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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Articles 1 - 30 of 50
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
An Examination Of Factors That Influence Friendships In Young Adults From Intact And Divorced Families, Stephanie Wolf
An Examination Of Factors That Influence Friendships In Young Adults From Intact And Divorced Families, Stephanie Wolf
Theses and Dissertations
Specific factors affecting young adult friendship development have been identified by the literature with little focus on which are most influential in determining friendship composition.. Hierarchical regression was used to examine such factors. Participants included 400 undergraduate Psychology students at a state university in the mid-Atlantic region. Findings indicated parental relationships were the strongest predictor of friendship quality. Parent-child bonds, conflict between parents, and emotion regulation skills best predicted levels of intimacy. Parent-child bond-especially with mother-best predicted satisfaction with friendship network as did conflict between parents. In addition, parent-child bond with mother and conflict between parents were found more important …
Mindfulness, Health, Well-Being, And Patient Care Of Oncologists, Amanda Kracen
Mindfulness, Health, Well-Being, And Patient Care Of Oncologists, Amanda Kracen
Theses and Dissertations
Demands on physicians in the workplace are growing, as are the occupational and psychosocial stressors they encounter. However, there is scant research regarding physicians, their patient care, and strategies that enhance their well-being. Mindfulness, the ability to be present in the moment, is increasingly being encouraged among healthcare workers for personal benefits and possible positive effects for patients. Thus, the present study examined (a) the health, well-being, and patient care practices of oncologists, (b) the relationship between oncologists’ mindfulness and health indicators (general health and sleep problems) with three outcomes (satisfaction with life [SWL], job satisfaction, and suboptimal patient care), …
A Study Of Land Use Planning Practices And The Relationship Between Population Distribution And Transportation Infrastructure In Kathmandu, Nepal., Walter Suwal
Theses and Dissertations
This particular paper is meant to investigate planning in Kathmandu, Nepal specifically land use planning practices and the implications on the transportation network(s). Very early on in the research including existing land use (if any), and current transportation networks, it was clear that investigations must be made into the political and planning situation leading up to the modern era in Nepal. The overview of past political events is necessary to explain current planning trends and techniques, and also the mindset of the people of Kathmandu towards planning. Of course universal planning truths can be applied in various international contexts, but …
The Christian Right And Federal Stem Cell Research Policy: A Qualitative Study Of Influence And Advocacy Strategies In Congress (2001-2009), Todd Gathje
Theses and Dissertations
The Christian Right has been a major contributor to the policy process since the 1980s, helping shape the national agenda by illuminating a number of social issues and influencing elections with strong grassroots campaigns. For political scientists, Christian Right organizations provide a rich source of information for studying interest group activity, electioneering, and general political theory. In particular, their efforts to lobby various policy issues such as prayer in school, education, abortion, and traditional marriage, has caused them to become a distinct coalition of advocacy groups, and the focus of much research by many scholars. However, as we advance into …
A 'Seat At The Table': Exploring The Relationship Between Pluralist Structures And Involvement In Decision-Making—The Case Of The Nile Basin Initiative, Simon Okoth
Theses and Dissertations
The goal of this study was to explore the relationship between pluralist structures and involvement in decision-making of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI). To establish this relationship the study asked two primary questions: What are the characteristics of power structures of the NBI as they relate to stakeholder involvement in Ethiopia? For those not involved in the decision-making process, what constraints prevent them from getting a ‘seat at the table’?” Two secondary questions were also asked: Do the power structure characteristics in Ethiopia relate to pluralism and, if so, how? To what extent are conditions in Ethiopia compatible with the …
The Use Of Collaboration In Nongovernmental Organization Public Policy Advocacy, Randy Barrack
The Use Of Collaboration In Nongovernmental Organization Public Policy Advocacy, Randy Barrack
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of the study was to explore the definitions, benefits, and challenges of collaborations as used by nongovernmental organizations in their pursuit of public policy advocacy, and more specifically the role of NGOs as advocates in the public policy process. A qualitative design using a case study approach was used to examine the collaborative strategies and techniques used by the 12 statewide education NGO members of the Virginia Education Coalition in pursuit of their advocacy goals in public policy. The direction of this study was guided by the following questions: (1) What is collaboration, and when, how, and why …
