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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Articles 1 - 30 of 45
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Victims' Perspectives On The Process Of Seeking A Protective Order: Predictors Of Perceived Empowerment, Sara-Beth Plummer
Victims' Perspectives On The Process Of Seeking A Protective Order: Predictors Of Perceived Empowerment, Sara-Beth Plummer
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined victims' perceived sense of empowerment during the process of seeking a Preliminary Protective Order. A cross sectional survey design with stratified sampling was used to gather information from women seeking Preliminary Protective Orders in Richmond City, Virginia. During a six month period 89 women agreed to participate, for a response rate of 83 percent. In general, the sample consisted of women who identified themselves as African-American, single, with either a high school/GED degree, and/or some college education.Overall, the women found the steps during the process of seeking an Order, either easy or very easy. In general, the …
Residential Outcomes Of Hope Vi Relocatees In Richmond, Va, Lallen Tyrone Johnson-Hart
Residential Outcomes Of Hope Vi Relocatees In Richmond, Va, Lallen Tyrone Johnson-Hart
Theses and Dissertations
In 1997 the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority received a HOPE VI grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the amount of $26.9 million to revitalize the Blackwell scattered site public housing community. The mixed income approach of HOPE VI calls for a reduction of public housing units, thus requiring all households to relocate to other neighborhoods. This research analyzed socioeconomic data to examine the relocation of households, assess whether they moved to better neighborhoods, and compare them to other poor households. Over half of all households moved to other distressed neighborhoods in the Northside, East …
The Muse In The Classroom: Some Effects On American Nonprofit Arts Organization Of Partnering With Schools, Susan A. Fitzpatrick
The Muse In The Classroom: Some Effects On American Nonprofit Arts Organization Of Partnering With Schools, Susan A. Fitzpatrick
Theses and Dissertations
Nonprofits, including cultural organizations, are increasingly relying upon fees for service as part of their operating budgets. Arts organizations have taken an increasingly prominent role in arts education starting with federal budget cuts in the 1960s and 1970s. There is a lack of data on the effects of partnering with schools on nonprofit arts organizations as well as the effects of government contracting on nonprofits.This study consists of an email/internet survey to determine how contracting with schools to provide arts activities affects nonprofit arts agency independence, vendorism, bureaucratization, costs, and artistic quality. The survey was pilot tested with 22 leaders …
Evaluating The Psychosocial Effects Of Two Interventions, Tai Chi And Spiritual Growth Groups, In Women With Breast Cancer, Sarah M. Rausch
Evaluating The Psychosocial Effects Of Two Interventions, Tai Chi And Spiritual Growth Groups, In Women With Breast Cancer, Sarah M. Rausch
Theses and Dissertations
One in seven women will develop breast cancer. Most will suffer medically and psychologically from the disease. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions such as tai chi and spiritual growth groups have proven to be beneficial for this population, however, many questions remain regarding the mechanisms of action in these techniques. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial effects and mechanisms of two 10-week interventions (tai chi and spiritual growth groups) within the context of a larger randomized, controlled NCI-funded study (R01 CA114718, Nancy McCain, PI) in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The present study evaluated …
Familial And Self Systems As Contributors To Sexual Decision-Making Patterns Of Young African American Women, Christina M. Grange
Familial And Self Systems As Contributors To Sexual Decision-Making Patterns Of Young African American Women, Christina M. Grange
Theses and Dissertations
This study utilized a is a two-phase mixed methods design to examine partner-based expectations and perceptions of factors that affecting condom use among African American women recruited at a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic. Phase One utilized qualitative methods to analyze interviews from 25 unmarried, African American women between ages 18--26. Interviews explored the following two research questions: (1) How do young adult African American women conceptualize relationships as illustrated by their expectations of their partner and their expectations of themselves in the relationship? (2) What messages do women recall receiving from their family members about sexual opportunities, intercourse, consequences …
