Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Fiscal Sustainability Of Retiree Health Care Benefits Among New York State School Districts, Robert Bifulco, Minch Lewis, Iuliia Shybalkina

Center for Policy Research

We examine spending on retiree health care as a percentage of revenues for a sample of New York State school districts. The fiscal burden of these benefits grew from 2010 to 2021, and big city school districts have faced the largest burdens. Assuming CBO forecasts regarding growth in health care costs and continuation of recent trends in revenue growth, we project that the burden of retiree health care benefits will exceed 10 percent of revenue by 2050. Projected burdens are greatest big city and high need rural districts. We discuss cutting benefits and pre-funding as possible policy responses.

“Model Minorities” In The Classroom? Positive Evaluation Bias Towards Asian Students And Its Consequences, Ying Shi, Maria Zhu

Center for Policy Research

The fast-growing demographic group of Asian Americans is often perceived as a “model minority.” This paper establishes empirical evidence of this stereotype in the context of education and then analyzes its consequences. We show that teachers rate Asian students’ academic skills more favorably than observationally similar White students in the same class, even after accounting for test performance and behavior. This contrasts with teachers’ lower likelihood of favoring Black and Hispanic students. Notably, teachers respond to the presence of any Asian student in the classroom by exacerbating Black-White and Hispanic-White assessment gaps. This suggests that the “model minority” stereotype can …

Robust Dynamic Space-Time Panel Data Models Using Ε- Contamination: An Application To Crop Yields And Climate Change, Badi H. Baltagi, Georges Bresson, Anoop Chaturvedi, Guy Lacroix

Center for Policy Research

This paper extends the Baltagi et al. (2018, 2021) static and dynamic ε-contamination papers to dynamic space-time models. We investigate the robustness of Bayesian panel data models to possible misspecification of the prior distribution. The proposed robust Bayesian approach de-parts from the standard Bayesian framework in two ways. First, we consider the ε-contamination class of prior distributions for the model parameters as well as for the individual effects. Second, both the base elicited priors and the ε-contamination priors use Zellner (1986)’s g-priors for the variance-covariance matrices. We propose a general “toolbox” for a wide range of specifications which includes the …

Evaluating Evidence Of Episodic Tendencies During Semantic Fluency, Rebecca Anne Wilder

Theses - ALL

While semantic organization has been widely observed in episodic memory tasks, episodic organization has yet to be observed in the semantic fluency task, due to structural differences between test paradigms. Episodic memory effects require an opportunity for target information to first be learned and later retrieved. Semantic fluency tasks, which are designed to measure retrieval capacity for facts, are typically limited to a single test-phase format. In semantic fluency tasks, participants are presented with a semantic retrieval cues (i.e. category prompts) and asked to list as many items as they can think of that fit the classification. The repeated fluency …

Leveraging System Context To Understand Collaborative Systems In Modern Public Management, Catherine Annis

Dissertations - ALL

Complex and boundary-spanning problems like overpopulation, hunger, pandemics, homelessness, and environmental degradation occur more frequently now than ever (Bynander & Nohrstedt, 2019; Criado & Guevara-Gómez, 2021; Huang, 2020; Kapucu, 2015; Getha-Taylor, 2007; Jayasinghe et al., 2022). Policymakers increasingly address these challenges through interorganizational collaboration (Isett et al., 2011). Countries worldwide now use collaborative governance to respond to such wicked problems (Jayasinghe et al., 2022; Huang, 2020; Megawati et al., 2020). Despite growing in popularity, gaps remain in understanding collaborative governance at scale. In this dissertation, I present research on the interconnected nature of collaborative governance initiatives in the United States …

“Envisioning Digital Sanctuaries”: An Exploration Of Virtual Collectives For Nurturing Professional Development Of Women In Technical Domains, Subhasree Sengupta

Dissertations - ALL

Work and learning are essential facets of our existence, yet sociocultural barriers have historically limited access and opportunity for women in multiple contexts, including their professional pursuits. Such sociocultural barriers are particularly pronounced in technical domains and have relegated minoritized voices to the margins. As a result of these barriers, those affected have suffered strife, turmoil, and subjugation. Hence, it is important to investigate how women can subvert such structural limitations and find channels through which they can seek support and guidance to navigate their careers. With the proliferation of modern communication infrastructure, virtual forums of conversation such as Reddit …

