Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Private And Federated Deep Learning: System, Theory, And Applications For Social Good, Han Hu

Dissertations

During the past decade, drug abuse continues to accelerate towards becoming the most severe public health problem in the United States. The ability to detect drug­abuse risk behavior at a population scale, such as among the population of Twitter users, can help to monitor the trend of drug­abuse incidents. However, traditional methods do not effectively detect drug­abuse risk behavior in tweets, mainly due to the sparsity of such tweets and the noisy nature of tweets. In the first part of this dissertation work, the task of classifying tweets as containing drug­abuse risk behavior or not, is studied. Millions of public …

Acknowledgment Of Culture And Stereotypes: Black Participants’ Perceptions Of Specific Therapist Behaviors, Tsotso T. Ablorh

Graduate Masters Theses

Mental health disparities for Black people of diverse ethnicities compared to people of other racial identities has been well-documented (Alegría et al., 2008; Maura & Weisman de Mamani, 2017). Research addressing this pervasive systemic and interpersonal problem often focuses on client-related factors that create or intensify barriers to care. However clinician-related factors (i.e., racial identity, multicultural training, implicit biases, behavior, etc.) also have a significant impact on barriers to care, retention in therapy, and clinical outcomes for people of African descent (Larrison & Schoppelrey, 2011; Owen, Imel, Adelson, & Rodolfa, 2012). Researchers suggest that the favoring of historically white perspectives, …

A Call To Create: Poetry As Healing And One Nurse’S Self-Discovery, Kim Cornett Henry, Kim Cornett Henry

English Theses

Florence Nightingale’s vision for nursing has changed greatly in the past one hundred and fifty years, with nursing’s identity replaced with an emphasis on science over caring. The fast-paced, technologically sophisticated environments, designed to meet the declining health of an American public, have resulted in nurses who are being pulled away from nurse-to-patient caring acts and the reasons they felt called to become nurses. These changes have had detrimental psychological and emotional effects on nurses and are especially evident in Intensive Care nurses. Expressive writing as poetry, autoethnography, and participation in vibrant writing communities offer nurses experiences for healing, voice, …

Dear Maliha,, Na-Eela Djemil

Capstones

Dear Maliha is a short documentary film exploring the complexities of spiritual abuse through Maliha Fairooz. Spiritual abuse is a form of abuse that uses spiritual or religious beliefs to control or manipulate others. In some cases, spiritual abuse can be used to describe a religious leader who abuses their platform. But in Maliha’s story, we explore the concept of parental spiritual abuse. However, we learn more about this through Maliha Fairooz and the creative use of her journal.

For Maliha journaling is a form of therapy she uses to process her feelings and days. She also uses it as …

Factors Associated With Omani’S Schoolteachers’ Reporting Behavior Of Suspected Cases Of Child Abuse And Neglect, Zeinab N. Alazri

Theses & Dissertations

Child abuse and neglect is a global problem that can result in severe negative consequences for victims and their societies. Numerous initiatives have been launched by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to combat this problem. Recently, Sultanate Oman, an Arab country, has mandated schoolteachers to report suspected abuse and neglect cases to comply with UNICEF's recommendations. As schoolteachers spend a great deal of their time with children, they are in a good position to recognize and report suspected abuse and neglect cases so the victims can get the needed help and treatment. There is a dearth of information about …

Reducing Opioid Related Deaths And Improving Rehabilitation Access Through The Elk Grove Village Cares Program: A Program Evaluation, Rebecca Barron

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Abstract The goal of the Elk Grove Village Cares program is to decrease the deaths and overdoses of those who abuse opioids through harm reduction strategies and provide access to treatment. The article is a program evaluation of the Elk Grove Village Cares program. Surveys, interviews and the synthesis of program data is used to evaluate the efficacy of program activities. Results: The rate of death from opioid use has decreased an average of 1.7 deaths since program implementation in 2018. Law enforcement officers (LEO) and the community responded similarly to many survey questions regarding attitudes surrounding addiction. Within the …

