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Articles 1 - 11 of 11

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Linking Social Support And Sexual Interest Among Older Adults In Intimate Romantic Relationships, Jennifer Leigh Griffith Aug 2008

Linking Social Support And Sexual Interest Among Older Adults In Intimate Romantic Relationships, Jennifer Leigh Griffith

Gerontology Theses

This study examines social support and sexual interest among coupled persons aged 57 to 85 in North America. Using quantitative data from the 2006 National, Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (n = 3,005), the dependent variable is sexual interest and the independent variable is social support received from an intimate partner. Using survey and quantitative interview data, I analyze social support older couples receive from their partner, sexual interest, health status, marital status, and gender. In my analysis, I predict that higher levels of social support will positively affect levels of sexual interest, with health, relationship status, and gender …


Racial Differences In Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults, Emily Green Jul 2008

Racial Differences In Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults, Emily Green

All Theses

The costs are very high, both emotionally and economically, to those who suffer from depression and those close to them. Depressive symptoms vary among individuals, by gender, between racial and ethnic groups, and by socioeconomic status (SES). Group differences in rates of depression have been noted for decades, especially between African Americans and non-Hispanic whites. The role of race in mental health is still relevant today, and many issues regarding risk factors and differences between racial and ethnic groups remain unanswered. This study examines the differences in rates of depressive symptoms between African Americans and non-Hispanic Whites. Particularly, socioeconomic status …


The Exercise Attitudes, Perceptions, And Perceived Outcomes Of Older Minority Women Participating In A Fall Prevention Program, Porsha Hall Jul 2008

The Exercise Attitudes, Perceptions, And Perceived Outcomes Of Older Minority Women Participating In A Fall Prevention Program, Porsha Hall

Gerontology Theses

Fall prevention is a serious issue in the health and aging fields, and much attention and research is now being focused on examining why older adults fall and ways to prevent them from falling. Although it has been well-documented that older adults benefit from programs designed to decrease falling by promoting exercise participation, balance training, and fall education; little research has focused on specifically examining how older minority women view preventive exercise programs. This qualitative study explores the experiences of older minority women participating in a fall prevention program. The specific aims of the study are to: 1) gain an …


"Getting Better" After Torture From The Perspective Of The Survivor, Brian Louis Isakson Jul 2008

"Getting Better" After Torture From The Perspective Of The Survivor, Brian Louis Isakson

Psychology Dissertations

The traditional model of Western mental health treatment for survivors of torture has focused mainly on posttraumatic stress disorder and related conditions. This model is symptoms-focused in which the goal is to reduce pathology. In this model, the mental health professional is the expert and the survivors learn from the professionals. Using grounded theory methodology, the current study seeks to expand the understanding for treatment of torture survivors by investigating, from the perspective of the torture survivors, the process of “getting better” after torture. By asking the survivors to explain this process, this study broadens the focus of areas of …


Strong Black Woman Cultural Construct: Revision And Validation, Dhakirah Amelia Hamin Jun 2008

Strong Black Woman Cultural Construct: Revision And Validation, Dhakirah Amelia Hamin

Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to revise the wording of the items in the Strong Black Woman (SBW) attitudes scale and investigate the psychometric properties of this revised scale (renamed the SBW Cultural Construct Scale, SBWCCS). Another goal is to determine if the scale predicts racial identity, stress, and social support. The sample consisted of 152 women of African descent, who were recruited from a community based organization. An exploratory factor analysis on the SBWCCS scale suggested a 3-factor model consisting of (1) caretaking, (2) affect regulation, and (3) self-reliance. These factors parallel those found in the original …


Spirituality And Religious Support As Buffers Against The Negative Effects Of Marital Distress On Ambulatory Blood Pressure, John Dale Livingstone Mar 2008

Spirituality And Religious Support As Buffers Against The Negative Effects Of Marital Distress On Ambulatory Blood Pressure, John Dale Livingstone