Assessment Of Perceived Positive And Negative Outcomes In Risky Adolescent Dating And Peer Situations: A Descriptive Analysis Of Risk And Benefit Perception, Sarah Helms
Theses and Dissertations
Peer and dating violence perpetration and victimization are common experiences placing adolescents at-risk for maladaptive outcomes, yet little research has focused on specific problematic situations associated with these types of violence and other related risk-taking behaviors. Further, prevention programs have typically focused on changing beliefs, attitudes, and skill-deficits, with little attention to adolescents’ motivations or perceptions of costs and benefits associated with risky situations, despite support for this type of research in other health-related fields (e.g., substance abuse, behavioral medicine). The current study assessed adolescents’ perceptions of potential positive and negative outcomes associated with risky dating and peer situations, many …
Ethnic Effects On Biological, Psychosocial And Disease Care Factors In African-American Youth With Type 1 Diabetes, Priscilla Powell
Ethnic Effects On Biological, Psychosocial And Disease Care Factors In African-American Youth With Type 1 Diabetes, Priscilla Powell
Theses and Dissertations
Person-oriented and variable-oriented analyses were conducted to investigate sociodemographic differences in biological, psychosocial and disease care factors in youth with type 1 diabetes. Additionally, diabetes knowledge was evaluated as a potential mediator of SES effects on HbA1c and disease care. The sample included 349 youth, age 9-17 years (79.9% Caucasian, 71.3% lived with two biological parents, M SES = 46.24). Person-oriented t-tests confirmed commonly reported ethnic differences in HbA1c and disease care behaviors. However, variable-oriented analyses controlling for confounding sociodemographic influences showed most disease care effects attributed to ethnicity were better explained by SES. While diabetes knowledge was not a …
Examining The Mindfulness – Stress Resistance Relation: The Mediational Role Of Autonomy, Melissa Holt
Examining The Mindfulness – Stress Resistance Relation: The Mediational Role Of Autonomy, Melissa Holt
Theses and Dissertations
Mindfulness – a receptive attentiveness to present experience – has been shown to promote more adaptive emotion regulation (Brown, et al. 2007) and predict autonomy - motivation to behave in a self-directed manner. In turn, autonomy has been shown to predict self-regulation (Ryan & Deci, 2000). This suggests a psychological pathway from mindfulness to autonomy to emotion regulation. To better understand the regulatory potential of a mindful disposition and the possible mediating role of autonomy in healthy adult participants (N = 69), a laboratory social evaluative threat was used called the Trier Social Stress Task (Kirschbaum, et al., 1993). Results …
Robust Protective Factors That Help Youths With A Parent Experiencing Depression Achieve Positive Adjustment, Hsing-Jung Chen
Robust Protective Factors That Help Youths With A Parent Experiencing Depression Achieve Positive Adjustment, Hsing-Jung Chen
Theses and Dissertations
Based on a resilience framework, the purpose of this study was to address knowledge gaps about minority youths who lived in rural and poor areas, had a primary caregiver with a diagnosis of depression, and faced multiple psychosocial stressors. Three research objectives included: 1) To explore the association between ecological protective factors and four developmental outcomes-emotional adjustment, behavioral adjustment, school performance, and educational aspiration; 2) To identify the robust protective factors; and 3) To explore the interactive relationships between risk and robust protective factors. Families (N=126) where the primary caregiver had a diagnosis of major depression and had a child …
The Genetic Epidemiology Of Purging Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, And Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder, Sara Trace
Theses and Dissertations
Although a variety of factors influence the development of eating disorders, genetic factors contribute notably to their etiology. Understanding genetic factors associated with eating disorders is important, as they can influence how these disorders are recognized, researched, and treated. This dissertation included two studies addressing important questions within the fields of eating disorders and genetics; specifically, Study 1 addressed the prevalence and heritability of purging and purging disorder in a population-based sample of female twins from the United States; and Study 2 investigated the nature of the co-morbidity between anorexia nervosa and obsessive compulsive personality disorder in a population-based sample …
The Effectiveness Of Religiously Tailored Couple Counseling, Joshua Hook
The Effectiveness Of Religiously Tailored Couple Counseling, Joshua Hook
Theses and Dissertations
Large numbers of couples seek treatment from religious counselors who integrate religion and spirituality (R/S) into counseling. The present dissertation reviewed the literature examining the effectiveness of R/S counseling. Several R/S treatments were helpful in treating psychological problems. There was little evidence that R/S treatments outperformed secular treatments. In Study 1, a nationwide survey was conducted that examined the beliefs of Christian counselors about integrating R/S into couple counseling. Christian counselors (N = 630) completed measures of religious commitment, experience in couple counseling, attitudes toward using religious techniques in couple counseling, and the use of theory in couple counseling. Counselors …