Intention To Breastfeed: Breastfeeding Attitudes, Norms, Self-Efficacy, Social Support Network And Community Resources Of African American, Low-Income, Emerging Adult Women, Pregnant For The First Time, Sara E. Brown

Theses & Dissertations

African American (AA) women continue to have the lowest rates of breastfeeding. This continues to create a health disparity even though breastfeeding is extensively recognized in the scientific and health care communities as the optimal feeding choice for infants. This study examined the relationship between the external variables (social support network and community resources) and the explanatory variables (attitudes, norms, and perceived self-efficacy) and intention to breastfeed, for the AA, first time, low-income, emerging adult pregnant woman. The Integrated Behavior Model (IBM) was used as the theoretical framework to guide this study in better understanding the variables influencing breastfeeding intention. …

Giving Birth At A Critical Time: Assessing Perinatal Depression Among Syrian Refugees In Low Resource Settings, Nada Alnaji

Theses & Dissertations

Refugee mothers are at an increased risk of suffering from stress and mental health conditions during the first year after giving birth to a child. The objective of this study is to enhance the early identification of treatable mental health conditions among perinatal women living within humanitarian settings. The central hypothesis is that a culturally specific approach can be helpful for the long-term success of mental health efforts. In this study, we use qualitative interview methods to understand the cultural paradigms and predisposing factors for perinatal depression related to being a Syrian refugee in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic. In …

Improving Developing Countries’ Health Information Systems Capacity For Infectious Disease Pandemic Responses: A Case Study Of The Ebola Virus Disease And The Coronavirus Disease Pandemics, Uche Ikenyei

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is increasing evidence to demonstrate that current information system theoretical models meant to assess the success of the health information systems (HIS) lack the applicable theoretical underpinning suitable for developing countries. This stems partly from a theory-evidence gap where theoretical models developed in the West are applied in developing country contexts but lack tailoring to localized, contextual realities. Therefore, this study addresses this gap by enhancing the DeLeon and McLean's information system success model with six contextual factors peculiar to the infectious disease HISs in a developing country context.

This study took place in two developing countries, Liberia and …

The Influence Of Comorbid Gad On Er Utilization In Urban Youth With Asthma, David A. Karpe

Theses and Dissertations

Current literature indicates a strong association between asthma and the early onset of comorbid generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in minors and their primary caregivers. Studies show that asthma prevalence increases with certain demographic factors, such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and housing quality. Evidence also suggests that GAD influences decision-making, especially when deciding to utilize emergency room (ER) services for asthma-related concerns. This study analyzed the effect of comorbid GAD on minors with asthma and ER utilization. The data were provided by an earlier Stress & Justice Study (S&J) baseline survey, an investigation aimed at understanding the impact of parental criminal …

A Peer Feedback Process To Improve Assistant Nurse Manager Job Satisfaction, Juanita A. Jularbal-Walton

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Problem

Healthcare organizations offer different methods of training for emerging and newly hired Assistant Nurse Managers (ANM). Without sufficient orientation to what the role requires, new ANMs receive many requests without adequate guidance on how to respond to patient, staff, and leadership requests. This experience creates unhealthy work environments with low job satisfaction and high turnover rates.

Context

Peer feedback provides an opportunity to reflect on the purpose of the Assistant Nurse Manager role. With sufficient orientation and peer feedback, front-line assistant nurse managers develop competency and role satisfaction, as evidenced by reduced turnover and improved retention.

