Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Physical Education Curriculum For Promoting Sociomoral Development, Daniel N. Masarsky

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

One area of development that can be facilitated in the context of youth sports and physical education is sociomoral development. Sociomoral development is defined as moral development in the context of social groups. The physical education classroom today lacks the content, structure, and teaching style that middle school students need in order to cement their sociomoral development so that they can experience positive developmental growth as they mature into adulthood. The purpose of this project was to educate future physical education teachers about the importance of including sociomoral development activities in their standard PE curricula. The presentation focused on teaching …

Social And Cultural Integration Process Among Syrian Refugees In The United States, Sheren Iskandar Shihadeh

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the cultural and social integration process among Syrian refugees in the United States, and to what extent the direct and indirect challenges have played a role in the process of their social and cultural integration. The challenges include, but are not limited to, cultural conflicts, religious values, stereotypes, and English language proficiency. In order to investigate my research questions, interviews as a research methodology were used as a theoretical framework for this project to collect and analyze data. I conducted semi-structured interviews with ten Syrian refugees who currently live in the United …

Perceptions Of School Readiness, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, And The Role Of Professionalism, Brittany Kristine Mcallister

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research supports the knowledge that there exist many models on and definitions of school readiness within early education. Additionally, research shows that utilizing developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) produces positive short and long term results for students; indicating the effectiveness and necessity for DAP in the classroom. The study sought to inform teachers via presentation on the subjects of school readiness and DAP; as well as gain insight on the barriers teachers face in utilizing their school readiness and DAP knowledge base in the classroom. To accomplish this, the study used a pre-survey, presentation with discussion, and a post-survey to collect …

The Importance Of Serotonergic And Adrenergic Receptors For The Induction And Expression Of One-Trial Cocaine-Induced Behavioral Sensitization, Krista N. Rudberg

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Addiction is a complex process in which behavioral sensitization may be an important component. While the behavioral effects of sensitization are well established, the intricate neurobiology of the phenomenon is still largely unknown. Dopamine systems mediate the induction of behavioral sensitization in adult rats, but there is a large amount of evidence showing that other neurotransmitter systems also modulate the induction process. For example, the α1b-adrenergic and 5-HT_2A receptor systems are known to modulate the sensitized responding of adult rats, but the roles that these receptor systems play in the induction and expression of behavioral sensitization during the preweanling …

The Effectiveness Of Extended Foster Care In Preparing Young Adults For Self-Sufficiency, Krystal L. Walker

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the Extended Foster Care (EFC) Program in meeting the needs of emancipating foster youth by assisting them in becoming self-sufficient prior to emancipating out of the foster care system. The research method used for this study was a quantitative study design, using secondary data obtained from the County of San Bernardino, to assess the level of independent living skills foster youth obtain while participating in the program. The information was gathered on youth who were currently participating in the extended foster care program. The results of this study were …

Empowering Early Childhood Teachers: A Community Based Participatory Research Approach, Kourtney Denise Jones

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Despite a significant increase in the demands for teachers’ professional development, the work environments of teachers have not developed at a comparable rate. Due to research on inequity in teacher work environment, the purpose of this case study was to explore the role of empowerment in the early childhood education (ECE) workforce, using Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) as a framework. This project was done with 5 educators in a for‑profit ECE center. Over the course of five weekly sessions, the educators completed questionnaires, interviews, and engaged in weekly focus groups geared towards providing the teachers with an opportunity to …

Crossing Borders: Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations Influence On Interstate Gang Structure, Stacey Michelle Goldberg

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Not only has gang membership been expanding, but the formation of cooperative ties with Mexican drug trafficking organizations (MDTOs) has been increasing as well. Collaborative relationships with MDTOs appear to be the driving force behind the continuing gang expansion and its subsequent effects. Using social network analysis, this study examines the linkage between MDTOs and American-based gang activity and the potential influence that MDTOs may have in U.S. drug market through their associations with American street gangs. Findings show the MDTOs to be extensively linked to each other by their affiliations with U.S. gangs, and a high level of connectivity …

The Narrative Performances Of Teenage Girls: Participation, Identity, And Authority As The Foundation For Power, Chere M. Smith

