Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Successfully Climbing The "Stairs": Surmounting Failed Translation Of Experimental Ischemic Stroke Treatments, Michael Kahle, Gregory J. Bix

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

The Stroke Therapy Academic Industry Roundtable (STAIR) provided initial (in 1999) and updated (in 2009) recommendations with the goal of improving preclinical stroke therapy assessment and to increase the translational potential of experimental stroke treatments. It is important for preclinical stroke researchers to frequently consider and revisit these concepts, especially since promising experimental stroke treatments continue to fail in human clinical trials. Therefore, this paper will focus on considerations for several key aspects of preclinical stroke studies including the selection and execution of the animal stroke model, drug/experimental treatment administration, and outcome measures to improve experimental validity and translation potential. …

Evaluating Rawls: Equality In The Family, Devan Griffith

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

This paper examines the latest developments in feminist critiques of the seminal Theory of Justice, written by John Rawls, the late preeminent American moral philosopher. Rawls is recognized as one of the most influential moral political philosophers of the twentieth century and is increasingly relevant because of his discussions on pluralist societies. With the current diverging of liberal, conservative and libertarian philosophies among Americans, as well as the fragmentation of parties to accommodate an increasingly diverse public, a clear philosophy and understanding of liberal theory is necessary for its future in American politics. The current pressure to address the needs …

Re-Evaluating Peacebuilding In The Democratic Republic Of Congo: A Case Study In Dongo, Wilita Sanguma

Master's Theses

Re-evaluating Peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A case study in Dongo

The Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo) is a country rich with natural resources centered in the heart of Africa. Since the colonial era, the country has seen more bloodshed than peace and development. From 1996 to 2003, Congo experienced the worst conflict since World War II, with over six million people dead. Despite having the largest United Nations peacekeeping troops present; Congo continues to be plagued by violence. This research thesis argues that the international community failed to promote a lasting peace in Congo because the international …

Does Attachment To Parents Mediate The Relationship Between Couple Conflict And Adolescent Self-Regulation?, Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent self-regulation follows a developmental trajectory over time with ups and downs during maturation. This paper uses growth curve analysis to look at change in self-regulation over time. Although self-regulation scores may increase during latency, adolescents differ in levels of self-regulation due to biological and socialization factors. In addition, exposure to couple conflict has been shown to affect levels of self-regulation. The current study examined the role of attachment to parents as a mediator between couple conflict and adolescent self-regulation outcomes, controlling for gender of child. Participants were 681 families with a child between the ages of 11 and 13 …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Outpatient Treatment For Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, And Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Dwayne M. Horton

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the cost effectiveness of treating Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (NOS), as well as the effects that modality of therapy (i.e. individual, family, and mixed therapy), license of therapist, and secondary diagnosis had on recidivism and total cost of treatment in the care of these patients. One-thousand and thirty-eight patients (56 males, 982 females) diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, 1,674 patients (56 males, 1,618 females) diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa, and 1,997 patients (197 males, 1,800 females) diagnosed with Eating Disorder NOS were included in this study. Results revealed that family therapy was the …

Research Brief: "Provider, Veteran, And Family Perspectives On Family Education In Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Facilities", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research examines military family perspectives on community- based outpatient clinics (CBOC) and potential barriers to educational initiatives. Findings from this study indicate that although providers strongly support educating families about mental illness and PTSD, few providers are specifically trained to deliver this kind of education to families. Therefore policies should encourage providers to inform veterans and family members of CBOC family services. Further research in this field should include a more nationally representative and diverse sample of veterans.

Materialism And Psychological Well-Being: A Meta-Analytic Study, Kaylene Joy Fellows

Theses and Dissertations

The scholarly study of materialism is becoming more common in a variety of disciplines. This thesis provides an empirical review of this burgeoning body of literature by conducting a meta-analysis of the relationship between materialism and psychological well-being. A weighted overall effect size from 47 published and unpublished samples indicated that materialism was significantly related to lower psychological well-being. This effect size was modest in strength (r = .159). Materialism scale, psychological scale valance, age of sample, and publication status of the study did not moderate this relationship. Culture did moderate the relationship, with a stronger relationship in individualistic cultures …

Factors Affecting Relationship Quality In African-American/Caucasian Bi-Racial Couples, Joriann Lynn Mcgrath