Intervention

This project …

Antipsychotic Medication Administration In Oregon Assisted Living/Residential Care Settings: Analyzing An Action Situation, Sarah Dys

Dissertations and Theses

Antipsychotic medication use (APU) in assisted living and residential care (AL/RC) settings is an under-studied and controversial health policy issue. APU in older adults with dementia is associated with an increased risk of falls, hospitalizations, and early mortality. I operationalize the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework using a situational analysis approach, an extension of grounded theory methods, to explore the APU in Oregon AL/RC settings. Regulatory deficiency citations, Oregon AL/RC population data, and semi-structured interviews suggest that staff role clarity, organizational characteristics, and perceived agency influence decision-making around APU. AL/RC providers and caregivers are forced to simultaneously balance and prioritize …

The Potential Of Mental Health Policy Implementation: Methods And Applications, Meagan Renee Pilar

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental illness affects roughly 20% of the world in some capacity and can be debilitating. Though a large emphasis has historically been placed on individual-level interventions (e.g., therapy or medication), mental health policies present an opportunity to intervene on a large scale, with the potential to enhance impact and equity. This dissertation contributes to the mental health policy research literature in three main ways—(1) exploring factors affecting policymakers’ overall support of mental health policies; (2) assessing the use and quality of quantitative and qualitative methods within this field; and (3) exploring implementation determinants and outcomes, as well as strategies used …

On Arousal And The Internal Regulation Of Brain Function: Theory And Evidence Across Modalities And Species, Ryan Raut

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The brain is an organ. It is subject to the same physiological regulatory processes that engage the rest of the body’s organs, sculpted over hundreds of millions of years to sustain life so effectively. The central message of this thesis is that the holistic functioning of the brain, rather than operating at some level above or independent from these systemic regulatory processes, is deeply related to them. In short, as our limited attention spans might suggest: brain function is internally regulated. I propose that this internal regulation is a primary function of intrinsic brain activity. Chapter 2 provides a theoretical …

Moderate Prenatal Ethanol Exposure, Sex, And Housing Modify Spatial Navigation Behavior And Hippocampal Cell Firing In Adult Rodents, Christy Magcalas

Psychology ETDs

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with structural and physiological changes that impact the central nervous system and can result in persistent negative consequences in a broad spectrum of cognitive and behavioral domains including deficits in spatial learning and memory and behavioral flexibility. The current study focuses on examining the behavioral and mechanistic consequences of PAE, sex and housing. Rats were tested in the Morris Water Task where they were trained to navigate to a goal location and tested in a pool shift manipulation. There were no significant differences between PAE treatment, sex, or housing groups during training, but there …

Therapeutic Potential Of Psychedelic Drugs, Specifically Magic Mushrooms, Marijuana, And Mdma With Veterans Who Suffer From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd), Misty Schutterle

Counselor Education Capstones

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a stress-based condition that a person develops after being exposed to an overwhelmingly traumatic event. Military troops frequently experience stress and trauma, making them highly susceptible to psychopathology. This paper evaluates nine clinical trials that used either magic mushrooms, marijuana, or MDMA as an adjunct to traditional psychotherapy to treat veterans who suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, suicidality, and other psychopathologies. Multiple scholarly journals and articles were read and analyzed, which show support for the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs in treating veterans with PTSD. After receiving psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, the research showed participants experienced a …

How Can Stem Retention Rates At Bgsu Be Increased Both In And Out Of The Classroom?, Josalyn A. Coffee

Honors Projects

Previous research in STEM student retention rates showed a gap in knowledge regarding why this group of student experience higher rates of burnout than other groups of students. This study investigated the barriers STEM students at BGSU experienced. A survey was sent out to STEM and non-STEM students alike that asked questions regarding student’s personal history before attending BGSU, their course experiences at BGSU, and the levels of support they have outside of BGSU. The survey data showed that there was little difference in the rates that students switch majors solely based on being in the STEM field. The data …

Examining The Need For Parental Satisfaction With The Msu Extension Equine Assisted Therapy Program, Ashlyn Ann Kiker

Theses and Dissertations

Animal assisted interventions are becoming more prevalent in our society. Animal interventions have become a popular therapy technique that exist to aid a variety of disabilities. Equine therapeutic riding has become one of the most popular forms of animal assisted therapy for both children and adults. While research shows the importance and benefits of animal assisted therapy for children, there is a lack of research concerning parental satisfaction within therapeutic riding programs.