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This thesis explores the ways in which teenage girls use narrative performance to negotiate participation, social and gender identity, and individual authority in order to establish ratified and equal statuses of power within their social peer group. Although previous work on narrative discourse has shown that narratives can act as the catalyst for the complex co/construction of identity especially in social situations of talk, little work has been done to focus on the way teenagers, particularly girls, use this discourse to their benefit as they fulfill social and gender goals in social and conversational settings. Furthermore, while multimodal, narrative performance …

Environmental Ingredients For Disaster: Developing And Validating The Alvarado Work Environment Scale Of Toxicity, Claudia Alvarado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Leadership has been a much studied area within industrial and organizational psychology. Recently, scholars have begun to focus on the negative side of leadership; however, a lack of research has limited our understanding of toxic leadership. One step forward in this domain has been the development of the toxic triangle, which posits that toxic leaders are aided by toxic followers with a toxic environment. Although the leader has been studied within this triangle, relatively little has been researched regarding the follower or the environment. Specifically, that there has been a lack of research in the organizational environment that allows the …

A Collaborative Approach To Address Student Behavior And Academic Achievement Across Systems, Beverly Ngozi Okereke

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Academic achievement and in-classroom behaviors are two significant child outcomes that affect student success in school. According to Systems Theory, in order to truly understand the factors that affect these outcomes for children, one must look to the major systems that encapsulate the child (including their school and home environments). This project is a meta-analytic review that examined the effectiveness of measures representing each system in predicting child achievement and behavior: School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS) for the school as a system, level of parent involvement (high versus low) for the home system, and student motivation (intrinsic versus extrinsic) for …

Dating Violence Myth Acceptance And Victim Blame Among College Students: Does Gender Matter?, Jennifer Mendoza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) affects approximately one in four women every year in the United States (Black et al., 2011). As a result, determining the potential implications IPV has on the victims requires extensive research and education. The manner in which a victim is responded to by others following abuse may have important implications for their adjustment following IPV. Identifying factors that contribute to the quality of responses towards victims of violence can help to inform future intervention and prevention programs; assist in decreasing mental health problems, and reduce the incidence rates of IPV. The purpose of the present study …

The Impact Of Early Experience On Current Mental Health And Quality Of Parenting In Incarcerated Mothers, Lindsy R. Hughes-Curtis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among early parenting experiences, adult mental health functioning, and adult parenting behaviors among a population of incarcerated women in San Bernardino, CA. An archival data set was utilized. Data were collected from three hundred thirty-six female participants in the San Bernardino County Jail System in 2011, aged 18 – 60 years (M = 34.02). Only those who are mothers (N=132), with children between the ages of two and 18 years old, participated in the current study. Structural equation modeling was conducted using EQS. Results showed that early experiences, specifically adverse …

Consumption Of Sexually Explicit Internet Material And Wellbeing: A Self-Discrepancy Approach, Hio Tong Kuan

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Potential influences from using sexually explicit Internet material (SEIM) are controversial, however, the underlying psychological mechanism(s), which potentially can explain these found associations with SEIM consumption, have not been well studied. In the present research, I examine the relationship between SEIM consumption and subjective wellbeing (i.e., sexual and general wellbeing). In particular, I address the circumstances under which the consumption of SEIM is negative for wellbeing by assessing an ideal-actual sexual discrepancy in the context of intimate relationships. I drew on perspectives from self-discrepancy theory to explore whether SEIM consumption generates disparities between ideal and actual sexual experiences, which then …

Beliefs About Animal Assisted Interventions Among Medical Social Workers, Gyda D. Boyd

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Animal‑Assisted Intervention (AAI) is used to significantly reduce pain, lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety, and help ease depression in people with a range of health problems; however, it is not readily used in the hospital setting. Research involving the Human‑Animal Bond (HAB) is well established, yet most social workers receive no special training or coursework about this topic as it applies to working with patients or consumers. This study sought to understand the beliefs about AAI among medical social workers in healthcare settings in order to gauge what knowledge and degree of exposure they may have had to AAI. Eighteen …

Perceptions Of Organizational Continuity: Scale Development And Implications For Organizational Outcomes, Gabino A. Gomez-Canul