Achieving High Performance In Local Government: Linking Government Outcomes With Human Resource Management Practices, Richard F. Huff
Achieving High Performance In Local Government: Linking Government Outcomes With Human Resource Management Practices, Richard F. Huff
Theses and Dissertations
Historically public sector personnel policies and practices have been targets of reform. These reforms consisted of transferring private sector techniques to a public sector perceived to be more bureaucratic and less efficient. Private sector research is replete with evidence of a connection between "superior" human resource management (HRM) practices and the performance outcome of profitability. Public sector outcomes are more difficult to connect directly to management practices. As a result, the focus of public sector reform has become one of improving the processes of management rather than improving the outcomes of government. The linkage between reform and outcome is assumed.This …
Study Abroad And Carnegie Doctoral/Research Extensive Universities: Preparing Students From Underrepresented Racial Groups To Live In A Global Environment, Felecia D. Williams
Study Abroad And Carnegie Doctoral/Research Extensive Universities: Preparing Students From Underrepresented Racial Groups To Live In A Global Environment, Felecia D. Williams
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to identify current practices in study abroad offices and to investigate factors that may impact the number of minority students that participate in study abroad programs. The predictors, commitment to study abroad, proportion of staff and student workers, and awareness were selected for this current exploratory study are a result of the literature review. The other selected variables: endowment, financial aid and SAT/ACT scores are predictors typically used in higher education. This exploratory research focused on the policies, procedures, and strategies implemented allowing us to comprehensively describe the activities and efforts study abroad personnel …
Changes In Bmi Among First Semester College Students, Rachel L. Walker
Changes In Bmi Among First Semester College Students, Rachel L. Walker
Theses and Dissertations
The transition to college has been identified as a critical period for weight gain; however, only a limited number of studies have examined this phenomenon. The college setting may promote weight gain, thus the purpose of the present study was to quantify changes in BMI in first year students during their first semester of college and to understand factors associated with weight gain, such as eating behaviors, physical activity, and body shape ideals. Significant changes in weight were detected between Time 1 and 2 with a mean weight gain of 1.24 kg. The majority of participants (73.1 %) gained weight …
Overweight And Obesity: A Comparative Study Of Black And White Non-Hispanic Women In The United States, Fai R. Howard
Overweight And Obesity: A Comparative Study Of Black And White Non-Hispanic Women In The United States, Fai R. Howard
Theses and Dissertations
The population of the United States is increasingly gaining weight each year.Americans are heavier than they have ever been. African American women are at the forefront of this pandemic. This study addresses the higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among African American women in comparison to White women. Behavioral, psychological, and social known contributors to overweight and obesity using the National Health Interview Survey, 2001 dataset were examined in this study. The research concluded that even when controlling for vigorous exercise, education, income, depression, emotional support, smoking, health coverage, and age, race is the most important predictor of body mass …
Pathways To Externalizing Behavior: The Effects Of Mother's Harsh Parenting And Toddler's Emotional Reactivity, Sandra H. Henderson
Pathways To Externalizing Behavior: The Effects Of Mother's Harsh Parenting And Toddler's Emotional Reactivity, Sandra H. Henderson
Theses and Dissertations
Externalizing behavior is stable as early as 2 years of age and is a precursor to many childhood and adult negative outcomes. Although global self report data show a relationship between parenting and children's externalizing, few studies have examined the proximal effect of observed mother's parenting on children's expression of aggression. A sample of 55 primarily African American, toddler-mother dyads were observed in their homes. Data was collected on the 2-year-old children's emotional reactivity, externalizing behavior, social competence and mother's harsh and supportive parenting. A second wave of data was collected one year later with a smaller sample, n=37.Children who …
