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Unraveling The Relationship Between Sexual Shame And Father-Child Sex Communication, Hannah Mireya Brundage

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to understand the relationship between father’s sexual shame and children’s sexual shame. Parents play a role in shaping their children’s behaviors and perceptions in regard to sexuality. Most of this research analyzed data from the viewpoint of the mother, missing the potentially unique perspective and influence of fathers. Using longitudinal survey data from 361 fathers-adolescent dyads, I proposed to study the relations between father sexual shame and child sexual shame, and the possible mediating role of father-child sex communication. I predicted that quality of sex communication, including controlling and open communication, would mediate father sexual shame and …

Finding Meaning In Loss: The Role Of Attachment Styles, Coping Strategies, And Resilience, Salma Seyam

Theses and Dissertations

Grief is a deeply personal yet universal experience impacted by personal, social, and cultural factors. The present study examines how attachment styles, coping mechanisms, and resilience impact both grief intensity and the ability to find meaning after a loss, within an Egyptian sample. While previous studies have explored the experience of grief, few have looked at these factors within a Middle Eastern cultural context. A total of 140 bereaved Egyptians who experienced the loss of a loved one within the past three years completed standardized measures assessing grief intensity (Prolonged Grief Disorder-Revised; PG-13-R), coping strategies (Brief COPE), meaning-making (Grief and …

Growing Pains: Relations Between Racial Discrimination And Body Esteem With Ethnic-Racial Identity By Pubertal Timing For Female Adolescents Of Color, Emily J. Takamasa

Theses and Dissertations

Puberty is a near-universal experience among adolescents, and yet rarely have researchers considered the racialized contexts and salience it has, for girls of color. Using the phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST), this study examines the relation between pubertal timing, body esteem, racial discrimination and ethnic racial identity (ERI) components (affirmation, exploration, resolution) among adolescent girls of color (n = 218, Mage = 15.7, U.S. sample). Results showed that higher body esteem predicted greater ERI exploration and resolution, particularly for girls with average or late pubertal timing. Additionally, racial discrimination was linked to higher ERI exploration and resolution only …

An Auto-Criticism Exploration Of An International Transracial Adoption, Jessica M. Morganfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explores the lived experience of international transracial adoption through the combined methodologies of auto-criticism and journaling. Using a first-person, insider-led approach, this study addresses four central research questions: (1) What experiences emerge when an adult adoptee reflects on their childhood as an international transracial adoptee? (2) How do identity development, cultural socialization, and experiences of racial and adoptive microaggressions intersect and influence an individual? (3) How does auto-criticism uniquely describe the international transracial adoptee experience? and (4) How might journaling serve as a research tool for data collection and analysis?

Daily journaling over a 30-day period functioned …

Why Yelling Feels Like The Only Option (And What To Try Instead), Vanessa Brouse

Student Works

Why Yelling Feels Like the Only Option (and What to Try Instead) explores how emotional dysregulation in parents can lead to reactive patterns like yelling, shutting down, or withdrawing, and how these responses impact children’s emotional development. Drawing on principles of emotional regulation, the piece offers practical, compassionate strategies for parents to break intergenerational cycles and build stronger, more connected relationships with their children. This article is especially relevant for parents, caregivers, and educators interested in trauma-informed parenting, emotional resilience, and behavior challenges.

Situational Analysis Of Child Labour In Coastal And Marine Activities In Zanzibar, Tanzania, Happiness Anold Moshi, Rukia Kitula

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study analyses the situation of child labour in coastal and marine activities in Zanzibar, Tanzania, by examining activities carried out by children, the major driving factors for engaging in child labour, as well as the associated impacts to children’s schooling and wellbeing. Questionnaire survey, focus group discussions (FGDs), participant observations, and key informant interviews (KII) were all used to collect data for the study. The study involved a total of 90 children, who were randomly selected among working children in coastal and marine activities. It was found that most of the working children were involved in fishing, fish descaling, …