Environmental And Organizational Factors Influencing Similarities And Differences Between Nonprofit Human Service Providers That Are Faith-Based And Those With No Religious Affiliation, Geraldine Lewis Meeks
Environmental And Organizational Factors Influencing Similarities And Differences Between Nonprofit Human Service Providers That Are Faith-Based And Those With No Religious Affiliation, Geraldine Lewis Meeks
Theses and Dissertations
The American social welfare system is a mixed system consisting of loosely coupled government programs, private nonprofit and for-profit organizations, grassroots and religious entities. Although religious entities historically played a key role in the development of the social welfare system, the faith-based initiative of President George W. Bush targeted religious service providers to receive government funding and take on a larger role in service delivery to at-risk populations based on the belief that these providers were substantially different from traditional providers. Using a cross-sectional research design and a survey instrument created for the study, data was collected from 121 nonprofit …
The Influence Of Parental Verbal Messages About Fighting And Nonviolent Responses On Adolescent Aggressive And Effective Nonviolent Behavior, Alison Kramer
Theses and Dissertations
Research suggests that adolescent health requires both reducing problem behavior and promoting the development of social competence. There is strong support for the influence of parenting practices on both aggressive and competent behavior. However, there has been little research to date focused on parental messages, or the verbal communication parents provide to their children, about aggressive and effective nonviolent responses to conflict. The present study used hierarchical regression to examine parental messages supporting fighting and parental messages supporting effective nonviolent responses to problem situations in relation to adolescent aggressive and effective nonviolent behavior. These relations were expected to be moderated …
Parent-Adolescent Discrepancies In Ratings Of Youth Victimization: Associations With Psychological Adjustment, Kimberly Goodman
Parent-Adolescent Discrepancies In Ratings Of Youth Victimization: Associations With Psychological Adjustment, Kimberly Goodman
Theses and Dissertations
Epidemiological research indicates that parents report lower levels of youths’ exposure to violence than youth self-report, and theory suggests that such discrepancies reflect parents’ lack of knowledge of youth victimization and impaired ability to help children cope with victimization. This study extends prior research examining the implications of parent-youth informant discrepancies on ratings of victimization. Latent class analysis (LCA) was employed to identify groups of dyads distinguished by patterns of parent and youth report of victimization, uncovering heterogeneity based on patterns of parent-youth ratings of victimization. Analyses examined how latent classes reflecting parent-youth agreement on victimization were related to adjustment …
Thankful Feelings, Thoughts & Behavior: A Tripartite Model Of Evaluating Benefactors And Benefits, Maureen Mathews
Thankful Feelings, Thoughts & Behavior: A Tripartite Model Of Evaluating Benefactors And Benefits, Maureen Mathews
Theses and Dissertations
Gratitude and indebtedness have been treated as similar constructs that occur in social exchange, but little work has examined how these constructs are independent from each other. Relatedly, how a person evaluates the components of a social exchange – the benefactor and benefit – can vary. Two exploratory studies examined affective, cognitive and behavioral measurement during a social exchange to test whether they were associated with gratitude and indebtedness. Participants completed a distribution game for which they gave and received tickets for a raffle with a fictitious partner. Study 1 (N=34) findings indicated that gratitude was associated with positive affect, …
Patterns Of Differential Involvement In Terrorist Activities: Evidence From Dhkp/C And Turkish Hezbollah, Ismail Yilmaz
Patterns Of Differential Involvement In Terrorist Activities: Evidence From Dhkp/C And Turkish Hezbollah, Ismail Yilmaz
Theses and Dissertations
This study examines the patterns of involvement in terrorist activities for the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) and Turkish Hezbollah members. The study is based on the assumption that terrorists differ in terms of their involvement in terrorist activities. In this sense, there are full-time and part-time terrorists. Full-time terrorists act professionally and do the assignments given by their commanders. Part-time terrorists, on the other hand, act on a non-professional basis and have their own motivations to participate in terrorist activities. For part-timers, there are various factors that may have an effect on their degree of involvement in terrorist activities. …
Predictors Of Smoking Initiation In African American Adolescents, Jennifer Kienzle
Predictors Of Smoking Initiation In African American Adolescents, Jennifer Kienzle
Theses and Dissertations
Cigarette smoking and other forms of tobacco use are responsible for over 440,000 deaths per year in the U.S. Health consequences associated with cigarette smoking include cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Despite awareness of the health risks, approximately 21% of the U.S. adult population smokes. Efforts to-date to reduce smoking-related disease and illness have focused on prevention and intervention strategies that encourage cessation. Adolescence is a critical period for both intervention and prevention. Because more than three-fourths (80%) of adult smokers reported starting to smoke prior to the age of 18, prevention and brief intervention is likely to be …