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the direct actor/partner effects of self-esteem, coming to terms, and relationship quality and the indirect effects of self-esteem on relationship quality when mediated by coming to terms. The sample included 160 interracial couples of which 69.4% were made up of an African-American male and a Caucasian female, while 30.6 were made up of an African-American female and a Caucasian male. These couples completed the RELATionship Evaluation (RELATE), a survey questionnaire. This study used three variables from the RELATE: self-esteem, coming to terms, and relationship quality. Results from Structural Equation Modeling indicated that self-esteem had a negative effect …

Recessions Accelerate Trend Of Wives As Breadwinners, Kristin Smith

The Carsey School of Public Policy at the Scholars' Repository

This brief investigates the increased role employed wives played in family economic stability prior to, during, and in the two years after the Great Recession, and makes comparisons to the 1990-1991 and 2001 recessions. Author Kristin Smith reports that employed wives’ contribution to total family earnings jumped to 47 percent in 2009 from 45 percent in 2008—the largest single-year increase during the past twenty-three years—and has held steady at 47 percent in 2010 and 2011. Recessions substantially accelerate the trend of increased reliance on wives’ earnings. In all three recessions since 1988, annual increases in wives’ share of total family …

Primetimes Newsletter, Winter 2012, Office Of Lifespan Studies

PrimeTimes Newsletter

PrimeTimes is the newsletter of the Office of Lifespan Studies in the College of Science at Coastal Carolina University.

Self-Reporting, Recognition Of Symptoms And Characteristics Of Anxiety And Depression And Seeking Professional Help, Eliana V. Brito

Student Dissertations & Theses

This study examined whether adults (age 25 to 50) self-report symptoms of anxiety and/or depression and whether these individuals accurately identify the symptoms that are associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. Do these individuals believe the symptoms associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder are severe enough to seek professional help? The participants included 30 females and 20 males. Zung’s Self-Rating Depression (SDS; 1971) and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS; 1965) were administered. A third questionnaire was also developed to help identify if individuals are able to accurately identify symptoms, distinguish between the two disorders, and …

Research Approach Exploring Integrating Employment And Family Policy: Review Of Policy Objectives For The Population Policy White Paper In Taiwan, Chih-Lung Huang

Chih-lung Huang

One of the main purposes of the Population Policy White Paper in Taiwan is to seek solutions to the baby bust trend. Through strengthening family policy, the Population Policy White Paper in Taiwan tries to satisfy the need for a balance between work and family for women. However, the need is not only concerned with the baby bust problem, but also about the institutional and structural problems on culture and welfare systems under the conventional male breadwinner model. This article will explain the reason why the issue of work and family life balance should consider gender equality. Through the dual …

Pagkababae At Pagkalalake (Femininity And Masculinity): Developing A Filipino Gender Trait Inventory And Predicting Self-Esteem And Sexism, Vivienne Velez Valledor-Lukey

Child and Family Studies - Dissertations

This study focused on the construction of a gender trait inventory from a Filipino perspective, guided by social constructionist, symbolic interactionist, and feminist theories. Traits that were identified as being typical of Filipino men and women were grouped into positive (i.e., socially desirable) and negative (i.e., socially undesirable) subscales. Development and validity testing were conducted using data from 296 Filipino university students. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to develop the subscales of the instrument. The Filipino femininity subscale included positive traits such as being caring and supportive and negative traits such as being timid or keeping things to one's …

Attachment Security Among Toddlers: The Impacts Of Supportive Coparenting And Father Engagement, Sangita Pudasainee-Kapri

Child and Family Studies - Theses

The present study examined the longitudinal associations among supportive coparenting and father engagement during infancy and mother-child attachment at age three within an at-risk sample (N= 1371), using secondary data from Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing (FFCW) study. Mothers reported on coparenting and father engagement during the one-year phone interview and mother-child attachment was assessed using the Toddler Attachment Sort-39 (TAS-39) at age three during the three-year in-home interview. Findings suggest that supportive coparenting was significantly associated with higher levels of father engagement and more secure mother-child attachment relationship across three racial/ethnic groups including white, African American, and Hispanic. Interestingly, …

Living A Parallel Life: Memoirs And Research Of A Transnational Korean Adoptee, Mary C. Robinson

