Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Chicago’S Migrant Serving Ecosystem: Perspectives From Providers On The Frontline, Safa S. Asad

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Global destabilization has resulted in nearly 110 million people forcibly displaced from their homes. Sanctuary cities like Chicago have become “migrant hubs,” seeing thousands of migrants enter the city to access shelter and resources. City officials have called for more support, as the number of migrants has outweighed the number of migrant service providers.

Migrant service organizations play an integral role in the resettlement journey of migrants. These organizations provide direct and indirect services to support their clients. However, as the migrant crisis continues to worsen, it threatens the social safety net established by governments and immigrant serving nonprofit agencies …

Address The Mess: The Role Of Fear Of Covid-19, Indecision, And Reactance In Decluttering Projects, Devki Patel

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

At the start of the pandemic in the United States, government-imposed behavioral restrictions were enacted to reduce transmission of COVID-19. Mandated time at home motivated many to engage in organizing or decluttering projects. For some, restrictions may have increased the experience of psychological reactance, a negative motivational state evoked by a perceived threat to freedom. The proposed research studied decluttering behavior in a community-based sample, yielding insights on what influences disposal decisions in individuals who have clutter but do not consider themselves as having a hoarding problem. Three previously unexplored variables, fear of COVID-19, reactance, and family composition are considered …

News Flash: Content Framing Of Higher Education During The Covid-19 Campus Closures, Sara Nelson

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic swept the world in a cascade of crises, impacting every industry and individual. This study sought to analyze the prevailing narratives of higher education news coverage during the initial crisis event of COVID-19, when colleges and universities around the world closed their doors and sent students home. Historically, higher education has not been well positioned by the media in times of crisis. A tarnished reputation can lead to direct and immediate loses in enrollment, funding, rankings, selectivity of students and the financial health of an institution. The framing of media narratives plays a direct role in how …

Graduation Simulator: A Virtual Reality Conversation Experience For Second-Year College Students Living Through A Pandemic, Dylan Cohen

College of Communication Master of Arts Theses

Many second-year college students have struggled to socially transition back to in-person schooling. After a significant period of enforced isolation, there is a need to aggregate loose connections activated or maintained online. Through conducting UX/ethnographic research on current second-year students who have lost out on major life milestones between the years 2019-2021, synthesizing research from fields of media studies, interpersonal communication, and art/design that incites self-disclosure, and collaborating with a group of student designers, I responded to this issue by creating Graduation Simulator (2022) over a period of 8 months. Graduation Simulator facilitates emotionally vulnerable discussion through a VR scavenger …

Examining Covid-19 Long-Haulers Along Gender, Race Stress And Social Support Variables, Brianna Mabie

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Unfortunately, the United States has experienced approximately 620,000 deaths as a direct result of COVID-19, with elderly, Hispanic, and Black Americans experiencing the greatest risk (CDC, 2021). Although most individuals recover from mild to moderate COVID-19 infections within a few weeks, some may experience lingering symptoms for many months (Mayo Clinic, 2020). These individuals are commonly known as COVID-19 long-haulers. In order to properly assist in the well-being of COVID-19 long-haulers, more needs to be understood in terms of how gender, race, stress, and social support impact symptomatology within this population. The present study seeks to address this gap in …

Community Factors Contributing To Covid-19 Positivity Rate: Using Illinois As A Case Study, Helena Lucia Swanson

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Community level factors influence many aspects of residents’ lives (Flournoy & Yen, 2004), including health (Ellen et al., 200). An instance in which community level factors greatly influence individual health is in the case of a disaster (Couch & Coles, 2010; Steinglass & Gerrity, 1990). A recent and ongoing global disaster that communities are experiencing is the COVID-19 pandemic. In times of disaster, similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, disaster management and response are crucial for communities. A community-level factor that influences individual and community health in times of disaster is social vulnerability. Another community level factor that has yet to …

Catastrophic Failure: How Covid-19 Was Relayed From The Media To The Public, Samuel D. Johnson, Jr.

College of Communication Master of Arts Theses

This research utilizes content analysis and mixed methods as a way of understanding how COVID-19 related information was relayed from the media to the public during crucial times in U.S. history. The information analyzed entails news media broadcasts that occurred from June 26 to October 2, 2020, when the pandemic was on the rise in terms of cases and deaths. In addition to analyzing specific broadcasts, a comparative analysis was conducted between MSNBC vs. Fox News, in an effort to highlight key events that took place during the battle against COVID-19. This research utilizes agenda setting and framing principles to …