Working Mothers And Children’S Social-Emotional Development: Struggling With Family And Job Roles In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Ignasia Paskal Mbatta

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study aimed at examining the socio-emotional development of employed mothers’ children in the metropolis of Dar es Salaam. Early childhood socio-emotional development is crucial for shaping a child’s short- and long-term well-being, relationships, and overall mental health. An exploratory qualitative approach employing a phenomenological design, guided this study. In-depth interviews, documentary reviews, and active participant observation were used to collect data. The study sample comprised of 42 working mothers, 9 domestic workers, and 90 children under five years of age of the same mothers. Purposive sampling was used to select working mothers, while domestic workers were selected incidentally. The …

Couples And Pornography: A Dyadic Latent Profile Analysis Of Romantic Partners And Pornography Use, Michelle E. Haddock Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

Research on the outcomes of pornography use for romantic couples has been extensive yet inconclusive. Studies have examined pornography use in a wide variety of contexts, leading to a wide variety of outcomes and well-being. The current study uses latent profile analysis to account for many contextual factors at once, dyadic data to examine the perspective of both partners simultaneously, and a range of individual and relational well-being outcomes to understand how different relational pornography use patterns lead to well-being. Results provided evidence for six unique profiles of couples based on pornography use patterns (personal use frequency, perceived partner use …

The Significance Of Labels: From Shy And Lazy To Autistic And Adhd, Katrine K. Bechsgaard

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This article examines the ways in which language and conceptions of neurodivergent conditions, autism and ADHD, are connected in a Danish context. As in other Western countries, there are significant increases in diagnoses, and particularly women are being diagnosed in adulthood. The article focuses on how these conditions are perceived and talked about, utilizing concepts such as othering, labeling, and performativity. The analysis suggests that when individuals feel othered and stigmatized by diagnostic labels, it has less to do with the labels themselves and more to do with the connotations and pathologization connected with the labels. Furthermore, the analysis shows …

The Development Of The Disclosed Reasons Of Partners' Premature Discontinuation In Couple Therapy Questionnaire (Dropped-Ct), Luca Codeca'

Theses and Dissertations

Premature discontinuation from couple therapy presents a substantial challenge for clients, therapists, and society. Inconsistent data on the frequency and reasons for premature discontinuation may be attributed to a lack of methodological rigor in assessing the phenomenon. This study addresses this gap by developing the Disclosed Reasons Of PrEmature Discontinuation in Couple Therapy Questionnaire (DROPPED-CT), a comprehensive instrument designed to assess the reasons why couples prematurely discontinue therapy. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, the DROPPED-CT was developed through the integration of qualitative and quantitative data. The questionnaire demonstrates strong potential for enhancing the consistency of construct operationalization and improving the comparability …

The Influence Of Father Involvement On Early Childhood Outcome In China, Shuiyan Guo

Theses and Dissertations

Using a sample from China, this study examined the influence of father involvement on child outcome in early childhood in areas of internalizing problems, externalizing problems and prosocial behaviors. The participants were drawn from the larger PACIFIC project, a cross-cultural study of family processes in Asia. 479 families with a preschool or kindergarten child living in Beijing and Dalian, China were included in this study. Using multiple regression analysis, result indicated that father involvement was not significantly associated with child’s internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and prosocial behaviors. Moderation analysis was also conducted and found that the effect of father involvement …

Therapist Experience As A Moderator Of Therapeutic Alliance Across The Course Of Couple Therapy, Julia K. Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Therapeutic alliance is a key predictor of successful couple therapy outcomes. Little research has explored how therapist experience may predict its development. This study was designed to examine whether initial therapeutic alliance scores differ between couple clients of training clinics versus couple clients of community clinics, and whether the rate of change in alliance across sessions varies between these groups. Additionally, I controlled for initial relationship distress. Using dyadic therapy process data for at least one partner of 1,330 couples, a multilevel growth curve model with therapist experience as a moderator was fit to determine the difference in initial therapeutic …