Master of Liberal Studies Theses

This thesis project consists of two parts: a memoir of my experience as a Korean adoptee, and a research paper examining how transracial, transnational adoption affects identity development in Korean adoptees. The memoir, as a first person narrative, gives voice to the research as one example of the findings. The majority of research on Korean adoptees has focused on levels of adjustment within a short time frame after adoptees’ placement in their adoptive homes. While the overwhelming majority of the prior research has declared positive and overall satisfactory adjustment for most adoptees, serious flaws exist in the methodologies that do …

The National Elder Economic Security Standard Index, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Gerontology Institute Publications

The Elder Economic Security Standard Index (Elder Index) is a new tool for use by policy makers, older adults, family caregivers, service providers, aging advocates, and the public at large. Developed by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW), the Elder Index is a measure of income that older adults require to maintain their independence in the community and meet their daily costs of living, including affordable and appropriate housing and health care. The development and use of the Elder Index promotes a measure of income that respects the autonomy goals of …

Community Perspectives On Black Parent Engagement In West Las Vegas Before And After Desegregation: A Case Study, Tonia Faye Holmes-Sutton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

According to research on parent engagement in K-12 schools, disconnects often exist between parent involvement as defined by school leaders and the African American families and communities they serve (Delgado-Gaitan, 1991; Tillman, 2009). Unfortunately, these competing definitions and conceptions of parent involvement often result in school leaders and administrators perceiving that Black students do not achieve as well as their White peers because Black parents are not involved or engaged in the education of their children (Cooper, 2010; Cooper, 2009; Fields-Smith, 2005). This perception undermines the development of positive home-school relations between school leaders, educators, and Black parents, and in …

Exploring The Relationship Between First Year First Generation College Students And Their Parents, Jerica L. Turek

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The first year of college is one that is crucial for all students entering higher education due to the major transition issues that must be successfully navigated in order to persist to the sophomore year. Parental support has been shown to have a positive effect during this transition by providing positive coping mechanisms and allowing children to develop higher level of autonomy. The level of parental support is at a high level for members of the Millennial Generation, which is characterized by a close parent-child relationship, as well as a high level of parental involvement in the education process. While …

Research Brief: "Exploring The Role Of Social Connectedness Among Military Youth: Perceptions From Youth, Parents, And School Personnel", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

The purpose of this study is to analyze the experiences of military youth as they go through the process of parental deployment, relocation, and interacting with the stressors of consistently adjusting to new places (including making new friends, etc.). The future research recommended for this study includes sampling from a larger population, as well as from a greater number of families involved with other armed forces' experiences.

Mental Health Treatment For Children And Adolescents: Cost Effectiveness, Dropout, And Recidivism By Presenting Diagnosis And Therapy Modality, David Fawcett

Theses and Dissertations

As many as one in five children and adolescents may suffer from a mental health disorder, yet there are barriers that often prevent children from receiving optimal treatment. The current study explores the influence of practitioner license type, therapy modality, diagnosis, age, and gender on mental health therapy for children and adolescents. Data was provided by Cigna, a leading health care insurance provider in the United States. Participants include 106,374 boys (53.2%) and 93,753 girls (46.8%) ages 3 to 18 (M = 12.1, SD = 3.9) who were treated in outpatient facilities throughout the United States of America. Results indicate …

There's No Place Like Home: How Residential Attributes Affect Family Functioning, Carly Marie Thornock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which actual (e.g., density and openness) and perceptual (e.g., crowding and distance) elements of the spatial home environment act as predictors of family functioning. Data were gathered from 126 families whose child was attending a university’s preschool/kindergarten facility in a mid-sized community in the Western United States. Structural equation modeling (SEM, AMOS 19.0) was employed to examine the strength of the relationships within the model. Results showed that though actual home items (specifically density and great room openness) affect family functioning outcomes, perceived crowding was especially influential as a …

Gay Parenthood And The Revolution Of The Modern Family: An Examination Of The Unique Barriers Confronting Gay Adoptive Parents, Nicholas Arntsen

Nicholas Benedict Arntsen

Abstract: In recent decades, the structure of the American family has been revolutionized to incorporate families of diverse and unconventional compositions. Gay and lesbian couples have undoubtedly played a crucial role in this revolution by establishing families through the tool of adoption. Eleven adoptive parents from the state of Connecticut were interviewed to better conceptualize the unique barriers gay couples encounter in the process adoption. Both the scholarly research and the interview data illustrate that although gay couples face enormous legal barriers, the majority of their hardship comes through social interactions. As a result, the cultural myths and legal restrictions …

Practice Effects In A Longitudinal, Multi-Center Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Clinical Trial, Erin L. Abner, Brandon C. Dennis, Melissa J. Mathews, Marta S. Mendiondo, Allison Caban-Holt, Richard J. Kryscio, Frederick A. Schmitt, John J. Crowley

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Practice effects are a known threat to reliability and validity in clinical trials. Few studies have investigated the potential influence of practice on repeated screening measures in longitudinal clinical trials with a focus on dementia prevention. The current study investigates whether practice effects exist on a screening measure commonly used in aging research, the Memory Impairment Screen (MIS).