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following study examines the impact that perceptions of organizational continuity (POC) have on organizational identification (OI) and organizational outcomes, including organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) and turnover intentions. It was proposed that POC would be an important factor in determining OI, OCBs, and turnover intentions. In order to test this proposition, a scale was developed that measured an individual’s POC within their organization with regards to the organization’s culture and history. A survey was distributed among working individuals that contained the new measure of POC and other established measures of an organization’s culture and values. The sample consisted of 394 …

Challenges Of Social Workers Giving Mental Health Services To Juveniles Who Have Been Incarcerated For Drug Use, Nathalie Marie Jones

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research examined challenges social workers face when delivering mental health services to juveniles who have been incarcerated due to drug use. Through the use of a web-based survey program a total of ten research questions were examined statistically. The research questions discussed what challenges social workers face when trying to administer services to juveniles who have been incarcerated for drug use and also what services are available to juveniles with or without a mental health problem who have been incarcerated for drug use. Questionnaires were sent out electronically, with a response rate of twenty-seven participants. SurveyMonkey® was used to …

Experiences, Challenges, And Resiliency Among Survivors Of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, Coleen Deermer

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative study sought to explore the personal experiences of those who have been victims of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST), the challenges they faced as they transitioned into survivors, and the factors they attributed to their resiliency. DMST victims are among the marginalized populations enduring social injustices within our communities. Social workers seek to serve these individuals, and yet they are just one part of the system of helping professionals that will encounter these victims. The interactions that DMST victims have with each entity of the system makes a difference in the recovery process as they become a survivor. …

Relational Aggression As A Social Tool Of Choice Among College Students, Donald Patrick Cox

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the knowledge and use of relational aggression in a college population, reasons for use if occurring, and perceptions on the effectiveness of relational aggression to attain one’s social goals.

The methods used in the study were a self-administered survey questionnaire using a Likert scale to measure the results. This survey had an opening statement that gave a brief definition of relational aggression. The survey was administered at a Riverside County community college; the sample size was 42 students. Data analysis provided a percentage-based tabulation of those results.

The key findings were …

Predictors Of Gang Affiliation Among Adolescents: Implications For Social Work Students, Caroline George Mcloughlin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what current Master of Social Worker Students in their advanced year know about adolescent gang affiliation, including statistics, predictive factors, and possible interventions. Adolescent gang involvement is a very serious issue that historically has had very problematic effects on society, as well as serious and troublesome effects on the life course of the individual. Despite the knowledge that has been gained in recent years regarding predictive factors of adolescent gang involvement, many intervention programs designed to address this issue are still rarely effective. Despite the fact that there are conflicting findings in …

Services To Homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, And Queer Youth: What Works, Melissa Morales

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Health and behavior risks among homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer youth, are now part of nation wide conversation however, evidenced based practices and strategies for working with the youth remain very limited. This explorative study examined housing services, environments, and therapeutic interventions needed to help decrease high-risk behaviors among homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer youth. In order to examine and distinguish the services needed to assist youth, the presenting study conducted an open-ended qualitative survey where nine social services providers delivered their expertise on the issues found among homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer youth. …

Discussing Death With Young Children, Teresa Clare Olin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research has shown that young children have some understandings of death. However, adults are hesitant (or even avoidant) to discuss death with young children for fear that they will scare them, or they are not sure what to tell them. Sessions were part of this project, educating adults in a child’s development and how that development affects what young children understand about death. The three sessions, completed over two weeks, included three topics including anxieties the adult may have about death, cognitive and emotional development of the young child, and the adult’s role in discussing death with young children. Participants …

Perspectives Of Mental Health Treatment, Dale Marie Craig

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study looks at the perceptions of mental health treatment that the general public may have. This study consisted of a sample size of 106 respondents to a survey that was placed on social media web sites. The positivist paradigm was used to assess the general public’s perceptions about mental health treatment and mentally ill persons. Descriptive analyses were used to discover the relationship of possible negative perceptions toward mental health treatment the general public may have on a mentally ill person. Findings of the survey showed no significant relationships of negative public perceptions that would adversely affect a mentally …

Social And Psychological Implications Of Placement Instability Among Former Foster Youth, Myra D. Lopez-Brock, Carolina F. Morales

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the social and psychological implications created by unstable placements and trauma experienced by former foster youth. The participants of the study were recruited from college campuses via Extended Opportunity Program and Services liaisons as well as the Guardian Scholar Program liaisons. The sample included individuals that identified as former foster youth and individuals that identified as never being in foster care. The findings indicated the social and psychological differences among former foster youth that resided in unstable living arrangements as compared to youth that were not in foster care.