Residual Symptoms After Treatment Of Chronic Depression: A Comparison Across Treatment Modalities, Katherine L. Schaefer
Residual Symptoms After Treatment Of Chronic Depression: A Comparison Across Treatment Modalities, Katherine L. Schaefer
Theses and Dissertations
Despite the development of several effective treatments for depression, symptoms often persist in a number of individuals. Unfortunately, these residual symptoms are associated with several negative outcomes, including persistence of depressive illness. Few studies have examined the exact nature of individual residual symptoms across specific treatment modalities, and studies have failed to distinguish between depression courses. The current study expands on previous findings by examining, among a chronically depressed population, differences in individual residual symptoms and clusters between treatment modality (medication, psychotherapy, combination) and treatment response (full response, partial response). Five hundred and nineteen chronically depressed participants completed the study. …
Maternal Caregivers' Organization Of And Reasoning Behind Coping Suggestions To Deal With Community Violence Exposure, Melinda B. Moore
Maternal Caregivers' Organization Of And Reasoning Behind Coping Suggestions To Deal With Community Violence Exposure, Melinda B. Moore
Theses and Dissertations
Children and adolescents exposed to community violence can experience a plethora of negative outcomes including both internalizing symptoms and externalizing problems. Coping strategies can either buffer the effects of violence exposure or exacerbate negative outcomes following exposure. Given the diversity of strategies youth use to cope with violence, one unanswered question is how youth come to learn coping strategies to deal with community violence, and the roles that proximal others such as caregivers play in that process. The current study had several aims including understanding (a) how caregivers organize and conceptualize the suggestions they give to their children to cope …
Work Hope As A Mediator Between Proactive Coping And Career Planfulness In Domestic And International University Students, Juan Juana Wu
Work Hope As A Mediator Between Proactive Coping And Career Planfulness In Domestic And International University Students, Juan Juana Wu
Theses and Dissertations
This study applied proactive coping theory (E. R. Greenglass, 2002; R. Schwarzer, 2000) to the domain of career development in domestic and international student transition-to-university. Participants were recruited from a large southeastern state university. No significant between-group differences were identified in the present study. Within both groups, proactive coping, work hope, and career planfulness were positively correlated. The role of work hope as a mediator between proactive coping and career planfulness was tested in domestic and international students respectively. For domestic students, a partial mediation model was established with a direct effect of proactive coping on career planfulness and an …
The Effects Of Transdermal Nicotine On Tobacco/Nicotine Withdrawal And Concurrently Administered Cigarettes In Women And Men, Betha A. Kleykamp
The Effects Of Transdermal Nicotine On Tobacco/Nicotine Withdrawal And Concurrently Administered Cigarettes In Women And Men, Betha A. Kleykamp
Theses and Dissertations
Transdermal nicotine (TN) is a smoking cessation pharmacotherapy thought to work by suppressing tobacco/nicotine withdrawal and reducing the effect of a concurrently smoked tobacco cigarette. Clinical trials suggest that TN may be less efficacious for women. This study explored the possibility of gender differences in response to transdermal nicotine in 54 women and 70 men. Participants completed four within-subject, double-blind, randomized sessions corresponding to 0, 7, 14, and 21 mg TN and 4-hrs after TN application smoked an own-brand cigarette. Prior to session onset participants completed ≥ 8 hours of verified tobacco cigarette abstinence (i.e., expired air carbon monoxide levels …
Exploring The Cardiovascular Response To Anger Imagery And Speech In Vietnam Veterans With And Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Jennifer Jane Runnals
Exploring The Cardiovascular Response To Anger Imagery And Speech In Vietnam Veterans With And Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Jennifer Jane Runnals
Theses and Dissertations
Few studies directly compare the physiological consequences of anger under a variety of induction methods. The current study explored the patterns of cardiovascular responding associated with varying anger induction methods, specifically personal anger memory recall through verbalization versus imagery in a sample of Vietnam combat veterans with and without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Spoken anger produced greater elevations in blood pressure than anger that was recalled through imagery but not spoken. This was true even after controlling for the metabolic activity associated with speech. However, for veterans with PTSD, anger imagery was also sufficient to produce an elevated response in …