Theses and Dissertations

The beneficial effects of religion and spiritual factors on cardiovascular functioning have become an area of increasing research. Similarly, considerable research has also investigated the negative effects of marital distress on cardiovascular functioning. Little is known, however, about potential protective factors against the deleterious effects of marital distress on cardiovascular functioning. Social support has been identified as a potential buffer against the negative effects of marital distress on ambulatory blood pressure, and the current study hypothesized that spirituality, religiosity, and religious support would also buffer the negative effects of marital distress on ambulatory blood pressure. Fifty-eight married couples were recruited …


Work-Family Conflict And Performance Evaluations: Who Gets A Break?, Kara Hickson Jan 2008

Work-Family Conflict And Performance Evaluations: Who Gets A Break?, Kara Hickson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Forty percent of employed parents report that they experience work-family conflict (Galinsky, Bond, & Friedman, 1993). Work-family conflict (WFC) exists when role pressures from the work and family domains are mutually incompatible. WFC is associated with decreases in family, job, and life satisfaction and physical health; intention to quit one's job; and increases in workplace absenteeism. Women may be more impacted by WFC than men, as women report completing 65-80% of the child care (Sayer, 2001) and spend 80 hours per week fulfilling work and home responsibilities (Cowan, 1983). Research suggests that WFC can be reduced with social support, such …


The Effects Of Family, School And Peer Support On The Achievement Outcomes Of African American Adolescents, M. Annette Clayton Jan 2008

The Effects Of Family, School And Peer Support On The Achievement Outcomes Of African American Adolescents, M. Annette Clayton

Theses and Dissertations

This study used survey design to explore the relationship between protective influences (support from parents, teachers and peers, social capital assets, and social support use), contextual risks, and two achievement outcomes in a representative sample of male and female African American high school seniors (N=317). Responses to two questionnaires, weighted cumulative grade point averages, and eleventh grade Virginia English Reading Standards of Learning test scores were analyzed. Multiple regression analysis revealed that some support variables were predictive of better achievement outcomes and others were associated with poorer outcomes. Three of the parent support predictors were associated with poorer achievement outcomes, …


Predictors Of Social Support Provided To Smokers, Diana Williams Stewart Jan 2008

Predictors Of Social Support Provided To Smokers, Diana Williams Stewart

LSU Master's Theses

Over 20% of adults in the U.S. presently smoke cigarettes. The highest rates (28.5%) are among 18-24 year-olds. Therefore, cessation interventions targeting young adults are needed. Cessation efforts and maintained abstinence in smokers have been associated with positive social support from others (i.e., “support persons”) throughout the cessation process. Support persons' attributions about smokers may affect the consistency and amount of support they provide to a smoker during a cessation attempt. The present investigation addressed the relationship between support persons' attribution style and the quality and quantity of support they provided to smokers. College students (N=244) were asked to identify …


Resilience In Mothers Who Had Been Victims Of Physical Child Abuse: An Exploration Of The Mediating Effects Of Personality Characteristics, Coping Skills, Social Support, And Family Characteristics, Denise A. Traina Jan 2008

Resilience In Mothers Who Had Been Victims Of Physical Child Abuse: An Exploration Of The Mediating Effects Of Personality Characteristics, Coping Skills, Social Support, And Family Characteristics, Denise A. Traina

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Environmental Influences On Adherence To Self-Management Behaviors And Glycemic Control In African American Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Brooke L. Barbera Jan 2008

Environmental Influences On Adherence To Self-Management Behaviors And Glycemic Control In African American Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Brooke L. Barbera

LSU Master's Theses

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic illness effecting approximately 20.8 million individuals in the United States. Minorities are adversely affected, with age-adjusted prevalence 1.7 times higher in African Americans than Caucasians. Type 2 diabetes is significantly affected by behavioral and environmental risk factors, including the presence of co-occurring diseases (i.e., hypertension, hyperlipidemia), obesity, age, and lack of physical activity, and each of these risk factors is more prevalent among African Americans. The treatment of diabetes is largely self-managed, with patients and their families handling 95% of their own care. Adherence to the multi-component diabetic treatment regimen requires daily care, often occurring …