An Application Of Anomie And Strain Theories To Terrorism: Suicide Attacks In Turkey, Ozgur Nikbay
An Application Of Anomie And Strain Theories To Terrorism: Suicide Attacks In Turkey, Ozgur Nikbay
Theses and Dissertations
A suicide attack is an extreme modus operandi of terrorism. This research examines the application of two similar sociological theories to terrorism and specifically, to suicide terrorism. Three models are built to test if Merton‘s strain theory can explain the propensities of provinces to produce terrorists and suicide bombers in the first phase. Next, in Phase 2 one model is built on a combination of altruistic and fatalistic type variables to test if Durkheim‘s anomie theory can explain the probability of a terrorist to become suicide bomber or not. The analyses of models 1, 2, and 3 are performed in …
Do State Regulatory Institutions Matter: Using Network Theory To Explore Linkages Between Air Policy Boards And Pollution Outcomes, Debra Jacobs
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to test an adapted model of network theory against state air pollution control institutions. Air pollution control presents a regulatory problem that has interstate, intrastate and multiple federal dimensions. It is one of extreme complexity and uncertainty, from both a regulatory and scientific perspective. The changing political environment federally has enabled states to redefine their roles in the regulatory process (Adler, 1997; Krane, 2007). Drawing from network theory in intergovernmental policy processes my research tests three key factors in explaining state air pollution levels: tenure in office of the air policy administrator, the use …
Expressive Writing As A Therapeutic Process For Drug Dependent Women, Meshberg Cohen Sarah
Expressive Writing As A Therapeutic Process For Drug Dependent Women, Meshberg Cohen Sarah
Theses and Dissertations
Women with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) have high rates of trauma and PTSD, which is linked to greater physical and mental health problems and poorer SUD treatment outcomes. While research affirms trauma should be addressed during SUD treatment, the majority of addiction programs do not offer such services. One promising intervention is Pennebaker’s expressive writing paradigm, which includes disclosure of traumatic/stressful experiences through 20-minute writing sessions over 3-5 consecutive days. While expressive writing has been linked to improvements in mental and physical health, the intervention has not been studied in persons with SUDs. The present study was a randomized clinical …
Expressive Writing With University Students With Disabilities, Geraldine Lotze
Expressive Writing With University Students With Disabilities, Geraldine Lotze
Theses and Dissertations
Research suggests college students with high incidence disabilities experience more distress than their peers without disabilities as they adapt to college. The expressive writing paradigm developed by Pennebaker and Beall (1986) effectively reduced distress in college students and other nonclinical samples when participants wrote about emotions they experienced surrounding an upsetting event. Previous research on expressive writing has not addressed the effectiveness of the paradigm with students with disabilities. A randomized control trial study examined changes in distress and daily hassles for participants with disabilities who engaged in expressive writing compared to a control condition in which participants wrote about …
Does Mindfulness Reduce Negativity Bias? A Potential Mechanism For Reduced Emotional Distress, Laura Kiken
Does Mindfulness Reduce Negativity Bias? A Potential Mechanism For Reduced Emotional Distress, Laura Kiken
Theses and Dissertations
The present research examined if mindfulness reduced negativity bias on measures of attitude formation and cognitive style, as a potential explanation for the beneficial effects of mindfulness on emotional disturbance. Two studies were conducted. Study One was correlational and found that trait mindfulness inversely correlated with measures of negative cognitive style, and that the latter partially mediated an inverse association between mindfulness and predisposition to depression and anxiety. Further, correlations between mindfulness and both positive attitude formation and optimism hinted at a potential positivity bias. Study Two extended these findings using a randomized experimental design comparing a mindfulness induction to …
Needs Assessment Of Users Of Psychiatric Services In Saudi Arabia, Khalid Aldeham
Needs Assessment Of Users Of Psychiatric Services In Saudi Arabia, Khalid Aldeham
Theses and Dissertations
Background: the aims of this study were to assess the outpatients needs among 155 patients at Al-Amal Complex for Mental Health in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and identifying the demographic variables that are associated with these needs. Method: the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule (CANSAS) was used to assess the needs and the demographic questionnaire was used to identify the patient’s demographic variables includes gender, age, income and level of education. Results: patient who meets any one of these criteria; being elderly, poor, and the uneducated are more likely to have higher total number of needs. Men and women …