This study tested a newly developed instrument for measuring parental satisfaction for therapeutic riding programs. The Parent/Caregiver Evaluation Tool (Kerr, 2021) was administered to parents/caregivers whose children participated …

Macronutrient Intake: A Multi-Sport Study Of Female Division I Collegiate Athletes, Ffion Price

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Macronutrients play a critical role within collegiate athletes’ performance and health, with carbohydrates providing most of the energy needs for most athletes. There is little research examining the macronutrient intake of healthy collegiate female athletes across sports. The aim of the present study was to compare macronutrient intakes of female collegiate athletes within different sports and compare their intakes to recommendations. Methods: An observational study was conducted to determine whether a sample of female collegiate athletes (n=26) consumed the IOC nutritional recommendations. Sports included within the study were soccer, basketball, volleyball, and cross-country. Athletes were asked to complete a …

The Relationship Between Collective Nursing Knowledge And Nurse Turnover: An Application Of Nursing Intellectual Capital Theory, Pamela Russman-Chambers

Doctorate of Nursing Science Dissertations

The value of a healthcare organization is vested in the expertise, intellect, and wisdom of employees. Nursing knowledge resides both within the individual nurse and the collective knowledge embedded in organizational structures and practice environments. Healthcare organizations rely on their ability to utilize this knowledge to deliver high-quality care to patients. Hospitals wanting to gain a competitive advantage and achieve financial stability must be adept at acquiring, cultivating, and using the nursing knowledge stocks of the organization. When this knowledge can be utilized to mitigate healthcare issues and improve patients' health, this collective knowledge or intellectual capital is often the …

Healthcare Access Barriers And Proposed Solutions For Limited English-Proficient (Lep) Latinx Patients In Southwest Michigan, Carmen Vinkemulder

Honors Theses

This research study explores the circumstances and experiences of LatinX patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) when seeking treatment in the healthcare system of Southwest Michigan, in addition to proposing solutions to better facilitate this population’s access. The terminology used in this research, LatinX, is an American English neologism used as a genderinclusive term used interchangeably with Latino/a and/or Hispanic. This research provides an overview of the current socio-political legislature and climate of the American healthcare system as it pertains to the LatinX population to spread awareness and identify the barriers existing in our current healthcare model. This study will …

Pragmatic Deficits In Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Paige Kessler

Honors Theses

Background: Most studies have found pragmatic language skills to be poorer in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) populations, but there is no conclusive evidence.

Aim: Our aim was to conduct a meta-analysis of pragmatic language abilities in ADHD populations to more definitively demonstrate the extent of pragmatic language deficits in these populations as compared to typically developing (TD) populations.

Methods and procedures: Journal articles were identified using the search terms ((attention deficit) OR (adhd)) AND (pragmatics). Identified studies were screened and reviewed for inclusion criteria, descriptive information, and outcome variables. A meta-analysis was conducted, and individual effect sizes and overall effect size …

Serving Our Students: Evidence-Based Sex Education Policies And Practices Needed In Ohio, Lily Mckenzie Rosenberg

Honors Projects

Ohio has very minimal state-wide sex education laws, requiring only venereal disease education that has many similarities with abstinence-only education. Abstinence-only education has been shown to be ineffective in delaying first sex and lowering teen STDs, pregnancy, and birth rates. When students receive ineffective (or no) sex education it can impact them in many ways, leaving them unprepared for sexual lives as adults. To analyze the state of sex education in Ohio, this paper will look at sex education throughout Ohio both in law and in practice. I will then explore the impact of these minimal sex education laws on …

Peer-Led Building Resilience And Enhancing Social-Emotional Skills Program, Danielle K. Enrico

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of the Capstone experience was to develop and implement a five-week peer-led building resilience and social-emotional skills training program at a public high school. This program addressed high school students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding resources, social-emotional skills, and resilience. A questionnaire was administered pre and post-program to measure effectiveness. The results indicated an increase in scores, demonstrating a clearer understanding in all three areas.