Latent Profiles Of Couples' Marital Power And Gender Ideologies: Associations With Physical Intimate Partner Violence, Rylie Speirs

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to identify couple typologies regarding gender ideologies and marital power, and investigate how couple typologies relate to sociodemographic characteristics as well as rates of physical intimate partner violence (IPV). Several theoretical approaches connect marital power and gender ideologies to IPV but emphasize different couple typologies. For example, family violence perspectives suggest gender ideology mismatch is a stressor that increases the likelihood of either spouse reporting low power or engaging in physical IPV. Feminist theories add that men may use IPV to maintain patriarchal power dynamics when women deviate from traditional gender norms, emphasizing the risk of IPV …

Unseen Burdens: Exploring Gender Disparities In Infertility Experience And Depressive Symptoms, Khiara Cardoza Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how experiences with infertility relate to mental health outcomes among newly married U.S. couples, emphasizing gender differences and the potential moderating role of gender attitudes. Using data from 3,137 individuals in a nationally representative sample, three Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were estimated: first assessing actor and partner effects of infertility on depressive symptoms and subsequently incorporating gender attitudes as moderators. Results indicated a significant actor effect for wives, where infertility was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, and this association was significantly stronger for wives than for husbands. No significant effects were found for husbands' infertility and …

Living Arrangements Of Grandparents In The Mountain West, 2021, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, Kristian Thymianos, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet examines data on living arrangements from the U.S. Census Bureau report “Grandparents and Their Coresident Grandchildren: 2021.” This fact sheet includes data on the number of grandparents living with their grandchildren, the percentage of grandparents living with grandchildren, and the percentage of grandparents that are responsible for grandchildren in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

Echoes Of Longing, Mahalexmi Mohan

Masters Theses

Loss lingers like a shadow, a weight no time can lift. Longing becomes a silent scream, echoing within, unanswered. Internal pain festers in the quiet, where unhealed wounds weave themselves into the fabric of being. Each breath is both survival and surrender, a fragile balance between hope and the hollow ache of what was, what will never be, yet could be.

Abstract

My work is deeply influenced by my experiences within a dysfunctional family structure and is explored through the relationship of emotional vulnerability and its effect on self-worth. Layered into the work is a confrontation with the scars, conflict …

Do Myths Ever Die? Social-Cultural Changes And Mythical Transformations In Indigenous Amazonia: A Dialogue With Peter Gow, Aparecida M. N. Vilaça

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This is the first Peter Gow Memorial Lecture, given at the University of St Andrews in February 2024. Based on the analysis of different versions of Wari’ myths (Rondônia, Brazil) collected over forty years, the paper has two central objectives. The first is to engage with Peter Gow’s analysis of the mythical transformations resulting from the historical changes experienced by the Piro/Yine Indigenous people of Peru. The second is to discuss Lévi-Strauss’s suggestion that a myth can “die” after successive transformations, exhausting itself, taking the form of romantic tale or legendary tradition.

An X-Ray Of Mẽbêngôkre Houses In Terms Of Matrimonial Alliance, Vanessa R. Lea, Leandro Mahalem De Lima

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This article examines the matrimonial implications of the Houses, or matrihouses, of the Mẽtyktire subgroup of the Mẽbêngôkre (Kayapó-Jê) with the assistance of Puck (Program for the Use and Computation of Kinship Data) and Pajek software. In accordance with the greater legibility of graphics, statistical results have been converted into graphics whenever possible. The analysis is based on a revised version of a dataset spanning the years 1978 to 1982 and published on the site Kinsources. What began as a village census later morphed into genealogies, which served as the basis for the digital dataset. The matrihouses …

Ser Nhande’I Va’E, Da Concepção Aos Primeiros Passos: Uma Abordagem Etnográfica Sobre A Permanência, O Movimento E A Palavra, Maria Inês Ladeira