METHODS: The PREADViSE trial is a clinical intervention study evaluating the efficacy of vitamin E and selenium for Alzheimer's disease prevention. Participants are screened annually for incident dementia with the MIS. Participants with baseline and three consecutive follow-ups who made less …

Research Brief: "Risk And Resilience In Military Families Experiencing Deployment: The Role Of The Family Attachment Network", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief details the military families attachment network model to demonstrate how family relationships are impacted during deployment and reintegration. The model shows that returning veterans face concerns with intimate relationships, which often result in poor communication, intimacy problems, domestic violence and other issues. The authors of this article address specific needs within attachment relationships among military families. These families would benefit from increased federal funding for research that examines adult attachment styles and parent-child attachment relationships in military families. Further research should also include the experiences of single parents who are deployed.

Research Brief: "Military Marriages: The Aftermath Of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Oif) And Operation Enduring Freedom (Oef) Deployments", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research studies military families and personal relationships after returning from conflict. The study found that couples with open communication increase the ability to bond and build empathy, therefore policies supporting family communitation are reccomended. In future studies, researchers should include a more diverse sample of military families and also service members with and without war-related trauma.

Research Brief: "Meeting Family And Military Needs Through Military Child Care", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief summarizes an examination of how members of military marriages were affected by and adapted to OIF/OEF deployment.

How Can You Change The World If You're Not Paying Attention?, Alexandra Pittman

UCF Forum

It’s depressing to see many of my fellow University of Central Florida classmates, friends and coworkers so unaware of their own surroundings.

Congruence Within The Parent-Teacher Relationship: Associations With Children’S Functioning, Elizabeth Moorman Kim, Kathleen M. Minke, Susan M. Sheridan, Natalie A. Koziol, Ji Hoon Ryoo, Kristin M. Rispoli

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Meaningful interactions between families and schools benefit multiple facets of children’s functioning including their academic, social, and behavioral adjustment (Christenson & Sheridan, 2001).

Positive relationships between parents and teachers predict children’s enhanced social-emotional functioning and academic adjustment across time (Izzo, Weissberg, Kasprow, & Fendrich, 1999).

Studies of parent-teacher relationships often focus on the association of child outcomes with separate parent or teacher reports of their relationship quality. Little attention has focused on the congruence of perceptions within parent-teacher dyads.

It may be the case that when parents and teachers view their relationship in a similar positive light, better connections or …

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury And Suicidal Behaviour In Children And Adolescents Accessing Residential Or Intensive Home-Based Mental Health Services, Michele Preyde, Hanna Watkins, Nicklaus Csuzdi, Jeff Carter, Kelly Lazure, Sara White, Randy Penney, Graham Ashbourne, Gary Cameron, Karen Frensch

Partnerships for Children and Families Project

Objective: There is a dearth of Canadian research with clinical samples of youth who self-harm, and no studies could be located on self-harm in children and youth accessing residential or intensive home-based treatment. The purposes of this report were to explore the proportion and characteristics of children and youth identified as self-harming at admission by clinicians compared to youth not identified as self-harming, compare self-harming children to adolescents, and to compare caregiver ratings of self-harm at intake to clinician ratings at admission.

Method: This report was developed from a larger longitudinal, observational study involving 210 children and youth accessing residential …

The Effects Of The Family On Student Achievement: A Comparative Study Of Traditional Nontraditional Families, Melinda Fonteboa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to test the interactive framework of social cognitive theory, attachment theory, and the theory of moral absolutism by comparing the academic achievement of over 200 high school seniors (as measured by the Georgia High School Graduation Test; GHSGT) based on the structures of their families. The independent variable of family structure was initially classified as either nontraditional or traditional. A nontraditional family was defined, for the purposes of this study, as any family that is not comprised in its entirety by two biological parents (or adoptive parents from birth), one male and …