How Does Mothers' Depression Influence Adolescents' Aggression? The Role Of Parenting, Family Functioning, And Informant Discrepancy, Kelly Pugh
Theses and Dissertations
Previous research has found that maternal depression is predictive of adolescents’ aggression. The present study examined three mechanisms believed to account for this relation: parenting practices, family functioning, and informant discrepancy. The data for this study are from the Multisite Violence Prevention Project which collected data from a high-risk sample of sixth grade students, parents, and core teachers. A within-subjects analysis of variance examined the association between maternal depression and informant discrepancy. Structural equation modeling compared the relation between maternal depression and adolescents’ aggression as a function of parenting practices and family functioning. Results indicated that maternal depression was related …
Understanding Death Anxiety In Women With Gynecologic Cancer, Hana Kim
Understanding Death Anxiety In Women With Gynecologic Cancer, Hana Kim
Theses and Dissertations
For most of us, thoughts about our own mortality are largely unconscious, an invisible backdrop to our daily living. However, when forced to face a potentially life threatening event, these otherwise underlying thoughts about human transience rise to consciousness. Given the seemingly inherent link between receiving a cancer diagnosis and developing an increased awareness of one’s own mortality, the present study sought to address the following research question, “What are the experiences and processes by which women with gynecologic cancer construct meaning and manage death anxiety in the face of their cancer diagnosis?” Based on an interpretive grounded theory paradigm, …
Physical Activity, Physical Fitness And The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Obese Adolescents, Nichole Kelly
Physical Activity, Physical Fitness And The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Obese Adolescents, Nichole Kelly
Theses and Dissertations
Overweight and obesity are associated with an array of negative physical and psychosocial symptoms in adolescents. Numerous pediatric obesity interventions have emerged in an attempt to address this significant public health concern. However, few have focused on African American females, a particularly high risk group for negative health behaviors and associated complications. Moreover, research examining the psychosocial changes associated with increases in physical activity and fitness, although promising in elder and adult populations, is nearly nonexistent in adolescents. Thus, the current study addressed limitations in the research and examined the psychosocial outcomes of adolescent participants in T.E.E.N.S., a culturally sensitive, …
Determinants Of International Long-Distance Eldercare: Evidence From Ghanaian Immigrants In The United States, Stephen Kodwo
Determinants Of International Long-Distance Eldercare: Evidence From Ghanaian Immigrants In The United States, Stephen Kodwo
Theses and Dissertations
Studies of Ghanaians who have immigrated to the United States indicate that both economic and emotional support continue to be provided to non-migrant families in Ghana. However support to “family relatives” has been studied generally, without specifying age. Thus, relationships between immigrants and their elderly relatives, particularly those who may be frail and vulnerable, have not been the focus of previous research. In addition, it is necessary to examine the dynamics that shape attitudes towards elderly people, and which in turn influence eldercare patterns among Ghanaian immigrants. Based on the literature, the researcher identified four factors relevant to international long-distance …
Diet-Related Changes In Sensitivity To The Pharmacological Effects Of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, Mayo Wright
Diet-Related Changes In Sensitivity To The Pharmacological Effects Of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, Mayo Wright
Theses and Dissertations
Recent evidence suggests that sustained consumption of a high-fat diet is associated with reduced CB1 receptor expression in some brain areas. Many of the neuromodulatory functions of endogenous cannabinoids are mediated by the CB1 receptor. The CB1 receptor also mediates the behavioral and physiological effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of marijuana. While high-fat diets are associated with region-specific changes in CB1 receptor expression, it is not clear whether such changes are behaviorally relevant. To that end, separate groups of male and female rats were placed on either a high-fat diet or a standard diet. Cannabinoid function was …
Examining Campus Crime At Virginia’S Colleges And Universities, Christina M. Barnes
Examining Campus Crime At Virginia’S Colleges And Universities, Christina M. Barnes
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation examines reported campus crime at Virginia’s institutions of higher education. Utilizing secondary data and content analysis, the research seeks to determine the amount and types of crime occurring on Virginia campuses and which correlates explain such crimes. Three sources of campus crime statistics are included and scrutinized in detail, including the Clery Act statistics, Virginia Incident-Based Reporting statistics and campus crime logs. Regardless of data source, findings indicate that the vast majority of reported campus crime is comprised of property offenses. The research argues to separate analyses by campus police departments versus campus security departments for more meaningful …