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

O evento do nascimento, assim como os ritos de passagem, são temas recorrentes na literatura etnográfica, com destaque aos resguardos, condutas e preceitos. Neste artigo, ao versar sobre o ato de nascer, refiro-me a alguns princípios referenciados na cosmologia guarani, na qual esse acontecimento é também um marcador – marco espaço/temporal – dos lugares habitados – isto é, ação de territorialização. Determinadas condutas pré e pós-parto são fundamentais para os Guarani Mbya e os Ava Guarani se socializarem com os demais viventes nas matas/terras que conformam seu território (Yvyrupa). A partir desse prisma, ressalto algumas propriedades e combinações …

Outras Antropologias E Seus Desafios Cosmopolíticos: Reflexividades Indígenas, João Paulo Barreto

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

Este texto é resultado “Dueto”/keynote com Tânia Stolze Lima do Congresso da Salsa em Letícia, intitulado: “Outras antropologias e os seus desafios cosmopolíticos”, proferida no dia 29 de novembro de 2023, onde propõe uma reflexão sobre os desafios enfrentados pelos estudantes indígenas no campo da Antropologia, especialmente no contexto universitário de pós-graduação. Como também discute os limites e tensões entre o pensamento indígena e a lógica ocidental acadêmica, marcada pela pretensão de universalidade e pela classificação redutora dos conhecimentos dos povos indígenas. Coloca-se em pauta a desconstrução dos corpos e pensamentos que os indígenas são submetidos ao adentrar na universidade, …

Baniwa Speculative Kinship, João Vianna

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This article discusses the dynamics of Indigenous kinship in the Amazon, based on the autobiographical narrative of Mr. Júlio Cardoso, a ninety-year-old man of the Baniwa people. From his account, I develop an ethnographic discussion on the Baniwa, speakers of an Arawak language and inhabitants of the Upper Rio Negro, with a particular focus on the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Júlio’s life is highlighted due to his extended period living with patrões from the regional aviamento system between the 1950s and 1970s. One of Júlio’s most recurrent formulations regarding these non-Indigenous bosses is that they were “as if” …

Creating Family Flow By Participating In The Reflective Practice Of Exercise With Family Members, Julianne M. Sylva

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This synthesis project explores how families can use shared exercise and reflective practice to cultivate lifelong learning habits and deepen family connection. Anchored in the fields of critical and creative thinking, the work integrates concepts of metacognition, flow, and personal mastery to examine how structured, intentional routines can foster both individual growth and relational attunement. The author documents a series of weekly exercise sessions undertaken with her co-parent and child at a local training facility. Drawing from theories of action research, reflective practice (Schön, Brookfield), and flow (Csikszentmihalyi), the project combines personal observation, scholarly frameworks, and course-based learning to construct …

Curiouser And Curiouser: Cultivating A Love Of Learning Within Elementary-Aged Children Through An Activity-Based Curiosity Program, Rayne Rickards

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This synthesis paper explores how a curiosity-centered educational design can promote lifelong learning (LLL) in elementary-aged children by actively engaging caregivers as co-learners. Grounded in the author’s personal and professional experience, the project responds to the underutilization of natural curiosity in traditional education. Drawing from metacognition, Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), and Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory, the author develops an activity-based curiosity program that integrates caregiver involvement into reflective, autonomy-supportive learning experiences. The program design applies principles such as collaboration, relationship-building, creative problem-solving, and metacognitive scaffolding, all explored through coursework in the Critical and …

The Red Thread: Objects As Medium, Hsin-Ning Alin Yang

Masters Theses

There are moments when people hesitate to speak their emotions or needs
—whether it’s love that feels too shy to articulate, needs that risk sounding too forceful, or feelings too vague to verbalize. By shifting the priority of emotion and communication factor ahead of pure functionality, this thesis posits that objects can serve as an alternative medium of communication.