Constraints On Breastfeeding Choices For Low Income Mothers, Carol Grace Hurst
Constraints On Breastfeeding Choices For Low Income Mothers, Carol Grace Hurst
Theses and Dissertations
The choice to breastfeed a baby is a woman's concern with impact reaching beyond each individual mother and child to longer term health and mental health outcomes for society. The U.S. government has made increasing breastfeeding rates one of its major public health goals for 2010. Breastfeeding is a health disparity issue with mothers who are poor, young, less educated or Black less likely to breastfeed. This project examined impacts of sexual perceptions of breastfeeding, social support, and work on breastfeeding choices made by a sample of low income mothers. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to examine potential barriers …
Roles And Attitudes Of Males And Females In The Anarchist Punk Community, Donna M. Manion
Roles And Attitudes Of Males And Females In The Anarchist Punk Community, Donna M. Manion
Theses and Dissertations
Sexism is a widespread social problem that exists throughout the world today. It persists within the dominant culture, as well as in various subcultures, including the punk subculture (Daugherty 2002; Leblanc 1999; McRobbie 1991; Rosenberg and Garofalo 1998). Nijole Benokraitis and Joe Feagin's (1995) theory of sexism posits that subtle sexism is the unequal and harmful treatment of women that is typically less visible than blatant sex discrimination. This particular type of sexism may often go unnoticed, as society has internalized subtle sexist behaviors. Empirical research on subtle sexism has been conducted in various settings, such as the employment, academic, …
Forgiveness, Individualism, And Collectivism, Joshua N. Hook
Forgiveness, Individualism, And Collectivism, Joshua N. Hook
Theses and Dissertations
Although the scientific study of forgiveness has flourished in recent years, the study of the effects of culture on forgiveness has been minimal. The present thesis reviews the literature examining the effects of individualism and collectivism on forgiveness. In Study 1, four scales are created that are hypothesized to relate to the study of culture and forgiveness. Evidence for the reliability and validity of these scales are presented. In Study 2, the effects of individualism and collectivism are empirically tested. Collectivistic forgivers understand forgiveness within the context of reconciliation, social harmony, and relational repair. Collectivistic forgiveness primarily involves a decision …
The Making Of The Trafficking Victims Protection Act Of 2000: Viewed Through The Lens Of The Advocacy Coalition Framework, Nicole Kristine Footen
The Making Of The Trafficking Victims Protection Act Of 2000: Viewed Through The Lens Of The Advocacy Coalition Framework, Nicole Kristine Footen
Theses and Dissertations
The U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) was the first piece of legislation designed to combat human trafficking on all fronts, both domestically and internationally, and was upheld as a model worldwide. Although human trafficking as an issue seemed to appear out of nowhere onto the congressional agenda and a number of heated debates ensued during .the making of the TVPA, the legislation passed quickly by an unlikely coalition of players. The purpose of this dissertation research was to gain insight into the forces which led to the making of the TVPA through the lens of the Advocacy …
Religiosity, Parental Support And Adult Support Coping As Protective Factors For Drug Refusal Efficacy And Use Among African American Adolescents, Raymond H. Tademy
Religiosity, Parental Support And Adult Support Coping As Protective Factors For Drug Refusal Efficacy And Use Among African American Adolescents, Raymond H. Tademy
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined whether religiosity, parental and adult support coping would moderate the influence of neighborhood risks and friends' drug use upon drug refusal efficacy and drug use among African American adolescents. One hundred and thirteen African American urban adolescents (77 females and 36 males) aged 11-17 (M=14.17) participated in this study. This study used the God Support and Religious Support scales to assess religiosity; the parental support coping subscale of the Wills Coping measure; Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's Special Event Drug Refusal Efficacy and Friends' Drug use scales; the Exposure to Neighborhood Risk Scale; and a one-item measure …