How Long-Term, Non-Monogamous Romantic Relationships Maintain Sexual Satisfaction, Anna Kessler

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Eroticism is an important element of couple's relationships. Sexual intimacy has the power to bring couples closer together, as higher levels of sexual intimacy results in higher relationship satisfaction, or hinder relationships if either or both partners aren’t sexually satisfied in their relationship. The current study’s purpose is to understand how long-term, non-monogamous relationships have successfully maintained “eroticism” throughout the course of their relationship. In this study, 24 couples who are in a committed, romantic relationship of at least 7 years were interviewed. The interviews were conducted individually over a video call platform, and each was completed withing approximately 60 …

Multiple Approaches To Auditory Rhythm: Development Of Sustained Musical Beat And The Relation To Language, Development Of Rhythmic Categories Via Iterated Production, And A Meta-Analytic Study Of Neural Entrainment To Beat, Karli Marie Nave

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Rhythm is ubiquitous to human communication, coordination, and experience of music. In this dissertation, I address three empirical questions through three different methodologies, all of which contribute to the growing body of literature on human auditory rhythm processing. In Chapter 2, I present a registered report detailing the results of independent conceptual replications of Nozaradan, Peretz, Missal, & Mouraux (2011), all using the same vetted protocol. Listeners performed the same tasks as in Nozaradan et al. (2011), with the addition of behavioral measures of perception. In neuroscience, neural correlates to musical beat perception have been identified, yet little to no …

Exploring Treatment Targets To Mitigate Fear Of Falling Activity Avoidance Behavior In Parkinson's Disease And Older Adults, John Vincent Rider

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Fear of falling (FOF) is a significant concern among individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and older adults in general. This FOF can lead to avoidance behavior resulting in activity restriction. Some level of fear of falling avoidance behavior (FFAB) may be protective (adaptive) and decrease the likelihood of falls, especially among individuals with physical limitations and high fall risk. However, excessive (maladaptive) avoidance behavior may lead to downstream consequences such as further physical and psychological decline and an increased likelihood of falls, especially when there is a disparity between the FFAB and physiological fall risk. While poor physical functioning, disease …

The Physiological Factors Of Diabetes And Their Effect On The Cognitive And Emotional Functioning In Older Populations: A Secondary Data Analysis, Celeste Anahi Alvidrez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: The rates of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) have increased over the past 20 years in all age groups. The physiological factors that underlie T2D could have impact on specific brain pathways that support cognitive and emotional functioning. Aims and Objective: The goal of this study was to examine whether older Mexican American individuals with a history of T2D were more likely to develop later cognitive impairment and/or depression. Hypotheses: It was predicted that elderly participants (mean age at time of interview = 87.87 years) with a history of T2D onset prior to age 65, are more likely to have …

Exploring The Contextual Factors And Decision-Making Process Of Risky Sexual Behavior Among Homeless Adults In Louisville, Kentucky., Sarah C. Van Heiden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Homelessness is a complex public health issue; individuals who experience homelessness are said to engage in risky sexual behaviors at an increased rate and experience a higher prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI). While the sexual behaviors of homeless adolescents are commonly studied, little is known about the sexual behaviors of the growing population of older adults, or how they make decisions to engage in sex. Three aims guided this research: 1) to describe the sexual behaviors and sexual decision-making process of homeless older adults, 2) to examine how homeless older adults evaluate the outcomes associated with engaging in risky …

Development Of A Measure Assessing Perceptions Of E-Cigarettes: A Mixed Methods Approach, Dessaray Monique Gorbett

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States (U.S.), killingmore than 480,000 people each year. In recent years, we have seen a steady decline in cigarette smoking but have seen increased alternative tobacco product use (e.g., electronic cigarettes). Positive perceptions of e-cigarettes are associated with increased e-cigarette use (Amrock, Zakhar, Zhou, & Weitzman, 2015; Chen-Sankey & Kong, Choi, 2019; Pokhrel, Fagan, Kehl, & Herzog, 2015; Simmons et al., 2016). However, studies assessing the perceptions of e-cigarettes vary widely and do not adequately capture perceptions of social norms and the addictiveness of e-cigarettes. The current study …