Mothers Of Disabled Children Faced Numerous Challenges During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amy Lutz, Sujung (Crystal) Lee, Baurzhan Bokayev

Population Health Research Brief Series

The COVID-19 pandemic changed life dramatically for most families, but particularly for families with a disabled child. Mothers of disabled children faced increased difficulties during the early months of COVID-19 compared to other families. Reduction in services, school closures, and managing paid work drastically impacted caregivers’ mental health. This brief summarizes results from a recent study on the challenges mothers of disabled children faced during the COVID-19 pandemic during the Spring of 2020 in Central New York.

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students’ Writing Skills: An Examination Of The Agreement Between Teachers’ Judgments And Curriculum-Based Measurement In Written Expression, Emily Ann Watts

Theses - ALL

Nearly 75% of students in the United States of America are not meeting grade-level standards in the area of writing (NCES, 2012; Persky et al., 2003), despite this skill impacting students’ performances in other academic areas (Ray et al., 2016), and limiting students’ access to higher education (Addison & McGee, 2010), and opportunities for jobs in the adult workforce (National Commission on Writing, 2005). Because difficulties with early writing skills are associated with later writing skills deficits (Juel, 1988), it is crucial that educators accurately identify students in need of additional support in order to provide them with appropriate instruction. …

Combating Social Isolation And Loneliness Among Veterans After Separation From Military Service, Emily Graham

Population Health Research Brief Series

Half of U.S. veterans report feeling like they don’t belong in society after separation from military service. Lack of belonging is often associated with feeling socially isolated or lonely. These feelings may increase the risk of veterans experiencing poor mental and physical health outcomes. This brief explores the negative impacts of social isolation and loneliness on veteran health and wellbeing. It calls for expanded veterans programing that connects veterans to each other while mimicking the values veterans miss about military life, including camaraderie, identity, purpose, physical activity, and learning.

The Associations Between Paternal Depressive Symptoms And Children’S Behavior Outcomes Via Intimate Partner Violence And Paternal Rejection In Kenyan Families, Dickson Mukara Matsantsa Ong'ayi

Dissertations - ALL

High rates of depressive symptoms and intimate partner violence in Kenya place children at risk for behavioral difficulties well beyond the preschool years. This study examined (a) whether paternal depressive symptoms, psychological and physical intimate partner violence, and rejection were associated with children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors above maternal risk factors, and (b) whether psychological and physical intimate partner violence and paternal/maternal rejection mediated the associations between depressive symptoms and children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors differently for mothers and fathers. Propositions within the developmental psychopathology framework and interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory guided the formulation of the research questions and hypotheses. A …

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: November 2022, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Veteran employment trends and statistics among various demographics during November 2022

How Has Grandparenthood Changed In Rural China?, Merril D. Silverstein

Population Health Research Brief Series

China’s rapid modernization and development have led to changes across Chinese society, including within the family. China is experiencing declining birth rates, meaning that fewer older adults are becoming grandparents. At the same time, there has been growing demand for grandparents to serve as caregivers for their grandchildren. This data slice examines the changes in grandparenting in rural China and calls for policies that decrease caregiver burnout, stress, and associated poor health outcomes.

“You Can't Self-Care Your Way Out Of A Broken System”: The 2022 Urban Libraries Trauma Forum, Leah T. Dudak, Lauren Comito, Christian Zabriskie

School of Information Studies - Post-doc and Student Scholarship

The Urban Libraries Trauma Study (ULTS) conducted by Urban Librarians Unite (ULU) examines trauma that urban public library workers experience in the workforce through their work with the public and interlibrary relationships. Drawing on interviews, focus groups, and a trauma forum, this paper discusses the problem of trauma in the library. It demonstrates a grounded way to engage library staff in research and change. Finally, this paper concludes with ideas proposed by the forum participants to begin addressing trauma in the library workplace and provide areas to look to going forward.