This thesis begins by examining the root causes of communication difficulties and the coping strategies people use, ultimately identifying five situations in which objects can effectively substitute for verbal interaction. Building on these categories, the thesis explores how an object’s features, …

Structural Covariance And Episodic Memory: Sex Differences In Schizophrenia, Delaina Brooke Cimmino

Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a chronic brain disease characterized by patterns of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms that interfere with daily functioning and persist throughout the lifespan. Clinical and cognitive symptoms differ between males and females with the disease, suggesting neurobiological abnormalities that vary on the basis of biological sex. The present study used high-dimensional brain mapping and network analysis procedures of cortical and limbic regions known to be involved in memory formation to investigate sex differences in brain correlates of episodic memory among patients with schizophrenia. This study analyzed multi-site archival data from 363 male (M) and 108 female (F) …

The Chinese American Experience, Katherine Chan Sorensen

2025 Symposium

This paper examines and identifies conflicts of second-generation Chinese Americans, focusing on the interplay of cultural values, gender roles, and societal stereotypes. Through an interview with Connor Chan, a 23-year-old Chinese American, the study illuminates the tension between traditional Chinese patriarchy and evolving American norms. Intergenerational conflicts arising from differing acculturation experiences are explored, highlighting the emotional strain of navigating two distinct cultural landscapes.

The research addresses the persistence of traditional gender roles, where male breadwinners are emphasized, contrasting with Americas idea of female empowerment. This dissonance creates internal and external pressures for second-generation individuals. Furthermore, the paper confronts the …

"La Vida Es Un Carnaval": An Exploration Of Cuban Identity And Nostalgia Through Dance/Movement Therapy - A Community Engagement Project, Maria Fernanda Mendez Mendoza

Expressive Therapies Theses

“La Vida Es Un Carnaval” is a community engagement project and thesis that explores how identity and nostalgic resilience show up through dance/movement therapy with Cuban immigrants living in the United States, specifically Massachusetts. This project brought together six Cuban-born participants, ages 26 to 67, each with their own unique migration stories; from the Rafter Balsero Crisis of 1994, to the “Wet-Foot/Dry-Foot” policy, and family reunification. Through a mix of in-person and online sessions, participants explored their experiences using intermodal activities including dance/movement therapy techniques, conversation, journaling, artwork, and music. Themes of cultural pride, “Cubanía” – Cuban-ness, culture shock, and …

Exploring Predictive Factors For Enabling Behavior In Family Members Of Those With Problematic Substance Use, Joseph Lemieux

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the underpinning driving forces for enabling behavior in affected family members with loved ones engaged in problematic substance use. With improved clarity and understanding of the variables predictive of enabling behavior, clinicians may be able to treat family members with improved precision and efficacy. Specifically, this study inquired about the relationship between enabling behavior and several variables, including (a) trauma, (b) ethnicity/race, (c) gender, (d) social support, (e) household income, and (f) age. This study surveyed 100 participants identifying as affected family members. Surveys were completed online and consisted of …

Queens Of Chaos: How Adhd Affects The Experience Of Motherhood, Ashley Marie Murray

Educational Studies Dissertations

Historically, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) research and public perception have centered on hyperactive young boys, overlooking how the condition manifests in women, particularly mothers. As diagnostic understanding improves, increasing numbers of women are receiving ADHD diagnoses in adulthood, shedding light on the intersection of ADHD symptoms and gendered social expectations, including the ideals of motherhood. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores how ADHD affects the lived experience of motherhood through in-depth interviews with five mothers across North America. Findings reveal significant challenges in executive functioning, emotional regulation, time management, and self-perception, exacerbated by societal expectations of maternal competence. Participants describe the …

Having A Home To Come Home To: How Subsidized Housing Impacts Unhoused Pregnant Women, Stephanie O. Porvaznik

Master's Projects and Capstones

Community based organizations (CBOs) lead the charge in the fight to end housing insecurity and often must make up where local governments fall short. San Francisco is an example of a municipality that has a long history of addressing instances of housing insecurity for its residents, and where CBOs step in to provide housing support for populations with unique and special circumstances. One CBO that operates in San Francisco that I was interested in studying was the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP), and the Jelani House, a housing subsidy that is funded and operated by the HPP for pregnant women who …