Expectations And Stress Related To Choosing And Providing Treatment: A Comparative Study Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders Or With Down Syndrome, Virginia H. Mackintosh
Expectations And Stress Related To Choosing And Providing Treatment: A Comparative Study Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders Or With Down Syndrome, Virginia H. Mackintosh
Theses and Dissertations
This study looked at the level of stress experienced by parents (N = 280) of children with an autism spectrum disorder (Autism, n = 134; Asperger's disorder, n = 36; & PDD-NOS, n = 42) or with Down syndrome (n = 68) as it related to child's impairment and to the process of choosing and providing treatments. Using the new Family Access to Disability Services (FADS) measure, it was discovered that parents of children with an autism spectrum diagnosis had more difficulty in accessing and providing the treatments they wanted for their children. Higher FADS scores predicted parenting stress, even …
The Role Of A Family History Of Alcohol Or Drug Abuse On Ptsd Outcomes Following Community Violence Exposure, Kathryn Reid-Quinones
The Role Of A Family History Of Alcohol Or Drug Abuse On Ptsd Outcomes Following Community Violence Exposure, Kathryn Reid-Quinones
Theses and Dissertations
Research consistently has revealed the damaging consequences of children's repeated exposure to community violence and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the most commonly cited internalizing disorder associated with such exposure. However, not all children who are exposed to community violence develop PTSD symptoms; thus, it is important to identify factors that contribute to this deleterious relationship. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relation of community violence exposure (CVE)and PTSD in a sample of urban adolescents. Additionally, the study assessed whether a maternal history of alcohol or drug abuse would exacerbate the association of CVE andPTSD symptoms …
Public Policy Preferences And Political Attitudes: Exploring The Generational Divide Among African Americans, Dietra Y. Trent
Public Policy Preferences And Political Attitudes: Exploring The Generational Divide Among African Americans, Dietra Y. Trent
Theses and Dissertations
Since the Civil Rights era, African Americans have come a long way. In the years since the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act, there have been dramatic increases in education, political representation, business ownership, and occupational position. Yet, for all of the economic, social and political advances made in the African American community, many young people are still subjected to inferior schools, housing and depressed communities where crime, drugs, police brutality and HIV/AIDS run rampant. As a result, there is a growing tension among the community over the root causes of their predicament and the most …
An Exploration Of The Influence Of Race And Gender On Sexual Beliefs And Attitudes Of Adolescents, Kristine Marie Vandenberg
An Exploration Of The Influence Of Race And Gender On Sexual Beliefs And Attitudes Of Adolescents, Kristine Marie Vandenberg
Theses and Dissertations
This study explores factors that influence the sexual attitudes and behaviors of adolescents specifically through an examination of social constructs that measure sexual beliefs and attitudes of adolescents and the relationships between race and gender and sexual beliefs and attitudes. As the U.S. has maintained one of the highest rates of unplanned teen pregnancy and births among industrialized nations, schools and community groups have struggled to combat teen pregnancy and worked toward designing effective prevention programs. Through an emphasis either on abstinence or safe sex practices, these programs strive to influence adolescents' sexual behavior. However, studies and reports reveal a …
Examining Spatiotemporal Change In Neighborhood Crime Using Social Disorganization As A Theoretical Framework: A 10-Year Analysis Of Homicide In The City Of Richmond, Va, Suleyman Demirci
Theses and Dissertations
This study investigates both space and time aspects of neighborhood crime distributions using social disorganization as a theoretical framework in the City of Richmond, VA. Neighborhood crime, in this study, might be considered as any type of index crime aggregated to neighborhood level. For the purpose of the present study, however, neighborhood crime only includes "homicide" categorized as an index crime in the Uniform Crime Report (UCR). Homicides in neighborhoods have been realized as rare events, and have become problematic to establish robust statistical models in the literature. With the focus of neighborhood homicide, this study questions the consistency of …
Posttraumatic Growth Among College Students At A Large Urban University: The Role Of Social Support And Unsupportive Social Interactions, Wendy E. Balliet