Critical Information Literacy: An Annotated Bibliography, John Stawarz

Libraries' and Librarians' Publications

No abstract provided.

Older Adults On Snap Experience Gaps In Benefits, Colleen Heflin, Leslie Hodges, Irma A. Arteaga, Chinedum O. Ojinnaka, Gabriella Alphonso

Population Health Research Brief Series

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest food and nutrition assistance program in the United States. Burdens associated with SNAP recertification often lead to administrative churn, when a household experiences a gap in SNAP benefit receipt. Older adults are at risk of experiencing benefit gaps, which may negatively impact their health and nutrition. This brief summarizes results of a recent study that examined administrative churn among Missouri SNAP participants aged 60 years and older. The authors call for program changes that reduce the frequency and duration of churn among older adults.

Does Working Memory Predict Preference To Use Inherent Explanations In Scientific Observations? A Bayesian Item Response Theory Approach, Sepideh Namvarrad

Theses - ALL

Understanding the cognitive processes that help people generate explanations is one of the fundamental questions in cognitive science and philosophy. In this study, we try to examine the extent to which working memory capacity can predict peoples’ preference for scientific explanations under uncertainty. Specifically, we distinguish between possible explanations in terms of their focus on inherent vs. extrinsic entities associated with an observation. According to past findings, inherent vs. extrinsic properties of a phenomenon are different in terms of the ease of accessibility for cognitive processes. The results of this research indicate a significant association between people’s tendencies to choose …

The Unequal Burden Of Long Covid, Marc A. Garcia, Catherine Garcia, Erin Bisesti

Population Health Research Brief Series

Racial/ethnic disparities in U.S. COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths have been well documented. However, less research has focused on racial/ethnic disparities in long COVID. This data slice summarizes data from the U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey and reports that although there are no significant racial/ethnic differences in overall activity limitations from long COVID, a higher percentage of Black and Hispanic/Latino adults report experiencing “significant” activity limitations compared to Whites.

Crisis Communication In The Public Sector: Influences On Stakeholders’ Experience Of Psychological Effects As U.S.-Russia Tensions Rise, Elisabeth Shirk

Theses - ALL

As war in Ukraine rages on and the U.S.-Russia relationship becomes increasingly hostile, the need to better understand public sector communication in times of international crisis is once again rising. For years, the public and private sectors have been treated largely the same in crisis communication research and practice. In the context of international crisis, specifically rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia, this study looks at where these differences lie and what that might mean for future research and practice.

In contribution to this broader topic, this study looks at the influence of domestic stakeholders’ perceptions of the Biden …

Refugee Gardening: An Opportunity To Improve Economic Conditions, Food Security, And Mental Health, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, Rashmi Gangamma, Bhavneet Walia, Anna Zoodsma

Population Health Research Brief Series

Every year, thousands of refugees enter the United States. Conditions prior to resettlement, such as exposure to conflict, persecution, and loss, as well as conditions after resettlement, such as isolation and adjustment to a new culture, impact refugee mental health, economic security, and food security. Refugee access to land and resources for gardening has been shown to have quality of life benefits, including enhanced food security and mental health outcomes. This research brief summarizes the results of a recent study that examined how community gardening may reduce food insecurity and adverse mental health among refugees living in Central New York. …

Living In The Fast Lane: The Role Of Temporal Processing In Adhd Risk-Taking Behaviors, Ashley Schiros

Theses - ALL

Background: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, prevalent in the college student population, that is associated with temporal processing deficits and functional impairments, namely engagement in risky behaviors (ERB; e.g., binge drinking). An existing theoretical framework purposes that aberrant temporal processing and subjective experience of time passing slowly, experienced in individuals with a fast internal clock (e.g., individuals with ADHD), increases the likelihood of ERB. The primary aim of this project is to improve our understanding of the relationship between objective temporal processing deficits and the subjective experience of time passage among people with elevated ADHD symptoms. Method: …

Examining Student Adherence Within A Cover-Copy-Compare Intervention, Kaytlin Ann Nelson