Foster Parenting...Why Not?, Michelle Y. Marley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Every day, children are removed from their homes of origin by Children & Family Services and placed into foster care. When the county foster homes become full, private foster family agencies are relied upon to take in the overflow. For a variety of reasons, private agencies are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain sufficient numbers of foster parents to house all of these children. This is a pressing problem in the social work field as, without proper placement options, many children will simply fall through the cracks in the system. The purpose of this research was to explore …

Music Therapy Among The Elderly: What Social Workers Need To Know, Adriana Navarrete-Campos

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of music therapy among the elderly. This qualitative study utilized interviews as a means to extract themes from the experiences of music therapists who have provided music therapy to the elderly. Results were transcribed to written form. Qualitative analysis procedures were followed to identify themes and subthemes. Areas of particular interest to the social work profession were the emotional, social, physical, and mental benefits and challenges of music therapy among the elderly. Through the guidance of systems theory and the concept of holism, spiritual benefits and challenges were also …

Nicotine And Methylphenidate Chornic Exposure On Adult Cannabinoid Receptor Agonist (Cp 55,940) Place Conditioning In Male Rats, Christopher P. Plant

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

A problematic connection has been reported between those who use nicotine related products alone or in combination with ADHD medications, like methylphenidate (MPH), in late childhood or early adolescence and the increased likelihood of later marijuana abuse in adulthood. Pre-clinical studies have found that the use of nicotine during the early adolescence period produces enduring changes to the endocannabinoid system in the brain. Since CB agonists, like marijuana, exert their effect through the eCB system, it is possible that early nicotine use may alter the rewarding nature of CB agonists in adulthood. In addition, MPH has also been shown to …

Exploring The Experiences Of Same-Sex Foster And Adoptive Parents, Richard Christopher Meza, Cynthia Anna Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Foster and adoptive parents are crucial in the child welfare system, with the large number of foster children in the system at any time. Same-sex foster and adoptive homes are underrepresented in the child welfare system, despite the shortage and need for more certified foster and adoptive homes. There are limited studies documenting the experiences of gay and lesbian foster and adoptive parents. Some research has demonstrated that "non-traditional," or same-sex couples are met with more obstacles to become certified foster and adoptive parents, in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts. This qualitative study explores the experiences of same-sex foster and …

Childhood Sexual Assault, Schemas, And Revictimization: The Role Of Early Maladaptive Schemas On Revictimization, Lisa S. Motley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Childhood sexual assault (CSA) refers to a sexual act that is imposed on a child or adolescent who lacks the emotional capacity, maturity, and cognitive development to understand what they are engaging in, and is incapable or unwilling to give consent. Many individuals who experience CSA also experience adult sexual assault, such as rape. To date, there is limited research that has examined early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and CSA, and no research that examines the relationship between CSA, EMS, and revictimization. The present study examined EMS as mediators of revictimization and mental health outcomes (i.e., depression and PTSD) among 263 …

The One Exhibition The Roots Of The Lgbt Equality Movement One Magazine & The First Gay Supreme Court Case In U.S. History 1943-1958, Joshua R. Edmundson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The ONE Exhibition explores an era in American history marked by intense government sponsored anti-gay persecution and the genesis of the LGBT equality movement. The study begins during World War II, continues through the McCarthy era and the founding of the nation’s first gay magazine, and ends in 1958 with the first gay Supreme Court case in U.S. history.

Central to the story is ONE The Homosexual Magazine, and its founders, as they embarked on a quest for LGBT equality by establishing the first ongoing nationwide forum for gay people in the U.S., and challenged the government’s right to engage …

Perceived Life Satisfaction Among Gay Males: The Coming-Out Process, Kimberly D. Carter

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research project was a mixed method of both a quantitative and qualitative design to examine the perception of 38 gay male’s life satisfaction post coming out. In the past few years, laws affecting the gay community have been at the forefront of policies and debates, given all communities an insight into the specific challenges that are endured. As the gay community starts to openly live their lives as a gay man, there has been a need to accept and understand not only the challenges, but to give acceptance.

Additionally, this project sought out to determine if the gay community …