Posttraumatic Growth Among College Students At A Large Urban University: The Role Of Social Support And Unsupportive Social Interactions, Wendy E. Balliet
Theses and Dissertations
The objective of this study was to investigate the association between both social support and unsupportive interactions and psychological outcomes, in a sample of college students who recently had experienced a stressful event. The research design was cross-sectional, and data were collected from 142 college students. As hypothesized, a significant positive association was found between unsupportive interactions received by participants and depressive symptoms. Contrary to hypotheses, no significant associations were found between unsupportive interactions and positive emotion or posttraumatic growth. Additionally, no significant relationship was evident between received emotional support and the outcome variables. Exploratory analysis revealed that positive reappraisal …
Determinants Of College Students' Opinions Towards Felon Voting Rights: An Exploratory Study, Edwards Brenda Cherie Dawson
Determinants Of College Students' Opinions Towards Felon Voting Rights: An Exploratory Study, Edwards Brenda Cherie Dawson
Theses and Dissertations
The disenfranchisement of felons follows a long American tradition of selectively granting the most coveted democratic tradition - voting. As a collateral "civil" consequence to criminal conviction that is legally deemed as non-penal, felon voting prohibitions have been used as an exclusionary tool for certain otherwise eligible voting populations. Current research finds that African-Americans individually and collectively may experience diminished voting power due to felon voting laws (Uggen & Manza, 2002; Manza & Uggen, 2004; King & Mauer, 2004). The purpose of this research is to examine opinions toward felon voting prohibitions in a state that has one of the …
Intensive Co-Parenting Therapy: Piloting A Manualized Treatment For Divorced Families, Jill Allison Ferrante Gasper
Intensive Co-Parenting Therapy: Piloting A Manualized Treatment For Divorced Families, Jill Allison Ferrante Gasper
Theses and Dissertations
Although resilience is the normative psychological outcome of divorce, parents and children of divorce are disproportionately represented in the mental health and legal systems. Due to the great financial and psychological costs of incessant divorce litigation, interventions that promote positive child adjustment while alleviating the costs of litigation are in high demand. Social policymakers and clinicians have responded to this demand via a number of intervention strategies; however, the implementation of many current interventions has predated supporting empirical evidence.The present study seeks to establish the efficacy of a child-focused, intensive co-parenting therapy (ICT) intervention for divorced parents. ICT is a …
Measuring Hispanic/Latino Satisfaction With Health Services In Chesterfield County, Virginia, Lynell H. Mcclinton
Measuring Hispanic/Latino Satisfaction With Health Services In Chesterfield County, Virginia, Lynell H. Mcclinton
Theses and Dissertations
The objectives of this study were to measure and describe the overall satisfaction of Hispanics/Latinos with services they receive from Chesterfield County's Health Department and compare it to that of African Americans and Caucasians. Also, the objectives were to analyze reasons for different levels of satisfaction, assess the nature and degree of satisfaction with particular services, and suggest implications of the Hispanic/Latino opinions for public policy. While the empirical literature revealed that Hispanics/Latinos experience lower levels of satisfaction with health care services, this study did not provide evidence to support this theory.This is a multi-method non-experimental research design combining a …
Cognitive Mechanisms Of Memory Impairment Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Mark D. Whiting
Cognitive Mechanisms Of Memory Impairment Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Mark D. Whiting
Theses and Dissertations
Memory impairment is common following traumatic brain injury (TBI). In recent years, researchers have demonstrated that the processes underlying memory formation (working memory, encoding, consolidation, and retrieval) are interrelated but dissociable events.The following study was designed to determine how these processes contribute to memory impairment following experimental TBI in the rat. Experiment 1 indicated thatTBI induces severe working memory deficits in a delayed non-matching-to-place task.Although all animals displayed intact acquisition, only injured animals displayed poor performance as the delay between the sample and choice phases was increased.Experiment 2 was designed to determine if TBI produces a transient period of posttraumatic …