Theses - ALL

The Cover-Copy-Compare intervention is a self-management strategy developed to improve students’ academic performance, particularly in the area of spelling. In academic intervention research, it is often assumed that students are completing an intervention as intended, yet this is seldom examined during intervention implementation or subsequent data analysis. The aim of this study was to retrospectively examine students’ Cover-Copy-Compare permanent products to assess their ability to adhere to the intervention and to examine whether intervention adherence influences intervention effectiveness. Data for the present study were selected from two larger randomized control trials that examined the efficacy of the Cover-Copy-Compare intervention on …

Against Wind And Tide: Alternative Case Studies Reflecting On Subject And Functional Librarians In A Hybrid Reality, Julia Gelfand, Ibironke Lawal, Jill Powell, Anne E. Rauh

Libraries' and Librarians' Publications

No abstract provided.

State Policy & Politics Database (Sppd), Jennifer Karas Montez

Center For Aging and Policy Studies

The State Policy & Politics Database (SPPD) is a compilation of annual data on state policies and politics that are particularly relevant for population health. The SPPD includes several categories of policies, including labor and economic policies (e.g., minimum wage levels, right to work laws), social safety net policies (e.g., earned income tax credits, SNAP), behavior-related policies (e.g., tobacco taxes, opioid prescribing), as well as the political ideology of the states’ government and citizens. Most measures are available annually from 1980 to 2021.

State Policy & Politics Database (Sppd), Jennifer Karas Montez

Center For Aging and Policy Studies

The State Policy & Politics Database (SPPD) is a compilation of annual data on state policies and politics that are particularly relevant for population health. The SPPD includes several categories of policies, including labor and economic policies (e.g., minimum wage levels, right to work laws), social safety net policies (e.g., earned income tax credits, SNAP), behavior-related policies (e.g., tobacco taxes, opioid prescribing), as well as the political ideology of the states’ government and citizens. Most measures are available annually from 1980 to 2021.

Limited Cognitive Ability May Reduce Snap Participation Among Older Adults, Colleen Heflin, Dongmei Zuo, Gabriella Alphonso

Population Health Research Brief Series

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest food and nutrition assistance program in the U.S. For older adults currently on SNAP, meeting administrative requirements to remain on SNAP is difficult due to short recertification time frames, a lack of social support, and cognitive impairment. This brief summarizes results of a recent study examining the impact of cognitive decline on SNAP participation among adults aged 60 yrs. and older. Findings demonstrate that cognitive decline and living alone are associated with reduced SNAP participation, with older females being the most affected.

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: October 2022, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Veteran employment trends and statistics among various demographics during October 2022

Conservative State Policies Contribute To Higher Mortality Rates Among Working-Age Americans, Jennifer Karas Montez, Nader Mehri, Shannon M. Monnat

Population Health Research Brief Series

The risk of dying during working ages (25 to 64) is high, rising, and unequal in the United States. Working-age mortality rates are much higher in some states than others. Part of the explanation may relate to differing policies across states that affect health. While some states enact policies that invest in people’s economic, social, and behavioral wellbeing, others enact policies that are potentially harmful to health. Using mortality data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this study examined how state policies on criminal justice, taxes, environment, firearms, marijuana, health care, labor, and tobacco were associated with …

The Cost Of Being A Woman: How Race And Education Affect The Gender Pay Gap, Erin Bisesti, Marc A. Garcia

Population Health Research Brief Series

The gender pay gap in the United States workforce has remained relatively stable over the past few decades despite women having more access to advanced education and higher-pay jobs than in the past. Inequities in earnings have lifetime impacts on women's mental and physical health. This brief explores pay inequities in 2020 by race/ethnicity, gender, and educational attainment. The authors find that Black and White women would need at least one additional education degree to earn as much as less educated men, and Latinx women would need two additional degrees to earn as much as less educated Latinx men. The …

Building Inclusive Stem Collections: Books By Bipoc Scientists, Hilary Wong

Upstate New York Science Librarians Conference

No abstract provided.

Connecting With Departments Through Impact Study: Nature Index Analysis For The University Of Rochester, Sarah Siddiqui, Jieer Chen

Upstate New York Science Librarians Conference

No abstract provided.