life. Food insecurity can …